Curriculum and Learning

If you walk into one of our classrooms, on any typical day, you will see students engaged in a variety of learning situations, including Literacy Blocks, Maths sessions and Inquiry Units.

One thing that may stand out to you is the way that our Maths sessions are structured. Here students may be working with others from different classes as we have structured parts of our Numeracy around specific student needs. Through the analysis of student assessments, our staff have identified particular needs and have grouped students accordingly. This then allows a more tailored and individualised approach to Numeracy during the week. We have moved past the old one size fits all approach to learning. Teachers will continue to track assessments and use this information to adjust the student groupings and teaching over the year. We are pleased with our staffs level of commitment to this approach and look forward to our students continuing to build stronger Numeracy skills.

April

24th Curriculum Day (No students required)

25th ANZAC Day

28th Book Club due

29th School Photos May

14th Grade P-2 Photo Trail

16th Aerobic Comp Geelong

19th Grandparents Day

20th Open Night

Student Absent Hot Line Number 5964 7783

Launching Place Primary School

Issue 10 Thursday 23rd April 2015

ANZAC Day With our value of Respect as a focus for students at LPPS, what a great opportunity to reflect on ANZAC Day on Saturday 25

th April. ANZAC Day

marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day.

Today Australians recognise 25th

April as an occasion of national remembrance, which takes two forms. Commemorative services are held at dawn the time of the original landing across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet to take part in marches through the major cities and in many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are more formal and are held at war memorials around the country. In these ways, Anzac Day is a time when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

This Anzac Day, student leaders from our school will take part in the official ANZAC day ceremony being held at Yarra Junction. We look forward to highlighting this very important event in next weeks newsletter.

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Yarra Junction ANZAC Avenue of Honour

On Sunday, April 12th

, as part of the ANZAC Centenary, the Avenue of Honour was opened in Yarra Junction. This was attended by students from Upper Yarra Secondary College and local scout groups. A selection of photographs highlighting the opening of the Anzac Avenue of Honour is included in this weeks newsletter. The Yarra Junction library also has a wonderful display commemorating our ANZACS.

Teaching Our Kids about ANZAC Day

There are many ways that parents can get their children involved in the ANZAC Day experience and enable them to gain an understanding of the important place ANZAC holds in Australias history. Firstly, historical knowledge is important and there are many good, child friendly accounts of the ANZAC story, and the ANZAC characteristics that resonate with Australians. Many of these books are available at YJ library; they are also available through the Department of Veterans Affairs free of charge. These books make it clear that ANZAC Day is not an event glorifying war, but exactly the opposite. It is a time of reflection and remembrance.

Endurance, resourcefulness, courage, teamwork, loyalty and mateship are key attributes. These are virtues to be encouraged and emulated at any time and are a part of our national story we can focus on around ANZAC Day.

There is also of course the experience of taking your children to a Dawn Service or March or other commemorative activity on ANZAC Day. All this will be more meaningful and educational if some of the previous reading and discussion has occurred. In any event the questions that come from watching a march, studying a war memorial or experiencing the emotional stillness of the minutes silence and bugle call are opportunities to talk about the impact of war on Australia and the significance of the ANZAC Story.

Poppies, wristbands and badges are available for purchase from the school office.

Curriculum Day

A reminder that tomorrow, Friday April 24th

, is a Curriculum day for LPPS. All staff will be involved in developing their knowledge of Writers Workshop with Kaey Cobbin. Kaey is an educator and consultant who is passionate about improving literacy outcomes for all students. We are very fortunate to be able to tap into her expertise to support our teaching of Writing. Children are not required to attend school on this day.

Launching Place Primary School Carter Street Launching Place 3139 Telephone 5964 7783 Fax 5964 6171 Email launching.place.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au ABN 96 199 518 803

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Welcome back to another fun filled fast moving term!! We have our Mothers Day Stall coming up very quickly and it will be held on Friday 8th May. All students have a chance to purchase some lovely gifts for their mums, so send along up to $5.00 max per student and wait just a couple of days to see the treasures they pick out for

you. If you are able, please send along a recycled shopping bag (green bag) for their purchases.

