Dear Children and Families,

We hope this edition of IPECS Informer finds you well.  It has been a very busy few weeks at IPECS with many activities across the school.  A highlight has been the Mini-Olympics that was held last week.  We saw high levels of excitement and engagement in our Mini-Olympics as children demonstrated their sporting prowess across a range of activities including javelin, long jump, limbo, running races, discus, shot put and of course, the egg and spoon race.  Thank you to Lindsay and Nira for organising the event and to Year 5/6 Bonython PS children who supported us on the day.  

On Monday this week our children were also treated to a special (pre) Book Week Performance from production company "Books to Life".  The one person show presented a performance of the children's book "That Bird Has Arms" by Jol and Kate Temple.  This was a highly engaging performance for our children and we thank the GEMS P&C for supporting the cost of the performance.

What is a Student Centred Improvement Visit (SCIV)?

A Student-Centred Improvement Visit (SCIV) is an evaluation process used across ACT Public Schools to focus on enhancing student outcomes by placing students at the centre of evaluation processes. The primary objective of an SCIV is to assess how well a school supports learning, engagement, and wellbeing.  On Thursday, next week, we will welcome visitors to our school from the Directorate, including our Executive Education Leader Steve Collins, to conduct our SCIV.  During the visit, the team will visit all of our classrooms and speak with our staff and children to provide feedback on our literacy pedagogical practices including reading, phonics instruction and oral language.  The visit will highlight what the school is doing well in terms of student-centred practices and where there may be opportunities for further development.  The SCIV process is reflective and collaborative, aiming to ensure that any changes or improvements made are in the best interest of the students and contribute to their overall success.  I look forward to sharing the feedback with you. 

What is a 2024 School Satisfaction and Climate Survey?

Each year, the Directorate surveys all parents and carers, school staff and students in Years 4 to 12 about their experience of public education.  The ensure our children are included, we conduct a school based survey for year two children.  The 2024 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey is now available for parents to complete. The survey results will help us to continue to make quality informed decisions about how to improve our school. No personal identifying information will be provided to any school or college.

An email about the parent survey, including a unique link to access the survey has been sent to all parents today. Genuine survey invitation emails have the title "The 2024 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey is now open!" and have been sent from EDU Surveys & Evaluation with 'from' address EDUSurveys@act.gov.au.

If you do not receive the survey invitation, please check your Junk email folder; if it is not there, please contact our front office. If you do not have an email listed with the school, please contact our school front office and you will be assisted.

The Parents and Carers Survey is available online in other languages: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Urdu, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Spanish, Telugu, French and Italian. Respondents can select their preferred language when they start the survey. A shortened paper-version of the Parents and Carers Survey is also available in the following five languages: Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen and Mon. These surveys are available at the front office.

For the results to reflect the opinions of our whole school community, we need as many parents and carers, to complete the survey. Your feedback is important, and we hope you will take part.

For more information, visit: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/school-satisfaction-and-climate-survey 

Where is Shauna?

Our Business Manager Shauna has needed to take some unexpected personal leave for at least the next two weeks.  We expect she will return to work on 2 September.  During this time, Kathleen Kelly has been appointed to the acting Business Manager position.  Rebecca Van Aaslt will be our School Secretary during this time. 

What will you be dressing up as for Book Week?

Children (and staff) are excited for our Book Week Parade on Wednesday 21 August.  Our parade will take place on on the Bike Track and begin at 9.15am.  Children are encouraged to come to school dressed up as their favourite character from a book.  The theme of this year's Book Week is "Reading is Magic".   Of course, parents are welcome to join in the fun and dress up as well. 

Take care,

Simon Barker

Principal 

How can I support my child's reading at home? 

Reading is a vital skill that opens the door to lifelong learning, creativity, and success. As partners in your child’s education, you play a crucial role in nurturing their love for reading and supporting their growth as confident readers. We’re excited to share some practical tips on how you can make reading a rewarding and enjoyable experience at home. 

Create a Reading Routine

Establishing a regular reading routine helps your child develop a habit of reading daily. Whether it’s before bedtime, after dinner, or during a quiet afternoon, having a consistent time dedicated to reading can make it a cherished part of your child’s day.

