End of Year Picnic

The end of year picnic will be held at school this Wednesday at school. At this stage it is scheduled for 11:00 am at lunch-eating time on the main oval. Please bring a plate to share.

The Year 1 Neighbourhood picnic is currently being held on Wednesday afternoon at Rathdowne Park/Curtain Square (corner Rathdowne/Curtain Sts) - please see email below from Ali.

 

Hi all

Sorry we had to cancel yesterday, the jury is out as to whether we made the right call in cancelling but when we checked the radar at 3pm, rain was on the way, so…

Anyway, would be great to get together to celebrate the end of the school year, so if you are free after school on Wednesday and fancy an ice cream in the park, please head down to Curtain Square then! Sia is going to come along too (so if you have given a gift to Julie for her you might like to get it back from her tomorrow – I understand she has quite a few at the office – and give your gift to Sia in person).

Hope to see you there.

Ali

Year 1 Neighbourhood afternoon & iupdate

Thankyou to the parents/grandparents who came along to the Year 1 Neighbourhood yesterday to share in the amazing projects this term investigating families. Congratulations to the students who represented the neighbourhood in both yesterday's and today's assembly presentations. It was wonderful to see so many people there at this time of the year.

Specialist program will run on Wednesday this week due to 2012 planning.

Please remember to return Library books (check bags as notices have been issued today). Please see Mark if there are any issues with books.

Home borrowing program will also cease tomorrow (Wednesday) so please look for any Home Readers and return to book boxes in the Torus.

Please remember to send notes of any absences past or future and hand into Homegroup teachers.

The Farewell Picnic will take place next week - please check talking Points for details and updates.

The Premiers' Readers Challenge Certificates will be handed out in next week's assembly. Please note that students will be represented in Neighbourhoods rather than every student on stage.

Term 4 finishes on Thursday 22nd at 2 pm. A whole school assembly will take place in the Hall to farewell the Year 6 students at 1:30 pm on that day.

Finally, thankyou for a wonderful year with your children this year! It has been lovely working with you and your children throughout the year.

Best wishes to all of you for a safe, happy Christmas and the holidays ahead.

Regards,

Sia, Sheryal, Mark, Shana & Elke

Last few Weeks

Home Reading & Library Books

Please start searching for any unreturned Home Reading books and please return them as soon as possible.

Student Work

Students' work will start coming home in the over the next few weeks as we begin the tidying up process in preparation for next year. Students who have their library bags still at school have been asked to keep them in their lockers to take them home closer towards the end of the year. We have a number of cloth shopping bags at school other students will be able to use as well. Please do not take any books home at this point in time.

Year 1 Term 4 Family Inquiry Celebration

This will be held on Monday 12th December at 2:30 pm starting in the Torus. Please come along to see the fantastic learning students have completed as part of their inquiry this term (a separate note will come home shortly). Thank you to the parents and extended family members who have assisted during the term on students' inquiry projects!

Year 1 Assembly

For those not able to make Monday, the Year 1s will be sharing some of their projects at Tuesday 13th December Assembly at 9:00 am.

Please remember to read the newsletter each week to keep up to date with other events in the busy, last few weeks of term.

We will endeavour to post further updates on the Blog as well.

Best wishes,

Mark, Sheryal and Elke

2012 Transition - Update from Rita

Transition: We all experience it!

The whole school community including children, parents and staff are experiencing the transition of children from one year level to another.

To familiarise themselves with new home groups and neighbourhoods the children will partake in 4 transition sessions. Three will take place on 5^th, 6^th, 7^th December from 10am to 11:15. The children will spend time in their 2012 neighbourhoods with their team of teachers and groups. They will familiarise themselves with the new learning spaces, discuss learning possibilities and partake in learning agreement activities with all of their 2012 teachers.  Older children will be mentoring and offering advice to the younger ones. The children will have lunch in their new spaces as part of each session. The aim is to make all children feel comfortable, confident and excited about their next year level. Consistency in learning across the school aims to make this a seamless process.

On Tuesday 20^th December there will be a fourth transition session where the children will be introduced to their 2012 home teacher as well as working in their new neighbourhoods for 1 hour. This will take place from 2.30 to 3.30. The children will be dismissed from their new neighbourhoods on this day.

This period of change is both challenging and exciting in which children and families adjust to expectations, interactions and relationships.

Rita Jokubaitis

Student Pathways and Transitions.

Learning Celebration & Yr 1 Assembly

On Monday 12th December the Year 1s will be presenting their inquiry learning in the Year 1 Neighbourhood. Further details of this will be provided closer to the date. 

On Tuesday 13th December, the Year 1s will be hosted the whole school assembly.

Please put these dates into your calendars!

Elke, Sheryal, Mark & Shana

Parent Helpers

Please see one of the Year 1 teachers if you are able to assist with Play & Inquiry projects in the next couple of weeks, particularly using computers and recording software.

