TESTS

There are lots of different tests that students are exposed to. Diagnostic tests, standardised tests, NAPLAN tests, PIZA tests, end of unit tests, spelling tests, maths tests and the list goes on. The people and organisations that set these tests all have valid reasons for setting these tests. A Diagnostic test can help diagnose a learning condition. A Standardised test ranks the students against other students of the same age. NAPLAN tests give governments a snapshot of how students are performing across the country. Maths, spelling and end of unit tests can give a snapshot of how students have understood the content that has been taught. I could write about the pros and cons for each of these tests and the impacts on student wellbeing.

What I would like to say is that the most important tool for assessing student development is teacher observations and then providing immediate feedback. A good teacher notices the errors that students are making and why they are making them and gives immediate feedback for growth. A NAPLAN test will tell what they got correct and incorrect but there is no feedback to help improve. While there is a place for some tests, let’s not forget the fact that teachers (and parents) use what they see, hear and feel to help gain an understanding of a child’s development and this should never be undervalued.

COOLER WEATHER

With the onset of the cooler weather we are seeing far more jumpers and jackets in lost property. We can return these back very quickly to students when they are clearly labelled. The same is true for hats.

FUNDRAISING

The College has an outstanding reputation for service to the community. This term has had several focus areas:

The Parents and Friends Fundraiser “Dance for Sick Kids” was well received and a lot of fun. The prizes were amazing and thank you to all of the local businesses who donated them. It is appreciated.

Earlier this week we had a Mufti Day, where the funds raised went to the Kokoda Youth Foundation.

On Wednesday 16 June, we will be conducting a Fun Run. The money raised will go to “Light Up Vanuatu” https://www.schoolaid.org.au/lightupvanuatu The aim of this campaign is to try and help end light poverty in the villages of Vanuatu.

While your participation in these events is always appreciated, we understand that you can’t always support every charitable endeavour. Thank you for contributing when you can.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility and we need your help! We ask that you follow these simple rules as per the Department of Main Roads and Transport standard:

Observe the speed limit on campus, 10km/h

Remain in your lane
Do not stop on a pedestrian crossing
Do not stop on the yellow markings (chevroning)
Do not move bollards
Follow the directions of our staff

To ensure optimum traffic flow, please be respectful and patient.

Darrin Schumacher
Deputy Principal / Head of Junior School

THINKING TINKERING THURSDAYS

The Years 4 to 6 students have completed the seven weeks of their choice activity for Thinking Tinkering Thursday. I mentioned in the previous article that one of the reasons we developed this opportunity was to help promote learner agency. Agency is basically when our students have ownership of their own learning and action that comes from that learning. Teachers have received positive feedback from our students in relation to their experiences with these sessions. One aspect of the feedback was the overwhelming fact that the students were offered options of what they were interested in engaging in and how they appreciated that Thursday afternoons were challenging but relaxing! They also loved the opportunity to interact with other students from across the year levels (4 to 6) and that some activities enabled them to make a difference in the lives of others. The Craft Group made blankets for the St Andrews Aged Care residents and they recently presented them to Mrs Kathy Friebel who is the Chaplain at the aged care facility.

Below are some of the reflective comments made by our students in a recent survey:

“I liked how we could do our own free builds. I also liked how we could make our own ideas.”

“Just being able to paint and just relax and be creative.”

“I loved that we could choose what we are passionate about and be given the time to do some activities and learn more about it!”

“It was awesome to try something new and I can’t wait to do it again!”

“I hope that we can do Thinking Tinkering Thursdays again.”

“I liked being independent and doing things on my iPad.”

PARENT CLASSROOM LEARNING WALKS

Just a reminder that we are providing our parent community with the opportunity to visit our classrooms during the school day to observe learning and teaching in action in a Classroom Learning Walk. This is being held on Thursday 3 June at 1:00pm, commencing in the JS STEAM Room. The purpose of the Learning Walk is to foster conversation about learning and teaching in order to develop a shared vision of high-quality teaching that impacts on student learning.

Please RSVP directly to Ms Vicki Chester pa_jsms@salc.qld.edu.au if you would like to attend.

At St Andrews Lutheran College, we acknowledge the importance of building relationships with parents based on trust and open communication. The Learning Walks afternoon is a way of opening our classroom doors and sharing with parents the ways in which we foster students’ creativity and curiosity, build their sense of student agency and motivate students to achieve the best possible outcomes.

I look forward to welcoming parents through our classrooms on this day!

Be very careful, then, how you live … making the most of every opportunity … Ephesians 5:15-16

Jacqueline Faulkner
Deputy Head of Junior School and PYP Coordinator