Pinnacle College eNewsletter

27 August 2019

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Dear Parent/Guardian,

As we approach the end of the term, I'm glad to look back on the last few weeks at Pinnacle College which has been an absolute delight. I hope you enjoy reading through this issue of our newsletter which will be covering some great events.

Now, I would like to share with you a short article which provides some very important things to keep in mind about child development.

HELPING YOUR CHILD STICK AT IT

Does your child sign up for activities - sports, dance, clubs, music lessons - and then quit when it gets too hard or they say they are sick of it? Because parents know how they had to persevere in life, they are naturally worried their child may become a quitter.

Don’t think of your child’s character as fixed. Most of our worries about our children are about the future. We see the 9-year-old who quits as the aimless 20-year-old. But who they are now is not who they will always be.

Explain the difference between “I don’t want to” and “I don’t feel like it”. Distinguishing long-term desires from immediate feelings will help children understand the difference between an immediate task and ultimate goal. This is a lesson that doesn’t register right away, but it’s worth planting the seed and emphasising over time.

Let them know you see the areas in which they do work hard or show motivation. Say “I know you’re someone who can stick with things when they’re important to you”.

Get to the root of their concern. Why don't they want to go? Perhaps they feel they aren’t as good as the others. What might make that better? Extra practice with your help? Help them see that we often have to be not so good at things for a while as part of the process of getting good at something.

Children should have control over their own lives but that doesn’t mean they can back out of a commitment, or waste the money parents have paid for lessons or gear. If they are adamant, then expect them to write a letter to the coach or organiser explaining why they are quitting. This makes them take ownership of their decision. They cannot ask parents to phone and get them off the hook.

Keep exploring. It may take a while to find what really motivates and enthuses them. There’s no rush!

We can’t make them develop grit. We can expose them to things they may like, support them in sticking with things as they get harder and express confidence that they can handle the stress or boredom.

The world is so complex that we have no idea where the things that will turn our kids on come from. If we encourage children to keep seeking what they love, and to work hard at it when they find it, that will help them grow into confident and self-directed young adults.

Acknowledgment: William Stixrud is the co-author, with Ned Johnson, of “The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control over their Lives.”

Kind Regards,
Deniz Yildirim

CURRICULUM COORDINATOR

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Below I would like to address the importance of a ‘Growth Mindset:’

‘’In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.’’ Carol Dweck.

Whether a student holds a fixed mindset or growth mindset significantly impacts their learning experience - from primary school to high school. Students that hold a fixed mindset give up when they can’t solve a problem and admit defeat. This can be detrimental to students’ future efforts and leads to limited student growth. With a growth mindset, students continually work to improve their skills, leading to greater growth and ultimately, success. The key is to get students to tune into that growth mindset. To show that they have control over growing their brains through the actions they take - empowering! Practice, asking questions and active participation in learning is the core ingredient to strengthen the brain.

One of the best ways we can model growth mindset is to speak candidly about the mistakes we’ve made and what we’ve learned from them. If we do so, students will see ‘mistakes’ as a learning opportunity rather than an obstacle and failure.

Some examples to praise work ethic rather than results and encourage follow through;

‘I love how hard you’re working’
‘Every time you try you improve so much’
‘You’re so focused right now’
‘What went wrong, how can we fix it?’
‘Let’s keep trying’
‘I don’t think you understand this yet. What strategies can you try to understand this better’ (the power of ‘yet’ is crucial - at times students require time or assistance to master their learning)

With a collaborative approach at both school and home we can ensure our students are instilled with a ‘growth’ mindset. We hope to praise wisely, use growth-based language and provide challenges so that our students are equipped for the future.

Warm regards,
Tuba Sultan Cimen

Behaviour Management Coordinator

There have been a few questions from parents and students about uniform lately as well as recurrence of non uniform clothing. This article is to ensure that our current uniform expectations are clear and to advise that students wearing non uniform clothing/hairstyles will be noted on Mysis. The information below is extracted from the Pinnacle College Uniform Policy.

Summary

The Uniform and Appearance Policy of Pinnacle College addresses the total appearance of the student travelling to and from school, and while at school. The uniform is seen as an external statement of the quality education offered at the College. In effect, it presents to the public an image which is in line with the College ethos. In addition, the uniform is a means of helping to develop unity and pride within our community.

Students are expected to wear the appropriate school uniform at all times, including excursions. Support is available for families requiring financial assistance to acquire a school uniform. Students are permitted to come to school in Sports Uniform on the days when they have Sport classes allocated.

Jewellery and piercings are not allowed unless it is simple, small and a part of religious requirement. Girls can have small ear rings.

