Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

[Sagres]

I can't complain about communication, we have a class blog where the teacher posts updates/photos of what the class is doing and also reminders of things coming up and forms that need to be returned etc. Then there is a fortnightly newsletters for the school and stuff put into her communication book, and all of it so far has been accurate and timely.
It was funny a couple weeks ago I had to write a note for DD1 because she had been sick and out of all the things I've done in the transition to school, writing a note as a parent is the thing that has most hit home about being a school parent! Somehow the move from 'excusee' to 'excuser' really struck me even though it has been a loooooong time since my mum had to write a note for me

DD1 is still loving school, totally loving learning to read and all the different subjects they do i.e. PE, library, computers, Art and Drama.

I have been listening to reading one morning a week, DD1 gets soooo excited when I am in the classroom which is pretty cute!

In SA we have to have a 'working with children' police clearance to do anything in the classroom like reading. I already had one from last year being on the Kindy committee so I was fine but lots of parents are still waiting for theirs to come through so aren't able to help. Do other states have this requirement?

[beansbeans!]

Communication here is pretty sketchy, more vague then anything else.
They use skoolbag, fb, and traditional notes.

Dd is doing well though, and is fairly happy. Although she has been bitten twice at school and is being bullied by one little boy in her class. Her teacher is aware of it and taking action, unfortunately this little boy isn't scared of breaking rules.

[wysiwyg]

In SA we have to have a 'working with children' police clearance to do anything in the classroom like reading. I already had one from last year being on the Kindy committee so I was fine but lots of parents are still waiting for theirs to come through so aren't able to help. Do other states have this requirement?

We had to (not sure if is school or state regulation), but the school are happy to let you start as soon as have the receipt that you have sent off for the clearance - but we have to do this parent participation thing (2 evening sessions, and one observation) so can't really start till term 2 anyway and the clearance came through really quickly (in VIC you do a load of stuff online then submit at post office).

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

We haven't had to have working with children's checks but being such a small school we didn't really go in and help with reading etc.

How is everyone going coming up to the end of term?

DD2 pulled her very first sickie last week, said she had a headache then told me she just wanted to stay home with mummy.
She DID have a headache but agreed she could have had some nurofen and she would have been fine for school, I think she was just a little tired and emotional.

Otherwise she is loving school, I really can't wait until mid year reports to see how she is going on paper - she has gone up to a level 3 reader this week so she is very excited.

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie's had a bit of a bumpy start he's awesome at his school work but he has issues with the other kids he lashes out when he's frustrated and I have a meeting to discuss his behaviour I have started with these steps yesterday with a photo someone posted on Facebook for kids to help manage their emotions
1. Remind myself that it is never ok to hurt others
2. Take 3 deep breaths or count slowly to 10
3. Use my words to say how I feel and what I wish would happen
4. Ask for help to solve the problem
5. Take time to calm down

So far it's working well even thought it's only been a day

He's getting an award on Friday at assembly and he was so proud of his work today he had to show me his story writing so no issues in the actual school front just his interactions if it was possible to have school with just him it would be perfect but unfortunately I can't homeschool so we will just have to work with him and the school to hopefully have a solution to his issues

[Khaleesi]

After a rough start, with being sick etc she is doing so well now.
She has been star of the day twice & is just loving school.
Her teacher is fantastic & i honestly have no complaints

[wysiwyg]

End of term tomorrow that has come quick. DD has fingers crossed gone on excursion today just to local park, the school were quite pessimistic about the weather yesterday but is nice this side of town today so I hope they went.

[Khaleesi]

We did our Easter raffle today & DD2 won some eggs.
She is going to be thrilled when they call her name out this afternoon.
So looking forward to school holidays!

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

Term one done and dusted! DD1 has well and truly settled in and is doing really well. She got her blue words to learn over the holidays and is very proud of herself 😁 she said "Mum, when I got my yellow words, I thought I'd never move up but now I know my yellow, and red words and I'll know my blue words by the end of the holidays!"

[HotI]

DD1 is doing the colour word sheets too. She gets so excited when she finishes a level too. it is awesome. And she finds yellow, red... words everywhere.

i am loving the holidays, DD is calming down a whole lot. Really hoping she is refreshed and reenergised for the start of the term.

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie has his colour words too he's up to green but he's stuck on our, out, now and new and I have no clue how to help him know them
I made him flash cards with all his words and it makes learning them so much easier for him all I did was print the words out and stick them onto coloured paper and covered them In contact I also printed out the next set for him to have a go with in the holidays
He also has the reading eggs app on his iPad and he's really enjoying that

At the end of the term he got an award for maths and the teacher said he's really good at his story writing I'm so proud of how well he's doing and his social skills and issues dealing with other kids is improving as well we shall see how we go when he goes back

[wysiwyg]

School is back tomorrow for us (VIC) - DD is excited. I am happy because holiday program doesn't do breakfast even though still starts at 7:30 (first day I didn't realize so poor DD was a bit hungry till snack time - whoops) - but before school does and when leave house at 7:15 getting breakfast in is a rush. Also happy that now are doing till 15:30 so will save me money on OHSC for the hour gap and also because on a Tuesday when not working the day won't be so rushed. Do other peoples holiday programs do breakfast? She really enjoyed the holiday program though, especially the excursions to museum and cinema - there was another child with the same name as her there (mixture of schools seem to use it) and is first time she has encountered that and thought that was cool.

We haven't started any words or reading yet - will be this week I believe. I think DD will love it, as every journey in the car at the moment is punctuated by her spelling things out and asking what they are/mean (we did a road trip over holidays and that game gets tiring for parents very quickly - especially if she gets cross because we have driven past too quick and can't work out what word she was on about).

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

DD1 is so excited to go back to school today that she thought a 6.15am wake up was a good start 😮 I'm up for work anyway but I wish she'd slept a bit a later!

Our holiday program does breakfast and afternoon snacks. We just had to supply lunch and morning snack 😊 DD1 loved her holiday program! They had excursions to inflatable world and big slide world and incursions of karaoke and lava lamp making.

[Khaleesi]

Very excited to be back at school today.
We went into the classroom to see the Easter bunny had been, he left big white paw prints on the floor.
The kids were so excited.

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie did well at school today hope he can keep up the good work keeping up with his tips to keep calm

Our school holiday program didn't provide breakfast and unfortunately didn't go on any excursions im not sure that they do excursions and the kids were mostly preps so hopefully they will be doing it every holidays or I can just put him back into the daycare we use not sure just yet got 10 weeks to figure it out now lol but he did enjoy the smaller group and it was s bit easier on him he had one incident which included biting >.< luckily that was it the rest of the time they had nothing but good things to say about him hopefully he can continue to improve
The teacher thought he had a haircut 2 weeks is a long time not to see them I guess they grow so quickly at this age they would be a bit different to the last time she saw them lol

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

How'd the first week back go for everyone? We got the first "official" home learning matrix (homework) this week. It's six tasks to be completed over a 2 week period. As well as the standard learning (readers, sight words, numbers etc) they also have life skills/imagination tasks (eg. help Dad/Mum with dinner, make your bed, go for a family walk/bike ride and see what you can find etc). DD1 is very excited 😊

What's the girl/boy breakdown in other peoples classes? Our class (only 1 prep class this year) has 20 girls and 6 boys!

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie's class is about 2/3rds boys
He did a really good job this week he didn't hurt anyone but did get in trouble for going into the senior area I get why they have areas but it's hard for him to understand and he's always like why can't I go there I want to see my buddy

[Khaleesi]

Our class is pretty much 50/50..