CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS Volume 42 PREPARING THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN THIS ISSUE Autumn has arrived, and with it, I feel, a sense of quietening and calming throughout the school as students and teachers become settled into the routine of the new year. There have been some great projects up and running already…read all about Children’s House and their Chinese New Year festival and the excitement of a potters wheel in school giving the chance for many classes, and later in the term even the teachers, to have a go at throwing pots, all thanks to the 30x30x30 fundraising from 2012. Thanks to Zoe for arranging this and to Mandy for enabling so many students to be able to ‘have a go’. Staff have gained information about their students educational levels over the last weeks from their own assessments and from various screening programmes conducted by Juliet, our current Learning Support teacher, and are now purchasing level appropriate resources and equipment to aid their curriculum implementation. In June Treetops will be going through its re-registration process with the Department of Education. In the fear that I might actually suffocate under the mound of compliance paperwork that we are working on, I would like to request help from a couple of willing parents with one defined task. It will involve reading and cross referencing. If you have any spare time that you can offer to me I would be very grateful if you would call into the office to see me and I will explain the task and see if you are interested. Jayne Simpson – Interim Principal Thanks 30x30x30 Funding Wattle Antarctica Studies Children’s House Look at their Five Senses From the Principal
Transcript
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS Volume 42 241421
PREPARING THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN THIS ISSUE
Autumn has arrived, and with it, I feel, a sense of quietening and calming throughout the school as students and teachers become settled into the routine of the new year.
There have been some great projects up and running already…read all about Children’s House and their Chinese New Year festival and the excitement of a potters wheel in school giving the chance for many classes, and later in the term even the teachers, to have a go at throwing pots, all thanks to the 30x30x30 fundraising from 2012. Thanks to Zoe for arranging this and to Mandy for enabling so many students to be able to ‘have a go’.
Staff have gained information about their students educational levels over the last weeks from their own assessments and from various screening programmes conducted by Juliet, our current Learning Support teacher, and are now purchasing level
appropriate resources and equipment to aid their curriculum implementation.
In June Treetops will be going through its re-registration process with the Department of Education. In the fear that I might actually suffocate under the mound of compliance paperwork that we are working on, I would like to request help from a couple of willing parents with one defined task. It will involve reading and cross referencing. If you have any spare time that you can offer to me I would be very grateful if you would call into the office to see me and I will explain the task and see if you are interested.
Jayne Simpson – Interim Principal
Thanks 30x30x30 Funding
Wattle Antarctica Studies
Children’s House Look at
their Five Senses
From the Principal
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS | Issue 42 2
Early Childhood at Treetops Free Parents Group are enjoying the slightly cooler mornings at the Playground next to the Darlington Oval on Wednesday mornings. Jo, our Parents Group Coordinator, reports that a small but steady group of parents are now meeting every Wednesday morning to share chat, Jo’s great coffee and a play in the sandpit. Parents Group is free and attendance is casual. Everyone is welcome so please pop along if and when you can. Jo will have some new Playgroup flyers to hand out next week for those parents who have children turning 18 months either this year or next.
Sugar Gums
Playgroup
The beautiful period between birth and six years old is when children learn instinctively from their environment. Montessori believed that the first stages of a child’s life are the most important because this is when attitudes and patterns for learning are formed that will last for life.
Sugar Gums Playgroup at Treetops provides a fun, safe, caring and stimulating environment for children aged from eighteen months to around three years. Playgroup sessions are run by leaders who have experience in a Montessori school and this learning facilitated environment makes our Playgroup unique. Sessions are held on scheduled mornings from 9.30am –11.30am during the school term. You may wish to attend two playgroup sessions per week and this is dependent on availability. Sugar Gums current sessions are at capacity, so we are planning a new, Tuesday group for Term 2 and onwards. If you would like to apply for one of these limited places, please contact [email protected] or download the Sugar Gums Application form via our school website: http://www.treetops.wa.edu.au/education/early-years/
Excitement was in the air today as the children entered their classroom to see the Monarch butterfly in the jar. They had been observing the pupa (chrysalis) which resembled a waxy, jade vase for nearly two weeks and now it had broken out of its chrysalis emerging as a beautiful adult Monarch butterfly. We had a butterfly releasing ceremony but the butterfly flew out of the jar so quickly, it was gone in a flash! It probably needed some peace from all the children’s squealing “I can’t see”! “I can’t see”, just before we released the butterfly. Mmmmmm…
We have commenced our Human Body theme. We have been learning about the human skeleton, muscles and our five senses. Lots of activities have been planned for this theme. The children will be participating in a ‘Science Alive’ incursion on Thursday-The Five Senses. This has always been a very informative and enjoyable incursion and we are certain the children will have some wonderful learning experiences.
Our Chinese New Year theme has finally come to an end as we celebrate the last day of Chinese New Year on Thursday. The Chinese call this day “Chap Goh Mei’ and is usually celebrated with a lantern parade and more dragon dancing. As we have our Science Alive incursion on Thursday, we will celebrate the end of Chinese New Year on Wednesday. This has been a very enjoyable and successful theme for the children, staff and parents. Thank you to everyone for participating in good spirit.
