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Access Unit
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25 June 1999 No. 19
From the Head of Junior SchoolWhat do 'Big Ted', 'Jemima', 'There's a Bear in There' and five Golden Guitar Awards have in common? The answer is ... Colin Buchanan: renowned musician, songwriter, Playschool host and committed Christian. Colin shared his talents and his beliefs across the Junior School on Monday and Tuesday and left every member of the Junior School with the powerful message that God loves each one of us and that He wants us all to come to know Him more closely.
Colin visited each classroom and also shared in our Years 3-6 Chaplain's Assembly on Tuesday morning, when this Head of Junior School had the chance of 'jamming' along with a very talented musician! Colin's sincerity and infectious personality enabled his visit to be extremely meaningful and provided a wonderful start to the Junior School's first involvement in 'Mission Week'. We farewell three staff this term. Mrs Annie Green has spent this term in the Music Department covering a one-day per week Drama load. I know that the boys have enjoyed working with Mrs Green and I thank her sincerely for all of her efforts towards what has been a marvellous programme. Mrs Ros Edmanson will be taking parenting leave and I know that the whole Junior School community joins me in wishing her and husband Andrew, every best wish for the arrival of their first child. Stay tuned for photographs! Miss Belinda Colaneri will be joining the staff as Mrs Edmanson's replacement and I look forward to welcoming her to the school next term. Mr Rod Carson heads off on long service leave next term and will be travelling with his wife, Samantha, to Western Australia. Rod and Samantha travel with the wonderful news that they too are expecting their first child towards the end of this year. Every best wish is extended to Rod and Samantha on this fantastic news and for a safe and enjoyable break. Mr Brian Sampson will be Acting Deputy Head of the Junior School in Rod's absence and I extend best wishes to him in this role. My assembly today concluded with the theme of 'Personal Safety'. The theme especially focussed on the practice of children moving around the neighbourhood without adult supervision and awareness of the Safety House scheme. With the school holidays upon us, I ask that all parents give this matter some thought and ensure that their children are aware of what to do if approached by anyone unknown to them, either on the street or whilst using public transport. Congratulations are extended to the Year 5 and 6 students on the magnificent concert presented yesterday afternoon. I am always impressed by the standards that our young musicians present and yesterday was no exception. There were many highs, but for me, to see and hear every boy joining together as a massed choir was the highlight. Well done to every boy and special thanks to the teachers who worked tirelessly in preparing for a wonderful afternoon's entertainment. With the year now at the halfway mark, I encourage every boy to focus on his achievements throughout the first half of the year and reassess his goals for the two terms ahead. My thought for the week...
With my best wishes to you all for a refreshing vacation. Guy B Mason From the EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TEAM - THE ACCESS UNITTerm 2 has been a busy time for the Educational Support Team. Many programmes, projects and groupings were implemented to meet the range of students learning needs across the school. Obviously there is a range of student, teacher and parent needs, and so too is there a range of strategies that can be used to best meet these needs and for the development of both extension and consolidation programmes. Presently, some of the programming strategies implemented are: small group withdrawal session (especially in consolidation of reading, maths and spelling); support within the classroom; planning time to assist teachers to differentiate the curriculum (differing tasks to suit particular students needs); Information Technology Projects; and, a Year 4 literature extension unit - "Wizards, Dragons and All That". The new programming approach in Mathematics introduced for 1999, which involves two Access Teachers working with the Year 5 & Year 6 teachers, has enabled all students' needs to be better met during normal class time. Also an extra consolidation session per cycle is offered to each class. The Year 5 and Year 6 extension groups have had the opportunity to be further challenged as they participated in the NSW Maths Olympiad Competition, Singapore MOP (Year 6) Competition, The Maths Challenge and The Maths Talent Quest. With the recent acquisition of two colourful iMacs, which are linked to the school network, we will continue to extend the use of computers. "The Global Project" has now established student teams across the 4 nations. "Meet the Press" editors have published their first newspapers and this project will continue with a new set of editors in Term 3. Following the student reports and parent teacher interviews the Educational Support Team will meet with class teachers, to discuss the best strategies to address any newly identified needs of your sons. We will review present sessions and introduce additional programs. Initiatives for Term 3 are: a Screening Program for P-Year 2; the 'Day of Excellence' for selected Year 6 boys; a 'Global Project' information night for parents; and, the recommencement of the 'Seasons Program'. More information on these initiatives will be forthcoming in Term 3. Once again I can only reinforce the crucial role played by the classroom teacher in meeting the individual needs of your children. A happy and safe holiday to you all.
Ms Marcia Bacon
House Cross CountryThe weather was kind and the competition fierce, last Friday afternoon in Fairview Park at the Years 3-6 cross country competition. Congratulations to all boys who competed and completed the challenging course. Individual winners
House Results
Peter Hawkins
Forthcoming dates
The Grade 3 PerformanceFinally on Wednesday, 9 th of June at 2.00, Grade 3 boys took a big breath and walked out to stand on the stage. We were ready to act! First the Suzuki group played some songs followed by Lincoln McPhee and Ben Molyneux who played the piano. Next came William Lester who played the violin and Jack Naughton who played the cello. They all played very well. After that we sang a German song called 'Und mein Bauch tut dann so weh!' It was about eating too much chocolate and we were the choir. Then it was time for our main bit, 'The Wackadoo Zoo.' First we got off stage and got on our masks. Soon we were back on stage and began singing and acting. The show was about some animals in a crazy zoo. They were all muddled up until one day a professor, played by Nathan Su, came and tried to fix them up. He was unsuccessful because the animals all liked being different. The play finished and everyone applauded. All the parents thought it was a great show and so did I! On behalf of the Grade 3 boys I'd like to thank all the teachers who helped and Mrs Richardson who made the great masks. Edward Hamer 3N Art Holidays IdeasOn wet, windy days, during the holidays, it is great for the boys to participate in simple construction activities. If parents collect cereal and biscuit boxes, cylinders, scissors, sticky tape and staplers the boys can start making cars, rockets, planes or whatever they like. Cereal boxes are ideal soft cardboard for cutting and folding, and if you use a hole punch and split pins, boys can make wheels that move and propellers for planes. Boys have used all this equipment in the art room and quite familiar with construction skills. Box construction is very creative for boys, with many problem solving skills involved in the bending, cutting and flanging to make particular shapes. Have fun! I am collecting plastic bags, shoe boxes and icecream or margarine containers and wool for Term 3 activities.
Mrs Susan Ferres
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