Newsletter Term 1 Week 7
Principal's Pen
Newsletter – Term 1 Week 7 2024 – Principal’s Pen
It has been an absolute pleasure to spend time in classrooms over the past 7 weeks, getting to know your children, their learning strengths and witnessing the amazing work of our very talented and hard-working teachers. I am continually being surprised by the variety of opportunities that our students are afforded and the caring nature of our staff who always have the students’ best interests at heart.
NAPLAN
Beginning next week, our year 3 & 5 students will again take part in NAPLAN testing. NAPLAN gives us a picture of several aspects of students’ learning. These include:
* Their performance under test conditions, their basic use of punctuation, grammar, spelling ability, numeracy skills, writing a persuasive or narrative text and answering questions about texts.
* NAPLAN can help identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. Used effectively it gives us information to help us improve and provide a differentiated curriculum.
* Despite all that NAPLAN can measure, it only tells part of the story of literacy and numeracy achievement. It does not represent student achievements across the year, nor across the breadth of the curriculum which schools use to evaluate their programs.
* NAPLAN does not measure a students’ creativity or problem-solving skills. By its nature, the NAPLAN writing test requires a structured teaching of the texts. Students are taught structure and key language features, rather than creative responses with high levels of complexity.
* Standardised tests like NAPLAN can also be very stressful for students which can impact their results. Not all students perform well under test conditions.
NAPLAN is just a point-in-time test and it is important for parents to remember that your child’s NAPLAN results are only “a snapshot’’ of their development in literacy and numeracy every two years (Year 3, 5, 7 and 9). It is not a mandatory assessment and parents have a choice to withdraw their children if they wish, for some or all of the tests. If you wish to discuss your child and their NAPLAN testing further, please contact your child’s teacher.
I remind parents that students will always have a more successful day if they start their day with a healthy breakfast. Please ensure your child comes to school with a full tummy, ready to try their best. I wish all our Year 3 & 5 students all the best with their upcoming tests.
Parent Teacher Night
Our first Parent-Teacher Interviews for the year will occur on Tuesday 26th March 2024, from 3:15pm until 7:05pm. Information will come out via email on Monday regarding how to book an appointment with your child’s classroom teacher. Year 5 & 6 students will also be able to book an appointment with a Specialist teacher if they wish to discuss High School Excellence Program applications with them. Parent-Teacher Interviews will occur between the Hall and underneath Block 3. We look forward to seeing as many of our parents as possible on this night. If you are unable to attend an appointment on this evening, you are welcome to reach out to your child’s teacher via email at any time.
Student Attendance Notifications
We’d like to thank all our families who have notified us when their child has been absent from school. Our families have done a great job at letting us know why your child is absent on the day of the absence. Can I please remind families that if your child is absent for a medical reason, please provide a medical certificate to the office where possible. We thank you for helping us to help your child. Our current attendance rate is 94.7% across the school which is excellent!
Deputy Principal Prep - Year 2 News
Prep 2025 Enrolments
It is never too early to enrol for Prep 2025! Please direct all inquiries to Rebecca Sato on this email address: 1925_admin@eq.edu.au
We run a very thorough and supportive transition process from kindy to school with many opportunities for both children and parents to become familiar with their new school environment. We have already had visits from our Prep 2025 students currently enrolled at Benowa Early Learning Centre. They had a fabulous time listening to a story in the library with Mrs Birch before acting it out! We have several ‘taster’ mini lessons planned throughout the year, including Japanese, Music and time in our Prep classrooms.
Please read through the information below which outlines our Prep 2025 Information Sessions. We may have a very small number of out of catchment places available. If you are currently out of catchment and would like to be considered, you will need to contact Rebecca Sato, pay a small administration cost and attend both Prep 2025 Information Sessions.
Change to Parent Calendar
Due to Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 10 (Tuesday 26 March) we will not be able to have our scheduled Prep – Year 2 Assembly as the hall will be set up for the evening.
Prep Learning our Phonemes (sounds) Through Play
Our students in Prep have been having way too much fun learning their phonemes (sounds) this term! In conjunction with explicit instruction, our students have been exploring their phonemes through role play and plenty of fine and gross motor activities. Recently, we have been focusing on the phonemes s, a, t, p, i, n & m. Did you know there were acrobatics in a circus?!! Who knew learning could be so much fun?!
Prep Science
The students in Prep have been learning about the weather. To deepen their understanding about rainclouds, they conducted this fun experiment. To do it at home, watch this simple video to learn more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4GePPTUAjI
Our Preppies have also been learning about nature with our handy parent helper, Jordan! The students are weeding, planting and watering each week. Such busy work!
Year 1 Fire Education Visit
In week 6, our Year 1 students participated in a Fire Safety Program with a visit from the fire fighters from the Southport Fire Station. This is always a popular event in our annual BPSS calendar!
On Thursday, the Year 1 students listened carefully and enthusiastically to Brad who spoke about what to do in the event of a fire and with thanks to Michael who demonstrated the special suit that the fire fighters wear when going to a rescue!
On Friday, the students were able to celebrate their fire safety learning with a tour around the fire truck to observe the hoses, tools and safety equipment on board. Next, they each got to spray the hose! Our little ‘fire fighters in training’ continued their learning in the classrooms with fire safety activities and writing about this exciting event!
Year 2 Embracing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Our Year 2 students have been embracing all things STEM! They have utilised their newly acquired iPads to locate a missing ‘Green Sheep’ to deepen their understanding around QR codes. In Science, they have worked collaboratively to create their very own water cycles.
