1. education
2. school

Inspiring optimistic, successful and sustainable futures for all
Creativity
Respect
Collaboration
PRINCIPAL:
Linda Weetra
Endeavour
Responsibility
TERM 1 NEWSLETTER No. 2 - 13th FEBRUARY 2015
Principal’s News
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL:
Leanne Prior
SENIOR LEADER:
Joel Catchlove
PHONE ……………. 8293 1204
FAX ………..……….. 8293 1673
OSHC: ……………... 8293 8085
E-MAIL:
admin@blforest.sa.edu.au
WEBSITE:
www.blforest.sa.edu.au
DAY STARTS ……….. 8:50am
RECESS …11:00am – 11:30am
LUNCH….. ...1:10pm – 1:40pm
END OF DAY ….….......3:10pm
CALENDAR
February
Monday 16
36ers Basketball Clinic 3:30-4:30pm
Tuesday 17
Pupil Free Day
Tuesday 24
Parent Workshop Years 3-5 5:15pm
Wednesday 25
Parent Workshop Years R-2 9:30am
Camp Quality Puppets R-5
Thursday 26
Lap Morning Tea
Friday 27
Crazy Hair Day
Gold Coin Donation to support
Will Allen & Family
Last day for Winter Uniform Orders
March
Wednesday 4
Quicksmart Parent Workshop
Tuesday 17
Principal’s Tour 9:30am
Friday 20
Harmony Day—
Please wear orange
Friday 27
Open Garden Night 5:30- 8:30pm
One of the new reforms of the Department is the introduction of external reviews of schools. This
model was developed to assist in the process of moving closer to being a high performing system
that improves the educational attainment and wellbeing of South Australia’s children and young
people. The aim of the external school review is to determine how well each school improves
student achievement, growth, equity, challenge and engagement. The focus is not only on what
the school has done to improve outcomes for children and young people, but how effective the
school has been in delivering these learning outcomes over time.
We were the first school in the state to go through this process on Monday and Tuesday this week!
A panel consisting of Liz Matheson, Review Panel Coordinator and two Peer Reviewers, Steve
Freeman, Principal Reynella Primary School and Amanda O’Shea, Principal Victor Harbour High
School spent two days examining performance data and consulting with students, staff and
parents. The panel was able to verify each criteria to a high degree. They were impressed with
teacher quality, competence, innovation and knowledge. Our students were able to speak
articulately about their learning and how teachers assist them to improve. Parents spoke openly
and honestly about successes, achievement over-all and suggested improvements for the future.
A report will be provided to the school in about six weeks recommending some ‘next steps’ to
consider as part of our continual review process.
It’s been exciting to see the development in classrooms across the school in flexible learning
spaces. During the holidays the wall between rooms 6 and 7 was removed to create a collaborative
environment for the Year 6/7s. Feedback from students indicates that they are enjoying this new
space and finding it valuable for their learning this year. They spoke to the Review Panel about how
they have greater opportunities now to choose where and how they learn best.
A priority for us this year is a focus on Mathematics - both in the teaching of it and the learning of
it. We are part of our Partnership’s Mathematician in Residence program where five staff from
each school have the opportunity to be mentored and coached by Ann Baker, Co-director of
Natural Maths on Wed March 4th. This is so exciting for us! Next Tuesday we’re spending the day
with Ann as we participate in Module 2 on our pupil free day. The five teachers who have been
selected to work with Ann will share their new knowledge and skills with their peers as well as
implement the new strategies they learn, in their Mathematics program. This program focuses on
high challenge teaching practices in the context of teaching the Australian Curriculum. The benefits
for children will be learning Mathematics in real life contexts, developing automaticity in number
facts and computations as well as hopefully developing an interest and, dare I say, a love of Maths.
Don’t forget our Council AGM at 6:30pm on Monday evening. I will give a brief summary of the
2014 Annual Report with last year’s Chairperson, Tracey Randall, before the official elections of the
twelve Governing Council members. It’s great to see that several people have already nominated
for a position on the new Governing Council. This will be a significantly historic occasion for Black
Forest Primary School as we begin a new form of governance to lead us into the future.
Values certificates awarded: Chenifer R, Isabella, Scarlett E, Lachlan K, Alisha S, Scarlet C, Claire R,
Aiden F, Eden A, Daniel W, Matilda C, Harley C, Regan O’R, Rui L, Damon A-K, Charlotte W, Ruby
W, Yashash S, Sophie J, Jeremy T, Hugh M, Lucy T, Jaime C, Connor R, Daniella R, Wilson L, Yakub G
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Deputy Principal’s News
Powerful Learning Environments
“Environment influences our behaviour, our experience of the world and the worlds we make for ourselves” (Johnston
1986). Over the last few years, some staff have been reflecting on our learning environments and considering how the
environment is the third teacher, one of the principles of Reggio Emilia. We have visited many schools, researched
other interstate schools who are doing things differently, read articles and books and made changes to some learning
spaces, including individual classrooms, the Italian Room and the i-Centre. We also have a plan in place for our
outdoor environment and are currently negotiating with landscapers to get started in Koala Park.
