Dear Families,

It is hard to believe that we have already completed a term in our new building.  I have been so impressed with the resilience and dedication of our students and staff as they have navigated through the new spaces, coped with staffing shortages, and continued to engage in academic programs and learning experiences. It has been amazing to have the students at school for the entire term and I thank all parents for their continued support and understanding.

We wish all our families a safe and relaxing break and look forward to seeing you return for an exciting Term 3.

Staffing update

We have a few short-term changes in positions for Term 3.

Erin Minehan will be acting Principal for the first 3 weeks of Term 3, Kate Stear will be acting Deputy Principal, Kate Herrington will take on the role of Year 1 and 2 Executive Teacher and Alistair Scherer will be acting Executive for Year 5 and 6.

We also welcome Kirsty Hollow to the Kindergarten team and Florence Wellfair to the Year 3 / 4 team.  Nicole Carney is heading to Japan to teach and we wish her all the very best in her new role.

School Reports

School reports for students in Preschool to Year 6 were sent home in Week 9 through our centralised Student Administration System.  If you have not received your report, please check your junk mail and then contact the front office if you require a copy to be sent.  As indicated in previous newsletters, the ACT Directorate simplified the process of reporting this semester in response to the staffing pressures being experienced across the system.  Parent interviews have been brought forward to Week 3, Term 3 to supplement the information in the reports. As in previous years, an online booking system will be opened for parents to secure an interview time.

Building Modernisation

During the school holidays the transportable classrooms will be decommissioned and removed.  Work will then commence on creating some new and exciting play spaces. As a result of the work taking place, we discourage all students from attending the site unsupervised.  Vacation care is continuing to run during the holidays and the staff are already aware of this and prepared to care for students during this time.

Professional Development for our Preschool Team

Our Preschool team visited Neville Bonner Primary School’s preschool this week. The purpose of the visit was to build upon and reflect on our Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). The QIP is a support document which enables preschools and childcare centres to articulate their goals against the seven Quality Areas of the National Quality Framework. This visit provided the team with lots of ideas around programming for their children’s interests and strategies when engaging with families. One of the initiatives we will be trialling next term, is offering preschool families to ‘Stay and Play’ on Wednesday mornings 9:00-9:30am. More information will be shared with our families next term.

School Readiness for Preschool Families

The University of Canberra is conducting research into a program which involves preschool families receiving text messages with ideas and activities to help their children’s development in a range of different areas. See attached flyer for further details if you are interested.

It has been a busy term in kindergarten, especially with the excitement of moving into our new learning environments.  The new spaces have provided opportunities for the children to work together as a collective group on inquiry-based activities and to work separately during explicit literacy and numeracy work.

In the morning, children are developing their independent learning skills by unpacking their belongings, marking their attendance, and moving to complete their ‘blue box’ activities.  This includes independent literacy activities such as handwriting, soundwaves task, sight words and reading tasks.

After all the intense work the kindergarten children have certainly worked up an appetite and a need to run around and play with their friends.  During recess children have a snack and then can play in the playground using the climbing frame, grassed area, nature play or the junior equipment!

When the bell goes children return to class and quietly read before moving to explicitly taught mathematical lessons.  A significant component of the mathematics program is numeracy work and after the children have received clear teacher instruction, they consolidate their learning through rotational group activities and the use of hands-on materials.  A typical mathematics lesson would include number work as well as teaching across the mathematical sub strands of the Australian Curriculum.

Each day, the afternoon session can look quite different.  It is action packed with science activities, history, art and crafts, fundamental movements skills, technology, and library! At the end of the day, children pack up their belongings ready meet their special person at pick up time.

The staff and students in Year 1/2 have been having such a wonderful time in our new learning spaces that we can’t believe that we have reached the end of the term! 

Our Learning Community  looks and feels spectacular with a happy buzz of engaged students and vibrant displays which the students are extremely proud of.  

Please see below for some of  the many experiences we have been engaged in. There have been so many over the past 10 weeks it was very hard to choose just a few.

Buddy Reading

Year 1 and 2 students love working together each day to share books and practise reading together. 

UP

Each Thursday and Friday Ms Whalen works with us on the Up Program which helps our brain and body connect through motor sensory movement.

