Pinnacle College eNewsletter

29 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Dear Parents and Friends,

Although it’s hard to believe, here we are in the reporting period and are already half way through the year. Although COVID19 has initially interrupted the learning, we have taken advantage of being an isolated country. Listening to the experts and implementing the hygiene and social distancing rules contributed to this achievement as well. So far, it has worked well and more restrictions will be removed by the end of the school holidays and we will be going back to pre-covid conditions by the start of Term 3 if everything goes according to plan.

School assemblies have partially been in place and as the new term starts, excursions and incursions will also resume. Sporting activities and competitions will gradually be part of the daily school routine. Parents will be allowed to enter the school grounds with the ease in the restrictions as well.

In regards to the new enrolments for 2021, especially for Foundation classes, we expect our parents to get in touch with the school at their earliest convenience. We have very limited capacity and for the Golden Grove campus, we already have more than 30 applicants. In order to benefit from the sibling discretion, I urge parents to contact our enrolment officer through the front offices.

I also would like to let our parents and students know that we are in the process of building a secondary school site with cutting-edge facilities by the beginning of the 2022. Our senior management team is working hard to make this happen and deliver the best possible learning environment for our secondary students. I will be giving more information as we move forward in the upcoming issues of the newsletter.

Finally, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the offices of Mrs Dana Wortley and Mrs Paula Leuthen for their kind donations of flags to our Gilles Plains and Golden Grove campuses

I wish everyone a relaxing and enjoyable holiday time and I hope to see you all in Term 3.

Kind Regards,
Atilla Shinik
Campus Principal

SECONDARY COORDINATOR

As we approach the end of Term 2, secondary students are busy preparing for exams. While exams do often pose some stress to students, they provide an excellent opportunity to develop good study and revision habits. Such skills are important as students move from middle secondary to upper secondary.

Looking beyond the exam period, it is important that we work collaboratively to monitor the wellbeing of each student. At this time of the year, we have settled into a comfortable and familiar routine. Students are working hard within their subjects and have developed positive relationships with their teachers and peers. However, school can, at times, seem overwhelming and if you feel like your child is experiencing higher-than-usual stress, you are encouraged to share your concerns with the relevant coordinator or Zina, our school counsellor.

We can look forward to a variety of activities next term including a mental health incursion for secondary students, book week , and sports day; all students and staff are excited to see the re-introduction of co-curricular events

We wish all students, parents and caregivers a safe and restful break. We hope all students take this opportunity to rest before they begin a busy Term 3.

Kind Regards,
Emilia Triantafilakis

PRIMARY COORDINATOR

With the end of the term upon us, we reflect on our students' first Semester in 2020. Students have recently finished their assessments and testing, demonstrating all that they have learnt and how well they can replicate it. Our students have presented many creative masterpieces and our classrooms are all the more colourful. We have presented our accomplishments in our reinstated assemblies and celebrated those receiving awards for their behavioural and academic pursuits.

With the easing of restrictions, we look forward to many more whole school events and community engagements. Whole school assemblies, Book Week, Numeracy Week, the End of Year Ceremony, are all exciting our students as avenues of entertainment and the arts. We also have many excursions, originally postponed, for our students to venture out and take part in learning activities in their local and wider landscape.

Our staff and students are eager for the future, but also aware of the need to recharge their batteries after an eventful Semester 1. Please enjoy your break to the fullest, stay safe, and we will welcome you back early July.

Kind Regards,
Myles McLean

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As semester one draws to a close, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the semester and make some goals for the rest of the year. Students are eagerly looking forward to receiving their reports and I would like to thank all our students and families for their hard work and support throughout this challenging semester. Please remember when looking at reports a ‘sound’ means that your child is on target to reach the achievement standard for their grade level this year. In other words, they are reaching the academic milestones expected of them.

One of our goals for next term is for our students to become more independent and resilient learners and we need your help! Gaining more independence is an important skill for all children to learn and a natural part of growing up. It is important for children to learn to do things for themselves including making decisions and taking on responsibility. There are many things you can do at home to help your children become more independent and confident individuals.

Depending on the age of your child and how dependable and focused he/she can be, these are some activities for your child to learn to do independently.

