Welcome to Bonnells Bay Public School I am Karen Rowe and I am Assistant Principal supervising Early Stage 1 or Kindergarten in 2009. I’d like to introduce Mr Jason Baldwin, our Principal and one of our current Early Stage 1 teachers, Mrs Kate Armfield. I would also like to introduce Alison Yee and Gina Zahn – two of our current Kinder parents. They have generously given their time tonight to come along and tell you about their experiences with starting a child at our school. They may also be able to answer some of your questions from a parent’s perspective.

About The Parent Information Session: General information about our school What our school offers School Culture and Expectations. The Kindergarten Best Start Assessment General question time During this session I am going to tell you about some general information about our school and your child’s transition to Bonnells Bay Public School. Kate, Gina and Alison will talk a little about how you can help your child to be ready for school. Jason is going to give you a quick overview of our school welfare policies including our positive reinforcement, behaviour and bullying programs.

Parent Information Sessions Uniforms School Counsellor Parent Committees and canteen Speech Pathologist Optometrist Helping your child with reading in class and at home Rather than overload you now with more specific information about our school uniforms, the Canteen, P&C and other committees at our school we will cover these in further parent information sessions held while the children are having a taste of school in classroom information sessions from October 27 – November 18.

Transition Program Parent Information Sessions School Orientation and ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ for students and parents 4 classroom sessions 10:00am – 11:15am held over 4 weeks Information sessions for parents Opportunities to purchase school uniforms Meet school staff and other parents We recognise the importance of a positive transition to school from your child’s prior-to-school experiences (be they pre-school /an early learning centre / day-care / playgroup and being at home with his/her family). Tonight is the first part of what we hope will be a very positive transition. In our transition program we have organized special activities for you and your child to share with older students at our school and our Staff; as well as activities for your child with our current Kindergarten teachers; and the Information sessions for you that I will mention in more detail later. There will also be opportunities at these times to chat to other parents and some of our school personnel so we can get to know each other a little before next year.

General Information about Bonnells Bay Public School Current enrolment of 370 children 14 classes Classes organised into Stages Kindergarten is Early Stage 1 Years 1 & 2 – Stage 1 Years 3 & 4 – Stage 2 Years 5 & 6 – Stage 3 I’d like to quickly tell you some general information about Bonnells Bay School. The school currently has an enrolment of 385 children. There are 15 classes at our school and next year we are anticipating that our enrolments will enable us to organize Kindergarten classes of about 20 children each in accordance with State Guidelines. We currently have enrolment papers for about 35 2009 Kinder students. Our school’s classes are organized into Stages aligned to the syllabuses from which we teach. Kindergarten is Early Stage 1. Stage 1 is made up of Year 1 and Year 2 children and this year we have 4 Stage 1 classes and a class with both Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 children in it. Stage 2 classes have children from Year 3 and Year 4; and Stage 3 classes have children from Year 5 and Year 6. As children progress on to High School the curriculum is still taught in Stages from Stage 4 through to Stage 6 when students are in Year 11 and Year 12. A stage of work (apart from Early Stage 1) is completed over 2 years.

Bonnells Bay Public School offers

Educational opportunities in English Mathematics Science & Technology Human Society and its Environment Creative Arts PD / Health / PE Our school offers: Educational opportunities for students covering the 6 Key Learning Areas of English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Human Society and its Environment, Creative Arts, and PD/ Health/ PE. Excursions are organized regularly to enhance classroom programs. This year our Kinders have visited Oakdale farm and we will shortly be visiting Blackbutt Reserve to enhance our HSIE and Literacy programs.

Dedicated and caring teaching staff Principal Assistant Principals Classroom teachers Librarian RFF teachers Specialist support staff for learning assistance Reading Recovery for some Year 1 students School Counsellor (1 day per week) We have a dedicated and caring teaching staff that is committed to continued development and updating of their training. The staff who will be working with your child include: classroom teachers, a librarian, release-from-face-to-face teachers, specialist support staff for learning assistance, a Reading Recovery teacher for some Year 1 children, and a School Counselor to assist with the diagnosis of students with learning difficulties and / or to assist students who may need support with emotional or social difficulties. To access the school counselor services, parents initially need to speak to the child’s classroom teacher. If a teacher thinks a child needs to access the services of the School Counselor, the permission is always sought from the parent. Scripture teachers also visit our classes each Friday. The executive staff of our school include the Principal, Jason, and 3 Assistant Principals –whose role is to help with day to day organization of the school and who are responsible for supervision of teachers. If you have an enquiry regarding your child, you should initially contact the classroom teacher and then the Assistant Principal if need be.

