FPS Newsletter

2023 Term 3 Issue #7

From the Principal

Dear families & friends, 

Welcome everyone to Term 3. In particular welcome to our new staff members, Corrina Du, teacher in J1 and Linh Duong, SSO also in J1. We also welcome Emma, a pre-service teacher who has joined Laura’s class. Welcome also to new students, and their families,  Alfio and Max to J1. We look forward to getting to know all of you and welcoming you to Felixstow.

This terms Inquiry is a continuation of term 3’s focus on Austalian Animals

NAPLAN

This year there have been some changes to the way NAPLAN results have been reported.

The following information is a summary of changes that has been provided to schools:

As a result of the recent changes to NAPLAN, the data schools have available to them will change.

Following agreement by Education Ministers, from 2023 the main changes to NAPLAN reporting includes moving from 10 Proficiency Bands and a National Minimum Standard (NMS) to Proficiency Standards with 4 levels of student achievement.

The new Proficiency standards are:

• Exceeding

• Strong

• Developing

• Needs additional support

This change in reporting at a departmental level is part of wider reform on the Purpose of Public Education and the result of changes to the way NAPLAN will be reported nationally.

We, and year 3 and 5 students and parents, have now received student’s NAPLAN reports. We are very pleased that as a site we are above National Standard in nearly all areas in both year levels. We also as a school sit in the ‘Strong’ standard in every area in both year levels.

We are really proud of all our students and the way they participated and received their results. With several students meeting exceeding standard in different areas in each year level. We are also really proud of the work we have done in our site to improve our standards consistently, and while NAPLAN is not what we measure ourselves by, it is a great indicator that what we are doing at Felixstow is working for kids and their learning.

W.E.C. Wellbeing Engagement Collection

We have recently also received the results of our WEC survey for year 4-6 students and have noted some significant improvements in our students wellbeing and engagement, in particular their ‘Learning Readiness’ which has been our focus over the past couple of years as part of our Site Improvement work and focus on the Berry Street Education practices. Learning readiness looks at three areas – Perseverance, Cognitive Engagement and Academic Self Concept. Staff will be looking at this data further in staff meetings.

A snapshot of our results for Learning Readiness comparing 2021 to 2023 is below.

We are looking forward to yet another exciting and busy term 3 at Felixstow and hope to see many of you volunteering and joining us to celebrate student learning along the way. 

Cheers Skye :) 

W.E.C. Learning Readiness results

Morialta Day - What a great way to end Term 2!!

Felixstow Notices

NOVA 919 visit Felixstow

Thanks to the Nova 919 team who came to school on July 25th and played some handball with our students after our wonderful teacher Laura nominated some keen handball students into the state-wide handball competition called Jodie & Hayesy’s Handball Blitz. Two of our students have the opportunity to be part of the competition and win some great prizes and a huge trophy!! We wish them luck! Well done to Zofia and Sai who paired up with Jodie and Hayesy for a great game umpired by teacher Steve and cheered on by everyone! Everyone also got to have an extended play with a free handball each from the Nova team Jodie and Hayesy. Jodie and Hayesy had nothing but positive things to say about our great little school! 

NOVA 919 visits FPS

Our Judo Champ

Congratulations to our J2 student Harvey on winning a gold medal in a local Judo competition. Harvey won all four rounds for his judo club SAJA (South Australian Judo Academy). Well done Harvey.

Volunteering at Our School

We will be having volunteer coffee mornings again this term and will let you know when dates have been finalised.

A reminder to those who have completed all their paper work that our morning reading groups will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8.30 am - 9 am. 

If you think you might be interested in volunteering with us, there are forms available at the front desk, alternatively you can talk to Di or Gillian 😊 

Breaktime Clubs

Coding Club

Coding club has been rolling on, and we have moved on to a new code.

Coders are now attempting to write a game on the computers called Flappy Bird, with some success. Suffice to say the topic is very engaging and we are all enjoying the challenge.

Coding Club meets every Monday at first break.

Environment Club

Our young environmentalists have been preparing for a fundraising event and more information about this will be provided in the near future. They have also been doing some weeding and filling in spaces in the indigenous garden with new native plants.

Environment Club takes place on Thursdays at second break. 

Felixstow Highlights

Primary

Hi from Primary 1!

It has been a busy start to the term in P1, not least in the number of birthdays we have had, or are having, in these past weeks. Quite a few of us are enjoying being another year older. In slightly sadder news, we have had to say goodbye to Kenzo this term, as he has moved on to another school. He was only with us for a short time, however he was a happy and productive part of the class and he will be missed.

