Senior News - Croydon Hills Primary School

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CHPS
Senior Newsletter
Term 2, 2015
Welcome back.
We hope that you had a wonderful two-week
break from the school routine. This term
promises to be another very busy and exciting
time for all. Our Inquiry Unit this term is
‘Studies of Asia.’ The students are looking
forward to presenting their learning at an
expo towards the end of Term. More
information on this expo will follow.
iPADS
Just a couple of reminders: Please ensure that
the iPads come to school charged (we do not
charge them at school)
Check the L4 wiki regularly
https://sites.google.com/a/croydonhps.vic.edu
.au/seniorschool/home . iPads should not be
kept in student bedrooms.
ENGLISH
This term we will revise our knowledge of
writing Persuasive and Narratives Texts, and
learn about the purpose, structure and
language features of a variety of Poetry. We
will explore the structure of these texts
through our reading program.
MATHEMATICS
During the term we will be focusing on the
following concepts:
Number; fractions, decimals and percentages.
Statistics and Probability; chance outcomes,
data collection and interpretation.
Geometry; shapes (2D and 3D), location and
transformation, symmetry and tessellations.
HOMEWORK
It is an expectation that all students complete
the set homework by the due date. Homework
tasks are linked to our ongoing learning and
follow up sessions allow students to share
their work and add to class discussions. We
would appreciate your support in discussing
the importance of completing the work on
time. We understand that the week can be
very busy and there may be circumstances
that prevent the work to be done. Please
contact us if you have any concerns.
Regular items of homework that should be
completed each night are:
Maths: Helping your child develop competence
in their ability to use mathematical thinking
and problem solving skills will assist them in
becoming confident and efficient users of
maths in everyday life. Students are
encouraged to practise their maths skills in a
range of different ways. These might include
the use of Mathletics, suitable maths apps and
games, and participating in open-ended maths
problems.
Reading: Thank you to the parents who
encourage their children and are making
reading a regular part of their
routine at home.
Ways to help:
A couple of simple ways to assist your child:
talk to your child about the book that they are
reading, events, current affairs, etc. utilise
valuable online resources such as Mathletics
and Reading Eggs.
EDUCATION WEEK- Maths Focus
An open afternoon and evening to showcase
the wonderful work taking place at Croydon
Hills is scheduled for Tuesday May 19th. The
focus of the evening will be on maths.
Students will have the opportunity to share
their maths work and problem solving skills,
and participate with parents and visitors in
open-ended tasks in each classroom. Students
can also complete their maths ‘passport’ during
the night by visiting the different levels of
the school, and enter the draw for prizes.
Parents are invited to visit classrooms in the
afternoon between 2:30pm-3:15pm, and the
Open Night will commence at 6:00pm.
Classrooms will be open until 7:30pm, and then
the Choir will perform in the PAC to end the
evening between 7:30pm-8:00pm.
The library will be open with the Book Fair
before and after school and on Open Night
until 7:30pm.
TRANSITION
Year 6 - Transition forms have been
distributed to all year 6 students. Please
return these to the school as soon as possible.
The last day they may be returned is Friday
22nd May. Please note that even if you have a
non-confirmed place in a private school the
form must still be returned. You will be
notified in writing in August of the outcome of
your child's application.
Year 5 – As teachers we are often asked for
advice on Secondary Schools. Our best advice
is for parents and guardians to attend the
many Secondary Schools Open Nights that are
being held at the moment. It is a good
opportunity to acquaint yourself with the
programs offered by the schools you may be
considering for your child in year 7. Watch the
newsletter and flyers for dates.
NAPLAN
Testing has been scheduled to take place for
Year 5 students on 12, 13 and 14th May. Don’t
stress! This is only one indicator of your
child’s progress. Your child’s class work plus
other assessment over the course of the year
gives a more complete picture of achievement.
ROTATIONS:
Our rotations day will continue to be Tuesday
this term. Our students work in a high school
style setting for the day where they rotate
through 5 subjects as a class. Science,
History, Literacy, ICT and Speaking and
Listening are taught on this day. This allows
our students to have a better understanding
of what to expect in a typical day at high
school, but also to experience having multiple
teachers for different subject areas.
INTERSCHOOL SPORT
Interschool sport has moved to the afternoon
this term. Competition with other schools
begins on Friday 1st May. Sports include;
soccer, football, netball (girls, mixed and
beginners), softball, Hot Shots and volley
stars. If any parents are able to help out with
interschool sport could you please contact Mrs
Mac.
HOOPTIME – Senior Years 5 and 6
Hooptime notices went home late last term
and more information will be given out this
term. Hooptime is a fun day that caters for all
ability levels. It encourages children who have
never played basketball before to participate
and ‘have a go’. It functions as a round robin
format. There are three levels of
participation.
Rookie teams are mixed and are for beginners
who have never played basketball.
Future Stars are mixed and are for players
who have some experience. i.e. play B Grade
domestic or lower, or any grade in ‘After
School Basketball’.
All Star teams are for children who play at a
high level of basketball. i.e. ‘A’ grade domestic
and/or representative basketball. These are
either all boys or all girls’ teams. As the aim of
Hooptime is for maximum participation, there
are many things that are considered when
teams are created. As a result, if your child
would like to be part of the Hooptime
experience, they must be prepared to play in
the team in which they are selected.
Physical Education - Mrs McMenaman & Mr
Moreland
The Senior students will be getting Physical
Education every 2 weeks this term only
because of the way the timetable works. David
Moreland will be taking these sessions for
Term 2 only. All students participating in
Interschool Sport will have training every
Thursday at lunchtime and Interschool Sport
competition is in the afternoon this term
commencing at 1.30 pm. We also have the
House Cross Country this term on Thursday
7th May. All students will be expected to
participate in this event. We would also like
the assistance of many parents who are
available if possible to help out with
supervision around the course. Information
will be distributed regarding this event closer
to the time. Term 2 PE will involve winter
sports of Football, Soccer and Netball.
