Issuu

Issue 3 / 6 March 2015

Junior School Bulletin

Junior School News I had a lovely morning in the Prep classes recently and was able to participate with the students in their learning activities. In the first room I visited, the students were sorting and classifying. Sorting and classifying objects promotes logical thinking and the application of rules. It teaches students about the relationships that exist between different objects. In the second room, the students were creating numbers out of playdough. This practice of heightening self-awareness to the form of the number by creating it with play dough, helps them to remember the shape of this number. The students were also asked to put the number of apples on the apple tree to represent the number they were modelling. This teaches the children the relationship between the number’s form and what it represents.

Last Friday’s swim carnival was an outstanding success that saw Binging win for the third year in a row. Wardjam put up a great fight and it came down to the relays at the end of the day to determine the winner. Congratulations to the students who were age champions on the day. It is very evident that these students have worked very hard to become accomplished swimmers. What impressed me most throughout the whole day was the level of sportsmanship shown by the students. One event in particular was the 11 years Boys Freestyle Final. It was a very close race and there was only a fingernail separating first and second. The boy who came second reached over the lane rope and congratulated the boy who came first - exemplifying the sort of character we strive to develop at St Andrews.

Last Tuesday we held the first Mufti Day for 2015. The focus was on ‘Welcoming the Stranger’, that is welcoming the person who comes to our country from a background different to our own. The day raised $1463 to go towards the Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) efforts to support refugees globally.

The third group was working on sentence structure and reading. They were asked to finish off this sentence “I went to the ....” One of the students suggested “beach”. The teacher asked the children to act out what this might look like. This was an important step, because it allowed the students to relate the written word to what it represents. Later the same group were looking at the letter “t” and identifying words that contain the letter t and reading them in context. It was great to see all of the students engaged in their learning and the teachers setting foundation level tasks that will move them onto the next stage of their learning.

Darrin Schumacher Head of Junior School darrins@salc.qld.edu.au

From the Deputy Head of Junior School (P - 3) Words Their Way How exciting it is to see the way the students are engaging with our new word study program, Words Their Way. This program enables students to work on an individualised learning pathway, based on their current phase of spelling development. One of the special aspects of the program is that teachers and students are having rich conversations about our English language and how it works …. we are all learners together, and I suspect many parents are also learning new ways of understanding “spelling” when their children are doing Word Sorts for homework. We are truly building a “Learning Community.” Word Sorts are at the heart of this approach to word study. Word Sorts help students make sense of words as they categorise words into groups of words with similar spelling patterns, or with similar sounds. (There can be a difference!!) It is an active process that includes higher order thinking skills such as searching, comparing, contrasting and analysing.

In Year 3 some students have been studying homophones - words that sound the same but which have different spelling. They demonstrated their understanding of the meaning of the words by using them in sentences and attaching them to the class “Pear Tree.”

Initially younger students might pay attention to the beginning sounds in words by sorting pictures of objects into groups that start with the same initial sound, and later by matching pictures with words that have the same short vowel sound (as below).

At another stage they may sort words according to long and short vowel sounds and other consonant/vowel patterns. Zane, in Year 2, recently presented his teacher, Mrs Moore, with a Word Sort that he prepared at home. He included words with the “short-a” and the “long-a” sound, as well as “oddballs” that did not fit into either group. He was enormously proud of his efforts and Mrs Moore and I both had fun working out his Word Sort. Well done, Zane!

Students are given many opportunities to practise their words each week. In Year 3 Mrs Hinze found an interesting way to combine Spelling and Maths as some students used Scrabble tiles to make their words.

