Preschool

and vegetables in the Preschool yard. They used recyclable materials to make hanging planters for the fence and take daily pride in caring for their plants. They excitedly monitor the growth and enjoy harvesting the products of their labour. Throughout the year the boys are taught sustainable practices such as how to recycle waste items, save water and bring reusable containers for their lunch. While sustainability is important for us all, it is particularly significant for children. The following quotation by Timberlake and Thomas (1990) encapsulates this significance:

We borrow environmental capital from future generations with no intention or prospect of repaying. They may damn us for our spendthrift ways, but they can never collect our debt to them. We act as we do because we can get away with it: future generations do not vote; they have no political or financial power; they cannot challenge our decisions. But the results of the present profligacy are rapidly closing options for future generations. Most of today’s decision-makers will be dead before the planet feels the heavier effects of acid precipitation, global warming, ozone depletion and species loss. Most of the young voters of today will still be alive (p. 27). As our second year in Preschool draws to a close I reflect on the growth and development of not only the boys, but also the service and the staff. I have gained immense pleasure over the past two years in leading the Preschool to the outstanding program it has become. I am proud to be part of a team who are so dedicated to early childhood education and who teach our youngest students with such warmth and care.

PRESCHOOL C

SEATED ROW: W. PATULLO, O. DALGAIRNS, A. SIA, H. ROBINSON, A. NORTON, R. FRENKLAH, R. MCKIM, S. SINGH, C. MCKIM SECOND ROW: P. JACKSON, I. RAMSDEN, M. COOREY, D. BI, K. WATERS, O. DURMAN, B. DOUGLAS, J. HILL THIRD ROW: J. FU, L. SUPPLE, L. LUTHERUS, J. WHITTON, R. MARKEY, T. DOPSON, E. SLY TEACHERS: MISS T. CURTAIN, MISS K. BAYLISS, MRS K. CAPPER

PRESCHOOL E

SEATED ROW: H. FOGARTY, J. STREET, Z. MARLAND, C. SNELLING, O. MAZEY, W. HAWES, O. STINSON, B. BRADY SECOND ROW: M. ILLES, R. YOSEI KOMATSU, R. COWAN, Q. ALLEN, N. HALL, C. LAMILLA-BONIFACE, H. HOWARD THIRD ROW: S. SKUBRIS, S. CHAPMAN, F. SALMON, J. UCCELLINI, Z. HAMID, C. BROWN TEACHERS: MRS R. ELLSMORE, MRS A. PERKINS, MRS K. CAPPER

PRESCHOOL G

SEATED ROW: A. DOAN, L. GILBERTSON, J. GLASS, C. DIAZ, C. FRANCIS, J. TWEMLOW, A. ROSS, J. POWER SECOND ROW: J. TAM, E. SNELL, S. LEIGH, N. PARKER, M. MURPHY, C. PACE, W. WALFORD THIRD ROW: H. GOFFSASSEN, H. KITCHIN, P. VERTULLO, G. KAKAVAS, A. GILMOUR, C. SIBLEY, O. GOOCH TEACHERS: MRS K. CAPPER, MRS S. GADD, MISS N. KAY, MR A. PURTON

R

SHARON JOSS

Reception Coordinator

Another exciting year for us in Reception. We welcomed our first group of boys who have come through the Preschool. This also meant that we went from three to four Reception classrooms, which was a shuffle in staff and some new team members that have been a pleasure to work with. The boys most certainly arrived ready and well prepared for the journey that awaited them. Life in Reception is very different to Preschool, but the boys took it in their stride and faced the various challenges with a smile. Having such a large area to play in was initially a little overwhelming, but with time they loved interacting with the Year 1 boys and making their own choices as to what they will do during breaks, playing soccer, looking for bugs, climbing the spider gym or being on the gross-motor equipment out the back.

Fun in the playground was nearly not as much fun as we have in the classrooms. There are so many opportunities and ways in which to learn, and with our very full Australian Curriculum there was no holding us back. Each boy is on their own journey and all are at very different stages, so that became the teachers’ challenge, and well done to the Reception ladies for all the adjustments to the program that they do to cater for each boy. Some could not write their own name at the beginning of the year and here we are at the end of the year writing their own sentences using the THRASS chart to help them make correct spelling choices. Others are able to copy a sentence making sure that they apply the skills that they have learnt. We work around a different theme each term and during the first term we ‘visited’ Nursery Rhyme land and the boys got the opportunity to learn many rhymes that just are not taught to the little ones any more. We then had a special day where they dressed up as a Nursery Rhyme character and recited a rhyme in front of their family members. Quite an achievement for a five-year-old! The boys certainly had extra help to develop their metalinguistic skills further with the help of Mrs Terri-lee Hurd and Mrs Wallace during our weekly sessions with them.

Transport is always a very exciting topic for boys and we had fun exploring all the different types. Under 8s’ day was a fun day celebrating it with the Year 1s as they too are under 8! With dressing up as what they would like to be one day, we had doctors, policeman and firemen to professional sportsmen! The boys were able to wander around the Cribb Building and were kept very busy for the morning choosing the activities that they felt like engaging in. We had woodwork, painting, skipping, dancing, and many other fun activities to participate in.