Boorowa Central School

Infants and Primary

Infants

Welcome to Term 3! What a great lot of fun events to look forward to coming up this term. Please keep your eyes peeled for times, dates and information in the Newsletters, on Compass and Facebook. 

During Week 3 are teachers are hoping to meet with all families during our Parent/Teacher Interview afternoons from Monday 31 July – Thursday 3 August 2023. Please book a suitable timeslot through Compass and if for some reason these times don’t work for your family, please arrange another time through the office. These interviews offer a great chance to chat with your child’s teacher about their progress, successes and challenges so far this year as well as discuss any concerns you may have.

We are excited to welcome family and friends to many events during Education Week in Week 3. Please see more information about these events elsewhere in this Newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Ms Mem Brougham

Assistant Principal Infants (relieving)

 

Kindergarten

Kindergarten students have hit the ground running with their learning this term. We continue to learn and consolidate our sounds to help with success in spelling, reading and writing. We have a big focus on our ‘sight words’ this term, also referred to as ‘heart and tricky’ words and already we have noticed our reading becoming more fluent.

In mathematics we have been focusing on learning our combinations to ten, also known as ‘friends of ten’. We have explored this concept and practised our skills by counting lots of different objects around our classroom and school as well as making crazy mini-beasts and counting how many different body parts they have.

We are also focusing on building respect and trust this term as part of our PD/H/PE unit on ‘Keeping Ourselves Safe’. Students were challenged to work cooperatively in pairs to complete a short obstacle course while carrying an object using their arms rather than hands. It was fantastic to see students talking and testing their ideas and encouraging each other. Many showed great perseverance when they repeatedly had to re-start the course when they dropped the object. 

Kindergarten students have also begun preparing for Smart Drama Night later this term. We are getting excited!

   

Ms Mem Brougham  

Kindergarten Teacher

Assistant Principal Infants (relieving)

1/2 Class

Wow- Term 3 already!

In the first two weeks back, we have explored new texts in English, looking at how authors and illustrators use words and images to create feelings in their readers. This has extended to the beginnings of creating tiny poems which we are excited to begin typing up on the computer and publishing. We have begun our literacy rotations again, tackling more activities independently. Parent helpers are again welcome to attend the classroom to help enhance our children’s reading skills and help them in literacy rotations. Keep an eye out for some notes that have been sent home.

In mathematics, we have been looking at positional language. Students enjoyed taking their mathematics lesson outside into the sun to draw grids with chalk on the pavement and give directions to peers acting like robots. You may notice your children using directional language to give instructions! 

STEM looks to be very exciting this term as students have been told that they are going to be exploring different types of birds' nests over the coming weeks. I got to take students through the school’s chicken coop and sheep paddock to see what we could collect to create our own birds' nests in Week 1. Exciting sessions to come. 

Unfortunately, we will not be participating in cooking sessions this term, but those lessons will be replaced with an opportunity to get our creative on and develop artworks to go with our English texts. I can’t wait to see some parents at the parent/ teacher interviews next week. And don’t forget Education Week. It is going to be a blast in Week 3!

 

Emily Friend - Class Teacher

 

Primary

We have started this term with some smaller class sizes which is definitely creating a new atmosphere in the Primary area! Miss Corcoran has created a beautiful learning environment inside the classroom, and it has been brilliant to see the kids interacting with their new classmates. We have welcomed Mrs Heather Shore as a full-time member of staff and Mrs Shore will be covering multiples areas of learning, including interventions, release from face to face and even some Secondary classes! It’s great to have Mrs Shore here with us at Boorowa Central School.

I am very much looking forward to Education Week next week. There are plenty of activities planned, and our focus as always is celebrating our students, their skills and abilities. This is a week that we get parents into the school to see how things work, and I encourage all families to attend wherever possible.

Parent/Teacher conferences are happening in Week 3 also. A note has already gone home and if you are having difficulty booking a slot, please contact the office. A reminder that the bookings should be made with the teacher that wrote the Semester One student report.

