Party photo

We would like all children in the Prep neighbourhood to bring in a photo of themselves at a party or celebration. We are exploring the different types of celebrations that we have. Please bring in by Friday next week.

Happenings last week in Learning Agreement!

David Hornsby Parent Information Night Summary

Literacy consultant David Hornsby conducted a parent information night on Tuesday the 28^th of July on how parents can support their children with reading. The focus of the day was on how we can develop thoughtful literacy with our children.

David spoke about the pivotal role of content knowledge in the making-meaning process that is reading.   Meaning generated by the reader will be influenced by the background knowledge they bring to the text. With this key idea in mind, David emphasised the role parents can play in ‘stirring-up’ their child’s background knowledge around the content of the texts they are reading.  This requires parents talking about the content of the books your children are reading before, during and after reading.  What do you think this text is about?  What do you know about…?  What do you think you will learn about…?  What did you learn about…?  What would you like to learn more about…? Where can we go to find out more about…?

David also emphasised the importance of teaching phonics, but always within the meaningful context of a whole text. He spoke emphatically about the importance of starting with a whole complete text before dealing with abstract decoding practices such as sounding out words.  ‘Meaning is the way into phonics’.

David spoke passionately about the centrality of the Literature strand in our national curriculum and the importance of quality literature for building thoughtful, feeling, literate citizens. ‘We hit them in the heart, before we hit them in the head’.

David’s presentation was appreciated by all the parents and staff who attended for the clarity, poise and humour in which it was delivered.  

 David is away at the moment but is happy for the presentation slides he used on the night to be shared with the community. Once these slides are made available, they will be posted on your child’s neighbourhood blog.

Tim Aris

Head of Curriculum

THE GREAT BOOK SWAP

As part of Indigenous Literacy Day on Wednesday September 2, we are holding a Great Book Swap to help raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to buy books for remote indigenous communities who don’t have access to books. There are schools involved all across Australia and the target is $100,000 to buy 10,000 books.

If every child can please bring a book (or books) to school that they love but no longer want and a gold coin donation on Weds Sept 2, then they can be part of the book swap. By donating a gold coin, they can then swap their book for a new book that someone else has donated.

1. Books need to be dropped off in the gym before school starts, and the swap will happen at lunch time.

2. If you're wanting to swap more than one book, it's a gold coin for each book you want to swap. So if you swap five books, it's five coins.

3. This year if you want take home a junior book, please donate a junior book. If you want take home an older book, please donate an older book. Otherwise we end up with lots of books for little kids, but no books for the older kids.

4. Please don't donate school readers, library books, board books or really young picture books. Please just donate books you think someone will love!

See you all on Weds September 3 so we can raise money, and all have a terrific new book to take home.

Junior School Library Change!

There has been a change to where the Junior school library/ take home books are stored. They are now located in the main library (see picture below) and parents, carers and students will be asked to please scan the books into the system if borrowing before school. Our staff member Leigh will be there to assist you in the library from 8:45am to 9 am. We hope that the transition into this new system goes smoothy and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask a teacher.

Leigh has also ordered the six shortlisted picture story books for Children's Book of the year and will be encouraging students to read these and vote for which one should win the prize.

THE 3rd Annual PHPS TRIVIA NIGHT

THE 3rd Annual PHPS TRIVIA NIGHT

THIS YEARS THEME – THE 80’s – PLEASE DRESS UP

(TABLES OF 10)

 

WHEN:                                  Saturday 15th August, 2015

 

WHERE:                                The Gymnasium

 

WHAT TIME:                       7pm for 7.30pm Question Start

 

WHAT COST:                      $10 per person

 

WHAT DO I BRING?         Food, drinks, humour and your favourite 80’s outfit

 

WHY:                                     To have some fun people!!!

 

HOW DO I BOOK A TABLE? Contact Kathryn Fraser on Kathryn@jonestid.com.au

(Don’t have enough for a table of 10? Contact me and I can help you out – the main thing is you come!)

Reading with your child - learning blends

Texts by Pamela Allen are excellent in supporting your child to learn 'blends' (the sounds that two letters make when they are put together).

For example:

'cl'



'oo' 'ee'



'sh'