TE RM 1, WEEK 2 Wilberforce Public School February 6 2020

NEWSLETTER Macquarie Road, Wilberforce NSW 2756 Phone: 4575 1424 Fax: 4575 1096

Email: wilberforc-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Webpage: www.wilberforc-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

My First Week in Kindergarten!

What a wonderful start to school! Kindergarten has been participating in hands-on activities including counting, art, crafts, singing and dancing. The students have shown enthusiasm during reading and writing lessons where they are eager to develop independent literacy skills. Kindergarten students are exploring the numbers one to ten with words, pictures, actions and concrete materials. They are becoming familiar with routines and are enjoying playing with their new friends. School is such a fun and exciting place!

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Welcome back to what will be another wonderful year at Wilberforce. With our batteries recharged, we will continue to build learning opportunities for our students. I especially extend a warm welcome to those new families who have chosen our school to start their first child’s education or joined us to continue their children’s learning journey. We look forward to getting to know your children and family. Our staff spent many hours working on creating class structures to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of all our students. We thank our many families who have supported us in being positive with their children regarding this year’s classes and working with us to ensure we deliver the best possible opportunities to all our students.

Staffing 2020

We welcome Mrs Gersbach to our staff this year. Mrs Gersbach will be teaching Year 2 and has a wealth of experience which will be valued at our school. Mrs Rodwell was successful at interview last year and gained a permanent position at our school.

Our leadership team at Wilberforce is listed below. We are fortunate to have a hard-working group of professionals dedicated to ensuring individual, group and whole school student needs are identified, addressed and cared for at every level of their education.

Mrs van Hensbergen/Mrs Chapple - Kindergarten

Mrs Chapple - Years 1 & 2

Mr Anthoney - Years 3 & 4

Ms Tierney - Years 5 & 6

If you have any concerns about your child, your first point of contact should always be the classroom teacher. However, if you require further support you can contact the team leader for your child and work as a team with the teacher to support and sort out any concerns you have. Mr Wilkins is also available for those urgent or difficult situations.

Professional Learning

This year, we are concentrating on the implementation of the PDHPE syllabus, and reading and comprehension. Reading and comprehension have many different elements to ensure students can capably read a text appropriate for their age. It is also important to distinguish these as two different skills sets. Reading, the ability to decode words in a text is a different skill set from the ability to comprehend make connections and therefore understand the meaning in the text. While we primarily focus on teaching reading strategies to students in the earlier years, the goal at the end of primary school is for students to understand text on multiple different levels. The focus of professional learning in this area will be to give teachers a broader array of strategies that can be taught to students.

Our Sound Waves and TEN programs will enter a consolidation phase this year. These programs are effectively being maintained across the school. During the year, our staff will also focus on integrating technology and empowering students in Visible Learning - to ensure they are aware of what a good learner looks, feels and sounds like in the classroom.

P&C AGM

Our P&C AGM will be held on the 2nd of March. If you wish to nominate for a position, please respond to the P&C AGM email before March 2nd. We look forward to seeing you there.

• 12 February – Rugby League Skills Program (Stage 2 & 3)

• 11 February – Parent Information Evening

• 20 February – Swimming Carnival

• 2 March - P&C Annual General Meeting 6:30pm

• 26 March – District Swimming Carnival

• 31 March – School Photos

IMPORTANT DATES

Schedule of Payments

A schedule of payments has been sent home today regarding our school fees and an outline of the incursions and excursions for the year. This schedule also outlines the approximate costs of these events to make it easier to plan your family’s budget. Please note: If you pay the “fees in advance” you must still return a permission note to ensure the funds are receipted against the activity and to record your permission for the event.

Parent Information Evening 2020

Our Parent Information Evening will be held next Tuesday 11th February and is designed to give you the opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and gain an overview of the organisation and activities planned for your child’s stage and class during the year. This information will help you support us in achieving goals for your child. The P&C and school will be hosting a free BBQ.

The times are as follows:

BBQ: 4:45pm Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2): 5:30pm-6pm Stage 3 (Year 5 & 6): 6:30pm-7pm

Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) & Stage 2 (Year 3 & 4): 6pm-6:30pm

Start of the Year Reminders

Some important information was sent home last week to assist with general notices relating to our students starting the year.

Swimming Carnival

The Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 20th February. Students in Years 3 to 6 and children in Year 2, who turn 8 during 2020 and can swim 50m unassisted, will be invited to attend. Permission notes were sent home on Tuesday 5th February.

