Primary Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE: •
News from the Classroom
•
Birthdays
•
Student Achievements
Dear Parents and Caregivers, The staff and I were excited to welcome the students back to school this week. They clearly had an enjoyable break and recharged their batteries, as there was a palpable energy which once again flowed through the corridors and classrooms. We trust that it will be a happy and successful term for all in the Primary School – and in particular that the older students will find the challenge of exams a rewarding opportunity to show off all that they have learned over the past few months. In recent weeks, our country remembered those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might have the freedoms which we enjoy today. While ANZAC Day might be an annual commemoration, and while the people whom we honour might have given their lives many years ago, we should never allow the lessons they taught us to diminish. Our own school motto of ‘We Shall Give Back’ is a useful connection to the self-sacrifice which we associate with such events as ANZAC Day. It is also a reminder that the people who gave their lives for their country were very ordinary people, who found themselves caught up in extraordinary circumstances. For this reason, we encourage the students to do their bit in their everyday lives to make a difference in the experiences of others.
A simple act of kindness, a cheerful smile, or a helping hand towards one who is struggling are all ways of impacting other people. Interpersonal skills are perhaps some of the trickiest to navigate our way through – all the more so for young people, who are at a vulnerable stage of their development, when an unkind word or being excluded from a circle of friends can have such a devastating impact. The teachers and I are only too aware of this, and we hope to create an environment in which the students are not only free to develop their own talents and abilities, but that they do so while respecting others, whether their peers at school or those at opposition schools when playing sport against them. These values are, we believe, just as important, if not even more important, than the knowledge and skills they gain while at school. We really do hope that this will be a happy term for all in the Primary School and that each person will feel valued and affirmed. We trust that as they feel nurtured, they will provide the same support and encouragement for those around them, to create an environment which is conducive to the development of warm-hearted, empathetic individuals.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 1
Today a special assembly was held to commemorate ANZAC Day, which was led by our wonderful Year 6 students. Santiago Smart, Rachel Kaplan, Ruby Levitt, Billy-Jay Walker, Penelope Corish, Hugo Holmes, Mia Cohen, Brayden Chen, Zach Macintyre, Emma Feng, Ivaani Narayan, Romany Hoskins, Nathaniel Weiss, Michael Zeritis, Charlize Allen, Janie Kogan, Finnlay Caplice and Kade Wiles-Mackay presided over the assembly, with Alma Napthali, Bally Napthali, Mimi Tolnay, Jasper Bendeich and Mingy McDonald performing a beautiful processional and recessional as part of the Brass Ensemble. Year 8 student, Sarah Mueller, provided the solemn bugle calls, and a poignant performance of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was played by Year 5 trumpet student, Mimi Tolnay. Proudly, our Reddam students welcomed all of Years 3-6 to the assembly, and our Charity Portfolio students passed out sprigs of rosemary to students and staff. The rosemary was provided by Legacy, and a donation on behalf of the school community will be made out of respect. Well done to all involved in this very special commemoration of ANZAC Day. Tyler Cuthbertson and his club team at Norths ended off last term in the best way possible – by winning the Grand Final of the Under 12 division 1. They were also the Under 13 division 1 runners up. Congratulations, Tyler! During the holidays, some of our netball players attended the ASISSA Netball Trials. The girls played four games over the course of the day, having three convincing wins and only dropping one game. Congratulations to all of the girls who represented Reddam House superbly. These were: Summer Spicer, Lucia Zagora, Charlize Allen, Emma Watts, Kira Lowenstein, Micah Shields and Amber Charles. A number of our mathematics students had their thinking skills put to the test as soon as the term started, as the Year 4 Maths Games and Year 5 and 6 Maths Olympiads took place on Wednesday. We look forward to seeing how these students get on during the remainder of the year, as they tackle the next few rounds of these fantastic challenges. My appreciation to those parents and teachers who participated in the Parent Teacher meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. We look forward to the day that these can resume in person but for now they were a useful way to touch base and to ensure that the students continue with an upward trajectory in the coming term. Next week we will continue with the remainder of these meetings, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Next week is also a busy one on a number of fronts. Not only will the academic, sporting and cultural programme be in full swing but there are several events taking place which bear mentioning. On Monday, the Year 4 New Student Exam Workshop takes place, which will be an important aid to ensuring that all our students are given the tools to excel when taking on their exams. This will be followed by the Year 5 and Year 6 New Student Exam Workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Then, from Tuesday to Thursday, the Year 3 and 5 students will show off all that they have learned in recent times as they write their NAPLAN assessments. We wish all of our students everything of the best, and we trust that they will write the tests with confidence, eager to show off all that they have learned.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
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Finally, on Friday we round off the week with what should be another exciting mass participation event, as the students take to the cross country track to show off their running prowess. The Cross Country Carnival is always enthusiastically supported, as all give their best for their houses, and this year should be no different, especially as we enjoy returning to these events after a long hiatus. The focus for this coming Sunday will undoubtedly be on the mums and other special women in the lives of the children. We wish all our families a really happy Mother’s Day for Sunday and trust that many treats will be enjoyed by all, but particularly by those for whom the day is intended. Have a great term!