Complete homework and put it in his/her school bag
Pack lunch and put in school bag
Tidy up toys/bedroom
Keep track of important dates, school tests and excursions
Set the table, pack the dishwasher or wash the dishes

Here are some tips to encourage independence in children.

Teach life skills – get them to help with age appropriate chores around the house. Cleaning up after themselves, setting the table, cooking, etc.
Set goals – choose age appropriate goals in specific areas of their life.
Teach and re-teach – show your children how to do something and then encourage them to try, if they get it wrong don’t worry about it just show them again and encourage them to improve each time.
Let go of perfection – it’s okay if the things they do aren’t perfect the first time or even the second. It’s more important that they are trying to do the task on their own.
Praise accomplishments – When your child does learn something new or accomplish a task on their own make sure you praise them for their achievement.

As children get older, they can manage more and more tasks and decisions on their own. Some children are confident in trying new things, while others need a bit more encouragement. Finding the right level of support can be tricky, you are trying to challenge them to try new things while they still feel secure and know that they have adult support. While it can be a big change for both parents and children it is one that pays off as a child’s self-confidence, maturity and resilience grows.

Kind Regards,
Mrs Nicole Scriven

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

Dear parents and guardians,

With increasing time spent online, children have easy access to many social networking sites. Understanding internet dangers can assist you in supporting your child in staying safe online. Many parents have trouble navigating the internet whilst children are capable of signing up for social media, accessing inappropriate content and watching restricted videos. Children can also be exposed to unsafe downloads/viruses, cyberbullying and online sexual predators. This does not mean that we should stop our children from using the internet; rather we should teach them how to be cyber safe. This can be done in the following ways:

Advise them to never talk to strangers on the internet
Limiting the amount of time they are allowed to use the internet
Keep internet usage to public spaces (e.g. living room) and on shared devices
Choosing ‘child safety’ options
Monitoring their internet usage
Adhering to the age guidelines of social media.

One of the most effective ways of deterring concerning internet behaviour is through explaining the dangers of internet usage: what things are considered safe in comparison to what things are considered harmful. Through explaining this to the children, they can make conscious choices and self-regulate their behaviour rather than being expected to just listen and obey.

Kind Regards,
Zina Almufti

CAR PARK SAFETY

Dear Parent/Caregiver,

In an effort to improve the safety of the school car park, we have implemented additional safety procedures.

We have requested that parents:

use the Kiss and Drop only for morning drop off
park their car in the parent/visitor car park spaces after school
walk over to the pedestrian crossing and safely collect their child

A useful way to recall the information above is to remember 3 P’s when collecting your child after school - park, pick up and pedestrian crossing.

Parents must Park their car and Pick up at the Pedestrian crossing.

Please note that more cones/bollards will be added to prevent vehicles from parking at the kiss and drop zone. They will also be placed in the loading bay to ensure drivers are not reversing over the pedestrian crossing. Please also note that the Disabled Parking is only for those who have a permit displayed.

Please refer to the diagram of the school car park, showing the relevant parking areas and no standing zones.

Additional staff have also been delegated to monitor the area.

We appreciate your continued cooperation, patience and understanding in regards to this matter. Thank you for prioritizing safety when using the school car park.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Dear Parent/Caregiver,

Please take note of the following upcoming dates:

Friday 26 June:
Last day of school for Term 2
Final day to submit poster for Refugee Week
Pyjama Day

Tuesday 21 July
First day of Term 3

Kind Regards,
Front Office Staff

Library

Book Fairs next term at Pinnacle College

Due to the Covid-19 situation, we cannot have parents on site for the Book Fairs in term 3. We will still have the Book Fairs as I believe it is important for everyone to have their own books. This may be re-evaluated closer to the dates.

The book fairs are scheduled as follows

Gilles Plains 04/08/2020 – 10/08/2020
Golden Grove 18/08/2020 – 22/08/2020

Primary Students:

Each primary class will visit the book fair as a class
Each student will be given a wish list
The student fills out the wish list
Student takes wish list home
Parents pay online or sends money back to school WITH wish list
Wish list gets returned to Book Fair coordinators
Coordinators will then provide the books to the students

Secondary Students:

Students can organise a time with the Coordinators a time that best suits them to purchase from the book fair
Classes could organise a visit with their teachers
The student fills out the wish list
Student takes wish list home
Parents pay online or sends money back to school WITH wish list
Wish list gets returned to Book fair coordinators
We then provide the books to the students

We may also provide live videos available to families of the books when they arrive.