Well – resourced library At our school we have a well-resourced library which is open 4 days per week. We also have an extensive range of graded/ leveled reading materials and equipment for all 6 key learning areas. All of our classrooms have networked computers and our computer lab gives opportunities for all students to develop extensive computer skills. All of our resource material is constantly being upgraded.

Networked computers in all classes and a computer lab Programs to enhance teaching / learning programs All of our classrooms have networked computers and our computer lab gives opportunities for all students to develop extensive computer skills. All of our resource material is constantly being upgraded.

Classroom Interactive Whiteboards

Fixed play equipment suitable for all students Our grounds have large playing areas with fixed equipment suitable for both smaller and older children, and facilities for a variety of playground games. The children have the opportunity to play in a passive play area, an oval area, or the concrete area. Initially, Kindergarten children play in a separate playground to foster strong peer relationships and a feeling of security. This special Kinder area is always supervised by the Early Stage 1 team. Kindergarten and Stage 1 play equipment Primary play equipment

Sun Protection Policy We have a Sun protection policy of No Hat – Play in the Shade for all of our students. All children are encouraged to wear a school broad-brimmed hat as part of the school uniform at all times when they are out of the classroom.

Healthy canteen menu and class fruit break time

Extra activities our school offers National competitions in English, Writing, Maths, Science and Computers Premier’s Reading Challenge StarStruck Dance lessons and performances Choirs Participation in Performing Arts Festivals Bi-annual Whole School musical performance Guitar lessons Sporting teams at gala days Our school offers a variety of extra-curricula learning activities to enhance the talents and interests of our students. ­­­­­­­­­­Activities in such areas as academic, sport, dance, music (including specialist guitar and keyboard lessons) are currently offered at our school. Students in Years 3 to 6 are also given the opportunity to participate in externally run National English, Mathematics, Writing, Spelling, Science and Computer competitions. Our school’s stage 1 and 2 students will be participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, a project to encourage children to read more widely and more often. Every year lifesavers from Lake Macquarie council visit our school to speak to Kindergarten and year 3 and year 6 about water safety and to teach Year 6 to do resuscitation.

Kindergarten children performing at our School Performance in 2008 Every two years our school holds an entertainment extravaganza in which every child at our school is able to participate. This year we had 3 sold out performances in our School Hall and a lot of fun! It is always a great experience for all students.

Parent involvement School Canteen P & C Classroom helpers 3 way conferences with child, parents, teacher Special environmental and cultural days School discos Sports carnivals Bonnells Bay School also offers parents and caregivers many opportunities to participate in the educational activities of their children and to be involved in decision –making within our school. At information sessions while the children are having their classroom experiences, we’ll introduce you to people who will welcome you to be involved at school in the School Canteen, the P&C and fund-raising committee. When the children have settled into Kinder life, teachers will also be welcoming parents to help with reading and maths sessions, group activities and excursions. It is a wonderful opportunity to share a positive school learning experience with your child. Don’t be shy…let us know if you have any special talents you can share with the children. Student led conferences – where students share their work and classroom with their parents in a more formal setting are held during each Semester. The conferences are held during the daytime and appointments are made to enable all parents, even if working, to see their child’s work at a given time. This year we held student led conferences where children could share and celebrate their work with parents and their teacher. It was very successful and I’m sure you will enjoy the experience next year. While teachers try to be as approachable as possible at all times, please be mindful that the daily classroom teaching time is not the time to discuss your child’s progress or problems. Teachers have some time off class each week that may be an appropriate time to speak to parents, or an appointment can be made through the school office staff. We would appreciate if parents kept this in mind, even in the very early stages of school next year, as class time is so vital for teachers attention to all children in his/her class. This includes the walk to the classroom from morning lines and then dismissing children in the afternoon. Sessions to show how to help with reading and writing at school and at home will be held during the orientation classroom sessions and again early next year. Please try to attend some of these if possible. I know that the students of Bonnells Bay have, over many years, benefited from the wonderful volunteer work done by many parents.

Student Wellbeing Tell a teacher if there is a problem

Best Start Kindergarten Assessment Information for communities and staff

Who will be involved? All Kindergarten students in public schools.

What is the Assessment for? To provide information that supports teachers in meeting students’ individual learning needs; To provide parents and caregivers with feedback on what their child can do, and how they can best support their child’s learning; and To assist the monitoring of student learning throughout the school years.

What will be assessed? Student’s school entry skills and understandings in literacy and numeracy Critical aspects in each area, as determined by research

How does it links to the Early Stage 1 English and Mathematics syllabuses? All aspects to be assessed are critical parts of the English and Mathematics syllabuses

What are the critical aspects of literacy to be assessed? Reading text Writing Speaking Comprehension Concepts about print Phonics Phonemic Awareness

What are the critical aspects of numeracy to be assessed? Counting (numeral recognition and forward number word sequences) Counting as a problem solving process Pattern recognition

How will the Assessment be implemented? Classroom teachers will observe and record student responses Tasks will be completed individually.