Dee Pitcairn Principal
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
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SPORT FIXTURES
I Basketball
Reddam 14 v Mascot, Court 10, 10.30am
SEMI FINALS
Soccer
Comets Competition – Friday
6th
May
Un16s – Reddam Knicks v All Blacks 5.00pm
Girls Sunday
Perry Park Courts & Comets Stadium Saturday Fixtures 7th May (Perry Park Courts are located behind the Comets stadium)
Reddam Under 13 V Queens Park G13 Ripping Rockets @ Lyne Park 10.45am Reddam Under 15 V Queens Park G15 Super Sharks @ Lyne Park 12.15pm Reddam Seniors V Marouba United G17 @ Lyne Park Field 1.45pm
Girls Un12s – Reddam Bucks v KHY Astronauts 10.20 Ct 1
Primary Saturday
Un14s – Reddam 10.20 Ct 4
Reddam Sparks
Under 9 Reddam United v Easts Milan 10.00am Queens Park 12A
Un14s – Reddam Sparks v Reddam Timberwolves 10.20 Ct 4
Under 9 Reddam City v Easts Torino 10.00am Queens Park 2B
Timberwolves
v
Under 10 Reddam United v Maroubra United 11.00am Coral Sea 3/4 Field A
Boys Alexandria (Perry Park Courts) Un10s – Reddam Hawks v Sydney Hoopstars Gold Pythons 8.30 Ct 2
Under 10 Reddam City v Easts Liverpool 11.00am Queens Park 2B
Un12s – Reddam Raptors v KHY Orbits 12.10 Ct 2
Under 11 Reddam Gunners v Easts Valencia 12.00pm Queens Park 2B
Un14s – Reddam Mavericks v Newtown Nets 1.05 Ct 4
Under 12 Reddam United v Bye
Boys MPCYC
Under 12 Reddam City v Easts Frankfurt 1.00pm Queens Park 2A
Un18s – Reddam Heat v CYS 4.45 Ct 3 Un18s – Reddam Grizzlies v Maccabi Heat 3.45 Ct 3
High School Boys Saturday
Un18s – Reddam 1st V v MVP 5.45 Ct 2 Year 12 v Barker, Lyne Park Rose Bay 3.00pm Netball Saturday -Heffron Park Netball Courts
Year 11v Barker, Lyne Park Rose Bay 2.00pm
Reddam 1 v Juniors, Court 25, 2.15pm
Year 10 v Barker, Lyne Park Rose Bay 1.00pm
Reddam 2 v Coogee, Court 4, 3.30pm
Year 9 v Sydney Boys High School, Centennial Park No.4 Parkes Drive Centennial Park 9.00am
Reddam 3 v Coogee, Court 27, 2.15pm Reddam 4 v Saints, Court 31, 1.00pm
Reddam 5 v Randwick Rugby, Court 29, 11.45am Reddam 6 v Kambala, Court 19, 11.45am Reddam 7 v Kambala, Court 3, 11.45am Reddam 8 v Kambala, Court 3, 10.30am Reddam 9 v Mascot, Court 2, 10.30am Reddam 10 v St Catherines, Court 1, 9.15am
Year 8R v SHORE, Northbridge Playing Field D, Corner of Alpha Rd and Sailors Bay Road Northbridge 1.00pm Year 8E v SHORE, Northbridge Playing Field D, Corner of Alpha Rd and Sailors Bay Road Northbridge 11.00am Year 7 v SHORE, Northbridge Playing Field F, Corner of Alpha Rd and Sailors Bay Road Northbridge 2.00pm
Reddam 11 v Bondi, Court 14, 10.30am Reddam 12 v Maccabi, Court 21, 9.15am Reddam 13 v The Juniors, Court 32, 9.15am
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
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Reddam House Would like to wish a very happy birthday to Dion Kalofonos, Finlay Coombes, Remy Phillips, Amy Yule, Alice Rouse, Ralph Thompson, Daniel Pinski, Edward Hill, Vincent Yu, May Yue and Sophie Lesnie-James Who celebrated their special day this week and over the weekend
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
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Principal & Principal Honour Awards Reddam House Would like to congratulate the following students on their Principal and Principal Honour Awards. Principal Awards recipients: Summer Palermo, Annelise Sergides and Georgia Salib
Principal & Principal Honour Awards
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 6
KINDERGARTEN Kindergarten students excitedly returned to their classes this week after a wonderful break and enjoyed sharing their news with their friends and teachers. We hit the ground running as we revised our learning from last term and got busy making something special for our mums and special ladies in our lives! This gave an opportunity to showcase our writing progress which the children were very proud of. In Mathematics this week, we revised our number bonds knowledge by exploring the ‘Friends of 10’. The students confidently recalled all the ways to make 10 using counters and then number sentences. We had fun investigating the commutative property in addition as another way to quickly remember our number facts. ‘Australia, Our Country’ is our new topic this term as we began by learning and commemorating the ANZACS. We listened to the story ‘ANZAC Ted’ to learn about the men and women who served our country and how we continue to honour them. We looked at images and symbols including the poppy, ANZAC biscuits and the bugle. During our PDH lesson we learnt about different zones of emotions we can experience and how that impacts our behaviour. Next week we will learn about various tools we can use to regulate in each zone. This will support us in and out of the classroom.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 7
