PARENT

INFORMATION

NIGHT 2018Early Stage One

Mrs Kristy Bone - KB

Ms Rachel Carpenter - KC

Miss Nagisa Dalby - KD

Mrs Elissa Gazzard & Mrs Michelle Bohatko - KGB

Classroom Routines

and ExpectationsIndividual classroom teachers will go over this back in their

classrooms.

Routines and expectations may differ slightly in each

room, but conform to over arching school policy and

practices, taking into account the individuality and the

needs of all class members.

RFF

RFF will be Performing Arts and Science/Library

Performing Arts will include:• Music• Dance• Drama

Science Units are: • Biology – Staying Alive• Chemistry – What It’s Made Of• Physics – On the Move• Earth and Space Science – Weather in my World

Library

• Students are able to borrow from the library during their

designated Library RFF time. Students will need a library

bag to be able to borrow books.

• We have moved towards a 21st Century learning

environment in the school library. The library now includes a

state of the art Media Centre and access to a range of

technology and robotics.

Attendance

It is the duty of the parent of a child of compulsory school-age to cause the child:

• (a) to be enrolled at, and to attend, a government school or a registered non-government school, or

• (b) to be registered for home schooling with the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) and to receive instruction in accordance with the conditions to which the registration is subject.

• Parents are required to explain the absences of their children from school promptly and within seven days to the school.

NB. Failure to provide a reason within seven days results in the absence remaining ‘unjustified’ even if the reason is subsequently provided.

The absence must be explained – ‘sick’ is not an acceptable explanation (instead use flu, virus, headache, asthma etc…)

• An explanation for absence must be provided to the school within 7 days of the first day of any period of absence.

Curriculum OverviewIn Early Stage One we endeavour to create a safe, engaging and rich learning environment

for all students to ensure they have a positive start to their schooling life.

English

Valentine Public School implement a variety of teaching and learning strategies

in Literacy which include, outcomes based learning as outlined in the Australian

Curriculum, PLAT (Positive Learning Accountable Teaching) and L3 (Literacy

Language Learning).

Early Stage 1 students will participate in daily modelled, guided and independent

reading. We are operating the ‘Daily 5’ system where students complete

activities at their own pace while guided reading is taking place.

Writing this term will be linked to our History topic of ‘Personal and Family

History’ as well as quality rich texts.

Students will participate in regular speaking and listening activities including

morning circle, whole class discussions, peer discussion and structured play.

Curriculum OverviewMathematics

Valentine Public School implement the TENS (Teaching Early Numeracy Strategies) program as well as teaching from the Australian Curriculum and the PLAT framework.

Topic areas covered this term include:

Number & Algebra: Whole Number, Addition, Subtraction, Repeating Patterns (including number patterns)

Measurement & Geometry: Length, Volume and Capacity, 2D Shapes, Time

Statistics & Probability: Data

Working Mathematically: Using the correct terminology, working in pairs or groups, discussion about maths concepts and problem solving.

Curriculum Overview

History –

Personal & Family Histories – ‘This is Me’

PDHPE –

Gross Motor Skills and Drug Education

Science –

Biology – ‘Staying Alive’ (RFF)

Creating and Performing Arts –

Visual Arts and Music (RFF)

PROGRAMS AT VPS?

• This program is for students in Years 1-6.

• Spelling Mastery is a six-level Direct Instruction series that teaches students

dependable spelling skills by blending three approaches: the phonemic approach, the

whole word approach and the morphemic approach.

• Students are placed in various learning groups within their stage to target individual

student learning needs.

• The program is researched based and has been used by a number of schools across

the Lake Macquarie area and student data has shown a clear increase in student

success within the area of spelling and also within students writing.

PLAT (Powerful Learning

Accountable Teaching)

PLAT Mantra

“Absolutely every child must achieve their benchmarks”

} Powerful Learning, Accountable Teaching (PLAT) is an education process based

upon student performance against identified achievement benchmarks.

} Individual student performance data is collected every five weeks and used to inform

teaching practices.

PLAT (Powerful Learning

Accountable Teaching)

Ø Students who are identified as educationally at risk are supported by 3 tiers of intervention.

Tier 1 Intervention

Ø Occurs within the class setting

Ø High quality personalised teaching and assessment that is designed to engage, challenge and support all learners to achieve or exceed expected achievement levels

Tier 2 Intervention

Ø Intervention provides timely support through high quality personalised teaching and assessment that is specific to identified needs of individuals and small groups of students

Ø This support can be provided by the classroom teacher, LAST or SLSO/teacher support, either in the classroom or via withdrawal

Tier 3 Intervention

Ø Intervention provides more intensive, long term support through high quality personalised, specialist assessment and teaching for individual students with more complex additional learning needs.

Data Walls - Continuums

} The use of data walls will be used as a tool to support learning.

} Data walls create a visual and fluid display to measure student

success.

} Data wall displays can motivate students to achieve and help create

individual learning goals as a classroom practice.