Thank you for your understanding

Book Week 2020

Book Week theme this year is Curious Creatures Wild Minds

Even though the official Book week is in Term 4, we will still be celebrating it in the third week of August. Some fantastic shortlisted books are currently in the library. If the students borrow any, please review and return them back to the library. I would love to know what OUR students think of the books.

Kind Regards,
Lisa Preston
Librarian Golden Grove and Gilles Plains

PASTORAL CARE

Dear Parents

In term 2, our year 9 Pastoral Care girls participated in fun after-school programs. These consisted of study sessions and activities. The girls had fun participating in the following activities: sport games, cooking spaghetti, and creating tie-dye shirts.

Thank you Ms Mongul for helping us make the tie-dye shirts!

Extra study sessions held for year 9 girls (after school and on the weekend) before the semester exams. Year 9 girls also celebrated the birthdays of the students who had birthdays in semester 1.

Kind Regards,
Ayse Aslan
Girls Pastoral Care Teacher

LOTE - Arabic

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

We are at the end of another term! What a busy term it has been!

This term we have had some amazing new challenges we explored:

Year 1 class The focus was pronouncing and writing Arabic the alphabet with short vowels. The students are learning how to join letters to make words. At this stage we are learning to read three letter words with short vowels and understand the nature of how letters join together. We also learnt the names of the animals in Arabic.

Year 2 class Students learnt to combine double vowels and long vowels in their reading and can apply some simple grammar. For example moon and sun letters, Tanween, Shaddah and Skoon. We also focused on reading this helped with increasing the students’ comprehension skills by learning the meaning of the words. Students also had fun learning the names of the animals in Arabic.

Year 3|4 class Students continued with their topics from (learn Arabic book) with a focus on reading and building sentences. The focus was 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. In addition to, some Arabic grammar such as:

Masculine and feminine.
Pronouns and nouns.
Past, present and command verbs.

The class had a project to design a poster about their family and then presented it in the class.

Year 5|6 The class had an Arabic project about “Ramadan”, the students had to write an essay about Ramadan then presented it in front of the class. This is combined with reading of textbook topics, with an emphasis on comprehension. Furthermore, the class focused on some Arabic grammar such as:

1st, 2nd and 3rd person pronouns.
Possessive pronouns.
Masculine & feminine forms of speech.
Past, present and command verbs.
Singular and plural nouns.

Year 7 The main focus was 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 have an Arabic project about “Ramadan” to expand their writing skills and build correct structure sentences.

Year 8/9 The main focus was 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 have an Arabic project about “the online learning” to expand their writing skills and build correct structure sentences.

We appreciate the efforts of the parents and their cooperation in helping us build and strengthen our children’s connection with the Arabic language.

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln

Warm Regards,
Soheir Habib
LOTE Teacher

FOUNDATION – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents,

Wow! This term went by so quickly. What a busy and productive term our class has had! Many children in our class have made large improvements this term with their Literacy and Numeracy skills.

We have learnt most single sounds and we are continuing to read and write simple sentences. We have also had a strong focus on sight words and children are using their knowledge to begin reading and writing independently.

This term in Numeracy we have been learning numbers from 0-20, concentrating on counting, number formation, missing numbers and numbers that are ‘before’ and ‘after’ The children have thoroughly enjoyed hands-on activities using concrete materials. We covered the topic of Time. Children loved sequencing daily events as well as experimenting with clocks. We can now tell the time by the hour! The children are now learning about 3D shapes and enjoying all the songs and learning experiences we have on offer.

Over the holiday period, please ensure you continue to listen to your child reading, this will continue to help with their English speaking skills but also their reading skills. Also encourage children to revise sounds, blend and write simple words and sentences as well as practising their tricky words. I wish you all a happy and safe holiday and will see you all back at Pinnacle College next term.

Thank you for all your ongoing support!

Kindest Regards,
Mrs Vokolos

YEAR 1 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

I can’t believe we are already halfway through the year and have reached the end of term 2!

One of the many highlights this term was creating our amazing paper mache planets. Students designed their planet by drawing what shape, colours and features their planet had and then they began their paper mache process. Experimenting with a variety of materials, techniques and processes has helped us develop our fine motor skills and ability to communicate our ideas through artwork. This also allowed us to consolidate our understanding of observable changes that occur in the sky in Science.

