Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Next Issue: Friday 6 July 2018

Welcome to Term Two. Over the course of Term One, discussion and further development of the 2018 - 2020 School Plan occurred with the coordinated implementation beginning this term. Through research, analysis and observation it has been determined that the three areas of focus (strategic directions) that will guide us in achieving the vision described in the Harcourt PS vision statement will be around Pedagogical Impact, Collaborative Communities and Authentic Partnerships- belonging. During the year we will be sharing information with all Harcourt learning community members and asking for feedback and input as we all travel this journey together. The full school plan can be found on the website, Our School – School Planning & Reporting.

The first few weeks of the term have seen students participate in the cross country, begin the gymnastics program and wear their best smiles for photo day. NAPLAN has concluded for this year and the Year Three and Five students should be congratulated for their mature and calm approach to this requirement.

Thank you to our dedicated P&C members for providing a successful Mother's Day stall yet again. This group of parents have put forward some excellent ideas that will benefit every student at the school. To continue and expand in this work they require volunteers and encourage greater participation in the monthly planning meetings. To help you to keep up to date and find out about what you can do to assist, the P&C will be uploading information to their section on the website, so stay tuned!

Jan Holt - Principal

This issue Welcome P.1

Kindergarten News P.2

Years 1 & 2 News P.3

Years 3 & 4 News P.4

Years 5 & 6 News P.5

EAL/D & Support News P.6

Community Languages P.7

Library News P.8

Tips for Parents P.9

ISSUE

01 Term 2 2018

Our Vision:

Our learning community at Harcourt Public School is committed to fostering personal excellence. Together we inspire curious, adaptable learners who actively engage in a complex and dynamic world. We value integrity, inclusivity and mutual respect.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Kindergarten Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

We Love Big School! Kindergarten students have had a wonderful start to their primary school journey.

Here are some of Kindergarten’s favourite things about school:

‘I like doing art and painting’ Melissa (KB)

‘I like playing and going to the library.’ Keyaan (KB)

‘I love reading and writing.’ Emma (KB)

‘I like going to the library and listening to stories.’ Olivia (KP)

‘I like counting and doing maths.’ Alex (KP)

‘I love playing outside with my friends.’ Rick (KR)

‘I love drawing.’ Davy (KR)

‘I like going to assembly and singing.’ Leon (KG)

‘I love bringing in toys for news and showing my class.’ Vihaan (KG)

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Stage 1 - Years 1 & 2 Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

It’s a magical place to learn!

Once upon a time in a magical land called Harcourt, our Stage One students demonstrated their creativity, their teamwork and their keen interest to learn new things.

Throughout Term One, our Year One students learnt about fairy tales whilst our Year Two students analysed fractured fairy tales. This enabled them to use their own imagination to write and publish their own creative tale. To celebrate their learning and to bring these characters and tales alive, we enjoyed a special event called Fairy Tale Day with our Wangee Park family. We had some amazing characters join us on the day so thank you to parents for supporting this special event. To watch the highlights of the day, please click on the link below:

https://www.filmpond.com/ponds/harcourtps

Students have also been investigating push and pull forces through scientific experiments. They have used their knowledge to create a push and/or pull toy that would demonstrate these magical forces in action and presented their model to their class and peers.

As we know, every fairy tale has a complication and this term our Stage One students have learnt how to seek help when an emergency happens. They have learnt about the role of each of our emergency service units in our Triple Zero program plus had a special visit from the Campsie Fire and Rescue unit who taught us what we should do in the case of a fire.

Essential learning for all of us at Harcourt.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Stage 2 - Years 3 & 4 Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Exploring our World “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliot

Students in Stage Two at Harcourt have taken T.S. Eliot’s words to heart throughout their learning in Term One.

They have explored Earth and space, discovering the axis of the Earth and how our orbit around the Sun directly impacts the way the world experiences seasons. They investigated day, night and shadows and collaborated with peers to present information. This topic was brought to life when students ‘entered the dome’ during the Planetarium incursion, taking part in an interactive journey which reinforced our learning and visually presented to students just how big the universe is and our place within it.

The learning journey has continued on solid ground too, with students getting to know Australia and our near neighbours by analysing similarities and differences in climate, culture, flora and fauna. Students worked collaboratively to create and share digital presentations about the continents of the world. Natural features, human features and World Heritage sites have also been studied in class as students work towards the completion and presentation of their Australia homework projects.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Stage 3 - Years 5 & 6 Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Desert Survivors This year so far, has been an extremely busy time for Stage Three. They have learnt about creating imaginative and persuasive texts, completing different STEM challenges and the formation of the constitution in Australian history.

With all these fascinating topics to learn about, there was one subject in particular students enjoyed the most…Science!

Throughout Term One, Stage Three students explored the concept of ‘Desert Survivors’ which looked at how specific plants and animals would adapt in different environments. This unit also included an exciting excursion to Sydney Olympic Park where students investigated the Mangrove ecosystem and how it has changed over time.