} Our school will also use tiered intervention (Tier 1, Tier 2 & Tier 3)

strategies as an additional layer to quickly identify and provide

immediate academic support.

Kids Matter is an Australian mental health and wellbeing initiative set in

primary schools.

It’s a framework that helps our school take care of all students’ mental

health needs by focusing on:

} creating a positive school community

} teaching children skills for good social and emotional development

} working together with families.

It is complemented by the PBL program.

PBL

Positive Behaviour for Learning

PBL is a consistent, school-wide system of support that helps define, teach and support appropriate

student behaviours, creating a positive school environment.

Who is PBL for?

PBL is for all schools. PBL helps to make schools

better places to live, work and learn. It does so by

giving schools the tools to build comprehensive,

school-wide systems that support academic and

behavioural learning for all students.

How will PBL help my child and their school?

PBL promotes positive student behaviour by building the

school’s leadership capacity and teachers’ knowledge,

understanding and skills in applying effective school-wide

behaviour systems.

PBL boosts student engagement in learning by increasing

attendance and retention, and improving student behaviour.

PBL helps schools deliver highest quality learning programs

to improve student academic and behavioural learning.

PBL at VPS

• 3 Core Values

• PBL Mascot – Coco the Cockatoo

• Behaviour Expectations and Levels of Behaviour

Peg System

• Coco Caught You

• Commendation Award System

L3 (Language, Literacy and Learning)

§ Language, Learning and Literacy is a research-based, cost effective Kindergarten to Year 2 classroom intervention program that targets text reading and writing.

§ The program is implemented in the classroom over a year. Teachers learn research-based strategies related to early language, learning and literacy acquisition. They build on and develop these strategies – and further techniques – for the explicit and systematic teaching and learning of literacy in guided, modelled and independent teaching and learning.

§ Knowledge and skills about planning for individualised literacy learning aligned to the NSW Literacy Continuum, English syllabus and NSW Quality Teaching model are developed through L3. Every five weeks (mid-term and end of term), the teachers gather a range of data from in-class observation, discussion and literacy artefacts for analysis. They use the data to refine teaching practice and inform the next steps in learning.

Assessment and Reporting

§ We are using a backward mapping model for assessment.

§ Assessment will be ongoing up against the Continuum and

PLAT markers.

§ Two formal reports will be sent home at the end of each

semester.

§ Parent teacher interviews will be held at the end of Term 1.

Learning and Support Team§ Students who experience difficulties in learning and behaviour are supported

through Learning and Support in our school and may receive additional assistance in literacy, numeracy, language and behaviour. The Learning and Support Team will assist with the identification of additional learning and support needs and make adjustments where needed to ensure that the educational needs of all children are being met.

§ Mrs Ebony Schmarr has been appointed

to the role of Learning and Support

Teacher (LAST) and will be working

across K-6

§ Mrs Tara Campbell

3-6 Intervention Teacher

§ Mrs Debbie King

K-2 Intervention Teacher

Special Celebrations and

ExcursionsØ Easter Hat Parade

Ø Harmony Day

Ø Sport in Schools Program - Gymnastics

Ø 100 Days in Kindergarten

Ø Grandparents Day

Ø Athletics Carnival

Ø Book Week

Ø Hunter Valley Zoo Excursion

Ø School Concert

Ø VPS 60 Year Anniversary

Ø Party Day

Homework Policy and

Expectations

§ Homework will be based around an opt-in model.

§ Home reading and sight words remains a vital

aspect of student learning and development.

Home Reading• Commencing from Monday of Week 4.

• Students will be given a home reader and a reading log book to

take home. Parents are to fill out one box per day if the book is

read regardless of how many times the book was read.

• Home readers can be returned and exchanged for a new book.

• Home reading is aimed at developing your child’s confidence

and love of reading therefore books are aimed at their

independent reading level.

Sight Word Program• Commencing from Monday of Week 4.

• Increasing your child’s vocabulary of sight words helps them to

become more confident, competent and fluent as a reader.

• Student’s are encouraged to practice the words sent home on a

daily basis and will move through this program at their own

pace. More information will be sent home with the sight words

book.

Homework Option

Matific takes your child through a journey of maths discovery

at their own pace.

Matific features hundreds of playful interactions called

'episodes'. Your child will enjoy playing the episodes for

hours, learning maths in a process of guided self-discovery.

Communication

Ø Skoolbag app is our main form of immediate communication with

parents and the community.

Ø Grapevine newsletter is sent out via Skoolbag and email weekly.

Ø The school website is regularly updated with important information.

Ø Emailing teachers - email addresses are included in the handout.

We are encouraging parents to email your child’s classroom teacher with

any questions or concerns. Teachers will reply in a timely manner.

What if I have an issue...

Who do I talk to?

Class Teacher

Stage Supervisor – Assistant Principal

Deputy Principal

Principal

Question Time ???

Thank you for attending

the ES1 Information

Evening.