Students in the later phases may focus their attention on prefixes and suffixes or the Greek and Latin roots of many of our English words to help develop a more comprehensive understanding of the meaning of their rapidly expanding vocabulary in different curriculum areas. They will also consider the origin and meaning of English words that have come from other languages and how the meanings of words change over time. It is a comprehensive and exciting way to learn spelling … and so much more!! Parent Information Evening – Words Their Way We are conducting our first Parent Information Session on Wednesday 11 March at 6:00pm in the CRC. This will support your understanding of the program and will be an opportunity to clarify any questions you have. Please advise Mrs Levey at joannel@salc.qld.edu.au by Monday 9 March if you would like to attend. We are very happy to plan further evening or daytime Parent Information Sessions to support your understanding of the Words Their Way program. Please let your child’s teacher know if at any time you would like us to run a session, or contact Mrs Levey at Junior School Administration as we continue to build our strong and vibrant learning community. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10:25 Joy Schloss Deputy Head of Junior School (P-3) joys@salc.qld.edu.au

Chaplains Chat It is quite amazing that we are already over half way through Term 1. College life seems to go by faster and faster each year. Thankfully, as I reflect on what has taken place in my classes, I am able to see evidence of learning that has occurred over the first 5 weeks of the year. My Year 7 HPE students have demonstrated good acquisition of a correct batting grip in Cricket and improved bowling ability. Many of my Year 8 students are more proficient in completing a basketball lay-up. I love teaching PE – it is so rewarding observing students achieving success in activities that they have previously been unfamiliar with. In Christian Studies classes it can be a little more difficult to glean that sense of ‘now we are getting somewhere’. We investigate issues and ideas that are very important but in amongst this there is often a reserved approach adopted by students because the topics strike close to home. We look at the very essence of who we are and how we view our position in life and the world – and this can be quite confronting. So when students are presented with the question – “Suffering…. What does God do about it?” It is understandable that it is difficult to deal with, but this week a Year 9 young lady shared this with the class – “God feels sad and hurt when we suffer but he tries to comfort us by reminding us we can seek safety in His love. He doesn’t let us suffer beyond our limits.” As the student volunteered her response for the class to hear, I was immensely encouraged that someone so young could articulate beautifully an answer to one of life’s great challenges. In amongst all our busyness of life, we can forget that God is here with us – sharing our joys and our challenges. I hope that all of us can take on the wisdom of this Year 9 student and recognise that no matter how difficult things may become, we can seek safety in our loving God’s care and he will supply us with the ability to go forward in life no matter what the circumstance.

WORDS THEIR WAY PARENT INFORMATION SESSION WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH CECILE RYAN CENTRE 6.00PM RSVP to joannel@salc.qld.edu.au by 9 March Please stay on for the P & F Meeting at 7.00pm

Graeme Schache Chaplain graemes@salc.qld.edu.au

Minnasan Konnichiwa The language monitors for 2015 are -

Junior School Japanese News Year 5 and 6 Jump Right into Japanese Our Year 5 cohort has hit the ground running this term with a Unit of Inquiry into traditional and non- traditional Sport in Japan and how it plays a major role in cultural identity. Our students are enjoying finding out about traditional sports such as Sumo Wrestling and Karate as well as the popular non- traditional sports such as Baseball and Soccer. Our focus is the role these activities play in shaping the culture of Japan both today and historically. Year 5 are certainly enthusiastic about playing the role of Japanese sports reporters and interviewing their classmates about their sporting interests!

6A Amy Dignan, Tyrone Wright, Kate Barratt, Sarah Yates 6B Laura Mackenzie, Nina Hill 6C Blake Menrath-Bonham, Jett Andrews We look forward to a great year in all things Japanese with the support from these students. Taki Sensei JS Japanese Coordinator

Host Families Required! Host Families Required for Japanese Students 1 August - 7 August 2015 Last year students from St Andrews Lutheran College completed our eighth Japanese Study Tour which included staying with host families from students at our sister school, Higashino High School in Saitama, Japan. We now eagerly await a return visit from our Japanese friends in August this year. Sixteen to eighteen Japanese students from the Higashino High School will visit us between Saturday 1 August and Friday 7 August (6 nights).

Our fantastic Year 6 students have been busy investigating the Japanese system of government in a Unit of Inquiry linked to the classroom and their trip to Canberra later this Term. They have exploring the “Nation Diet and Meiji Constitution” and particularly enjoyed dramatizing the different roles such as Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Shinzõ Abe! Students have had the opportunity to compare the Japanese system to here in Australia. As a culmination of the Unit they are involved in preparing and presenting an election speech to their peers.

