Student Education Forum

On Tuesday, the 8th of November, our school had the opportunity to participate in a Student Forum at the Adelaide Convention Centre, where four of our students Flynn, Imogen, Chloe and Caden were able to represent Coromandel Valley Primary School among schools all across South Australia. All students were provided with opportunities to contribute their ideas on Public Education, what they value and how they believe it could improve.

This week we met our 2023 transitioning receptions and families, welcoming them to our school community. It was great to see so many eager and excited children looking forward to their new school journey. There will be two more reception transitions visits. Our Yr 6 students have begun engaging in transition visits, ready for their move to secondary school next year. 

Class Structures and Student Placement

In 2023, classes will be spread across Reception to Year 6. Each year, class groupings are configured based on student numbers across all year levels. Schools are funded on the basis of 26 students per class in Reception to Year 2 and 30 students per class in Years 3 to 7. As is the case in most schools, composite classes will be formed along with straight year-level classes. Composite classes are no different to straight year-level classes where a range of student abilities and learning dispositions exist. Teachers work closely in professional learning teams to plan learning programs catering for a range of ages and abilities in every class, composite and straight.

Staff are well into the process of finalising classes for 2023. Our aim is always to build academically balanced classes that consider the needs of students, including social connections.

On Wednesday morning, 14th December, all students will spend some time in their 2023 classroom, meeting their new teacher(s) and classmates.

End of Year Reports

At this time of the term, teachers are writing end of year student reports. As part of the reporting process, teachers work with year-level team colleagues to moderate and discuss student assessments to ensure consistency of teacher judgement when reporting A-E grades (Years 1 -6) for subject areas within the Australian Curriculum. Reports will be handed out on Wednesday, 14 December.

Celebration Night – Tuesday 13th December 

We are very much looking forward to our Celebration Night, on Tuesday, 13 December, when our community joins together to enjoy song and dance performances as well as end of year presentations and farewells.

Please save the date, and stay tuned for further details.

In week 4, we organised a week full of activities to coincide with World Kindness Day. The theme for the week was “Kind Kids, Kind World.”

All classes did a fun activity each day which reflected on a different aspect of Wellbeing.

There were gratitude leaves to say what we are grateful for; posters to reflect on what Kindness is; and a fun and inspiring hip hop dance performance which encouraged us to use our words for good and to think about the type of environment we want in our school.

On Friday we finished with a field of friendship flowers on the hill at the back of the oval.

A display of our gratitude leaves and friendship flowers is currently in the library – thanks to Mrs O’Connell for her help with this.

Thank you to our teachers for supporting us, and to Jenni our Pastoral Care Worker who helped us to organise the week.

Bella, Heidi, India and Lyly

Wellbeing Leaders

Over the past couple of weeks Year 3 students have worked with Cath Hall and a group of volunteers to create Christmas wreaths. This was an experience thoroughly enjoyed by all. The wreaths were displayed and made available for parents to view.

As part of our inquiry into Communities all Year 3 students participated in a disaster resilience education program run by Australian Red Cross, called the Pillowcase Program.

Designed to help children prepare for, cope with and respond to an emergency, the workshop included a discussion about the importance of being prepared, as well as interactive activities to help students prepare their minds for an emergency and consider what to pack in an emergency kit. Each student was given a pillowcase to decorate and take home, to start their own personal emergency kit.

The Red Cross would encourage all of us to get prepared for the emergencies that life throws at us. They have also stressed how important it is to not only make an emergency plan but to discuss and practise that plan with children. 

For further guidance or to create a household emergency plan you can download Australian Red Cross’ Get Prepared app or visit  redcross.org.au/prepare.

Thanks

Chris and Sean

Special Guest – Taryn Brumfitt - Embrace your Body

The year 2’s at CVPS were very fortunate to be a part of the release of South Australia’s 2023 Australian of the Year Award winner, Taryn Brumfitt’s new picture book ‘Embrace your Body’. With the support of MAZDA Edwardstown, Taryn came to visit our school, and share her story with the year 2 students. She then handed out a free book for every student. The children had an amazing time; listening to a great story, making some craft and having a dance to the Embrace Your Body song.

