Junior School Bulletin Issue 1 / 5 February 2016
Junior School News Welcome Back Welcome back to school and a warm welcome to our new students and our brand new Prep students. Our students have all made a wonderful start to the year and are building positive relationships with their peers and teachers.
Parent Information Nights It was pleasing to see so many parents at the P-2 Information Evening earlier in the week. Thank you to Mrs Schloss who gave us some valuable information about the importance of oral language and shared some valuable tips on how to support your child/ren as they learn how to read. The Years 3-6 Parent Night will begin with a session about cyber safety with some very practical steps that parents can implement to help keep your children safe online. One of the messages that will come out of the night, is that it is not the device that is a problem. With the right amount of controls, limits, parental monitoring and trust the children can use these devices to do some amazing things. Please note that this information night will conclude a little later than normal due to the cyber safety presentation at the start. Junior School Redevelopment Update Thank you to the builders Condev and our teachers for all of the work they have done over the vacation period to get the classrooms in A Block ready for classes at the start of the school year. Thank you also to Storage King for kindly donating boxes to help with the classroom pack up.
Commencement Service The Commencement Service on the first day was the ideal way to start the school year. New staff were installed into their roles at St Andrews and the Student Leaders were presented with their leadership badges. We believe that all Year 6 students have the opportunity to lead and serve the community and so all Year 6 students were presented with a badge. The classrooms in A Block still have some minor work to do which will be completed in the coming couple of weeks. There are still additional whiteboards, felt boards and built in cupboards to be installed. The renovations in the library have begun with internal fittings being demolished. The builders anticipate that we will be back in the library during the second half of Term 1. Construction of the classrooms under the Early Learning Centre has commenced and should be completed towards the end of Term 2. New Furniture As well as the renovations to the classrooms in A Block the students will have some new furniture to help assist with their teaching and learning. We are aiming to provide an assortment of furniture that is flexible to cater for the
different needs and ways of learning. The furniture ranges from traditional desks to soft furnishings, to collaborative tables, through to standing height desks. Canberra Trip and Year 4 Camp The Year 6 students have begun preparing for their trip to Sydney and Canberra whilst the Year 4 students are getting ready for their camp to Tyalgum in northern NSW. These extended trips and camps offer a mix of academic, social and emotional benefits to the students that cannot be replicated in the classroom and are an important way of educating the whole child. Darrin Schumacher Head of Junior School
Looking forward to photo’s on Monday 8 February: • Junior Kindy - 9.30am • Pre Prep 1 - 10.00am • Pre Prep 2 - 10:30am Bronwyn Waters ELC Director
Chaplains Chat Warm greetings to the St Andrews community! We have begun a new school year and I hope that, like me, the newness and freshness of the year remains for you and your children.
ELC News What a fantastic start to the year in the ELC. The new children and families are settling in well and building positive relationships. The children are excited about the construction under the ELC and watched the site shed arrive through the glass in the hallway which created lots of discussion.
I would like to take this opportunity to let you know what our Year 8 and Year 10 students are studying as part of Christian Studies this term. Both year levels are engaged in a unit of study specifically to do with Jesus, yet pitched at different levels. Whilst you may think that Jesus is always discussed as part of Christian Studies – and you would be right – these units of study are designed to give greater depth and understanding of Jesus himself who is, of course, the central figure of Christianity. In these units of study students are given the opportunity to explore who Jesus is without any assumption of prior knowledge and neither any need to subscribe to a set of beliefs about him. I love being involved in the teaching of these units because it provides students the opportunity to research answers to their own questions, to consider historical accounts and to learn what is being said about Jesus today. I believe it is important for students to have a safe environment in which to learn about Jesus because there is a lot of misinformation out there and a general feeling amongst some that Jesus is outdated or irrelevant.
On Monday we had the College leaders come and visit and get to know the children in the ELC. We look forward to seeing them develop a strong connection with the ELC this year. The children quickly attached themselves to a big person and enjoyed drawing, listening to stories and sharing Morning Tea with them.
