Walters Road Public School...• Successful parent workshop focussing on Phonics and the revised...

Walters Road Public School 158 Walters Road Blacktown NSW 2148 T 9672 2333 F 9831 6249 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @WaltersRoadPS

Thursday 29th March 2018

Term1 - Week 9

Calendar Term 1 Week 9

Friday 30th March Good Friday

Term 1 Week 10

Monday 2nd April Easter Monday

Thursday 5th April Cross Country (Y2-6)

Friday 6th April K-2 Assembly

Term 1 Week 11

Friday 13th April Last Day Term 1

Principal’s Message Our vision-: “Walters Road Public School is diverse and inclusive, with a committed staff who work collaboratively with the whole school community to develop dynamic and future focussed teaching and learning programs that prepare our students to be independent and life long learners.” Our strategic directions- Quality Teaching, Quality Learning and Opening the School Gates. As Term 1 draws to a close we as a school have so much to celebrate. These include- :

• Sucessfully welcoming almost 100 Kindergarten students

• Mrs Tume being appointed as our substantive Deputy Principal

• Forming 24 exceptional classes • Students participating in the annual swimming

carnival • Records being broken in the pool by our own

swimming superfish • A record number of toddlers attending P&C Kidz

Klub • A new P&C executive being voted in • Miss Bailey marrying her new husband • 16 students particpating in the first inter school

STEM challenge • Successful parent workshop focussing on Phonics

and the revised discipline/ awards policy

• Students participating in the Learn To Swim

Program and • SRC induction assembly

We are now looking forward to our Easter Hat Parade, K-2 assembly, Crazy Hair and PJ day, Cross Country carnival and Evans High School Harmony Day performances. We really do need a holiday to refresh ready for Term 2. Communication Throughout the term, we have been aiming to improve our communication with the community. As a result, we have aimed to ensure our website is continually updated, have stage representatives update SKOOLBAG when events are nearing, have an agreed cut off day and time for all payments into the office and have executive team members (including those from Evans High) out in the playground before and after school. We are also participating in the NSW Dept. Of Education 360 Reflection Tool which examines our customer service and responses to community members. Parents from Kindy, Year 3 and Year 5 have been advised of the survey, as we needed a sample group. However, if you wish to take part please send an email to the school at [email protected] with your name and email address. Please label the subject – 360-reflection tool.

We look forward to many more valuable learning experiences in Term 2. Have a safe and happy holiday.

Jodi Warner Principal

mailto:[email protected]




Term 1 - Week 9

Approaching our school- Teachers, parents

and community working together for

successful schooling

CONCERN APPROPRIATE ACTION The academic progress of own child

Directly contact the child’s teacher either by note, by phone 96722333 or in person to arrange a suitable time to discuss any issues.

The welfare of own child

For minor issues directly contact your child’s teacher to clarify information. For more serious concerns, contact office. State nature of concern and arrange a suitable time to talk with class teacher or appropriate staff member. To convey information about change of address, telephone number, emergency contact, custody details, health issues etc. Please contact the office.

Actions of other students

Contact the class teacher for a classroom problem. Contact the classroom teacher then Mrs Warner /Mrs Tume for playground problems.

School policy or practice

Contact office. State nature of concern and make an appointment to see Mrs Warner or Mrs Tume or an appropriate member of staff.

Deputy Principal’s Report

Well Done Girls!!! Earlier this month I had the honour of attending the SydWest Swimming Carnival as one of the Blacktown team managers. Walters Road PS had two swimmers who made up a part of this team, Brooke Jones 4/5D and Kiana Filipe 2/3B. Both of the girls swam amazing races and made their families and school proud. Kiana came 2nd in her final and is now headed to the State Carnival at Homebush on the 11th April. We wish you all the very best Kiana!! Jenny Moon-Tume Deputy Principal

https://ny01920779.schoolwires.net/


Term 1 - Week 9

Office News

Office hours are 8:30am – 3:20pm Monday to Friday. Payment options for all activities and purchas\es include:

