Welcome back to the new school term. This newsletter is to help keep you informed about the curriculum for the grade and the day-to-day activities of Amaroo. 

This term the following teachers will be supporting learning in Amaroo.

*Teachers work under the structure of an Enterprise Agreement that includes a number of entitlements. One of these is the engagement in Profession Planning Time (PPT) where they are released from class to carry out other professional responsibilities. Each full time teacher is entitled to the equivalent of 2 hours PPT each week, or a pro-rata there of for part time teachers. Therefore, all students operate across the school week with at least two teachers engaging in the classroom program of learning.

This Curriculum Outline is designed to communicate what your child is learning so you can support them at home this term. At Good Samaritan, we believe that the partnership between you as parents and our teachers are the most important influences on your son’s or daughter’s education.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for setting and monitoring quality teaching, learning, assessment and school standards across NSW public, Catholic and independent schools. NESA also develops Kindergarten to Year 12 syllabuses for NSW schools. Syllabuses identify: the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes students are expected to develop at each stage; what students are expected to know and do; Learning across the curriculum areas: cross-curriculum priorities, general capabilities and other important learning for all students.

At Good Samaritan we have a K-6 Scope & Sequence of learning which supports the implementation of the NESA Syllabuses. Below, is an outline of the Key Learning Area content & skills being taught this term.

All students take part in Religious Education Programs. The school also provides other opportunities for students to express and deepen their Faith through school Masses, liturgies, prayer and in Christian service and witness within their school environment and the wider community.

Religious Education follows a curriculum set and approved by the Bishop of the Diocese in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office.

This term in Religious Education, Amaroo Gold will study two units:

• The Easter Season 
• Baptism

This term in Religious Education, Amaroo Blue will study: 

• The Easter Season

• Signs of God’s Love

English is the Key Learning Area where students develop knowledge, skills and understandings about English language and literature. The students will be actively engaged in the development of skills through:

This term in English, Amaroo Blue will:

• read and view a variety of imaginative and persuasive texts. They will focus on books that are written by Mo Willems ‘Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus’ series, and persuasive books by other authors as well. 
• create imaginative and informative texts on familiar topics for known readers by planning, proofreading and editing their own writing.

This term in English, Amaroo Gold will continue to be engaged in reading and writing lessons and move towards greater independence in using high frequency words within independent writing. This will involve

• learning to write sentences- guided and independent
• learning to read and write ‘High Frequency Words’
• engaging in meaningful speaking and listening activities.

An essential component of Mathematics is the development of students’ ability to Work Mathematically. This includes the skills of Communicating, Problem Solving, Reasoning, Understanding and Fluency. 

Students’ ability to work mathematically is development through the achievement of outcomes and working with content of the Mathematics K-6 Syllabus. Content is organised within the following content strands: 

This term in Mathematics, Amaroo Gold will learn about:

Time- Seasons, months and days

Whole number- Sequencing to 100/1000.

Addition and subtraction- counting on, breaking numbers into parts

2D space- Horizontal, vertical, parallel and perpendicular lines

3D space - naming them and fitting them together for spatial awareness.

Multiplication and Division- Counting by 2, 5, 10’s, making equal groups

Patterns and Algebra- number patterns and skip counting

Addition and Subtraction- combinations to 10/100; jump strategies (starting with the largest number first); using a number line to add and subtract. 

Data - collecting and graphing data as well as answering questions about the data.

This term in Mathematics, Amaroo Blue will learn about:

• Making and repeating patterns
• Investigate triangles
• Ordinal numbers
• Length: long, short, tall
• Addition and Subtraction
• Halves and Wholes
• Making and repeating patterns
• Teen numbers and numbers up to 100
• Collecting and displaying data

The objectives and outcomes of the Geography Syllabus are based on courses of study across Kindergarten to Year 6. The organisation of content for the stages in primary school is as follows:

Amaroo will focus on Geography in Terms 3 and 4.

The outcomes, concepts and skills of the History Syllabus are based on courses of study across Kindergarten to Year 10. The organisation of content for the stages in primary school is as follows:

This term in History, Amaroo Gold will continue to focus on:

Families Past and Present

This topic provides a study of present and past family life within the context of the students’ own world. Students learn about similarities and differences in family life by comparing the present with the past. They begin to explore the links, and the changes that occur over time and are introduced to the use of historical sources.

 This term in Science & Technology, Amaroo will learn about:

• Science and Technology in the Kitchen
• using their senses to identify smells and how something appears
• examining the change in things (e.g. sugar turning into liquid when heated)
• looking at things that are similar and different in various items
• identifying things that are natural (e.g. wood, plants, metal)

The Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus is organised within the following strands: 

This term in Creative Arts, Amaroo will integrate with their General Education class.

Amaroo Gold: 

Unit: About Me…

In this unit, students will explore their own personal uniqueness and individuality in their making of artworks. 

Amaroo Blue: 

Unit: Abstractable Me

The unit is focused on how artists draw inspiration from what is around them. 

Unit: Let’s Play Music

This unit provides a sequence of learning opportunities based around a chant. 

The Christmas Story, CEOoW Art Exhibition and Competition 2021 

Weeks 8-10

Students will be deciding upon and analysing scriptural references that evoke emotion, imagery and illustrations to guide students in making artworks and assembling materials in a variety of ways.

Students at Good Samaritan have Physical Education/Sport each week. All students participate in the School Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals. Eligible students participate in the Swimming Carnival. After these carnivals squads are chosen to represent the School at Regional and Diocesan Carnivals. Students can then be selected to compete at MacKillop and State levels. Good Samaritan has a clear policy regarding student participation in sporting gala days and representation at competitive sports. Parents are asked to become familiar with this policy. 

This term in PDHPE, Amaroo will focus on the unit:

May I Please...

