5-8 Community News
Dear Families/Caregivers,
Over the past few weeks, the students have started to really rip into their core learning for this semester.
A large focus for our community has been continuing to support and develop our students' reading ability. Each morning for English, all students in Years 5-8 are reading, as they are expected to read their termly text in a variety of open and closed reading sessions to support their oral reading, oral fluency and accuracy skills. Some of you may have experienced this learning in your learning walks throughout our community. Follow up reading sessions incorporate an element of writing responses to text.
Whilst writing seems to be a subject which is often challenging for many students, our teachers and our students have started to unpack the writing curriculum called The Writing Revolution. This explicit writing model provides students with the opportunity to expand on their writing knowledge.
During TA this fortnight, the goal setting template has helped direct the students to finalise their SMART goal for the term. The students have been exploring their own data from their report by analysing their strengths and weaknesses. A very positive experience!
All students in Years 7 and 8 have continued to utilise their individual 2023 Student Diary. These tools will be used as a form of communication and for students to take to each of their classes, along with their device and their book/s. Please continue to support this change by reminding students to bring their diaries to each of their classes and then back home.
The best part about their diaries is that they include lessons from the Resilience Project. This past fortnight, the students have started to unpack emotional literacy by identifying emotions, their own emotions and what emotions look like and sound like in others.
We praise our Year 8 leaders for 2023 who have already shown a level of commitment as they continue to lead within our community and from within the school. Antony DePasquale, Wil Harrison, Shylee Donaldson, Penny Mason, Jayde Simpson, Olivia McMeeken, Archer Backway, Paddy Westerveld, Tayte Newman and Ella Cope continue to inspire their peers and their teachers by leading in the space of TA and in lunchtime activities. We look forward to watching these kids develop their leadership skills
The teaching of SOLE (Self, Others, Learning and Environment) in the 5-8 community continues to a focus where students are provided with ongoing opportunities to practice respect in various areas within the school. Our new SOLE matrix has some really good material that continues to be unpacked with the students.
Corey Carver and Anthony Poppa
5-8 Community Leaders
Years 7 and 8 Food Technology
Years 7 and 8 Food Technology students have had a great start to the term. So far they have made cheesy garlic bread, mini quiches and berry and white chocolate muffins.
All students have worked cooperatively and productively when preparing their dishes. All recipes are available in the Google classroom if students want to show off their new skills at home.
Amanda Clohosey
Teacher
Years 7 and 8 Outdoor Education
The Years 7 and 8 Outdoor Education students experienced indoor rock climbing and bouldering this week. It was fantastic to see all our students challenge themselves to step out of their comfort zone.
Tamara Brereton
Outdoor Education Teacher