As a parent of a student in Years 5-12 at St Andrews Lutheran College, please consider becoming a host. Hosting a student means that you provide accommodation, food, transport to and from school and a warm friendly home during their stay. There is a small monetary supplement to assist with the costs of food and transport this year. It is not a requirement that the student has their own room, however, if they share it should only be with a student of the same gender. This is a wonderful opportunity for students of Japanese at St Andrews to correspond with and then meet a friend from another country. Students will gain valuable experience from the visit, including an increased understanding of cultural awareness and differences and similarities between Australia and Japan as well as practical language skills. Those participating in next year’s Study Tour to Japan will be given first preference for hosting. If you are interested in hosting a Japanese student, please complete the form at the back of the bulletin and return to the College no later than Friday 27 March. If I can be of further assistance or you have any questions about hosting a student please contact me via email rebekahh@salc.qld.edu.au or by phoning the College. Rebekah Hill Head of Languages P-12

Walker Sensei Year 5 and 6 Japanese Teacher

Performing Arts News Term 1 Dates Friday 13 March - P & F Picnic in the Playground 5.00pm-8.00pm - Junior School Oval Come along and be entertained by some of our talented musicians at the annual P & F Picnic in the Playground. Tuesday 24 March - Senior Drama Evening - 6.00pm Ruth Butler Theatre Assessment Pieces presented by Senior Drama Students (Year 10 and Year 12 Drama Classes). Students in Middle School who are considering studying Drama in Senior are particularly invited to attend in order to gain an insight into what the subject involves in Senior Years. Thursday 26 March - Mini Musos Open Rehearsal 3.30pm - Ruth Butler Theatre Parents of Mini Musos are invited to attend an open rehearsal, where they will have the opportunity to sit in the band with their child and gain a better understanding of their musical journey. It is also a chance to meet the PAT Team involved in the Mini Musos Program 2015. Cilla Scott Head of Arts priscillas@salc.qld.edu.au Dance Dance in 2015 brings many opportunities to students involved in both the curricular and co-curricular programs at the College. We were overwhelmed with the response of interest in our dance programs this year with many students auditioning at the start of the term. With rehearsals underway, our Senior, Middle and Junior School Troupes are all currently learning and polishing routines that will represent the College at various eisteddfods on the Gold Coast.

Our Middle School Dance Troupe are currently singing and dancing along in their routine “Like a Drum”. This group consists of approximately 30 students creating a powerful ensemble of dancers. Selected students who form the top Middle School Troupe are working hard on their fairytale contemporary piece that examines the power of good and evil. The Junior School Dance Troupe are currently cheering their way through a High School Musical routine. Set with pom poms and lots of spirit, the students are performing with high energy and powerful dynamics. Students across Dance from Years 7 to 12 are working tirelessly on their routines that will be performed at the upcoming College Fete in May. From a 50’s jive to a modern Hip Hop, the students are all excited to showcase their talents and what they have achieved throughout Term 1. Our talented Year 11 and 12 students are currently focusing on their first choreography task exploring the idea of ‘Opposing Forces’ specifically in relation to acceptance and rejection. Selected students from this class will be performing their work at the Fete showcasing their talents in contact and non-contact work. Paula Guild Dance Teacher

band notes

The Senior Combined Troupe are wiping away the sweat in our musical theatre routine “Whipped Into Shape” from the musical Legally Blonde. In this piece students perform with skipping ropes throughout the entire routine executing technical movement sequences whilst skipping. In contrast to this, the students take on a darker character in our “Sweet Dreams” contemporary piece exploring the idea of nightmares becoming a reality. Our third and final routine focuses on the evil Queen of Hearts and her excessive power over her minions.

