2024 Term 2 Week 6 Newsletter

Principal's Message

Hello Familes, 

I hope this message finds you well. We've had a fantastic fortnight filled with engaging activities and community events, which was kicked off the success of our Mother’s Day market - and we couldn't have done it without the incredible support from our community. A special thank you goes out to the fabulous team of volunteers who spent their Friday rolling sushi and preparing for the school stalls, and to all of the wonderful stall holders who made our market a collection of arts, food, events and craft!

Last Friday, we celebrated Walk to School Day. Throughout the week, our students participated in discussions and learning activities focused on walking safely and road safety. It was great to see the enthusiasm and understanding our students showed regarding these important topics, and we encourage families to continue these important conversations and teaching at home. Walking to school not only promotes health and fitness but also teaches valuable lessons in safety and independence.

This week, our senior students began their first week of the VET Certificate II in Cookery program, utilising our Trade Training kitchen. They have been diligently working through safe food handling and hazard modules while preparing an impressive menu of various foods each day. This hands-on experience is invaluable, and we look forward to their continued culinary journey with the second and third blocks scheduled for Term 3.

On Wednesday, our students participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime, an annual event where children across the country read the same book at the same time. This year, the featured book was *"Bowerbird Blues"* by Aura Parker.   The story stars a beautiful bowerbird on the search for (you guessed it) BLUE!  It’s a moving story of longing and connection, that unfolds as the bowerbird’s search sends him soaring across the sea, sky and city. He swoops and snatches vibrant treasures for his collection, and soon his bower – a mix of natural and unnatural objects – attracts something greater and more fulfilling than he could ever have imagined. It was such an uplifting story and it was a joy to see our students engaged in this nationwide literary celebration.

Next week, we will celebrate Reconciliation Week, an important time for us to reflect on and promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This year’s theme, “Now More Than Ever!” calls is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue. Students will explore this theme further in their classes and through lunchtime activities. Reconciliation Week provides an opportunity to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements and to foster a spirit of unity and respect.

🍦🍦 Mark your calendars for Friday, 31st May, when the SRC will host a PJ and Ice Cream Day! Students are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation to support SRC projects. In return, they will receive a delicious ice cream treat. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more details. 🍦🍦

Our teachers are diligently preparing your child's summative semester reports. These reports will provide insights into your child's achievements, next steps in their learning journey, and ways you can support literacy and numeracy progress at home. If you have any queries or concerns regarding your child's learning, please make a time to discuss them with your child's teacher. While Student-Led Conferences scheduled for next term will allow students to share their work with their families, no formal one-on-one meetings will be scheduled unless requested by a teacher or family member.

A big thank you to our School Council and a warm welcome to our new members. The School Council plays a crucial role in setting the strategic direction of the school, making decisions on policies, and ensuring we provide the best educational environment for our students. We are always looking for new members to join our team. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, please contact any of our council members so your feedback can be included in our discussions.

Chairperson: Elise Reid
Principal: Mel Dougherty
Treasurer: Mel Clark
Secretary: Mel Colville
Parent Members: Jane Phelps, Chris Diamond, Anji Krishna, Jaime Lownds
Staff Members: Peter Molnar, Haylee Malan
Invited Members: GEMCO: Tom Lawton; Polly Farmer: Vacant

Thank you all for your ongoing suppor and  have a great weekend

Mel Dougherty
Principal

Award Winners

Message from the Assistant Principals

We cannot believe that it is already past the halfway point of term 2! As part of our school improvement journey for 2024, we are implementing Decodable Readers and Ready to Learn Charts. Below is some information about decodable readers and ready to learn charts, what they are about and their importance to education. 

What are decodable books and why are they important?

For children to become successful readers they must be able to crack the alphabetic code through a systematic synthetic phonics approach. This approach has proven time and time again as the most effective way to teach reading and is backed by research. If children can’t decode the words on a page, they will fail in their journey to access text.

Children must be explicitly taught knowledge of letters and sounds and the skills of sounding out and blending. But this is not enough to know how to read. The knowledge and skills must be practised over and over to achieve mastery. Without decodable readers, this practice cannot take place. Decodable readers are the conduit between phonics and reading. Children need them to build the necessary skills, so they become proficient readers.

How can I support my child’s reading when they are reading decodable text?

It is important that a child does not randomly guess or use the pictures to work out unknown words. Focus should be on the letters and sounds, and the process of blending those together to read the word. To support this strategy, you can download the Decoding Poster ‘What to do if I get stuck?’ from our website in the free resources section.

Ready to Learn Charts

Alyangula Area School (AAS) is a Berry Street School. AAS has embedded the BSEM to create a stable, supportive and flexible environment for students.

The BSEM is underpinned by 5 Domains – Body, Relationships, Stamina, Engagement, and Character.

This term classrooms are focusing on the Domain of Body. This empowers a students’ capacity for physical and emotional regulation of the stress response, de-escalation and ability to focus. A large part of the Body domain is learning how to be ‘Ready to Learn’.

Berry Street Education Model                                      Ready to Learn - A Student Perspective

This term all classrooms are developing their own Ready to Learn Charts which include individual and personal strategies that can help students become ready to learn. Below are some examples of what some students have created. Please talk to your child about their own Ready to Learn Chart and Strategies.

Have a great fortnight ahead,

Ms Sarah and Pilko

Assistant Principals

Mother's Day Raffle Winner

And the winner of the Alyangula Area School is holding a Mother's Day raffle to win a Roborock Qrevo Robot Vacuum & Mop with Multifunction Dock is TANYA JAMIESON!! 🙌🙌

Community News!!