Wendy’s Group Week 1 Term 4

We’ve had a great start to the term this past week, with everyone working well and a lovely calm room. Our two pre-service teachers, Lily and Jessica from Macquarie Uni, have settled in well and we have made some excellent progress on our class play. The plot line has been decided along with most of the characters and now the writing of the lines can be started on Monday! Creating the play, learning lines, rehearsing and performing will be our big thing for the first half of the term. Concert day is 15th November.

In Maths this week we began with 3D shapes which will be our focus for a while. The new Maths syllabus contains some definite improvements over the old one and we’ll be having fun drawing, naming and constructing 3D shapes.

Swimming starts again this term on Tuesday for us. We will go on Tuesday mornings with Sarah’s group to avoid the crowds in the afternoon. Please help the children remember swimmers, towel, easy shoes and, of course, a wide-brimmed hat every Tuesday. (Actually, they should have the wide-brimmed hat at school every day now since the UV is up to 7/8 every day.)

There are several special events this term, but the biggest is probably our camp at Jervis Bay in week 9. We take our own tents, the kids plan the meals and do the cooking and we usually have a very special goodbye ceremony for the Year 6s on the Thursday night down at the beach. Susan will be coming with us as the second teacher but I also need parent helpers who can come and stay with us and help out during the day. I would like to have a planning/information meeting for this event on Monday, 28th October at 6pm. This meeting will include an induction session for any parents who are hoping to come with us. This is essential for anyone who stays on site with us. A couple of parents have already spoken to me about helping with camp so thank you to them! It’s always a wonderful week and such a fabulous learning opportunity for the children, planning, setting up and living as a small community in a completely different environment for the five days. We will be meeting local Aboriginal cultural educator, Bernie McLeod, while we’re there as well as swimming and snorkelling in the bay, walking on the beach and in the bush and enjoying the beauty of Booderee National Park.

One other special event for me is the birth of my second grandchild, scheduled for Monday 21st if not before! I will be away from school for the whole of next week taking some long service leave, so I can be available in Bulli to help as required. Meg, who was our wonderful pre-service teacher last term, is now qualified to teach and is available for the entire week. With help from Lily and Jessica and with our usual weekly assistants, the children will have a wonderful week I am sure.

Have a good week.

Love,
Wendy