20 June 2017

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Hello everyone,

Reporting and Parent Teacher Student Conversations

On Friday June 30 you will receive your child’s Mid-Year Report. This is the major report for the year and provides you with information about your child’s academic achievement, goals for future learning and a general comment on learning progress. Students in years 3 to 6 will receive A-E ratings for English, Mathematics, Science and HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) and Prep to Grade 2 students will receive a descriptor that indicates whether the student is performing below, at, or above the standard expected for their year level.

The Kindergarten Development Check (KDC) will be sent home to Kinder Parents on Thursday June 19th in preparation for Parent/ Teacher/ Student conversations.

Where a student is performing well below the standard expected for their year level the class teacher will make contact with the family requesting an interview to discuss the future learning needs and outline how the school and the family can work together to support your child’s future learning. It is important that you take up this opportunity to work with your child’s teacher to ensure improved learning outcomes for your child.

The Mid-Year Report is only the beginning of the reporting to parents process and provides you with information that can be further explored during our Parent, Teacher, Student Conversations. These will be held over 2 days beginning on Tuesday July 4 from 3.30 until 7.00pm and Wednesday July 5 from 3.30 until 5.00pm and will take place in the Performing Arts Centre and as in previous years there will be childcare for younger siblings. You will have already received a letter about how to make your appointment and there is also information included in this newsletter. Please note that specialist teachers and senior staff are also available for appointments and can be booked using the same process. I strongly urge all parents to take up this opportunity and invite you to bring your child into the conversation in order to reinforce their personal responsibility in the teaching and learning process. I look forward to seeing you and your family during this time.

Kind regards

Lift

Steve Biddulph supporting our families

Steve certainly gave us some words of wisdom at his last community talk on The Secret of Raising Happy Children. He shared some personal stories that resonated with many of us and helped us understand how to grow our children from dependence to independence to interdependence. Steve talked about the importance of connecting with children by getting down to their level and making eye contact before talking to them, so you are sure they are listening.

He explained the importance of using both Soft Love and Firm Love in our parenting and how not to shy away from the important talks we need to have with our children. As parents we need to make the hard decisions and understand that sometimes we will not be our child’s favourite person!

We are very grateful for the support that Steve has given our families through the community talks and we wish him all the very best as he begins to wind down his public speaking events.

Canteen

Birthdays

Our Learning Community

Arts

STEAM

STEAM at Exeter Primary School

Part 4: The Importance of STEAM Education

Australia has been a major contributor in innovation and entrepreneurship on a global scale, with continued excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, recent studies have highlighted worrying gaps in Australia’s STEAM skills pipeline and a declining national interest in STEAM in general. So what does this really mean?

If Australia is to maintain its strong economy and competitive position, it must make science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics a priority. STEAM education in primary school sparks and creates interest in STEAM subjects for students and identifies the potential pathways that are available for them as they move through high school and into further education.

STEAM skills are more important than ever. In a rapidly evolving workforce, employers no longer simply just want the smartest scientist or mathematician, for example. They are seeking individuals with these skills that can communicate, problem solve and innovate as part of a collaborative team. At Exeter Primary School we are not only investing in explicitly teaching STEAM to grade groups, but are also in conjunction with our Growth Mindset philosophy fostering these STEAM skills.

I have this poster in my classroom and I think it sums up my sentiments nicely:

(Some parts of this content have been modified from STEM for Australia by 3P Learning 2015)

Assembly Awards

Class Awards

We congratulate the following students:

Premiers Readers Challenge

Support Services

Bringing Up Great Kids Parenting Program

Facilitated by our school nurse Juanita Du Vergier
Sponsored by the Australian Childhood Foundation

We are pleased to advise we have the opportunity to run the Bringing Up Great Kids Parenting Program this year. This is a reflective style parenting program that will be run over 4 weeks. Each weekly session runs for 1 hour and is open to parents, grandparents, carers and friends. These sessions are offered free of charge and childcare will be provided.

The program is designed to help parents develop reflective skills that will enable them to be the parent they want to be. It recognises we all come from various backgrounds and there is not just one right way to parent.

Topics covered in the program:

Week 1: What is parenting about today? What is your parenting story?
Week 2: Your child’s brain development. How do you tune into your child?
Week 3: Balancing expectations with your child’s needs. Parenting brothers and sisters.
Week 4: How do you enjoy your child? Conclusion and celebrations.

It is proposed the program will be run on a Tuesday afternoon from 2-00 pm to 3-00 pm and we are asking for expressions of interest now, to ensure the program can go ahead. To register your interest, please contact our school office as soon as possible on 6394 4700. Should this time not be suitable please contact the office and advise a time that maybe more suitable.

Juanita Du Vergier, School Nurse

Learning Support

Cooking is one of our many Learning Support Programs and every Thursday you will hear lots of happy chatter as Mrs Worth is working with students to develop their cooking skills.