In this unit, students will develop an understanding of respect and what respectful relationships look like and how it feels both in person and online. Students will develop an understanding of consent and will apply this understanding to everyday situations.

In PE students will spend time training and developing skills for the school Athletics Carnival and participating in activities and games to improve general fitness and Gross Motor skills. 

Amaroo reviews the Zones of Regulations at the beginning of each day. This could also be used at home with your child.

Students are encouraged to participate in home learning each day.

 We ask your child to:

• • read daily (15 minutes) and record in Home Reading Log
  • complete a weekly Topic Talk- Talktime - refer to handout. Talktime for Kinder and Year 2 is on Monday. Talktime for Years 3 and 4 is on Wednesday.
  • Reviewing High Frequency Words

• Developing independence in your child. Where possible make them responsible for putting or checking that their lunch box, library bag and/or reading folder is in their bag

• At home asking your child to follow two step instructions such as:

        'Take your clothes to your bedroom and put them in your drawers’.

Please support your child to be Ready to Learn each day by ensuring he/she has the following:

Reading Folder (Containing yesterday’s home readers)

Munch and crunch

Recess 

Lunch 

Library Bag 

Art Shirt 

Hat 

CLASSROOM

Each class uses their co created behaviour matrix as a guide to help support and maintain a safe and positive classroom environment always linking in with our 3 school rules:

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible. 

These rules are supported by the classroom correction sequence. The sequence is used as a visual reminder for students to support them in getting back on track with learning.

PLAYGROUND

This term our tokens that are handed out for positive behaviours on the playground will be collected in each classroom’s token boxes. This way the students will be able to see as a class what a great job they are doing.

As a school the students have unpacked, role played and practiced positive and respectful ways they can interact with each other on their playground with a set of Social Norms. 

SOCIAL NORMS FOR OUR PLAYGROUND

Social norm #1: Meet and greet politely.

• Say greetings, introductions, and goodbyes.
• Politely offer and receive compliments.
• Be able to start and finish conversations.

Social norm #2: Take turns talking.

• Listen when others are speaking and look them in the eye.
• Wait if adults are talking. 
• Respond appropriately and at the right time.

Social norm #3: Pay attention to others.

• Stop what you’re doing so you can listen.
• Read people’s emotions through their body language and facial expressions.
• Change your behaviour to match what other people are doing, such as quieting down with the rest of the room.

Social norm #4: Think about others before acting.

• Ask for consent.
• Don’t cut in line.
• Wait your turn.
• Stand a comfortable distance away when talking. 

Social norm #5: Cooperate with others.

• Follow directions when you’re asked to.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Apologise when necessary.
• Be flexible and open to new ideas.

All students are expected to be neatly dressed in their school uniform or sports uniform each day. Classroom teachers will monitor the wearing of the uniform on a day-to-day basis and inappropriate dress will be brought to the attention of the student and, where necessary, parents. 

This term students are to wear the correct Summer/Winter uniform.

GOOD SAMARITAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL UNIFORM

Students are also expected to wear the correct Sports Uniform on sports days:

ALL ITEMS OF UNIFORM MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE CHILD’S NAME

Ongoing communication between school and home is essential. The school aims to work in partnership with the home and recognises that parents wish to be informed of any problems. Likewise, there is a need for parents to keep the school informed of any events that may impact on the life of their child at school.

Through this mutual communication we aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for your child.

If you have any educational/behaviour concerns about your child always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will always make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. 

1. Grades and classes across the school are supported by Middle Leaders. You are welcome to contact the Middle Leader/s responsible for your child’s class/grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Middle Leaders will also contact you when and if necessary.

Middle Leaders 2021

3.If the issue remains unresolved beyond the Middle Leader then please address your concern/s to the Assistant Principal or the Principal. 

4.Parents may contact teachers by email via the school office (info@gsfmdow.catholic.edu.au) but are asked to understand that a response may not be immediate and certainly cannot be expected beyond the regular hours of the school day or week. 

At Good Samaritan, we believe it is important to speak with parents either in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone when responding to emails that may be of a sensitive nature or, that may require a lengthy response. Therefore, the email response you receive may be of a generic nature. 

5.Parents are asked to understand that teachers primary responsibility throughout the school day is towards the students. Therefore, teachers are unable to engage in discussion when they are in direct supervision of students.

For any absence the school must receive notification of the reason for the absence within 7 days of the return to school. This applies for partial absences as well as whole day absences. Please supply the reason via Compass. In the event that a notification is not supplied the absence will be recorded as Unjustified/Unexplained.

We will inform you of any events in Term 2 in the School Newsletter or by email.

Whole School Term 2 Dates:

Further information regarding events will be distributed closer to each of the dates.

APRIL:

22/04: School Photos

23/04: ANZAC Day Prayer

27/04: Diocesan Cross Country

30/04 Autism Awareness Day 

MAY:

3/05-4/05: Principals’ Overnight Retreat

6/05: Mother’s Day Liturgy

7/05: Mother’s Day Stall

11/05-20/05: NAPLAN testing

17/05: Athletics Carnival 

21/05: PUPIL FREE DAY Students do not attend school on this day

22/05-23/05: Confirmation Weekend

23/05: Pentecost

24/05-28/05: Screens Down Week

26/05: National Sorry Day

CEDoW School Director Peter Hill visit to GSFM

31/05: Reconciliation Week

JUNE:

3/06: MABO Day

11/06 Term 2 PB4L Day (Mufti Day)

14/06: Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend

15/06: Sth Coast Netball Gala Day

18/06: Semester One Reports distributed to Parents

18/06: Shoe Lace Tying Workshop Years K-2

21/06-25/06: Parent Teacher Interview Week

25/06: Term 2 concludes