If you require any additional information or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email: Jason.stuart3@det.nsw.edu.au 

 

Jason Stuart

Assistant Principal Primary (Relieving) 

 

3/4 Class

Welcome to Term 3! Our 3/4 class students have effortlessly transitioned into their new class and are all set for an enriching term ahead. Here's what we have planned:

Writing: The first five weeks are dedicated to poetry. We'll be exploring various forms like Haiku, Acrostic, Limerick, and Free Verse. Our students will also get a chance to compile their very own poetry collection! Besides poetry, our regular Soundwaves Spelling and Grammar program will continue as usual.

Reading: We're committed to boosting reading stamina and fluency. Developing a love for reading is a top priority, and we're encouraging students to find books that captivate their interests. A friendly reminder to have students read at home for 20 minutes each night and bring in their favourite books for 'read-to-self' time during the school day.

Art and Handwriting: Under the expert guidance of Miss Green, our students will improve their handwriting skills and unlock their creativity through art every Tuesday.

Intervention Programs: To support literacy and numeracy, our intervention programs will continue with Mrs Shore, Ms Green, and Mrs Harpley.

Geography, Science, and History: This term, we're studying different environments in geography, learning about survival of living things in science, and journeying back to the First Fleet in history.

STEM and Library: Regular lessons continue, sparking curiosity and promoting research skills.

Sport: Sport will continue to be on Fridays and will be completed in the morning session

Mathematics: Each week, we'll focus on a new topic. Here's the plan:

  • Week 1: Money
  • Week 2: Number Sentences
  • Week 3: Statistics
  • Week 4: Fractions
  • Week 5: Measurement
  • Week 6: Area and Volume
  • Week 7: Time
  • Week 8: Place Value
  • Week 9: Operations
  • Week 10: Maps

Teamwork between home and school plays a critical role in your child's education, so we appreciate your continued support in fostering a love for learning. Should you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to discuss your child's progress, please feel free to get in touch. You can reach me at matthew.rowley12@det.nsw.edu.au or can call the school to arrange a meeting.

I’m Looking forward to a fantastic Term 3 together!

 

Matthew Rowley - Class Teacher

4/5 Class

We are thrilled to report that the students in our 4/5 classroom have had a fantastic start to the new term! With a focus on establishing routines and building a strong community within the class, we have seen significant progress and enthusiasm from all students. From launching our morning routines to class procedures, we have worked hard to create a welcoming and structured environment that supports learning and growth. We have also been impressed by the creativity and engagement of our students. Whether through group discussions, individual projects, or class activities, our students have been eager to share their ideas and collaborate. This has created a positive and dynamic learning environment that is both fun and productive.

One of the highlights of the first week was establishing individual SMART Goals. This technique has proven highly effective in making learning relevant and visible for students. In the 4/5 classroom, students have worked hard to establish their individual goals in English, mathematics, and one personal goal. These goals are prominently displayed on each student's desk to serve as a reminder and to encourage them to stay focused and motivated towards achieving them.

 

Overall, we are thrilled with how the students in our 4/5 classroom have settled into the new term and are looking forward to continuing to support their growth and development throughout the rest of the year. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in this positive journey for Boorowa Central School. 

 

Paris Corcoran - Class Teacher

5/6 Class

The Year 5/6 students have experienced a smaller classroom size over the past two weeks, which has definitely been different! We are really focusing on building our core skills across English and mathematics, often revising previously taught content to make sure it is all secure in our minds. 

 

In English, we are studying an animated short film titled ‘Replay’, which explores a post-apocalyptic world and two brother/sister survivors. The dialogue is all written in French, so we have to create our own dialogue, explore emotions of characters, set descriptive scenes and tie this all together into one piece of writing. It is my favourite unit of work to teach in English, so I can’t wait to read the finished products! Our next unit of work will be on RJ Palacio’s brilliant novel ‘Wonder’, which will be our main unit of work for the term.

 In mathematics, we are focusing on the four operations and revising our formal methods for problem solving. Daily practise of our times tables is essential for this area! Next we will move onto graphing, co-ordinates and data representation in mathematics.

 

In PDHPE, we have begun the ‘Health and Relationships’ unit of work, looking specifically at personal hygiene and understanding how our bodies change over the years. It’s always a great topic to teach and there’s some great questions and classroom chat that comes out of it!

 

As always, please get in touch if you require any further information. 

 

Jason Stuart - 5/6 Class Teacher

Assistant Principal Primary (Relieving)