Dear Children and Families,

Yesterday's Special Person's Breakfast: Mother's Day Edition was a wonderful celebration of the amazing women in children's lives.  It was so wonderful to see so many families attend to enjoy a special breakfast and connect with other families.  I do hope you enjoyed the morning.  I was particularly impressed by the table decorations made by the children.  At last night's GEMS P&C Meeting, the GEMS endorsed a motion to contribute to the costs of the breakfast and I know you join me in thanking them for supporting this event.  I would also like to thank Wendy Driver and Shauna O'Halloran who worked hard behind the scenes as well as all IPECS staff members who helped with the cooking and set up.  A special mention also to our Communities at Work kitchen staff Tim and Muder for helping to prepare food.  Thanks also to our team of educators from our Communities at Work Before and After School Care program for allowing us to use the hall.  We appreciate all of you!  As as well as the Breakfast, our GEMS P&C provided an inclusive Mother's Day Stall where all children were able to select a special gift for a special person!  However you choose to acknowledge Mother's Day on Sunday, we hope the gifts are well received and we thank the GEMS P&C for providing this opportunity.

How can I make a voluntary contribution?

The School Board has asked me to remind families how to make a voluntary contribution to the school.  Voluntary Contributions form an integral part of the annual school budget used to resource educational programs for children.  While voluntary contributions are optional, we strongly encourage parents to pay the full amount, or any amount that they can comfortably afford to assist the school. At Isabella Plains Early Childhood School, families also have the option of paying into a tax-deductible Library Fund.  For 2023, the School Board has suggested voluntary contributions of $70 per student, or $100 per family where more than one child attends.  This amount is a suggestion not a set amount.  You may wish to contribute this amount, more or less. All contributions are voluntary and confidential.  Click here to be taken to a document with further information, including how to make  a voluntary contribution.

How are we ensuring continuity for children's learning?

During the week, I wrote to all families regarding our current staffing situation.  Over recent weeks, we have seen an increase in the number of unexpected staff absences due to illness and other leave.  We anticipate that this pattern may continue over the coming weeks.   Our priority is always to have a teacher on each class, particularly during the morning literacy session, however across kindergarten to year 2, there may be times when classes are combined.  The collaborative way in which teachers plan for learning at IPECS has helped to ensure that when classes are combined there is minimal disruption to children's learning.   Each Tuesday and Thursday from 11.45am - 3.00pm, we also facilitate play workshops for K-2 children.   Employment conditions for teachers require each teacher to be provided with release from face to face teaching each week and the play workshops model helps us meet this requirement.   This time supports our teachers to plan for learning and collaborate with each other.  We may use the play workshops model on other days to provide supervision for children if required due to staff absences.   Annie has provided some more information about play workshops later in the newsletter.  Regarding preschool, regulations for preschool aged children mean that we must not exceed 22 children in each group.  If needed, to cover a preschool teacher absence, we may ask a school leader or K-2 teacher to support in preschool.  

I will continue to keep you informed regarding any updates to our current situation, usually via email.  As always, please reach out to myself or Annie if you have any questions or concerns.  As a place of learning where all young children thrive and belong, we are deeply committed to doing what we can to ensure the continuity of learning for all children.  

Who are our School Board members?

Last night we held our School Board Annual General Meeting (AGM).  Shannon Pickles was re-elected as our Board Chair and Natalie Moore as Deputy Board Chair.  Hanan Aguleh, our Communities at Work Centre Manager, was elected as our Board Appointed Member.  Priscilla Reyenga is our Teacher Representative and Debbie McIntosh is our Parent Representative.  The School Board meets each term to aiming to ensure the school’s strategic direction and priorities align with broader Directorate and Government directions, reviewing and reporting on school performance, and approving the school’s budget and allocation of resources.  Please see later in the newsletter for an introduction from our Board Chair, Shannon. 

Do you have a special skill, talent or passion that you would like to share with our children?

Children relish opportunities for adults to share with them their special skills, talent or passion.  Perhaps you are a chess expert, a sporting champion, musician, artist or dancer.  We always welcome our parents and carers to facilitate workshops, clubs or other activities with children either as a one off or regular opportunity.  Please get in touch with us if you would like to discuss further.  We would love to have you volunteer to work with our children.

What will Semester One Reports look like?

