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Prep Year 2018

Handbook

One of our beautiful Prep classrooms

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GET SET FOR PREP AT BELLMERE STATE SCHOOL

WELCOME

Very soon, your child will be starting school in Prep at Bellmere State School. It is the starting point for the Early Phase of Learning and is designed to build on the learning that children enjoy in the home and in early education and care settings. To ensure that both you and your child have a stress-free start, we have compiled this Handbook that you might find useful.

It is a very exciting time for you as parents, and for your child/ren. At Bellmere State School we are committed to providing a quality public education that delivers opportunities for all students to be successful and reach their potential. We encourage all students to be the best they can be by taking on the values of our school community – to value Honesty & Respect, Achievement, Nurturing, Determination and Safety - as they work hand in hand to learn from each other, their teachers and their parents.

At Bellmere State School, we believe:

that every child can learn;

that we are educating children for lifelong learning;

in the joy of learning;

in an inclusive education for all students;

that student learning outcomes improve through high expectations;

in explicit teaching.

At Bellmere State School we understand the importance of parent – child – teacher – school relationships and how the quality of these relationships will enhance the learning outcomes for all students. As your child begins school, you may wish to know more about how you can best support your child’s learning and what your role will be as they embark on school life. The Prep Handbook will hopefully give you some ideas on how you can help set your child up for success during the primary school years. In addition, parent workshops will also be available for parents to access throughout the year.

We look forward to working with you as co-educators of your children. If you are concerned about how your child is progressing, please make an appointment with your child’s class teacher. No concern is too small and we welcome the opportunity to talk with you and share the progress your child is making.

STAFF

A qualified early years teacher and teacher aide will staff each Prep class. The teachers are responsible for the curriculum, organisation and management of their classes. If there are any concerns, please contact the class teacher as the first point of contact. Early in the school year the teacher will provide the best contact details for parents.

CURRICULUM At Bellmere State School we believe that children learn best when they are actively engaged in purposeful learning experiences that build from their interests, strengths and capabilities. As the first year of schooling, the Prep curriculum forms the foundation for the learning areas in Prep-Year 10. In 2018, Bellmere State School will be implementing the Australian Curriculum in the learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Digital Technologies, Physical Education, Performing Arts, History and Geography. The Principles for the Early Phase of Learning in correlation with Age Appropriate Pedagogies guide our beliefs on implementing the most effective way to teach our young students.

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To support the Australian Curriculum, the school will run specialised programs:

Bellmere OLEY Program – this program begins from the start of the school year. All Prep students will be screened using an oral language screener. Whole class instruction will be based on the OLEY program with intensive small group intervention lessons for those students who require additional support.

SSP – Speech, Sound, Pics Approach offers students a range of skills and strategies which speeds up the learning to read, write and spelling skills acquisition process. Students develop their ability to hear sounds in words. They will then move through five different stages where their build their knowledge of sounds.

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Bellmere Intensive Reading Program – as students begin to develop decoding skills, they become more able readers and participate in guided reading sessions. Students requiring additional support to maintain and progress at ‘year level’ expectations will be supported through the means of differentiation.

You Can Do It – (YCDI's) focus is on building social, emotional, and motivational capacity of young people rather than on their problems and deficits. It encourages prevention, promotion, and intervention efforts (school, home and community) in order to build the social and emotional strengths of young people. This is a whole school program.

Positive Behaviour for Learning and Living Curriculum will focus on the explicit teaching of desired behaviours. This will be a whole school focus. The 3 school rules (derived from our school values) will be the basis of explicit teaching of behaviour expectations.

iTEL program – children will enrich their learning through the use of digital technology in their classroom. A BYO iPad program will support the extension of learning, particularly when coupled with digital microscopes, robotics, specialised Apps and other peripherals which encourage the acquisition of technological skills, leading to greater learning outcomes. Students will begin using their Ipads in Week 5 in Term 1.

Gross Motor Program - Aim: To train the nervous system so that a child develops the ability to remember patterns of movement, sequences of sounds and the look and feel of things. When movement tasks are fully integrated, children are able to perform them automatically, allowing freedom to do more than one task at a time. In addition, social and behavioural challenges are presented, words are introduced and reinforced, and behaviours such as waiting in line, taking turns, applauding the efforts of others are encouraged.

Monitoring your child’s learning

The early years of schooling (Prep–Year 2) are a critical time for your child as they develop the

foundational literacy and numeracy skills required for success in future learning and in later life. The

significant rate of learning and development that occurs within these years requires that we

continually monitor your child’s literacy and numeracy progress to ensure we meet their individual

needs.

