JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS - From the Head of Junior School
Communication Date 21 April, 2023
Upcoming information for Term 2, Week 2
Welcome back to Term 2! It has been so wonderful reconnecting with students and families this week as we all returned to campus. The community feel of Faith is one that is special and unique to our school.
In our publication this week we have some information regarding the Prep Home Reading Program, pick up procedures, Junior School photos, Year 6 Transition meetings, Bookclub and some exciting news and updates for our Extra Curricular activities - even some new activities your child may like to sign up for. Happy reading as we look forward to another great week ahead!
In our publication this week we have some information regarding the Prep Home Reading Program, pick up procedures, Junior School photos, Year 6 Transition meetings, Bookclub and some exciting news and updates for our Extra Curricular activities - even some new activities your child may like to sign up for. Happy reading as we look forward to another great week ahead!
PREP HOME READING PROGRAM
We are excited to introduce our home reading program, which will begin next week. Each week, your child will bring home two decodable readers and two reading activity pages to practice with you. These materials focus on sounds and words that your child has learned at school, making it easier for them to practice their reading skills at home.
Decodable readers are books designed to help children practice and improve their reading by using phonics. They only include words that can be sounded out using sounds the children have been taught in class. These books help children to practice their code mapping (sounding out) skills and in turn build their confidence as they read. Please encourage your child to decode (sound out) each word by reading the sounds they see and then blending them together to make the word. For example, for the sentence “Pat sits in a pan,” your child should read it by saying each sound, such as p-a-t (Pat) s-i-t-s (sits) i-n (in) a (a) p-a-n (pan).
In addition to the readers, your child will also bring home a list of Duck Words to decode and practice. These are high frequency words that we have been working on in school. You will notice two copies of the same word – one with monsters on it and one which is in two different colours (code-mapped words). The ‘monstered’ words give your child clues as to the sounds each letter or letter combination is making. The code-mapped words remove the monster clues but retain the clues that group letters which are representing each sound.
In Term 2, we ask all students to read four nights over the week. Each night, they should complete at least one reader or reading activity page and spend some time practicing their Duck Words. To maximise the benefits of reading, we suggest that students read the same book for two consecutive nights before moving on to a new text. This approach has been proven to boost confidence, enhance reading fluency and comprehension, as well as develop essential phonological awareness and code mapping skills.
Our home reading program is designed to consolidate the learning that is happening in the classroom and should not exceed 10-15 minutes per night. We aim to make this an enjoyable experience for both the child and parent. Learning to read can be challenging and your child will need lots of encouragement and praise. Show your child that listening to them read brings you joy and try to keep your tone happy and positive. If your child is tired or upset, it is best to stop and try again at another time. If you have any question or concerns about your child’s progress or our home reading program, we encourage you to contact your child's teacher. They will be more than happy to discuss strategies that can support you and your child. Happy reading!
We are excited to introduce our home reading program, which will begin next week. Each week, your child will bring home two decodable readers and two reading activity pages to practice with you. These materials focus on sounds and words that your child has learned at school, making it easier for them to practice their reading skills at home.
Decodable readers are books designed to help children practice and improve their reading by using phonics. They only include words that can be sounded out using sounds the children have been taught in class. These books help children to practice their code mapping (sounding out) skills and in turn build their confidence as they read. Please encourage your child to decode (sound out) each word by reading the sounds they see and then blending them together to make the word. For example, for the sentence “Pat sits in a pan,” your child should read it by saying each sound, such as p-a-t (Pat) s-i-t-s (sits) i-n (in) a (a) p-a-n (pan).
In addition to the readers, your child will also bring home a list of Duck Words to decode and practice. These are high frequency words that we have been working on in school. You will notice two copies of the same word – one with monsters on it and one which is in two different colours (code-mapped words). The ‘monstered’ words give your child clues as to the sounds each letter or letter combination is making. The code-mapped words remove the monster clues but retain the clues that group letters which are representing each sound.
In Term 2, we ask all students to read four nights over the week. Each night, they should complete at least one reader or reading activity page and spend some time practicing their Duck Words. To maximise the benefits of reading, we suggest that students read the same book for two consecutive nights before moving on to a new text. This approach has been proven to boost confidence, enhance reading fluency and comprehension, as well as develop essential phonological awareness and code mapping skills.
