NEWSLETTER

·         Trusting the count (TTC) is the foundation of all other work with numbers. Students need a deep understanding of the numbers 0 to 10 by the end of their first year in school. Students who trust the count:

·         can represent the numbers 0 to 10 and beyond in multiple ways and in a range of contexts

·         can recognise collections of numbers without counting one by one

·         use comparative language related to collections and quantities

·         Subitising refers to the recognition of several objects in a collection without consciously counting. It is a key indicator of the extent to which students have developed mental models for the numbers 0 to 10. For example, when a student reads, hears or writes the number 7, they can imagine what a collection might look like and how it relates to other numbers.

·         Place value refers to the value that each digit in a number has, based on its position. For example, in the number 523, the 5 is in the hundreds place, the 2 is in the tens place, and the 3 is in the ones place.

·         Partitioning is a way of splitting numbers into smaller parts to make them easier to work with. Partitioning links closely to place value: to recognise that the number 54 represents 5 tens and 4 ones, which shows how the number can be partitioned into 50 and 4. By moving tens and ones between the two parts, the number can be partitioned in many other ways:

When shown a number (up to 7+ digits by Year 6), children should be able to partition them independently to show good understanding of place value. For example, 5,202,086 = 5,000,000 + 200,000 + 2,000 + 80 + 6.

·         Part whole refers to the representation that shows the relationship between a whole and its parts. While usually constructed with just two parts, a whole number can be partitioned into as many component parts as a person may choose. For example, 6 can be partitioned into 2 parts (4 & 2), 3 parts (3, 2 & 1) or even 7 parts (0.5, 0.5, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1).

The greater a student’s understanding of part-whole, the greater their understanding of the number system. With a greater number sense the more students are likely to manipulate numbers for addition and subtraction problem solving and rely less on an algorithm, which may provide them with little understanding of what is actually happening mathematically.

·         Fluency in maths is about developing number sense and being able to choose the most appropriate method for the task at hand; to be able to apply a skill to multiple contexts.

·         Fluency in Reading is about a student’s ability to read accurately at an appropriate rate.

·         Morphology: the smallest meaningful parts of words (morphemes), such as base words, prefixes and suffixes.

·         Heggerty - The Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum is a comprehensive program designed to teach phonemic awareness. It provides daily lessons that are fast, effective, and fun, taking only 10 minutes to complete. Lessons are oral or auditory, focusing on the phonemes or sounds we hear in words. The Heggerty curriculum helps students isolate, blend, segment, and manipulate sounds in spoken words, which is a crucial foundational skill for reading and writing.

Phonics involves the letters (graphemes) that represent the sounds in written words. 

The Science of Reading

This term staff have been very busy revisiting the ‘science of reading’ in preparation for the new reading and comprehension assessments required by the department. The science of reading is evidence-based research about how the brain learns to read. The research informs how proficient reading and writing develops and why some students have difficulty. It provides effective teaching and assessment strategies to improve student outcomes through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.

In South Australia we teach the Big 6 of reading with the science approach to maximise students success and minimise reading difficulties.

During our last pupil free day we learnt more about the Oral Reading Fluency and MAZE assessments. These are the preferred assessments for reading as they align to the ‘science of reading/Big 6.

The oral reading fluency (ORF) assessment measures a student’s ability to read accurately at an appropriate rate. It is the recommended reading fluency assessment for year 2 students. Year 1 teachers and year 3 to 6 teachers will also implement ORF assessment with students. Every student reads 3 benchmark passages spaced across the school year. Each passage is at end-of-year standard and progress should be evident throughout the year.

The Maze assessment measures the reading comprehension of students in years 2 to 8. The 3-minute assessment can be administered to the whole class at the same time.

The ORF and MAZE assessments are based on DIBELS 8th Australian Edition. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a set of measures used to assess students’ literacy skills. These assessment will be implemented Yr 1- 6 from 2025.

On Monday 17th June 7 students supported by Mrs Greenwood and I participated in the Making Meaning Online Student forum hosted by the CE of the Department for Education. 1200 students from across the state got involved to look at the new Public Education Strategy areas of impact:

·         Equity and Excellence

·         Wellbeing

·         Learner Agency

·         Effective Learners

There were a number of tasks for the students to participate in that enabled them to provide feedback related to student wellbeing and learner agency, what they value and see as important for learning. The students were active participants and took note of the contributions made by other schools who have been involved before. For example, our group of students asked about the schools Wellbeing and Engagement Collection (WEC data) and what we do with it. The conversation then became adult driven which defeats the purpose of learner agency! When I asked the students if they would like to look at the data, they were really keen, expressing that they may be able to come up with ideas to support other kids.  They now call themselves the WEC action group. As a result Mrs Greenwood and I meet with the SLC mentors and the WEC action group to unpack the new Public Education Strategy purpose statement and how this is reflected in our school. The students had great discussions with one another and we collected their thoughts and ideas. We plan to meet again next term for those who would like to be involved. Our students will be the agents for change, and will no doubt be keen to share their next steps with other students, staff, Governing Council and the wider school community. 