Pinnacle College expects all students to be good role models with correct neat uniform and appearance (haircut, jewellery and other accessories). A student should not have an attention seeking cut, styled hair, noticeable dyed hair, irregular hair-cut styles, fade, hair gel, coloured spray, fancy hairstyle or hair-cuts with lines or shapes.

An expectation of the College is that parents ensure that their children respect and abide by the Uniform and Appearance policy of the College. All students must wear the appropriate full uniform with pride and are expected to keep their appearance neat and tidy, especially while wearing the college uniform.

The Uniform Policy is developed and approved by the College Committee. It is an expectation that all students are to comply with the policy in all its requirements.

General Uniform and Appearance Expectations

Shoes

Dress Shoes: Black lace shoes. No coloured stitching or logos. Shoes must be polished and in a good state of repair.
Sports Shoes: Must be a cross trainer style sport shoe with a raised, treaded sole designed for outdoor sports activities.
Sport shoes are never to be worn with the College dress uniform.
Socks must be white or black.

Hats

Hats must be worn at all breaks during Term 1 and 4.
Hats must be in a good state of repair.

Hair Styles

All students at the college are to be neat and tidy, well-groomed, and the following must be adhered to, at a minimum:

Hairstyles must be neat, clean, tidy and well-maintained.
Long hair (hair that is longer than collar length) is to be tied back (for girls).
Hair must not be coloured, dyed or styled using gel or other products
Hairstyles such as Mohawks, under-cuts, tracks, rat’s tails, shaved sections or unusual styles e.g. untidy/unkempt look are not acceptable.
We expect boys’ hair not to be longer than the top of the shirt collar. Cuts less than a ‘No 2’ are not permitted.
No noticeable use of any hair product allowed.

Other Requirements

Students will be directed to remove make-up or nail polish, using College supplies, upon their arrival at school.

Other Requirements

Eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara and other makeup is not permitted.
Acrylic nails or tips are not permitted.
‘Costume jewellery’ is not permitted.
Coloured undergarments should not be visible, only white or black t-shirts are allowed.
Watches and medical alert bracelets may be worn.
Bangles, bracelets, rings are not allowed.
Earrings: Only plain gold/silver or small birth-stone studs may be worn, and only one must be worn in each ear lobe.
Ear piercings for boys are not permitted.

Kind Regards,
Kylie Burton

Campus Coordinator at Gilles Plains

It has been a wonderful start to Term 3. We are set for an exciting and action-packed term with many activities. Book Week and STEM Week will see students involved in activities to encourage reading, critical thinking and teamwork.

Many of you will have noticed the shades have gone up in the playground, the new vinyl in the hallway is almost done and some of the old air-conditioners have been replaced. We are also converting the area near the playground into a garden area so that students can get involved in the Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden program. We are always looking to improve our campus and any suggestions are welcomed. Next year, we are fortunate to have a Year 4 class and I look forward to having more children at our campus.

The theme for this year’s Book Week is ‘Reading is My Superpower.’ We will be having our celebrations in Week 7 and on Friday of that week, students are encouraged to dress up and there will be book activities for them to enjoy. Please ensure costumes are safe for students to move about in and proper footwear is worn.

We had our parent-teacher interviews last week. I was pleased to see many parents trying to book times to meet with teachers. One of the questions, I often get asked at these interviews is, “How can I help my child at home?” In the home, the most important skill you can give your child is the ability to speak and listen to the English language. Use lots of different kinds of words and make them better speakers. This will help them become better readers and writers too. Read to them, listen to them read and ask them questions about the text. This enables students to move away from ‘Learning to Read’ in Junior primary, toward ‘Reading to Learn’, in the Primary Years.

Thank you for all the great work you’re doing with your children at home every night with their reading practice. Let’s work together to assist our students to excel in their learning.

Kind Regards,
Shalini Thilkan

Introducing EdSmart

Dear Parent,

As you may have noticed, our school is now using EdSmart to make communication between school and parents more streamlined, safer and less stressful.

EdSmart is a digital system that replaces the paper forms we used to send home for you to complete and return. These forms are now going out to you via sms and email. All you need to do, is follow the link to complete any details that’s required. There’s no need to download any apps, you simply click on the link and follow the prompts. This will save you time, and no need to look for those misplaced forms, anymore!

Here's how it works

Instead of paper forms coming home in your child’s school bag, you will be sent an email notification with a link to click that opens a secure web page version of the form to complete and submit.

You can do this on your phone, tablet or computer at your convenience.

All of the data you submit in the forms is held in a secure database only accessible to selected school staff.