Our school uses Early Start to monitor your child’s progress in literacy and numeracy during the early

years of their schooling. Early Start is a set of literacy and numeracy materials that we will use with

your child in Prep, Year 1 and Year 2.

The Early Start tasks will be administered individually as short interviews between the teacher and

your child. Each interview takes approximately 20 minutes and provides a wonderful opportunity for

the teacher to get to know your child.

By administering the Early Start tasks, we get a clear picture of what your child knows and

understands. Our teachers use this information to make effective decisions about teaching and

learning so that your child’s needs are met.

We can use the data gathered from Early Start to monitor your child’s literacy and numeracy progress over time. We do not generate individual student reports from the Early Start data and we will not award your child a ‘grade’ based on their results. However, Parent Reports are provided at the end of each semester. Parents are invited to attend Class Showcase afternoons where students are able to share with their parents their achievements from the semester. Interviews are also organised for parents at the end of Term 1 and Term 3 for parents to view their child’s learning folio and discuss ways of encouraging learning at home.

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WHAT YOUR CHILD WILL NEED FOR PREP

School hat and uniform

Library Bag

A lunchbox with a small piece of fruit or fresh vegetables for our mid-morning fruit break (called Brain Break) and food for both lunchbreaks. (Each class does have their own fridge.)

Canteen is available for Prep students – either order on-line or through the Canteen.

A school bag big enough to hold the lunchbox, a document wallet, a water bottle, library bag on library day and their iPad.

A spare change of clothes and underwear (in a plastic bag). These can be kept in your child’s bag at all times.

***NAMES AND LABELS*** As young children often do not recognise their own belongings, we cannot emphasise enough the need to label absolutely everything –

bags, shoes, lunchboxes, hats, library bags and clothing

WHAT YOUR CHILD WEARS AT PREP

Prep students wear the school uniform which can be purchased from the school uniform shop. The preferred footwear is navy socks and black joggers with velcro straps, although laces are acceptable.

We are very conscious of sun safety at our school and recommend that you apply sunscreen prior to your child’s arrival. Sunscreen will also be supplied at school and children should be taught how to apply sunscreen to themselves prior to going out to lunch and play. All students are expected to wear the school hat. Regular caps are not an option.

HOURS OF OPERATION Bellmere State School Prep will be operating five days a week from 8.50am to 3.00pm. Parents are encouraged to bring students to school between 8.30am and 8.45am and deliver them straight to their classroom. Classrooms will be open at 8.30am. No supervision is provided for any student prior to 8.15am. Our OSHC service will be operating on campus from 6.30am each morning and it is recommended that parents register for this service in case there is a time when you need your child to be supervised prior to 8.15am. It costs nothing to register.

Doors will open from 8.30am. This provides an opportunity for teachers and parents to communicate and develop partnerships for a successful transition to school. Please do not enter the room before this time unless you have an appointment or have made prior arrangements.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURE

When children come into the classroom, they are expected to be responsible for their own belongings. Please encourage your child to follow the routine outlined by the teacher.

This routine may include:

Putting their bag on to the port rack

Placing their brain break (fruit) into the appropriate fridge/space

Placing their water bottle and lunch box into the appropriate fridge/space

Going to the toilet and washing hands before school starts

Putting their iPad in the iPad cupboard

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COLLECTION TIME At 3.00pm, children can be collected by a parent, caregiver or older sibling. Children will not be allowed to leave until the teacher sights the person collecting the child. If another person is picking your child up, please notify your child’s classroom teacher. When you collect your child always make a point to ask them about their day and ask what they have learnt. When the Prep day finishes, please ensure that whomever is collecting your child is here on time. A child quickly becomes distressed when it’s time to go and no one is here to collect him/her. In addition, teachers may have meetings to attend, bus duty etc. so cannot always be there to supervise. It is recommended that parents register for out of hours school care just in case you are delayed. It costs nothing to register and you have peace of mind knowing that if you are late, your child can access the services of the OSHC. PUNCTUALITY AND REGULAR ATTENDANCE The Prep program starts promptly at 8.50am so please ensure that your child is at school by at least 8.45am. This way, your child does not miss out on any valuable class learning experiences. Regular attendance is a priority at Bellmere State School. Children who attend school regularly are able to bond with their teachers, learn the routines of the classroom and playground, make friends and confidently get along with peers. They also learn how to focus their attention at school. Regular attendance leads to improvement in learning to read, write and becoming numerate. Absence leads to poor work habits, reduced confidence in learning and gaps in reading, writing and mathematics.

GETTING YOUR CHILD SET FOR PREP

Starting school can be an exciting time for you and your child. For some children it may be the first time that they have been away from their parents. They may be going into a strange environment with unfamiliar people and things around them.

