www.challisecec.wa.edu.au

Issue Two Term One

February 2013

Assembly

Assembly on Friday was for me, the highlight of the school year thus far. I loved J4's song

and their enthusiasm, confidence and happiness were beautiful to see. I particularly enjoyed

seeing so many parents attending assembly and showing support for their child. As I

mentioned at assembly, the children are learning to speak and perform with confidence as well

as learning to be respectful audience participants. Children are currently learning the

etiquette involved in being an audience member. This includes eyes on the person/people

hosting assembly, no talking, whole body stays still, hats off for the anthem and hands down

by your side, polite clapping when appropriate, show respect. Parents can reinforce these

manners when attending any event. At school assemblies we request that mobile phones are

switched off, toddlers are kept as quiet as possible and parents refrain from talking. This

allows the children to perform without distraction and allows other parents to enjoy their

child's special moment. It is very difficult to perform or speak at the front of assembly when

there is noise coming from the audience. Lee Musumeci, Principal.

On Friday evening the

THRIVE class had a picnic so

the teachers could get to

know the families of their

students. Despite the rain

we had a lot of fun.

Thank you to all of the

parents for attending. We

hope to hold more of these

fun events throughout the

year to make our THRIVE experience a memorable one.

THRIVE Picnic

We finished off with a lolly scramble.

Introducing our new Pre Primary Teacher, Ms Limpus

Maths Corner, Mrs Egan

Community Notices Workshop for Pre Primary parents

March

Our first Maths Focus for the term has been on reading numbers. It is important for children to recognise numbers readily,

within the appropriate number range, so that they can participate in counting and calculating activities using these numbers.

The Australian Curriculum has set the expected number ranges for each year level as:

• Foundation (Kindy and Pre-Primary) initially to 10, then extending to at least 20 by the end of Pre-Primary.

• Year One to at least 100

Year Two to at least 1000

Here are a few fun suggestions for practising number recognition with your child. I’m sure you will be able to come up with many

more ideas. Playing card games such as snap, fish and memory.

• Reading counting books with your child. The local library is a great free resource for these.

• Reading the numbers on letter boxes or number plates as you walk or drive to school. Younger children might just focus on

the individual digits while Year One and Two children should have a go at reading two and three digit numbers.

• Looking at the scores at sports matches or for computer games.

• Seeing how many of a particular number you can find when walking round the shop.

Hello Challis community from J12! I am very excited to be involved in Challis Early Childhood Education

Centre this year as part of the Pre-Primary team. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I graduated

from Notre Dame University in 2011 and moved to the country town of Meekatharra in 2012 to

complete my first year of teaching. I taught a three and four year old Kindergarten class while also

facilitating a Playgroup once a week. I believe that this early education for children is crucial no matter

where in Australia you are. I was attracted to Challis Early Childhood Education Centre because of the

vast services it provides. Challis has an intensive program which caters for children from birth and this

excites me. I have been impressed with the leadership team at Challis and believe that strong leaders

help build a strong team and this is why Challis Early Childhood Education Centre achieve such high

results in education. While I have a passion for teaching, I also enjoy playing netball during my spare

time. I enjoy watching sports and of course go for the best team in AFL, the Fremantle Dockers! I am

excited about a very productive year with my wonderful assistant Rebecca Brown and look forward to

meeting you as the year progresses. All the best for a prosperous 2013!

Challis Parenting and Early Learning Centre

Coffee and Chat Calling all Budding Artists

Book Borrowing

Coffee and Chat is cancelled

for Week Four, 28th February

but will commence week Five until

the end of term.

The Coffee and Chat Parents are in the process of creating a recipe book to be

launched at National Family Week in May. The focus is on good, healthy and home

cooked food. We would now like any budding artists at Challis to create a design for

the front cover of this book. We are looking for a colourful picture that promotes the

focus of our recipe book which is ‘healthy food’ . Use any media you like, crayons,

paint etc.

The design chosen will feature as the front cover of the book and in the promotion of

the book. The winner will receive a certificate and their own copy of the recipe book.

All entries are due in by Friday 15th March. Please bring all entries to the front office

and place in the box. Please include your name, age and class on the back.

Our Parenting and Early Learning Centre have a library of books for parents to borrow. If you are

interested please visit the Centre and talk to the staff.

Playgroup Mrs Farmer was very pleased to welcome twenty eight children to our first playgroup session last Tuesday and

twenty one to the Wednesday session.

We are very lucky to have seven Curtin students assist at the Playgroup. The students are studying for careers

including Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.

These students will be holding workshops after Baby Weigh Drop

in on Wednesdays at the Parenting Centre twice this term. The

focus of these workshops will be to give parents some ideas

about how to make the most of playtime with your baby and how

to develop physical, language and social skills.

Challis Parenting and Early Learning Centre

A parent workshop is taking place on

Wednesday 6th March (0—6 Months) and

Wednesday 13th March (6—12 Months).

Come along to get some ideas about how to make the most of

Playtime with your baby and how to develop physical, language and

social skills.

Time 10.30a.m. —11.00 a.m.

Place Parenting Centre Workshop Classroom

ChildCare is available for older siblings.

Hope to see you there Curtin Students.

Term One Calendar

Early in term two, I will start providing two Principal Awards to year two children who

demonstrate our virtues. These are not academic awards but instead I am looking for children

who demonstrate perseverance, respect, kindness, determination and leadership, amongst

other virtues. Principal Award winners receive a special certificate, a school t-shirt, a badge,

special pencil and Principal's sticker. I generally choose children whom I have been watching

throughout Pre Primary and Year One, Kindy if possible. The winners will be given responsibility

throughout the year like greeting special visitors to the school or helping with particular jobs

and the award is much anticipated by the children.

Kind regards,

Lee Musumeci

Principal

Message from Mrs Musumeci, Principal

Week Monday Tuesday (Early close (2.30 p.m.)

Wednesday Thursday Friday

4

25

‘Happy Goodbyes’

Workshop (Separation

anxiety in young children)

26

27 28 1

Clean up Australia day

5

4 March

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

5

Drawing and Speech with 3

year olds Workshop run

by our Occupational

Therapist Beth

6

Workshop by Curtin

Students

0—6 month Baby

development

7 8

Assembly J7

6

11

BOOST Workshop

12

13Workshop by Curtin

Students

6—12 Baby month

development

14 15

7

18

BOOST Workshop

19

20 21

Harmony Day

22

Assembly J2

8

25

Pre K Language

Development Workshop

26

27 28 29

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

9

1 April

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

2

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

3 4

5

Assembly J1

10

8

Healthy Lunches

Workshop

9

10 11 12

11

15

Holiday activities

Workshop

16

ANZAC assembly

17 18 19

Easter Assembly

J8

Challis Parenting Centre in partnership with the Department of Health

will be hosting Immunisation Clinics on the following dates:

No appointment necessary.

Please bring your purple immunisation book and your Medicare card.

Enquiries: 94974218

Wednesdays 2.00 p.m.—3.00 p.m.

6th March

3rd April

1st May

5th June

3rd July

7th August

4th September

2nd October

6th November

4th December