Week Four, Term Four, Tuesday, 14th August 2018 Edition Two Hundred and Sixty Three

Learning & Assessment

It seems to me that if we focus on ‘learning’ rather than

performing, we have a much better opportunity to develop deep and personal approaches to our core business at school. Molecular biologist John Medina, emphasises a really important point here: that our brains are ‘plastic’. They are ever changing in the composition of neural pathways as a result of the things we learn to do. Learning, then, is ‘rewiring’ our brains. If we want to learn well, we need to encode information efficiently so we can retrieve it efficiently and demonstrate our learning in assessment. Our next question then becomes, ‘What can I do to maximise efficiency in the way I am encoding knowledge, understanding and skills?’ Here are some of the ‘brain rules’ for maximising learning we looked at:

1. Efficient neural pathways require maintenance. When we learn in class we are given opportunities to see, understand and apply– but that’s not enough! We need to engage again and again by organising our knowledge and practising how we use it. We create study notes, flash cards, mind maps, PowerPoints, and we do practise questions and write practice paragraphs so that we rewire our brains effectively.

2. Brains love visual stimulus. Using colour symbolically and chunking information into visual bites should be key techniques as we create study aids.

3. Repeat to remember. But lots of research shows that ‘spaced repetition’ is more effective. This means studying for, say a maths test, for 30 minutes every day for the week before the test is far more efficient than studying for a three hour block the night before the test. Repeat to remember – but space the repetition with the aid of a clear study schedule.

4. Exercise promotes brain function. There are lots of theories about why this is so, but the research is irrefutable. Brain function is improved when we undertake physical exercise – so include it in your study schedule.

5. Sleep promotes brain function. Studies of both soldiers and teenagers demonstrate not only improved brain function following adequate (7 hours plus) sleep, but more crucially the debilitating effects of sleep deficit upon a range of brain functions we often call upon in assessments: strategizing, visual discrimination, decision making.

If we are attending equally to what we are learning as well as how we are learning, then we set ourselves up for deeper understanding of concepts and the ability to apply them to more unfamiliar contexts.

Mick McCann michael.mccann@det.nsw.edu.au

Hilltop News

Outstanding but sad news… As some of our community will already know Fiona Miller, Assistant Principal on Kinder, has been successful in gaining a new position within the department. She will be starting at Adamstown office in a P-2 Initiatives Officer (working across schools from Newcastle to Armidale and everywhere in between) from August 22nd. Fiona new role is for three years and she maintains her right of return back to NEPS. Mrs Amanda Munro will be taking KM for the rest of the year. She is current on leave from her permanent position as an Assistant Principal position at Mossman Public School. Gaming It has recently been brought to my attention that some parents have concerns around children playing such games as Fortnite. Below are some website links which may help you to make informed decisions about how you choose to manage this with your child or children. Age restrictions are always a good indicator of the developmental maturity required to engage in

particular games which should be taken into consideration when making decisions around the type of gaming you allow your child to be exposed to. The Office of the eSafety Commissioner website has some great advice that you may find helpful. https://www.esafety.gov.au/ The article in the link below makes interesting reading for parents specifically about the game Fortnite. https://bit.ly/2vDDBzl The article below is by the World Health Organisation on Gaming Disorder. http://www.who.int/features/qa/gamingdisorder STEM Education Showcase We are celebrating Education Week this week on Wednesday 15th August with a STEM