In English, students worked hard to write a basic narrative with a sizzling start. Students learnt how to start their story with a sound and write a tightening tension to captivate the reader. All students tried their best to include adjectives and verbs to enrich their writing. We are all still practising to remember capital letters and full stops to make sure our sentences make sense.

In Mathematics, students enjoyed going on a walk to the canteen to help them understand how to give and follow directions using appropriate vocabulary. We counted how many turns we made and discussed which routes were shorter. Students also learnt how to measure different objects using informal measurements and had fun measuring each other's fingers using unifix cubes.

I am happy with students' efforts and achievements in Semester 1. It is really important going into Semester 2 that you continue to support your child’s learning. During the holidays, please help your child read, write, practise their tricky words and complete Reading Eggs and Math Seeds activities online.

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and restful break.

Kindest Regards,
Miss Di Cola

Gallery Title: Year 1

YEAR 2 - GOLDEN GROVE

Hi parents!

Term 2 has flown by!! The students have shown a lot of maturity this term, and it is great to watch them grow into confident, independent learners.

In Numeracy, the students have shown some fantastic addition and subtraction knowledge. I introduced the column method to the students using carrying and borrowing, and I was amazed at how quickly they picked it up. We have started to look at fractions (halves, thirds, quarters and eighths) and how to work out a fraction of a number. We made some yummy looking ice cream fraction sundaes and explored further using m&ms. Next semester, we will be looking at multiplication and division so it will be very handy if over the holidays, you can start practising the 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s timetables!

Their information reports for Literacy have been amazing! I have been so impressed with each and every single one of the students. They have researched their own facts and turned these scribbled down dot points into reports that are above the Year 2 achievement standards! From cobra snakes to gentoo penguins, the students have been using comparative language and descriptive language creatively. Well done! We have been working hard on our reading comprehension this term too and I am seeing results in the students by moving up multiple reading levels. Please continue to read every night with your child, 20 mins at the minimum!

We had a fantastic incursion last week. Cheryl, from Food Central Tours from the Adelaide Central Market, visited us to talk and introduce children to different Asian cultures. We focussed on Japan and the students were able to try lots of different foods. They tried seaweed, dragon fruit juice, miso soup and sushi making! We also dressed up in traditional Japanese school uniforms, and discussed why and what we would prefer to wear.

During the holidays, please ensure your child is catching up on Reading Eggs and Mathseeds. Some students are a little behind where they should be and you may have received a message from me letting you know what level they are at. Although the shortest term, it has felt like the longest!! We all deserve a safe and happy break! See you in Term 3!

Kindest Regards,
Mrs Rees

YEAR 3 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This term has been challenging for all of us in a number of ways. I think everyone is due for a lovely break with lots of outdoor play and exercise (regardless of the weather).

The students in Year 3 at Golden Grove have done an amazing job of being adaptable to the many variations to their routines. They have gone from online learning to half the class in the classroom and half in a Zoom meeting and finally to everyone back at school. The stress of this has taken a toll on student’s ability to bounce back from little annoyances and small things can become overwhelming. Many adults will be feeling this too, it is important that we recognise and acknowledge it and try to build ourselves up by doing things that we find relaxing. Hiking, gardening, walking around the block, having a family movie night are all lovely ways to de-stress and find connection with our nearest and dearest.

We have spent the term learning about states of matter in Science. We have read and written poetry and procedural texts in English. We have investigated number patterns, 2D shapes, length and area and chance and chance experiments in Maths.

We are always working on our times table goals and each student is working towards their own individual goal in this area. Please help them practise when you are driving around in the car, waiting in line or any other time that presents itself. Immediate recollection of multiplication table facts is invaluable for problem solving in higher levels of education.

Reading is a priority as well, students need to be reading at home everyday and recording it in their reading journal. Each student who records 4 nights of reading by Friday when I check reading journals is awarded a Mysis point. Please read with and to your child as much as you are able, at all times but especially over the holiday period.

Thank you all for the trust you place in me each week to work with and care for your child, each one of them is a truly amazing human.

