Newsletter 10 September
From the Principal
How to help your child to improve!
Student work will be sent home this week in the form of Evidence of Learning (EOL's). They are designed as a snapshot – a piece of work done in class that teachers provide feedback to parents on, regarding how children are progressing with their learning. This feedback will identify if a child is working at the level they are expected to be at either against Australian Curriculum outcomes or against personal learning goals.
Unfortunately, we’re not always able to say that the piece of work provided shows student understanding at its very best – because quite often it isn’t.
For lots of reasons, students often fail to do their very best because they haven’t been at school for all the work leading up to the assessment piece. In other instances, the students themselves don’t give it their best effort, or they don’t use their learning from other areas like Playberry to ensure a high standard. Sometimes – and I know we all have them, it’s a bad day and students are too tired.
While this is understandable, it is very interesting to look through the current EoL’s and see how many students are falling short because of things that can be easily fixed or attended to.
If you’re disappointed with how your child has performed with this piece of work, please consider the following:
- Is your child attending school every time they possibly can, so they aren’t missing bits of learning – one day here and there doesn’t feel like a lot but it is!
- Do you encourage your child to do their very best at school and to apply themselves as best as they possibly can? You would be surprised by how many don’t.
- Do you explain to your children how important school and learning is?
If you are disappointed with how your child has performed, consider doing these things:
- Get them to bed of a night, without devices and at an early time that supports them to be awake and alert in the classroom.
- Discuss with them at the end of the school day what they did at school today. Ask them what they thought about the learning. Don’t take – “we didn’t do anything” or “I don’t know” as an answer.
- When they show an interest in something at home, encourage them to do some more research or to find a book on the subject and share what they learn with you.
- Talk to them regularly about the world around them and what is happening in it. Encourage them to develop and support their own opinions eg: Do you think we should build a new stadium?
- Allow them to have pen and paper at home, challenge them to write a story or do some maths.
Supporting students to do their very best shouldn’t just be a teacher's job. Helping students to learn goes far beyond the school and ensuring your children get the best possible results they can is everybody’s responsibility.
What are you doing to help your child to improve?
Nadine Davey
Principal
Threatened Species Day
It was Threatened Species Day on September 7. Students made artwork and information reports to highlight some of our native animals that are at risk. These are displayed in the corridor near the office.
We are holding a gold coin fundraiser on Thursday 11 September to raise money for Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, students and staff are encouraged to dress as their favourite threatened species/animal. Suggestions are to dress in the colours of the animal or wear animal ears or a tail.
P.E
In PE students in grades 3-6 have been focusing on fair play, teamwork, rule following and transferring skills and strategies from one game to another. They have been figuring out how skills and strategies need to be adapted depending on the game. At the beginning of the term students in Kinder- Year 2 focused on fundamental movement skills for example running and dodging. They have also been learning about fair play and rule following. Kinder – Year 2 students have now begun getting reading for their athletics carnival that will be held next term. They have started practising their sprint, egg and spoon, sack and three legged races.
Netball Tasmania have been running netball clinics for our grade 3 - 6 students during the term, as part of the Sporting Schools Program. 3/4B were lucky enough to participate today and enjoyed their time out in the sunshine.
Art
This term in Art, classes have been drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, such as famous artists or well know art movements. Students in Kinder have been building their drawing skills and their understanding of pattern. In Prep, students have been experimenting with different materials, such as paint and pastels. The 1/2 classes have been mixing materials, combining collage with paint or coloured pencils.
The students in the grade 3/4 classes have been working with 3D paper techniques and have been learning how to use single point perspective in their art. Grade 5/6 students have explored Pop Art this term and have made their own work in response.
Currently, students from grades 3 – 6 are working on creating pieces of art for the Royal Hobart Show.
Levies - Overdue
Levies for 2025 are now overdue. Please make payment in full as soon as possible.
Levies can be paid:
- At the school (by EFTPOS or cash)
- At Service Tasmania (by EFTPOS or cash)
- Through BPAY (using the Biller Code and Reference on your invoice)
- By mail, forward your cheque, money order or credit card details to the school, with the payment slip from your invoice attached (payable to the Department of Education)
- Using Centrepay, a service provided by Centrelink.
You can choose to pay your levies by instalment by contacting the school to set up a payment plan of regular instalments. Payment plans can continue through to the end of the school year.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty or financial hardship, and none of the support options above will work for your family, you can contact Ashlee Isaac, the School Business Manager on 6272 7877 or the Department of Education’s Financial Services Unit at Fin.Serv@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 827 055.
Important Dates
11 September - Free Dress Day for Threatened Species/RUOK Day
12 September - Music concert 11.15am start
19 September - Assembly (Gr's 3 - 6) 11.30am - 12.15pm All welcome
24 September - Sports Colours Day
25 September - Interschool Chess Tournament (selected students) to be confirmed
26 September - Port Arthur Excursion (4/5D, 5/6G & 5/6M)
- Last day of term
13 October - Term 4 commences
23 October - Show Day Public Holiday
24 October - Student Free Day
Birthdays
September Birthdays
1 Stella
2 Sagar (EFA)
4 Mrs Woods
6 Kate (Kitchen)
7 Gracia
10 Liam & Alyssa
12 Kaysi, Rachel (Admin) & Lawford (TA)
13 Reyansh & Helen and Anna (TA)
15 Elna & Hunter
17 Phoenix
19 Noah, Parisa, Des & Malachi P
20 Prishu
25 Abdul
26 Catherine
29 Apryll
30 Natasha & Nishtha
UTAS Open Day
UTAS will be holding an open day on September 14. Everyone is welcome to visit the UTAS campus and Children's University participants can earn 4 hours in their passport for attendance.
The Cricket Hub Tasmania
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