The Musical Journey - Part 1 As I listened to Jeff Waynes musical version of ‘War of the Worlds’ with my Recording Studio Elective class, I was once again reminded of the power that music has to convey or create a journey within our minds. This kind of story is not created by a ‘hope for the best’ recording of some mates in the lounge room. In fact it is carefully pieced together like a radio play. Parts are often doubled and repeated. Unusual instruments are used and a soundscape is created. If I recollect correctly I think it took them over three months to complete the project. So it is with our musical journey when learning an instrument. We can’t expect to improve rapidly from a novice to expert. It is the care and time taken in our playing, and the opportunities we avail ourselves to that create our own musical story. Expect miracles yes, but just assume that they are going to take a long time and plenty of perseverance to truly fruit. Paul Oakley-Grant Music Coordinator

Sport News

Tuckshop News

Our Inter House Swimming Carnivals were held at Somerset College Pool last week and what a great 2 days of competition and participation we experienced. Congratulations to Binging and Gowandi as the victorious teams in the pool for our Years 4-6 and Years 7-12 Carnivals respectively. This is the first time that Gowandi has ever won the Senior Trophy well done! The atmosphere and levels of participation were the most enthusiastic that I have experienced at any of our Carnivals. The impromptu war cries throughout the day at the Years 7-12 Carnival were certainly something to behold and an example of the great work of our students and House Captains in particular.

Cashless Cards Stay in control of your secondary-aged child’s lunches with the flexischools cashless card system. The flexischools cashless card system links a students’ existing school ID card to their flexischools account, allowing them to purchase securely on the school grounds without the need for cash.

It was also very pleasing to see the Middle and Senior School students who stepped up to be officials for the Years 4-6 Carnival. They demonstrate so much initiative and responsibility. Both carnivals were an outstanding success, with so many students entering events at the 7-12 carnival that unfortunately we did not have time at the end to do the presentations at the pool. The Age Champion medals have now been presented for all age groups and you will find a list of our winners in the STAR magazine at the end of Term 1. If you have any questions please contact Mr Manion at: andrewm@salc.qld.edu.au Andrew Manion Head of Sport

Volunteers Induction Our next Volunteers Induction will be held at 9am Wednesday 11 March 2015 in the Cecile Ryan Centre. Everyone who volunteers in the College is requested to have attended this workshop which covers such issues as Valuing Safe Communities, Child Protection, Privacy and Fire Evacuation. Please register with Karen Deacon either by emailing jsadmin@salc.qld.edu.au or by phone 5568 5901. A reminder to all existing volunteers we request that you sign in and wear your name badge at all times while volunteering in the College. If you do not have a current name badge then once again, please contact Karen Deacon. This course needs to be attended every three years. We value highly the wonderful support all Volunteers offer the College in their various roles either in the classroom, on excursions, in the Library, Tuckshop, Uniform Shop or as traffic controllers. These are just a few of the places where we find you helping out and we thank you for all you do. A welcoming cuppa and morning tea will be provided from 8.45am. Just come straight after drop-off and enjoy some social time.

Student lunches have never been easier for parents: • Top up account with funds at a time convenient to you • Email when account is running low of funds • Monitor spending and see what your child is purchasing • Set daily spending limits • Ensure the money is spent at school • Safer than students carrying cash The cashless card is also great for students: • Reduced queueing times • Never be short of cash at the cash register • On-screen photo ID security protects your account from lost or stolen cards

We also need books, DVDs, CDs, Toys and good quality clothes. So have an Autumn clean out and bring them in to the College.

P&F News Fete preparations are well underway and we are hoping this year’s Fete can be as successful as previous years, but we need your help. There are only 11 weeks until the Fete and we need more donations. Please see below for further details. The next General Meeting for Term 1 is Wednesday 11 March at 7pm in the CRC. We welcome any new parents to come and find out what the P & F is all about. If you have any agenda items for discussion please email the Secretary at pandf@salc.qld.edu.au by Friday 6 March. It is a great opportunity to have input into College projects which the P & F fund. Everyone is welcome, so please join us. If anyone has any suggestions or comments and cannot make the next meeting please email the P & F at pandf@salc. qld.edu.au Fete - 16 May 2015 - it is fast approaching!!! Every Wednesday from now until the Fete we will be collecting donations at the Bus Shelter from 8am and the P & F office from 7.15am. We need CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE and MORE CHOCOLATE Please see info below for our Chocolate Drive, we need a minimum of 600 chocolates to make this event a success, so when they are next on special, please grab a few for the Fete.