Many thanks,

Elke, Sheryal and Mark

Play & Inquiry

Over the past few weeks, the Year 1 students have been busy working on their Play & Inquiry projects and the neighbourhood has been extremely busy with amazing creative projects communicating their ideas about families.

Some of the ways in which students are working include: Quilting; Story writing (Room 18); Doll making and performance masks from different parts of the world (Room 18); Claymation and Family portraits (the Torus).

In the Torus area last week we were fortunate to have a professional animator, Maya, come and assist us with the claymation projects and show us some her fantastic animation projects!

In the Torus, most groups have completed their storyboards for their Claymation projects and have now begun to develop their characters and backdrops.

Today, some have already begun experimenting with recording sound files of their stories before film work begins.

The Family portrait group have completed the good copies of their written explanation of their family portraits and have joined other Play & Inquiry groups to extend their learning throughout this term.

Students in the Claymation area need to remember to bring in props from home for their projects (ie doll house furnishing, cars, etc). 

We hope to have some of the students projects completed and ready to show at the Year 1 Assembly later in the term. At this stage, this has been scheduled for Tuesday 6th December.

Book Swapping on Thursdays

Over the next four weeks period, during the 2012 Prep Transition program, staff, students and parents are being asked not to use the Hall/Torus areas in the mornings. This will mean that home reading books will need to be changed during or at the end of the day, with the Specialist program operating in the two hour block after lunch.

We thank you for your cooperation,

The Year 1 Team 

Bazaar Talent Quest Update - from Ali & Trudy

 From Ali & Trudy

 

Hello teachers

 

Children in the Talent Quest have been asked

Hello teachers

Children in the Talent Quest have been asked to bring their music this Friday lunchtime so that we can collect it all. Could you please remind them to bring their cds, with their names on, this Friday? Thank you.

 

Also, last Friday Trudy taught a very short flash mob type dance to about half the Talent Quest children. We are hoping to perform it once or twice at the Bazaar and would like to invite you to participate! No dance experience required, just come along to the gym next Monday lunchtime (31^st) and Trudy will teach you the moves. For your information, the music that we will be dancing to is The Jacksons’ “Can you Feel It” – a great dancing song! We’ll be at the gym at 11.10pm, see you there.

Cheers,

Alison

Rippon Lea Excursion

                                                        
We all had a fabulous day out, experiencing the old world wonder of 19th century family life yesterday! The students participated in four activities during the day and I hope they have had the opportunity to share some of these experiences with you already. The activities included: 19th Century Games; a tour of  Rippon Lea's kitchen and the basement servants' area to experience domestic labour before modern technology, a time-machine experience back to 1887 - the time when the Rippon Lea house was extended and Creature Catcher- a treasure hunt locating 'rubbings' of the various animals once found in the vast estate gardens.

                            "The Lake"

The children were wonderfully engaged and behaved throughout the day! Thank-you to the parents and grandparent who accompanied us.

Walk to School Day & JSC Fun Day

Two events happening this week:

Walk to School Day is this Wednesday.

JSC Fun Day is being held this Thursday. Theme is PJ day with gold coin donations going to Somalia.

Books in Lockers

Just a reminder that students' learning books stored in their bag lockers are not for taking home as they are still being used in class. If you have inadvertently taken them home, can you please return them?

Many thanks.

Term 4: Important Dates

Week 2:

Monday 17^th October: Life Education 1V (9 am)

Monday 17th October: Life Education 1S (10 am)

Tuesday 18^th October: Life Education 1E (2:30 pm)

Chess commences (Wednesday Lunchtimes in the Torus)

Week 3:

Tennis commences (Tuesday Lunchtimes for 7 weeks - 13th December final session)

Wednesday 26^th October: Ripponlea Excursion (9:15am-3:15pm)

Week 4:

Monday 31^st October: Whole School Assembly (Hong Kong student exchange program)

Tuesday 1^st November: Melbourne Cup Day (No School)

Thursday 3^rd November: Tabloid Sports session 1 (9-9:45 am)

Week 5:

Thursday 10^th November: Tabloid Sports session 2 (9-9:45 am)

Sunday 13th November: PHPS Annual Bazaar

Week 6:

Wednesday 16^th November: Official opening of BER (check newsletter closer to the date for times)

Thursday 17^th November: Tabloid Sports session 3 (9-9:45 am)

Week 7:

Thursday 24^th November: Tabloid Sports session 4 (9-9:45 am)

Thursday 24^th November: Parent thankyou morning tea

Week 8:

Week 9:

All Library books due back by this week

Friday 16^th December: Reports home

Week 10:

Wednesday 21^st December: End of Year Picnic

Thursday 22^nd December: Last day of the year (2pm finish)

A belated 'Welcome Back' to Term 4

We welcome families and children back to a busy term ahead! We also welcome back Emily to the Year 1 Neighbourhood who is working with us in sessions 3 & 4. Alex, our student teacher, will also continue working with us for the first two weeks of 4^th Term.

