Newman News Term 2 Week 11: From the Leader of Early Childhood

Highlights from Past Two Weeks 

After a long 11-week term, that ended with the restrictions of lockdown, I would like to congratulate all our Marian students on their efforts and attitude. It truly is a delight to come to work each day and be greeted by happy, smiling children. The very best part of my job is connecting with children, and I love hearing their stories and their successes.

There will be lots of successes to celebrate in the Semester 1 reports, and I urge you to discuss your child’s report with them. Research tells us that children are more likely to succeed when they clearly understand their learning expectations and when their parents take an active part in their learning journey. Perhaps you could ask your child what they think their greatest success has been this year? And what goal they would like to set themselves for the remainder of the year? This can form the basis of regular talking points, as they continue to learn and grow across 2021.

Year 2 Liturgy 

Thank you to our Year 2 students and teachers for the beautiful liturgy that they prepared around the topic of Prayer. The children all sung enthusiastically and participated very reverently.

Pyjama Day 

To end the term, students and teachers were very eager to head to school in their pyjamas today! I know it was lovely to snuggle up in ugg boots and cosy clothing during this particularly cold weather. Hopefully, these holidays bring plenty more pyjama days for children and their families.

Reporting 

For more information regarding report please click here.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

Parent / Teacher Interviews 

Families will have received communication on Wednesday regarding the Parent / Teacher interviews, which are scheduled for Tuesday 20 July. These interviews are not compulsory and provide families with a formal opportunity to meet with their children’s teachers and discuss any concerns that they might have.

At the Marian Campus, we ask that parents attend the meeting without their children so teachers are free to discuss any concerns that they might have with the parents.

MercyCare School Holiday Program 

To register your inetrest in Mercy Care’s School Holiday Program for Newman College Students please click here 

Pre-Primary Drop-Off Process 

From the commencement of Term 3, Pre-Primary students will undertake a new before-school routine. This new routine will allow our Pre-Primary students to participate in the weekly Prayer Assemblies that are held each Wednesday morning, and help to prepare them for their transition into Year 1.

The new routine requires Pre-Primary children to line up in the undercover area on the marked red lines when the morning bell sounds at 8.45am. The school gate is open from 8.20am for access to the Campus and children are welcome to play on the playground and oval before school, but Pre-Primary students must be actively supervised by their parents/guardians until the morning bell.

When the morning bell sounds at 8.45am, we ask that you assist your child to line up in the undercover area with their school bag and await the arrival of their classroom teacher, who will accompany them to the classroom.

If you have any further questions regarding this new process, please speak to your child’s classroom teacher.

Punctuality 

I ask parents to please ensure that their child is dropped and collected from school punctually.

Students should be on school grounds prior to the morning bell at 8.45am, so that they can enter the classroom at the start of the day with their classroom teacher. When children arrive late to class, this can be very disruptive to the teacher and upsetting for the child who will often have missed key information about their learning.

Likewise, we ask parents to collect their child promptly at the end of the school day. Pre-Kindy collection is at 2.45pm and Kindy – Year 2 students finish at 3.00pm.

If you anticipate that you are going to be late to collect your child, we ask that you call the Marian Campus office on 9387 9900, so that we can notify your child and their teacher. This prevents unnecessary stress for your child.

UWA Research Project

The University of Western Australia (UWA) has an exciting opportunity for Newman College to participate in research.

The overall aim of the research project is to examine first impressions towards children with and without autism to better understand the social experiences of children and help understand the stigma towards children on the autism spectrum. Experiencing social rejection at an early age can be very difficult for children, and research suggests that one factor that may impact children’s social lives are first impressions.

First impressions can influence how we respond to unfamiliar people, and so understanding the factors that impact how first impressions are formed can be very valuable information in developing programs that foster social inclusivity. This study also investigates how adults form impressions of children because adults who work with children, such as parents and teachers, can have great influence on children’s social decisions.

The project encourages children to learn about first impressions with the message of inclusivity and acceptance of other children’s differences.

At this stage, they are inviting parents and their children aged 6-11 years to participate in this study and would appreciate any help from Newman College families on this project. The results of this current study will be used to inform the design of a later study involving children who are on the autism spectrum.

If you and your child are interested in participating, please follow this link to provide your consent and answer some questions regarding your child’s development: http://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJ83cMkCNuTJBZA

The link will also provide you with further information and guidance on how you and your child may participate in this exciting project.