Parkhill Primary School Newsletter
Issue 37, Thursday November 15 2018
Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Carers,
Week 6 has been and gone – Athletics Carnival is on Tuesday and we are still looking for helpers – if you are available please see the details below!
CAFÉ READING:
Ask Questions Throughout The Reading Process
Readers are actively involved in reading by asking themselves questions before, during, and after reading a selection. This helps to increase their comprehension of the material. Readers who ask questions during reading are actively engaged and tend to remember important details and information. While asking questions, readers are monitoring their comprehension. Readers must be able to generate their own questions and it is important to note that not all questions will be answered.
When your child is learning a strategy you can explain to them that asking questions during the reading process can help them to focus on what they are reading, can give them a purpose for reading, and enables them to monitor their reading or check to see whether they are understanding what they are reading. We model this questioning process by stopping during our reading and stating the question we have in our minds. We can model for a few days and then ask your child to participate while you are reading aloud by turning and talking. Finally, you may get your child to practice asking questions independently.
Questions we may use while reading:
“What does this mean?”
“Is this important?”
“How do I think this story will end?”
“What will this selection be about?”
“What does this word mean?”
“What did I learn?”
“Do I need to read this again?”
Try it next time you are reading together!
KIDSMATTER:
Social and Emotional learning (SEL)
What does social and emotional learning have to do with learning?
Research has shown that children’s learning is influenced by a range of social and emotional factors. How well children do at school is affected by things such as:
how confident children feel about their abilities;
how effectively they are able to manage their own behaviour;
how well they can concentrate and organise themselves;
how effectively they can solve problems;
how positively they are able to get on with teaching staff and with peers;
how effectively they take into account others’ needs;
how well they can understand and accept responsibilities.
How social and emotional learning is taught
Social and emotional learning programs that have been shown through research to improve children’s social and emotional competence are more likely to achieve goals related to improving students’ mental health.
School-wide classroom teaching of social and emotional learning allows staff and students to share a common understanding of what it is all about. Importantly, the emphasis of its teaching is not just on learning about emotions and relationships, but on practical skills that children can apply across a range of situations at school, at home and in the broader community. Opportunities for learning can be coordinated across the school so that children can continue to develop their skills with age and experience. Children learn social and emotional skills most effectively when they are also reinforced at home.
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/mental-health-matters/social-and-emotional-learning
FINAL WORDS:
Athletics Carnival: We have our Athletics Carnival coming up on 20th November!! As always we are looking for helpers!! The day relies heavily on parent support for us to be able to manage all of the events – if you are available please drop me an email so I can add you to the list! Many, many thanks.
Elaine Brady
Principal
Calendar of Curriculum Events
Tuesday 20 November - Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 21 November - Foundation 2019 Transition Session 3
Thursday 22 November - Y1 CERES Excursion
Wednesday 28 November - Foundation 2019 Transition Session 4
Thursday 29 November - Bring it Breaky
Friday 30 November - Y4 CERES Excursion
Thursday 6 December - Monday 10 December - Link Dental Van
Thursday 6 December - Fun, Food and Carols
Tuesday 11 December - Move Up Day
Wednesday 12 December - Awards Assembly at 9:15am
Tuesday 18 December - Winning House Lunch
Wednesday 19 December - Y6 Graduation
Thursday 20 December - Y6 Big Day Out
Friday 21 December - Term 4 ends at 1:30pm
Student of the Week
FS - Ruby W
FT - Amara Y-R
1B - Whole Class
1H - Flynn A
2C - Lucy B
2N - Daniel W
5D - Jess M
5H - Beau V
6CM - Erin S
6L - Ben F
Welcome to Our New Chickens!
Our chickens are feeling right at home in the Parkhill Chookatorium. We have matched a chicken to a coloured ankle tag so that you know which chicken is which!
Pumpkin has a green tag.
Coco has a yellow tag.
Pecky has a blue tag.
So why don't you wander down and say hello!
Anne McGregor
Garden Coordinator
Y5 Leadership Day
This week in Y5 has been Leadership Week. Y5 students have been building motivation and courage, learning how to be good leaders as they start the task of sitting down to write and practise their leadership speeches.
Tuesday was Leadership Day. It started with back-to-back seminars in the Roger Beech Hall by speaker Tim Powell from Values for Life. It was terrific to see many students taking notes and all students participating in the activities, building their fortitude for the challenges to come. In a nutshell, here are Tim’s suggestions for being a good leader:
Think of others first;
Don’t be afraid to take risks;
All leaders are different. Every individual has their own things to offer and every individual leads in different ways. So just be yourself;
If you don’t feel like a leader it doesn’t mean you can’t act like one. Change starts in small ways. Starting to do small things will change to big things over time.