Other events in discussions include the Disco, a Bus Shopping tour, Fathers Day and Raffles. More details will be published when events are confirmed. If you have any ideas & would like to come to a friendly meeting, please

join us on Monday 18th May after assembly.

P & F team.

Parents and Friends

Our Country Fair is confirmed for Friday 23rd October from 4-8pm. Its a new Twilight event and we are hoping for a HUGE success. This is only possible with many volunteers and team work, so please come to a meeting and help to coordinate this event. If anyone has business links for sponsorship or donations or any market stall holders can contact the office with the details, it would be most appreciated. Next meeting is on Wednesday 27th May.

Country Fair

Mitchell W Prep R

Natasha H-K Prep R

Jaiden R-S Prep N

Lacey H Prep N

Matthew P Prep N

Reuben H 1/2 B

Riley A 1/2 B

Nicola S 1/2 C

Isabelle C 1/2 K

Lola L 1/2 K

Hannah C 1/2 T

Jayla D 1/2 T

Anelise McC 3/4 B

Roxy V-V F 3/4 K

Jada B 3/4 M

Amber K 3/4 M

Teanna C 5/6 L

Zoe M 5/6 L

Oh boy where do l begin; l am so grateful for the chance that was given to Semina by attending Launching Place Primary. You were so accepting and understanding as l so know it wasnt all easy and at times very trying. So for that l am very grateful.

I feel very proud of my little girl with what she has learnt being at your school and my heart nearly bursts when Semina and l are shopping and we hear a little voice call out hello Semina that is the part that gives me the most joy.

I want to thank the students and their parents for the wonderful gift that was given to Semina last term from the free dress day as the end of 2014. It was a great help with our adventure to Adelaide to try and help Semina to

eat. We still have a lot of work to do but it will eventually happen.

I am very sad that Semina will not be attending Launch anymore but for her, sadly, we need to say bye and thank

you all very much and l hope we will still hear those friendly voices when we are shopping calling out to Semina.

Kind regards, Betty and Semina Hibbard

Please Note: That other advertisements and publications published in this newsletter do not imply school or Department of Education and Early Childhood Development endorsement.

A Big Thank You

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Wonderful Sentences

Grade 1/2s have been busy learning to construct interesting and descriptive sentences. I was thrilled with the observant and thoughtful sentences these young children wrote entirely their own words too! They were too good to keep hidden in the classroom, so I just had to share some of them for you all to enjoy.

The ants crawled on the wood like an army of soldiers. The ants crawled very fast. They zig zag across the wood. (Jayden)

The sun is reflecting on a stone. (Kalan)

The big flowers in the grass had pollen in the middle and some had spread to the petals. (Charlotte)

I saw a balloon. It was flat and it got popped. It was on the rocks but it did not make a sound. I wonder why it did not make a sound? (Kaylee)

The birds were nice, the bees were scary. (Max)

I saw grey clouds blowing in the wind and the leaves were blowing too. (Brayden)

The spider had a black body and a red back. It was scary. (Jack)

I saw some beautiful shiny rocks. They were nice and wet. They were wet because the rain made the rocks wet. (Jake)

Bees were finding some nectar to make honey in their hive. (Ally)

There are different birds. Their singing is good. I like them, they are all different. It is ok if they are all different. (Nicola)

The bees are buzzing as they find their wonderful flowers. (Ella)

The sun is yellow and very sparkly. (Lia)

Heather Taylor.

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Yarra Junction

Avenue of Honour

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Please in need of a good home

for free, is a black and white

rabbit named Maxy. Please see

Sonia.

Lost is one cat by the name of Gingi. He is a small domestic short haired ginger and white male cat 1 year old, gone missing from Gembrook Rd opposite Wickhams Rd since Sunday 5th April. He has been desexed and microchip with tattoos in both ears wearing a dark blue flea collar and light blue collar with the word Spoilt on it. He is an extremely friendly and docile cat who is a dearly loved family pet and very missed; any information please call Kylie Blackney on 5961 5320 or 0487 008 423.

If you book a job within 1 month of receiving a quote from

Nelson Asphalting and you mention LPPS school newsletter, we

will donate 2.5% of invoice price to the school.