EdSmart will help us better manage any needs in the school community with the extra time saved. Another bonus is that we'll be reducing our carbon footprint and cost significantly.

In regards to use this system effectively, it is crucial that your email and contact number is up to date. Therefore, in the next few weeks, you might be contacted by one of our friendly Front Office Staff, asking you for your details.

You can learn more about EdSmart at the link below and if you have any questions we welcome them.

Click here to visit the EdSmart website https://edsmart.com/parents

https://edsmart.com/parents

Kind Regards,
Front Office Staff

School Counsellor

7 Tips to reduce your child’s stress

To adults, childhood can seem like a carefree time but children still experience stress and they are vulnerable to it. Things like school and their social life can sometimes create pressures that can feel overwhelming for them. As a parent, you can't protect your kids from stress unfortunately but what you can do is help them develop healthy ways to cope with stress and solve everyday problems. So how can you help to reduce your child's anxiety and stress?

Listen to your child. Ask your child to tell you what's wrong and listen attentively and calmly — with interest, patience, openness and caring. Avoid any urge to judge, interrupt, blame, lecture or say what you think your child should have done instead. The idea is to let your child's concerns (and feelings) be heard. Try to get the whole story by asking questions like "And then what happened?" Take your time and let your child take his or her time, too.
Comment briefly on the feelings you think your child was experiencing. For example, you might say "That must have been upsetting," "No wonder you felt mad when they wouldn't let you in the game," or "That must have seemed unfair to you." Doing this shows that you understand what your child felt, why, and that you care. The issue your child is experiencing may not be a big one for you but is sure is for them. Feeling understood and listened to helps your child to feel supported by you, and that is vital in times of stress.
Put a label on it. Many younger kids do not yet have words for their feelings. If your child seems angry or frustrated, use those words to help him or her learn to identify emotions by name. Putting feelings into words helps kids communicate and develop emotional awareness — the ability to recognise their own emotional states.
Help your child think of things to do. If there's a specific problem that's causing stress, talk together about what to do. Encourage your child to think of a couple of ideas. You can start the brainstorming if necessary, but don't do all the work. Your child's active participation will build confidence. Support the good ideas and add to them as needed.
Listen and move on. Sometimes talking, listening and feeling understood is all that's needed to help a child's frustrations begin to melt away. Afterward, try changing the subject and moving on to something more positive and relaxing. Help your child think of something to do to feel better. Don't give the problem more attention than it deserves
Just be there. Kids don't always feel like talking about what's bothering them. Sometimes that's OK. Let your kids know you'll be there when they do feel like talking. Even when kids don't want to talk, they usually don't want parents to leave them alone. You can help your child feel better just by being there — keeping him or her company, spending time together. So if you notice that your child seems to be down, stressed or simply just having a bad day — but doesn't feel like talking — initiate something you can do together like taking a walk or playing their favourite game together.
Be patient. As a parent, it hurts to see your child unhappy or stressed. But try to resist the urge to fix every problem. Instead, focus on helping your child slowly but surely, grow into a good problem-solver — a kid who knows what to do when life gives it lemons, put feelings into words, calm down when needed and bounce back to try again.

Kind Regards,
Semanur Tanas

Scholastic ‘Dino-Mite’ Book Fair 2019

Chomp! Stomp! Read! The 2019 Pinnacle College (Golden Grove campus) Scholastic Book Fair was a roaring success. The ‘Dino-Mite’ theme featured this term was of Jurassic proportions! Bright yellow ‘Dinosaur Crossing’ signs and T-Rex ‘footprints’ alerted the students of the impending arrival of the fair. The library windows were also adorned with various dino images to help build excitement and anticipation.

Students waited eagerly for the cases to arrive, packed with a great assortment of books. The variety of books on offer were fantastic. There were wonderful graphic novels such as the award winning novel ‘Smile’ by Raina Telgemeier - a funny, sad and touching story about a girl overcoming tooth trauma and bullying . Quite a few students were interested in the many series titles available, including the hilarious ‘Bad Guys’ stories by Aaron Blabey. Some students were eager to scoop up a copy of the latest release of ‘The Treehouse’ books by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by the talented Terry Denton. There was a great range of non-fiction books available as well, such as the fascinating ‘Dr Frankenstein’s Human Body Book’, a scientific look at human anatomy, and the interesting ‘Suitcase Science: Rocks and Mineral Kit’ featuring real rocks and gems. There were books for a wide range of ages, including some fun picture books for the younger students such as the zany ‘Do Not Open This Book’ by Andy Lee.