YEAR 1 What beautiful weather it was to welcome back our second term this year! We hope you all had a wonderful rest this holiday. It was so wonderful seeing the children return on Tuesday full of smiles, enthusiasm, and magnificent stories! In English, the children delighted in recounting their holidays both verbally to teachers and friends, and also in written recount form. They were introduced to their new author focus this term; John Burningham. Most children were familiar with at least one of his books, and we began this week with a favourite - ‘Mr Gumpy’s Outing’. Based on the cover picture and title, they made a prediction about what they thought would happen in the book, and after reading it they wrote and drew about their favourite part of the book. In Mathematics, we began the week with revision of number bonds and doubles, and moved into exploring multiplication through repeated addition, arrays, and introduction of the ‘x’ sign. This involved plenty of hands-on manipulation and grouping of materials, and the familiarisation of the visual representation of rows and columns. In History and Geography, they were introduced to our new topic for this term - ‘Transport’. We began with recalling different forms of transport, and explored the history of transport. Our new Science topic this term is ‘Changing Skies’, and the children explored some of the different activities that we do during the day, and some that we do mostly at night. Throughout the term we will explore the weather (recording wind direction and rainfall etc), seasons, Indigenous weather knowledge, and we will complete some STEAM challenges related to weather. Our new topic this term for PDH is ‘Look out!’, where we will explore pedestrian safety, passenger safety, and being safe on your bike. Our first lesson this week focused on pedestrian safety, and we also wrote about what safety means to us, and what special rules our families have to keep us safe. Moral studies’ new topic is ‘Honesty and Truthfulness’. This week the children discussed the meanings of these words, and what they mean for them in their school environment, and their home environment. What a marvellous way to spend our first week back together. We look forward to a fun-filled term.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 8
YEAR 2 Year 2 students returned refreshed and ready for the new challenges ahead in Term Two. In English we will focus on the structure of narratives with an emphasis on composing rich texts utilising descriptive language. One of main texts will be ‘The Little Refugee’ by Ahn Do. This links to our unit of study in History and Geography about Australia and its location in the world. We look forward to learning about the many different traditions from cultures around the world. In Mathematics, the students will be exposed to a variety of strategies which will develop their skills in numeracy and strengthen their problem-solving abilities. The students are enthusiastic about our engaging Science lessons which will explore the important concept of sustainability and the conservation of our precious resources. This will be closely linked to various Aboriginal perspectives we will be learning about. This week we particularly enjoyed making cards and gifts for our significant family members who will no doubt be surprised by our efforts. The teachers are looking forward to a wonderful time ahead with our students.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 9
YEAR 3 Welcome back to Term 2, Year 3! The Year 3 corridor was abuzz with excitement as the students returned from holidays. Many had amazing stories to share about their travels, the people they had seen and the activities that had kept them busy during their three weeks away from school. It was wonderful to see how refreshed and re-energised everyone was after a well-deserved break. In true Reddam House style, the students were back into the swing of things immediately, with the recommencement of co-curricular activities, winter sport training and ensembles. The most talked about event, however, was the very first Lion King Jr. rehearsal that took place after school on Thursday. There was much discussion about the individual practices that had taken place during the holidays and which parts would be the most thrilling. We can’t wait to hear more about these rehearsals and auditions during the weeks to come.
