Classroom+Information

=__**Welcome to 2017**__= **Dear Families** Welcome to the beginning of the 2017 school year. Our names are Catharine Carlin and Alex Catalan and we will be your child’s class teachers for this year. This year Room 2.5 will be an exciting place to be with many activities already planned. We are looking forward to team teaching and working with all the students. At the end of 2013, I won another three-year position of Coordinator of Student Well-being and Primary School Counsellor at Brighton Primary School. As a Coordinator, I will be teaching in the classroom three days per week and will be out of the classroom two days per week to carry out the Coordinator’s role. My Coordinator’s days will be Tuesday and Wednesday and Alex Catalan will be teaching the class on those days. We are excited about having the opportunity to work with your children this year and feel we will have a great start to the school year. From a personal perspective we have a strong belief in family involvement in a child’s education. Please feel free to visit the class at any time, as we value your input and participation. Do not hesitate to raise any concerns relating to your child’s schooling. Communication with families is very important to me and I will respond to any emails, notes, text messages as soon as possible. My mobile number is 0408 942 791 and I will be asking all parents to send me a hello text with their child’s name in the note. This ensures I have quick access to you if I need to get in contact with you.

**Before school and attendance**: All students, with or without parents, are to wait in the main yard where a teacher will be on duty from 8:30 until 8:50. All Learning Areas will be open from 8.40 each day and children and parents are welcome to enter their classroom at this time. School starts at 8:50 and it’s important that all children are ready to start at this time. Not only does it help them to get off to a good start but it greatly assists the class to settle without extras coming in late. Students who are late need to report in to the Front Office, to sign in and get their late card. If a student is going to be absent from school we ask that parents/caregivers notify the school before 9am. You can send an SMS or ring the school where an answering machine is on prior to 8:15. Absences other than sickness may require exemption from the principal if the student is to be absent for a period of time, e.g family holidays etc. There is a form available from the front office, if required. We will not have access to the Front Office stairs as this goes to the CHI classrooms, so we will need to use the exit at the western end of the building. School dismissal is at 3.10pm and to reduce congestion on the stairs we ask parents to wait outside. **Class / School organisation:** Our expectation is for the students to develop effective time management skills and be accountable for their organisation and participation on any given day. Diaries are an important part of this organisation and it is expected that all students have their diary everyday, as well as getting it signed each week. The diary is an important form of communication and it will allow students to record upcoming events, spelling words, test results and homework tasks when necessary. We also believe it is an easier way for communication channels to be established between the teacher, the student and parents. It is expected that families use the diary to inform me of absences, illness or appointments. Please feel free to jot a note in the diary if you have any other issues or concerns relating to your child.

**Home Learning**: Home Learning in Room 2.5 will be organised on a weekly basis. The weekly homework may comprise of the Word Work List focussing on words that Year 3/4’s should know how to spell. Students may be asked to complete some word work activities and there will be a variety of interesting and motivational tasks. Students on levelled books will be given 3 - 5 “Take Home” books per week and these will need to be changed each week on their set day. All students are expected to read aloud to their parents/caregivers and also read for an additional 10 – 15 minutes independently. All reading completed at home during the week needs to be recorded in their diary and initialled by the parent/caregiver. Homework will begin in Week 3 this term.
 * Reporting:** The assessment of student learning is an ongoing process and students will be given either written or verbal feedback on their efforts. In Term 1 all students in the class will be tested in maths, reading, spelling and sight words. This testing is part of a whole school process and provides us with information to individualise student learning. This monitors student’s progress over the years and highlights student’s strengths and weaknesses, enabling teachers to target areas of concern. Three way parent/ student /teacher interviews will be held later this term. Written reports will be presented in Terms 2 and 4.

**Water Bottles and Brain Food**: It is important for all children to have access to water, (not cordial) particularly in warmer weather for hydrating their brains! Students are encouraged to have water bottles at their desks. The bottle needs to be a non-spillable container. In the morning students are given the opportunity to have some “Brain Food”. We use the term __non-processed__ brain food, which means fresh fruit or vegetable snacks that have not been processed. Any other types of snacks will not be allowed during this time. In Room 2.5 we encourage Nude Food Recesses/Lunches (no glad wrap or plastic bags) as often as possible to reduce rubbish within our classroom and school community.
 * Tissues and Napkins:** To help lessen the supply of tissues from the class budget, we are asking each student to bring one box of tissues for classroom use. During fruit time, students often use tissues to “mop” up drips, so I am going to ask the Year 4 girls to bring in a packet of napkins (no name brand) instead of tissues, as this will also help. If this could be brought in as soon as possible it would greatly appreciated.


 * USB Flash Drives / Memory Sticks:** We are recommending that all students in our class have a USB Flash Drive/Memory Stick. Students can then work on projects at school and at home. It would be preferable for student to have a 1GB stick as they could then load the Interactive Smartboard Software to take home.


 * SeeSaw, ClassDojo, Verso, Wikispaces and iPads:** ICT and digital technologies (including accessing online resources) are embedded in Room 2.5’s learning community. We use “Wikispaces” (just like a normal website) which allows students and parents to access upcoming events, classroom information and it is available at all times. All parents are asked to create an account with ClassDojo and SeeSaw as these will be our opportunity communicate, send messages and a place to share photos, videos of the children’s learning in a “closed and secure” group. Each child will also have an account created for Studyladder to enable them to access these programs during school hours and also at home. Some homework tasks may even require them to login and access these from home. If there are any computer issues, please let us know asap. Description and hyperlinks to ClassDojo, Studyladder, Verso, Scootle4Kids and the Premier’s Reading Challenge are available on the class’ website. Please go to: www.carlinclass.wikispaces.com

The school’s Acquaintance Night is organised for **Tuesday 7th February** and a flyer will be sent out with times and locations. The Learning Area 2 educators have organised a date for our family picnic on the **15th February** at the Angus Neill Reserve on the Esplanade in Seacliff. Please feel free to stop into the classroom and introduce yourself, as we are looking forward to meeting you.

Kind Regards – Catharine Carlin and Alex Catalan