Issue 2 / 21 February 2014
From the Head of Junior School Parent Teacher Information Nights It was great to see a large number of families represented at the recent parent information nights. Together in the MPH we talked about differentiation and the importance of giving every student what they need to be successful rather than all getting the same thing. Later in the night we talked about growth v fixed mindsets. Someone with a growth mindset, won’t mind if they fail. They will see it as an opportunity for growth. This is why we encourage children to take a risk with their learning and step outside of their comfort zone and try and learn something new.
From the Deputy Head of Junior School (P - 3) It has been exciting to see the high levels of enthusiasm and commitment across our Junior School as the 2014 school year rolls into action. Thank you, Parents, for your engagement with the Parent Information Nights recently and to our amazing staff who provided helpful insights into life in each classroom. There is a deal of research that highlights the importance of the relationships between parents and teachers and we are truly blessed at St Andrews to see evidence of this day by day …. and lately night by night!!!
Through having a growth mindset the children have the courage to have a go at the tasks that they are confronted with, even if they appear difficult. After the relative luxury of the hall the parents were invited back to classrooms where they had the privilege of sitting in chairs that were designed for their children. Here they listened to their child’s teacher outline the events for the year ahead. It was a very successful night. Extra-Curricular Activities There are a range of extra-curricular activities that your child can participate in, including chess club, dancing, PAT (Performing Arts Tuition), soccer academy to name a few. If you are interested having your child participate in any of these activities, please make contact with the College, watch out for the flyers or go to the College website. Mufti Day Our first mufti day will be on Tuesday 25th of February. The theme is Cambodia, so we encourage the children to wear red, white and blue. The children will need to bring along a gold coin donation and this will be donated to Lutheran World Service (Cambodia). Darrin Schumacher Deputy Principal/Head of Junior School
Right across the P-3 land students are actively engaging with their first Units of Inquiry within our Primary Years Program. For children in these early years of school, it is not surprising that these first units in Prep to Year 3 fall under the transdisciplinary theme - Who We Are. This allows students to inquire into the nature of self, their families and their communities as they adjust to a new school year, a new class, new friends and learn to live and learn together. Year Two has been investigating the rights and responsibili-