Nerae Preece Principal

From the Principal

This week, it was more apparent than any other how much we need to make sure we look after ourselves. It has been an extremely busy week at Badger, and to families it looked like a pretty normal week, but behind the scenes there was a lot of juggling and making sure all the jobs were getting done. You do this everyday as you run your household or you lead groups that you work with. It can be mentally and physically exhausting. So how do you care for yourself? It’s not elaborate weeks away to Bora Bora. Self care can be in the moment.

I have asked around for a few ideas from others about how they show self care in short amounts of time and here are some of their favourites. Just take the time to take a deep breath, walk barefooted on the grass, taking a bath, going for a short bush walk (Hello Badger Creek Weir Rainforest Walk!), savouring some yummy food, taking a nap. So this weekend, I have instructed the team to think about their self care… but your responsibility as a parent and carer is so important too… So how are you going to make some time to look after yourself? I would love to hear about some of the things you have done to recharge your batteries, or as my friend Erica says “Nerae, don’t forget to put your oxygen mask on!”

PFA fundraising efforts

We have had a few PFA events recently. A big thank you to the families that helped out with the Market after assembly a few weeks ago. That raised over $300 that will go towards purchasing some take home books for the Prep to grade 2 classes.

We also had a special lunch day for our students on Wednesday. The kids absolutely loved having delicious baked potatoes. A big thank you to all of the people who helped in some way to make this happen.

We will let you know when the next PFA meeting will be held.

Tristan is shaving his dread locks off!!!

Tristan is shaving off his hair to raise money for a family in the Yarra Valley who have recently discovered that their son has Leukemia. Within the first few hours of setting up the Go Fund Me page over $2000 was raised! If you would like to help raise money for Tristan’s cause go to… https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-merrick-fight-leukemia-dreadlock-fundraiser?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

3 Way interviews and IEP’s

Thank you to all of the families that attended the 3 Way interviews yesterday. It was so lovely to see everyone talking about learning. Since COVID it feels like we all have such a clearer understanding of what we as parents and educators do to help our learners. Some of you may have a child that has an Individual Education Plan (IEP). These plans are for students who are more than 12 months behind or ahead in their learning (That means if your child didn’t get an IEP they are at standard).

Do the kids need to know that they are ahead or behind? Well, I guess as a parent and a teacher it’s important that kids realise that learning isn’t about what mark you have or what position you sit against other students. What is more important, is the fact that our kids know how they learn best and that they spend time to reflect on what they have learnt. The IEP’s are going to be set around a strength based model. We like to know the students strengths and then consider what the student needs to do next in their learning. This follows our understanding of the Growth Mindset Theory by Carol Dweck.

It’s always important for us to remember as well as our children that learning is a journey. We are all at different steps and we don’t need to compare people. What we do want is for our kids to understand the skills that they need to work on, and go through the challenges of learning something new.

High Abilities Camp

Next week we have 12 students attending a High Abilities Camp in the city at MacRobertson’s High. This is such an amazing opportunity for our grade 5/6 students who have been invited to attend. We are so grateful for Edwina Whiteside and Donna Patterson for taking the students down for the camp. We hope they have a lot of fun!

Curriculum Day

A gentle reminder that next Friday students will not be required to attend school next Friday. We will be having a Curriculum Day. Some spots are still available at CIRE if you need a spot for your child.

The Architects

I have had a busy week interviewing and deliberating over Architect Firms that we will be working with through our Capital Works Project. I am hoping that I can announce the company in the next newsletter once the panel has signed off. The panel included Ange Creighton (Senior Project Manager for North Eastern Region) and Hans Caspersz (Senior Project Officer for the Victorian School Building Authority). Ange, Hans, myself and the Architect will become the Project Control Group through the project. I feel very confident that the PCG will make sure we get the best Master Plan possible for our school and the community.

Nerae Preece

Acting Principal

IMPORTANT SCHOOL DATES

Whole school dates to remember:

Friday March 26th – Curriculum Day

Thursday April 1st – Last day of Term 1

Music News

Greetings to our wonderful school community,

It was a really wonderful week in music. We held a special concert for our Kinder cousins at Badger Creek Kindergarten. We had around 130 of our students performing and even Ms. Riley did a guest star spot! Well done to all of the children who performed at this event. I was so proud to be your teacher. Not only did you give a joyous concert, you were a respectful and attentive audience as well.

