Junior (grades 1 & 2)
Term 2 in Grade 1
Grade 1
Welcome to Term 2. This term we have started with an excursion to CERES to find out about how we can help to make a lighter footprint on our earth by using the 4 Rs – Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This has been a great introduction to our Integrated Unit for this term which is focusing on looking after our environment. We will also be looking at how we can reduce rubbish from our lunchboxes as a practical way of helping the environment.
We have also had an incursion from St John Ambulance learning some basic first aid skills. Children discussed what is an emergency and the importance of looking for danger to themselves and trying to establish if a person is unconscious. They also role played emergency situations and calling Triple Zero. All students received a certificate for attending and have an emergency situation card to fill out with parents. They also have a card with a link to a questionnaire for parents. Have fun finding out if you have the answers you need to have!
We have also talked about Anzac Day and its significance to all Australians.
Wednesday 2nd May, we have a curriculum Day focusing on Positive Education. It is looking at the importance of teaching resilience and other skills for fostering wellbeing. It will be an enlightening day for all.
Thursday 10th May is a whole school Cross Country Carnival. Mr Hannah has started working on preparing students for this event.
A School Working Bee is on Saturday 12th May for all who are able to come. It is being run by the Junior School council. There is a promise of scones for morning tea and icy poles for the kids!
Mothers’ Day is coming up on Sunday 13th May. The PTFA will be once again holding a Mothers’ Day stall on the Friday before Mothers’ Day (11th May). Please send along money in a named purse or wallet. We would appreciate a stamped envelope addressed to Mum sent to school by Monday 7th May. A reminder will also be sent on Class Dojo.
Wednesday 16th May from 6 till 7pm is Story Night for the Preps to grade 2 students. It is an enjoyable night for all and it is fun to come to school in pyjamas and dressing gowns!
Week 6 from 21st May is Education Week. Open Night will be on Wednesday 23rd May. Classrooms will be open for you to come and have a look.
Monday June 11th is Queen’s birthday holiday.
Reports and Portfolios will go home on Friday 22nd June and Parent Teacher interviews will be the following week on Thursday 28th. The last day of term will be Friday 29th June and school will be finishing at 2.30 on this day.
Enjoy the rest of term. It is a busy one!
Grade 1 teachers
Rebekah Parker and Allannah Watterson
Grade 1A Mrs Allannah Watterson
Welcome to Grade 1A.
It has been a fantastic start to the year for us!
The first few weeks are busy, as we must complete testing required by the Department. During this time, the children are given time to engage in rotations that bring them in contact with a range of resources and materials. They have the opportunity to practice and develop a wide range of skills during this time. The children are appearing to enjoy the different activities and are very proud of the work they are achieving throughout each rotation. They are eager to explore the different resources and materials we have in our classroom!
We have Whole School Assembly on alternate Mondays (starting on February 12th) with Junior Assembly on the other Monday. We have a bit of fun at Junior Assembly in the music room with the Grade 1s and 2s singing songs, celebrating birthdays and presenting items from grades or groups of children.
Our timetable for 2018:
LOTE is on Tuesday.
MUSIC is for 40 minutes on a Wednesday.
PE and ART are before recess on a Thursday.
Computer and Library are on Friday, but we may only stay to change our library books in our library time.
When testing has finished, Reading groups will commence along with the rest of our more formal program. To get the children back into routine, take home readers have already started, based on end of Prep levels we have been given.
During this term in Grade 1, we will be focusing on counting patterns, numbers to 10 and then to 20, simple graphs, and some basic measurement. We will be revising 3 letter words and short vowel sounds. We will also be looking at writing the ‘golden words’ and ‘red words’. We will start revising handwriting and correct letter formation. We will be practising writing sentences using capital letters and full stops. We are looking at how we learn, what makes a good learner and how we can make the most of our time in the classroom. We are consistently revising our Tribes Agreements and working these into our everyday conversations. We will move into a Community unit that explores what services and goods are and what we need to make a suburb or precinct.
It is good to see everyone on Class Dojo. The children enjoy engaging with this platform in the classroom and it is a fantastic way to communicate with parents. This term, Ebony Djik, the Art teacher will access to our grade Class Dojo. She will be using this as a way to provide feedback to the students during art classes.
If you child has been away from school for any reason, please send a note when your child returns.
Hats are required for all of term 1, art smocks are needed for the art room and library bags are required to borrow from the library.
Icy Poles are available at lunch times on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Lunch orders available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Ride to School day is in March. We encourage all children to walk or ride to school on this day. Teachers will be at various stations around the area to walk with your children. Ride to School day is an exciting part of the school calendar and I encourage everyone to participate if possible.
