HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Little TRACers Readiness Conference

Dr Dan Gartrell’s brain research helps us to understand what readiness is, “Readiness doesn’t mean just knowing the academic basics. It means a child has a willing attitude and confidence in the process of learning: a healthy state of mind.

It has been an absolute delight to meet our newest College members and their families over the past fortnight. My favourite part of the conference was when students shared their interests, strengths, concerns and areas for improvement. Our 2022 Kindergarten students are certainly a curious, creative, reflective and humorous cohort. Some of their interests include Bluey, the letter D, roller coasters, dinosaurs, monster trucks, unicorns and the jungle. The most common area for improvement raised by the students was writing, drawing and reading. Meeting friends and being able to read is worrying a number of our preschoolers. This information is shared with our Junior School Transition team and informs our three-week Kindergarten Readiness Program. 

I look forward to our little TRACers joining us at the College for the Little TRACers Readiness program in July.

Partnerships - Allied Health

Over the past two terms, our Junior School Wellbeing team has engaged allied health to provide effective support for our students with additional needs. We are currently working collaboratively with Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Behavior Support Therapists and Early Childhood Intervention Coordinators. Our team of specialists provide us with recommendations for school and home. This approach allows us to create comprehensive individual plans for our students and ensure we provide the inclusive learning environment that all children deserve.

Creative and Practical Arts

Wakakirri rehearsals are in full swing, with the dancers beginning to learn their dance routines. Based on Graeme Base’s text Waterhole the dancers have been split into four contrasting animals: Pandas, Toucans, Kangaroos and Tigers. The dance will follow a sequence of stages with all animals searching for the last drop of rain at the waterhole.

The backstage and story writers’ are busily crafting what the set design and props will look like. The next stages will be building, creating and choosing the lighting for the performance.

The performance will be held in Wollongong at the Win Entertainment Centre on the 2nd of September. If you wish to purchase a ticket for this performance please email Miss MacDiarmid Georgina.Macdiarmid@trac.nsw.edu.au 

Our Year 3/4 string musicians presented their very first String Program concert this week. Our Year 3/4 students showcased their singing,  and memorisation in a “pizzicato” only concert in the MaD Space today during their scheduled music class. Students showed parents how they hold, pluck, listen and play with tutors Danita Harris and Damien Johnson, Junior School Educator Jacelyn Baxter, and Head of Music, Clare Brassil. Our senior students and tutors also performed, giving our budding string players and their parents a taste of how strings sound for advanced players. 

Next term our Year 3/4 musicians will add fingerings for more notes and start using their bows to play “arco”!

Did you know that pizzicato and arco are musical terms? They are italian words meaning pluck the string (pizzicato) or bow the string (arco)

I hope you and your family enjoy a relaxing holiday and take some time to reflect on the busy term of learning.

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Kylie Chacon | Head of Junior School