casual clothes day...months before completing a 6 month course in cert ii in electrotechnology...

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ARDROSSAN AREA SCHOOL | Newsletter | Wednesday 3rd April 2020

Principal’s news

As I write my article for the last newsletter for term 1, I like everyone, am filled with many mixed emotions. My thoughts go out to everyone who has lost jobs; including the local businesses who have temporarily closed, to families who cannot visit their elderly family members, and to the elderly who so look forward to those visits, to children and adults alike who cannot participate in many of the activities which we usually take for granted. It certainly is a very difficult time for everyone, however, in amongst everything which is happening, my overall feeling is one of gratitude. I am so very grateful for where I live and work and for all the health care workers, people who work in supermarkets and all our essential workers. Everyone in our school community is working together to ensure the wellbeing of others and also to ensure continuity of learning for our young people. The staff at AAS have been working very hard to put programs in place for students learning at home during the last few weeks of term 1, whilst still teaching face-to-face, as well as preparing for a new model of delivery for term 2. In term 2, children will either be Learning at Home or Learning on Site, depending on their family circumstances. As stated by the Prime Minister and Education Minister, all parents who can care for their children at home should be doing so. Only those parents who cannot arrange care because they are working away from home should be sending their children to school. Thank you to families for providing this information this week. Students who are at school will be doing the same online learning program that the students at home will be doing. Whilst we have already trialled and implemented many processes, during the Pupil Free Days in Week 11; 6th-9th April, we will be finalising our programs and modes of delivery for term 2. As you would already be aware, we will be using Class Dojo for our Reception, Year 1/2, Year 3 and Year 4/5 classes and Microsoft Office Teams for Year 5/6 to Year 12 students. Additionally, we will be using Webex and Zoom for video conferencing. By the end of next week, we will forward to families a document which will provide information on the term 2 program, including timetables for video conferencing and check-in sessions with year levels and learning areas, expectations of students and guides to assist students and families to access the online platforms. It is important to note, that everything may not be perfect at the beginning but we are all committed to working together with families to ensure our students continue to have access to high quality education and achieve their learning outcomes. I would like to share some points with you which I read in an article this week. Firstly, Learning at Home is not home-schooling; it does not look like regular school. Secondly, being at home all day is not our normal; our kids will also feel disconnected and a sense of loss and thirdly, it is okay to not be amazing. I would like to reassure families that you do not need to be creating the whole curriculum and signing up to lots of online programs. Rather, when learning at home during this time we are asking parents to support the learning. Of course, it is also a time where creativity is important and I have heard from lots of students and families who are enjoying some great fun learning activities that they have created together. In response to the increase of people working and learning at home, many of the internet service providers, including Telstra and Optus, are offering extra data for free (including prepaid). I encourage families to check with their service provider to see if you are eligible. It is an uncertain time and it is important that you continue to talk to your children about COVID-19 but also that you maintain the sense of optimism. You may have already seen the short 5 minute video

Margaret Roads

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from Calm Kids (Kirrilie from Calm Kids has visited our school previously). The video talks about what the coronavirus is and how it spreads, what children can do to help and how children can manage their worries about it. Whilst the video is aimed at 4 to 11 year olds, it provides an optimistic way of looking at the current crisis, and so will be suitable for most children. However, please watch it first so you can ensure it is right for child/ren and their well-being right now. The link is www.calmkidcentral.com/covid-19 This term only our Year 12 students will receive a formal written report. The Student Learning Conversations in week 8 provided achievement and progress information for students in Reception to Year 11. In closing, it is important to remember that the current situation is not forever, it is just a necessity at this time. It is vital that we maintain communication with students and families and vice versa. Students will be expected to join the online sessions and compete the learning which is set. (Note: we will continue to liaise with families who do not have internet, as we have done so over the last few weeks). This is important to maintain continuity of learning and ensure that students continue to achieve their goals. Please remember, if you have any questions regarding the learning programs, please contact your child/s teacher/s. I am also available at [email protected] or by phone 88373025. I know I will certainly miss seeing many of our wonderful students at school on a daily basis but I look forward to checking in online and when everything can return to ‘normal’. In the meantime, take care and keep in touch. Kind regards Margaret

Leader’s News Innovation and Wellbeing Coordinator

It has been a most difficult, confusing and anxious time for all of us of late and at the moment it seems hard to focus on other aspects of our life. Nevertheless, in this changing environment students have continued to work diligently and focus on their learning and for that, I am proud. Conversations around our current climate have been considerate and respectful and this is testament to the values our students and families hold closely. I thank students for adhering to social distancing and hygiene guidelines and working positively with teachers in setting up TEAMS; which will support learning from home. My thoughts are with all those families who have lost employment and who find themselves isolated from important family members. There cannot be enough

appreciation for the work of all essential services. Thank you. Year 10’s Working Hard To Solve Problems I would like to make a special mention to our Year 10 Students who have demonstrated great courage and commitment to our combined Ardrossan Area School/Yorketown Area School’s new Stage 1 Business Innovation - Shark Tank Program. Emma, Megan, Sienna, Hannah, Kimberly, Nathan and Calvin have all stepped out of their comfort zone at various times, undertaken tasks that have personally stretched them and in doing so they have grown as individuals and built their capacity to work in a team environment.

