IMPORTANT DATES!
TERM 4 2020
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
What an interesting week we have had. All’s well that ends well I guess and the positive to take from the week is that our wonderful students have happily returned. It was so nice to catch up with our students and families and our staff have also returned with a really positive mindset around moving past this little hiccup and getting straight back into the core business of supporting our students to be happy and healthy learners. We do appreciate the patience and support we have received from our whole community.
Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI)
Even with the circuit breaker we are still confident that our tutoring program will be up and running by the 7th of March as previously stated. I did want to take this opportunity to go into a few more details about the program.
All of our teachers have spent considerable time looking through the available data sets we have in the school to determine who will be eligible for the tutoring program. We have used the Maths Online Interview, the Essential Assessment in Maths, Pat Maths and teacher judgements to determine students who require intervention in Mathematics and we have used Running Records, Pat Reading, Essential Assessments in Reading, Writing samples and teacher judgements to determine who will receive an intervention in English. It is worth noting that these assessments are specifically designed to give us detailed information and relate specifically to the Victorian Curriculum. I also want to be really clear that whilst we use the terminology of intervention, there are many students who will access the program who don’t require a traditional intervention but will benefit from an increased small group explicit teacher focus. Parents will receive a Compass communication if their child will be accessing the program in the coming weeks.
The focus of our Professional Learning Communities (PLC) during semester 1 is the learning catch up and extension priority. This collaborative approach to developing interventions and extensions will allow us to support every child in the classroom, not just those accessing the tutoring program. Teachers will develop strategies and activities from an evidence base of what works best as well as collective and varied experience. Whilst it makes sense to use this process to improve our practice for this particular priority, the work done here will set the foundation for how we support and extend students in the future. It is a very exciting time as the funding allocated for the TLI will allow us to fast track this process and all of our students will gain from us having the time to upskill our teachers.
Our hope is that short and sharp interventions will be so successful that others may have the opportunity to access the TLI in the future. The tutor will provide targeted, specific skills and strategies for a small group in the classroom and will free up the classroom teacher to have time to focus on exactly the same things explicitly with the other students in the classroom. Personally, I can’t wait to get started and I know that our teachers are also so passionate about supporting our students to ‘realise their potential.’
Current Restrictions
Thanks to everyone in our community for allowing such a safe and smooth return to school. The following contains some simple reminders but also outlines how we will follow changing restrictions within our school.
- As per the directions of the Victorian Chief Health Officer from 11:59pm, Wednesday 17 February 2021:
- School staff when not teaching and secondary school students aged 12 or older, must wear a face mask at school, unless an exception applies:
- in all indoor spaces
- in all outdoor spaces when 1.5metre physical distance cannot be maintained.
- Visitors to school sites must also observe this guidance.
- School staff are not required to wear face masks while teaching or caring, but those who wish to do so, can. Staff must wear face masks in indoor areas of the school when not teaching or caring.
Given the number of students on our site we have asked staff to wear a mask during yard duty as it is difficult to maintain social distancing requirements. We do ask families to be mindful of the social distancing limits and wear a mask when inside the school unless an exemption applies. Drop off and pick up are so hectic that social distancing is near impossible and we once again thank you all for the support that has already been afforded to us in this space.
We are promoting outdoor air ventilation and asking teachers to use an outdoor learning space when possible. Obviously high temperatures or inclement weather can hinder this approach but we are being flexible about where the learning takes place.
Use of wind and brass instruments, singing and voice projection does entail risk of potential spread of aerosols and droplets. However, the following recommendations are being utilised to ensure that the instrumental music program continues to run without interruption.
Measures include physical distancing, moving outdoors and increasing ventilation. The Department of Health currently advises when participating in a music or singing rehearsal or lesson it is recommended that individuals keep at least two metres from others in the rehearsal or lesson. Again, we are following these recommendations to support safe practices in our school.
Where possible we are also using outdoor spaces for P.E. During swimming we are attempting to stagger the use of change rooms however, such actions are difficult with the younger students accessing a swimming program.
We will continue to keep you informed of any changes as they arise.
School Council
A reminder that an election is to be conducted for members of the School Council of Rosanna Golf Links Primary School.
Nomination forms may be collected from the office from Thursday the 18th of February and must be lodged by 4pm on Thursday, 25th February, 2021.
Take care everyone,
Kirrily Lamers
Principal
STUDENT OF THE WEEK
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
Meet the Teacher
Meet the teacher interviews will be happening next week Monday 22nd – Friday the 26th. All interviews are to be conducted via Webex. The classroom teachers will be sending their Webex links so you can access the meetings. Please try to ensure you are organised before the meeting time and check you have installed Webex on your device. We look forward to learning a bit more about your child and how we can support them with their learning this year.
Daily Health Checklist
Looking to build some routine into your daily health routine or helping your child to think about health and the importance of self care? Check out this infographic from Banyule Community Health.
Luke Franklin
Assistant Principal
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Learning in Lockdown
Firstly, a big thank-you to all members of our school community for being so understanding during the recent snap lockdown. Due to the lockdown being announced so suddenly, teachers had very little time to prepare learning tasks and resources for children to complete from home. Communicating passwords for online accounts such as Reading Eggs, Seesaw and Mathletics took some time to organise and get out to families – our teachers really appreciate community understanding about this rushed timeline. Needless to say our teachers and students are all very happy to be back learning onsite – fingers crossed it stays that way!