One of the highlights of the fair was the unexpected appearance of the whiskered journalist, Geronimo Stilton! Students ‘said cheese’ with the beloved character from the well known series created by author Elisabetta Dami, to capture a memory from the event.

Being just shy of our $1,500 goal in books sold we used our commission wisely on the terrific books from the fair. In fact, the students chose most of the books themselves. Our creative librarian Ms Lisa came up with the great idea of providing a box whereby the students could place their favourite books.

We would like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of the staff and volunteers who assisted during the Book Fair. Special thanks goes to our librarian Ms Lisa, our Maintenance Officer Mr Michael and our SSO’s Ms Donna and Ms Maysa, who assisted with the set up and/or running of the cashier desk during the fair. We would also like to thank the families, without your support this event would not be possible. Last but not least a brontosaurus sized thank you to Geronimo Stilton for taking the time from their busy schedule to appear at our fair!

Kind regards,
Book Fair Team

Book Fair

FOUNDATION – GOLDEN GROVE

I am delighted to inform you that this term our Foundation and Year One classes have been introduced to Walker Learning approach. The walker learning approach has been developed and designed to engage children in authentic and meaningful ways so that children enjoy hands on learning. When you walk through our Junior Primary area you will see learning centres designed around writing, reading, numeracy, science and nature, collage, construction, tinkering, sensory and dramatic play which are tailored to Australian Curriculum criteria. The children have loved this hands-on learning approach and continue to do so every day. It has also given the Foundations an opportunity to form stronger friendship bonds within the Year One class.

The foundation students celebrated their 100th Day of School on Friday 26th of July. It was a great opportunity for students and parents to be creative with costumes. Children came to school dressed up as a 100 year old person. Students participated in a range of activities and we celebrated our personal achievements throughout the year. It was great to see so many students dress up and a big thank you to all my parents for their ongoing support.

Kind regards,
Mrs Vokolos

YEAR 1 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents and caregivers,

The first half of this term has been filled with many exciting learning experiences!

With Bookweek celebrations commencing this term, students thoroughly enjoyed watching the ‘Big Dreams’ performance where they learnt an important message- Be brave and be strong! It focussed on being persistent, believing in yourself and always trying your best no matter what anyone tells you which is crucial to foster in students learning.

Our author study this term is Dr.Seuss. These books have captivated students interest and allowed them to explore and learn a vast range of rhyming words. Dr.Seuss also conveys important messages throughout his stories such as be kind to others, always be helpful and try new things! In class, we have been working extremely hard to make our sentences more detailed. We have been practising using conjunctions, plurals, verbs and adjectives in our recent book review writing task. We also learnt the structure of a book review including what the book is about, what our favourite part is and why and why we would recommend the book.

Our new Walker Learning sensory tables have provided students with a hands-on learning experience based on our literacy and numeracy topics for the week. Students have really enjoyed practising their sounds, handwriting and sentence structure with this enjoyable learning experience. In numeracy, we have been studying o'clock and half past times as well as describing the duration of time using months, years, days, hours and minutes.

I look forward to many more learning opportunities in Term 3!

Kind regards,
Miss Di Cola

YEAR 2 – GOLDEN GROVE

Hi Parents!

The students have come back this term with a very positive and mature attitude towards learning, which is great as we edge closer and closer to Year 3!

In Numeracy, the children have been so excited and eager to learn their times tables competing against others in class and testing themselves regularly using flash cards and whiteboards. This allowed us to then move onto Division and have a really successful two weeks of problem solving, sharing equally and identifying related multiplication facts. We have even had some multiplication games against the Year 4s, showing them what we know!

For Literacy, we have been focussing on Explanation Texts. It has been great to learn about the how’s and the why's of objects and events working. We have looked at how popcorn is made, how honey is made, the life cycles of sea turtles and other animals, and will be writing an assessment piece this week. The students have looked at what makes an Explanation text, from the technical language and vocabulary features to the structure and tense used. I have been so proud of the texts they have been producing! We will be moving onto Information Reports in Week 6.

We have started looking at some NAPLAN practise tests to allow the children to get used to and feel comfortable with some of the questions they will be asked. We have also had a play on the new NAPLAN online test as we will be completing most of NAPLAN online next year!

Starting Week 6, we will be joined by Miss Emma Marcoionni - a university pre-service teacher! The students are looking forward to having lessons taught by her and helping Emma through her last practical before graduating university.

Please remember to keep on top of your child’s reading, ensuring they read 20 minutes each evening. I also have some interview times left so I strongly recommend if you haven’t met with me this year to book in a time.

Kindest Regards,
Miss Ryan

YEAR 3 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to another exciting term at Pinnacle College!