Academically, everyone jumped into their new Maths topic: Addition and Subtraction using the formal algorithm. Some students were eager to share their previous experience in using this ‘column method’ to plus or minus two- or three-digit numbers. Many were able to make the link to the split strategy and place value, when discussing this process. Practice makes perfect when it comes to using trading or borrowing, as this is the trickiest part, and students should be commended on their perseverance in developing this skill. We hope you all have a restful weekend, and are looking forward to tackling NAPLAN next week!
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 10
YEAR 4 It was only the first week back and Year 4 had an amazing, productive week of learning. We delved straight into our new units of study and began to investigate what this term will be about. In Science, Year 4 will be looking at how to ‘Package It Better!’. This unit focusses on chemistry and – more specifically – materials and their properties. Students used a hands-on approach to identify common materials and their properties. For example, this week, pupils were able to tear paper, bend rubber and look through glass. Be prepared to witness challenging investigations which will explore how we can examine these materials further. In Geography, students looked at Geographical tools and their purposes. Did you know that the cardinal directions on a compass will always be the same? The sun will always rise in the east and, in turn, it will always set in the west. Knowing this fact will help you navigate our world successfully. This week students were given the opportunity to design their own compass and identify north, south, east and west. It was great pre-learning for our excursion to Centennial Parklands which will take place later in the term. During this excursion, Year 4 will have the opportunity to go “mad about maps!”. Well done on a fantastic first week back!
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 11
YEAR 5 & 6 ENGLISH he English Department would like to welcome back all students in Year 5 and 6 to what is sure to be a fun-filled term. The English Department would also like to encourage you to participate in various up-coming writing competitions throughout the country. See the list and talk to your teachers about them. YEAR 5 This week the Year 5 students continued revision and practice of writing, reading comprehension and language conventions rules in preparation for next week’s NAPLAN examinations. Additionally, they began their study of Visual Literacy, studying and analysing the symbolism of illustrators’ images that accompany picture books. Well done, Year 5, on an excellent start to Term 2. Here are some students showing their work on ‘The Little Refuge’.