Students in the cooking group learn how to read recipes, correctly measure ingredients, follow the instructions, work cooperatively, clean up of course enjoy tasting what they have produced. Here students have cooked sausage rolls and they tasted delicious!

Mathematics

Problem Solving at Exeter

We hope you enjoyed our segment on Problem Solving in our previous newsletter. This edition we are looking at the Problem Solving Strategy of Guess and Check. Here is an example of guessing and checking. In this example, terminology is Trial and Error, in which you are making a guess and checking to see if your guess matches the information you need.

Your Turn, here are some problem solving questions that could be solved using this strategy, why not have a go with your child. Look out for the answers in the next newsletter.

1. Forty students are going to a camp. There are twelve more boys than girls going. How many girls are there?
2. Lisa keeps parakeets and mice as pets. She has eleven pets altogether, and they have 36 legs between them. How many mice does she have?
3. Mrs Harrison sold 48 animals at the market. Her pigs sold for $20 each, her hens for $5 each and her sheep for $10 each. She collected $505 from the sale. How many of each type of animal did she sell?

Answers: For Drawing a Diagram or Picture

1. Brett built a tower using four different coloured milk cartons. The red carton was below the green carton. The blue carton was above the yellow carton which was above the green carton. Which carton is on top?

ANSWER: The blue milk carton is at the top of Brett’s tower. (Top to Bottom: BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN and RED)

2. Jacob is building a Lego figure. It takes him one and a half seconds to join two pieces. How long will it take him to join nine pieces into one long strip?

ANSWER: Jacob has to make eight joins to connect his nine pieces of Lego and each one took one and a half seconds, so 8 x 1 ½ = 12 seconds.

3. Eric’s back garden is 10 metres by 14 metres in size. Each day Eric rides his tricycle down the three metre long path leading from the back door of his house to the garden and around the very edge of the garden four times. Then he rides back up the path where he leaves his tricycle. How far does he ride each day?

ANSWER: Eric rides 198 metres each day. 1 circuit around the garden, 10m + 14m + 10m + 14m = 48m, 4 circuits, 48m x 4 = 192m. Up and back along the driveway is 2 x 3m = 6m. Total distance 192m + 6m = 198 metres.

Outdoor Classroom

If anyone has spare strawberry runners, raspberry canes or rhubarb crowns our students from the outdoor classroom would appreciate them.

Sport

TPSSA Cross Country Report

Congratulations to our squad of 48 that competed at Beaconsfield last Tuesday. With challenging courses of approximately 1950m (gr.3/4) and 2450m (Gr. 5/6) the students took on the race with eagerness and recorded some impressive results.

Running against the other 5 schools in the Tamar Association with up to 6 representatives from each school, Exeter filled 9 of the 32 places for ribbons and had 20 runners in the top 10.

Top results with placings in bold:

Well done to our 9 placegetters and to the rest of the team in a strong display of competitive and determined running. A special thanks to Helen Peart and Ashley Smith for accompanying the team on the day.

Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country at Symmons Plains is on Tuesday 27/6. This is a State event and open to everyone. Information will be provided next week.

Peter Habel

S.L.T

Red Nose Day

On Friday June 30, Exeter Primary School Student Representatives will be hosting the 2017 Red Nose Day to support SIDS and Kids as part of their 2017 fundraising commitment.

We are asking for students to support by coming to school wearing a warm red item on this day. Items may include, socks, beanie, scarf or gloves and students are asked to make a gold coin donation to support this worthwhile cause. Please note this is not a free dress day and students are expected to wear full school uniform on the day.

Student Representatives will also be selling Red Nose Day products from Monday June 19, these will be available to purchase from the office before and after school and recess and lunch times. Please refer to the list of items below.

We thank you for your support for this worthwhile cause.

Parents

WEST TAMAR COUNCIL TERM 2 SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM

West Tamar Council has just released its school holiday program for the upcoming Term 2 holidays. Activities available this holiday period include: School’s Out @ The Tailrace Centre (The Official Events DJ’s, house of bounce, games and more), Village Cinemas (CARS 3), Airtime 360, AFL Hawks vs. Giants, Tornadoes Basketball clinic, Zorb balls and more! Activities are open to residents aged 10-16 and subsidised by Council, with free transport available. To book please visit the website below and download a booking form or email: stewart.bell@wtc.tas.gov.au

What’s Happening in Our Classrooms?

After School STEAM Challenge

Our Term 2 After School STEAM Challenge Sessions have come to an end. Students have been extremely enthusiastic and have demonstrated great STEAM skills and a Growth Mindset, even when things didn't go according to plan. Thank you to all students, parents and guardians for your support and positive attitude towards these challenges.

School Association

Community News