Hello and welcome Parents to the Year 1P blog,
I hope you have all had a relaxing and peaceful holiday and enjoyed some of this beautiful Summer weather!
I am looking forward to getting to know your beautiful children and working with you throughout your child's learning journey this year.
Year One is a big, but exciting year where your child will, discover, grow, create, learn, reflect and experience an abundance of fun and interesting things in our class!
As a parent of a Year One student, it is extremely important to keep in mind that we all build on small successes. Each child will progress at his/her own rate, acquiring skills as he/she is developmentally ready. Maintaining each child's self-esteem and building a secure foundation for future growth will always remain a priority in our class.
As a parent of a Year One student, it is extremely important to keep in mind that we all build on small successes. Each child will progress at his/her own rate, acquiring skills as he/she is developmentally ready. Maintaining each child's self-esteem and building a secure foundation for future growth will always remain a priority in our class.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Celebrate your child's success, no matter how small it may seem. This will keep your child enthusiastic about learning and proud of their work!
- Look for and read any notes and letters going home and stay updated on what’s going on in our regular blog posts. These will have important information and helpful reminders.
- Read to and with your child every day, if possible. The more your child is exposed to language, the easier it will be for him/her to incorporate new skills in reading and writing in the classroom.
This blog will be the main communication for any parent information over the coming year. Please enter your email into the 'follow by email' section on the left hand side of the blog so you will get email updates when I post to the blog.
A few important things for the start of Year One:
Stationery
All class stationery (pencils, crayons, scissors etc.) will be collected together at the beginning of the year and distributed to the students on a shared basis. At the end of the year, all remaining stationery items will be shared out equally between the students to go home. This year, we are trying to reduce our impact on the environment by not covering our books with contact. We have found in the past that the books have lasted throughout the year and it teaches the children to be responsible and take care of their belongings.
Text books including the Mental Maths book, Spelling Journal, Handwriting book and headphones (If you ordered them) are the only items that require labelling.
Text books including the Mental Maths book, Spelling Journal, Handwriting book and headphones (If you ordered them) are the only items that require labelling.
Uniform
This year the children are in their 'big school' uniforms! Term one is our Summer uniform:
Girls - Summer dress with brown sandals or black school shoes with white socks.
Boys - White shirt, grey shorts with brown sandals or black school shoes with grey socks.
Names
This year the children are in their 'big school' uniforms! Term one is our Summer uniform:
Girls - Summer dress with brown sandals or black school shoes with white socks.
Boys - White shirt, grey shorts with brown sandals or black school shoes with grey socks.
Names
Please ensure that all personal items (hats, drink bottles, lunch boxes, uniforms, etc) belonging to your child are labelled to avoid losing items! You would be surprised how often we find a rogue shoe around the place :)
Gathering time
Gathering time begins at 8.30am until 8.45am. Please ensure that your child is at school by 8.45am as we begin our day with a fitness based game either outside our class or down on the oval. During gathering time, take this as an opportunity to settle your child into the day. Some mornings it could include your child completing a small English or Math game or activity or an activity relating to something we have been learning about. Please note no new learning will take place in gathering time.
Gathering time begins at 8.30am until 8.45am. Please ensure that your child is at school by 8.45am as we begin our day with a fitness based game either outside our class or down on the oval. During gathering time, take this as an opportunity to settle your child into the day. Some mornings it could include your child completing a small English or Math game or activity or an activity relating to something we have been learning about. Please note no new learning will take place in gathering time.
Home Reading
As the children are settling into the new routines and expectations of Year One, we will begin sending home reading books from week 3 on a 2 day roster. Your child will be scheduled a changing day (Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday) but we ask that you bring their reading folder everyday so they can read in the morning and keep their sight words in them for the year.
Sight Words
Sight Words
The aim of the sight word rings are for your child to practise reading them every night in conjunction with their reading books as a way to build up their vocabulary and easily recognise the words in the books they are reading. It is important to remember that children do not learn new words by being exposed to them only once, repetition is the key to sight word acquisition.
The children will be tested every few weeks on their sight words and they will be moved onto the next list of 25 if they have mastered all of the words on their ring. Please note for your child to move onto the next set of 25 sight words the children must be able to both READ and SPELL all the words correctly. More information will be detailed in our Year One parent information session. Over the year I will provide you with some games that you can play using the sight words to make the learning fun!
Specialist Days:
Monday: Music
Tuesday: Health, Library and Indonesian
Thursday: Physical Education (wear teal OLC sports shirt)
Friday: Class sport (wear coloured faction shirt)
Support Staff
We are very fortunate to have the outstanding Mrs. Michelle Hughes to help and support the children in their learning journey throughout this year. Mrs. Hughes will be in our class Monday- Friday until 12.00pm each day.
Support Staff
We are very fortunate to have the outstanding Mrs. Michelle Hughes to help and support the children in their learning journey throughout this year. Mrs. Hughes will be in our class Monday- Friday until 12.00pm each day.
News
The children will be rostered on a particular day for news once a fortnight, with a roster and start date to be announced shortly. Each fortnight on the afternoon before your child’s news day, a bag will be sent home with a laminated news chart in it.
The idea of the chart is to get your child to think about what they will say to the class before they speak. If you could spend five minutes the night before news assisting your child to fill out the chart (or writing a few prompts with them) that would be greatly appreciated! Please refer to the roster attached for your child’s news day and fortnightly theme suggestions. Please feel free to email pictures/ links or send usb's in if you would like to show nes items on the smart board.
The idea of the chart is to get your child to think about what they will say to the class before they speak. If you could spend five minutes the night before news assisting your child to fill out the chart (or writing a few prompts with them) that would be greatly appreciated! Please refer to the roster attached for your child’s news day and fortnightly theme suggestions. Please feel free to email pictures/ links or send usb's in if you would like to show nes items on the smart board.
Crunch & Sip
Each morning we will stop for a 5 minute Crunch & Sip break. The idea of Crunch & Sip is that the students have a short break to increase their energy levels, increase awareness about eating fruit and vegetables, as well as encouraging them to drink water and keep hydrated throughout the school day. You can refer to the Crunch & Sip website (www.crunchandsip.com.au) for specifics on a list of foods that can be packed for this time of the morning. Generally speaking, the list will include fresh fruit and vegetables (celery/carrot sticks, broccoli, chopped or whole fruit, as well as dried fruit). Please bring along a water bottle with your child's name on it and this can be placed on their desks along with their small container of fruit/vegetables.
If you have any question or queries please don't hesitate to email me at:
monique.prowse@cewa.edu.au
I am looking forward to seeing your little ones on Monday!
Have a restful night
Miss Prowse and Mrs. Hughes