At St Andrews we believe the Christian faith is fundamentally important to life and it therefore underpins our values, ethos, culture and learning. We believe students benefit from learning about Jesus and so we gladly teach about him. In my own life I cannot describe how wonderful it is to know and to be known by Jesus, who listens to my prayers and gives me renewed purpose, focus and forgiveness each day of my life. Some days I try to do it all in my strength but the best days are when I do it with His. May God bless you and your family in 2016 as we live and learn together. There are many things we will learn and many things we will do in the year ahead, but perhaps none is more important than the study of Him who gives life, fullness and wholeness to those who seek it. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… in it the righteousness of God [Jesus] is revealed. Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)
A friendly reminder: Please supervise your older children when collecting siblings in the ELC.
Nathan Glover College Pastor
Ready for Different Learning Opportunities
From the Deputy Head of Junior School (P-3) What an exciting beginning it has been to the 2016 College year in the Junior School. Our newly refurbished classrooms in Years 1, 2 and 3 look amazing after a mammoth effort by so many to have them ready for students on their first day back. There is still much to finish off before all the teachers’ boxes of resources can be unpacked but we are all very excited about the new learning opportunities that will be possible in such flexible learning spaces. The following photo gallery provides an insight into the last couple of weeks. Getting the Classrooms Ready : An Amazing Community Effort
A very BIG Thank You to all the College Council members, contractors, staff, family of staff and students who helped to make this possible. Watching students learn and grow in this new environment for many years to come will be a lasting legacy for all your efforts. God’s gifts of grace come in many forms. Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others… Then in all things God will be praised. 1 Peter 4:10 NIrV Joy Schloss Deputy Head of Junior School
Sport News District Sport Carnivals and Trials All 10 to 19 year old St Andrews’ students now trial via the HINTERLAND DISTRICT. This applies for Carnivals (Swim, Cross Country and Athletics) and Sports Team selection trials. Don’t forget to email or see me if you are interested in competing at District Sport Carnivals or attending District Sport Trials in 2016. All of the dates are listed on the College Website and on various notice boards around the College. Reminders will be in student notices and College Bulletins as trial dates approach, but it is every students’ OWN responsibility to research the dates and contact me if they are interested in such events. District Swimming Trials The Hinterland Green Swimming Carnival for 10–19 year old swimmers is at TSS on Monday 22 February, 2016. Any students who wish to participate at this Carnival/District Trial must contact me to collect a selection application form. Successful students will be notified and further information will then be supplied. St Andrews Swimming Carnivals Years 7-12 THURSDAY 25 February Years 4-6 FRIDAY 26 February To be held at Somerset College Pool. More information will be circulated soon. St Andrews Futsal And Netball Trials Trials for these College Representative Teams have started already but it is not too late to join in. For dates of trials, please contact Mr Hibbs regarding Futsal and Mrs Roper for Netball or you can email Mr Manion. Inter Schools Tennis Competition The 2016 Gold Coast Tennis Inter-School Challenge is to be held at Queens Park Tennis Centre at the end of February. This competition will now incorporate Senior (Years 10, 11, 12) Middle (Years 7, 8, 9) and Junior (Years 4, 5, 6). Please email andrewm@salc.qld.edu.au for more details. Entries close on 19 February. Running Club Students in Years 4-12 are encouraged to join our RUNNING CLUB which will again be coordinated by Ms Casey West and Mr Jordan McAllister. Running Club is free to St Andrews students and parents and will be starting Week 3 (Monday 8 February) of Term 1, 2016. The sessions will be held from 7-8am Monday and Wednesday of each week for a total of 6 weeks, with the final session being on Wednesday 16 March. Running Club registration forms for Years 4-12 students are available from Mr Manion and Ms West.
Brisbane Heat Promotional Tour With the Big Bash League finished for another year, the Brisbane Heat Promotional van is rolling through South East Queensland for three days this Term and will be visiting St Andrews Junior School on Wednesday 10 February. The van will set up at first break time on the bottom oval area. There will be 2 inflatable activities, free Milo giveaways, music and heaps of promotional material for kids to be able to get involved in their local Club cricket programs this year. We are trying to get more kids involved in additional sport outside of school time, ensuring they are active and healthy! Andrew Manion Head of Sport
Japanese News Welcome to Japanese in 2016! This year all central ideas, voice recordings and YouTube links will be on the following website created by Taki Sensei:
www.jsjapanese.weebly.com *This link can also be accessed via Parent Lounge then select ‘School Links’. We hope this will be a useful tool for students to use to revise Japanese at home. Sharon Taki Junior School Japanese Coordinator
Dates to Remember February Monday 8 Class Coordinators Initial Meeting, College Reception - 8.30am Little Mermaid Jr Rehearsals commence - RBT 3.30pm to 5.30pm Tuesday 9 Shrove Tuesday Chapel – 1.40pm WC Years 3-6 Parent Information Evening, Multi Purpose Hall 6.30pm Wednesday 10 Ash Wednesday Friday 12 Years 4-6 Swimming Lessons Monday 15 Little Mermaid Jr Rehearsals - RBT 3.30pm to 5.30pm Tuesday 16 Assembly – 1.40pm Multi Purpose Hall Friday 19 Years 4-6 Swimming Lessons
St Andrews Lutheran College Production of
Music by
Lyrics by
Book by
Alan Menken
Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen Story and the Disney Film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Licensed exclusively by Music theatre international (Australasia). All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.