Kind Regards,
Kylie Burton

YEAR 4 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents,

Since our last newsletter, the Year 4s have been busy learning about ‘World Explorers’ across several subjects, including English, HASS and Art. We each wrote a biography detailing the important events and achievements in the life of a famous world explorer, such as Captain Cook, Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus. We then created timelines depicting this information in a succinct, visual format and even made videos using the PuppetPals app (please visit our Seesaw to view them; they really are a treat!).

In Science, we conducted an experiment on forces by observing the effects of force on distance and speed. Using a matchbox and a rubber band, we learnt that the more force, or ‘power’, you apply to an object, the further and faster it goes. Most of us predicted this would happen, but it was fun to see Science in action!

In Maths, we have completed our unit on ‘Chance’ and moved on to ‘Written Subtraction Strategies’. Students are encouraged to continue practising this topic at home, as some found the concepts of ‘borrowing’ and place value quite confusing. As always, students should also revise their times table on a regular basis (so far, we have covered: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10). This knowledge will be vital when we learn about written multiplication strategies next term.

Warm regards,
Miss Mubarak

YEAR 5 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

In Literacy, the students have covered a range of text types this term and have focused on analysis in the recent text, Boy Overboard. We delved deep into the story looking at the roles and importance of characters, the major events and plot twists, and how an author engages a reader in a real ‘page turner’. Students then took their favourite event and, using comic conventions, recreated it as a detailed visual medium.

In Numeracy, we have been working on collecting and representing data – students have been exploring the concepts of categorical and numerical data and used various types of charts and graphs to represent their data. We have also participated in challenges using multiples and factors – which was a great way to incorporate hands on learning and work together.

In HASS, we have completed our unit on migration and the gold rush. Students have found it exciting learning about the different groups of people that migrated to Australia for various reasons and settled for a better future. We have learnt to appreciate Australia’s history more!

In Science, we have been learning about the three different states of matter; solids, liquids and gases. Throughout this term we have been exploring the different properties of each matter and analysed how they behave when a component is changed. Recently, we also tried a “sugar crystals” experiment to see what happens when a solid & liquid is mixed – hoping to see how the solution evaporates and gives us sugar crystals in the end *fingers crossed*.

Have a safe & wonderful holiday with your friends & family!

We can’t wait to see you back in Semester 2!

Kind Regards,
Year 5 Teacher

YEAR 6 – GOLDEN GROVE

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

In Literacy, the Year 6 students have extended their knowledge of narratives and the 7 Steps to Writing Success by creating a narrative with set conditions and some freedoms. Students chose 1 of 2 options and then used their creative power to engage the reader, all the while creating tension that led to an exciting ending. As a reward for their hard work, myself and Sawafta worked with them to have a pizza party with ‘couch comfy’ attire. It was such a pleasure for us all to celebrate our hard work and enjoy our peers’ company. We look forward to many more challenges and rewards for the rest of the year.

In Art, The Year 6 students have continued to look at abstract artists and artwork. We have looked at Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism. The students have enjoyed exploring action painting and expressing mood and emotion through movement and colour.

The past few weeks in Numeracy have been focused on ‘Number and Place Value’, where we have been exploring various ways to extend our written and mental strategies with the basic numerical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). This week we explored the properties of square and triangular numbers – it has been fascinating seeing the students discover patterns and work collaboratively – well done!

In Science, we are finalising our topic on ‘irreversible vs reversible’ changes and it has been captivating learning about the different properties each state of matter has and how it can be changed. It has been wonderful to see students engaged and eager for our lessons this term!

In Geography, students have been busy learning about continents, countries and cities. Students have been busy completing their ‘Studies of Asia’ assignment, where they chose an Asian country and researched the global connections, culture, flora and fauna, food, religion, poverty, agriculture and socio-economical aspects of the selected regions. The overall work has been fascinating and collectively, I feel we have attained so much knowledge!

Have a safe & wonderful holiday with your friends & family!
We can’t wait to see you back in Semester 2!

Kind Regards,
Year 6 Teachers.

YEAR 7– GOLDEN GROVE

In HPE this term, students have been learning and participating in table tennis. Students have learnt how to serve, mastered the forehand and backhand push and some have even successfully attempted the skill of a smash. Students have learnt the basic rules and have played in a doubles tournament with great improvement and confidence. The girls have demonstrated enthusiasm and refinement of skill over the last 4 weeks. Keep up the good work girls!