RIDE PASSES!!! Early bird ride passes are now available via Trybooking (link below) $25 for over 5 years and $20 for Prep and under 5 years. Prices on the day of the fete will be $30 and $25, so get in early! http://www.trybooking.com/HDBD Picnic in the Playground The annual Picnic in the Playground will be held on Friday 13 March 5pm–8pm. There will be jumping castles for the kids, music for the adults and a relaxing atmosphere for parents to meet other families and some of the teachers at the College. You can bring your own food and drinks, or a sausage sizzle and drinks will be available for purchase. Queensland Health

Fete Chocolate Drive

Smoke-free Schools From 1 January 2015, it is against the law to smoke at all Queensland state and non-state schools, and for five metres beyond their boundaries.

Goal – 600 + blocks of chocolate we need a minimum of 600 chocolates to make this stall a success, so when they are next on special, please grab a few for the Fete. CHOCOLATE BED: A $2 coin toss game where you have the opportunity to win chocolate bars. Chocolate bars are spread over an old style metal bed and if your toss lands on a chocolate bar – you win that bar. Great fun for all ages.

QH347_14 11/14

WE NEED YOUR CHOCOLATE !!!

The law applies to the use of all smoking products, including regular cigarettes and devices commonly known as electronic cigarettes. On-the-spot fines apply for breaches of the tobacco laws.

For more information on Queensland’s tobacco laws, call 13 QGOV (13 74 67) or visit www.qld.gov.au For information or support to quit smoking, call Quitline 13 QUIT (13 7848) or talk with your doctor, health professional, general practitioner or pharmacist.

Dates to Remember - March Saturday 7 Academic Scholarship Testing Monday 9 Years 6-12 SE Qld Futsal Champs - Oxley Futsal Centre Years 4-6 (SLAPS) Inter Lutheran Swimming Carnival - St Peters Indooroopilly Monday 9 - Friday 13 ALWS Awareness Week Tuesday 10 2C Parents Coffee Morning - 8.00am - Plantation House Junior School Chapel - 1.40pm - Worship Centre Wednesday 11 Volunteers Induction - please register with JS Admin 9.00am - CRC Words Their Way Parent Information Session for all Prep to Year 6 Parents - 6.00pm - CRC P & F Meeting - 7.00pm - CRC Thursday 12 Year 5 Energy Incursion - 9.00am - Village Green P2 Mumâ€™s Morning Tea - 9.00am - Teavine House Friday 13 Year 1 Excursion to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary P & F Picnic In The Playground - 5.00pm-8.00pm - Junior School Playground Sunday 15 Year 5 Family Service - 9.00am - Worship Centre Monday 16 Year 6 Sydney/Canberra Trip Monday 16 - Friday 20 Tuesday 17 Junior School Assembly - MPH at 1.40pm Thursday 19 1C Parentsâ€™ Coffee Morning - 8.30am - Plantation House Friday 20 Year 1 Mums & Dads Dinner - 7.00pm - Pablo Pablo Saturday 21 Harmony Day

Nurses Note Please note that all medications bought to the College are to be stored and dispensed by the College Nurse. All medications must have a pharmacy label on them with the students name, accompanied with a note outlining the reason for the prescription. The College Health Centre is open from 7.30am daily.

Dear Team who sew, knit and crochet to make blankets for Save the Children, Last year the St Andrews community made 41 blankets, bringing our total of blankets donated to 156! Any time you are ready, please start knitting for our 2015 campaign. Remember, this year as well as blankets we would like to make knitted teddy bears/ dolls. Please contact me for more details tonib@salc.qld.edu.au Toni Bartel

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST HOSTING A JAPANESE STUDENT FROM HIGASHINO HS FROM 1-‐7 AUGUST 2015 Please complete the form below should you be able to host either 1 or 2 students ($40/night/1 student or $70/night/2) students and return the form to: Mrs Rebekah Hill by Friday Week 9 MARCH 27 2015 email: rebekahh@salc.qld.edu.au FAMILY NAME

