St Ives Park Public School - Student Learning and Wellbeing Information

Parent Information Evening Early Stage 1 Teacher: Mrs Alison Wright Assistant Principal: Mrs Alison Wright 21 February 2023

OUR VISION To inspire and nurture successful lifelong learners. OUR MISSION in the School Plan To ensure that educational programs at St Ives Park Public School guide students to develop into: o Successful lifelong learners o Balanced students, focussed on academic and social-emotional growth o Students who strive to achieve their personal best, accept and seek challenges in their learning .

School Improvement Plan 2021 - 2024 All NSW Public Schools have School Improvement Plans in place to guide their planning and student learning each year. The first strategic direction across the state is Student Growth and Attainment as set by the Department of Education. Our Strategic Directions at St Ives Park Public school include: Direction 1 Student growth and attainment improving learning to meet DoE targets. Direction 2 Quality practice and curriculum delivery to improve student learning improving teaching and learning. Direction 3 Connection and wellbeing supporting student wellbeing and community connection.

NSW Syllabus Documents All learning in NSW schools is developed from the NSW Syllabus documents. All syllabus documents are written in Stages which represent the range of learning within each class. These are all freely available on the NESA Website at https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the- curriculum/curriculum-syllabuses-NSW NSW Government Department of Education Parents are supported to access information via the A-Z parents guide link provided here: https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/a-z-parents-guide

NSW public schools Behaviour Code for students Student behaviour All students in NSW public schools must abide by the behaviour code. Positive behaviour for learning At SIPPS students are actively taught the expectations of the school in each class. There is a focus on positive behaviours. Students are guided in their learning, adjustments are made and consequences will occur should behaviours continue. Staff inform parents of behaviour concerns as required. https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/going-to-a-public-school/translated- documents/behaviour-code-for-students Available in many languages

PBL Reward system Free and Frequent rewards Catch cards are designed to catch students frequently making great learning and behaviour choices. 50 = wrist band. Long and strong rewards Merit cards which are linked to academic achievement and achieving SIPPS expectations within Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best. Merit awards add to Bronze, Silver and Gold awards Classroom reward system - Dojos and catch cards.

Communication @ SIPPS Newsletter The Patter comes out each Monday fortnight and is the main form of communication across the school for families. SchoolZine app notifications support parents with quick alerts regarding information and changes. These are not always full sentences due to the character limits. Facebook information is often populated with Department of Education information for all parents. Some school based pictures and event notifications are included on FB. Class parents share P&C and SIPPS information with the parents and often reinforce information regarding events and activities across the school. This communication should never include advertising. P&C information flyers to keep parents up to date with P&C events and activities.

Reporting to Parents and Carers Each year two written reports are provided to all parents in NSW. At SIPPS the end of Term 2 and Term 4 are when reports go home to families. Parent / Teacher Interviews are offered to parents in Weeks 9 and 10, Term 1 2023 . Parents or teachers may request interviews at other times throughout the year.

The Foundations of Reading and Writing Read, Write, Inc Phonics Program This program is used with students K-2 as the foundation of our Reading and Spelling programs. Children learn how to say and write letter sounds and put sounds together to read and write words. Students will be sent home updated sound lists to practise. Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program This program enhances children s phonemic awareness skills. Children will practise rhyming and separating sounds in words. They will blend and segment words, syllables and sounds as well as add, substitute and delete sounds with words. Sight Words Oxford Word List Children will begin to read sight words , most of which cannot be sounded out. The Oxford Word list begins with Red Star words and students move through the lists as they become proficient at reading all of the words on each list. Students will be tested each Friday.

Key Learning Areas English continued Daily literacy activities including guided reading, phonics, writing and comprehension tasks will support the skills children are learning. Reading Modelled Reading lessons occur throughout the week, demonstrating skills of reading to model and help produce skilled readers. Guided Reading activities will support students to expand on their reading ability. Writing Children are taught to plan, write and review imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.

ORAL LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION In Early Stage 1, students are encouraged to speak in a variety of contexts throughout the school day, with peers, teachers and school staff. News To support our oral language and communication program, news will be based on our History unit for Semester 1 Each week, students will present a topic talk to their class. Topic talks should be 1-1.5 minutes long. Parents and carers can support their child by helping them to research each topic and organise what they want to say. Students may like to bring a printed picture or a drawing to support their talk.

Key Learning Areas Mathematics Students develop a positive attitude towards mathematics through rich, hands-on experiences, games and written activities which foster a solid base of knowledge, skills and understanding. Number & Algebra: Students understand place value, create and solve problems using addition, subtraction, grouping (x) and sharing ( ) strategies. Measurement & Geometry: Students estimate and compare length, mass, volume and area. They look at properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects Chance & Data: Students learn to create and read graphs and use the language of position. Working Mathematically underpins all aspects of Mathematics. It is the ability to reason and communicate how answers are obtained through the strategies used.