This term has been off to a busy start with the Year 3s striving to improve their multiplication and division skills. Most of us have finished memorising our 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables. However, we need some extra practise to improve our fluency.

Our English topic for the first half of this term is Explanation Texts. We explored this text type through a variety of modes, including visual, written and aural formats, while practising how to take notes. We then edited our texts in pairs using the ‘2 stars, 1 wish’ method (this helped us identify our strengths and weaknesses when writing) and held a competition to find the best ‘sizzling start’. Below is an example, which we wrote as a class:

Crunch! Burp! Growl! Bubble! Pop! Have you heard these sounds before? They appear in your body every day through the Digestive System! The Digestive System is a machine that helps you digest, or break down, food. Read on to learn more about this fascinating process!

In Technology, we have been focusing on renewable energy, energy from sustainable sources, such as wind, solar and hydro power. After identifying the pros and cons of using renewable energy, we made spinners to replicate wind turbines. Next week, we will draw inspiration from our turbines to plan, construct and test wind-powered cars. Stay tuned to find out more!

Kind regards,
Miss Mubarak

YEAR 4 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

What an exciting past few weeks we have had! Our class was lucky enough to watch a play based on this years Book Week theme, as well as, creating some fantastic artwork with a comic book artist!

Our Literacy focus has been Narrative Writing, grammar/spelling and a book study based on ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’ It has been wonderful to see the children explore new themes and concepts, and incorporate them into their Narratives. The students have become very enthusiastic during our morning reading time and are eager to define new words to use in their texts, well done Year 4’s!

Problem solving (multiplication and division), decimals and symmetry have been our major Mathematics units this term. Continue to test your children at home on their multiplication and related division facts, as we will be doing more problem solving throughout the year. I was pleased to see a confident, positive mindset during decimal lessons. The children were excited to learn a new concept and it was wonderful to see new targets being met! As you would have seen on SeeSaw, we are doing a ‘problem of the week.’ These problems are both challenging and fun, and are testing the students on the many different ways that they can problem solve!

This week, we also explored the new NAPLAN online. This tool was used so that students could see what the test would look like in preparation for next year. I noticed that many students are still typing with one hand. We will be using ‘Typing Tournament,’ during Technology lessons. This online program teaches students to ‘touch type’ to ensure that they are ready for the 2020 test.

Keep working hard Year 4’s, you continually blow me away with your fabulous progress! Remember to always believe in yourself :)

Love,
Emily Rowlands

YEAR 5 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parent & Caregivers,

Welcome back to school in Term 3!

I would like to congratulate our Year 5 students on their excellent effort in raising money for Qurban at the Eid Festival. Their stalls were filled with yummy things to eat or interesting things to see and do. All together they raised over $450 to give to those in need. What a spectacular effort!

In Literacy, the Year 5 cohort are developing their skills in procedural writing. We have viewed many exemplar videos of recipes and origami (the ultimate favourite was the origami crane - challenging yet fun) that specifically include all the main features of the text type. Students have started to embed tips and tricks within their procedural texts and notes for their audience to carefully follow. For the final component of our unit students have selected their topic and will develop it in the form of a video or poster. Most of the drafts submitted have been fruitful to read as students attempted to uniquely incorporate useful information to equip their audience to precisely follow the instructions.

In Numeracy, the Year 5 students have been engaged in learning about Area, Volume, Capacity and Mass during Numeracy over the first 3 weeks of Term 3. Students have been using their academic understanding and skills in a practical application assignment. Their task was to find out how much soft fall (bark chips for playgrounds) we needed to purchase in order to replenish the two playground spaces at Golden Grove campus. They also investigated how much extra play sand we needed to purchase to fill up our sand pit. They needed to measure the space using trundle wheels, long rulers and tape measures and use that information to calculate the area of an irregular shape. Once they had achieved that goal they had to decide what depth of fill we required to replenish and then calculate the volume. Students had to research to find the cost of soft fall and play sand and convert the volume from cubic metres to tonnes. The difference between being able to understand the theory of a topic and being able to apply it in real life is very apparent when practical learning tasks are assigned. Students who excel in theoretical academics can struggle in practical application tasks. In order for students to achieve outstanding results they need to be able to apply their learning to real life problems, independently.

In Hass this term we are focusing on Geography where we are learning about Zones and Climates. In the past 4 weeks students have had fun learning about the different continents, zoning areas and especially the climate zones. We have had fun incorporating songs into our learning which makes memorising the content fun and exciting! We are currently getting prepared for our mid-term Quiz and the upcoming topics and project.

