Boneo Buzz: 24th November
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we prepare for our upcoming Step up Day on Friday 15th December, I wanted to take a moment to share insights into our class placement process. We understand the importance of creating a positive and conducive learning environment for each student, and our class placement process is designed with careful consideration of three primary factors:
Academic Spread: We strive to create classes that have a balanced academic distribution. This includes considering students’ strengths, and areas for growth. By carefully placing students with a mix of abilities, we foster an environment where each student can thrive academically and be appropriately challenged.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing: Recognising the significance of social and emotional development, we pay close attention to creating classes that support the overall wellbeing of our students. Our goal is to promote a positive and inclusive atmosphere, allowing students to form strong connections with their peers and feel comfortable expressing themselves in the learning environment.
Learner Friendship Selection: We understand the importance of positive learning friends in a child’s school experience. While we cannot always accommodate specific friend requests, we do consider the social dynamics within each class. Our aim is to create an environment where students can build positive relationships, fostering a sense of community and support.
The process of assigning teachers to each cohort of students is a meticulous one. It involves thorough review and discussion of proposed class lists with input from classroom teachers, specialist teachers, and Educational Support staff. This collaborative approach ensures that diverse perspectives are considered, and the final teacher allocation to a particular class is made by me with the best interests of all students in mind.
I want to assure you that our commitment to your child’s education and overall development is at the forefront of this process. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to create an environment that fosters growth, learning, and positive social interactions.
REMINDER
It is a Professional Practice Day on Monday 27th November, students are not required at school on this day.
Southern Peninsula Music Camp Documentary Screening
The Southern Peninsula Music Camp has been running for over 35years. One of the founders of the camp was Boneo’s own Sally Walsh. We, the music teachers, feel it is important to remember how this unique learning program began. So we decided to make this documentary. It is made up of footage filmed over recent years, and also from some found in the archives! At this year’s camp, we especially focused on interviewing students, tutors and staff, to include in the film.
The documentary will be screened at the Rosebud Cinema on FRIDAY 1st DECEMBER at 6:00pm.
All tickets are $15 and any proceeds will go directly into next year’s Music Camp.
Only limited tickets, so be quick!
Here is the booking link:
School Fun Run
Today is the last chance to raise money for the Fun Run. This will close at midnight tonight.
Prize ordering also finishes this evening, so if you are yet to do so, please log on (or create) a profile page at schoolfunrun.com.au. Once logged in click ‘Order Prizes’ and follow the prompts.
Please note: If you have selected a goal prize, you still need to log on to order your prizes .
We have been advised by our uniform supplier, Advanced Promotional Clothing, that due to the ongoing cost increases in all areas of production, they will be regretfully increasing the prices of our uniform items.
Price list effective November 1st (inclusive of GST);
Tee Shirt $24.00
Short Sleeve Polo $28.00
Long Sleeve Polo $31.00
Hoods (no zip) $46.00
Zip Hoods $48.00
Sun Hats $17.00
Beanies $18.00
School Bags $61.00
Shorts $25.00
Snapshot of Learning
Tech Leaders and Year 3 STEM
Tabitha & Summer in Year 6 have been working on a self-directed learning project in Year 6 STEM to mentor younger students in creating pixel art.
These technology leaders and experts in pixel art, have mentored Year 3 to create awesome avatars and characters. Using websites with grid markings, students worked towards up levelling their Minecraft roller coasters. Children then ‘exported’ their flat world designs into their collaborative roller coasters landscapes. The children needed to tap into their spatial awareness and used prior knowledge about location to copy a pixel design, marked out on a grid.
When interviewed about their self-directed learning project, this is what Summer and Tabitha had to say:
Summer loves working with younger kids to teach them new skills on the laptop.
“You get to know the kids while you’re working together, they get to know you and I get to see their skills…”
Summer felt inspired when, “Getting to try new things it’s sometimes surprising what the kids come up with!”. Tabitha enthused “I wanted to try something different…there’s so much you can do…I wanted to try Pixel Art (too).”
Their advice to students wanting to try Pixel Art:
“Search up what you want you make but put ‘grid’ (in the search command) …start off with easier ones and work your way up!” Summer
“If you’re going to do pixel art don’t do it off the top of your head. Get a reference that has a grid, this makes it easier to see how many blocks there are.”
Tabitha
On what makes them good mentors, Tabitha shared: “I’ve been told by people that I’m good at Pixel Art and that I could help others get better too. I recently helped the grade ones. We were making a purple ostrich that Kieran had seen while traveling in Japan. The ostrich was a mascot that Japanese children were drawing as part of a competition.”
Some creations that Tabitha is proudest of are her representations of “Lisa Simpson, Yoda and a ghost…or Stitch…there’s too many!”
The younger students here at Boneo certainly are benefiting enormously from the time, patience and expertise of these inspirational tech leaders!
Year 3 Inquiry
This week the Year 3 students launched into their last inquiry unit, ‘The Environment and its Inhabitants are Connected’. Our exhibition of living and non-living artifacts sparked many curiosities within the students as they walked around making observations and taking notes.
Reminders
Kinect2Dance Year 5&6
Tuesday 21st November – Monday 18th December
Consent/Payment required on Compass by Monday 20th November
Professional Practice Day- Student Free Day
Monday 27th November
Year 5 - Melbourne Zoo
Wednesday 29th November
Consent/Payment required on Compass by Monday 20th November
End of Year Celebration Picnic
Tuesday 12th December
Please see flyer in this edition of the Buzz
School Dental Van
Week Commencing Monday 4th December
Please return consent forms to school by Friday 8th September
Choir Excursion - Rosebrook
Tuesday 5th December
Consent/Payment required on Compass by Monday 4th December
2024 Step-up Day
Friday 15th December
Boneo Market
Saturday 16th December
Prep & Year 1 are rostered for BBQ duty. Volunteers required for Car Parking duty.
Please contact the office if you are able to assist
Year 6 Graduation Rehearsal
Monday 18th December
Consent required on Compass by Thursday 14th December
Year 6 Graduation
Monday 18th December
Save the Date
Last Day of Term
Wednesday 20th December
Early Dismissal at 1.15pm