MATHEMATICS Number talks are a standout for Mathematics at St Ives Park PS. Number talks focus on explicit teaching of number strategies to support understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Rich Mathematical Tasks These tasks are woven into the Mathematics teaching and learning program. During rich mathematical tasks, students ask questions and use known facts to explore mathematical problems and develop fluency with mathematical ideas. Students use everyday language, concrete materials and informal recording to demonstrate their understanding and link mathematical ideas.

Key Learning Areas History and Geography In History this semester we will learn about Personal and Family Histories. Science In Science this term we will be investigating Changes in the Environment with a focus on how daily and seasonal changes affect the environment. Technology In class, our Term 1 focus will be logging onto laptops. We will be using iPads to access different app during to support phonics and reading of decodable texts.

Key Learning Areas Physical Education (PE) Physical Education encourages children to understand and value themselves and others, promoting physical activity through sport and fitness. Each term, students participate in the Got Game program with an external specialist teacher. Students attend Got Game on Tuesdays and will wear sports uniform. In Term 1, the program will be focusing on Maths and Movement. School Sport is on Fridays. movement skills while learning interpersonal skills through the interactions with peers. Children will engage in activities, developing and practising Personal Development and Heath (PDH) In class and with Mrs Stone, students will learn about personal wellbeing, emotional self- regulation and anti-bullying during PDH lessons. Smiling Mind This program promotes mental wellbeing and self-awareness through practising mindfulness meditations. This practise has been proven to increase emotion and behaviour regulation. It also credits increased academic performance and supports the development of social skills. Practising mindfulness has also been proven to decrease depression and anxiety.

Key Learning Areas Library Mrs Allman provides an enriching environment where students are introduced to a variety of literature. Students are encouraged to borrow books each week. Children are required to bring a library bag to protect the books that they borrow. Our class library day is on Thursday. Art Mrs Stone provides all children with opportunities to make art works and to appreciate the work of artists, crafts people and designers. The children experiment with art forms, including drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking and they investigate a variety of subject matter such as people, places, spaces and other living things. K Ruby have Art on Fridays. Music and Drama Mrs Stone offers students a variety of experiences in music and drama. Students will focus on Drama in Term 1 and Music in Term 2.

Homework Homework is designed to reinforce and practice skills. It should encourage a child s self-discipline and foster connections between home and school. Homework will include sound revision, practise of sight words, and reading. Mathletics. Homework will be introduced later in the term. Sound Revision This will be sent out each week and will be updated with the sounds children have learnt. It will include words that children can say each sound to blend the word. Sight Words Students are encouraged to practise these words so they become automatic. The Oxford Word List begins with Red Star words. When students are confident with a level they will be assessed and moved to the next set of words. Mathletics Mathletics online activities. Logins to be sent home inside homework books later in the term (New requirements for student access will be communicated in coming weeks). Google Classroom Please join K Ruby, 2023 Google Classroom.

Crunch and Sip Each morning students will have the opportunity to eat some fruit or vegetables and have a drink of water. Please provide a small amount of cut fruit and/or vegetables in a separate, labelled container. Crunch and sip gives students the chance to re-fuel their bodies, helps to improve physical and mental performance and concentration in the classroom, as well as promoting long term health. Food At School When planning and packing recess and lunch items, please keep in mind that some students have food allergies and may be severely affected by coming in contact with these foods. To limit the risk to students with food allergies, we ask that food containing nuts, like peanut butter, almond butter and Nutella, are not brought to school. Birthday Treats We love celebrating birthdays at school! If you chose to send a birthday treat to school to share with your child s class, could you please ensure they are small sized treats. There are 17 students in K Ruby. For the safety of all students, treats will be distributed at home time.

HEALTHY OPTIONS Healthy options are highly recommended to help effectively fuel your child during the day. No Sweets or treats. No sharing Please do not send along packets of sweets and treats. No sharing of food is permitted.

Stationery Please ensure your child has supplied all the resources on the Early Stage 1 stationery list. Importantly, please label everything from pencils to items of uniform.

Absentees When your child is absent, please send an absentee note via the Schoolzine app, website or email. A handwritten note is also acceptable. For the purposes of the class roll, please indicate the date of absence and whether the absence was caused by illness (sick) or another reason (leave). Leave needs pre-approval in writing by the principal. Arriving Late Children who arrive after the morning bell must enter via Gate 1 and report to the office. Early Departure If you need to collect your child before the end of the day, you must call the school and wait at Gate 1. Please abide by the DoE Covid Safe guidelines and keep your child at home if they are displaying any signs of Covid.

Key Dates for your diary o 27/2 School Photo Day o 20-24/3 Individual Learning Plans Parent meetings o 21/3 31/3 Parent Teacher Interviews information coming in the newsletter for families. o 6/4 2.15pm 3pm Festive and Easter hat parade

Promoting communication, understanding and co-operation between Teachers and Parents. P&C President Stewart Duncan SIPPS P&C Website link http://www.sippspandc.org/

Class parents Each class has a class parent. Class parents are in contact with both class teachers and the P&C. They are a positive source of true and correct information from the school, class and P&C. They provide reminders and pass on to parents exciting event information. K Ruby Class Parent - Lachlan Handley If you have not already joined, please use the attached QR code to join the K Ruby WhatsApp group chat.