1. Cash - correct money in an envelope or lunch bag with your child’s name clearly written on the front.

2. EFTPOS

3. Parent online payment (POP)

**PLEASE NOTE that NO CHANGE IS GIVEN FOR ANY PAYMENT RECEIVED AT SCHOOL. (e.g. excursions, hat/bag purchases.) We thank you for your understanding in this matter. ** Please do not pay for any online payments which should be paid to a third party provider. For example, School Photographers, P&C Fund-Raising etc. If unsure please check with the office. Changes to the daily collection of your children: As the school office is at its busiest between 8.30am to 9.30am and 3.00pm to 3.30pm, we would like to encourage parents/carer to make plans prior to school in regard to changes in pick-up arrangements. We understand that emergency situations do arise where you need to deter from your usual collection arrangements and we will assist you as much as we can in relaying this information to your child but it would be more beneficial if you could send a note with your child for the class teacher so that they are directly aware of any changes and can ensure that your child remembers what they need to do or where they need to go. Spare Uniforms: We would be grateful if spare clothes that the students are given to change into could be washed and returned in a timely manner. Our supplies are very low and are not being returned. Staff Car Park: Just a reminder that our school car park is NOT to be used for parents dropping off/picking up children from OOSH or school. We thank you for your understanding in this matter. Thank you Office Staff

Early Stage One Report. All students have happily and smoothly settled into Kindergarten. In 2018, we have 91 students across 4½ classes! It is hard to believe that we are getting close to the end of Term 1 already. Time flies when you’re having fun! This term some of the highlights have included, working with our buddies, Harmony Day, Clean Up Australia Day, Kindergarten Dance and Sport, having our photos taken, visiting the library and using the computers and iPads. Some of the things we are learning in the class are:-

Reminders: your child will need: • Either an umbrella or raincoat every day. • To have their Crunch & Sip every day. • Everything that comes to school labelled. • A Library borrowing bag – borrowing will

commence in Term 2. • A note explaining absences. Include reason,

date/s of absence and hand this note in on return to school.

• To swap their Home Reader book every day.

You can help your child with the following things at home:- • Assist with homework each night and return on

Fridays. • Read with your child every night and record each

day on the Reading Log.

Lite

racy

Capital letters, full stops, reading left to right, return sweep over 2 or more lines. Listening carefully to find words that rhyme. Thinking about the first sound in a word and words that start with that sound. Learning the first of our phonemes (letter sounds) and camera words. Using some of the comprehension strategies to help with our reading and understanding. Expanding our vocabulary across many topics so we know lots of words that can be used for talking, reading and writing. Sequencing or retelling stories so there is a beginning a middle and an end. That stories and movies include characters and settings.

Num

erac

y

Counting forwards and backwards to 20. Identifying numerals for numbers 0-20. Addition and subtraction of small numbers. Measuring things that are long and short. Days of the week, months of the year. Creating simple graphs. Identifying two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. Making repeated patterns.


Term 1 - Week 9

• Play games with your child each night using purple

and green cards provided. This is to reinforce phonemes and camera words learnt in class.

• Teach your child his/her full name, address, telephone number and birthday.

• Practise saying the days of the week and the months of the year.

• Practise counting things at home and adding small groups together.

• On the computer, practise how to use a mouse, find letters on the keyboard, scrolling up and down, typing their full name.

Mark in your calendars:

Program Date/s Cost Henny Penny Program A 2 week program whereby students will learn about life cycles as they watch chickens hatch in the classrooms.

1st May – 11th May

No charge

Gymnastics Program 3 lessons at school and then a visit on bus to Gym

Term 2 Thursdays

$35.00 Payments close 11th

April Kindergarten Excursion Visit to Calmsley City Farm Notes will be sent home in early Term 2.

Wednesday 20th June

$35.00 Payments close 6th

June

Life Skills Program Health Program which focused on resilience, relaxing, mindfulness, stretching and exercise

Every Wednesday in Term 2

No Charge.