Our home reading program is designed to consolidate the learning that is happening in the classroom and should not exceed 10-15 minutes per night. We aim to make this an enjoyable experience for both the child and parent. Learning to read can be challenging and your child will need lots of encouragement and praise. Show your child that listening to them read brings you joy and try to keep your tone happy and positive. If your child is tired or upset, it is best to stop and try again at another time. If you have any question or concerns about your child’s progress or our home reading program, we encourage you to contact your child's teacher. They will be more than happy to discuss strategies that can support you and your child. Happy reading!
PICK UP PROCEDURES
Keeping our students safe is always at the forefront of our minds, so we are reminding families to please ensure they communicate with us if someone different is collecting your child at the end of the school day. Please do so either via the student diary or an email to the class teacher to ensure they are aware of this change. We also ask that you communicate to the person that is collecting your child, that the teacher (or the staff member on that exit point) may ask to see identification before the child is released into their care. We thank you for support of these processes.
Keeping our students safe is always at the forefront of our minds, so we are reminding families to please ensure they communicate with us if someone different is collecting your child at the end of the school day. Please do so either via the student diary or an email to the class teacher to ensure they are aware of this change. We also ask that you communicate to the person that is collecting your child, that the teacher (or the staff member on that exit point) may ask to see identification before the child is released into their care. We thank you for support of these processes.
ANZAC DAY SERVICE
Families are invited to join us for the Junior School ANZAC Day service at 9:00am on Monday, 24 April in the Junior School SPAH (please be seated by 8:55am). We look forward to welcoming you to this special service if you are able to attend.
Families are invited to join us for the Junior School ANZAC Day service at 9:00am on Monday, 24 April in the Junior School SPAH (please be seated by 8:55am). We look forward to welcoming you to this special service if you are able to attend.
JUNIOR SCHOOL PHOTOS - TUESDAY 16 MAY
Please look out for a flyer coming home soon with your child/ren regarding the school photo ordering process. All orders are to be placed online via the Studio Kirby website (information will be set out in the flyer). Parents will have 2 weeks prior to photo day and 2-3 weeks after photo day to place an order without incurring an additional admin fee.
Please look out for a flyer coming home soon with your child/ren regarding the school photo ordering process. All orders are to be placed online via the Studio Kirby website (information will be set out in the flyer). Parents will have 2 weeks prior to photo day and 2-3 weeks after photo day to place an order without incurring an additional admin fee.
YEAR 6 TRANSITION MEETINGS
Recently a letter of invitation was sent out to our Year 6 families inviting them to attend a transition meeting with Kelli Whary (Year 7 Coordinator) and Stuart Needham (Head of Secondary School). These transition meetings are a great opportunity for them to get to know each student a little better in preparation for Secondary School next year. Please click on the image below to access information on how you can make a booking through the Parent Lounge Portal:
https://tass.flcr.qld.edu.au/parentlounge/login.cfm Please note: bookings close on Monday, 24 April at 8:00am.
Recently a letter of invitation was sent out to our Year 6 families inviting them to attend a transition meeting with Kelli Whary (Year 7 Coordinator) and Stuart Needham (Head of Secondary School). These transition meetings are a great opportunity for them to get to know each student a little better in preparation for Secondary School next year. Please click on the image below to access information on how you can make a booking through the Parent Lounge Portal:
https://tass.flcr.qld.edu.au/parentlounge/login.cfm Please note: bookings close on Monday, 24 April at 8:00am.
SCHOLASTIC BOOKCLUB
Bookclub issue 3 is out! Orders close on Sunday, 30 April. To place an order and make payment please use – LOOP – Linked Online Ordering and Payment available on www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP Apple or Android app. Please note there are no cash orders. Please do not send any orders to school. Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our library and classrooms, however there is never any obligation to order.
Whilst the majority of book titles in the Scholastic catalogues help our students foster their love of reading and are just fantastic reads, at times the content of some books can be misaligned with our school or our own family values. When ordering, if you are unsure that the content would be appropriate, take a moment to check out a bit more about that particular title before ordering. Focus on the Family offer a great website that can be of assistance called Plugged In (https://www.pluggedin.com/) that offers reviews and content advisory warnings to help keep our kids safe. Common sense media is another website that can be a great resource to help parents find out what they need to know about the book your child is wanting to read also (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews).
Bookclub issue 3 is out! Orders close on Sunday, 30 April. To place an order and make payment please use – LOOP – Linked Online Ordering and Payment available on www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP Apple or Android app. Please note there are no cash orders. Please do not send any orders to school. Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our library and classrooms, however there is never any obligation to order.
