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It’s been wonderful to welcome all of our students back to school from Monday 25 May. Students poured into the school grounds full of excitement and with smiles on their faces.
Last Monday, we held our first virtual assembly over Teams. We will continue to run our assemblies in a different format so we can maintain the whole school connection for students.
Prep C invited me to their classroom for the national simultaneous story time. It was wonderful to join the students to listen to the story Chick Divas.
Our Year 1 and 2 students are enjoying the many features of our Outdoor Learning Area, we expect final completion to be in the next two weeks.
Thank you to Mrs Bronwyn Fletcher who has managed the project.
Thank you to Joan Pease, Peter Bruekers of MUA, Wynnum Haulage, Wynnum North Newspower and Wynnum NewsXpress for donating stationary vouchers and 5 tablets for families to use during online learning. We very much appreciate your support.
Reminder: If your child is unwell, it is essential that you keep them at home. In accordance with Queensland Health Directions, parents or carers of any child showing signs of illness will be asked to collect them immediately from the school.
| Today's growth mindset quote of the day ... |
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You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.
Margaret Thatcher |
WELCOME BACK YEAR 2-6 STUDENTS!
It is lovely to have everyone back at school. We missed the students greatly and I know that the teachers would join me in saying that it was wonderful to have our students back in the classroom! Thank you to the parents/carers for doing a terrific job with learning-at-home, I know it can’t have been easy and I sincerely appreciate your efforts.
LEGO WEEKLY CHALLENGE
In Week 5, the challenge was to build a game out of Lego to play at home. Thanks to those children who participated, I loved the photos I received of your wonderful creations. I would also like to thank the families who took the time to email their appreciation of the challenges within the Wondall community and who have urged the school to continue the challenges in some way. I’m happy to report that we will indeed start up challenges again in a few weeks, once everyone has settled back into school life. I look forward to sharing more creations in the near future!
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS FOR CHILDREN
In the last newsletter, I discussed how, as parents and educators, we need to be positive role models for our children. Being a positive role model also includes setting high, but realistic, expectations for our children. These are not just achievement-based expectations but expectations around the beliefs children should value – beliefs which will form the ‘internal compass’ by which they live and learn by.
Within schools, Ron Ritchhart (2015), provides educators with five belief sets that path the way for how students see themselves as learners. As parents, we can also use these belief sets to shape the conversations we have with our children for meeting our academic expectations.
- Focusing on the child’s learning, rather than just the work. This means valuing the learning process and acknowledging the both the challenges and successes that learning provides, not just focusing on the final artefact of what your child produces.
- Focusing on the child’s understanding, not just knowledge. Understanding goes beyond merely possessing a set of skills or a collection of facts, it requires us to explore a topic from multiple angles, build connections, challenge assumptions and look for different applications. When talking with children, check for understanding.
- Encouraging deep learning, rather than surface learning. Deep learning requires challenge and pushes us out of our comfort zone and into the ‘Learning Pit’. Talking with children about our own struggles as we learn new concepts, helps children to tackle problem solving and build resilience in learning.
- Encouraging Independence, rather than dependence. We want to encourage our children to be independent thinkers who are internally motivated to be reflective, resourceful and effective in their approach to learning. We need to encourage our children to be self-starters who can persevere with a task and work equally as well within a group or independently.
- Encouraging a growth mindset, rather than a fixed mindset. How we view intelligence, ability and talent often determines how we approach new learning. Rather than view intelligence as a fixed entity that does not change, we need to be talking to our children about how we can always grow our intelligence with persistence and effort over time. Praise for effort helps develop a growth mindset, whereas praise for ability often fosters a fixed mindset.
Assembly
This fortnight, we had an alternative format to our regular Assembly. Mrs Boyle, Mrs Loban and I Skyped from the office with students in their classrooms to give the messages for the week and welcome them back to school. There were a few glitches but overall, it was a great opportunity to connect with students. It was wonderful for the Wondall Workers of the Week to come to the office to receive their certificates following the online Assembly.
Drop off zone
As many of you are aware, we have had many staff at the front of the school in the drop off zone before and after school to assist students to transition safely to and from cars into school. This process ensures the safety of our school staff and students by limiting parent foot traffic in the school. Thank you to everyone who has worked with us to make this a streamlined process. Parents are arriving with their windows down and names on the visor. In addition to this, many students have learned how to buckle themselves up quickly.
We are aware that a build-up of cars waiting continues to be a challenge, especially in the afternoons. Please be patient if there is traffic at this time and obey the council signage.
Personally, I have enjoyed seeing students off in the afternoon. It is a great opportunity for short chat and check-in on each student’s day. It is lovely to receive the positive feedback and appreciation from parents as we assist students to cars.
The disciplinary knowledge, skills and understanding are described in the 8 Learning Areas of the Australian Curriculum.
English, Mathematics, Science and HASS have end of year level achievement standards. The Arts, Technologies, Languages and Health and Physical Education have banded achievement standards meaning that year levels are banded together with an overall achievement standard.
Some learning areas consist of subject specific disciplines. These are listed below the learning areas in the diagram above.
Uniform reminder
As the cold weather is now here, just a reminder that Wondall has very clear guidelines with respect to our uniform policy. Remember that shoes worn with our formal uniform must be all black and that winter jumpers and jackets must be the official school jacket or plain navy jacket or jumper. Navy track pants are suitable as are nay tights although tights must be worn underneath our school dress skort or shorts. Please ensure that all items particularly hats, jumpers and jackets are clearly named.
The uniform shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8.00am to 9.15am or orders can be made online through the school website.