PARENT’s NAME

occupation:

PARENT’s NAME

occupation:

CHILDREN’S NAMES

AGES

GENDER

INTERESTS

HOME ADDRESS

E-‐MAIL ADDRESS

HOME PHONE

Mobile number

PETS (Type, Inside/outside)

REASON for wishing to host

Picnic in the park Everyone welcome

Friday the 13th of March 5pm - 8pm Jnr School oval

LIVE MUSIC

by our senior students Please RSVP to pandf@salc.qld.edu.au There will be a jumping castle for the kids. Yo u c a n p u r c h a s e a s a u s a g e s i z z l e , s n a c k s & drinks or bring your own food and drinks. Bring a chair or picnic blanket & enjoy getting together with the school community.

School Fete

Saturday 16 May

Bring everyone! 10am - 4pm

Rides *LIVE MUSIC* Showbags Coffee Chocolate Bed ART tattoos House of Horror

Talent Show

Cent Auction

Fairies & Pirates

Crazy Hair

Food Markets Great Prizes & lots more! you can h Donate to el ow stalls p V H Sell Raffle o l un Please keep an eye T i c k ebte ss e n d i n g

soon to We will ickets t e l f f a ic home r fantast h t i w l l se ss that a l c e h T s a prizes! ost win m e h t sells ay. pizza d

out for the different stalls that will be at the fete and donate to help create fantastic stalls & prizes. All donations are much appreciated.

eer We a re lo oking paren t for s t o stalls h e l p ,as ru up an sist with n Pleas d clean u set p&f i econtact p. f you the c a n in an y wa help y.

Please contact PandF@salc.qld.edu.au if you can help

INSIGHTS Building parent-school partnerships WORDS Michael Grose

It’s not okay to be away ... nor to be late to school

When kids miss school, not only is their academic progress impeded, forcing them to catch up on missed work (which some never do), they often miss important interactions with their peers which can compound issues of social isolation and low self-esteem. One of the most important things you can do to ensure your child has a bright future is to make sure he or she goes to school every day—and gets there on time.

Of course, most people know this intuitively, yet school absenteeism is a huge problem in Australian schools—and much of it is parent-condoned.

It sounds simple, but it’s true. The correlation between school attendance and children’s achievement levels is wellestablished. The more time kids spend at school, the more likely they are to experience school success.

It’s hard to get an accurate picture across the country but it would appear that Australian students miss an average of between 12 and 15 days per school year, with parent-condoned absenteeism highest among young primary-aged children.

Conversely, according to a report from the Victorian Auditor General, students who are regularly absent from school are at the greatest risk of dropping out of school early, and of experiencing long-term unemployment. When kids miss school, not only is their academic progress impeded, forcing them to catch up on missed work (which some never do), they often miss important interactions with their peers which can compound issues of social isolation and low self-esteem. Also, many teachers tell me, it’s often the kids who can least afford to take time off school who are most likely to be serial absentees.

That adds up to a year’s lost schooling over the school-life of a child. In today’s highly competitive world, this rate of absenteeism is alarming, putting our kids at a distinct disadvantage.

That’s not a reason to be away! It’s now commonplace for children to stay away from school for reasons that would have been unheard of just twenty years ago. These include staying away to celebrate their own or a sibling’s birthday; being absent because they stayed up too late watching television; going shopping for clothes; an extended long weekend; and kids not wanting to take part in a

sports day or special school event. This type of absenteeism sends a strong message to kids that parents don’t really value learning or their children’s school experiences. Australian kids only spend 15% of their total time at school. They spend more time asleep than they do at school. So we need to maximise every day to get full value. That means turning up to school every day, on time.

Being late is not okay either Missing a few minutes each day may not seem like a big deal but your child may be missing more than you realise if he or she is continually late. Current research shows that mornings for most children are the most productive time of the day, with 10.00am the peak period for productivity. When children arrive late and take time to settle as they inevitably do, valuable learning time is lost.