YEAR 6 Year 6 students were engrossed in their study of the techniques that advertisers use to persuade people to purchase their products. Students were made aware that every day they are bombarded with images and information ‘selling’ products and messages – from what to buy and how to look, to what to watch and what to do. Lessons focused on using real products and items, providing opportunities for Year 6 students to develop critical analysis of these techniques. They critically analysed their favourite logos and explained why they are so persuasive. Well done, Year 6, for an exciting start to this topic. Here is an example of work from Year 6 explaining what their favourite logos are.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 12
YEAR 5 & 6 SCIENCE This term, students in Year 5 will be investigating adaptations of plants and animals, exploring why and how these adaptations occur. This week, students were introduced to their Biology topic, looking at a range of different plants and animals and how they are adapted to their environments. Students began to use scientific terminology to describe how animals and plants are adapted to their environment or habitat. This term, Year 6 students will begin their new biology unit. Students in Year 6 will be studying microbes, along with how they are transmitted, what they are and how they affect the body. This week, students explored microscopes, looking at the history of the microscope and what makes them up. Students also had the opportunity to use a microscope to magnify yeast, blood, cells and a range of other specimens. In Science Club, students investigated how many scientific experiments they could do with paper. There were a range of experiments students completed such as creating spinners, viscosity and strength. These are all experiments students can complete themselves at home.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 13
YEAR 5 & 6 MATHEMATICS Recapping from last term, Year 5 made a clear distinction between perimeter and area. Initially, students worked out area of rectangles by counting the number of squares in one row and multiplying this by the number of columns. They then generalised their methods by using algebraic formulas as part of the process for determining area. As students became more competent, they were easily able to compute the area of composite shapes. Students communicated using words such as ‘dimensions’, ‘length’ and ‘width’. They learned that the abbreviation m2 is read as ‘square metres’ and not metres squared. In Year 6 students compared and converted between 12- and 24-hour time and determined the duration of events. Linking to their History unit, ‘Eminent People’, mathematicians ordered significant events in history according to the century in which they occurred. They discussed timelines and linked their knowledge of integers to BCE and CE. Conversation was had about people’s preferences to use “BCE” and “CE” words as abbreviations instead of “BC” and “AD”, the former being more neutral, secular terms which are becoming more common today. Further to this, students spent time interpreting information from a train time tables.
MUSIC It was a great week of music and students across all year groups were looking refreshed and happy to be back in the music room. This week the K-2 students were very excited to learn about the upcoming Opera Australia performance! In the lead-up to this very special incursion we will be learning all about the opera, a re-imagined version of Cinderella, which the students will get to see performed live in week 4. As we were starting to learn about opera, we began by learning how to use our bodies, facial expressions and voices to evoke certain emotions and scenarios. The students had a lot of fun working in groups to create an ‘instant mini opera’ using the song ‘Happy Birthday’ but trying to express different emotions or scenes without changing the tune of the song. It will be a wonderful experience for the students to see a professional performance of an opera and we are really looking forward to it.
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 14
MUSIC PERFORMANCE What a pleasure it was this week to welcome our students back to their individual and ensemble music lessons. The main focus for many students this week was on preparing entries for this year's Instrumental Competition. Entries close this Monday at 5pm, so be sure to use the weekend to put the finishing touches on your performance, then film and submit it. We can't wait to see everybody's work and share results with the school community. All the required information can be found here: https://forms.gle/ otnpCgJ56ae82Rgk6 Year 2 Recorder Ensemble The most beautiful way to start Term 2 is having a rehearsal with the most enthusiastic, energised, engaged and especially talented bunch of recorders players. The Year 2 Recorder Ensemble is currently working on an old favourite of mine, ‘Crazy Daze’, which features not only the dulcet tones of the descant recorder but some specialty percussion. Our goal, decided upon by a vote within the group, is to have a performance of this piece at some stage this term! They are definitely determined to succeed as a group. In other news, we are continuing the technical development of each player in their instruments, learning up to three more notes this term which will open up more demanding but exciting repertoire options for later in the year. We are eager and very almost ready to share what we have been working very hard on. Year 3-4 String Ensemble Year 3-4 String Ensemble students had their first rehearsal in the hall this week, and it was fantastic to be able to work as an ensemble on the stage. They began learning a new piece for Term 2, called 'Raindrops' by Stephen Chin. This piece of music is a contrast to 'Rickshaw Rally' from Term 1, because instead of fast quaver rhythms that depict interweaving rickshaws, this piece represents the gentle pitter patter of rain. The students worked on learning the notes in the first rehearsal, but also worked on achieving soft dynamics and a calm and mellow sound. The students enjoyed the acoustics of the hall and were able to start getting used to the performance space. They also did some excellent sight-reading for a first rehearsal. A big well done to the string players! House Music competition House Music wrapped up this week with our amazing K-2 Soloists performing in assembly. Congratulations to Hebe Gong, Ryan Lee and Maria Shao for these stellar performances. At the end of last term, Years 3-6 students from each house performed the National Anthem for points, which were then combined with points from Year 6 group items, and soloists. Congratulations to Bondi for winning overall, and we can't wait for the next Primary House Music Competition in 2023!
The Reddam House Primary School Newsletter
Volume 22 Issue 1 Friday 6 May 2022
Page 15