There are some simple steps you can take to help make your child’s time at school more enjoyable and relaxed.

Encourage your child to be independent by helping them get used to:

putting on and doing up shoes

eating and drinking without help (opening lunchboxes, wrapping and unwrapping school lunches and drinking from drink bottles)

caring for and putting away play things

using a handkerchief or tissue

going to the toilet independently

using playground equipment safely

carrying his or her own bag

identifying his or her own belongings

wearing a hat each time they are outdoors.

Work with your child to develop his or her communication skills. Help your child to:

make his or her own needs known

use appropriate greetings

respond verbally when spoken to.

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Familiarise your child with the school environment and routine by:

driving or walking by the school a few times so that the school becomes a familiar place

attending an orientation program or open day so you can meet your child’s teacher and see the classroom

showing your child where to put his or her things, such as a school bag and hat

making sure your child knows where to wait for you in the afternoon or where to go for after-school care

visiting the school, if possible when other children are there so that your child can get used to the number of children, the playground and the movement of children around the school grounds

introducing your child to other children in the neighbourhood who will be attending the same school

asking the school what equipment and materials are needed such as school bag, library bag, hat (most schools will have a list). Make sure all possessions are clearly labelled with your child’s name

encourage children to understand that teachers are at school to help

helping your child to recognize and write their own name (using the correct format eg John not JOHN)

expose your child to counting to 10 and singing / saying the Alphabet. MONDAY, 22 JANUARY : IT’S THE FIRST FULL DAY OF PREP – WHAT DO WE DO?

There are some simple steps you can take to make your child’s first days at school more enjoyable and relaxed. Be prepared. The best thing you can do is to make the first day as stress-free and relaxed as possible.

The day before school starts, write a list of all you’ll need to organise, such as food and a change of clothing. Stick the list to the fridge and tick each item off with your child as you complete it.

On the day:

Have your child’s things organised the night before so that the beginning of the day goes

smoothly and you do not have to rush

Be positive and talk about the new things in a happy way

Leave plenty of time to get ready – arrive at school at approximately 8:25am and go to your

child’s classroom. There will be signs and staff members available to direct you.

Greet the teacher who will help your child get started on an activity in the classroom

Sit with your child at the activity. When the teacher indicates it is time to start to leave, say

your goodbyes and reassure your child that you will be coming back to get them in the

afternoon

It is best to cheerfully say goodbye and quickly leave rather than dragging out the parting

process. As soon as the parents have gone, the children will be settled with a story or

song. The teacher and/or teacher aide will support your child and let you know if they do

not settle.

Be positive when picking children up. Ask them about their day, what they have done and

with whom they have played. Show excitement and encouragement when they show you

the things they have made – a lot of effort went into making them.

Be flexible in the early days of school. Children may take a little while to settle in.

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As a parent, you play a vital role in your child’s education. By getting involved in school you can help your child make a smooth and happy start to their education. You can do this by:

introducing yourself to your child’s teacher

sharing information with your child’s teacher

keeping the teacher informed of any changes that may affect your child

talking with your child about their day

attending parent information sessions

reading the school newsletter

checking the school bulletin boards

attending open days, parades, athletics and swimming carnivals, etc.

attending parent and citizens’ committee meetings, talking to other parents

participate in rostered class activities, such as: reading groups, P.M.P, swimming, rotational

activities

All volunteers/visitors must always sign in at the office

PACKING THE SCHOOL LUNCH

Being at school is hard work, so by lunchtime your child will be hungry and thirsty. They will need a nutritious and filling lunch.

When packing your child’s lunch:

provide healthy food and drink in realistic quantities for lunch and afternoon tea

ensure that your child can open and unwrap their lunch – plastic film can be very difficult for little fingers

provide a variety of smaller items rather than one or two larger items

provide fresh fruit or vegies for Brain Break

provide a water bottle every day and encourage your child to drink from it

keep sweets, chips and other party food for parties or special occasions

Bellmere State School is a ‘nut free’ school where parents are encouraged to avoid sending foods containing nuts due to children suffering from severe nut allergies.

