Halfway through Term 3!!!!

The weeks are flying by!! We have now added the third component to our Spelling so each child has a list of words for themselves. We were using the 'u' sound last week and looked at the many ways this sound is made. The children also have words from the 100 and 200 most used words lists. They also have 2 words from their own writing. Thank you to the parents who wanted clarification about these changes. I hope I was able to explain the rationale behind our schoolwide decision to make this change.
The children have been undertaking online testing. Their results have been amazing, with other staff commenting on these. They are adaptive tests so adjust for each child depending on their ability. The Maths Tests are 60 questions long! The children are showing high levels of concentration and perseverance. Well done!
The standard of homework has been high. Nathan's Timeline of his life was exemplary. Thank you for the work you are doing at home with your children. We have enjoyed the presentations on our Indigenous Australians Unit, very topical at the moment. The standard of presentations has been amazing and the children are teaching myself and each other so much. Frank popped in on Friday during Sienna's presentation. He returned with his iPad after recess. Frank's wife is going to work at a school in the Kimberley's region of Arnhem land for a month. Frank showed us photos of this school! It was amazing to see some similarities and differences between our school and their school.
The children continue to do a great job of their VIP week. Freya is up this week, a short week due to Curriculum Day on Friday. We are on Bins this week!
Well done to all children who went to Cross Country last Monday. Congratulations to Byron who goes onto the next level.
There will be a teachers versus students netball match on Monday. Better see if I can find Amy's old Lycra uniform or maybe my old skirt and hot pink tshirt!!! The senior children do enjoy taking us on!

Education week

With NAPLAN testing over, we are back to normal, as such!
Homework grids and revised spelling lists went home on Monday. The choir went to North Blackburn shops to sing yesterday. Today our classroom was open for Numeracy. We utilised the Level 3 iPads, made arrays with ourselves, played a Michael Ymer game then completed multiplication arrays using dice.
Reading groups are back on! One group enjoyed some Popcorn after reading about it. Another group performed a play.
After lunch we went to visit our damaged Chicken Coop and are writing about it. Last session was Mandarin. I used the time to change the passwords for the Premiers' Reading Challenge! The children will record these in their Diaries tomorrow.
Open Night is tomorrow 6pm - 8pm. Check out the Book Fair in the Library. We had a Book Look today.
We are enjoying our Unit on Indigenous People.  We visited www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/

Thank you!

Thanks so much to Emma, Daniel and Allan for coming along on Friday and cooking our burgers for our Hamburger party. I was so pleased to hear the children use their wonderful manners to these helpers.
Yesterday we completed the Naplan Language Conventions and Writing Tests. The children all worked well. We have just started the Reading Test and the silence is deafening, you could hear a pin drop!
Unfortunately, we have some colds and illness in our classroom this week and we are out of tissues! Also, as I don't close the door and have the windows open it might be an idea for the children to have layers on during the colder weather.
Hope you all had an enjoyable Mothers' Day.

Apologies and advance notice!

I do apologise for my absence on Friday! I left Miss Smith with the day planned, an outline of which she wrote up on the whiteboard, a very organized and motivated pre-service teacher!!! The children and will miss her after this coming week.
We thought as a means to bid Miss Smith farewell and to thank her for her fantastic work, we would cook hamburgers at school for lunch on Friday! Despite McDonaldsbeing just up the road and Josh possibly being at work there, I just could not do that option!! Instead, I plan to purchase burgers from Scott the butcher and the other ingredients from the Kerrimuir shops. Please let me know if I need to provide a vegetarian option. I am thinking lettuce, cheese and tomato but can also have beet root if any child particularly likes it. I will check with Shanti regarding what might be growing in the school veggie patch that could go on our burger and we could gather some eggs from the school's chooks!
I'll need to check with Mel regarding the school's barbecue and would love some parent helpers if anyone is free. A note in your child's Diary would be great or please send me an email!!

Don't forget tomorrow is the Mothers' Day stall and that there is Cross Country Training for those children who were selected in the team.
Disappointed that the Hockey Gala Day was cancelled but looking forward to some clinics to be held at our school.

Is anyone interested in being a Box Hill Hawks Mascot??? Details were in the newsletter but the response has not been great. I reckon Zac, Nathan or Vishay would be keen!!!

The children have enjoyed learning about Naplan tests. We have planned to have more Naplan experience this week.