Dear Families
School is really getting back to normal. As we slip into Winter regular coughs and colds are emerging. Thank you to the families who are keeping children home at the first sign of illness. This is very supportive for all of us, maximising attendance across the school.
Coming out of the COVID experience we are all noticing just how independent and organised the children have become. This is evident across the school from our youngest to oldest children. Classes have been commencing on time every day. There are little or no interruptions through late arrivals, extended goodbyes at the door or parents getting caught up chatting to the teacher or friends while the students wait to start their learning. Families have been utilising Seesaw as an effective method to clarify information with their class teacher and as always appointments can be made to discuss individual student needs in more depth.
Moving forward we see this as a really productive outcome for our students from our changed practices. We are awaiting further advice on when we can return to whole school assemblies and larger community events. Out of Hours Sport will continue to make a slow return as associations refine new operating procedures. As we receive more details we will inform the community.
Throughout term one, Year 4 Design and Technology students have been learning about the Design Process, including the roles people have and the factors that influence final product designs. This includes external environmental factors, such as natural disasters. Students were given the challenge to design and build a home that can withstand a natural disaster, such as a flood/tsunami. As you can see, the finished designs turned out amazing. See a short video of students work by pressing on the link below.
Reminder if your child is sick please keep them at home.
Parents continue to still drop and pick up children at the gates and refrain from coming on site until further notice.
Please ring the office staff if you need to pick up your child early or are dropping off late each day.
We have received reports from the community that young people have been climbing the shipping containers outside of school hours. Please talk to your children about the dangers.
Last Week in Junior Primary we took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime.
Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 20th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.
By facilitating NSS we aim to:
· promote the value of reading and literacy,
· promote the value and fun of books,
· promote an Australian writer and publisher,
· and provide opportunities to involve parents, grandparents, the media and others to participate in and enjoy the occasion.
If you wish to share the story again at home, you can google ‘Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas’ and watch online readings of the story.
How did you get on looking for maths all round you? Did your children notice when maths was being used or required in different situations? Research shows that when maths is connected to real life, students make better connections and the learning is more meaningful.
Last Tuesday the teachers at HBPS had the chance to be students again when Mrs Buckley and Michael became the teachers’ teachers!
Michael and Mrs Buckley are enrolled on a course of professional learning called Thinking Maths which is helping them to change and improve how they teach maths. The aim is to do this by making students think more and learn how to explain what they are thinking – we call this reasoning. Teachers got to explore logic puzzles by using communication skills, following written instructions and using concrete materials (hands on objects.)
Great fun and learning was had by all and teachers are looking forward to using some of the great ideas with their own classes.
Continuing on from last week’s theme…
Put the numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 and 7 in the circles so that each straight line adds up to the same total.
Wellbeing for Learning and Life
In 2020, Henley Beach Primary School is focused on literacy, numeracy and wellbeing. This has meant that the staff has re-evaluated some of our practice and made some decisions to shape several whole school wellbeing approaches. In this newsletter, I am going to write about VoiceIt.
VoiceIt is a student wellbeing ambassador toolkit. It has resources that students and educators can use to increase wellbeing in the classroom and across their school. This approach gives students a way to share their thinking, make decisions and put their ideas about wellbeing into action. VoiceIt uses the General Capabilities and Learning Areas of the Australian Curriculum and Teaching for Effective Learning as a basis. It uses a 7-step process for project development. These steps are explore, imagine, connect, plan, do, share, reflect.
This is a different student voice model from the more traditional SRC approach. With VoiceIt, many more students will be able to experience a leadership role and can take direct action (following the VoiceIt process) to make changes they think are important. Our Eco Warriors are a good example of how this can work. At HBPS, student VoiceIt groups may decide to:
· examine school data (wellbeing and engagement collection) and use the information to ask questions, design tasks, projects or activities
· focus on a wellbeing celebration or event (for example, Harmony Day or Book Week) and design tasks, projects or activities to promote these
Together, we can make HBPS an even more vibrant and supportive learning environment. So, let the ideas flow and then let your teachers and Dr Donna know what we can all do to grow and improve.
Last week the choir had a visit from the Director of Music for the Festival of Music, Ms Robyn Filmer.
Ms Filmer usually conducts the Festival of Music combined choirs (over 400 children in each of 12 concerts) during the SA Public Primary Schools’ Festival of Music in the Festival Theatre. Because of COVID-19, there will be no Festival Theatre performances this year. Instead, the Festival team are making a movie, ‘Festival SING 2020’, for choir students to sing along with.
Ms Filmer answered the choir’s questions and listened to them sing the songs they have been learning. She was impressed with their singing, including their memorising of the lyrics, learning of different parts and the singing by the soloists.
Bookings on 0401 121 087 or tammyhbps@yahoo.com.au
Reminder there will be a hot dog special on Thursday 4 June. Orders closed 1 June. There will be no other lunch items available on this day.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FOCUS