“All children have this power of absorbing culture. If culture can be taken in without fatigue then let us give different items of culture for them to absorb.”- Dr Maria Montessori
Geraldine Woodley – Children’s House Teacher
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS | Issue 42 4
The weeks are flying by at Treetops and last week was busy but fun! There seemed to be a wonderful energy in Wattle and a huge part of that was thanks to the wonderful contributions of our parent helpers and friends. The children were delighted to see so many different faces coming to provide new and exciting ways to help us work and play.
As part of our study on Antarctica and the Arctic, Siouxane (Rhian’s Mum) came to school one morning to show us an amazing animal skin from Iceland. It was used as a method of keeping warm and also to sleep on. Some of the children paraded around with it draped around their shoulders like a mighty warrior or a powerful lady would have done long ago. We all had an opportunity to touch and feel it - the only trouble was that a few people in Wattle felt like having a little snooze… it was very comfortable! Many thanks, Siouxane, for thinking of us. We really appreciated you taking some time out of your busy day to share such an exciting resource with us.
On Friday (also known as Fantastic Friday) we had so many generous helpers who came to provide an afternoon of arts, craft and inspiration. I’m so grateful to each and every one of you for coming to work with Wattle. It was wonderful to walk among the different groups and hear and see the children so inspired and happy in their activities and we couldn’t do it without you.
Thank you once again everyone!
Wonderful Wattle
Sandra Hendy – Wattle Teacher
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS Volume 42 241421
In Karri class we would like to welcome Hannah who is coming in every Tuesday to work with us and assist in our classroom. It has been lovely to meet you and get to know you and we are really enjoying having you in our classroom.
We have been working hard in Karri over the last couple of weeks in history learning about the First Fleet arriving in Australia and the difficulties experienced by the convicts, new settlers and explorers.
In Science we have been carrying out some investigations looking at a variety of materials and looking at their properties. We also looked at how materials can change into new materials by heating or freezing. We can call these changes reversible or irreversible.
Everyone has had an opportunity to bring in some news to share with the class. We have been working how to explain to the class something interesting about what we are showing and responding to questions. We have had some hermit crabs, 2 rabbits and a puppy dog.
We are also getting ready for Harmony Day on Friday 20th March. As part of the celebrations we are researching a country and will be bringing a traditional dish from that country to eat with our classmates as part of a shared lunch on that day. Some of us have been looking at various recipes and we are really looking forward to trying some of the different and delicious dishes.
Fiona Douglas – Karri Teacher
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS | Issue 42 6
Our year tens have had the first taste of the different academic demands of Tuart, with History and Biology tests within
the same week. In true Treetops’ style, the tests were accompanied be a discussion about the validity of such an
assessment tool in terms of judging actual student achievement, which led to a discussion about the way in which
teachers use a range of assessment strategies.
Jarrah students have enjoyed a variety of lessons over the past few weeks. Yr 7 and 8 students looked at pond water
under a microscope. They have also been doing cooking as part of Design and Technology (and enjoying eating their
“assignments”). Yr 9s have started work on a mapping unit on Drinking Water, learning how to calculate gradients and
measure catchment areas. All Jarrah students have enjoyed the oral presentations, particularly the way Tomas used
Minecraft to explain the features of a Cyclopedia map from the 1820s.
Jodi Kerslake and Sue Flewellen
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS Volume 42 241421
The protractors, rulers, and set
squares our out in the art room as the
Jarrah and Tuart students explore the
world of Op Art as they create their
own optical illusion drawings. It has
been wonderful watching the Wattle
children explore their messy sides!
They have been creating cityscape
clay tiles and learning to throw pots
on the potters wheel with Mandy
thanks to the 30x30x30 fundraising
efforts. The Karri children have been
learning how to carve lino carefully,
and most importantly safely, now
that we have the newly purchased
and extremely sharp cutting tools also
from the 30x30x30 funds. They have
been doing an excellent job making
sure they and their classmates remain
safe at all times. Kieran one of our
IBDP students has also been getting
messy by throwing bigger and better
pots and the other IBDP art students
are well underway making their own
individual art works. I've said it before
and I'll say it again, Treetops has
wonderful creative children!
Zoe Neill – Art Teacher
CLIPPINGS – NEWSLETTER FOR TREETOPS | Issue 42 8
lists
PARENTS & FRIENDS
COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, 9th March 2015
@ 6.30 – 8.00pm
- Treasurer's Report
- Fundraising Calendar 2015
- Discuss meeting days and times
Childcare available –
bookings at office
All parents are members of the P&F, the committee is just whoever turns up on the night
of the meeting. Please join us and have your say in what the P&F does – ALL WELCOME!
Calendar Snapshot
For updated events on the School’s Calendar please visit:
http://www.treetops.wa.edu.au/events/month/
Monday 9th
March
Next P&F Meeting – 6.30pm – All welcome!
Friday 13th March
Year 8 Vaccinations
Wednesday 18th March
Children’s House Association for the Welfare for Children in Hospital - Hospital