Catrina delivered a healthy baby girl, Kyra, on the Sunday before the term started. We look forward to hearing regular updates from Luca as well as look forward to her coming into the area for a visit. 

Hats

Please remember that the school Sunsmart policy is effective in Terms 1 & 4. Children need to have hats with 7cm wide brims in order to be allowed to play out of undercover areas (the Library terrace area). Hats can be purchased from the Uniform shop located in stage area of the gym (use the ramp entrance) on Monday mornings.

This term there are a number of special events taking place. These have been outlined on a separate blog post “Term 4 Important Dates”.

Play & Inquiry

This term the Year 1 neighbourhood continues its learning exploration looking at the role of families and culture. Students selected their Play & Inquiry investigation areas this week and these are detailed on the Play & Inquiry display board in the Torus.

Parent Helpers for Play & Inquiry

A heavy focus this term is on creative projects and any assistance from parents and carers would be welcome to assist students in their projects such as quilting, dolls/costumes & masks and claymation.

Cooking

We are also hoping to run weekly Friday cooking sessions with all of the Play & Inquiry groups. These will be small groups of six students using the Red Brick Building kitchen.

Please see Sia, Sheryal or Elke if you are able to assist in these learning initiatives.

Timetable Change

A change in Specialist timetabling has occurred this term. Presently, the Monday afternoon sessions have been changed to Friday afternoons (1V – Visual Arts; 1S – PE; 1E – Italian).

Thursday morning Specialist sessions (session 1 & 2) have changed to sessions 3 & 4 after lunch.   

Bazaar

Thankyou to the Year 1 parent reps who continue to promote the Annual School Bazaar efforts. Rosters have been placed on the Noticeboard outside the Year 1 Neighbourhood requesting assistance on the Year 1 stalls. A separate email has been sent out to families on each Home group’s email contact list detailing the timeline for events leading up to the Bazaar (collection of soft drinks, hampers, etc). Collection point for items are in the Torus.

Notices

Please remember to return the Blue Life Education permission slips and Yellow Excursion forms to classroom asap.

Teisha's quilt

Teisha’s Quilt

On Friday I started to make a quilt with my Nanas help.  It took until Sunday to finish it.  It is pink and the backing is pink as well.  It was made out of an old dress that didn’t fit me.  I got the wadding from spotlight.  I made it for my favourite toy Lucy.  I was going to bring it in yesterday but I forgot.  There are some beautiful patterns on it and every corner of each square has a button on it.  It took me three days to make it.  I hope to make another one soon.  I was inspired by Sia and Genevieve’s grandma.  It is very special to me because it was the first quilt I ever made.  I didn’t put a tag that said who it was made by or the date because most quilts don’t have one.

My next project is to finish dad’s Santa scarf.

Quilting

On Thursday Genevieve’s grandma came to show us her quilts.  She told us how to make a quilt.  We learnt that it takes a long time to make a quilt and that there are three layers to a quilt.  Wadding is placed in the middle and a tag is added at the end to tell us who made the quilt.  Genevieve’s grandma has made quilts for birthdays and special occasions, she has made 25 quilts.  That’s a lot of quilts.  

Quilts keep you warm in the winter.  Quilts are for everyone and everyone can make a quilt.  We were so happy to have Genevieve’s grandma come to speak to us.

We have been learning about quilts in class.  Quilts can tell a story about us or about the past.  We have all made temporary quilts.  Our neighbourhood will be making a quilt next term as part of our learning agreement.  We have been asked to bring along a piece of fabric, from an old piece of clothing no longer worn e.g. an old t-shirt or a button. 

Year 1 Neighbourhood

We need parents to help with the process of making a quilt and we would be most appreciative if parents could come along.  Parents do not have to turn up to all the learning agreement sessions but a commitment to one session per week would be great.  Learning agreement times are as follows, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 9.05am and on Tuesdays at 10.00am.

Life Education Visit 2011

Life Education Parent Information Session:

Tuesday 11^th October 2011

9:30 – 10:30am

Dear Parents

As part of our drug and health education this term we are having the Life Education mobile

classroom visit our school from  11/10/11 – 19/10/11. Prep – Year 2 will have a one hour lesson and Year 3 – 6 will have a 1.5 hour lesson during this time.

Life Education has been visiting our school biennially for many years and helps to facilitate the development of life skills in students to prevent and minimise the harm of drug misuse.

Lessons are always age appropriate and the children will be covering a wide range of drug and health related topics, ranging from the human body and how it works, healthy eating and nutrition, medicines and drugs, bullying, resilience and social skills.

Healthy Harold, the much loved Life Education giraffe mascot is always a much anticipated element of the Life Education visit. The sessions are always fun, interactive and really extend and develop the children’s understanding of the topics covered. We will be further broadening these topics in class both prior to and after the Life Education visit with the student workbook which is included in the cost of the visit.