In Technology we are filming our very own segment of ‘Pinnacle News’! Lights…camera…action! The Year 5 girls and boys are working extremely hard to produce excellent stories and present you with our news segments. In the previous weeks we have learnt about camera angles, the rule of thirds, group productivity and how to use iMovie. We are currently working on our storyboards to brainstorm and merge all of our ideas in order to film, edit and finally share our work with you soon...stay tuned!

Kindest Regards,
Year 5 Teachers,
Mrs Burton, Mrs Tuba & Miss Sawafta.

YEAR 6 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

Welcome back to another fun-filled Term!

I would like to kindly acknowledge the endless efforts of our Year 6 cohort during the Qurban Eid festival - the stall ideas and preparation on the day was exceptional. They have raised a total of $776.85 for those in need, such a fruitful contribution!

In Literacy, the Year 6 cohort have been focussing on public speaking this term and have learnt various ways to present information to their peers. They have commenced with speaking about a given topic to a small-group of students using correct posture, voice tone and eye-contact to engage the audience. Students also shared constructive feedback to their peers regarding aspects they confidently delivered and areas they could further develop in. I have already witnessed more confidence within the students when sharing their thoughts and ideas in the classroom - I am looking forward to their successes unfold.

We are also studying the documentary - ‘I am 11’ by Genevieve Bailey and students have started to develop their own biography including information about their family, hobbies, education and perspectives on crucial issues such as ‘bullying.’ This will then be documented in the form of a video. Can’t wait to view them all!

In Numeracy, the Year 6 students have been engaged in learning about Volume, Capacity and Mass during Numeracy over the first 3 weeks of Term 3. Students have been using their academic understanding and skills in a practical application assignment. Their task was to find out how much soft fall (bark chips for playgrounds) we needed to purchase in order to replenish the two playground spaces at Golden Grove campus. They have written letters to the Principal to outline what we need to purchase to fill the play spaces. The difference between being able to understand the theory of a topic and being able to apply it in real life is very apparent when practical learning tasks are assigned. Students who excel in theoretical academics can struggle in practical application tasks. In order for students to achieve outstanding results they need to be able to apply their learning to real life problems, independently.

In Science this Term we are learning about Natural Disasters; in the previous weeks we have learnt about the different layers of the earth, tectonic plates, plate boundaries and started looking at earthquakes and volcanoes. We did an exciting activity with boiled eggs; we cut the egg in half and inserted a small circle of play dough in the middle to visually compare and discuss the different layers of the earth. For the upcoming weeks, the students are excited to learn about the different types of natural disasters and look forward to starting their group project on researching about their favourite natural disaster.

In Technology the Year 6 students are currently focusing on drafting our ideas and storyboards to make Stop Motion Animations. The students have looked at many examples and learnt the importance of the rule of thirds, lighting and camera angles when capturing images for the Stop Motion sequence. In the upcoming weeks the students will be learning how to use Stop Motion Studio & start producing their animations.

In Hass we have learnt about World War Two and have started learning about how it affected people. It has been interesting learning about the historical events which shape our future and current progress in society. Students have enjoyed participating in discussions and created journal entries from the perspectives of those affected in the War. We will be touching base with Migration in the upcoming weeks and compare the differences our nation has made.

In Art we are learning about Optical Illusions – boy, oh boy! We have been excited yet amazed at how artistic elements of line, shape, shadow, tone, texture and colour can create mind-blowing illusions. So far, we have learnt about symbolism, hidden images and metamorphic skull illusions. Out of these, students have selected one which excited them most & they are currently doing their first Op Art assessment on that.

Warmest Regards,
Year 6 Teachers,
Mrs Tuba, Mrs Burton & Miss Sawafta.

YEAR 7 – GOLDEN GROVE

This has been a very exciting term for the year 7G class. We have learnt a lot ofknew things. In science we have learnt how to create small paper rockets usingonly paper. We also learnt how to make paper planes by an expert. Recently,we have visited the Adelaide museum and indeed had a great time. We sawsome amazing things from ground minerals to space suits. In home economics,we have been cooking some delicious food and creating some extraordinarythings.

Omme Aeman
Kind regards,
Year 7 Homegroup

FOUNDATION – GILLES PLAINS

On Friday 26th of July, the Foundation cohort celebrated their 100th Day of School. The fun-filled day included students dressing up like a 100 year old and participating in a range of activities that helped them to consolidate counting to 100 and share their achievements over the last two terms of school. It was wonderful to see so many students dressed up and I would like to thank parents for their effort to help make this day one to remember.