Music Lessons

Once again Mr Burrell will be giving students in Years 3-6 the opportunity to learn guitar, bass, piano and the drums this year on a Thursday or Friday. A note has been sent earlier this week to students who expressed an interest. A confirmation letter will be sent home to students who have been successful in gaining a spot tomorrow. Notes and payments are due back before lessons commence next Thursday 13th February. Students will also have the opportunity to join an African Drumming group if they are a part of the program. Please note for those taking up this opportunity make up lessons will occur for Thursday week 4 due to the swimming carnival on Monday 17th of Week 4.

Graham Wilkins

Principal

Thank you

• For the outstanding efforts of the P&C volunteers, who gave up their time to support our new Kindergarten parents.

• To all the parents who have assisted in the canteen already this year. • To the staff who worked so hard in the holidays preparing our learning programs. • Thank you to our students who have come back ready to learn.

NEWS, NOTES AND HAPPENINGS

Book Club

Book Club was sent home today. Orders need to be placed online through the Book Club Loop by Friday 14th February. Cash orders cannot be accepted.

Sound Waves

Week 2 Introduction to Sound Wave concepts – Graphemes and Phonemes

Week 3 Term 1

Graphemes: Graphemes: Extra Focus Concepts:

b bb

Blends: bl, br Capitals, Adding ed, Alphabetical order, Past tense, Antonyms: white/black, sell/ buy, sold/bought, ended/began

Week 4 Term 1

Graphemes: Graphemes: Extra Focus Concepts:

a

Patterns: ack, and, amp, ank, ang, atch, ash

Rhyming, Prefixes: dia, anti, Greek and annus, aqua, astro

STAGE NEWS

Stage 1

Well done to Stage 1 students who have returned eagerly to school and settled quickly into new routines and new classes. Number skills have been assessed to place students in TEN groups in Mathematics. As well as number, the Mathematical concepts of length, time, 3D space, mass, volume, capacity and area will be covered. In English we are commencing public speaking, reading groups and writing sessions incorporating Sound Waves spelling. The early writing sessions will focus on simple sentences. Our history topic is ‘Modern Families – Same or Different’ and our learning will be consolidated during the excursion to Rouse Hill House and Farm at the end of Term 1. Rotational CAPA groups include dance and activities in music. Art lessons commenced with the students painting and printing to make vibrant book covers. Mixed class groups have been formed for sport on Friday mornings when the fundamental movement skills of hop, skip, gallop and overarm throw will be developed. Stage 1 teachers are looking forward to a very successful year of learning for the students.

NOTES Home NOTES Due Bandcrafted – Music Tuition (Selected Students only) ASAP Rugby League Skills Program (Stage 2 & 3) Friday 7 February Swimming Carnival Thursday 13 February Year 6 Shirt Friday 14 February P&C AGM Nomination Form Should be received prior to the meeting Soundwaves Thursday 9 April Start of Year Notices and Reminders Information only Schedule of Payments for 2020 Information only Term 1 Calendar Information only

Stage 2

A very warm welcome to our Year 3 and 4 students and their families to Stage 2. The students are in their 2020 classes and are busy organising books, responsibilities, completing initial diagnostic testing and bonding with their new classmates. It is wonderful to see students already bringing in their tissue boxes, soap dispensers and personal equipment. Our teaching and learning programs will be up and running this week, so it is important that students come prepared. More information will follow about library days as timetables are finalised. We looking forward to working with the students of stage 2 throughout 2020 and meeting parents at the Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 11th February.

English: In English, students will participate in the Sound Waves program, guided reading groups, handwriting and writing. Students will investigate effective techniques used by authors to engage their readers and focus on text to entertain. Through analysis of texts, students will develop skills through the application of learned literary devices, and hone their own writing techniques.

Mathematics: In Mathematics, we will continue our focus on TEN. Students will be learning about whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They will also learn about 2D shapes and 3D objects, time and length.

Science and Technology: In the Unit 'Paddock to Plate,' students will look at were food and fabrics come from. We will be looking at how we create food and fibre products from animals and plants. Students will analyse the technologies and techniques used to produce healthy foods used in Australia.

History: Throughout the first semester, Stage 2 students will be learning about the early navigators to Australia, who they were and how they got here. Students will be also looking at the impact on early Aboriginal communities. In term 2, students will look at the First Fleet, who was sent here and why. We are looking forward to an interesting journey through this time.

Creative Arts: In Music, students are learning the characteristics of a song and how it is put together. They will explore the sounds that are blended into one to create a song. Students will learn about structure, duration, pitch, dynamics and tone colour.

PDHPE: In PDHPE, students will be focusing on what a growth mindset is and setting achievable goals for themselves. Students will learn to value themselves and others around them. They will consider problems they are facing, and aspects of their life they are finding challenging to work towards finding solutions to these problems.