Read Together

Reading with your child is one of the most effective ways to build their reading skills. Take turns reading aloud, discuss the story, and ask questions about the characters and plot. This not only improves comprehension but also creates special bonding moments.

Discuss What They’re Reading

Engage in conversations about the books your child is reading. Ask open-ended questions like, “What was your favourite part of the story?” or “Why do you think the character did that?” These discussions enhance understanding and critical thinking.

Keep It Fun!

Above all, keep the reading experience fun and stress-free. If your child enjoys a particular series or genre, let them dive into it. The goal is to foster a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

By incorporating these simple strategies into your daily routine, you can help your child develop strong reading skills and a lifelong love of books. Thank you for your continued support in nurturing our young readers at home!

Happy reading!

What is play based inquiry at IPECS?

This term in preschool we will be engaging in a very exciting research project which will guide our line of inquiry titled ‘I am part of something bigger than me’. We will be working alongside a team of experts from the University of Canberra, who will share their knowledge about soils, composting, art and community gardens to explore children’s understanding of sustainability from a Common World perspective. This way of viewing the world comes with an understanding that we are not the only ones that live on this planet, but that plants, animals and things (sticks, stones, soils) are equally considered.

The research team will be visiting the preschool, joining children on our walks to the Isabella ponds, and working with the preschool team to guide our investigations. This research will strengthen children's oral language, relationship with place, sense of identity and inquiry skills such as questioning, observation, research and reflection.

Stay tuned for more detail as the semester progresses. 

Election

The ACT Election date has been set for the 19th of October this year. This is a great opportunity to raise money for the school. Unfortunately none of the usual committee members are able to coordinate a 'democracy sausage' BBQ or Cake Stall like we have done previously.

If you are willing to put up your hand to coordinate this event, we'd love to hear from you as soon as practical. Please email ipecs.gems@gmail.com or speak to Imogen, Courtney or Joanne.

We also want to hear from you if you are able to help as a designated first aid officer and for the length of time you are willing to help on the day. We are unable to go ahead if we do not have willing first aid officers (and back up officers if someone is suddenly ill). 

Father's Day

A reminder that we will not hold the Special Person (Father's) Day stall this year.

National Early Childhood Educator's Day

For families that access the long-day-care, we encourage you to send a little note of thanks to the educators on the week of Wednesday the 4th of September. They have a major impact on the development of our children. 

Next meeting

The next meeting is scheduled to be Thursday the 19th of September at 5:30. You can join us in person in the family room, or online via the meeting link.

Please make a note of this in your diaries and we hope to see you then!

Our meeting will include:

- an update from School Staff on what is happening at the school

- discussion about the funding needs of the school and what the P&C may be able to help with (given that the school has won two grants towards the outdoor improvements)

- election day fundraising

- end of school year events (year 2 graduation)

Learner Driver First Aid Program

Learner drivers who have held their learner licence for at least three months are encouraged to complete an approved learner driver first aid course. The ACT Government’s Learner Driver First Aid Program provides basic lifesaving first aid skills for learner drivers to assist people if they are involved in or come across a motor vehicle crash. Participants can claim 5 hours credit towards their required driving hours. More information can be found on the ACT Government City Services’ Learner and provisional driver safety webpage.

The webpage also provides information about the Safer Driver Course and the Vulnerable Road User Program which provide additional optional training for learner drivers to understand and develop safe driving behaviours and to safely share the road with other users. Completion of these courses can also count towards required driving hours for eligible learner drivers.

Contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81

Help us create a better Education Directorate website experience

Share your thoughts on the Education Directorate website. This website has general information on education in the ACT and is where you go to enrol in ACT public schools. It is different to your school’s website.

Help us create a better website experience by completing a short 5-minute survey before Friday 30 August 2024.

National Child Protection Week – Children’s Art Activity Art Entries Open

NAPCAN (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) are looking for artwork to focus on this year’s National Children Protection Week (1-7 September) which raises how every conversation matters.

NAPCAN is looking for artworks to show what children and young people think about their relationships and the conversations they have with family, friends and community. These will then be used in NAPCAN’s campaign (leading up to September) to help show that protecting children is about all of us working together.

For more information and to submit your child’s artwork, visit Art Activity Submission.

Contact Child Safety Engagement Officer on 0466 712 811 or educhildsafety@act.gov.au