As part of our drug and health education this term we are offering you the opportunity to visit our Life Education mobile classroom, while it’s here at our school to learn about the following:

What is my child learning in Life Education?

Have you seen inside the Life Education mobile classroom, or know of Harold?

What drug education is appropriate for primary school students?

Why do we have health and drug education?

How is health and drug education integrated into your school’s curriculum?

testing 1, 2, 3!

New feature on the Blog

I have recently been experimenting with a new feature on the blog that will notify parents/subscribers of new updates. Will let you know if they are successful and how to create this function.

Thanks,

Elke

Friday Update

Thanks to the parents and Year 5/6 students who came in on Friday to assist with planting, the Bazaar Talent Quest practice and National Immunology Competition.

All plants are now in the ground and the students had a fantastic afternoon!

Things Due: Premiers' Reading Challenge, 40 Hour Famine & Family Presentations

Premier's Reading Challenge is due to finish on the 16th September. Please print off and sign challenge sheets to verify that your child/ren have completed it.

40 Hour Famine money is being collected. If your child/ren participated, can you please return money in an envelope to you classroom teacher so we can pass on to Kerri?

Year 1 Family Presentations: A sheet was sent home last week with information about children presenting information about their families as part of our new inquiry this term and next about families and cultural traditions. We are hoping to have all presentations completed before the end of the term. Students should be asking questions and deciding on a presentation format (poster, powerpoint, family tree, case of family treasures/memorabilia - other ideas are welcome!)

Fathers' Day/Special Carers' Day

Just a little reminder that this Friday the Fathers'/Special Carers' Day stall will be held.

Thanks,

Elke, Sia & Elke

Ultranet Logins

Yesterday students took home information sheets for their Ultranet Usernames and Passwords. Privacy information is available at the link below: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/untranet/privacy.htm

To start exploring the Ultranet: http://www.ultranet.vic.edu.au/

Students need their Usernames and Passwords to login.

Elke, Sia and Sheryal

Ultranet Logins

Two weeks ago, most of the Year 1 students were supported in logging into their Ultranet sites by Wendy - our Ultranet coach. Two or three students from each homegroup have become 'mini-coaches' to support students accessing their accounts.

During the session with Wendy, students learnt how to post a message on their 'blog' and this week we hope to send home students Usernames and Passwords and continue to get students using the Ultranet during their weekly Library/ICT times.

Talent Quest

Ali (Archie's mum) spoke to the year 1 students, who had expressed an interest in being part of the PHPS Annual Bazaar Talent Quest, today about the details of their entry.

There will be an opportunity on Friday 2nd September lunchtime (in the gym) for students to show their entry and get some feedback. Some students are still deciding on their items (songs, dance, jokes, etc) so you may get questions and requests from students about this.

Please remember to bring music, etc to school next Friday.

Swimming Update

Just a little reminder that students swimming tomorrow (Wednesday) need to bring along clothes to do swim safety/rescue aspect of the program (ie shorts and t-shirt, pjs). Please remember to also send along a plastic bag.

Thanks,

Elke, Sia and Sheryal

National Immunology Day Competition

Also on this Tuesday 23rd August:

A session is being run by one of the parents at PHPS - Charles Hardy for National Immunology Day. Approximately 35 students in Year 1 have elected to participate. Students will learn about the immune system and how the body fights infections and following the presentation, they will have the opportunity to create posters for the competition that closes on the last day of term. 

Delays of the competition can be found on the link below.

https://www.edumail.vic.gov.au/owa/redir.aspx?C=5004002850464b518cc4f49299a7060d&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.immunology.org.au%2fprimary.pdf

National Literacy Week/Day - Tuesday 23rd August

Following a whole Neighbourhood meeting on Friday, students decided that to celebrate National Literacy Week, next Tuesday they would either come dressed up as a favourite book character or bring in their favourite stories to share. Costumes/dress-ups do not need to be elaborate.

This week's Assembly is a celebration of National Book Week. The Year 1s will celebrate in the session after lunch.

Swimming Update: from Geoff

Please refer to Swimming Notice sent home for further details re. swimming caps.

Thanks!

Swimming Program Update: Swimming caps

The Year 1s and Preps had their first day swimming today and were fantastically behaved and confident in the water! It was wonderful to see the children enjoying the water and being instructed by the swimming teachers.

We found out today that the swimming pool policy is that all swimmers 3 years and over need to be wearing swimming caps. If your child/ren have these at home, could you please send these in their swimming bags?

We will follow up with the pool tomorrow to see if these can be purchased from the pool, so further updates to follow.

Sorry for the late notice,

Elke, Sia and Sheryal

Premier's Reading Challenge

Just a reminder that the Premier's Reading Challenge is due to finish at the end of August. Parents need to print out the book list and sign this sheet.

Please return sheets to homegroup teachers so they can be passed onto Annette for validation.

Many thanks,

Sia, Sheryal and Elke

Swimming Update

We have created a swimming schedule for the Notice Board outside the Year 1 entrance with swimming session times with both the first and second week. If you are able to assist, please put your name in the allocated session time.