Cherie Beech

http://www.calmkidcentral.com/covid-19

http://www.calmkidcentral.com/covid-19

mailto:[email protected]

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Our students have worked hard to ensure effective communication with team members across sites (Ardrossan AS and Yorketown Area School-YAS), and this has been possible due to a range of online platforms. They have also been in regular contact with myself and Mr Talbot from YAS via email, face/face meetings and Microsoft TEAMS. Last week students applied design thinking principals to develop solutions to problems that they had confirmed a few weeks ago. Thank you to those who responded and contributed to surveys and interviews as part of the problem confirmation process. Students are looking to develop products and services relating to

Time management and organisation (including personal organisation and school lockers)

Access to subject choices and curriculum material/expert advice

Mental health services for teenagers

Students have also had the opportunity to determine their competitors in the market space. This is a critical step as entrepreneurs need to know their competitors to realise their competitive advantage over potential competitors. Keep up the positive work ethic Year 10’s, and I’ll be sure to share more updates on the Shark Tank team’s successes. AAS’s Facebook will also keep you posted. Kind regards, Cherie Beech

From the Sports Desk SAPSASA Tennis

Congratulations to Serenity and Sebastian Gorden who represented Southern Yorke Peninsula in SAPSASA Tennis. The event was held at Millswood Tennis Club from 16th – 19th March. Both Serenity and Seb enjoyed their week.

2020 Calendar Dates Apr 6th - 9th Student Free Days

Apr 10th Good Friday

Apr 27th First day of Term 2

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Highlights

Certificate II Engineering Pathways Our 2020 Certificate II Engineering Pathways students with TAFE Lecturer, Kym Cox.

Learning at AAS

Business Innovation Our Business Innovation students thank all who gave feedback through the surveys taken to the community. Data collected has been most helpful to create customer archetypes. The needs, motivations and influences of these ideal customers have been identified.

Casual Clothes Day

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Where are they now?

'Where are they now?' Toby Lodge - Class of 2010 What year did you finish at AAS? I completed all of my schooling at AAS and finished in 2010. What and where did you study? In 2011 I trade assisted with solar panels for 3 months before completing a 6 month course in Cert II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) at Regency Tafe campus.

Did you always plan this pathway? Working in the electrical industry was always my focus and I completed some open access lessons in electrical theory as part of my SACE. Where has your study taken you and where are you currently working? I got an apprenticeship with SA Power Networks in Yorketown in 2012 and have now been there for 8 years as a Powerline Worker. I enjoy my job and it is really rewarding to restore power back on to everyone in bad weather. I plan to stay within SA Power Networks because there are a variety of different roles within the company. A comment reflecting on your time at AAS? It may not seem like it now but don't be in such a rush to grow up and get out of school. These years are some of the best of your life and I promise you will miss them later.

Our Learning SA https://www.education.sa.gov.au/our-learning-sa Reading at home with your children

Reading has always been an important skill, today it’s more important than ever. Watching family and others use reading and writing every day is one of the ways children learn about

the importance of reading and gain early skills toward learning to read themselves. Reading with your child will help your child in their learning before and when they start school. Reading with your child and listening to your child read are great ways of supporting your child with

their reading. Libraries at school or locally have many great books to keep your child engaged in reading.

Be confident that your child will learn to read.

What you can do at home to support your child’s reading

Involve your child in everyday conversations and activities, sharing a story, using a recipe, making a list or reading street signs. This shows them how language works and that reading is a useful skill.

Read aloud with your child. It familiarises them with the sounds, shapes and processes of reading and writing, it’s enjoyable and will encourage them.

Talk about books, choose books together and read them together as a shared, companionable activity.

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/our-learning-sa

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Try and make sure there’s a wide range of reading material for your child at home, fiction and non- fiction books. Libraries, school and second hand shops can be great places to find books or you can swap books with other families.

If your home language isn’t English, it’s important to read to your child in your home language. Experience shows that using your home language will help your child learn to read in English.

Make reading together a special time away from interruptions such as television or other devices. Your child will value the time spent together.

Listen to your child reading every day, even for a short time. Give books as treats and presents.

Listening to your child read

Before you begin the book, talk about the cover, the title, and the pictures, discuss what the book might be about.

As you’re reading talk about what has happened so far and ask your child what they think might happen next.

When you’ve finished the book, talk and ask questions about the story and the pictures. When reading a harder book together, take turns. The learning reader can read the simpler or

repetitive parts and the experienced reader can read a paragraph or a page. When you find a new word, pause to give your child time to work out the word. Then support your child to:

sound out the whole word using letter sounds (don’t guess the word) blend the sounds in the word together (for example h-o-p hop, sh-e-ll shell, ch-i-ck-e-n chicken) repeat the word re-read the sentence to maintain the meaning of the text if necessary, explain the meaning of the word praise your child for trying, mistakes are part of the learning.

Reading is everywhere

Tell and retell stories of all kinds together including family stories, favourite stories, fairy tales, favourite movies or programs and books.

Play games such as ‘I spy…something beginning with d’. Ask your child to read out simple recipes when you cook together Do word puzzles such as crosswords together. Read everyday materials like letterbox leaflets, brochures, magazines, street signs together. Play board games together, read the rules or the board. Provide plastic letters, crayons, pencils, pens and writing paper. Encourage holding pencils and

crayons.

Remember

Talk about stories and the meanings of words. Encourage your child to read anywhere, anytime. Let your child see you enjoy reading Visit your local library. Choose books together and for yourself. Talk to your child’s teacher for help and advice Enjoy reading – it’s fun.

casual clothes day...months before completing a 6 month course in cert ii in electrotechnology...

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