TWCS Newsletter Term 2 Week 8 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you to the community

As we come to the end of term 2, I am grateful to the community for the way in which you all actively participate in your child’s schooling. This term I have been fortunate to have had many enrolment conversations and tours with families looking to enrol their children at Tenison Woods. I always ask the simple question to start our conversation, “what brings you to Tenison Woods?” I am overwhelmed with the sheer number of responses that begin with “I have only heard amazing things about the school.” In recent times, we have had children transition to TWCS from local schools because of the feedback they have received themselves about the support our community offers all. I have written a lot about the work the teaching and support staff have been focused on in the past few years, focusing on the improvement of learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children. It is so very rewarding to hear that our families are speaking so highly of the community and the positive impact the school is having on the development of all children. On behalf of all staff, thank you for your kind words.

Welcome to Mid-Year Receptions – Little Wonders Program

Last week we commenced the Little Wonders Long Transition Program for the 22 children due to start their schooling as Reception children in Term 3. Mrs M has been diligently preparing the space and program for these young learners. It was lovely to see so many siblings now joining their big brothers and sisters at school. I am sure parents are appreciating the changes to the drop off/picking up chaos.

New Staff in Term 3

We have a number of our ESOs on leave to start Term 3 completing Pre-Service Teaching placements, meaning we have needed to employ 2 new ESOs to help with this. Amy Morony will be joining us for the remainder of the 2024 school year – Amy joins us from Richmond PS where she has been for the past 8 years as a classroom and numeracy intervention ESO. The other is Chloe Amber, Chloe has been working in the Kindy Room at a local Child Care centre and comes with some wonderful experiences in working with young children. I am sure you will make them welcome.

St Aloysius Feast Day

This week we celebrate the Feast of St Aloysius. St. Aloysius Gonzaga, was born in Northern Italy in 1568, he became a Jesuit at 17 despite his family opposition. He was a man of great selflessness and compassion. During a plague in Rome, he volunteered to care for victims at a Jesuit hospital, always showing great compassion to those in need. We celebrate his feast day on June 21, and he is known for his purity, and devotion to God. Thank you to Father Long Hai and Sheena Pattinson for leading our community in prayer for this important Feast Day.

Aerobics Team take 1^st Place

Congratulations go to the children who recently competed at the State Dance Aerobics Championships. With two teams competing this year, it was great to see the dedication and hard work from not only the children, but also the coaches – Katie Cummings and Carisa Spencely coming to fruition. The Tenison Tik Taks have been successful in qualifying for the National Championships being held in Adelaide in August. CONGRATULATIONS to all.

Mid-Year Reports

Teachers are busily finalising the children’s mid-year academic report. The academic report provides information for families about the progress made in relation to the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards for each subject area. It is important to speak positively with children regarding the report grades and comments. Teachers spend a lot of time ensuring children are provided the opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and learning in all areas. To support all families in understanding how your child is progressing in their learning and wellbeing, we will be offering Parent/Teacher Interviews in Week 4 next term. This will be an opportunity for teachers to elaborate on the Mid-Year Report grades.

In Week 2 next term, we will also be holding our Mid-Year PPL Meetings for children currently accessing a Personalised Plan for Learning. More information will be sent out at the start of next term regarding these opportunities.

We will endeavour to have reports emailed to all families on Monday Week 10 by the end of the school day. Please let the Front Office know if you have not received the report by Tuesday of Week 10.

I wish you all a wonderful mid-year term break.

God Bless and go well

Ben

Principal

Masses & Liturgies 

The Year 2 classes joined in a Parish Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the 7^th June. The students were involved in the Mass by taking part in the Gospel and Offertory procession and reading the Prayers of the Faithful. The students had learnt 2 new songs about the Sacred Heart of Jesus for this Mass and sang beautifully. Fr Long Hai also commented on what a wonderful job they did of joining in with all the responses. 

During Reconciliation Week, all classes took part in a Reconciliation Liturgy. Some classes did this individually, while others gathered together in year levels or teams. A big thank you to Heather Docherty for planning such a beautiful Liturgy reminding us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will - and must - continue. The theme for Reconciliation week this year was ‘Now More Than Ever’. 

On Friday 21^st June we will gather together as a whole school community, along with the parishioners, to celebrate a very special Mass, the Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga, the namesake of our Church community here at Richmond. Saint Aloysius is the patron saint of young people who led a very religious life. When he was just 9 years old, he told his parents that he wanted to live a religious life, and at the age of 17 he joined the Jesuit order. 

