Room 12 Newsletter

Term 1 – Year 2/3 – Miss Stephanie Kneebone

Key Dates: Welcome

February: Welcome to term 1 of the 2019 school year. My name is Stephanie Kneebone
and I have the privilege of being the year 2/3 teacher this year. I am thoroughly
11th – Assembly 2:30pm
looking forward to working with you and your child this year to work towards
12th – Open Night optimal outcomes for our students.

19th – Student Free Day If you have any queries or concerns you would like to discuss, I am available
each morning from 8:35am until 8:50am. After 8:50am our uninterrupted
March:
learning time will begin. Alternatively, you can connect with me via Seesaw or
1st – Splash Day make a time to meet with me after school.

4th – Assembly 2:30pm A parent survey was sent home in week 1 to allow you the opportunity to
provide me with any additional information about your child and your
11th – Public Holiday expectations of me as your child’s teacher. I encourage you to complete and
12th – Student Free Day return this form at your earliest convenience.

15th – ‘Bulling No Way’ Our Learning Environment

Day
In the first few weeks we have spent time establishing routines and working
25th – Assembly on appropriate social and academic behaviour within our classroom setting.
2:30pm Our key focus has been around the 5 Play is the Way key concepts:
April: - Treat others how you would like to be treated
2nd and 3rd – Parent - Be brave – Participate to progress
Teacher Interviews - It takes great strength to be sensible
- Have reasons for the things you say and do
12th – Last Day of term - Pursue your personal best no matter who you work with
– early dismissal
Students have been rewarded for making strong decisions through the use of
our Class Dojo point system. Students are able to earn points for specific
rewards through a range of positive actions such as working hard,
participating, asking questions, being on time to school, bringing their
homework back and working as a team.

General Information
 Breakfast club is open from 8:05am until 8:35am in room 9.
 Emergency lunches can be purchased from room 9 for 50c per child.
 Term 1 is no hat no play due to the heat and UV.
 Students are expected to be in full uniform which includes a school top or
jumper, black bottom and appropriate footwear.
 Homework
Homework commenced at the beginning of week 2. Students are expected to complete daily reading of
their levelled reader to support their reading development. It is student responsibility to ensure they bring
back and collect a new reader before departure from school, if this is not occurring, please contact me.

Students are also expected to complete sight word reading and writing homework from Monday-
Thursday to support their literacy development. Books are required to be brought back to school on the
Friday so they can be prepared for the following week.

Students have voted on a dance party/battle homework reward for this term. Students who achieve 30
nights of homework or more will be eligible for this reward at the end of the term. Homework will be
marked daily and days will be tracked on a visual tracker in our classroom. If homework days are missed,
they may be caught up within the next week and still be counted towards the reward.

Beginning in week 3, there will be a sheet of homework activities placed in each students book for any
students or parents wanting extra homework. If you choose to participate in these activities, they are to
be done as an extension of the reading and sight word homework.

Seesaw
Seesaw is an online learning journal where you are able to view your child’s learning experiences at
school. The learning journal provides you with the opportunity to engage with, view, like and comment
on your child’s experiences and learning portfolio. Please note that all comments are sent to the teacher
for approval before they are uploaded.

Students will be empowered to take some control over their own learning journal. Students will actively
take photos of their work and record themselves demonstrating their thinking processes.

Some of the things you can expect to see in your child’s portfolio this year:

 Photos or videos of student work and reasoning

 Awards e.g. reading awards, All Stars etc.
 Photos from school excursions or events
 Electronic copies of newsletters and notes sent home
 Reminders about upcoming events

Seesaw also allows me the opportunity to connect with you individually if you choose this to be your
preferred method of contact.

I am more than happy to help families set up this fantastic resource if required. Please feel free to contact
me if you have any issues or questions.

Attendance
In line with whole school approaches, Room 12 is aiming for at least 90% attendance
this term. This means we are encouraging students to not have more than 5 days off
each term. Students who meet this goal will be eligible for our end of term attendance
reward. Room 12 will be tracking the amount of days students have missed through a
visual using watermelons and 6 seeds.

Term 1 is important in establishing routines and expectations for the year with their new
teacher as well as being involved in exciting events such as Splash Day. Please support
your child in attending school each day to ensure they are part of this.
 Learning Outline – Term 1

Literacy
Reading

 Guided Reading (each group is seen at least once per week)

 Class Novel – The Twenty-Seventh Annual African Hippopotamus Race – Read daily
 Silent Reading
 Library session weekly for class reading and student borrowing

Writing and Spelling

 Focus on writing conventions (grammar and fundamental writing skills) for first 5 weeks
 Text type focus and explicit writing instruction – Narrative – Week 6 onwards
 Daily handwriting between 8:35 - 8:50
 Spelling Mastery 3 times weekly

Grammar

 Simple and compound sentences

 Punctuation
 Nouns Numeracy
 Action and relating verbs Number and Algebra:

 Number recognition to 1000

STEM  Modelling and representing numbers to 1000
 Place value
Design and Digital Technologies
 Skip counting
In Technologies, Room 12 will focus on  Trust the count skills
coding and using directional language.
Measurement and Geometry:
They will use a range of digital resources to
code and give directions. They will use  Months and seasons
Cubettos, Beebots, and Pro Bots to solve  Calendars
problems.
 Daily 10 – ten quick mental questions – 4-5 times
weekly
 Daily warm-ups
Keeping Safe – CPC
Focus Area 1 – One lesson per week Science
- Feelings To be taught by Jodie Reid for 1 lesson per week
- Being safe
- Warning signs
- Risk taking and emergencies Health and P.E
To be taught by Vinny Urbancic for 1 health and 2
P.E lessons per week.
Play is the Way
2 game sessions and 1 in-class session per
The Arts
week about the 5 key concepts.
Visual Arts to be taught in term 1 for 1 lesson a week.