Education Showcase. STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM education involves inquiry and problem-based learning and encourages collaborating, investigating, designing, building, tinkering, exploring and creating. Parents, caregivers and grandparents are warmly invited to visit classrooms between 2:00 – 2:45pm to view a wide variety of innovative STEM projects created by our students. Trivia Night – 2018 major fundraiser A huge thankyou to Dipesh Lakhani, for his work so far in gaining nearly 20 donations from local companies and businesses. Thanks to Anchorage Hotel & Spa, 2018 signed Knight Jersey, Tulloch Winery (winery experience and case of wine), Drew Family (wine), Nova Cruises, Svitzer (Tug Boat Ride), Scart Photography, Local Crop, Natural Tucker, Revolution, Vitality, Habeesha, Popollo, Queen’s Wharf (meal voucher), Honey Suckle Hotel (meal voucher),, Super Strike, Zaffrans Indian Restaurant (meal voucher),, Bhaki Tree, Custom House and Bodyworks Physo for their kind donations. As a community, can we please support these local business? The date and location have been locked in – Saturday 3rd November and again the event will be held at Adamstown United Sports Club. Last year event was a great success but we believe that this one will be even better. We are close to finalising our prize list but we need a few more for the evening We would be very grateful if you, your business or any of your friends or family could make a donation to assist. This could be in the form of a donated prize, a voucher for your business, or for an ‘experience’ (for example, a weekend in a holiday house that you own, or tickets to an event you are coordinating). All donations will be most gratefully received. Please send an email to newcastlee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au or call the office on 49 29 2911 if you can make a donation.

Telstra Digital Futures We are currently in second place on 95 votes. Heaton Public is streaking away but we still have time to catch them. For the school to be eligible for the first prize, parents, grandparents, community members and students are encouraged to go to the Telstra stores at Market town of Jesmond to vote. You won’t need to purchase anything, you receive a token and vote for our school. You would be able to do this each time you head to Market town. Voting has opened and will continue until 19th of August. The winner is determined by the highest number of votes. Please spread the word and vote at either the Jesmond Store or Market town store. Building Information Booths The next round of building information booths will be running on these date. The booths will be located at the front of the school. If you haven’t already seen the wonderful plans, please pop in to see what is planned. 3 Sep 2018, 8:30am to 9:30am 27 Sep 2018, 8:30am to 9:30am 5 Nov 2018, 8:30am to 9:30am 3 Dec 2018, 8:30am to 9:30am STICKY BEAK TOUR 2019 Kindergarten students The school will be hosting ‘Sticky Beak Tours,’ where families with a child starting Kindergarten in 2019 are invited to go on a guided tour through the school with the principal, Mr Mick McCann. These tours will be held on the following Mondays. Please let any families you know in our zone, who have a child starting school in 2018. You can call the school office on 49 29 2911 to book your place. Sticky Beak Tour Dates: Monday, August 20th – 9.45 – 10.45am Monday, August 27th – 9.45 – 10.45am Monday, September 3rd – 9.45 – 10.45am

Father’s Day BBQ To celebrate Father’s Day, we will be holding a morning BBQ under the COLA from 7.30-8.30 on Friday 31st August. All welcome to attend. Thought for the week NAIDOC WEEK 2018

Local Indigenous print making artist, Ruby Alderton, has been helping students at NEPS to record their own stories through art. Ruby has been sharing her knowledge of Aboriginal art techniques with classes, and then teaching them how to make their own block print. The results have been spectacular! Thank you Ruby

Premier’s Spelling Bee Results Congratulations to all the students in stages 2 and 3 who took part in last week’s Spelling Bee final. The competition was fierce, the words were complicated and nerves ran high. Eventually, two winners were decided from each stage, and these four students will compete in the regional spelling bee competition on the 12th September. Good luck boys.

Stage 2 runner up – Callum B Stage 2 winner – Sam M Stage 3 runner up – Gabe L Stage 3 winner – Zedlin O

Canteen – Urgent Volunteers Needed Term 3 We need volunteers for the canteen roster for term 3 please. Sign up either through the sign-up app on the link below or text Kelly Wyman on 0421 299611. www.SignUpGenius.com/go/30E0A4DAEAB29AAF94-canteen6

CANTEEN ROSTER Term 3 2018

Monday Friday

13 August Amy Lindeman

17 August First half – Amy King 1/2 volunteers needed

20 August Amy Lindeman

24 August 2/3 volunteers needed

27 August Amy Lindeman

31 August 2/3 volunteers needed

03 September Amy Lindeman

7 September 2/3 volunteers needed

10 September Pip Strachan

14 September Chris Gooch First half Louise Moya Second half volunteer needed

17 September Tash Ireland

21 September First half – Amy King 2/3 volunteers needed

24 September 1 Volunteer needed

28 September Kelly Wyman Tracey Hutchins