We have our new guided reading groups up and running and things are starting to settle down into a nice routine. In maths we are looking at measurement for the beginning weeks of this term, and hopefully we can find some fun items to measure. In literacy we are looking at the narrative “The little Refugee” with the intention of writing out own biographies in the coming weeks. And finally, everyone is enjoying the new Inquiry Topic this term, where we are taking a deep dive into Australian habitats.

Hello from P2!

Students have deep dived into their mentor text Rowan of Rin. They have been unpacking the orientation (introduction) and are currently working on identifying parts of speech and how author’s use nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, time connectives and adverbs etc, to create a variety of sentences. They are working towards using the orientation in this text as a basis for their  introduction’s for a fantasy, quest text.

Below are some examples of annotated orientation.

Juniors

Hello from Emma and Corrina's Juniors

In phonics, the reception students have been learning the sound /th/ while the year 1's have been learning double consonants such as /ss/, /zz/, /ll/ & /ff/. While in maths, the students have been learning near doubles (e.g. 3 & 4 and 5 & 6), turn around and counting on.

Nicole's 2s!

'In J2 we have been learning to read properly and not sound like robots.' Hadisa

In math, we have been learning about 2D and 3D shapes. We have also been learning how to identify shapes and their properties; faces/sides, edges/sides and vertices/corners. We know that 2D shapes like circles, squares, triangles and rectangles are flat and 3D shapes are cubes, pyramids, prisms, and spheres. Harvey and Ethan

'We have been learning about the properties of 2D and 3D shapes in maths. I have learned that a cube has 6 faces and 12 edges.' Hugo

'In inquiry, we have been learning about Australian habitats like deserts, bushes, forests, oceans and beaches.' Charlotte

'In J2, we have been learning about habitats and the map of Australia and the states and capital cities.' Anastasia

'In J2 we have been learning about the diversity of Australian habitats and how they are unique in the different parts of Australia.' Tori


Art and HPE

Art: Visual Arts

Junior primary students have been creating paper collages to show the habitat of their native animal. They have been inspired by Henri Matisse's 'paper cut outs'.

Health and Physical Education

This term in week 1, Alana and Zen from the SANFL came out to run a football clinic with our students, who really enjoyed the clinic and were engaged in the activities. They are now focusing on the following 3 football skills; marking, kicking and handballing. 

Resource Hub

Being a Resource Hub Student Monitor 

Our student monitors play an important role in the functioning of the Resource Hub. Once a week during break times, they work together in pairs to  assist with tasks, such as scanning books for borrowing and returning, sorting and shelving books, tidying the shelves and other tasks as requested. We would like to thank them for their service and by focusing on 2 student monitors each newsletter. This issue it is Ella (P1) and Estheera (P2). 

 'I like to help other students find books and then scan the books for them to borrow.' Ella

'I can help people and show them where the different books are located.' Estheera

 

Student Borrowing

Students may borrow books for up to 2 weeks. Please return books by the due dates which can be found in the back of picture books and some other books or on a return slip given to the student when borrowing a book(s).

 

CBCA Book Week

Each year since 1945 the CBCA has brought children and books together across Australia through Children's Book Week®. During this time schools celebrate books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. 

At Felixstow Primary School we celebrate the occasion with a book week costume parade and activities on Friday 25th August. This years theme is 'Read, Grow, Inspire'.  Have your child(ren) join in the fun by dressing up as their favourite book character. 

After School Sport

Basketball and Soccer

Both basketball and soccer have started again this term. The basketball team would like to welcome a new member, Tess from P1.

Important Dates

Updated: August 2023

    

WkTerm 3Event
3Friday 11th AugustPUPIL FREE DAY
4Tuesday 14th SeptemberGoverning Council
5Friday 25th AugustBook Week Celebration
7Thursday 7th SeptemberSports Day and Colour Fun Run
7Friday 8th SeptemberSCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
8Thursday 14th SeptemberDentist in Schools visit
9Tuesday 19th  SeptemberGoverning Council
10Tuesday 26th SeptemberLearning Expo
10Friday 29th SeptemberLast Day of term - EARLY DISMISSAL 2.15pm

Community Notices

Contact Information

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

A reminder that OSHC is available for families for after school care (ASC).

ASC is open 3:10-6:00pm

Bookings are essential.

Hannah Gustard is our OSHC director and can be contacted on

FPS

Felixstow Primary School is truly an extraordinary place of learning. Our talented and dedicated staff provides each student with rigorous care, challenge and support academically, socially and emotionally.

Respect | Responsibility | Compassion