Ms. Legg on Leave

I will be taking two weeks long service leave for the last weeks of term one. I will be returning in term two and will be resuming the Women’s Choir rehearsals and my normal teaching then. Rhyme Time will be continuing with a guest presenter in the music room as usual.

Have a great two weeks and school holiday. See you in term two.

Jenny Legg

Music Teacher.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

This week in Prep…

Our Preps have been doing lots of learning this week!

In maths, we are learning to use locational language, such as in, over, under, on and between.

When reading, we have been visualising and as Jess told the class “This is when you draw the pictures in your mind like a movie.”

We used the book ‘STUCK’ by Oliver Jeffers as our writing prompt. Drawing images and labelling. There were lots of words ending in ‘ck’.

And, of course lots more science. Ask your children about the ‘egg experiment’.

REMINDER: We have BODY SAFE coming up, don’t forget to sign and pay for this incursion on QKR.

This week in Grade 1 / 2…

This week in Grade 1/2 we have been exploring lots of different ways to write. Students had a go at writing lists, postcards, comics, recipes, letters, wanted poster and many more! We continued making connections in our reading and extended our number work to explore the concept of doubles. What a wonderful week in Grade 1/2.

This week in Grade 5 / 6…

Grade 5/6 Goes to Mars

This week, Grade 5/6s went to Victoria’s best Space Science Education Centre, at Strathmore Secondary College, to complement our Term One Inquiry unit.

Students dressed up in space utility uniforms. We were split into Mission Control and Mars Explorers. At Mission Control, we used computers to communicate with the Mars Explorers, completed urgent system checks and problem solving tasks, and made sure they returned to Earth safely.

The Mars Explorers spent 10 months in suspended animation before arriving on Mars to undertake experiments and tests to support survival on the Martian planet. We studied rocks, meteors, soil and water. We used robots with mechanical arms to move objects so we didn’t have to experience the dangerous atmosphere. We tested samples for pH using cabbage indicator. Some explorers experimented on the hydroponics to keep our food source alive. The communications team used headsets to keep in touch with Mission Control.

Balloons were rubbed on head to create static electricity to attract and repel objects like confetti, rice, aluminium foil, tiny polystyrene balls and other balloons. We conducted experiments with Fly Sticks and tinsel – getting zapped and laughing along the way – ‘controlling’ the tinsel around the room. Learning about circuits, zinc and copper conductors, positive and negative electrons, scientific symbols, lights and motors was so informative. We used our new learning and our creativity to design dancing alien robots. The dance-off at the end was so funny!

This excursion was spectacular. We had the most amazing time. The only thing that would make this excursion better was if we could live there!!

Written by Grade 5/6

The Grade 5/6s have been working on literal and inferential sentences. Here are some examples of wonderfully descriptive inferential sentences. Can you infer their meaning? What would the matching literal sentence be?

He was so sore after what he had done, every breath was a challenge. He could see the beautiful landscape of France coming into view. As he touched the hot sand, he felt proud of his achievement. He could barely remember the white cliffs of Dover.

Hamish

Chelsea started to shake all over. She waited for the whistle to blow so she could dive into the water.

Chelsea

I moved the pen across the smooth white paper, adding patterns and shading, and looked down at my work, pleased at how it turned out.

Annika

The dripping souls of old mouldy fruit, boiled and bubbled. The old fruit smelled so bad, the stench killing everything. The child had not emptied the bin.

Flynn

I walked in the room, all the flies were dying. The smell was so bad I had to hold me nose. I looked at Brogan and she had a gas mask on. Cooper the dog had a mysterious look on his face.

Deon

Bake sale containers

We would like to thank everyone who brought delicious goodies to the bake sale.

If you brought a container or plate for the bake sale they are now ready for collection in the office.

Thank you again.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)

We are currently taking applications for CSEF.

Please find below information in regards to the funding and if you could be eligible.

If you do have any queries or questions if you may be eligible please do not hesitate to contact the office.

Vacation Care Program

School uniform orders:

Please find below the link for the school uniform orders.

http://www.aplusschoolwear.com.au/SearchResult.aspx?Labels=BADGER%20CREEK

All orders are to be completed through the website

Hats:

Please remember during term 1 hats will be required when playing outside.

Rubbish in the yard

The Grade 6s did a school yard rubbish clean up during their leadership session this week. They want to remind everyone to nude their food before going out to play and to aim for rubbish free lunches to help keep our environment clean!