In 1A, we love sharing ideas, learning from one another, having a go and doing our personal best. As a class, we have made the decision share smiles around our classroom and the yard at play time. Keep an eye out for our beaming smiles around the school! Term 1 in Grade 1A is going to be very exciting!
Yours sincerely,
Allannah Watterson
Grade 1B Mrs Rebekah Parker
Welcome to Grade 1B.
The children have settled in well!
The first month is busy with testing required by the department and while this is taking place, the children are working on a variety of tasks practising a range of skills.
We have Whole School Assembly on alternate Mondays (starting on February 12th) with Junior Assembly on the other Monday. We have a bit of fun at Junior Assembly in the music room with the Grade 1s and 2s singing songs, celebrating birthdays and presenting items from grades or groups of children.
This year LOTE is on Tuesday.
MUSIC is for 40 minutes on a Wednesday.
ART and PE are before recess on a Thursday.
Computer and Library are on Friday, but we may only stay to change our library books in our library time.
When testing has finished, Reading groups will commence along with the rest of our more formal program. Take home readers have already started, based on end of Prep levels we have been given.
A brief look at some of our main foci for this term: We will be focusing on counting patterns, numbers to 10 and then 20, simple graphs, and some basic measurement. We will be revising 3 letter words and short vowel sounds. We will also be looking at writing the ‘golden words’ and ‘red words’. We will start revising correct letter formation and practising writing sentences using capital letters and full stops. We are looking at how we learn and what makes a good learner and revising our Tribes Agreements. We will then focus on what services and goods we need to make a suburb or precinct.
Please remember to send a note to school if your child has been away for any reason as this is a government requirement.
It is good to see everyone on Class Dojo. This term, I am collaborating with Ebony Djik, the Art teacher to have access to our grade and give feedback from the art room.
Hats are still a requirement for all of term 1 and art smocks are needed for the art room.
Icy Poles are available at lunch times on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Lunch orders available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Ride to School day is in March. We encourage all children to walk or ride to school on this day. Teachers will be at various stations around the area to walk with your children. My location is Burdekin Ave (for those who want to walk with the teacher!). It would be fantastic if we could have everybody doing active travel on this day!!!
Remember the Easter Raffle is at the end of term and we will need donations to make it a really enjoyable event. The money raised always goes back to benefitting our children.
Labour Day is Monday 12th March and is a nice break from routine.
School will finish at 2.30 on Thursday 29th March (Friday 30th March is Good Friday).
Yours sincerely,
Rebekah Parker
Term 2 in Grade 2
Term 2 in Grade 2
Term 2 is a busy one. We kicked the term off with a first aid in school’s incursion and an excursion to CERES in East Brunswick last week which was a fabulous way to introduce our integrated studies topic of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. Also we are collecting ring pulls from aluminium cans and these will be donated to the Montrose and District Rotary Club to be used to purchase artificial limbs. We also have fairy tale characters dress up day in June to look forward to!
English
This term the children will be preparing and presenting a series of short oral presentations to the class. These presentations will form part of their homework and we encourage all children to practice their presentations at home before presenting to the class. The children will be writing recounts and narratives as well as short, imaginative pieces in class. They will be focusing on increasing the amount of basic punctuation they use in their writing. For spelling the focus is on being able to spell high frequency words and understand how to use digraphs, long vowels, blends, silent letters and syllabification to spell simple words. We encourage the children to be reading daily at home and maintain an up to date yellow reading book. We teach the CAFÉ strategies of monitoring meaning, predicting, rereading and self-correcting around our focus of fairy tales, traditional tales and Dreamtime stories.
Mathematics
Our focus this term in Number and Algebra is understanding place value to at least 1000, exploring the connection between addition and subtraction and continuing to describe patterns with numbers. Measurement and Geometry sees the children being able to draw and describe 2D and 3D shapes and objects and measure using informal units such as icy pole sticks and tiles. In Statistics and Probability, the children describe outcomes as likely, unlikely, certain and impossible as well as collect, interpret and display data. We also continue with our Mathematics On Line Interview (MOL).
Integrated Studies
This term our topic is called Tiptoe Through Our World and is all about sustainability. We focus on reducing, reusing, recycling, rethinking and how we can leave a lighter footprint on the Earth. We introduced the topic with an excursion to CERES in East Brunswick. The children look at how they sustain their health, friendships and the environment as well as bury rubbish!
Grade 2A – Mrs Maxine De Man
Welcome to all parents of children in Grade 2A .