Mrs Grant Assistant Principal Early Stage 1

Stage 1 Report What a great start to 2018 for the students and teachers of Stage 1. This year, we have been lucky enough to welcome Mrs Pilarowski and Mrs Lahoud to our school, as well as several new families and students. I have been impressed by the attitude and behaviour of Stage 1 students this term. All the students and classes have loved earning Gotcha tokens in order to earn the class reward that each class negotiated with their teacher. I know that many classes are close to achieving their initial whole class award. I have had the pleasure of spending time in each Stage 1 class so far this term on Thursdays, working with lots of students in their reading groups and English lessons. I know from first hand experience that there are a lot of quality learning experiences taking place in the Stage 1 rooms. The students are engaged, interested and making great progress. Additionally, the teachers meet each fortnight to discuss and review programs and establish future goals and learning tasks. In Term 1, the students have been learning about different environments in our Geography lesson. They all seemed really excited learning about Uluru, with some classes even checking out some fantastic pictures and footage from Google Earth. Our daily Morning Routines have helped students develop their background knowledge of different environments. We are currently finalising our Term 2 excursion relating to our Geography unit and notes should be out very soon. In English, the students have been exposed to a number of quality informative texts relating to environments and subsequently have been learning about writing to inform. They have also begun developing some key comprehension skills such as identifying key words and summarising important information. Our daily phonics lessons have continued from last year, resulting in students developing a deeper understanding of phonemes. This in turn impacts on each student’s abilities to read, spell and write an ever-increasing number of words. Classes have been utilising a wide variety of games and activities to strengthen student understanding in a range of skills relating to whole numbers. Year 1 have been looking at numbers to, and in some cases, beyond 100. Year 2 have been focusing on 3-digit numbers. In all cases we are focusing on developing a complete and deep understanding. The first K-2 assembly takes place at 9.30am on Friday 6th April. All of the Year 1 classes will be performing a class item, with the classes currently practising their items prior to Week 10. Year 2 classes will perform at the Term 2 assembly on Friday 6th July. Last of all, with such a great Term 1, I certainly can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings. Mr Dyer Assistant Principal – Stage 1


Term 1 - Week 9

Stage 2 Report Stage 2 have had a fantastic start to 2018. In English lessons, we have looked at writing persuasively to communicate a point of view, as well as how to use adjectives and adverbs to create an interesting setting in narratives. Mathematics lessons have focused on using mental strategies - including the jump, split and compensation strategies - to solve addition and subtraction problems. Many adults perform these mental strategies without even realising it! Perhaps you could ask your child to explain each strategy and you could discuss which one you prefer. My favourite is the compensation strategy! Geography lessons have seen students learning about Australia’s climatic zones and native vegetation. We’ve learnt interesting words, such as biome, arid and temperate. Students have enjoyed exploring atlases and virtual maps of Australia, discussing the changing colours and contours of the land. Next term, we will have an excursion planned for the second half of term. This will provide learning experiences to build on students’ knowledge from the Geography unit. A note will be sent home early next term, once details have been finalised. Finally, I’d like to wish all Stage 2 families a safe and relaxing holiday. We look forward to seeing students recharged and ready to learn in Term 2! Mr McNamara Assistant Principal (Rel.) – Stage 2 Stage 3 Report Year 6 Farewell Meeting Our next farewell meeting will be Friday, 6th April in 6H from 3.30pm. Year 6 Shirts Orders for these have now closed as we are in the final stages of confirming the artwork with the company. We anticipate that the shirts will be delivered a few weeks into next term. We will keep you posted of any change in date. Many thanks to Mrs Cassar for all her time and effort with this. Classroom Learning Can you believe it is the end of Term 1 already? Schools are always busy places and WRPS is no different. Throughout the extra events and opportunities on offer to students, we always maintain our focus on learning. Here is a brief overview of what we have been learning in Stage 3 this term, and a snapshot of what to expect from Term 2. Morning Routine – This was a new initiative in 2017 and continues in all classes across the school. We now also have withdrawal groups to support EAL/D and LAS students.

