Dear Parents,

Sitting here watching the rain pouring outside my office, I can't believe the luck we had with the weather for our Book Week. It was a hugely successful event. Thank you for all your efforts to support us. It was lovely to see so many of you attend the finale of the week - the Assembly- which was so fun packed and productive. The students looked wonderful dressed as Book Characters, thank you for helping with that. The teachers also enjoyed their dressing up day. I, for one, was quite sad to put away my Tigger outfit!! Many of you also came in to read, as did many adults from our school community, "Thank you" to you all. The students will have had the message that reading is an enjoyable source of pleasure and important too! The picnic on the grass was a real novelty and enjoyed by all. Our Book Review Caterpillar, (now sadly very wet!), was a real joy to watch growing, and to think that all of those books had been read, made the week worthwhile.

I hope you were happy with the books received as part of the Book Swap, and also with the purchases made at the "Book Exhibition".

Congratulations to all the winners of the Book Quiz and thanks to all who entered.

As we said in the Assembly, "Reading is one of the Keys to the Kingdom of Knowledge".

Ms. Cordie Giffen Head of Primary

 

All the children are enjoying their new topics and we hope the curriculum letters you have received clearly outline the various skills and activities the children will be undertaking over the next few weeks.

Lower Elementary had an exciting and eventful "BOOK WEEK" with many parents coming in to read in various classes. A big "Thank You" from all of us. During the week children were exposed to vibrant stimulating literacy activities.

There is a real feeling of enthusiasm and energy in the Elementary School as the result of an In-service Course for Western Teachers. The course took place over four days - 10th - 14th March with a focus on Literacy. We were extremely fortunate to have an adviser named Brett Larson conducting the sessions. He was able to focus our attention in a very innovative way that fired our own imaginations. The Teachers were encouraged to look very closely at the ways in which they teach and how they could be improved. The focus involved the whole process of delivering the English Curriculum, from planning to new inspiring ways of presentation in the classroom. The sessions were also a forum for sharing good ideas and practice. Unfortunately, there is never enough time in the school day to do this! One of the most enjoyable sessions was being put in the position of a student and being told to write something creative! It took us back to our own school days and reminded us of the vulnerability of students. There is no doubt that the sessions will filter into the classrooms with new ideas and approaches. We very much look forward to Mr. Larson returning to deliver an "In-service" course on Numeracy next year.