Thanks,

Sia, Sheryal and Elke 

Parent Helpers for Year 1 Swimming

We would really appreciate parent assistance at the Year 1 swimming program in Weeks 5 and 6. Please let your homegroup teacher know or email me if you are able to assist on any (or more) of the days.

In the first week (Monday 15th, Wednesday 17th and Friday 19th August)

Session 1: Elke 9:10 am - 11:15 am

Session 2: Sheryal 10:05 am - 12:10 pm

Session 3: Sia 11:15 am -1:20 pm

In the second week (Monday 22nd, Wednesday 23rd and Friday 25th August)

Session 1: Sia 9:10 am - 11:15 am

Session 2: Elke 10:05 am - 12:10 pm

Session 3: Sia 11:15 am -1:20 pm

Many thank,

Sia, Sheryal and Elke

Princes Hill Primary School Cookbook

Don't forget to start writing up your favourite recipe for the PHPS Cookbook to be sold at this year's Annual PHPS Bazaar. Include your name, a short 'story' and, if taken from another recipe, credit to where it has come from.

Recipes can be emailed to: bookforcook@gmail.com

Mathletics

Some students in Year 1 have curently reached the highest level they can complete on their Mathletics Account. Elke has been collating a list of these students and is awaiting a response on how to get students into the next level.

Please see her if your child/ren have also completed this level so she can follow up with it.

In the meantime, there is a list of other Maths and Literacy learning activities on the Linked/Web-section of the Blog which you get to by scrolling to the bottom of the page. Some sites require parents to sign up.

Prep-Year 1 Swimming Program

Green permission slips were sent home on Friday to students who had returned "Expression of Interest" notices for swimming. Please complete all relevant details on these forms and return to Home Group teachers ASAP.

Please remember to also include payment when returning permission slips (swimming is not covered by the excursion levy).

The dates for swimming are listed below.

Monday 15th, Wednesday 17th & Friday 19th August

Monday 22nd, Wednesday 24th & Friday 26th August

The allocated times for each home group were also sent home this week.

Welcome Back to Term 3

Welcome back to a new term in the Year 1 Neighbourhood! We trust you have all had fantastic break.

Sia will return to school on Monday.

It is important for everybody to remember to bring in their Readers' and Writers' Notebooks to school daily, inlcuding the plastic pocket to transport books and notices safely. If your child has finished the notebook or has mislaid it, please purchase a replacement or see your homegroup teacher. We are really encouraging daily reading for all children to improve fluency and understanding, including reflections and written response to what is read. Please refer to the notice inside the book.

Thanks!

Parent Helpers

If parents have any spare time, Home Reading book boxes need some sorting, placing the books in the correct box. If you are able to assist before the end of the term or early next term, it would very much be appreciated.

Thanks

Late Arrivals on Tuesdays

If you arrive late on Tuesday and homegroups have already started making their way to assembly, can you ask students to place bags next to the stair well rather than on it? Many thanks!

Library Books

All library books should be returned before the end of the term. Thanks!

End of Term 2 Update: Parent Teacher Interviews & Term 2 Student Work on Display

Parent/Teacher interviews are scheduled for Thursday. Please note that Elke will be conducting interviews in Room 16 (Year 2 Neighbourhood) for her homegroup meetings.

Sia has been putting up a superb display of students' learning from this term including Play & Inquiry, reading reponse and maths activities.

Thank you to the two parents who have volunteered to become Parent Representatives in the Year 1 area. Please speak to Sia, Sheryal or Elke if you are willing to assist in this role.

A reminder that school finishes on Friday at 2:30 pm.

We hope you all have a wonderful Term 2 break, ready and refreshed for Term 3. Thank you to all the parent who have also assisted in the Year 1 Neighbourhood this term with reading, typing, laminating, accompanying students on the Melbourne Museum excursion and various other roles that help make our teaching role enjoyable and easier.

Happy holidays,

Elke, Sia & Sheryal

Notices to be Returned: Excursion; Reporting Day; Annual General Meeting and Walkathon

There are a number of notices still outstanding as listed above.

Please make sure your child has returned their excursion form for this Wednesday, 22nd June. We will be leaving school at 10 am and will return to school at approximately 2:15 pm. Students who have not returned their notice will unfortunately miss out. Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to come along with us too.

Places are filling up for the upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews on Thursday 30th June. Please hand these forms back to your child's homegroup teacher asap.

The Annual General Meeting occurs this Wednesday as well. If you require childcare, please return the forms promptly.

Finally, the Walkathon Raffle will be drawn tomorrow at Assembly. Thank you for your fundraising efforts!

Plastic Bottles & Cabbage Moths

We still haven't collected sufficient number of clear, 2 Litre plastic bottles for Play & Inquiry experiments. If you have them in your recyling bin, can you drop them in to Elke please?