SAturDAy 16tH APriL 2016 12.30PM AnD 6.30PM tHE ArtS CEntrE GoLD CoASt 135 BunDALL rD, SurfErS PArADiSE
tiCkEtS $20 ADuLtS ALL ConCESSionS $15 tiCkEtS AvAiLABLE froM tHE BoX offiCE. PH: 5588 4000 or WWW.tHEArtSCEntrEGC.CoM.Au
INSIGHTS Building parent-school partnerships WORDS Michael Grose
Make this year your child’s best ever at school
A new school year means a clean slate for students. Here are 7 ideas to help you make the most of the fresh start and make this year your child’s best year ever at school A new school year means a fresh start for students. Regardless of your child’s performance last year, they start school with a clean slate. A break offers students the chance to begin new habits and adopt new behaviours. Here are five ideas to help you make the most of the fresh start and make this year your child’s best year ever year at school:
1 Commit to your child going to school every day on time One of the most important things you can do to ensure your child has a bright future is to make sure he or she goes to school every day – and gets there on time. Kids spend more time asleep than at school, so we need to maximise every day to get full value.
2 Help kids start each day well A good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast and some words of encouragement from you will help set a positive tone for a day of learning. This may mean that you adjust your morning routine so that kids have plenty of time get up, eat and get ready for the day.
3 Establish work & study habits The most successful students are those that develop regular study habits that suit their lifestyle, their study style and their school’s expectations. Find out the work expectations from your child’s or young person’s school
and help them establish a work routine that matches.
4 Make sure your child gets enough sleep Many children and young people are sleepdeprived, which impacts on their wellbeing and their learning. A good night’s sleep consolidates learning, as well as assisting future learning. Children need between 10-12 hours of sleep each day, while teens need a minimum of nine hours. Help kids get sufficient sleep by having a regular bedtime and get-up time each day. Have a 45-minute wind-down time each night, and remove screens and mobile phones from bedrooms.
5 Insist kids exercise The old saying about ‘a healthy body and a healthy mind’ is so true. Exercise releases the chemicals needed for learning and wellbeing. Yet kids today get less exercise than those of past generations, which is an impediment to learning and mental health. Health professionals recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise per day for kids of all ages. Encourage your child to play sport; promote free and active play and look for ways to make moving part of their daily lives.
6 Focus on being friendly Schools are very social places requiring kids to negotiate many different social situations
each day. Yet we often only focus on academic learning. There are strong links between social success, and academic success and wellbeing. Encourage kids to be open and tolerant; to be friendly; to be sensitive to others; to be involved in plenty of activities and to be social risk-takers. These are all characteristics of socially successful kids. At the same time discourage anti-social behaviours such as overcompetitiveness, self-centredness and lack of sharing.
7 Develop self-help skills Successful students are often well organised, self-directed and self-motivated. Personal organisation seems to come more naturally to girls than boys, however both genders benefit from coaching in this important area. You can foster organisational skills and self-direction by developing simple, age-appropriate self-help skills related to their every day lives. Such skills as making lunches, packing school bags, and organising after school schedules can be great lessons that impact on how kids perform at school. At the start of the school year kids are likely to adopt changes than at any other time. Make the most of the opportunity by focusing on two or three areas to really focus on and you’ll find that the rest will fall into place.
Want more ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient young people? Subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter, my FREE weekly email parenting guide at parentingideas.com.au. You’ll be so glad you did.
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© 2016 Michael Grose