26 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Semester 2 Student Reports

All of our teaching staff have completed student reports and they are in the process of undergoing the final checks by administration staff. The results of your child’s hard work and the implementation of staff endeavours will be sent home on Tuesday 11 December. If a student is absent the reports will be posted. If you require additional copies of your child’s report please call Mrs Simpson on 9921 2311 as soon as possible.

End of Year Celebration Evening –this Friday 30 November starting at 5pm.

Dust off your cowboy hats, flannels and jeans and wear them with pride as we celebrate 2018 and the achievements and endeavours of our students. The Mucky Duck Bush Band will again lead us in the celebrations with a Family Bush Dance event.

Awards for students from Year 1 to 5 will be presented on the evening.

A separate note with all the details was sent home with students on Friday and information has also been placed on the school Facebook page (and posters around the school).

We are looking forward very much to sharing a wonderful evening with you all.

Thank you to Tessa Goddard and Rachel Rutter for leading the committee again this year for the End of Year Celebrations.

We will post photos from the event asap after the event and ask that you give us your feedback on the event so we can continue to improve and plan forward.

The P & C Association will be conducting a raffle to raise funds for a catering barbeque to use for future fundraising events on the evening. Thanks to the generous donation by Mr Ian Blayney, MLA a bicycle will be the prize. Tickets will be sold at the assembly on Friday morning, at the school office during the day and also in the evening and are 1 for $2 and 3 for $5.

Parent Helper Morning Tea

This Wednesday 28 November we have our annual Thank You Morning Tea in the Main Hall at 10.30am and we look forward to seeing all parent/carers, P & C Members and School Council members who have helped out with the school in any way during the year. It is a small acknowledgement about the value adding you do at our school and to show our appreciation for your help.

Student Leadership

Congratulations to our large contingent of 43 Year 5 students who gave speeches to their Year 4 and 5 peers and staff on Wednesday. It was nerve racking for some but every student gave it their all and we were all thoroughly impressed by the calibre of the speeches and ideas presented for future planning.

2019 Student Councillors and Faction Captains will be announced at the Final Assembly on Thursday 13 December.

Thank you to Mrs Rutter and Mrs Harris for their organisation of this.

Year 6 Graduation Dinner

An excursion permission note was sent home with all Year 6 students on Friday. The Graduation Dinner will be at Skeetas Restaurant on Monday 10 December and parents are asked to bring their child/children to the boardwalk in front of Skeetas by 5.15pm to meet staff for photo opportunities.

The students will move to the restaurant for their dinner at 5.30pm and will be transported by bus to school for the graduation assembly which commences at 7.30m.

Year 6 Graduation Assembly

This is on Monday 10 December commencing at 7.30pm at the Undercover Area. It is a time where we acknowledge our students’ endeavours, achievements and memorable moments before we farewell them to their next education journey onto secondary school. We very much look forward to your attendance at this assembly.

We will have a photographer at the assembly – Brooke Harding from Your Inspiration Photos.

Dress requirements for students:

We remind parent/carers, but mostly the students, that they are 11 and 12 years old and we expect them to dress their age for their graduation assembly with just that little added bit of glitz and glamour, but again age appropriate. We know that our students always surprise us with how grown up they look all of a sudden and we love how they blossom overnight.

Class Structures for 2019

As we continue working on class structures and class lists please inform the school if you will be leaving/relocating, etc before the start of the 2019 school year so that we have the most up to date information upon which to base our planning.

We are currently in the process of staffing our classes which have been delayed due to departmental processes which were completed last week.

Our proposed class structures will have some split classes and the classes that are split depends entirely upon the final enrolments in each year group. We will be able to have reduced class splits if we can fill some spaces that we have in Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 4 and Year 5.

We currently have some limited spaces available for 2019 for out of boundary enrolments in Pre-Primary, (8 spaces available), Year 1 (2 spaces), Year 2 (2 spaces), Year 4 (2 spaces) and Year 5 (4 spaces). Please share this information.

Should you have sound reasons for specific placements for your child it is imperative that these are received by Monday 10 December, in writing, addressed to myself.

COMPOSITE CLASSES VS STRAIGHT CLASSES

I have provided you with links to two articles about composite vs straight classes for your interest.

As one of the articles states, the quality of teaching, combined with student interest and engagement, are considered more important than class structure, whatever form it may take. Our aim is to have highly effective teachers in each class who can best meet the needs of your child.

Relationships are 'key'.

What is a composite class you might ask? Composite classrooms, in which children from two or more year levels are combined within one grade, have become common in many schools around the world. They define classes in which students of varying ages, abilities, or interests might be grouped together. Extensive research shows it makes no difference to performance whether students are in a straight or a multi-age class. Furthermore, it is the teacher and their relationship with the students that plays a key role and is significant in the development of students.

Despite favourable research regarding student cognitive and social growth in composite classrooms, negative perceptions persist, particularly among parents. Many fear their children will be unable to keep up with work; will have fewer friendships; that younger children will be overlooked or that older children will not be sufficiently challenged; that children with learning difficulties will suffer more anxiety; or that the curriculum for each year level will be inadequately covered. According to experts, education is about more than academic achievement and age is not an accurate predictor of a child's development. Wide-ranging student abilities exist in children of the same age, and not just in composite classes. Multiple studies conclude it makes no difference to performance whether students are in a straight or a multi-age class. Experts agree the most important factor in determining how well a student does is the quality of the teacher.