Whilst the majority of book titles in the Scholastic catalogues help our students foster their love of reading and are just fantastic reads, at times the content of some books can be misaligned with our school or our own family values. When ordering, if you are unsure that the content would be appropriate, take a moment to check out a bit more about that particular title before ordering. Focus on the Family offer a great website that can be of assistance called Plugged In (https://www.pluggedin.com/) that offers reviews and content advisory warnings to help keep our kids safe. Common sense media is another website that can be a great resource to help parents find out what they need to know about the book your child is wanting to read also (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews).
ACTIVE@FAITH
Please find below information regarding Extra Curricular Activities for Term 2, Week 2 and Term 2 Club Sport dates.
Please find below information regarding Extra Curricular Activities for Term 2, Week 2 and Term 2 Club Sport dates.
PRODYNAMICS REGISTRATION
To register for ProDynamics please use the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/CHKKG
To register for ProDynamics please use the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/CHKKG
FUSION DANCE REGISTRATION
We are excited to announce Fusion Dance Team for all Preps to Year 3 students. If you like to learn dances and perform on stage, we would love you to come and be part of our team. Rehearsals will be in the Music Room every Tuesday, first break after the eating bell. No cost involved. Commences Tuesday, 25 April. Please register: https://forms.gle/6RvkkNwyVF526yW86 If you have any questions please contact Mrs Davidson (coordinator) [email protected] |
SHIMMERING STARS DANCE REGISTRATION
Does your child love to dance? Shimmering Stars Dance Team is set to run on a Monday afternoons for Year 3 - 6 students from 3:30 – 4:30pm, with opportunities to enhance your child’s dancing skills, technique and formations. No cost involved. Commences Monday, 24 April. Registration essential: https://forms.gle/LqPwJ2yALUpePQrLA If you have any questions please contact Miss Hoseck (coordinator) [email protected] |
WAKAKIRRI: YEAR 3 - 6 STUDENTS
We are excited to share that our Junior School students (Year 3 - 6) will have the opportunity to sign up and take part in the Wakakirri Story Dance Festival this year. This will be an extra curricular activity, held after school. Yesterday, during assembly, we showed the students a 4 minute video clip of what Wakakirri is so that they can consider if they would like to take part. Below is further information; please read through this with your child and if they are keen to be involved, your next step is to click on the following link https://forms.gle/a4bzDzGU2PToTKBRA to register your child's interest. Registrations close on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 12:00pm.
We are excited to share that our Junior School students (Year 3 - 6) will have the opportunity to sign up and take part in the Wakakirri Story Dance Festival this year. This will be an extra curricular activity, held after school. Yesterday, during assembly, we showed the students a 4 minute video clip of what Wakakirri is so that they can consider if they would like to take part. Below is further information; please read through this with your child and if they are keen to be involved, your next step is to click on the following link https://forms.gle/a4bzDzGU2PToTKBRA to register your child's interest. Registrations close on Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 12:00pm.
SAVE THE DATE
- Monday, 24 April - ANZAC Service; 9am
- Monday, 24 April - GLOW Program commences
- Tuesday, 25 April - ANZAC Day Public Holiday
- Wednesday, 26 April - Year 1 Excursion to Lone Pine
- Wednesday, 26 April - Wednesday, 3 May - Year 6 Transition Interviews
- Monday, 1 May - Labour Day Public Holiday
- Wednesday, 3 May - Science on the Go Incursion; Year 5 & 6
- Monday, 8 May - eSports Year 4; Just Dance
- Tuesday, 9 May - Mother's Day Stall
- Thursday, 11 May - Junior School Principal's Tour 9:30 - 10:30am
- Tuesday, 16 May - Junior School Photo Day
- Friday, 19 May - Year 2 Excursion to Brisbane Planetarium at Mt Coot-tha
- Tuesday, 23 May - Met East Cross Country Trials
- Thursday, 25 May - eSport Mario Cart Competition; Year 5 & 6
We are looking forward to another great week in our Junior School next week. Thank you for being part of our Faith Community!
Kind Regards
Jodi
Jodi Blackwell
Head of Junior School
Faith Lutheran College Redlands
Kind Regards
Jodi
Jodi Blackwell
Head of Junior School
Faith Lutheran College Redlands