Grade 2 is a time where children bring together what they have learnt in Foundation Year and Grade 1 and develop both in their academic understandings and social relationships.
The children will be supported in reflecting on the personal qualities that contribute to the development and maintenance of friendships. It is hoped that they will begin to develop and exhibit appropriate behaviours for maintaining positive social relationships. It is during this time that they learn to recognise that their actions have consequences for themselves and others. They begin to think in terms of other people’s feelings and needs, especially when resolving conflict or dealing with bullying: for example, saying sorry or taking another person’s point of view.
In the classroom we follow the TRIBES Agreements of
Attentive listening
Mutual Respect
Appreciation/No put downs
The right to pass
Personal best
By following these Agreements students achieve, because they:
* feel included and appreciated by peers and teachers
* are respected for their different abilities, cultures, gender, interests and dreams
* are actively involved in their own learning
* have positive expectations from others that they will succeed.
During this year the children will work towards achievement of Level 2 Standards as set out in the Victoria Curriculum. This can be view at victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Class Timetable
9.00am School starts at this time and all children are expected to be in the classroom by the second morning bell.
Your child is encouraged to be independent in entering the classroom, that is, coming in by themselves, unpacking their bag, changing readers and handing in notices.
10.00 – 10.05am Fruit
11.00 – 11.45am Snack and morning recess
1.35pm Children eat lunch inside
1.45-2.30pm Lunch Break
3.30pm School is dismissed, children to be collected or walk home
If you are delayed please contact the School Office to let them know your expected time of arrival. If, on a regular basis, your child cannot be collected by 3.45pm, After School Care is available to supervise your child after 3.45pm. Teachers are not available after this time as meetings and other commitments take them away from the classroom.
Weekly class timetable
Monday
Assembly 2.45pm in Gym
Junior Assembly alternates with school assembly in the Music room
Tuesday
LOTE 11.45 -12.45 am
Wednesday Bank Day and Canteen available for lunches
Music 9.00 – 9.40am
Physical Education 11.45 – 12.45pm
Art 12.45 – 1.45pm
Thursday Canteen
Computer 12.45 – 1.30pm
Friday Canteen
Library 11.45 – 12.45 am
Individual Learning time 2.30 – 3.30 pm
Coming Events for the year
Keep up to date through the Link and school web site.
Proposed excursions for Grade 2
Term 3 Swimming Approx cost $50.00
CERES Term 2 Approx cost $25.00-$30.00
Important Information
Take home Readers.
It is expected that your child will read a take home book each night. This is to be recorded in the Student record by an adult.
This book will be changed each day.
Lunch orders
Lunches can be ordered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Library
Every child will need a library bag. Library day is Friday and children are expected to return and borrow on that day each week. Books can be returned any day and placed in the green tub on the back wall.
School Uniform
BNPS has a compulsory uniform policy. Each student is expected to wear, if possible, a clean school uniform. If your child is out of uniform please send a note or phone to let us know that you are aware of incorrect uniform. Non school uniform headbands, coloured bracelets and nail polish will be asked to be removed.
Sunhats
Being a SunSmart school means that school approved hats are worn in Terms 1 and 4.
Phys ED
On Phys Ed day children are to wear appropriate foot wear, runners are the preferred footwear. Girls would be best wearing shorts or tracksuit pants.
Absences
If your child is away please send an absence note with your child on the day he or she returns. This saves a note being sent from school asking why you child was away. Reasons for absences are a requirement from the Education Department.
Fruit, snacks and lunches
2A has fruit time at 10.00 am when children eat fresh or dried fruit. Tubes of fruit or commercially prepared fruit are not for fruit time.
Snacks are to be nutritionally appropriate. One piece of snack is enough. Chocolates and chips do not sustain children through playtime to lunch.
Lunch: A roll, sandwich, wrap, noodles, soup and salads or other prepared meals are foods that will sustain your child until home time.
Water
Children are encouraged to bring their own named water bottle filled with water. Cordial filled bottles are not what is needed. If the bottle is emptied they can be refilled at school. Children are encouraged to drink at least 1 litre of water during the day.
Homework
Your child will be provided with a School Homelink book. In this book will be pasted words that are to be learnt for both reading and spelling. There will also be a Maths shared activity that all the family can be involved in or a language activity. School Homelink book to be returned by Thursday and sent home on Friday.
Medical – Please keep the teacher informed of any important changes in your child’s medical condition.
Remember all medication is to be arranged through the office.
Kind regards,
Maxine de Man
Grade 2B – Mrs Sam Tyrrel
