Term 3 Week 9 (10/09/2021)

What Is On?

Friday 17th September - Last Day of Term 3 for students

Tuesday 5th October- First Day Term 4 for students

Welcome Back!

Please return your borrowed devices, chargers and Maths packs.

Please ask your children to return them to the Library for cleaning and sorting (If readers are still in use, they can be returned when finished).

Dear Parents and Carers

For your support in maintaining the health order can we say a massive Thanks. For your support of your children as learners (which we know is a given) can we say congratulations and thanks. For your support of our staff in their continued efforts to maintain the children as a community of learners and friends can we add another thanks.

Can I also offer my thanks (publicly) to the staff for their flexiblity, agility and positivity in the face of such a significant change in their roles.

We can be a very proud community as we prepare to welcome the children back onsite.

As you are  no doubt aware the Level 3 restrictions are much tighter than Level 2 restrictions that we returned to last time. Please check the CSO emails (sent last night) if you are unsure.

We are aware that many of our usual customs are at this stage on hold. We as a staff will continue to plan for these but please be aware that a change in restriction level would be needed for these to go ahead (e.g. excursions, camps, graduations). As soon as we are able to communicate any change you will be informed.

Once again thank you for your support and see you at Kiss N Drop.

Ann

Bush Playground

Bush Playground- our next Learning Environment ( the 5^th teacher).

The Phase One of our Bush Playground has had another update.

So exciting! The team have developed the outside track, internal trails, and several small glades where the children can play fairy gardens or sit and ponder the quiet. The trails have been built by removing ONLY the lantana which has grown over time on the edges of the space. 

The latest inclusion is the bikeway beyond the play area. If the children wish they can now ride while the inner areas are walking tracks. 

The history of the project is -

In 2019 Miss Dawson travelled to Tasmania to look at best practice in Early Learning with the Lismore CSO. While there she looked at inspiring Outdoor Learning Centres and schools who embraced bush playgrounds.  It is very easy for playgrounds to look sterile and tidy without offering the children opportunities to engage in imaginative play and manipulate their environment to support their play. Upon return to school the planning for the 5^th teacher (the environment) began in earnest! These areas will also become spaces accessed for learning activities by all stages.  The research on schools providing outdoor places for learning, inquiry and investigation is strong and with community support we are on the way.

RE News

Curriculum Corner

Congratulations to all students who completed their Premier’s Reading Challenge(PRC) last week.I have validated all student reading records that I received. PRC certificates will be presented to these successful students later next term. I hope this Challenge has strengthened your love of reading and that you have discovered what books have to offer. Keep reading over the holidays and next term,as it is a great pastime to develop.

Best wishes

Christine Jeffrey

Little J's

ES1

This week in ES1 we have been listening to more amazing Shortlisted books. Students have had a chance to build robots and retell the texts using toys! In Mathematics, we have been measuring length using shoes. Mrs Imeson has kept us fascinated with her video updates of chicken eggs in her incubator. Four chickens have now hatched! Our new favourite game to play on zoom is Number Bingo!

Stage 1

Some great work happening in online learning!

Stage 2

Stage 3

Once again we would like to acknowledge the students and families for their hard work and support - you are all incredible! 

In English we viewed a range of funny, animated videos, and responded to them through drawing comic strips, designing advertisements, recording news reports, writing persuasive arguments, and considering different points of view. Picture this: giraffes diving from a 10m platform, a pigeon ruining a secret spy mission, a young boy's dream of designing the perfect can of baked beans.. What a great laugh!

Willow's News Report.webm

Tully's News Report.webm

We were faced with an exciting PARTY challenge this week in Mathematics! We were given a budget and an amount of people to cater for. We had to think of all of the things you need to hold an awesome party! Hopefully after lockdown we might be able to put our party plans into action! Also, in Mathematics we used MathsOnline to revise topics taught this year and we continued our learning about ‘Time’ and began designing our own timetables. 

R U OK? DAY!

 This week's wellbeing task was a little different as we completed activities based around a special day, because on the 9th of September it was R U OK? Day, Australia's national day of action, dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask friends and family, ''Are you OK?”, and to support those struggling with life's ups and downs!

Miss Haines, Miss Ross & Mrs Petersen

Sydney University Partnership:

On Tuesday afternoon, as part of Saint James’ continuing partnership with Sydney University in embedding Process Drama techniques into our curriculum, Miss Haines, Ms Dawson, Mrs Jeffrey and Mrs Howland presented (via Zoom!) to Fourth Year Bachelor of Education students from Sydney University. As a follow up from the Stage 3 Semester One 'Change Makers' unit of work, we discussed our teaching process, from the early planning stages of a unit through to the culmination of learning in the Presentation Event. 

As student voice and choice is integral to our planning, we knew it was imperative that Sydney University students heard directly from our Stage 3 students, regarding the impact that participation in Process Drama has had on their learning. Saint James teachers facilitated the discussion, where our students were also asked questions directly from the University students. 

Congratulations to Tully, Heidi, Luke, Elly, Jesse, Latifah and Leyla who spoke so professionally in front of 88 adults - we are so proud of you!

Some of the comments received from Sydney University students throughout the Zoom:

• “I love the student’s curiosity, asking their own questions is such an important part of being a great learner.”
• “Respect to all you students who chose to focus on social issues!”
• “Student voice is authentic and genuine in this context”
• “Loved that we got to see a practical application of the practices that we have learnt during our degree, such as student voice and drama.”
• “I liked how student-led it was!”
• “I really liked the cross-curricula focus. I can see how that would be a lot more powerful in teaching content”
• “Hearing from the students allowed me to understand how effective implementing drama into history is.”
• “How significant the student voice is in the elicitation of programs- it really showed in the students passion and interest in the unit!”
• “The integration of KLA's over a semester was something which I hadn't heard of before but it truly is an amazing learning experience which clearly impacted the students extensively.”
• “I think it was so endearing to hear students’ responses and it showed just how much the learning actually stuck with them.”

Birthdays