Gymnastics

Mrs Penney organised gymnastics lessons for Year 1 students with Canberra City Gymnastics through the Sporting Schools Program. We had so much fun! Year 2 will be given the opportunity to participate in cricket clinics in Term 3. 

Kenny Koala

Kenny Koala and Dave came to visit us again last week and talked to us about how to stay safe in the Community.  He even showed us his new car and car seat! 

National Families Week

Year 1 and 2 made a giant paper quilt for our National Families Week activity with artworks representing 'family’.

Cooking

Year 1 has spent some time learning about procedural texts in an authentic and delicious way.  This week we cooked cheesy spinach scrolls and jam drops.

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and look forward to more exciting learning in Term 3.

Our Year 6 leadership committees have been hard at work writing proposals for Ms Kinsman and the P&C, as well as working together to plan environmental initiatives and a school Market Day. It has been incredibly pleasing to see the students collaborating and developing practical skills that will benefit them for many years to come.

We are very excited to have received the school leader badges, after a long wait. Big thank you to the students for their patience! These will be handed out to our leaders on Monday 18 July (Week 1 Term 3, first day of term at 9:00am) at the morning Yuma. Families are welcome to attend to support their children during this momentous occasion!

Rostrum has been running primary school speaking competitions in the ACT and surrounding areas of New South Wales for nearly 50 years. Over the past few weeks students from Years 3 to 6 have been practising their public speaking skills and have presented their speeches to classmates. Each class selected their strongest speaker/s to participate in Campbell Primary School’s Rostrum Finals, which were held last week.

Our finalist were: Arabella (3/4C), Jessica (3/4C), Makensie (3/4E), Scarlett (3/4E), Tilly (5S), Anezka (5S), Xavier (5T), Coda (6ND), Sabrina (6H), Indi (6H) and Jacqui (6H).

The judging panel of Miss Herrington, Miss Thane and Mr Middleton had an extremely tough decision in choosing the winner.

In the end they all agreed Sabrina (6H) confidently delivered the strongest speech and she was declared the Campbell Primary School Rostrum Winner for 2022. Arabella (3/4C) was awarded the runner up position. 

Sabrina is now off to the Quarterfinals next term and we wish her all the best!

A massive congratulations to our finalists and to all participants in the Rostrum competition this year. Public speaking is not easy and we are so proud of all of our students for having a go and doing their best!

We are delighted to inform you that Campbell Primary will be participating in the world-renowned ICAS Assessments this year. ICAS is developed by UNSW Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of New South Wales, with over 36 years’ experience in educational assessments.

ICAS is designed to target students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Spelling and Digital Technologies.

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition. Every student will receive a certificate and an online result report. Top performers will be eligible for medals and are invited to attend special award ceremonies to have their academic excellence publicly recognised.

The assessments are suitable for students wishing to extend themselves academically and take up the personal challenge of competing in an international assessment. Participating students will be presented with high-quality, expert-developed questions, allowing them to apply their learning without the need for prior study or revision.

ICAS Assessments are now online, a move that reflects a sector-wide transition to computer-based assessment. This allows greater accessibility for students and faster delivery of results.

Parents can access this service using this link:

https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

Campbell Primary School's unique access code is:

DHO635

The assessments will be carried out at Campbell Primary School during the sitting window. Sign up will close on Monday 1 August 2022. Please see below a list for the dates of assessment:

Please contact me if you have any further questions,

Sarah Ebbage (sarah.ebbage@ed.act.edu.au)

ICAS Coordinator

Open 14 June to 22 July

Looking for a challenge these school holidays? To inform the new 10-year ACT Disability Strategy, students are invited to share ideas though a drawing, artwork, poem or piece of writing about how everyone can feel included:

• In the community
• At home
• In public places like parks and playgrounds
• In schools or places of study.

All ACT children and young people can enter. Entry forms can be downloaded from www.yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/act-disability-strategy. 

For information and questions please email OfficeForDisability@act.gov.au

The ACT Government wants to hear from people with disability, families, carers and interested community members on how to create a more inclusive future for all Canberrans. The consultation for the ACT Disability Strategy has been co-designed with the ACT Disability Reference Group and all conversations will be led by people with disability. The consultation is open until the end of July 2022. Find out more at ACT Disability Strategy | YourSay ACT.