Whole School Assembly

It was great to see so many families attend the week 9 whole school assembly. We had a discussion recently at Governing Council about parents being invited to assembly when their child receives an Encouragement Award. It has not been a whole school practice in the past so we are going to rectify this and make sure parents are invited (but keep it a surprise) if their child receives an award.  All are welcome to attend assembly regardless of awards or who is hosting. I believe the ‘rules’ about who can attend are a carryover from COVID restriction days, and these don’t apply anymore.

Week 7 whole school assembly was hosted by our Student Leadership Council (SLC). They did a great job at such short notice to lead the assembly. Thank you SLC. Room 6 Hall/Schultz shared their procedural text about to build a bower bird nest (based on the picture book The Bowerbird blues) while Room 8/Evans produced beautiful ‘blue’ pictures of the bower bird, and the items the bower bird collected were attached to the pictures, all blue items of course!

Week 9 whole school assembly was hosted by Room 10/Darmody and Room 11/KTaylor. Mrs Darmody’s class talked us through some of their learning from term 2 with a lesson on probability, magazine design, art work etc. The students were very articulate in their presentation, and made use of their examples of work to demonstrate their achievements to the audience. They certainly have been busy. 

Room 11/NTaylor gave us a history lesson about the Gold Rush with some very dramatic acting, great props and customs, and a  few laughs. Narrators did well too. Not sure about the menu for the miners during the gold rush. For those of you who were unable to hear, there was a reference to ‘old scabby sheep’ for dinner. Perhaps they meant mutton, either way I’ll pass! Thanks room 11. We were impressed.

Congratulations to the following students who received an Encouragement Award at the whole school assembly:

Week 7

Byron Mitchell, Ivy Work, Drake Cannon, Shelby Browning, Ethan Farey, Anna Calley, Ruby Warren, Caidy Rosenzweig, Emily Woolley, Ethan Barnet, Orla Lonergan, Max Kraft, Abigail Angel, Ted Walls, Arthur Morris, Jacob Meyer, Charlie Evans, William Richard, May Kearon,  German: Audrey Feist, Ava Thorn and Adele Scragg.

Week 9

Edith Brassi, Indi Betts, Lolly Cook, Finn Mullins, Sienna Anthony, Carlton Webster-Payne, Sid Brassil, Edie Work, Chloe Dixon, Zoe Gransbury, Baraka Baker, Jeremy Dowsett-Potter, Mirella Mason, Edison Myatt, Jasper Mason, Nora Simons, Mia Thorn, Ethan Walker Oona Belcher, Lachlan Pendergast, Jacob Meyer, Bodhi Viney and Hunter Gniel.

Staff changes

Mrs Darmody will be taking long service leave next term. Mrs Goudie will be taking the class in her absence, one last stint before she retires. We wish Mrs Darmody all the best for her term off.

Ms Emily Brown has started her maternity leave early so we won’t see her on site this week. She is hoping to come in on Thursday to say goodbye to students and staff. We wish Emily and Kane all the very best for the future and know they will be amazing parents. Meanwhile we are yet to confirm Emily’s replacement. 

We also say goodbye to Libby Fiebiger who has been a wonderful SSO working with Mrs Argent’s class since the beginning of the year. Libby is studying to be a teacher so next term she is going to complete a preservice teacher placement in a school, and enjoy a holiday.

Have a fantastic break from school everyone. Stay safe and warm! See you all again on Monday 22nd July ready for term 3.

On Wednesday 12th June Ms K Taylor and Mrs Darmody’s Year 5/6 classes held their market day as part of their Business and Economics unit. The students have been working all term on this topic and made a variety of small items for JP and MP students to ‘buy’ with kidney beans. The students have been using their entrepreneurial, budgeting and collaborative skills. The final task is a presentation about their efforts, including how much ‘profit’ they made!

Angaston Primary School have partnered with Spriggy Schools to provide an online service for parents/caregivers to purchase uniforms.

If you would like to use this facility please download the app on your mobile device and follow the instructions to set up ready to use.

Uniforms will be delivered to the student within 2 schools days following ordering online.

Uniforms can still be purchased at school.