Senior School Term 1 Week 3 2019

  What's happening in the Senior School? 

Term 1 Week 3 & 4 2019

Hello and welcome to our first edition of the Senior School Newsletter! We have literally dived straight into a busy, yet exciting first term and have been loving every minute! From day one our Senior students have shown a great level of integrity and leadership, especially at our House Swimming Carnival. The support they gave to one another, the teachers and parents, whether or not they competed in the water, was outstanding! In addition to competitively swimming, we are learning the art of mindfulness through yoga and safety around water during our week long swimming program. Our Grade 6's have excitedly met and been assigned a Prep Buddy for the year, someone they can provide support to and guidance out in the yard. Meanwhile our Grade 5's are learning their new sport in preparation for our first Interschool Sport meet.
On top of all this we are exploring the structure of narratives, using descriptive clues in texts to visualise and identifying the importance of place value up to the billions. We are also regularly discussing the importance of digital safety and how those lessons can be applied both on and offline.

In Reading we are learning to...use descriptive clues in texts to create sensory visual images.

In Writing we are learning to...plan and draft narratives with established characters and settings.

In Maths we are learning to...identify the place value of numbers up to billions and use them to add and subtract.

In Spelling we are learning words...Gr 5 –c as in cat Gr 5 – ea as in beach   Gr 6 – re- prefix Gr 6- ch as in school.

In Play Is The Way we are learning to...pursue our personal best, no matter who we work with.

In Inquiry we are learning to...become aware of the digital footprint we leave and ways in which we can be safe both online and out in the community.

Monday 11th February - Weekly Yoga sessions begin

Friday 15th February - House Swimming Carnival

Monday 18th to Friday 22nd February - Water Safety Lessons

Friday 22nd February - Leadership badge presentation

Monday 25th February - Marine Ambassador Workshop 1

Wednesday 27th February - Get to know you interviews

Friday 1st March - I/S Sport at MPPS (5/6A to provide apples and oranges)

Wednesday 6th March - District Swimming

Friday 8th March - I/S Sport at MPPS (5/6B to provide apples and oranges)

Monday 10th March - Labour Day (No School)

Notice Board & Communication

Along with the newsletter, Flexibuzz and student diaries, the display board in the center of the Senior School Atrium will also be a point of regularly updated communication. Here you'll find:

- important dates throughout the term

- a weekly outline of our timetable

- learning focus (WALT)

- reminders

- spare copies of notices/handouts etc.

- spotlight on a particular student, grade or event

If you haven't done so already, please update your class box on FlexiBuzz to ensure you are receiving the latest communications.

Code of Cooperation

Together as a level the Senior students established a Code of Cooperation. It will be regularly reviewed to ensure students are upholding the expectations they have set for themselves. 

Uniform

In addition to the above Code of Cooperation, Senior all students are role models and leaders for the lower year levels. As we regularly represent Mentone Park across the school and out in the community, students are expected to have proper and neat uniform. We appreciate all assistance in ensuring we are setting the best example.

Homework

Homework will be a variety of tasks including: maths, reading, SMART spelling, current affairs and wellbeing. It will be handed out on a Monday and is due the following Friday. The expectation is that students manage their time during the week so that they have their weekends free to relax and spend with family. 

Swimming

During week 4 students will participate in Water Safety Lessons (18-22/2). Students are reminded to bring their bathers, towel, recess, lunch and a water bottle each day. 

Our lessons are:

-5/6A 12-12:45pm

-5/6B 12:45-1:30pm

-5/6C 1:30-2:15pm

The final session on Friday requires students to wear clothing in the water over their bathers. Please ensure that a spare pair of clothes is packed for this activity. we recommend old clothing. 

Get to know you interviews

Meet the teacher is now available on Wednesday the 27th of February. You can book an interview online at www.schoolinterviews.com.au using the code: ppywv

These interviews are an excellent opportunity for you to tell us about your child and anything additional that may aide us in supporting their learning.

Absences

If your child is absent from school, you must notify the school via flexibuzz of this in the morning. If not, you will now be sent this message from your child's teacher via flexibuzz:

Dear Parents/Guardians.

Your child has been marked as absent from school today. Can you please contact the office to notify us of the reason for this absence.

Kind Regards,

Mentone Park Primary School/Your Child's Teacher

Some amazing first impressions from our Grade 5 student's:

 

During week 2, the 5/6's were learning about internet safety. Internet safety Day was on Tuesday the 5th of February. The day before, we split up into groups of about 10 people and handed around a ball of string to form a web. When you had the string you had to say something you do on the internet (eg. play games) and something that keeps you safe (eg. don't share private information). We also made digital footprints about the online marks we leave and wrote out pledges in small groups.

- Kirby 5/6C

 

I think the Senior School is fantastic because it is an open space to work and learn in. We do a lot of fun group activities, independent activities and often the whole Senior School joins and works together. We are currently focusing on visualising, place value and the structure of narratives. I especially enjoy reading and writing! Every Friday we have interschool sport or practise. The summer sports are volleystars, cricket, rounders and tennis. The winter sports are netball, volleyball, AFL and soccer.

I really enjoy working in the Senior School and have made many new friends!

-Izzy 5/6C

It's really exciting but nerve racking moving from the Middle School to the Senior School. So far my 3 favourite subjects are writing, reading and weirdly maths. We have been writing narratives using the 7 amazing sizzling steps. We have also interviewed a partner which was really fun because I got to ask the questions like what is a really interesting fact about you and what challenges have you overcome?

- Molly 5/6A

When I walked through the doors of the Senior School I was scared and definitely nervous, but it didn't stop me from being excited for a new year ahead! I knew I had great teachers and that I will learn plenty things and I was right!

-Elly 5/6A

When I was in grade 4 I was so excited to go into grade 5 and now that I have settled in I think it's so fun! I have been in the Senior School for a while now and have made plenty of friends in my class. I'm also making alot of new friends too and there have been 2 new people join us.

So far in the Senior School we have been looking at the digital footprints we leave and how to be safe online as part of our wellbeing. The Senior School is a fun and challenging experience for everyone here at MPPS!

-Sienna M 5/6A

The Senior School is very open and there's lots of space. We have sliding doors in each classroom that we can open to work together or close so we don't disturb each other. There are lots of expectations and you have to be respectful, especially in 5/6 so you set a good example for the younger grades.

-Sienna J 5/6A