'Meet the Teacher' Sessions - Week of February 22nd
Due to the recent COVID outbreak and restriction rule changes, our scheduled ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions next week will now be held over Webex. The ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions are designed as a means for parents to share useful information with their child’s classroom teacher/s. This might include information about your child’s interests, attitudes towards learning and reading, social skills/challenges and any other relevant information.
Classroom teachers will send out links to their Webex rooms along with a pre-meeting survey that parents/carers are requested to complete and email back to the classroom teacher prior to the meetings. Parents will be given access to the teacher’s Webex room at their designated appointment time and each meeting will be locked for confidentiality purposes until the next appointment. It is important to stress that each meeting is for ten minutes only – teachers will most likely have back to back bookings so need to be strict at keeping to their appointment times. We advise that parents click on the Webex room meeting links five minutes ahead of your appointment time. That way, the teacher can just unlock the session and let you into their meeting room promptly at your appointment time.
Please note that ‘Meet the Teacher’ meetings will not allow for a discussion of student academic achievement and progress. Being so early in the school year, teachers have been delivering their ‘Start Up’ programs and have not gathered adequate academic information to have an informed conversation about student achievement at this point.
Have a great week everyone!
Kerron Worsdell
Teaching and Learning Coach
DEAF FACILITY
Student Support Group (SSG) Meeting
Thom has emailed all our Deaf Facility families with the timetable for our upcoming SSG meetings. If you have not received an email, please contact me on: Thom.jackson@education.vic.gov.au
Australian Open
We had the opportunity for one of our Deaf Facility students to toss a coin at the Australian Open this week. Thank you to our families that got back to me and unfortunately missed out on this opportunity. Aaron, from our Grade One Deaf Facility, was the lucky student to participate in this. See photo attached.
MATHEMATICS NEWS
How Can I Help Build My Child’s Numeracy?
As parents you play a significant role in your child’s learning by setting expectations, nurturing curiosity, and encouraging a love of learning. You can help build your child’s numeracy through doing the following:
- – be positive about their numeracy experiences and praise effort and perseverance
- – let your child know that everyone can be successful
- – seize everyday opportunities to capitalise on numeracy development
- – involve your child in numeracy-related activities
- – describe what you are doing in situations that involve numeracy
- – explain why you make certain numeracy choices
- – explore numeracy with your child
- – learn alongside your child and encourage a sharing of numeracy ideas and thoughts.
Helping children to become numerate does not need a high level of mathematics.
It means:
- – encouraging children to try, then keep trying
- – encouraging children to think (reason)
- – supporting children while they do homework (which means encouraging them and taking an interest, but not doing the thinking for them)
- – modelling numeracy with children (including interpreting data, charts and diagrams)
- – talking aloud when solving problems (every day or mathematical)
- – getting children to check their answers (Does this answer make sense?)
- – encouraging children to help with
- – cooking (especially measuring out ingredients)
- – paying bills
- – scheduling events in the day
- – reading maps and giving directions
- – shopping
- – measuring –– and thanking them for their support
And please, catch yourself if you’re about to say, “Maths is hard” or “I was never good at maths”. Numeracy capability is not inherited but attitudes are contagious.
You can find many great resources on a range of Department of Education websites. If you’d like more information or ideas for talking about maths at home, take a browse at https://numeracyguidedet.global2.vic.edu.au/numeracy-at-home/
We’ll be adding maths activities and challenges here each week, so keep your eye out for something that interests you and your family J
If families want any support with maths resources, specific reading materials about maths learning etc, please don’t hesitate to contact me cathie.sutton@education.vic.gov.au
Thanks everyone!
Have a fabulous weekend
Cathie Sutton
Here’s a fun activity for the family this weekend. All you need is a pencil, some paper and a dice. If you like this game and want more like it, check out www.nrich.maths.org
SCHOOL PHOTOS
CSEF – CAMPS, SPORTS AND EXCURSIONS FUND
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.
Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the school office on 9457 4178 and ask for an application form.
You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page.
Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.
CANTEEN
Welcome to the canteen for 2021.
We are open, Monday ,Wednesday & Friday for over the counter sales at recess, lunch orders ( on-line via Flexischools) and over the counter sales at the first half of lunch.
I must apologise for our supply issues last Friday. We are working with our suppliers and hope to have this resolved by next week
Canteen Helpers
If you would like to volunteer in the canteen please fill in the sheet below and return to the school office.
All profits made in the canteen go back to the school.
Volunteering in the canteen is a great way to meet other parents and your kids will be excited to see you there.
Many thanks to the current canteen helpers on the roster who have replied to my e- mail. In particular I would like to thank parents who have helped and are now leaving the canteen crew, without your help we would not be able to run our canteen.
Best wishes for the future.
Regards
Margaret Groves
Canteen Manager.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Disclaimer: Rosanna Golf Links Primary School (RGLPS) does not endorse any product or service advertised in this newsletter. RGLPS takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements or the quality and reliability of products or services offered in the advertisements