In Art we have continued to be inspired by indigenous artworks. Over the last couple of weeks we have focused on collaborative works produced by artists from Aboriginal art centres around Australia and the Torres Strait. Collaborative works of art are common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aboriginal art centres are important in sustaining culture, stories and languages. Many students have been inspired by ‘Ghost Nets from the Ocean’ created by the Erub Arts Collaborative. These works consist of woven sculptures made by artists from Darnley in the Torres strait. Artists have transformed abandoned fishing nets to create dynamic installations featuring marine animals and environments. Many of our students have been using nylon rope fibre to to create their own marine sculptures.

In Science this term students continued to explore Biological Sciences, learning about ecosystems and continued to develop their scientific skills. Using their knowledge of the scientific method and plant biology, students worked in pairs to investigate the impact that different environmental conditions have on the germination of seeds. This opportunity allowed students to develop more sophisticated scientific reporting skills which are essential for the subject. Several of our year 7 girls also participated in the recent “Big Science Competition” organised by Australian Science Innovations. This is a nationwide competition, with results expected to be finalised by term 3. Well done and good luck to all who participated!

In Creative Digital Media, students have been participating in a 6 week Webinar "Using Technology Better Challenge". Each week our webinar hosts have introduced 2 new ways to use technology. Students have formed teams and choosen a UN Sustainable Goal to base a media artwork or animation on. Some of the technologies we have been introduced to this term include; PowerPoint, Google Whiteboard and Pix, Video Editor, Paint 3D, Sway, Google Forms and Fresh Paint. It was fantastic getting introduced to these programs and learning how to use them better. We look forward to unpacking some of these skills next Semester.

Kind regards,
Miss Molly Affolter, Mrs Mungall & Mrs Maik
Year 7 Teachers

YEAR 8 – GOLDEN GROVE

In Art, the Year 8 students have continued to look at Cubism. Students have transformed still-life artworks into collaborative, cubist works of art. Students have worked with their peers to shatter and then share their images. They have reconstructed their artworks to combine the different viewpoints into one artwork. The students have come up with some very unique compositions. The Year 8s have also been busy creating an artwork inspired by the portrait collages they created earlier in the term.

In Science students have been learning about the functions and roles of human body systems, primarily focusing on the circulatory, respiratory, digestive and excretory systems. Assessments included producing models of the systems explored, whilst students were also given the opportunity to complete dissections of the heart and kidney to further consolidate their knowledge.

Some of our year 8 girls also had the opportunity to participate in the recent “Big Science Competition” organised by Australian Science Innovations. The annual competition challenges students from years 7 to 10, tracking their performance against state and national averages, with competition questions aligned to the Australian Science Curriculum. Whilst we are still eagerly awaiting the results, students will receive a certificate indicating their performance and those who perform well may be identified by the Australian Science Innovations for participation in enrichment programs such as the Australian Science Olympiads and Curious Minds – girls in STEM. Well done and good luck to our competition entrants!

Kind regards,
Mrs Mungall & Mrs Maik
Year 8 Teachers

YEAR 9 – GOLDEN GROVE

In English, the Year 9 students are getting prepared for exams. There are topic reviews from term 1 content, spelling, grammar and punctuation practice and revision of the Deadly, Unna novel concepts occurring in class. Students have created and are utilising their ‘persuasive technique’ cue cards and are practicing narrative writing from prompts. The students have shown a great commitment to their studies and learning. Good luck for your exams girls! I believe you are well prepared.

In Drama, Year 8 and 9 students have been scripting, directing and producing their very own soap opera. A soap opera or soap, is a serial drama that examines the lives of many characters, usually focusing on emotional relationships to the point of melodrama. The plot is typically sensational and designed to appeal strongly to the emotions. The characters often appear stereotyped. Students have had a lot of fun really trying to dramatise each scene. We have incorporated background music, sound effects and many camera angles to create maximum dramatic effect.

In Science students have been further developing their knowledge and understanding of the human body systems that were introduced last year. New systems explored included the nervous, endocrine and immune systems, in addition to further exploration of exchange surfaces in the body. Assessments included producing models of the systems, whilst students also had the opportunity to complete relevant dissections.