Stage 3

Welcome to Stage 3 for 2020. Our classes are 5/6 C with Mrs Chia, 5/6R with Mr Ranger and 5/6D with Miss Dossaer. Throughout the year, your child will be engaged in a wide variety of learning experiences, to provide students with a comprehensive and balanced education from Kindergarten to Year Six (K-6). The curriculum is defined in terms of six Key Learning Areas (KLAs).

English - Activities in the KLA develop the skills of Reading and Viewing, Speaking and Listening, Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary. To develop these skills, the students will be involved in many varied lessons including silent reading, modelled reading, guided reading, guided writing, independent writing, spelling, handwriting, punctuation, grammar, language and vocabulary development activities. Students have the opportunity to work independently, in small groups and as a whole class. Each student participates in a literacy program which is appropriate for their stage of development.

Mathematics - Students learn mathematical skills and concepts within the strands of whole number, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions and decimals, chance, patterns and algebra, measurement, which includes time, length, area, volume, and capacity, mass, space and geometry. This year, Stage 3 will be organised into mathematical ability groups. Students will have four, 1 hour lessons throughout the week from 10:30-11:30. (M,Tu,Th,F). Stage 3 maths groups are taught by Mrs Chia, Miss Dossaer, Mr Ranger, Mrs Ruzgas and Ms Tierney.

Stage 3 cont.

Science and Technology - In addition to the computer and technology program operating with Mr Anthoney, each classroom has 5 computers, plus access to pods of laptops, which are used to support learning in all KLAs. Topics which will be covered this year in Stage 3 Science include: Biological Sciences – Living Things, Earth and Space - Space and Physical Sciences - Electricity

History and Geography - Topics which will be covered in Stage 3 History are:

Australia As A Nation – federation and government Term 1 and 2

Topics which will be covered in Stage 3 Geography are: Earthquakes and Asia

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PD/H/PE) - This KLA encourages an understanding and valuing of oneself and others, and promotes physical activity and skills through sport, fitness, games, gymnastics and dance. The students participate in sporting and PE activities with students in their Stage. Topics to be covered are: Child Protection, Interrelate, Gymnastics and Life Education.

Creative and Practical Arts (CAPA) - Students will participate in music, art, craft, drama and dance. These activities are usually associated with the topic being covered at the time. Choir and dance programs are also offered to the students during lunch time.

Special Events for 2020 include: Excursion to be decided as our planned trip to Mt Tomah is currently postponed due to bushfire damage. Year 6 Theme Day - last day of Term 2, Stage 3 Camp – Week 7 Term 4 25-27th November at Active Education Centre Douglas Park, Year 6 Farewell – Monday 14th December (organised by Year 5 parents), Year 6 Hire a Hero Day (previously slave day).

WEEKLY AWARDS & ASSEMBLY Due to the number of student awards the office receives for Friday assembly we ask that all awards come in a plastic envelope with your child’s name clearly marked. Please use individual envelopes for each child.

Only send in awards that have not been stamped.

After they have been used (stamped on the back) they can then be placed into your own Award Folder to be kept at home.

Our first whole school Assembly for the year will be Friday 14th February @ 12:15pm

UNIFORM OPEN EVERY 2ND Monday FROM 3PM

Orders can be placed online through our online store at www.wilberforcepandc.com.au

The shop will be opened next on: 17th February

If you have any spare shopping bags to donate to the uniform shop for packing orders it would be much appreciated.

Date Class Teachers

14 February 2C Mrs Chapple

21 February 1/2W Mrs Wilkes

28 February 3/4B Mrs Bean

CANTEEN

Canteen Volunteering

We are calling for new volunteers in our Canteen. Canteen days are lots of fun and are a great way to meet new people of our school community. We would love to see Mums, Dads, Grandparents and other community members in the Canteen.

The smile you get from your child is priceless

Due to Work Health & Safety policy we are unable to have siblings in the Canteen. If you would like to trial volunteering in the Canteen we are happy for you to pop in for a couple of hours to check it out.

Volunteer Roster ONLINE

To access the Canteen roster online is via Signup Zone (see link below). Each volunteer is asked to set themselves up with a profile, then choose the days they would like to volunteer. If you need any assistance with this process please contact Carly on 0401 955 107.

https://signup.zone/hyPkE9pBoL2CQKr67

Also please like our two Facebook pages: Wilberforce Canteen and Wilberforce Canteen Volunteers

Monday Wednesday Friday 10 February 12 February 14 February Emily Read

Rebecca Stephen Rebecca Zerk

Rachael Louisa Rebecca Dutschke

CANTEEN CLOSED No Volunteers

Monday Wednesday Friday 17 February 19 February 21 February

Linda Fenech Sandra Binks

Kerri Allen

Bek Smith Leagh Follington

Carly Vincent

Melanie Reberger Rianna Hart

Chel Sea