The following information has been adapted from a handout for parents, we received from Brighton Primary School,
regarding “Powerful learning environments”.
Traditionally classrooms were organised so that all students were placed at a desk. Depending on the year level
taught, the desks were organised in different configurations ranging from rows through to a variety of groupings. This
mindset for classroom organization began back in the industrial era and was essentially a means of control.
At Black Forest Primary School we recognise that children are capable and competent learners, digital citizens and that
their social and cultural connections are diverse. We support our learners to make choices about the ways they learn
and the tools they use to learn; we trust that they can make choices about the most appropriate space for them to
learn and we support them to make strong choices about who they work with.
Our commitment is to develop global citizens who are responsible, respectful and creative. We are intentional in
starting to create learning environments with the children that are welcoming, organised, beautiful and that reflect
the natural environment. Attention to detail, including the arrangement of furniture, objects on shelves and tables
and activities encourages choice, problem solving and discoveries in the process of learning.
This journey we have begun is exciting and one to which we have a real commitment.
Strings Lessons
Just a reminder that strings lessons commenced last Friday and will be held every Friday in the music room
National Conference Presentation
Next Thursday 19th February Kerry Cairney, Margaret Leslie and I will be co-presenting at the Australian Early
Development Census National Conference at Glenelg with Sue Emmett, DECD Manager First Years of School. We are
the only DECD site that has been invited to present and are looking forward to sharing our story about how the AEDC
informs changed practice as children transition to school.
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Senior Leader’s News
In this column, we’ll regularly profile educational technologies, apps and ideas
that support Black Forest’s commitment to 21st Century Learning. With the
rollout of Chromebooks across Black Forest, staff, students and families have
been keenly aware of how this impacts on learning and the life of the classroom.
One aspect of this was explored by the Year 5/6 class in Room 2 at the end of
2014 as part of their mathematical learning. The class kept a ‘screen time’ diary,
over the course of a week, as well as gathering data on their device usage and
purpose. They then processed this data and represented it visually, including
using an infographic app called Piktochart, to communicate their findings more
clearly. As the infographic shows, on average, students used devices for 4.1 hours
a day, with 1.6 hours spent using devices in their learning at school and 3.1 hours
at home. This process fascinated and surprised many students with the
realisation of how much (or how little) time they spent engaged with devices,
while also applying mathematical concepts to real-world problem-solving. For
students with Chromebooks, the Piktochart app should already be installed, easily
integrating with student Google Drive accounts.
Joel Catchlove
Garden News
Hi there to all parents and students. I am the new garden teacher. What a great delight for me to see your children at
play eating & tasting the fruits of nature in this really beautiful garden that I have the privilege to be caretaker. Please
feel free to come meet me & check me out.
I would love to get the children to take home food that they grow. It will serve them best if you get them to prepare the
food with you, taste testing the flavours till they get it tasting yummy. Many foods in supermarkets are dried packaged
preserved & dead. Enzymes cause problems in shelf life. Fresh live food is full of enzymes cooking kills them. So raw &
slightly warmed will keep the magic in both taste & health of the gardens produce & the health of children. Please
encourage them to experience this difference.
I will send home produce we grow with children who ask (free), when we have too much it will go to the canteen or be
offered at school near reception for gold coin donation.
I am looking forward to meeting parents & children in the coming weeks.
Thanks, Devashon
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I-Centre News
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Room 14
News
Some of our favourite
things: Lunch time, the
library corner, playing
with friends, making,
playing with lego and the
big shape blocks, making a class number line, playing
with the cars and train, the IWB and the table we can draw on, the playground, show
and tell, being with my friends, the “s” song, climbing in the playground, Koala Park, our
Buddy class and the garden.
We have been at school for 14 days, this is some of our learning:
Patterns, making number lines, writing, drawing,
playing, play dough, researching seagulls, our family,
being good friends, painting, words and letters, reading
books, making clay leaf prints in the garden and
playing in Koala Park. School is fun.
We are the Room 14 family,
Willow, Lewis, Jimmy, Claire, Myles, Adel, Poppy,
Morgan, Rui, Oliver, Nikora, Finn, Regan, Maeve,
Dakota, Henry, Scarlett, Sameer, Jhye, Zac, Harry,
Cesar, Kerry and Dora.
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Community News
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Community News Continued
Interested in playing Hockey?
Forestville Hockey Club, located at the Goodwood Oval complex, Fairfax St, Millswood is
running Come and Try and skill development for primary school children.
For children born in 2004 or later the sessions will run for 4 weeks (excluding March long
weekend) commencing on Sunday February 15th from 9am to 11am at the club. Bring your
own mouthguard (or buy one from us for $7) and shin pads (some for sale at $10). Sticks can be borrowed from the
club.
For children born before 2004 the sessions will run for 4 weeks commencing on Wednesday Feb 18 th from 6 to 8 pm
at the CBC pitch, upstairs over Ifould St, Adelaide. Mouthguards and shin-pads required, someone will lend you a
stick if you don’t have one.
For further information email juniors@fhc.com.au or contact Julie Mills on 0402 250 511
Julie Mills - Junior Hockey Co-ordinator
Forestville Hockey Club.
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