Newsletter Week 6 Term 2 2024
Principal's Message
Dear parents and carers.
Dr Justin Coulson Presentation
Thanks to all the parents and community members that came to our parent workshop on Tuesday night. Dr Justin Coulson spoke to us on the topic Screens: an honest conversation.
Bringing Justin to Forrest was a partnership between the School and the P&C to build a stronger community.
Our aim is to support parents with information on issues that are important in our community. Justin shared the current research on digital usage and the role families need to play to keep their children safe and developing into healthy individuals. I encourage you to visit https://happyfamilies.com.au/ to explore more of Justin’s work.
Preschool Voluntary Contributions
Thank you to our preschool families who have paid a voluntary contribution this semester. Our preschool environment is a play-based program in which we use high levels of consumable resources and other educational resources. Your contributions have gone towards art supplies which are shown in the picture below. We appreciate the generous financial contributions of our families. The school spends donations carefully, ensuring donations enhance the learning experience for all students.
Staffing
This winter we are again expecting to see a higher number of staff away due to seasonal illness, as will be the case across all workplaces.
Unfortunately, short-term staff absences due to illness can have an impact on the way we run our school – and in some cases we may need to temporarily adjust the delivery of programs to manage. This may include minor adjustments to school timetables, a reduction in extracurricular activities, camps and excursions, or periods of larger group or supervised independent learning. Teachers may use online educational resources as part of their teaching at school. These temporary adjustments support schools to ensure student learning is not impacted.
Please remember as we move into the colder weather to keep your children home if they are not well. This helps to limit the spread of seasonal illnesses to other children and to our staff.
Please find below the third update on how we teach writing at Forrest Primary School
Linking Reading and Writing at Forrest Primary School
Forrest Primary School teachers create a rich Writing Programme by linking reading with writing in the classroom. This is done by using the same text type for reading and writing to ensure that they complement each other. Teachers expose students to the same vocabulary for writing and reading. For example: character, plot, theme, introduction, body, conclusion. They use quality literature to demonstrate effective writing techniques, such as how an author develops tension by using excerpts from texts and discussing what the author is doing before students practise building tension in their own narrative.
Differentiation at Forrest
During a writing session, teachers at Forrest effectively differentiate the learning by:
- Grouping students strategically
- Using verbal and written thinking routines that support and extend students as needed.
- Using ‘think alouds’ to support the needs of different learners.
- Reviewing students’ writing regularly and planning guided writing support to meet different needs.
- Conferencing with students provide timely feedback about their writing and create goals for further written pieces.
- Targeting students during Guided Writing for support or extension
- Setting group or individual writing goals
- Teaching groups of students’ specific skills during mini lessons through the Writer’s Workshop model
- Planning support for students who may not be able access the independent writing task.
Assessing Writing at Forrest
Teachers at Forrest use authentic assessment practices to ascertain student knowledge and skills in relation to writing. By monitoring students’ progress over time, teachers can direct teaching and learning in the classroom to ensure that all student needs are being met. Teachers at Forrest use a collaborative approach to collect ongoing information about students. They ensure the assessment has a clear purpose and is used in an authentic context. Teachers take time to analyse any information gathered about students’ literacy developments and use it to make judgements for future teaching. Writing Rubrics and Success Criteria are used across the school to make comparable judgements about student writing.
Have a wonderful long weekend.
Kind Regards
Laurel
Athletics Carnival
On Thursday 23 May we had our junior and senior athletics carnival. It was a fantastic day of running, jumping, throwing, fun games, cheering and community spirit. Well done to all students who participated in each of their events and congratulations to Phillip house for receiving the most points on the day.
ACT Swimming Championships
On Tuesday 7 May, seven Forrest Primary students represented the South/Weston region at the ACT Swimming Championships held at the Australian Institute of Sport. All students competed against some very strong swimmers, especially considering some students were impacted by illness. Congratulations to the following students for qualifying and for your efforts on the day. Well done to Kanoa in year 3 who placed 1st in the 8 year old boy's 50m freestyle. A special mention to Archie in year 3 who qualified in four events but was unable to compete due to injury.
- Kanoa in 3MT
- Madison N in 3V
- Max in 3L
- Gabriel in 4T
- Leo in 5A
- Hannah in 5FD
- Isla in 6D
A huge congratulations to Hannah in 5FD pictured here with her brother, Gabriel. She will be representing the ACT Team in eight events at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships to be held on the Gold Coast in July.
Good luck, Hannah!
Primary Concert Band
Year 5 students from across the ACT school bands auditioned for the Primary Concert Band (PCB) late last year. Those selected have formed the 2024 instrumental music program PCB (year 6 students). The PCB students have been meeting every Monday for practice at UC High School in Kaleen. The Concert Band has 80+ students. The band members have been individually practicing their chosen instruments daily in preparation for the National Eisteddfod that was held at the Llewellyn Hall, ANU last Saturday (1 May). The band performed four pieces. They achieved a Gold ranking - which is of very high standard. For those that missed the performance and would like to catch the band in action the PCB will be performing at the Winter Winds Concert on Wednesday evening (12th June) back at the Llewellyn Hall.
Isla at the Australian National Eisteddfod with the Primary Concert Band.
International Play Day
Next week Forrest Primary and Forrest Out of School Hours Care (FOOSHC) will be uniting to celebrate International Day of Play on Friday 14th June 2024. Together we will be extending play time from 1.25 pm to 2.45 pm and setting up some amazing play resources in the playground ranging from; board games on the library deck, loose parts borrowed from fooshc play pod, tennis game set up, tug of war, cricket, hopscotch, and parachute games just to name a few.
This year marks the first-ever United Nations recognised International Day of Play on June 11th. Play is a fundamental right of the child and is a biological necessity. In play, children explore their identity, find community, and process their world. Through play children develop critical thinking skills, explore their limitations, and develop new skills, build their confidence, learn resilience, and explore their creativity. Play is fundamental to the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and communities regardless of age.
The establishment of a UN International Day of Play is an important step in advocating for the time, space, and freedom for all children to play and we are proud to advocate for PLAY in our programs.
Roundabout Support
Today Mel from Roundabout Canberra came and spoke at the Kindergarten assembly about her local charity.
Roundabout is a charity that helps Canberran families who require help with items for children, such as clothing, bedding, school supplies and baby furniture.
Our Earlyact Club has created a Donation Hub in the library where we have a big purple bin for our school community to donate any items that they no longer need for themselves. Our bin will be emptied fortnightly or whenever it is full!
Thank you for your support,
Mrs Kowalski, Miss Steinhardt and The Forrest Earlyact Club
Forrest P&C Sock Fundraiser
P&C Fundraising Survey
Request for a little help
Most of the work for our Floriade display at the school has been completed we do however have about 1 ½ to 2 hours work to complete planting of the displays in the front entrance area at the school.
Weather permitting, we would like to complete this small chore on this Sunday 9/06/2024, gathering at about 10.30am. If you can bring along a garden spade that will help. It is not back breaking work but would be amazing to just get a couple of extra helpers to make the job go faster and finish the project for this stage.
If you can give this time to help your school display and help brighten our Spring can you please email Daniel at dan@4eva.au for more information and to confirm your availability. It is designated as a community Floriade project so come along and join your school community and let’s finish this project together!
Forrest Primary P&C.
EAL/D Morning Tea
Netball School Holiday Clinics
Supporting Neurodivergent Children
