As we approach the Term 3 break, I want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the teachers, support staff and students at NLHIS. It is funny to think that this has been the first full school term of face to face teaching we have had in 2020. I can certainly say that we have made the most of it!
As part of the Situational Analysis process we have been looking closely at our results in reading. We are particularly pleased with the Kindergarten results so far. In 2020 Benchmark levels were recorded at the end of Term 2 after students returned from learning at home and a familiar read was recorded at the end of Term 3. At this stage Kindergarten have shown excellent growth with an increase of 49% of students meeting benchmark (Level 6 or above) at the end of Term 2 to 72% of students meeting benchmark at the end of Term 3. We are aiming for 75% by the end of the year.
Parents play a major role in helping reading skills progress, so thank you for your support with home readers, learning sight words and spelling words and the use of Reading Eggs at home. We encourage all children to read at home each day as part of home revision.
Our students love listening to stories. We have been reading to them each lunchtime during eating time so we could complete the Premier's Reading Challenge. They have enjoyed it so much that they voted to keep doing this in Term 4. It is also just as important that parents read rich literature to their children and we encourage you to keep reading to your children all the way through their primary school years. Being exposed to new vocabulary and hearing someone read fluently and with expression is such an important part of learning to read. Talking about the story and asking questions helps develop comprehension of text.
Hopefully your child has brought home some lovely books from the library for the holidays.
Enjoy the holidays. I know many of you will still be working, but enjoy the break from the school week routine. I know I love not making lunches! Stay safe and make the most of any extra time you do get have with your kids. We think they are pretty special.
See you all back on Monday October 12.
Lisa Hughes
Principal