In the coming weeks, our teaching staff will begin preparing children's Semester One reports.  Our preschool report is based on the Early Years Learning Framework and our K-2 reports provide information on children's learning progressions using the Australian Curriculum achievement standards.  Teachers write comments that provide further information specific to your child.  Pre-COVID reports for kindergarten to year 2 included an English, Mathematics and General Comment and a comment against each outcome of the Early Years Learning Framework for preschool children.  Children in years one and two will also receive an A-E report.  For Semester One reports, we will include a General Comment that will include specific English and Mathematics comments.  Other learning areas may be commented on as well as children's personal and social learning development.  Reports will be sent home at the end of term and an opportunity for a learning yarn with your child's teacher will be provided early in term three. 

Take care,

Simon Barker
Principal 

What exactly are K-2 Workshops? 

This term we have continued to see our K-2 children highly engaged in our Play Workshops.  On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons children in kindergarten to Year 2 come together to learn.  They are invited to collaboratively play and work with others. Each learning space in building 6 is co-created with a range of student-initiated provocations and learning opportunities.  Children have the opportunity to tinker, create, experiment, talk, challenge their thinking.  We  have been focusing on the dispositions of collaboration and creativity and we are so impressed with what they are learning together!

How can I support my child with reading at home?

We have many families keen to support their children with learning to read at home, this is wonderful and such an important skill when growing life long learners. Here are some tips you might like to try when reading with your child:

• Encourage your child to choose a book that is on a topic of interest to them.

• Flick through the book and discuss what is happening on each page, what they think the story might be about, and any words they might recognise.

• Consider reading the blurb to give your child an idea of the story prior to reading.

• If your child is learning to recognise letters and the sounds they make (phonemes), focus on finding words or pictures with a particular sound, or name some pictures and encourage your child to listen for the sounds in the word.

• If your child is beginning to grasp, or has a good grasp on letters and the sounds they make (phonemes), encourage them to have a go at a word, sentence or page.

• And remember, the goal is for children to develop a love of reading, so have fun, take the time to enjoy the book, and don't be afraid to read the same story many times over. Happy Reading!

 What have K-2 children been working on?

In Kindergarten, children have continued to engage with quality texts to learn the sounds letters make and hear them in words. We have been practising retelling stories with the text 'Rosie's Walk' and have continued to practice drawing and labelling during writing time. During Inquiry, children have been investigating what the term 'Country' means for Aboriginal people - using our senses to think about what makes up country, and considering what further learning we would like to do in relation to the question 'Why is it important to care for country?'.

Thank you to Annie, Nira and Mikayla for a wonderful whole school gathering  on Wednesday. It was wonderful to hear the interesting facts Garnets children discovered during their research on animals. During class, year One and Two children have been learning how to write information reports, developing their writing and research skills whilst learning more about the world around them. During Inquiry, children are inquiring into 'What makes a great construction?', and are thinking about how windows are made, what goes into building a house, how pools are made and how houses don't fall down.

A few reminders:

• As the weather cools, we are noticing many children are arriving at school without a jacket or other warm clothing. As we are an all-weather school, please ensure children are appropriately dressed for the weather.  If you are in need of some warm clothing, please see Kathleen or Jamee as we do have some second hand clothing available at the office.

• We have noticed some children are regularly forgetting to bring their hats. Pease remember that due to UV levels children are still expected to wear a hat when outside.

• As the weather cools down, heaters are turned on and the air dries out. Children still need their water bottles to stay hydrated, and if their lips are drying out please feel free to send your child with some lip balm to ease any discomfort.

Hi again everyone from me and the family! I am so pleased to be able to help out Simon, Annie and the amazing IPECS team for a fourth year as the Board Chair.

It has been so amazing to see things this year really start to return to normal, and it was great to be able to see things such as the school disco returning. I know our kids had an amazing time, and got super into the groove!

I do note however the big challenges that the school is experiencing at the moment with teacher shortages for a variety of reasons. If there are any parents out there with the ability to help out or volunteer in any way, I know it would be a great help.

Look forward to a lovely year ahead. As always, if anyone ever wants to raise anything with me or have a chat please feel free to grab me at drop off or pickup if I am around (Friday morning coffee cart is a good spot to see me lurking!) or just send me an email shannon@lightningrock.com.

Shannon Pickles

IPECS Board Chair