What are students asked to do during the Best Start Literacy Assessment? Teachers ask a series of questions to gather information about children’s early literacy knowledge.

For example: To assess a child’s understanding of a text read to them, the teacher may ask the student to retell what happened in the story in their own words.

What are students asked to do during the Best Start Numeracy Assessment? Teachers ask a series of questions to gather information about children’s initial mathematical knowledge.

For example: To see how far a child can correctly count, the teacher may ask them to start counting. The child will be asked to stop when the teacher gets a sense of how well they can count.

How will student assessment information be communicated to parents and caregivers? Parents and carers will receive clear, accessible feedback on: their child’s learning at school entry next steps in the learning process how to support their child’s learning.

Starting next year Monday 6th February 2011 at 10.00am. School staff return Friday 27th January Stages 1,2 & 3 return Monday 30th January Kindergarten ‘Best Start’ individual interviews to be held over 4 days - approximately 40 minutes each child Tuesday 31 January to Thursday 2 February inclusive All Kindergarten students begin full-time on Monday 6th February 2011 at 10.00am. Finish at 3.00pm on first day only. Best Start interview date and time advised by mail in Term 4, 2011 In 2009, school Staff return on Tuesday 27th January. Students in Stage 1, 2 & 3 return to school on Wednesday 28th January. Some of our new Kindergarten students will start on Thursday 29th January and some will start on Friday 30th January. The staggered start enables the School Staff and parents time to concentrate on assisting the Kindergarten children to settle in to school. On their first day, Kindergarten children will start at 10.00am but after that, please have your child at school ready for a 9.30am start each day. You will be notified in writing of the day your child is to start, whether it is the Thursday or the Friday, before the end of this school year. If there is any specific date you need your child to start please see me later so I can make a note of it. All enrolment information – birth certificate, immunization, proof of residence etc must be completed and cited by the office staff prior to your child being allowed to start school.

The first day Monday 6th February 2011 Start at 10:00am in the School Hall Go with your child to the classroom to settle him / her in Pick your child up at front or back gate at 3.00pm On your child’s very first day you should arrive at school just before 10.00am. Anxious children often become more anxious when they have to wait around. Please note that the play equipment is out of bounds before school for all of our students K – 6. I ask that you adhere to this rule from the beginning. The children will have a safety induction to the equipment with their class teacher early in the first week. Bring your child to the Hall on his/her first day and we will notify you of the class he/she will be going into and you can accompany your child down to the classroom if you would like to. In class, the class teacher will put a name tag on your child that he/she will need to wear while at school for the first couple of weeks. This allows the whole school staff to get to know your child. Name tags will be taken off as your child is collected in the afternoon. The children will also be wearing their name tags during our orientation sessions.

After the first day Bring your child to the classroom between 9:15am and 9:30am each day for the first full week The teacher will be in the room to meet you both Say “good-bye” as soon as your child is settled For the rest of the first full week of school, you should bring your child to the classroom between 9.15am and 9.30am. The class teachers will be there to greet you and settle your child in ready for a 9.30am start. During the first week, children will practice lining up when the bell goes so that by the 2nd week of school they will feel confident to line up, just like the big kids. At first your child will only need to bring food, drink, jumper/raincoat (if necessary) and a change of clothing (if you think this may be necessary) in their bags. They do not need to bring their own pencils, textas, a library bag or any books. Our teachers will notify you in writing if and when anything extra needs to be brought in.

Afternoon Dismissal Kindergarten students are dismissed at: Back Gate Kindergarten students dismissed at 3:30pm from Tuesday 7thFebruary Kindergarten students are dismissed at: Back Gate or Front Gate by Kindergarten staff Back gate Front gate

Afternoon dismissal after Week 1 Front gate Back gate Children dismissed at 3:30pm Kindergarten staff supervise dismissal from Front Gate and Back Gate for first few weeks.

Important times First day of school 10:00am in Hall For the second day go to classroom between 9:15am and 9:30am From Week 4 onwards, line up with bag under the Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) on bell at 9:30am Lunch time is 11:30am Recess time is 2.20pm Finish time for first day is 3.00pm From Tuesday 7th February onwards, finish at 3:30pm

Next Transition session Thursday 13th October 10:00am – 11:15am Children and parents together Tour of the school with a Mad Hat display. Stories and Songs Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (bring lunch and a picnic rug – and Wear a crazy hat!)

Transition to School Program Tuesday 18th October 2011 Thursday 27th October 2011 Tuesday 1st November 2011 Thursday 10th November 2011