What's happening around CHPS?

Lunchtime Reading 

The library will be open for the first half of lunch on Fridays

There will be 3 stations:

Paired Reading

For students who are not reading at home or require additional practice.

Students will be paired up and read to each other.

Individual Reading

For students who want some quiet time. They can either come with a book or pick one from the library

Borrowing

Individual students who missed their library day are welcome to change their books at this time.

Yarn Art Storybook

The Yarn Art Storybook trail is on again for October 2015! We are currently finalising the Children’s Book that will be featured this year and will be announcing the book at Assembly in the very near future!

There is a lot of work to do before we install the finished project on the school fence - last year we had a wonderful team of adult volunteers helping us at our Lunchtime Club and we are again asking for help from anyone who can spare some time either during these lunchtime events or crafting at home!

You don’t have to be an experienced crocheter or knitter! We will be including many simple crafts such as pom-pom making, weaving and stitching that can be done by all ages!

This year, our Lunchtime Club will be held on Tuesdays in the library from 1.30pm to 2.30pm, to register your availability, or let us know if you would like to help out in another way, please email Jane Fitchett at craftymatters@iprimus.com.au 

You can also go to our OPAC website for more details and updates as they happen!

Maths and Reading Specialists

What a busy term it has been for the Maths and Reading Specialists! It has been exciting to see the teachers so enthusiastic and keen to try new things in their classrooms, and in turn the learning that is happening for the students.

All of the teachers have worked with the Maths and Reading Specialists to revise or learn about Reciprocal and Guided reading which helps students work on decoding and comprehension of text. The students have been enjoying participating in these targeted groups and it is helping them think harder about what they are reading. It is very important that children discuss the text as they go, and focus on skills such as summarizing, inferring and recalling facts and details to help them develop their comprehension skills. The whole school has also been focusing on how to figure out what a new word means when you come across them in your reading. It has been impressive to see some of the students using their new words in their writing tasks!

Miss Licciardo and Miss Wood have been away in the city doing further Professional Development about how to help children become better mathematicians, and how to assess what they know and understand in maths. They have come back with some exciting games and activities that support number fluency (being able to use numbers in a flexible way) and extending students who are proficient already. Ask your child to teach you some of the games they have been doing in their classrooms that are helping them with maths (most of these only require dice or a deck of cards)!

Consolidation time groups have been a lot of fun over the last few weeks with students having the opportunity to refine, relearn or enrich their skills. Miss Wood has really enjoyed the problem solving work she has been doing with middle and senior school students who are being extended, and has certainly finished each session with a ‘sore brain’ after so much thinking! The feedback from the students has also been very positive and they are getting a lot out of the challenging and engaging tasks. Miss Licciardo has been working with groups from Foundation through to Level 2 with increasing reading strategies and working with Miss Wood regularly on a Friday with reciprocal reading groups for the Junior School enrichment students.

We look forward to sharing the next stage in this exciting new adventure!

Aleesha Wood and Pia Licciardo

Maths and Reading Specialist

Library Update

Hi Everyone,

I want to take the opportunity to give a great big THANK YOU to all those who donated towards Shave For Shaz. You all helped me to DOUBLE my target and raise $1000 !! So a very big heartfelt thank you xo

Now to all things Library...I have been busy putting lots of new books on the system, so keep an eye out on the shelves for some new Billie B Brown books, Hey Jack, and finally some new books about FOOTBALL!!

I hope you are all getting well and truly into reading for the Premiers Reading Challenge, let me know how many you have read so far! What has been your favourite book?

For the parents in case you missed the details, go to : http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/events/prc/Pages/premiermessage.aspx

A reminder to students that your book club orders are due back to school by Friday 5th June.

Parents, if you are able to spare some time during the week and come in to help me I would sincerely appreciate that! I have lots of books that need shelving, contacting and sorting out.

Now to my pick of the week…. The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donalson. It is a cute little picture fiction book and tells the story of an adventurous little monster who decides to go against her father’s wishes and venture into the deep dark woods covered in snow where she discovers animal tracks. Do the tracks belong to the big bad mouse her father warned her about?? You will have to read it to find out! There is also a live stage show coming to Melbourne in July, for ticket information and dates please go to:  

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/The-Gruffalos-Child-tickets/artist/33537#!

Happy Reading,

Kym Allsep

Library Manager