We are also trying to capture cabbage moths to observe their life cycle in action. If you have any in your vege patch, can you bring some in please? 

Walkathon Wednesday 1st June

Luisa is very short of helpers to assist with preparing, cooking and serving sausages for the Walkathon this Wednesday. If you are able to assist, please see Sia, Sheryal or myself or alternatively, contact Luisa directly.

Please remember the Green Sponsorship forms are due in on Wednesday so that teachers can tally the number of laps children complete. The forms will be sent home on Wednesday afternoon.

Many thanks!

Walkathon: Wednesday 1st June

This is the last weekend students have to collect sponsorship for this year's annual PHPS Walkathon. Please make sure that forms are returned to your child/ren's homegroup teacher so that the forms can be tallied at the end of the day and returned home. Students have selected their preferences for sausage and fruit which they will have once completing the walk. Please read the green sheets for information from Luisa and assistance/parent help required on the day.

Additional sponsorship forms are available on the information trolley at the entrance to the Grade 1 Neighbourhood if somehow you missed out on getting them last week.

Thank you in advance!

Melbourne Museum Excursion

Yesterday the Grade 1 teachers booked our Year 1 Neighbourhood into the Melbourne Museum. We are booked in on Wednesday 22nd June and will be leaving at approximately 10 am and returning to school at 2:15 pm. Further details of the learning experiences we'll be viewing there will be confirmed shortly.

Readers' and Writers' Notebooks

Whilst students are still on occasions, working on Mathletics during class times can parents remind students to have their Notebooks in their school bags everyday? This includes the plastic document communication wallet where home reading material and notices are transported between school and home.

Teachers will be aiming to review students' reading and writing reflections on Tuesday morning in homegroups and with their peers.

Please continue to list the books and reading students complete in their home reading.

The Year 1 Neighbourhood blog address will be pasted in the inside cover of these books in the next week or so.

Play Inquiry Update

This week, students selected their Play Inquiry focus areas that they will be investigating for the remainder of the term.

Sia will be scaffolding students' learning of change in groups comprising of: Cartooning; ICT; 3-D Box Panels and Natural Collections.

Sheryal will be exploring change and means of communicating change through Music, Movement and Drama

Elke will be exploring scientific ideas of change through experiments involving Materials & Decomposition; Life Cycles; Planting and Weather patterns.

Please view the Play Inquiry Board in the Hall area to see which area of interest you child/ren have selected.

Currently, I am collecting 2 Litre clear bottles to conduct experiments (with lids). If you are recycling these at home, could you instead pass them on to Elke?

Parent helpers are welcome to assist in the morning sessions of Play Inquiry (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and for reading every afternoon from 12:10 pm Mondays-Thursdays. Please let your Home group teacher know which day/s you are willing to assist and remember to sign in and sign out at the completion of your time in the classroom.

Bikes parked near Neighbourhood 1 entrance area

Could parents please make sure that bikes are parked away from the Grade 1 Neighbourhood entry point? On Monday, students in their rush to get indoors, managed to get themselves caught on handlebars and often the area can get congested with the management of Play Inquiry equipment and people waiting to get indoors.

Many thanks,

Elke

Carlton Football Club/Visy Environmaniacs Clinic

This Wednesday, 50 Grade 1 students will have the opportunity to attend a Carlton Football Clinic and environmental themed visit at Visy Park between 9:15 -11 am. At this stage, approximately 15 students have indicated they do not wish to attend so the limited number of students able to attend and those indicated not to, should avoid any disappointment. Please remember to return notices directly to Elke, not homegroup teachers, so that notices can be numbered.

Students should remember to dress warmly on Wednesday the day for the walk there and back.

Elke, Sia & Sheryal

Ride to School Breakfast

PHPS has been awarded a breakfast this Friday from 8:30 for the school's ongoing commitment to active transport. The breakfast menu includes: apples, yoghurt, orange juice and fruit buns.

I will be setting up some tables (weather pending) outside the Grade 1 neighbourhood area from 8 am. If you are able to assist with serving - would really welcome the help!

The breakfast will be followed by a short assembly at 9 am with Bronwyn Pike in attendance. Active transport, whether by wheel or legs, is encouraged!

Thanks,

Elke, Sia ad Sheryal 

Dance Workshops

This week, Grade 1 Dance Workshops will commence with Susan Russo.  These workshops were highly successful in 2010 with students gaining great enjoyment from them.

These will occur in the next four weeks of term 2 (9^th, 16^th, 23^rd & 30^th) on Monday morning on the stage in the gymnasium.

Sheryal’s homegroup will begin at 9:15 am

Elke homegroup at 9:50am

Sia’s homegroup at 10:25am.

Green permission slips were handed out to students last Friday and are covered by the Excursion Levy if parents paid this at the beginning of the year. Please return notices directly to your child/ren's home group teacher. 

Thanks.