But what were we preparing for, you may ask? It was the Thousand Steps Challenge.
Two ropes.
Two classes.
One team.
Lots of steps. (776 exactly. We counted.)
The challenge was for students in both classes to climb to the top while keeping hold of their rope. Now you may not believe that this is such a big deal. I’ve climbed that trail before, you may be thinking. What’s the fuss? But stop for a moment and picture forty exuberant ten- and eleven-year-olds all chomping at the bit to race up the hill... Yep. Now imagine those same children separated by just one or two handspans as they hold their tiny share of a fifteen metre long rope. Suddenly the challenge is clear. All students had to move at the same pace. If one stopped, all stopped. If one stumbled and tugged the rope, everybody felt it. So while the challenge was a physical one, it was also one of listening, patience, resilience, communication and teamwork.
I’m thrilled to report that both classes made it to the top together. That means every single student kept pace with one another. Also, almost every single word was positive and encouraging. So the first challenge is over. We did it. Everybody aced it.
The next challenge is the speeches!
Alex Davies
Y5 Teacher
News from our Garden
Did you know that beetroot can combine with chocolate to make the most delicious chocolate brownie? Our Y3 students tasted these marvellous brownies and were anxious to get the recipe to try them at home.
Beetroot brownies
Ingredients:
500g of raw beetroot (3-4 medium beetroot)
100g unsalted butter
200g 70% chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
250g caster sugar
3 eggs
100g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
Method:
1. Wear a pair of rubber gloves to stop your hands from staining, then top, tail and peel the beetroot – you’ll need about 400g of flesh. Roughly chop and put into a large bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 12 mins or until tender.
2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. While the beetroot cooks, butter then line a 20 x 30cm tray. Roughly chop the chocolate and cut the butter into cubes. Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve, drain off any excess liquid, then put into a food processor or blender with the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whizz until the mix is as smooth as you can get it. The chocolate and butter will melt as you do this.
3. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy - about 2 minutes. Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl (it won’t look too pretty at this stage, but bear with me), then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Try to conserve as much air in the mixture as you can. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter.
4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until risen all over, with just the merest quiver under the center of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.
Anne McGregor
Garden Coordinator
PFA News
Committee Members:
President: Vanessa Cowley
Vice President: Katrina Battle
Treasurer: Sumi Sundram
Secretary: Kylie Touloupis
Communications: Eva Conley
General Members: Fiona Crellin, Jason Van Lint, Elle Delmee, Mark Havas, Lisa Jacobson, Anny Murray, Wendy Douglas, Janneke Storteboom, Leanne Knight
School Colour Fun Run – Last day for ordering prizes!
It is the last day of prize ordering for the Fun-Run. Please ensure that you enter your orders today so you don’t miss out!
If anyone is having trouble with their prize ordering, please contact the School Fun-Run team on 1800 FUN RUN.
HOW TO ORDER YOUR PRIZE
STEP ONE: Please make sure you have handed all your cash in to the office.
STEP TWO: ALL PRIZES ARE ORDERED ONLINE.
You must order your prizes by November 15th. To do this, simply visit schoolfundraising.com.au and create / log into your Profile Page.
Fun, Food & Carols - Thursday 6th December
HO! HO! HO! – Here we go for another year.
More details to follow via the newsletter and social media so please, look out for opportunities to get involved and make this a night a festive occasion for our Parkhill Community!
To check out the jobs we need your help with - please click the following link:
http://signup.com/go/QiDMpLQ to sign up. We need volunteers to make this night a success. The PFA greatly appreciate your support.
Fun, Food and Carols – Raffle
Raffle Tickets will be coming home early next week. Make sure you look out for them (or search in the bottom of the school bag!). There are lots of goodies to win.
Fun, Food and Carols – Cake Stall
It’s back by popular demand! If you are interested in baking to provide some yummy goodies for our stall (and we’d love you to be!) please be on the lookout for details in upcoming newsletters and via our Facebook page on how you can contribute. Kits will be available shortly that include a display box, label for ingredients and a clear cello bag for covering your product - all the information you need. It’s that simple - your biggest task will be thinking of what to put in it!
Fun, Food and Carols – Stall Holders
If you are interested in being a stall holder, or know of someone that would like to hold a stall please contact Sumi Sundram via email at s_j_sundram@hotmail.com.
See below for more information about becoming a stall holder.
Chadstone Family Fun Day – Parent Choir
Parkhill’s very own Parent Choir will be performing at Chadstone’s Family Fun Day this Sunday 18th November @1.30pm. Head on down and show them your support. They’d love to see you there!
Parkhill Primary School
Email: parkhill.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website: www.parkhillps.vic.edu.au
Location: 4A Parkhill Drive, Ashwood VIC, Australia
Phone: 03 9807 2239