Kind regards,
Mrs Aslan, Miss Molly, Mrs Mungall & Mrs Maik
Year 9 Teachers

Primary – ART CLUB

Art Club has had a productive end of Semester. Over the last couple of weeks we have experimented with oil pastels and paint. We have used pastels to create beautiful moonlit landscapes. We have been crafty and painted terracotta pots to look like delicious fruit and we are decorating stones to share messages of kindness and positivity with friends and loved ones. It has been a pleasure teaching the Art Club in Semester 1. I look forward to a new Semester of Art Club beginning in Term 3. If you are interested in joining Art Club please be sure to sign up early as places are limited and fill up fast. Thank you to all the creative and crafty students who dedicated their lunchtimes on Thursdays to working together, encouraging others and learning new skills.

Kind regards,
Mrs Mungall

FOUNDATION – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents,Caregivers and students,

Since our last newsletter, our Foundation students have been very busy learning and enjoying some exciting topics, as well as welcoming our new student Ayra Asad Sheikh. I hope you have enjoyed your time at Pinnacle College so far!

In Numeracy this term, we have been learning about counting to 20 and using vocabulary such as ‘more’ and ‘less’. We have also found some fun songs to listen to and join in on, to help us with learning the days of the week, where we then also started looking at what makes each of the days of the week different. Currently, we are learning about 3D shapes. Students are enjoying this topic, as it is hands-on.

In Literacy, students are progressing well with their cvc words and tricky words. Students have a better understanding now of how our lessons run and always look forward to the white board activities, meeting a new character with it’s new letter, as well as our various activities. I am very pleased with the progress students are putting in with learning their sounds and new words, so keep it up!

Thank you parents for all your support in helping us get through this bumpy term. Your continual attention to your child’s reading, homework and general support, has been much appreciated. Please continue with reading to your child and revising the taught sounds and words for a strong start next term. Please enjoy the upcoming holidays and I look forward to working with you and your child again in Semester 2.

Kind Regards
Miss Victoria Makowiak

YEAR 1 – GILLES PLAINS

Well another term is almost over and hard to believe, but with it also comes the end of Semester 1. Students are now at the halfway mark in their Year 1 learning journey and it has been wonderful to see the progress everyone is making.

Recently, students have been learning that they only have about seven seconds to grab a reader’s attention and therefore need to begin their writing with a ‘sizzling start’. Sizzling starts can take on many different forms but we have closely looked at using humour and sound. I would love to share some of the wonderful sizzling starts that begin with a sound that some students came up with:

GRRRR! I heard the noise as I went through the gate. – Faraj
Splash! I hit the water at 10km per hour. – Nasrin
Wooosh! The water flowed through the house. – Zamira
Bang! The thunder scared me in my sleep. – Ali
Crash! Went the plates as they fell on the floor. – Yasmina

Our Art lessons that link with our Science curriculum have seen Year 1 create some wonderful pieces. A favourite has definitely been creating a rocket painting on canvas. This was a process that has taken a few weeks but I’m sure you’ll agree that the finished products are ‘out of this world’!

Finally, with all the important learning and busyness of school this term, I hope students take the opportunity to enjoy some downtime over the holidays and come back to Term 3 ready for new challenges. Keep reading, stay safe and have fun!

Kind regards,
Mrs Sandra Holland

YEAR 2 – GILLES PLAINS

"konnichiwa" from the Year 2 classroom. The students have been jet-setting around the world this term as they learn more about the continent and individual countries that contribute to the diversity of Asia. Last Thursday the students visited the Golden Grove Campus to participate in the Central Market Japanese Cultural Experience. The students enjoyed wearing replica clothing and participating in experiences like learning how to use chopsticks and sushi making. Taste buds were set alight with new flavours as they tried japanese cookies, edamame soy beans and miso soup, and the students showed their creativity by creating cherry blossom pictures.

In Literacy, we have moved to the publishing phase of our Animal Reports and some of us have been able to record ourselves reading our report to Seesaw. The students have become experts at using keywords to research true facts on the internet using reliable and safe sources. This knowledge has helped them to complete their passport of Asia and learn many new and true facts about our neighbouring countries.

This term we spent a lot of time learning written strategies for addition and subtraction with regrouping. I encourage all students to continue to make use of the Mathseeds website over the term break to strengthen mental strategies for getting to 10 and doubles. We have also explored fractions of a shape and, or the first time, fractions of a group The students enjoyed learning about fractions as part of a group by participating in a fun with fractions M&Ms’ lesson.