In Term 3, students will finish learning individual letter sounds and they will be introduced to the consonant blends and most common long vowel sounds with daily participation in the InitiaLit programme. It is important to reinforce the sounds introduced in class with regular practice at home and when reading. Please remind your child to swap their reader every second day and read every night to a parent or older sibling.

In Numeracy, we have started to explore pre-algebra thinking with topics such as sharing and patterns. The students have been using counters, dominoes and dice to make equal groups and they have been continuing, making and creating patterns using everyday materials and information communication technologies. The students have thoroughly enjoyed both topics and we have a large display of patterns on our pinboard in the main building at the Gilles Plains Campus.

In Science and Design Technology, the students are exploring materials and their unique properties. We have made clown hats and sensory walls to encourage vocabulary growth and to help students learn how specific materials can be used to meet human needs like shelter and protection from the sun and rain. We look forward to sharing our completed sensory walls in the next addition of the school newsletter.

This term, our class goal is to improve independence and resilience. We have introduced regularly mindfulness activities, such as meditation, yoga and colouring-in, into our daily routine and this has had a positive impact on our learning and ability to cope with learning challenges in the classroom. Sound meditation and linking our body with our breath is one of our favourite mindfulness activities. To help your child develop independence that will ready them for Year 1, please encourage your child to carry their own school bag into the classroom, swap home readers without support and dress themselves at home.

This week concludes our Parent/ Teacher interviews and it has been an absolute pleasure meeting with parents and sharing the progress your child has made in Semester 1. I am so proud of the achievements of each and every student and thank all parents for their help and encouragement at home.

Kind Regards
Miss Bianca Villani

YEAR 1 – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Welcome back to another busy but exciting term! Students will get to experience lots of exciting activities this term including; Book Fair, Book Week, Science Week, R U Ok? Day and Sports Day but of course will be continuing on with our other learning routines this term.

In Literacy this term, we are focusing on Procedure writing followed by Book Review writing. Students have been enjoying their procedure based lessons. We have been learning about how to make fairy bread as well as toasted cheese sandwiches and the use of action words (verbs), which is very important for when writing a procedure. Our exciting author study this term is Dr Seuss. This author has a wonderful selection of books, including one that we have read recently called The Lorax. Please let your child tell you about the story as it has a great story line.

In Numeracy, we have been working hard on working out the difference between numbers through the use of number line and counting on strategies as well as identifying O’clock and half past times on an analogue and digital clock. This week we revised this topic and students enjoyed playing a game called ‘I have…. Who has?’. Learning to tell the concept of time requires revision, so please encourage your child to tell you the time on a clock whenever possible.

With regards to other matters, I would like to thank all the parents that are supporting their children with their show and tell and weekly homework. The intention of these activities is to support your child in revising what we are learning at school through reading, writing, listening and speaking. The weekly homework in particular, is best understood if it is done by your child with your support. I would also just like to mention that recently I have observed some odd sitting postures from students when at their desks and when sitting on the floor. Please correct your child when possible, as this impacts their handwriting and can cause pain in the arm/hand. Encourage your child to take part in activities outside and various sports to keep strengthening their muscles.

Thank you for your support so far this term.

Kind regards,
Ms Mackowiak

YEAR 2 – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents/ Caregivers,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing break. Welcome back to another jam-packed term filled with exciting events and learning opportunities. We will be celebrating Book Week, Science Week, Sports Day and preparing for end of year concert. We will be presenting the song Try Everything from Zootopia. Students are already super excited for this!

This term in Literacy, we are exploring two text types, Explanation texts and Information reports. Students have been watching videos explaining why or how things happen, then using their knowledge and some points to write an explanation text. This is great as it is teaching students how to take notes from videos, explain information in their own words and proof read their work. Please encourage them to apply these skills at home to further enhance their abilities.

On the other hand, in Numeracy, we are trying to learn as many times tables as possible to compete in the class competition as well as to prepare us for a challenging year in Grade 3. I am very proud of each student for working hard to achieve set targets. Well done girls and boys, keep it up! Students have demonstrated fantastic understanding of multiplication as repeated addition, equal groups and arrays. However, they will benefit from extra work on Division.

Homework:

I believe we all agree that homework is an important part of a student's learning. Please ensure your child is completing the set tasks in their homework booklet as well as Mathseeds and Reading eggs/press to the best of their ability. Starting this week, students with incomplete homework will receive a warning on Mysis and will be asked to complete the homework during play time.

Lateness:

When students arrive late, they miss out on important instructions given at the beginning of the lesson. This can significantly reduce achievement, regardless of academic ability. Also, when a student arrives late, it disrupts the entire class which is not acceptable. Late arrival on several occasions will result in Mysis warning. Please ensure your child arrives at school every day at 8:45 AM latest.

