Term 3 Week 7 2022

Guided Reading

It was so lovely seeing Mrs Edwards and Mrs O’Connor co-teaching this week, working with small groups targeting students' reading and comprehension goals. The students enjoyed reading with their teacher and peers to respond to a range of questions about the text. I heard Mrs O’Connor’s group making connections to what the author has told them and what they already know. It was lovely hearing the students building on one another’s thinking and searching for links across the text.

Circle Time

Every week, sometimes more than once a week, students in Year 3 engage in a Circle Time with their peers. This structure is part of our classroom routine that supports our learners to develop life long skills of speaking, listening, turn taking and working together to solve social or moral issues that might have arisen during the day or week. It is often used to help students problem solve or understand situations that may have arisen in the classroom or play with the support of an adult. Circle time is such a valuable opportunity in each and every classroom allowing our students to have a voice in expressing their understanding of situations, being tolerant of one another’s viewpoints and building that positive culture and community in the classroom. Students in Year 3 have been doing an amazing job supporting one another and respecting each other’s diversity. At times, our friends in year 3 get stuck in how they communicate at play or how to express big emotions that might be tricky for others to understand. But in Year 3 we are so very proud that in these tricky times we continue to work together and support one another to overcome challenges, show kindness, care and understanding. Keep up the great work Year 3s!

Care for Learning in Year 5 and 6

This week I spent time working with a range of classes during Maths. In particular I loved my time working in 5G, 5P, 5K and 6C. What I loved specifically about all of the lessons that I participated in was the teachers and students use of Formative Assessment. Formative Assessment includes check-in tools to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by teachers to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. I loved watching all three of these classes utilise a range of different Formative Assessment techniques – including Move and Proves and Hinge Questions – to track how students were progressing with a concept. For students that had grasped a concept teachers provided opportunities to stretch and consolidate their understanding. While students that were still demonstrating they needed more teaching received targeted support and intervention to help cause learning. All of these classes had a great learning culture in which students knew that if they could not do something yet, with hard work, they would get there. Great work Year 5 and 6!

 Parent Forum – Transition to Secondary School

Last term I hosted a Transition to Secondary School Parent Forum to provide information to families ahead of their child’s move to secondary school. A suggestion that came out of the night is for Mango Hill State School and Mango Hill State Secondary College to co-host the next forum in a Q&A style format. We will be hosting the forum on the 31^st of August at 6pm in the Studio. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Ms Jasmine Benfer (jbenf10@eq.edu.au) by the 19^th of August with your question or topics you are interested in discussing so that I can ensure myself and the representative of the College are prepared.

Graduation Committee – Arts Fest

This week I emailed all Year 6 families and provided information on how they can assist in raising funds for the Year 6 Graduation at the upcoming Arts Fest. For those that missed it, these are the ways you can help.

• Sausage Sizzle: The Graduation Committee need some volunteers to cook and serve at the sausage sizzle. We need volunteers from 3:30 – 8pm. If you can volunteer for any time during this window please let Ms Jasmine Benfer (jbenf10@eq.edu.au) know and we will create a schedule.
• Bake Stall: Each year our families bake goods to be sold at the bake stall. Families bring in their baked goods on the afternoon of the Arts Fest and the Graduation Committee organises them to be sold on the night. If you would like to show off your baking skills all donations are welcome. We will also need people to volunteer at the stall from 4-7:30pm. If you can volunteer for any time during this window please let Ms Jasmine Benfer (jbenf10@eq.edu.au) know and we will create a schedule. If you can bake some goods – thank you – all you need to do is drop them off to the school on the afternoon of the 8th of September.
• Class Hampers: Each year our Year 6 classes create a class hamper that gets raffled off at the Arts Fest. Each class has a different theme and families donate goods that align to that theme – students can bring in the goods and drop them off in a basket already set up in their classroom. This year the following classes have the following themes.
• 6T – For Kids
• 6H – For Her
• 6D – Sweets
• 6R – Savoury
• 6W – For Him
• 6B – For Her
• 6V – For Him
• 6C – For Kids

Thank you for your kindness in volunteering your time, baking skills or goods for the hampers. I know our students appreciate your generosity. They will have a great time at their Year 6 Graduation.

Mobile Phones

Over the last couple of weeks I have found myself talking to more than a few Year 5 and 6 students about using mobile phones before school and forgetting to sign them in at the office. This has never really been a concern with a vast majority of our students constantly doing the right thing and following expectations. The reason students sign their phone into the office is to ensure they are not distracted during learning. By disconnecting from their device it also provides students the time and space to connect with people. Can I ask that if your child brings a phone to school that you please remind them to sign their phone into the office when they arrive to school where it will safe for the day. After 2:45pm students can then go and sign the phone back out for the evening. Thank you for your assistance families!

Martin Winney
Deputy Principal –Year 5 & 6
mwinn7@eq.edu.au

Mr Hills & Mr Newell, Miss Richards and Miss Hodges