Home Learning Opportunities: Readers’/Writers’ Notebooks & Mathletics

Readers’/Writers’ Notebooks

This week, students will be taking home their Readers’ and Writers’ Notebooks. This will replace the Reading Log sheet that currently is stored in the plastic document wallet containing students Home Reading books.

The Readers’ Notebook provides an opportunity for students to respond to the text they read. They can represent this visually or complete a written response using the sentence starters on the first page of their notebooks. Responses could relate to connections to other text they read, their own lives, what the text reminded them of or responding to aspects of the texts such as character, themes or plot. If the task is too laborious, it is important that students continue to log the books that they read inside these journals and to participate in a range of reading practices at home including reading aloud, independently and being read to, while also discussing the meaning and content they take away from each reading experience.  

The Writers’ Notebook begins in the middle or at the back of the exercise book. In this section, students can paste stimuli for writing such as momentums of their weekends away from school (ticket stubs, stamps, cartoons and other “found objects”, etc. that may stimulate their curiosity and desire to write). The format can be in the form of a story or narrative, poem, journal entry or recount, recipe, lists, information they found out – the purpose is to demonstrate the many facets of writing whether purposeful or creative!

On some occasions, teachers will paste an activity for them to complete at home during the week relating to their reading or inquiry topic on Change this term. The first of these will be students having a conversation with their grandparents about changes their grandparents’ have seen or noticed from when they were children to how things are today. Our hope is that these experiences can be brought back to the classroom and shared with others in the neighbourhood.   

Mathletics

This year we are providing PHPS students from Grade 1-6 an opportunity to be a member of the Mathletics website. Mathletics is an interactive e-Learing resource being used by over 2,000 schools. 

Students will be able to use the website at home for additional mathematics practise.

Originating in Australia, Mathletics is now being used in over ten countries.
Over the past two weeks, students have been shown the website and been given an opportunity to log on to the site and complete an initial exploration during their library time. As this is a new experience for some students, children may need assistance with accessing the site and logging on using the “shift” key. Some students may also  need help reading questions to complete their answers.  

Students’ Username and Password has been pasted into the inside front cover of the Readers’ and Writers’ Notebook.

The web address is: http://www.mathletics.com.au/

Inquiry: Nature & Change

Welcome back to Term 2! Sia returned on Monday after her long-service leave and we are looking forward to having her back in the neighbourhood.

This term, the grade one neighbourhood will be investigating "Change". Our big questions are:

What is change?

What things change?

How do things change?

What are the different kinds of change in the world around us? 

Last week, students participated in the first of three workshops that will be continued this week, as part of their "Tuning In" to the unit, before they select a Play/Inquiry focus for the remainder of the term. The three workshops are focusing in on changes in Communications and Technology, Life Cycles and Natural/Earth Sciences (day & night, seasonal shifts in the climate through the calendar year, etc.)

To extend students' learning experiences, please contact your child/ren's homeroom teacher if you are able to run a session with students. We will also be discussing excursions options that best link to the inquiry in the next few weeks.  

Term 2: Important Term Dates (please check Talking Point for any updates and changes)

NAPLAN: Tuesday May 10^th-Thursday 12^th

Dance Workshops: Monday 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd & 30^th May

Ride to School Day Celebration Breakfast: Friday 13th May 8:30 am

Visy/Carlton FootballClub Environmaniacs: Wednesday 18th May 

Walk to School Day: Friday 20th May

Walkathon: Wednesday 1st June

World Environment Day: Sunday 5^th June

Year 5/6 Camp: Tuesday 7^th- Friday 10^th June

Queen’s Birthday: Monday 13^th June

Instrumental Music Concert: TBA

Year 1 Melbourne Museum Excursion: Wednesday 22nd June

Report Home: Monday 27^th June

Reporting Day (student free): Thursday 30^th June

End of Term 2: 1^st July (2:30 pm)

Term 1 Portfolios

Student work samples from this term will be in portfolios shortly and contains students' Play Inquiry projects, maths (Data and Number: Counting) and samples of English learning from Term 1. Currently portfolios are located in the Hall above the Home Reader boxes.

Have a restful term break and we look forward to seeing you and your children revived and refreshed for another exciting term.

Happy Easter and holiday break!

Elke, Sia and Sheryal

Long Service Leave: Happy Travels Sia!

Sia will be taking Long-Service Leave in the first 8 days of Term 2, where she will be travelling overseas with her family. We wish her a safe and relaxing trip to Europe and look forward to hearing about her trip when she returns!

Hot Buns

A huge thankyou to the parents who were able to assist last Friday in the Grade 1 Neighbourhood to bake Hot Buns. We were amazed at the number of children on Monday who had said they had baked their second batch on the weekend. Today, the whole nieghbourhood completed a recount of the day's baking.   

Hot Cross Buns: Friday 1st April

This Friday we are having another cooking day in the Grade 1 Neighbourhood & Kitchen Area near Aftercare.

With the preparation of the dough, we think there will be 3 sessions: 10-11 am (making the dough); 12-1 (rolling the buns) pm and final cooking/eating session.