Year 2 Religious Education lessons 

A few weeks ago, I visited the Year 2 classes to hear all about their learning in Religious Education. The students had been learning about prayer, and some of the prayers we say as part of our Catholic faith, including the Our Father and the Hail Mary. I was very impressed with all the knowledge and new learning they were able to share with me. We spent some time together making colorful Rosary keychains consisting of one decade of the Rosary. Once we had completed making the keychains, we joined together in praying the Rosary. The students were then able to take their Rosary keychains home to share with their families. Thank you to the Year 2 teachers and students for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful learning. 

Sacramental Preparation 

Over the last 2 Tuesday evenings, several Tenison Woods students, along with students from St John Bosco and the parish met to begin preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation which they will celebrate later in the year. Thank you to Fr Long Hai and the Sacramental team for working together with the school to support these students as they continue their Sacramental journey.  

Outreach 

Earlier in the term we launched our Vinnie’s and Moore Street Winter Appeal which will run for the remainder of the term. The most vulnerable people in our community have been hit extremely hard by the increased cost of living. Donations made by families towards this year’s Winter Appeal will assist those experiencing homelessness by providing warm clothing and essentials. 

A huge thank you to families that have already brought in donations.  Please see Audiri for a list of the items that we are seeking. 

On the last day of the term, Friday 5th July, we will be having a ‘Pyjama Day.’ Students (and staff) will be invites to wear their pyjamas, or other warm clothing to school to remind us of how grateful we are to have warm, comfortable clothing to wear during these cold winter months. 

Families might like to donate warm clothing towards our Vinnies and Moore Street Winter Appeal on this day also. 

All students will be given a cup of hot chocolate to enjoy on this day also.

Warm regards,

Sheena Pattinson

Acting APRIM

Developing Numeracy skills at home

Developing numeracy skills early provides children with a crucial foundation for their learning and growth. It equips them for everyday activities, such as solving problems and managing money. Mathematics encompasses recognizing numbers, shapes, patterns, sizes, time, and measurements. Integrating math into daily experiences is simple and enjoyable, as math is all around us – in the playground, at the shops, and at home.

Children benefit from numerous opportunities to engage in activities like making, counting, drawing, and discussing numbers. This section aims to assist you in fostering these skills in the children you care for. While the math your child encounters at their early childhood setting, kindergarten, or school may differ from what you learned, you can still offer valuable support. Help your child understand the relevance of numbers and counting by demonstrating their presence in everyday life.

Talking about maths for young children:

It's essential for children to develop specific language skills related to mathematics. Activities like visiting the playground or helping at home offer rich and meaningful contexts to foster these skills. While it may take time for your child to effectively use these terms and language, exposure to mathematical talk strongly supports future learning.

Here are some activities to develop mathematical language for children:

• Use specific terms when asking for items. For instance, ask your child to get the ‘one litre’ milk bottle from the fridge or the ‘one kilo’ bag of flour from the cupboard.
• When cooking, discuss the different measurements used, such as teaspoons, millilitres, litres, and cups. Talk about concepts like empty and full.
• During walks and playtime, describe your child’s movements as they climb ‘over’ the fence, slide ‘between’ the poles, and swing ‘under’ the monkey bars. This helps them understand language related to spatial awareness.
• Sorting activities help your child grasp concepts such as ‘same’ and ‘different’. Use recycling as an opportunity to sort items for disposal, such as paper, plastic, food waste, and general waste.

Engaging your child with measurement:

Understanding measurement and scale is essential to your child’s grasp of maths. Here are some tips and activities:

• Use a wall measuring chart to track the height of family members.
• Discuss the sizes of objects around your child, helping them determine which are bigger or smaller, taller or shorter.
• Cut a piece of string and use it as a measuring tool around the house. Have your child measure objects to find out which are longer or shorter than the string and identify anything that matches its length.
• Explore various ways of measuring, such as using a cup, jug, teaspoon, icy pole sticks, footprints, or hand lengths.
• Help your child build a tower of blocks taller than a favourite toy and then count the total blocks to measure the height.
• Estimate and measure distances by seeing who can jump the furthest, stand on one foot the longest, or guess how many buttons can fill a jar.
• Investigate the capacity of different containers by pouring and filling. Estimate first, then check to see which holds more or less.
• Observe changes in the weather and time of day. Create a rain gauge from an old bottle to measure and monitor rainfall.

Our school is always here to support your child's learning journey. For more useful resources and tips on numeracy development, please visit the below website. Together, we can foster a strong mathematical foundation for your child's future success.

Kind regards, Claire Little

Assistant Principal: Teaching and Learning

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/resources-for-parents-and-carers/helping-your-child-with-literacy-and-numeracy-at-home

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the West Torrens Library for giving us the chance to host Stig Wemyss. He performed to our year 2 to 6 students on Friday 14^th June. Stig is the voice behind all the Andy Griffiths books, including the beloved Treehouse series. His dynamic storytelling enthralled the students, creating an unforgettable experience for all.