The first 30 minutes of class time is utilised to deliver a high-impact session designed to stimulate student engagement and increase learning productivity across the school day. The sessions are tailored to class and Stage needs and cover outcomes relating to daily use and application of concepts about weather, the calendar, important days in history, number facts, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. English Units – The central concept for our unit this term has been on the concept of argument. We have learnt about the importance of planning our writing and using this plan to keep our writing on track. We have also looked at using specific vocabulary to strengthen our message and ways to engage the reader by using questions, interesting facts and expert quotes. Next term, our plan is to broaden our focus to include oral and visual persuasive texts. Spelling – The structure of Spelling lessons has been modified this year to focus on teaching all the graphemes (letter combinations) that represent each phoneme (sound) in a word. The aim is to give students a deeper understanding of how words are formed and spelt, so they can apply this knowledge to a range of daily situations. Class activities throughout the week give students opportunity to investigate and draw conclusions about spelling patterns, in addition to the more familiar tasks designed to expand vocabulary. Guided Reading – Students continue to participate in guided reading sessions designed to improve their vocabulary, accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Mathematics – Stage 3 teachers are redesigning the order and grouping of lessons to follow a model of conceptual planning. This is where we teach a Number concept each week then choose a Measurement & Geometry or Statistics & Probability concept the next week that gives students a chance to apply their skills in another area of Maths, resulting in additional practice and consolidation. For example, in Week 3 we did Multiplication and in Week 4 we did Area, as students need multiplication skills to solve area tasks. HSIE – Geography – Our unit called A diverse and Connected World goes for most of Term 1 & 2. The unit gives students opportunities to learn about countries in Asia, various cultures around the world (including indigenous peoples), connections between Australia and other countries, and how connections with people and places influence our perceptions. It is a fabulous opportunity to celebrate many countries represented in our school community and enhance intercultural understanding – something we pride ourselves on at Walters Road. PD/Health – Drug Education – Students have been learning about smoking, specifically the health and social impact it can have. We have also looked at strategies to say no if approached. Our Term 2 unit will be on Resilience and will be delivered via Life Skills lessons each Monday. Fitness – This term our fundamental movement skills (FMS) focus was on kick and leap. Next term the


Term 1 - Week 9

Gymnastics program (and alternate school-based program) will run for 4 weeks and the rest of the term will focus on two-hand strike. Creative Arts – Our Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts units are planned for a semester so each class will be at a different point in these lessons. Some classes choose to focus on one strand at a time, while others prefer to alternate their lesson focus. Our teachers at Walters Road work extremely hard, giving up many hours out of school time and on the weekends, to bring these opportunities to your children. I’d like to thank the Stage 3 teachers for their ongoing commitment to their profession, our school and your children. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday with family and friends. Mrs Harris Assistant Principal – Stage 3

The Sydney Academy of Gymnastics is coming!

We are thrilled to invite to our school the team from The Sydney Academy of Gymnastics. This company will be teaching a gymnastics program designed to improve the techniques and skills used for gymnastics. In Term 2, students will participate in 3 lessons at school and will then travel by bus to their 4th lesson at the Gymnasium at Seven Hills. Notes have already been sent home for this program. Spare notes are available at the office. The total cost per student is $35.00. Last day for payment is Wednesday 11th April, 2018. Mrs Grant Program Co-ordinator

PSSA RESULTS TERM 1 WEEK 6

SPORT RESULT JUNIOR HANDBALL vs Blacktown

South Blue SCORE Won 7-5

SENIOR HANDBALL

vs Blacktown South Blue

SCORE Won 17-5

KANGA CRICKET vs Blacktown South

SCORE Won 155-104

SENIOR CRICKET vs Blacktown South

SCORE Lost 68-172

BOYS T-BALL vs Hambledon SCORE Lost 10-9

GIRLS T-BALL vs Hambledon SCORE Lost 15-3

BOYS SOFTBALL vs Hambledon SCORE Lost 8-0

GIRLS SOFTBALL vs Hambledon SCORE Lost 3-1

AFL vs Marayong SCORE Lost 42-16

Crazy Hair and Pyjama Day

Our first Year 6

fundraiser for the year will be a Mufti Day, on

Tuesday 10th April. Students are encouraged to wear pyjamas and/or

do their hair in an interesting, colourful,

creative design.

Students’ pyjamas will need to be suitable for

school and they will need to wear joggers on the day so they can play

safely in the playground.

A gold coin donation will be collected and this

money will go towards our Year 6 Farewell.


Term 1 - Week 9

Walters Road Public School...• Successful parent workshop focussing on Phonics and the revised...

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