Thoughts from the Chatsworth Primary Hallway

This week as I wandered the hallways and classrooms and chatted to students as the days ended, I realise that our students are happy and are enjoying their learning.  A year six student, when asked how was her day replied "Great Mr Gauci!". Having fun and enjoying being at school means that the children are developing a love for learning because it is pleasurable. This week I spotted the Kindergarten children enjoying "Wet Wednesday",  lots of writing lessons in JY and EY, as well as reading during D.E.A.R time. Swimming lessons have begun in the JY section of the school, a refreshing break during these hot days. This week we also met many of you at our EY and JY Orientation evenings.  Is was a pleasure to see and meet so many of you on Wednesday and Thursday. These nights give you a small insight into your child's experience at school.  Teachers were excited at your visit, and many of you shared with me how great it was to spend time with your child's teacher.  If you missed out on the event, the presentations are attached to the bottom of this blog.

Thank you all for your support.

Some snaps of the week:

Mario Gauci

Head of Primary

Perspectives from the PYP Coordinator

Collaborative planning meetings are a time for teachers to meet in their year level teams with single subject teachers and the Primary Years Programme Coordinator. We share recent student discoveries, develop provocations, brainstorm ways to extend learning further and discuss the unit connections with mathematics and language. These meetings are exciting and challenging. They require all of us to find creative ways to help our students learn. After each meeting, I return to the office and share that excitement with Mr. Gauci. He and I then discuss ways to further our thinking but mostly we get excited about the wonderful teaching staff we are working with. They are dedicated, always seeking ways to develop their practice further and eager to support each individual student. I am sure you saw this at Parent Orientation. We all are here to nurture your children and share in developing them into responsible global citizens.

Kim Riemer

Assistant Head of Primary

PYP Coordinator

Week 3 of Primary Weekly Correspondence

Primary	Parent Handbook The 2015-2016 parent Handbook is now available on the Parent Information page on our website.  Please click here. Orientation Evenings If you missed the Orientation Evenings this week here are the presentations: EY Parent Orientation Presentation JY Parent Orientation Presentation Class Websites Class websites are being launched today. Your child’s homeroom teachers will be sharing the link to their class sites with you. Please ensure to bookmark it and refer to it every Friday for updates from now on. House Event - 4th September Friday 4th September is the first House Event of the year. The event is a cup stacking house relay during assembly time (2.45 - 3.30) run by the house captains. Children can wear their house colours all day! Polling Day - 11th September 2015 Letter from the Head of School here. Emerald Hill Art Walk for Parents Parents and family are welcome to join the Emerald Hill Art walk September 7-10 during your child’s art class. As school is closed Friday 11, Year 5 will have their excursion the following Friday 18 September
Library	The library will be closed from Sept 7-10 due to school photos. The reason for this is the expensive, and potentially dangerous equipment that will be set up in the library. To avoid costly accidents, students will not be borrowing books during this week. Our apologies for this inconvenience.
CCA/ECA	Year 4-6 Swim Team tryouts will be in early September and a letter will be given out during P.E to students who are interested in trying out.  Ms. Belva and Mr. Sharp CCAs/ECAs online registration will close on Sunday 30th August at 7.00pm. Confirmation email for CCA to come. ECA providers to start contacting parents and finalise registration

Thoughts from the Chatsworth Primary Hallway

"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."

- Sydney J. Harris

The school year has begun, and we have completed our first full week.  The homeroom teachers and single subject teachers have developed a classroom essential agreement and established routines. Teachers and students have spent time getting to know each other to begin to develop some rapport. Classes started their first unit of inquiry, so there is much excitement in the air as the students begin investigating and inquiring into their areas of interest. The playground is a buzz of excitement during play times with the basketball court available as well as the new blackboards that children are free to use.  The change in the timetable has meant that the primary students have all the play areas to themselves during these play times. On Friday afternoon Y3.1 (Mrs Withington) class prepared our first school assembly on identifying heroes which ended the week on a high note.

Week two promises to be just as exciting as this first week.  On Wednesday 26th August (for Early Years students K1- Y2) and Thursday 27th August (for Junior Years students Y3 - Y6) from 6:00pm to 7:00pm there will be an evening parent orientation for all families in the Main Hall. Information regarding this event is in the parent handbook which is available on the school website. This evening includes valuable information about school policies and procedures, a presentation by your child’s teacher about classroom procedures and events, and an introduction to the Primary Years Programme by the Primary Leadership Team. I look forward to seeing you there.

A few snaps of the week:

Mario Gauci
Head of Primary

Notes from PYP Coordinator

As the new IBPYP Coordinator and Assistant Head of Primary, my job is about working collaboratively in planning the delivery of the PYP in all curriculums areas. I have been in classrooms this week introducing myself to the students. I describe my job as getting to work with their teachers planning cool ways to help them inquire. All of us in our Chatsworth community are part of that collaborative spirit to support student learning and inquiry.

As we embark on new ways to involve parents in our program, I want you to have a chance to review our new Programme of Inquiry. This inquiry is the context we use for students to explore global significant issues through central ideas relevant to a particular transdiciplinary theme. If you see places where you might be involved in our program as a guest speaker or in any other way, please let me know.

If you have any books, clothes or hats you are getting rid of, please think of donating them to our Early Years classrooms for our dress-up corners.

Kim Riemer

Assistant Head of Primary

PYP Coordinator

Week 2 of Primary Weekly Correspondence

Here is the following correspondence from Primary Office this week;

Primary Correspondence

Primary	Evening Parents Orientation 26th August (K1-Y2) & 27th August (Y3-Y6). RSVP here. More details here. Please be reminded that the Lost and Found shelf is cleared on the first Friday of the month. P.E . SWIMMING to start for Year 4 on Friday 28th August. Year 5  to start Wednesday 26th August Year 6 to start Thursday 27th August
Sports	U9 Football Team - trials will be held for Year 3 and Year 4 children on Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th at 12pm on the Astroturf. Two teams will be selected to represent Chatsworth in the ACSIS League. All league games will be played off campus, one day (TBC) a week, after school. Mrs Tonkin will send further information to the players selected by 4th September. 10 and under (year 5) Netball Trials and training to start Wednesday lunchtime 12.30 sports hall. Keen students will be invited to train on Tuesday 3.30-4.30pm 11 and under Yr5 & Yr6 Netball will do trials and training Tuesdays 3.30-4.30pm starting 15th September
CCA/ECA	Come and get to know our 14 providers with activities for all ages from K1 to Yr6 at the ‘ECA Meet and Greet session’ in the Sports Hall from 3.45pm to 4.30pm on Friday 28th August 2015. (Please follow this link to sign up) There will be no CCA/ECA on the following dates: Thursday 24th and Friday 25th Sept (our campus will be closed for Hari Raya and teacher training) Mid Term Break Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th Nov (our campus will be closed for Deepavali and teacher training)

Thoughts from the Chatsworth Primary Hallway

“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb

Welcome new and returning students and parents to the 2015-2016 school year.  What an exciting feel the school has when you can hear the sounds of children in the classrooms and corridors.  The school came alive this week as the children began their new school year. New teachers, friends, classrooms and environments is met with enthusiasm, as well as excitement on seeing old friends and favourite teachers!  Lots of happy faces and friendly smiles everywhere.

We welcome new teachers to the Primary School Team:

 

Ms Gia - K2 Ms Williams - K2 Ms Brysa - Y1

 

Ms Belva -Y2             Ms Taylor - Y3                   Mr Rive -Y5

                                                Ms Smyth -Y6           Ms Wani - Primary Office

Mario Gauci
Head of primary