With all the interesting topics and ideas Stage Three have been learning about, some students were asked to reflect on one thing you learnt throughout the term:

“How mangroves have different ways of surviving in their habitat. They have roots which act like snorkels help air get through to the plan” – Grace

“The structure of the Australian government. I now know what different parts are responsible for” – Brendan

“The different colourful creatures which use camouflage to get away from predators” – Basma

The next few terms will only get busier for Stage Three and they can’t wait to discover some more interesting topics to research.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Support Teachers Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Learning and Support This term the Support Team will start MultiLit in collaboration with the parent community. MultiLit is a literacy program developed by Macquarie University to support literacy instruction for children who need additional support with reading and comprehension. This week the first group of parent volunteers were trained by Mrs Pearson and look forward to beginning working with students in the school soon.

English as an Additional Language and Dialect (EAL/D) This term the EAL/D team have been busy supporting the Harcourt students to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Stage 1 EAL/D students are learning about farm animals. After brainstorming animal names in pairs the students sorted the animals into farm and other animals.

Stage 2 EAL/D students have been sharing artwork and information about echidnas with Kindergarten Green. While emergent students have been learning about sequencing and classifying information about Australian animals.

Stage 3 have been working on writing persuasive text to convince their audience to protect the environment by recycling and encouraging people not to cut trees down.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Community Languages Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Our Chinese program The Early Stage 1 students are eager to learn to read and write more Chinese characters after mastering the strokes that form all Chinese characters. They have been reading a big book about numbers and are going to read a big book that is all about families this term.

The Stage 1 students are learning the way to describe our outfit, in particular, our school uniforms using colours they have learned in Term One. They will be reading a supplementary big book on clothing to consolidate their learning.

The Stage 2 students are doing a unit on stationery. They are learning to name and describe the stationery using descriptive language in Chinese.

The Stage 3 students will consolidate their knowledge on countries and continent from last term through learning about the languages different countries speak this term.

Our Non Native students are learning about Chinese food and telling times in Chinese. Students are learning through drama and role play to consolidate their learning experience.

Korean Dance Group The Korean dance group students from Year 3 to Year 6 are excited about putting on their new and bright-coloured costumes which had recently been delivered from Korea. They are getting ready for a drum dance practice in their full costumes in the hall.

The students are practising the traditional drum dance, Jindo Book Chum in their colourful costumes hitting the drum joyfully in the hall.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Library News Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Library Bytes Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) The first few weeks saw an introduction to the Library with stories like Maisy Goes to the Library by Lucy Cousins and Wombat Goes to School by Jackie French. We practised sounds with Waddle Giggle Gargle by Pamela Allen, and celebrated Harmony Day with Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey and Pyjama Day with Good Night Sleep Tight by Mem Fox & Judy Horacek. Students learnt to choose picture books with simple text and have got into the routine of borrowing and returning books every Friday. Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) The term was introduced with a story from the First Australians (How the Birds Got Their Colours, a Dreamtime story by Mary Albert & Pamela Lofts). We looked at Chinese/Lunar New Year with New Year Surprise by Christopher Cheng and Di Wu. Through literature we supported the class topic of Fairy Tales with fairytale-like stories such as Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey and King Pig by Nick Bland. Swim Scheme was encouraged by reading Ruby Learns to Swim by Phillip Glynne & Tamsin Ainslie, and Pyjama Day with In Your Dreams, an Aboriginal type story by Sally Morgan & Bronwyn Bancroft. We have worked in with ANZAC Day with Lest We Forget by Kerry Brown. Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) We looked at Australia Day with a book about the First Fleet by Alan Boardman & Roland Harvey, Multiculturism and Harmony Day with a Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham, Chinese and Lunar New Year by reading Dat’s New Year by Linda Smith. Swim Scheme was promoted with the Deep End by Ursula Dubosarsky and Mitch Vane, and ANZAC Day commemorated with Meet Weary Dunlop by Claire Saxby & Jeremy Lord. Next term is Book Week and there will be more information about that in a coming newsletter. In preparation for this, we are reading the shortlisted books in Term Two. Information about Book Week and the nominated books can be found from the Children’s Book Council at: http://cbca.org.au/ In all classes, there is return and borrowing time where students can choose books. The Library is open second half of lunch every day for borrowing, reading, drawing and quiet games. Students can log on to the library search page through their portal. Students in Years 3 – 6 are encouraged to participate in The Premier’s Reading Challenge and log their reading onto the PRC website. Click on the poster to go to the PRC website.

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Tips for parents Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

ICT News

In today’s digital world, students and parents find that they are going online to

use the internet more and more frequently than ever before.

Although the internet offers many benefits to families, it can also contain risks.

Therefore, we encourage all parents to access the national eSafety

Commissioner’s webpage known as

iParent

to access up-to-date information that will empower you and your child to have safer,

more positive experiences online.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/iparent

Harcourt Public School 5 First Avenue, Campsie NSW 2194 ABN: 978 483 235 69 Ph: 9718 5929 Fax: 9718 7234

Tips for parents Issue 01 – Term 2, 2018

Click on this image to go to the “Keeping Our Kids Safe Around Schools” booklet by the Centre for Road Safety, NSW.