Warm regards,
Mrs Al Bayati

YEAR 3 – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents,

I am glad I met most of you during the parent-teacher interviews. I hope you found it useful and now know specifically how you can help your child in his/her learning. This term is a busy one and we will be going through our first set of assessments soon.

In Literacy, we have covered the explanation text type. Students fell short in their use of connectives and punctuation. I have done a revision lesson on this so that they are better equipped to write better sentences.

In Mathematics, we have completed Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction. They are doing well in addition and subtraction. However, they are still lagging in multiplication and division, especially in problem sums. I urge you to practice the times tables with them and only then will they be able to grasp the division concept.

In Science, we have covered how we keep warm, sources of heat and objects that produce heat using electricity, friction and burning. Next week, we will cover transfer of heat from one object to another. It is an interesting topic and students have enjoyed it.

Finally, I would like to see students reading at home. They should be on a reading at level 26-30 for their age group. Can you please ensure, they read aloud their readers and that you are asking them questions after reading? This will help them improve both in fluency and comprehension.

Thank you for your continued support and I really appreciate your care and concern during my recent illness.

Kind regards,
Shalini Thilkan

LOTE - ARABIC

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Welcome back to another term, I wish you all had a happy Eid Aduha, may Allah accept all our good deeds in the past and the future.

This term we had some amazing new challenges to explore:

Year 1 class is focusing on pronouncing and writing simple words with short vowels. The students are learning how to join letters to make words and how to pronounce and write simple words.

Year 2 class has learnt to combine double vowels / long vowels in their reading and can apply some simple grammar, for example Al-Tanween. The focus this term is reading and to increase the students’ comprehension skills by learning the meaning of the words.

In Gilles Plain campus, the students learnt about the parts of the house in Arabic and they had a group project to make their own house and label it in Arabic.

Year 3|4 class has continued with their topics with a focus on reading and building sentences. The focus is mainly on building vocabulary that will enable students to further their comprehension of the Arabic Language and its use. They are starting to build their own sentences.

Year 5|6 class had an Arabic project “Future Dream Job”, the students have to write about one job and create a poster then present it for the whole class. This is combined with reading of textbook topics, with an emphasis on comprehension.

Year 7|8 class is continuing with their topics. The main focus is reading and translating texts provided in their textbook. Students are also introduced to grammatical concepts to sentence structures and the influence of grammar on orientation of text. Also, the students had an Arabic project about “Dream Job and Future Studies” to expand their writing skills and build correct structure sentences.

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” Nelson Mandela

Kind regards,
Soheir Habib

MUSIC

As another term begins, there are new things to discover and learn in Music.

In Year 1, the students are consolidating their ability to play a steady beat and recognise the difference between beat and rhythm. They are also recognising and choosing high and low sounds (pitch), fast and slow sounds (tempo) and loud and soft sounds (dynamics) to match stories or songs.

The Year 2s are learning about loud and soft sounds, and how to gradually make their music louder and softer. They are also learning about slow and fast music and how making changes to the tempo can help tell stories and match the movement of dances.

In Year 3 we are exploring how to make many different sounds on one instrument, how to write a musical score showing duration (long and short sounds) and dynamics (loud and soft sounds) and how to play that score.

In Year 4 the students are exploring how to create lots of different sounds with their voices, on their bodies, and using instruments. They are starting to read musical scores to play different parts at the same time.

The Year 5s are learning about ensemble playing by playing different parts on different instruments. This requires a great deal of concentration and cooperation. They are also learning how to create a variety of moods with music to accompany a storyboard or a scenario.

In Year 6 the focus is on Latin Music, so the students have learnt about where Latin music comes from, what it sounds like and how to play Latin rhythms. The students have also written their own lyrics in a Latin style, making effective (and fun!) use of rhyme.

As we are looking forward to Concert at the end of the year, we will start to make some preparations for this in Music lessons – especially the finale!

Tracy Schache
Music Teacher

SSO support

For those parents who haven’t met me, my name is Donna Freeman and the students know me as Miss Donna. I have had the absolute please of working with the students at Pinnacle College over the past 7 years both at Golden Grove and Gilles Plains in my role as an SSO.

I work in many classes throughout the school, working closely with all of our wonderful classroom teachers. I provide extra support in class either in small groups or on an individual basis, as required. This may be in the areas of literacy,numeracy or reading support across all subjects. I thoroughly enjoy my role and love being able to watch learning progress. Being able to form great relationships with our students and their families in the school community is a great pleasure.

If you see me out in the yard at school, please feel free to come and say hello.