Deputy Principal Year 3 - Year 6 News
PBL News
Since our last edition of our school newsletter we have focussed on the following expectations at BPSS;
- We are Considerate: We consider whether our actions or words may offend other’s values, beliefs and opinions.
- We are safe: We keep our hands, feet and body to ourself.
- We play soccer by the BPSS rules (Yr 1- 6)
- We show good sportsmanship ( Yr 1- 6)
- We are respectful: We follow directions without hesitation
You can support your child by discussing what it looks like or sounds like to be considerate, be respectful , be a good sportsman and play soccer at BPSS.
School Captains
During the Week 4 Assembly the new student leaders for 2024 were presented with their badges. Student Councillor representatives for each class were also recognised with their badges presented to them at their first Student Council meetings last week. Congratulations to the following students for being identified by their classes to represent them for 2024:
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NAPLAN 2024
NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake. All NAPLAN Tests Australia-wide have moved to the Online platform, except for Year 3 Writing, which continues in paper format.
From this year, the NAPLAN testing period will occur in March each year. Our Year 3 and 5 students have been engaged in activities to become familiar with the online platform in readiness for the tests, commencing from Wednesday 13th – Wednesday 20th March. This allows for all tests – Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy – as well as Catch-up sessions for students who may be absent on a test day, to be scheduled for both Year 3 and 5 students.
Parents, thank you in advance for helping set your student up for success over this testing period with the following:
- Ensuring your child gets a good night’s sleep - with reduced screen time at night and in bed on time
- A good breakfast each morning to set the up with the energy to focus on the tests
- Year 5 students need to have their iPads fully charged overnight. Whilst the school does have some iPads available, which can be swapped with the student device without losing any of their responses should there be any technical issues during the tests, having their iPad fully charged will alleviate any unnecessary stress during each test.
- Arriving at school ahead of the first bell each morning – the music plays at 8.50am with classes commencing at 8.55am.
Finance News
Guidance Officer News
Head of Inclusion News
After much consideration, the school administration has made a decision that a very limited number of therapy services will be able to be accessed on school grounds in 2024. This is due to an overwhelming number of requests and the impact it has on the teaching and learning of the curriculum.
The decision was also based on a number of issues which disrupt school and classroom routines. These include: A lack of space for sessions, the availability of supervising staff to maintain 'line of site,’ which is a departmental requirement, and a possible breach of confidentiality when in-class requests are made.
In a limited number of very high need circumstances, the school reserves the right to consider in school therapy for students who receive extensive and extensive plus adjustments under the National DDA. These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and in consultation with families.
Performing Arts News
Prep to Year 2 Easter Hat Making & Easter Performance
We are delighted to invite our Prep to Year 2 parents and carers to assist your child in making an Easter hat and attend a celebration of dance ‘Open Classroom Event’ in the BPSS hall to see your child perform their Easter performance. Please ensure you have attended a Volunteer Induction Session in 2024 before assisting students in the classrooms. See the dates and times below.
Confirming the Easter Open Classroom is on: Wednesday 27 March
We would also appreciate if parents and caregivers could donate some Easter craft materials (e.g. Easter stickers) for all students in each class to share for the making of their Easter hats. Students are welcome to bring these items in before Monday 25 March 2024. Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you at this egg-citing event!
Ticket sales close Monday 25 March 5pm.
Terms & Conditions:
Tickets are non-refundable
BPSS Student Council Fundraiser
Details: Guess the number of Easter Eggs in the jar (there will be a Prep, – Y1 - 3 & Y4 – Y6 Jar)
Cost: 50 cents per guess (multiple guesses allowed). Students select a number from a grid. Once a number has been selected it is no longer available.
When: TUESDAY 26 MARCH ONLY
Preps: Before School: 8:00am – 8:45am
Location: PREP AREA
Years 1 -6 Before School: 8:00am – 8:45am
First Break: 10:45am – 11:25am
Location: Tuck Shop Area
GOOD LUCK!!!
2024 Bellevue Park State School’s ANZAC Day Services
We would like to formally invite our Bellevue community to attend Bellevue Park State School’s 2024 ANZAC Day Services.
This service will be led by the 2024 School Captains and will commemorate ANZAC Day by acknowledging past and serving members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces.
Date: Wednesday 24 April 2024
Times: Y3 – Y6: 9:30am – 10:15am (including 2/3E)
Prep – Y2: 11:45am – 12:10pm
Location: Bellevue Park State School Hall
Sports News
Broadwater Sports
We had a number of Broadwater District Sport trials over the course of this term, with many students eager to trial in their selected sports.
- On Thursday the 22nd of February, Angelina D from 6C, Oliver C and Jack S from 5/6D, Kimia S from 5B, and James X from 5C all participated in the Broadwater Swimming Carnival. They all did extremely well taking home plenty of ribbons, and qualifying for the South Coast Regional Swimming Carnival. Great job!
And a big congratulations to;
- Estelle S from 6A for being selected for the Broadwater 10-11yrs Girls Netball Team, and participating in the South Coast Region trial this past Wednesday.
- Jack S from 5/6D, who was also selected for the Broadwater 10-12yrs Boys AFL team. He will represent the Broadwater District at the South Coast Regional trial later this month.
- Ilah M from 5B was selected for the Broadwater 10-12yrs Girls Touch Football team, she will also represent Broadwater at the South Coast Regional trial later this month.
Well done to all students that trialled with Broadwater and participated in pre-trials with Miss G and Mr Marsden. We both look forward to the upcoming trials in the coming months.
Class Learning News
Year 3 - Playing race to 100 to help us practise our addition facts!
Environmental News
Community News
