Reception

Celebrations are always very special days and the boys had fun creating and making their own gifts in class for Mother’s and Father’s Day, but we were also able to buy them a special gift from the stalls organised by Friends of Prep. So many amazing gifts that it was a bit of a struggle for the boys to decide on what to buy. Mums were lucky that they could attend an entertaining morning tea and we spoilt the dads with a ‘boys brekkie’. In the classrooms we showed dads, grandfathers and uncles the games and activities that we participate in during Literacy. We then joined up with the boys for a yummy breakfast that the class mums and Friends of Prep organised for us. We learnt all about family trees in History and we looked at different types of families and the different ways in which they celebrate their special days.

Barnyard Babies helped us to learn a little more about farm animals as we interacted with the baby animals and fed them. It was also great to be able to compare them to wild animals. Science lessons have certainly become fun when we are able to do things hands on. Geography was also introduced this year and we loved using the Internet to help us look at maps and where we live in comparison to school. PE has been awesome this year, such variation in the program with gymnastic skills, swimming and we certainly impressed our parents with our running, jumping and throwing at our sports day. The boys loved the program that was put together by our PE staff, Mrs Goudy and Mr Melia.

A highlight of the year is the picnic hosted by the St. Hilda’s Prep girls. The boys were very excited about visiting them, seeing old friends and making new ones. We had an awesome morning running, jumping, drawing and just having lots of ‘good old fun’ out in the sun.

So many boys have travelled a long way in their first year at school and have not only involved themselves in all activities within the classroom, but have also made the most of the opportunities to play a variety of sports in the afternoons. It has been awesome to have the parent support that we have as well, which allows us to do so many more activities on a daily basis, and for the parents, they have a new appreciation of hard their little guys work at school! I believe busy boys are happy boys and this is certainly the case as you see the smiles as they shake our hand at the end of the day and go into the loving arms of a Mum, Dad or carer! We wish them all well for Year 1 and we look forward to seeing them out in the playgrounds at break.

As we close on another successful year in Reception, we see the next stage happening before our eyes. The wonderful play equipment has gone in and we watch the building for the Reception classes develop. Such an amazing facility for the very lucky Reception boys of 2015!

Teaching Reception boys is an honour, yes, hard work, but it is something that I will always hold very close to my heart!

RECEPTION B

SEATED ROW: D. NEILSON, S. CONNELLY, P. PARAKA, E. SINGH, M. ALVAREZ-CALDERON, M. THOMPSON, M. NASH SECOND ROW: MS K. BOYD, H. KEMM, H. WALSH, L. NEOPHYTOU, B. GOFFSASSEN, L. EVANS, H. PYKE, K. BEATTIE, MS K. BOXALL THIRD ROW: T. FABER, T. MUTALITHAS, S. WHYATT, W. BARNES, L. HUGHES, K. DRYSDALE

RECEPTION C

SEATED ROW: H. SMITH, S. O’REILLY, H. HOGAN, K. OMOMO, A. DALEY, P. SA, W. CHEN SECOND ROW: MISS S. CHAPMAN, J. LEICESTER, V. STRAMARCOS, A. LEES, J. CORBETT, K. WHALA, B. WEBSTER, MRS H. DUNBIER THIRD ROW: I. LEWINSMITH, H. POWELL, N. JEFFRIES, C. SNELLING, L. WILSON, I. LAI ABSENT: D. SINGH

RECEPTION J

SEATED ROW: H. COLLIER, X. HAMADI, L. ONG, S. HIRABE, S. BARNES, S. RONALDSON, M. ROBERTS SECOND ROW: MS E. HUTCHISON, M. ZOU, J. COUSINS, L. CRAIN, R. MCFARLANE, R. ZHANG, C. BROWNING, MRS S. JOSS THIRD ROW: T. ROGERS, T. HUDSON, J. STAPLETON, C. CLINTON, C. PHILLIPS

RECEPTION W

SEATED ROW: H. BABBAGE, J. MANTON, J. BIGG, J. BLAIR, J. CUMMINGS, C. COLE, L. BACKWELL SECOND ROW: MISS H. NIXON, H. RAMACHANDRA, Z. JONES, M. MERRIMAN, C. ELL, C. WHITEBROOK, L. BOUGHENOUT, MRS J. WILSON THIRD ROW: H. BROWN, O. BOS, A. GHOUSSAIN, C. MARLAND, O. VAN RIET

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COLETTE SCOTT

Year Level Coordinator

ELIZABETH GARRETT LEANNE ZAUNER

Year 1 Teachers

2014 has been a busy and eventful year for our Year 1 boys. They have stepped up to the plate as leaders of the Cribb area, setting the pace and tone for a challenging yet exciting year. It has been pleasing to see how the Year 1 boys embraced their new leadership roles, supporting and guiding the Reception boys as they embarked on their journey at The Southport School Preparatory School.

As the year has progressed, it has been rewarding for us as teachers to observe how our young learners grow and develop in a variety of ways. Moving into Year 1 was a significant transition for each boy as they extended themselves academically. They built on these understandings during Literacy Groups, embracing the new challenges that approached them as they experienced and explored different classes. This experience provided the boys with a new focused and supportive environment in which to develop their Literacy skills and advance their knowledge.

Socially, the boys have been forging new and valuable friendships while also consolidating existing friendships developed in Reception. New friendships offer boys an exciting opportunity to better understand both themselves and others. Learning to understand differences and appreciate one another is an important life skill that the Year 1 boys have handled well.

TERM ONE

The boys were also very excited when they were able to travel across the road to the big school for swimming. In addition to this they enjoyed the first Science unit, exploring changes made to food by building spaghetti and marshmallow towers, melting chocolate and making popcorn. Through these science experiments boys could observe the changes before the heating and cooling processes. The boys finished the term with a visit to the Mudgeeraba History Museum, a highlight for all boys involved. This complemented our History Unit as boys compared family life in the past to family life at present. The changes to cameras and washing machines over time the boys found astounding! A significant impact to the boys was the difference in writing materials, in the past utilising slates and chalk boards as opposed to interactive whiteboard.