The winter months have now descended as we issue our regular reminder to make sure that your child has appropriate warm school uniform that is labelled so that we can return it to the owner when it is lost. We have a large pile of unnamed and unclaimed clothes in the lost property basket situated in the corridor outside the library.

We continue to have increased attendance when compared to last year, particularly as we have been hit by illness these past two weeks. Could I remind all parents to let the school know when your child will be away and the reason. Lately we have had some parents who have kept their child home because they haven’t been  able to provide lunch. We understand that times are tough,  please know that we will always cater for your child’s needs and they never have to miss because of a lack of food. We will always do this empathetically and discreetly.

Our Literacy support team have penned a letter to parents that explains what Fluency is and how you can help develop it at home. We have included it in this newsletter and I will also be making a video as well explaining this important part of reading development. As stated before, the development of reading fluency is one of our focuses this year as we continue to build our collective knowledge and an expert teaching team.

I would like to thank all of the parents, families and community members who attended our cross country last week. It was a fantastic day, well planned and executed by Miss Fish on the new course and our Sports Leaders did an amazing job at helping out as well. We will be travelling to Beaconsfield on Wednesday the 7^th with our representative team for the Tamar Schools cross country. We wish them luck and know they will represent our school with pride.

We will be conducting our mid year reporting conversations during week 10 and 11 of this Term, Monday 26th June - Thursday 6th July.  Students from Year 1-6 will receive a mid year report from their teacher at the conversation, whilst Prep students will receive a copy of the parent conversation notes. Kindergarten students will receive their Kindergarten Development Check. Details of appointment times will be sent home with your child soon. Students from 5/6 White will receive a report only and Mrs White will do her parent teacher interviews in Term 3.

Dear Parents,

We are excited to share with you that reading fluency will be our school's focus this year! Reading fluency is an essential skill that plays a vital role in your child's overall reading development. It refers to the ability to read text accurately, smoothly, and with appropriate expression. When children read fluently, it sounds like natural, effortless speech.

Fluent reading is important because it helps children not only decode words quickly but also comprehend the meaning behind the text. When reading fluently, children can focus on understanding and connecting with the story, making it a more enjoyable and meaningful experience. Fluent readers also have a larger vocabulary, improved spelling skills, and stronger overall language abilities.

To support your child's reading fluency at home, we encourage you to engage in the following activities:

1. Listen to Your Child Read: Set aside regular reading time where you can listen to your child read aloud. Encourage them to choose books they have read before or ones that are slightly below their current reading level. This way, they can focus on reading with fluency rather than struggling with unfamiliar words. By actively listening and providing feedback, you can help your child develop a smoother and more expressive reading voice.
2. Read Together: Engage in shared reading activities where you and your child take turns reading aloud. Start by reading a paragraph or a page and then let your child read the next one. This back-and-forth reading promotes modeling and provides guidance for your child to develop their fluency skills.
3. Provide Time for Repeated Reading: Encourage your child to read the same text multiple times. Repeated reading allows them to become familiar with the words, phrases, and sentence structures, which leads to increased fluency. Help them practice by selecting books or passages that are at their comfort level.
4. Use Home Readers: Make use of the home readers provided by our school. These books are specifically chosen to match your child's reading ability. By rereading these books, your child can focus on reading fluently and with expression, building confidence along the way.
5. Discuss the Text: After your child reads, engage them in discussions about the story or the information they have just read. Encourage them to share their thoughts, ask questions, and make connections to their own experiences. These conversations deepen comprehension and provide opportunities to practice oral expression.
6. Create a Reading Routine: Establish a consistent reading routine at home. Set aside a designated time and create a cozy reading environment. Encourage independent reading as well as reading together. Make reading a regular and enjoyable part of your child's daily life.

Remember, the goal is to create a supportive and positive reading environment. Celebrate your child's progress and effort, and provide constructive feedback to help them grow as fluent readers. By working together, we can empower your child to become a confident and expressive reader.

Wishing you and your child a wonderful year of developing reading fluency!

Sincerely,

Ali Owens and Maika Daire

Last Tuesday we held our whole school cross country. Students from Kindergarten to grade 6 competed and staff were impressed with their 'have-a-go' attitude and sportsmanship. We were particularly impressed with our grade 6 students who demonstrated our school values of relationships, respect and responsibility through their support of our younger runners. Thank you to families for coming along to watch. We appreciate your support!

Here are our latest 'Reach for the Stars' recipients. These students have demonstrated our school values over several years. Congratulations on this very special award!

https://youtu.be/5LazTcKEeqY

Congratulations to the following students who qualified for the TPSSA Cross Country Carnival. Some of these students will be travelling to Beaconsfields Primary School on Wednesday to compete. 

The cooler months bring colds, the flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses.

Being prepared is the best way to protect yourself and your family.

Prepare

Children are most likely to catch and spread the flu. Make sure your child has received their annual flu vaccine. This will boost their immunity against most likely circulating flu strains. It will also help stop them getting very sick.

Plan

If your child is at higher risk of becoming very sick from the flu, COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses, make a plan with your healthcare provider for when your child becomes sick.

Protect

Protect others by keeping your child home if they’re unwell, encouraging regular hand washing, and covering coughs and sneezes.

For more information visit the Department of Health website.

Thanks for doing your part to keep our school community safe, healthy and learning.