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. 

Please be aware that due to the current COVID restrictions, this year parent information sessions will take a different format. This newsletter highlights all the necessary Term 1 information for your child, however, if you have any questions and would like to engage in a “meet and greet” phone call with your child’s teacher please follow the link below and they will be in contact with you as soon as possible. Please complete by 3pm on Wednesday 10 February 2021.

A “meet and greet” conversation is a ten minute phone conversation to discuss your child’s start to the year and for your child’s class teacher to clarify any questions you may have about your child’s school year. It is not a report on your child’s progress at this stage of the year.

https://forms.gle/1MSWD9yo2WrDJyZe8

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 will study three units:

1. ‘The Good Samaritan” focuses on the spiritual history and foundations of our school. As an introduction to the new school year, the students will revise the Parable of the Good Samaritan and reflect on ways they can be like the Good Samaritan in their daily lives.

1. The “Baptism’ unit  will explore  Baptism as a way of becoming part of the Church family and sharing in the life of Christ. Students will learn about the key symbols and rituals of Baptism

Lent and Holy Week unit focuses on the season of Lent and introduces the Lenten practices of this season.  The story of Zacchaeus explores the idea of ‘beginning again’; this is called repentance. The story of The Poor Widow explores the practice of ‘giving’. The unit also looks at the events of Jesus’ life that are celebrated during Holy Week.

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 will:

• read and view a variety of  imaginative and informative texts. They will focus on  books by author Margaret Wild as an author study.
• create imaginative and  informative  texts on familiar topics for known readers by planning, proofreading and editing their own writing.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING in ENGLISH

• Listening to your child read every night
• Reading to your child
• Stop reading when it is becoming a battle or if the book is too challenging. Retry tomorrow or read the remainder together. At challenging words prompt “What would make sense and look right?
• Ask your child to keep a diary of special events such as a diary 

The following approach can help when students practise their spelling:

• Look carefully at the word
• Say the word
• Cover the word
• Write the word from memory
• Uncover and check the spelling against the correct word.
• Repeat

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 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

Whole number- Sequencing to 100

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

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING in MATHEMATICS

• Talk positively about mathematics so your child also values it.
• Play games with your child, which involve adding dice or numbers, to show them that mathematics matters.
• Ask your child how they work out mathematical problems; it helps build their knowledge and boosts their confidence.
• Help your child to group objects by asking them to set the table or put the cutlery away correctly.
• Point out mathematics in everyday life with your child whenever you can.
• Keep it real to them - measure their height; talk about how many months, weeks or days it is until their birthday.
• Play puzzles to help develop 3D and spatial awareness.
• Talk about the mathematics you see around you - shapes of things (rectangles etc); counting how many things they see; the time on the clock; what time things are happening like bus times and school times. 
• Give them online practise sometimes - like a mathematical iPad game.
• Hang up a calendar in your house for them to look at - put important events on there and check it with them regularly.
• Talk through mathematical problems like counting the days until something is happening or counting the hours until an event is on.
• Asking questions at mealtimes like: how many peas are on your plate? How many carrots did you eat so far?
• When planning an event ask them to count how many people are invited and then check if you have enough plates, cutlery and chairs.

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 will focus:

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.

The outcomes and content in the Science and Technology Syllabus are organised in the following strands and substrands:

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

What’s This Sound?

• What are the different forms of energy around us and how can we detect them?
• How are forces used for a purpose?

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.

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 learn about:

Personal Development and Health

Building Strong Positive People 

• How do we grow and change over time?
• How can we be inclusive and respectful?
• How can I be responsible for my own, and others’ health, safety and wellbeing?
• How can I act to help make my environment healthy, safe and active?

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.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING

• 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 

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.

1. 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. 
2. 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 1 in the School Newsletter or by email.