Composite education is backed up by the theory of teaching by ‘stages, not ages’. Students are able to work to their own developmental level, rather than grade expectations. Composite classes have become a common feature in many urban Australian schools. In Victoria, almost half of all state primary students are taught in composite grades. This theory that children should be taught ‘by stages, not ages’ points out that in life, age stratification does not exist. As it has been established, the age of a student does not define the learning outcomes. What does play a significant role in the positive outcomes is more dependent upon quality teaching than anything else. The quality of teaching, combined with student interest and engagement, are considered more important than class structure, whatever form it may take. Research, which has been predominantly conducted in primary schools, suggests there is no visible difference between composite and straight grade classrooms in terms of academic performance.

Here are some key benefits of composite classes:

• Older students are able to practice and reinforce their own skills as they teach them to younger students as mentors and experts.
• Older students provide a model of appropriate behaviour for the younger students – this also means less behavioural problems in the classroom because younger students integrate quickly into established class routines as modelled by the older students.
• Younger students are able to seek help from a wider range of people rather than relying on the teacher to help them all the time.
• Changing the focus of learning from achieving a certain ‘grade’ to individual personal best alters the nature of the learning experience to lead children to value learning and the learning process.
• Students develop a greater respect for individual differences across the board.

HOMEWORK SURVEY

Please find attached the link to a GPS Parent/Carer Homework Survey. The Survey closes on Friday 14 December and your responses will help us further develop our GPS Homework Guidelines. The survey link will also be placed on the school Facebook page. All responses are anonymous.

The topic of homework has been researched and hotly debated by educators, parents, and students over the last century. Arguments have developed for both positive and negative effects of homework on students’ academic and personal growth. Please find below the link the Department of Education Homework Guidelines.

With this survey we really want to get your feedback about current GPS homework practices, whether you think they could be better, expectations about homework and any suggestions about homework.

Homework is broadly defined as tasks given to students during non-school hours.

Homework is valued differently between teachers, parents, and students.

Reasons for setting homework include:

• practice of already learnt skills;
• preparation for the next lesson;
• home and school communication about school activities;
• the requirements of school or education department policies; and
• enhancement of the reputation of the school or teacher.

The school Principal is responsible for developing a documented school approach to homework that:

• Is consistent with the West Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline and school plans;
• Is developed in consultation with the school staff and parents and endorsed by the school council;
• Is regularly communicated to students and parents;
• Includes general guidelines for parents, where appropriate, as to how they can support and assist their children; and
• Is supported and implemented by all staff.

All survey respondents are confidential and you will remain anonymous.

We realise your time is precious so we've made sure that this survey will only take between 8 and 10 minutes (really - we timed it!!)

Book Lists for 2019

Will be placed in the next newsletter and also with your child’s report envelope.

Voluntary Contributions 2018 – a reminder

The whole school Contributions and Charges collection rate is currently sitting at 45%.

If you have not yet paid your Contributions, could you please do so as soon as possible, to help us increase this percentage.

Payments can be made by EFT to the schools bank account:

BSB: 016-650
Account number: 34082275

Please use your child’s surname and initial as reference. Payment can also be made in cash at the Front Office.

Road Safety Reminder

This is always a busy time of the year and I ask parent/carers to remind and/or teach their children safe riding and crossing the road strategies.

Road Crossing Rules

• STOP back from the kerb
• LOOK in all directions
• LISTEN for traffic
• THINK about when it is safe to cross

No stopping signs

No Stopping signs are located around our school to help your children stay safe. They mean that cars cannot park or drop off/pick up children at all or in some instances during the hours specified on the sign. It may seem convenient to park or stop in these areas but it may also endanger the lives of children, especially small children, who cross the road or walk through this area to school. This sign consists of a red ‘S’ in a circle with a line through it.

Park on which side?

Many of us never give a second thought as to which side of the road we should drop off or collect our children. It is much safer for your children and other motorists if your children leave the car from the rear kerb side door. Your child will know this door as ’the safety door’. This stops children getting out of the car into oncoming traffic and reduces their risk of being injured. It is safer if you park on the school side of the road. Please take care not to park in the ‘No Parking’ and ‘No Stopping’ areas marked around our school as this places children at unnecessary risk.

Pick up areas

When picking up children in the afternoon, here are a few suggestions for you to help ease traffic congestion around our school.

• Pre arrange a pick up place with your children
• If possible, arrange to meet your children a little further away from the school
• Arrange to meet your children 5 to 10 minutes later than school finish time to avoid congestion
• If this is not possible, then always attempt to park on the school side of the road to collect your children
• Use the Kiss and Drive pickup area – if your child is not there, move through the area and go around the block
• Otherwise park your car further away and walk into the school grounds to meet your childreno have Mrs Nola

INSTALLING THE SCHOOLZINE APP

If you wish to read the full interactive colour newsletter, please follow the below instructions to load the App or provide us with your up to date email address.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

GERALDTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

As you may be aware, we are holding a Welcome BBQ, School Tour and Q&A session for families who will be joining Geraldton Senior High School in 2019.

Families joining Geraldton Senior High School in 2019 are invited to join us for a school tour and welcome BBQ on Tuesday 27 November from 4:30pm. Children are welcome to come along!
Geraldton Senior High School, 19 Carson Terrace Geraldton
4:30pm School Tour and BBQ
6:00pm Presentation in the Library with open Q&A for parent questions
RSVP for catering purposes 9965 8400.

Kind Regards,

Sylvia

Centacare Back to School Project 2019

Centacare Family Services is offering basic stationery packs to eligible families with children attending school from Kindergarten to Year 12.

To be eligible for a stationery pack, parents/caregivers must hold and present current Concession Card (Health Care Card) and have children in their full-time care.

Packs will be distributed on the following dates:

Wednesday 23rd January 2019 – Friday 1st February 2019 (or earlier if sold out)
Closed Monday 28th January

Where: Centacare, 3 Maitland St, Geraldton – follow the signs
Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm weekdays
Cost: $2:00 per pack

NB: Orders will not be taken in advance; orders must be collected by the named Health Care Card holder.

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