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OTHER NOTES

PARENT VOLUNTEERS We welcome parent volunteers however our school policy is that all parent helpers must attend the volunteer induction course (information will be available in the office and newsletters). Community members other than parents of students must apply for a Working with Children Blue Card. Volunteering time can then be arranged with your child’s teacher. PARENT COMMUNICATION Once the school day has commenced it is difficult to speak with the teacher privately as this disrupts learning in the class. If you need to talk with the teacher please make an appointment at a mutually convenient time. Teachers welcome any matters you wish to discuss. Please do not hesitate to make contact with them using the means advertised by them. The school newsletter will be available digitally every fortnight, through emails and on our website. The QSchools app provides a range of information for parents so please ensure you download this on your smartphone so that push notifications can be relayed to you instantly. The school also has a Facebook page which will advertise the latest happenings in our school. SHARING INFORMATION Events in family life, such as a major illness, and visits by grandparents or other relatives, an accident or death of relatives, friends or pets can impact greatly upon children and may markedly affect their behaviour.

It is important for the home and school to share information, which may affect your child. We would be most grateful if parents would inform the teacher of any unusual happenings or events.

TREASURES FROM HOME

Toys and trinkets from home very often become lost or broken at school, so it saves a lot of time and heartache if these are left at home.

• Videos

• Tip sheets

• Strategies

www.kidsmatter.edu.au/families/starting-school

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BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS Birthdays and other special celebrations are wonderful ways to build understanding about one another. From past experience, we have found that patty cakes are more practical to share than large birthday cakes. Alternatively a bag of ice-blocks (such as Zooper Doopers) are always a well-received birthday treat that allows for all students to participate in sharing in the birthday celebration. If you are intending on providing a treat to be shared for your child/ren’s birthday, please let the classroom teacher know in the days prior to ensure that proper storage can be arranged in our classroom fridges/freezers. LOST PROPERTY Please make regular checks of the lost property box located in each of the Prep classrooms and at the office. INDEPENDENCE It is important to foster a feeling of independence right from day 1. We ask that all parents get their beginning student to:

Carry their own school bag

Search for lost property, especially if it’s an item which has to be in the classroom

Walk unaccompanied to the classroom after the first few weeks

Try to make your child familiar with their first and last name : parent’s names; address and phone number

SCHOOL BANKING School banking will be operating from the school. This happens every Tuesday. FOOD FOR HUNGRY KIDS Please consider carefully the foods you include in your child’s lunchbox. We encourage children to make healthy choices by eating the healthy food first and leaving the ‘treats’ for later. Containers need to be easy to open, food should not need reheating or cutting up. Refrigeration is available in their classrooms for lunches. Spoons need to be included so that your child can independently manage his/her food. Lunches will be eaten inside classrooms, supervised by class teachers. Brain Break is usually eaten at the children’s desks.

Suitable Brain Break suggestions Unsuitable food for Brain Break Small piece of fruit or vegetables juicy fruits e.g. watermelon Carrot or celery sticks tins of fruit or fruit roll-ups Banana, apple, mandarin, grapes biscuit and cheese snacks

yoghurt, custard

Suitable lunch suggestions Unsuitable food for lunch Bread – sandwiches, rolls, French chips or lollies

Sticks, pita or lavish bread cakes with lots of icing or cream Crackers – rice, ryvita, sao, salada chocolate or chocolate flavoured or Savoury biscuits chocolate coated foods Cheese/Salad/Olives Nutella tubs or fruit roll-ups Salami/meat softdrink or cordial Vegetables – carrot sticks, beans, containers of nuts

Capsicum

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Boiled eggs Baked beans (in a container they can open) Fruit – fresh, dried or canned Natural popcorn Yoghurt/milk Custard Buns – plain or fruit Leftovers Tuna (in a container they can open) Muesli bars (preferably not chocolate)

HEALTH POLICY Children with infectious diseases must be excluded from school for specific times. In cases of minor ailments, parents are asked to use their own judgement about whether a child is fit to attend school. If your child has a specific health problem, please discuss this with your child’s teacher. It is expected that children are fully toilet trained and able to go to the toilet independently before they start school.

It would be advantageous if children were able to apply sunscreen competently themselves prior to going out in the hot sun. Parents are asked to apply sunscreen prior to coming to school.

Medication: Education Queensland has strict guidelines concerning the administration of medication to students. These guidelines state that:

Medication can only be given to a student when it is:

Accompanied by a written request from the parent/caregivers Prescribed by a doctor In the container issued by the pharmacist with the instructions written on it. The

instructions must have the child’s name, state the time, the required dosage and the name of the medication that should be given.

Please do not send single tablets The staff cannot give children non-prescribed medication such as cough medicine,

cough lollies, paracetamol, vitamins. Please do not send these to school. COSTS At Bellmere State School, a Student Resource Scheme operates. This is where parents pay a fee and the school provides all resources a student requires for the whole year. This fee also includes digital subscriptions. In 2018, this fee is $110. The only other costs during the year will be for excursions.

WE HOPE YOU AND YOUR CHILD ENJOY THE YEAR IN PREP!

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