FInally, the Year 2 students have all become experts on ‘Mixtures’ during our term long unit of work. In recent weeks we have been conducting investigations like real scientists by making hypotheses first, recording our observations using journal entries and labelled diagrams and comparing our findings with others. The students were mini-teachers by finding mixtures in their homes and sharing scientific videos with us for Show and Tell.

It’s hard to believe that we have reached the end of another fun filled term. I wish all families a safe and happy break and look forward to seeing you all in Term 3.

Warm regards
Miss Bianca Villani

YEAR 3 – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents and Carers,

How time flies, I can’t believe we are at the halfway point of our learning journey in year 3! It was great chatting to you all about your child’s progress so far in their learning during our parent-teacher phone interviews.

You will be receiving your child’s report soon and I would like to remind you that if your child receives a C grade, then please celebrate with them and share in their success, as a C grade is exactly where they should be!

One of the highlights this term was creating our Superheroes for Media Arts and Drama. Students designed their Superheroes earlier this term, giving them a name, a special ability and a weakness. We learnt about different camera shot types and created a storyboard for our Superhero segment. Most students have finished making their costumes and we will be filming our segment in the last week of school. Stay tuned to see the finished Superhero segments next Term.

In Literacy, students have done a wonderful job writing procedure texts and I am very proud of all of their efforts. They enjoyed writing the procedure “How to Wash Your Hands.” Students thoroughly enjoyed this task, since they have been washing their hands religiously throughout the day for the past term!

In Mathematics, we have been focusing on chance and probability. We have been creating chance continuums and sorting scenarios using the vocabulary of chance; unlikely, even chance, likely, and certain. Students have thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experiences in the topic so far and they are very excited to continue next week, where they will be conducting chance experiments in the classroom.

I would also like to commend the efforts of the year 3 students, for doing a fantastic job hosting the very special Refugee Week Assembly on Friday the 19th of June. Well done!

Have a safe and wonderful break with your family. Please continue to support your child in the lead up to next term. I look forward to working with you and your child in Semester 2.

Kind Regards,

Kind regards,
Miss Kerry

YEAR 4 – GILLES PLAINS

Dear Parents,

It has come to the end of another eventful term. We have just completed our unit on Autobiographies and the students did a wonderful job. I got to hear all their baby stories and listened to their hopes and dreams for the future. The autobiographies are now on the noticeboard in the classroom.

Next term, we will be doing narratives. I have already started on this text type, with them brainstorming words that describe a fire. This is an area the students are weak in, good vocabulary to enhance their writing. Reading will help them improve in this area.

During the holidays, students will have homework to consolidate what they have learnt in Term 1 and 2. When you receive their report, can you please celebrate their achievements and work with them to improve their reading skills? Once they are avid readers, literacy becomes easier. They have also borrowed a lot of books from the library to keep them busy during the holidays. So please make sure they are reading.

A few students took part in the Refugee Week Art competition. Their artwork was amazing! Let’s hope they win a prize.

Have a restful break and keep safe.

Kind regards,
Shalini Thilkan

Gallery Title: Year 4 - Gilles Plains

MUSIC

This term has been a creative and fun time for us all in Music lessons. The students have been challenged to think about different ways to create sounds or sound effects, sometimes using instruments, and sometimes using items around the room or from home.

Foundation students have been creating sounds for rain, thunder and sunshine, putting it all together to make a piece of music. Year 1 students have been learning how to control and change the sounds they are playing on an instrument. Year 2s have been identifying and playing instruments that shake, tap and scrape. The Year 3s have explored many sounds on found objects and how they compare to actual instruments. The Year 4s have really enjoyed the opportunity to create Music together in the style of Stomp. Year 5 and 6 students have been using iPads to compose their own song in a Blues style and are almost ready to perform.

Rehearsing, performing together and giving feedback to each other has been a wonderful time of valuing each other’s ideas and uniqueness as we learn to express ourselves through this creative medium.

Look for the instrument that Inisha made at home and brought in to show us at school!

“Music can cause:

Smiles
Optimism
Self-worth
Reduced depression
Improved health

Get a little music in YOUR life!”

Tracy Schache
Music Teacher