Weekly PE will resume in Term 3.
Visual Arts – Miss Michielin:
Level 4 students will discover the ANZAC
story of Simpson and his Donkey, manipulating
construction materials to create a sculpture
piece. Students will continue their
construction skills by developing a unique
sculpture based on our discussions into dreams
based on the art of Surrealist, Joan Miro and
Indigenous Australians. Based on the Level 4
Inquiry unit into Asia, students will work in
groups to create a number of display items for
their Asian Market Expo.
Each student had an opportunity to discuss
their own and each other’s art works in the
form of a presentation.
Local Landscapes:
Students involved with this program will be
busy painting this term during an allocated
lunchtime. At the end of the painting process
their work will be sent back to the NGV for a
display/presentation day to be held on Sunday
21st June at 11am.
This is when you will be invited to attend the
presentation date, view your child’s work and
students will receive a certificate of
participation.
Performing Arts – Mrs Lane
Classroom music: Students will continue to
create music using their voices, ukeleles,
xylophones, untuned percussion,
boomwhackers and the other many and varied
classroom instruments. They will dance, play
games, listen to and discuss various styles of
music and continue to read traditional and nontraditional music notation. Where appropriate,
we will use music technology to compose music
and consolidate theory and aural training. It is
imperative that all senior students have the
full version of Garageband installed on their
iPads as we use this App regularly in music
classes. They must also have their own
headphones/earbuds. By the end of April,
students will have completed their “sound
stories” where they have had do record a
“voiceover” and add loops and sound effects to
make their stories interesting. I am hoping to
have those available for the public to see and
listen to on open night. (Make sure you have a
QR code reader, preferably I-nigma)
Choir: Rehearsals take place every Monday
lunchtime and Thursdays before school (8
a.m.) Choir members will be performing at
Yurunga on Wednesday 13th May as part of
the senior citizens AGM. We will walk down at
11 am and return by 12 noon. We will also be
performing on "Open Night" on Tuesday 19th
May at 7:30 in the P.A.C. It is imperative that
all choir members attend every rehearsal and
performance throughout the year to maintain
that great quality and team effort that we are
currently enjoying. If your child is unable to
attend a rehearsal, please let me know via
compass.
Ukelele/iPad/Marimba Band: This group will
recommence in week 3 this term, rehearsing in
the P.A.C. every Tuesday lunchtime. It is open
to all interested students from Years 3 - 6. It
provides children with an opportunity to play
in an ensemble without necessarily learning an
instrument formally. Our first performance
will be at Stagestruck on Tuesday 2nd of June
at 7 pm in the P.A.C.
Junior Rockers Instrumental Lessons: Our
instrumental program is growing (82 students)
and we currently have students learning
drums, guitar, piano/keyboard and singing. We
look forward to seeing some of these students
perform at Stagestruck on Tuesday 2nd of
June. It is important to check the timetable
each week as lesson times do change from
time to time. If you have any queries don’t
hesitate to call Junior Rockers on 1300 GO
ROCK (1300 46 7625) or email them at
info@juniorrockers.com
State Schools Spectacular: We have been
fortunate enough to be accepted to
participate in the annual “Victorian State
Schools Spectacular” for the 5th year in a row.
Each year we have had to apply to be
considered and it is getting harder and
harder. The 20 lucky senior choir students
that have been accepted to perform in this
prestigious event will be given their music
later in May and the rehearsals and
performances are listed below:
Massed Choir Rehearsal Wednesday 22nd July
all day Melbourne Town Hall
Massed Choir Rehearsal Wednesday 19th
August all day Melbourne Town Hall
Full Dress Rehearsal Hisense Arena Thursday
10th September all day
Full Dress Rehearsal Hisense Arena Friday 11th
September all day
1st Performance (Time TBA) Hisense Arena
Saturday 12th September
2nd Performance (Time TBA) Hisense Arena
Saturday 12th September
Students need to be available to attend all
the rehearsals.
INDONESIAN
In Term 2 we will be using Indonesian to talk
about Asia, looking at the Geography of
Australia and South East Asia. In addition we
will be extending our vocabulary, especially
the use of large numbers to describe
populations and length and height of
geographical features such as rivers and
mountains. We will also use iPads to find
information to compare aspects of Asia and
Australia.
PREMIERS READING CHALLENGE
The Premiers’ Reading Challenge is an
excellent way to encourage students to read
at home. Between now and August students at
Year 3 and 4 level are encouraged to read
novels from the Challenge list and enter them
into the PRC website. At the completion of the
Challenge students who have met the
Challenge ( 15 books at this level) will receive
a certificate. Students are encouraged to join.
Mrs Offer in the Library is only too keen to
match readers with books! The consent form
can be found on the school’s web page.
KEY DATES
Thursday 7th May—House Cross Country
Tuesday 12th May—NAPLAN (Language
Conventions and Writing)
Wednesday 13th May—NAPLAN (Reading)
Thursday 14th May—NAPLAN (Numeracy)
Tuesday 19th May—Open Afternoon and
Evening
Friday 22nd May—Last day for the return of
Yr 6 transition forms
Tuesday 26th May—District Cross Country
Tuesday June 2nd—Stagestuck
Monday 8th June—Queen’s Birthday Public
Holiday
Tuesday 9th June—Curriculum Day
Friday 20th June—Reports available for
parents on Compass
Sunday 21st June—Local Landscapes
Presentation Day 11am (only students involved)
Wednesday 26th June—Parent/Teacher
Interviews
Friday 26th June—End of Term 2.30 finish
!