From the Principal
How was your day?
How frequently do you get a shrug, a grunt or hear the response of 'boring' when you ask 'how was your day?' We can help our children to give an answer with more detail by asking a question with more detail. Some of my favourites are:
- How was today different than yesterday? How was it the same?
- If we traded places tomorrow, what positive advice would you give me for the day?
- What made you laugh today?
- What do you wish you had more time for today?
- Did you see anyone be a friend to someone when they needed it?
- Who did you feel most connected to at school and why?
- How did you help someone? How did someone help you?
- Who in your class is the most different from you? Do you think you two have anything in common?
- If you could sum up your day with one emoji, what would it be?
- Who did you have lunch with today and what did they have to eat?
Classrooms are very busy places throughout the entire year and this term is no exception. Apart from our routine curriculum, there is currently a focus on the Child Protection Curriculum and students in classes from Years 1 - 7 are being supported in completing Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) which are assessments in areas of Reading Comprehension and Mathematics. Like NAPLAN, these assessments are designed to provide information about students' skills and understandings in key areas. Unlike NAPLAN, these results are not published or sent home to families. Rather, they are used to moderate data and provide more information about student strength and areas of need. All teachers were recently involved in a moderation process with colleagues from Coorara and Reynella South primaries on the Student Free Day, and PAT was one data set used to support and inform this process.
Our Senior Choir is performing in the Festival of Music this Thursday evening at the Festival Theatre in Adelaide. For those families who have purchased tickets, prepare yourself for an evening of colour, joy and a spectacle of talent as our students taek centre stage. We are very proud to have a soloist, Krissa, leading one of the featured songs.
Thank you to our Governing Council for their work in preparing the Father's Day Stall and the School Disco. There was a wide range of pyjamas on display plenty of teddy bears and other furry friends in tow on the night, including the staff. A great time was had by all!
Regards
Penny Wilde
Principal