Please see your child/ren's homegroup teacher if you are able to assist during any of these sessions.

Thanks!

Premiers' Reading Challenge

Students who have returned their Premier Reading Challenge notice will be given their student log-ins and passwords later this week. The rules from the website are copied below and has more information to inform students and parents about the challenge. The Princes Hill Primary School library has Premiers' Reading Challenge books marked by stickers on the binding. These will be shown to students so that they more easily meet the challenge.

Challenge rules

1. You must register as a Challenger and keep a record of your reading on this website.
2. You must be a student in a year level from Prep to Year 10 in 2011. You can be learning at a school or learning at home.
3. You must read the following number of books during the Challenge:

Reading requirements for each year level

Year level	Number of books	Number from the Challenge book list
Prep	30 books	20 or more
Year 1	30 books	20 or more
Year 2	30 books	20 or more
Year 3	15 books	10 or more
Year 4	15 books	10 or more
Year 5	15 books	10 or more
Year 6	15 books	10 or more
Year 7	15 books	10 or more
Year 8	15 books	10 or more
Year 9	15 books	10 or more
Year 10	15 books	5 or more

4. If you are in Prep, Year 1 or Year 2 you can read books by yourself or with someone else, for example, a parent, teacher, brother or sister, classmate, buddy or friend. They can help you or read the book to you if you are just learning to read.
5. Your online books must be verified as read by a Coordinator in your school.
6. All your information must be completed online before 16 September 2011.

A list of book titles is available following the link below.

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/books/default.htm

Grade 1 Neighbourhood Assembly

On Tuesday 29^th March, we will be sharing our learning during assembly. 

Students in 1E will be performing a short retelling of 'Stone Soup'. Most of the characters in this story are poor villagers or soldiers. It would be great if children could dress the part of their character or wear plain, neutral coloured clothes for their performance.    

We look forward to seeing you there.

Parent Helpers

Thank you to the parents who have already donated hats and fabric for our Home-Corner and Performing Arts area and have helped out in numerous ways assisting with the classroom program and with administrative tasks such as laminating and preparing classroom resources.   

A Calendar has been placed on the Community Noticeboard for Parent Helpers in both Play/Inquiry times (9:15- 10:30 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and Literacy- Reading/Language experience (12:10 – 1:05 Mondays-Thursdays). The Friday after lunch session has been set aside for whole neighbourhood storytelling and we would love parents to come in and share their favourite books.

Play Inquiry & Learning Agreement Time

Students have recently selected a Play/Inquiry project that they will be working on.  Projects were decided based on students’ existing interests. These will be ongoing projects to develop students’ knowledge, skills and experiences while working with other students.  The goal of these projects will be for students to produce a story or narrative through their exploration in Play/Inquiry.  For example a project may develop through construction and building, by using a plan using a storyboard of sequenced events through their understanding of the narrative structure; conference with teachers to develop/refine ideas; explore and create each frame or set; photograph each scene they create; upload images; write the narrative to accompany the images.

In room 17 Sia is working with students to develop writing and art projects such as Puppet Making, Claymation, Book Making and ICT publishing.  Sheryal in the Taurus is working on Music, Performing Arts and Puppetry projects and Construction.  Elke is working in the outside area and in Room 17 on Science/Environmental projects using natural materials, Construction and storyboarding projects, and ICT (for research and creating stories). 

In Maths times, we have been exploring counting patterns, graphing and informal measurement. After lunch, Learning Agreement tasks will include Reading, Word Study and Handwriting.

Prep-2 Information Night

A Prep-2 Information session will be held on Tuesday 1st March between 7 pm - 8 pm. Please read Talking Point for further updates.

School Photos

Grade 1 School Photos will take place on Thursday 3rd March. Please return photo envelope to Homegroup teacher.

Sibling Photos will be taken on the 9th & 10th March.

Home Reading Program

The Grade 1 Home Reading Program started today. Students have been given a plastic pocket with a notice and a book today. We ask parents to select and exchange books with students in the morning before school starts. Book boxes are located in the central Hall area. Please remember to complete the reading log on the back of the notice and place books back in the correct numbered box.

Schools' Flood Relief Fundraiser & Welcome Picnic

This Thursday 17th February schools across the state will be collecting funds to assist schools affected by the recent floods. Students can bring a game or their favourite toy to share/show in the Grade 1 Neighbourhood on this day. Students are also asked to bring a small donation on this day.

The Welcome Picnic will be held this evening a Princes Park between 6 pm - 8 pm. Please see Talking Point for more details

Welcome to your blog!

The Grade 1 teachers would like to welcome you to the new Grade 1 Blog space. Upcoming events, learning profiles, useful links & resources and general news from the neighbourhood will be posted here for you to view. We welcome your comments and feedback!

In the upcoming weeks, an email address will be created for parent/teacher correspondence.

We look forward to working with you and your children in the upcoming year.