23 February 2023

Principals Report

Dear Families,

We are up to Week 3 and only 11 days of school since returning but if it feels like we have been back for longer as the school is well underway with the usual learning routines and programs.  Student leadership positions are being established, the Gd 3-6 Swimming Carnival was held today at Clarence Pool and the Welcome BBQ is around the corner. Each class has co-constructed Learning Agreements and these will be soon shared with families if not already. Please see a sample of Learning Agreements from Kinder, Gd 2, Gd 3/4 and Gd 6 classes below. Teachers and students have worked hard to reflect a shared understanding of what Safe, Fair and Caring behaviour looks like in their classroom. We have also met twice as whole school for meetings about expected behaviour across all areas of our school and to introduce our House leaders who will lead Bombora, Wattle and Waratah Houses at this Thursday’s Swimming Carnival.

Our first assembly is this coming Monday and will be a Grade 3-6 assembly where our SRC members will be announced. I sat in on the speeches students made this week where they aimed to persuade their peers to elect them to the SRC. The competition was tight and of such a high standard that we wish all of them could be part of the SRC. After hearing such articulate, well-thought out and impassioned speeches the future certainly feels bright in the hands of these young people.

Our teacher teams are beginning collaborative inquiries into areas of student learning we want to improve are looking at how our practice as teachers needs to adapt and adjust to ensure we are having the desired impact on student progress.

Grade 3-6 teachers are working with a Lead Quality Teaching Coach in Numeracy to explore strategies that engage and support all students to progress from their own point of need in maths.

Grade Prep-2 teachers are continuing to consolidate their explicit and systematic teaching of phonics and looking at how this transfers into accurate spelling in student writing.

Our Kinder teachers are undertaking further learning in essential literacy practices in Kindergarten.

Teaching is a profession that requires constant reflection and evaluation to know where our learners are at and what they need next.

Finally, please come along and enjoy the Welcome BBQ next Wednesday! We still need a few more helpers to cook on the night if you can spare 30 mins.

Kind regards,

Cathryn

Class Learning Agreements

Kinder Possums

3/4O

2H

Calendar of Events

Assembly Timetable Term 1

Welcome BBQ Volunteers needed

The Welcome BBQ is fast approaching and we need you!

Please jump onto Sign Up and choose a short shift or 2 to help out on the night.

https://signup.com/go/yvDkgos

If you are unable to help on the night there is a sign up position for cake baking or cake donations - this is a great way to help out if you can't make it.

We really appreciate you giving your time to help make the 2023 Welcome BBQ a huge success!

House Leaders 2023

This week at our whole school meeting, our Grade 6 House Leaders were formally introduced to the students and staff. There were a number of great speeches delivered to students from grades 3-6 last week, which ensured the final tally of votes across the houses were extremely close. As House Leaders, these students will be supporting and developing a number of new initiatives and ideas planned for 2023, starting with today’s Illawarra Primary 3-6 Swimming Carnival. With these positions comes added responsibility, and we look forward to seeing these students further develop their leadership skills and promote the values of Illawarra Primary through both their actions and their words. Congratulations again to our 2023 House Leaders.

Music Groups 2023

Most of our music groups have gotten under way this week.  We have had big numbers of children wanting to be in these groups which is lovely. I am looking forward to working with your children as they have this amazing opportunity to learn instruments or sing in a choir.  Listed below are the groups and which days they will be rehearsing.

Monday - Grade 5 /6 Brass (with Mr Brown)

Tuesday - Advanced Recorder

                     Beginner Recorder

                     Marimba

Friday -   Grade 2 Choir

                -  Grade 3-6 choir

Validation, ICT & Major Excursion Forms

Thank you very much to all of the parents/carers who have already returned their forms. For those that haven't can these please be returned to the office as soon as possible.

Student Absentees

Just a reminder for any student absentee messages i.e. sickness, holidays, appointments etc can you please contact the office directly not the teachers.  This ensures that the correct information is entered on the student record and saves the office contacting parents unnecessarily if teachers are away sick or are unable to check their Seesaw accounts. 

Canteen

Nurse Joss - School Health Nurse

Naplan 2023

National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2023

Information for Grade 3 and 5 Parents and Guardians

This year, NAPLAN will be conducted from 15 March – 27 March.

At our school, Grade 3 and 5 students will complete the Writing task on Wednesday, 15 March and the Reading task on Thursday, 16 March.  Grade 3 will undertake the Language Convention and Spelling tasks on Friday, 17 March and the Numeracy task on Wednesday, 22 March.   Grade 5 will undertake the Language Convention and Spelling tasks on Monday, 20 March and the Numeracy task on Tuesday, 21 March.

There will also be catch up sessions run until Monday, 27 March for any student who misses a scheduled task. 

The Grade 3 Writing task is done using pencil and paper, and will be undertaken in classrooms.  All other tasks will be completed online in the GP room so that we can best ensure devices are properly set up and working correctly.

NAPLAN provides valuable information on how your child is progressing against national minimum standards of literacy and numeracy skills expected for each year level.  Later in the year you will receive an individual report that shows your child’s results and a comparison of your child’s performance against all other Australian students in their year level. 

Our teachers use the NAPLAN results to inform class and school planning and to allocate resources and support, including informing decisions around targeted programs and initiatives for individuals and groups.

The best preparation for the tests is a high-quality learning program based on the Australian Curriculum, and this is what we focus on at Illawarra Primary School.  We also recognise that students need to develop familiarity with the testing format and conditions as these are quite different to the way in which our students commonly work.  In line with this, we are helping our students to develop strategies so they are able to perform to the best of their ability on the day.  These include: understanding how to approach the types of questions that may be asked; managing time effectively and checking answers; using effective problem-solving strategies, including working out paper; and leaving a question that is too hard and coming back to it later.

The best way you can assist your child is by helping them to feel comfortable about the nature and purpose of the tests, and assure them that the tests will give them an opportunity to show what they have learned in class.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at michael.hayen@education.tas.gov.au or on 6229 6295.

Michael Hayen

Assistant Principal

Launch into Learning

Community Notices