A MASSIVE thank you to Taryn for coming and sharing her amazing book and very important message to our students. Also, a HUGE thank you to MAZDA Edwardstown by making this possible and organising the beautiful picture book to give to every student. It was an extremely special occasion!

To find out more about the great work that Taryn is doing, and to listen to the catchy tune, please check out the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld9MJi3aGMU - song

https://theembracehub.com/ - website with information for students, parents and others

Premiers Reading Challenge Reception

What an honour it was to take our two school representatives to the PRC reception. They were both wonderful ambassadors for our school and did an amazing job. Being in the top 55 schools in the state for the PRC, CVPS was given the opportunity to attend the reception and also given the bonus of a couple of zoo passes. How lucky!

Did you know that the PRC has been going for 19 years?

Did you know that South Australia was the first state to begin this initiative and many states have followed since?

It all began, just after the Sydney Olympics. Our premier watched the Olympics where people with sporting ability were given medals to recognise their successes. This developed into an idea. He wanted to celebrate the academic achievements for those who excelled in literature, and so the PRC was created. What an amazing idea!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the PRC this year. I hope you have developed an even greater love for reading and literature.

Last Thursday and Friday, week 5, ten students from years 5 & 6 travelled to Norwood to record 2 learning tracks for the Public Schools Music Festival website for 2023. This was an amazing opportunity to see how the recording process works in music. They recorded in Sodypop recording studio with Robyn Filmer (PSMF coordinator). This was a fantastic opportunity for these students to refine their singing skills to achieve as close to perfection as possible. They are to be commended on their dedication and persistence during the recording process. We are so excited about hearing the final product when it goes live on the website early next year.

Stacey Stutterd

Performing Arts Teacher

This year members of our school community participated in Children’s University which has been a great opportunity for students to continue building successful habits of learning outside of their classroom.

On Thursday, week 5, our 2022 graduates attended their Graduation Ceremony held at Bonython Hall in the city along with several other participating schools.

Our graduating students collected learning hours in their passport while engaging in a wide variety of learning experiences outside school hours. Students were joined by families and friends to help celebrate their learning and achievement.

Thank you everyone for continuing to support our terrific program and for contributing to its success.

Congratulations to our graduating students for 2022.

Dan Johnson

Yr5 Teacher

All involved students were presented with certificates at the last sharing assembly.  Special mention to Charlotte J from 3G who received a highly commended award and Sahishnu M from 2G who was awarded 3^rd place for his scientific writing at the Oliphant Science Award Ceremony, held at Brighton Secondary School in October.

If you think your child might be interested for 2023, please contact sarah.todd476@schools.sa.edu.au for more information.

Sarah Todd

Science Specialist Teacher

During Term four, Year 3 and 4 students have been studying biological sciences through the Birds in Schools program. We’ve surveyed the school and Frank Smith Park for different bird species and uploaded our findings to a national database.

Birds in Schools engages students in the scientific process through investigation and monitoring the birds and habitat of their school grounds. Students use their own observational skills and ideas to develop and implement action plans to help their local bird life. Action plans may include planting native plants, installing nest boxes or bird baths, or delivering education campaigns in their school or local neighbourhood.  

Sarah Todd

Science Specialist Teacher

Congratulations to Mrs Todd and the Youth Environmental Leadership students Bianca W, Zara F, James A, Alice H, Molly S, Jacob W, Lucas T, Henry H and Dylan B as recipients of a Green Adelaide Grassroots Grant.  This money will be used to purchase motion sensor cameras to track the Southern Brown Bandicoots in Frank Smith Park, making brochures to educate others on the importance of bandicoots and to create artificial habitats – Bandi-bungalows!

These students have worked so hard this year.  They have prepared and presented PowerPoint presentations for sharing assembly and bigger groups, presented at the Nature By Night festival in the October school holidays and entertained JP audiences with a puppet show.

We will continue to work with Dr Elisa Sparrow, ecologist for Green Adelaide and Bandicoot specialist, parents and community members that frequently visit Frank Smith Reserve, members of the Bandicoot Super Highway Project and our Green Adelaide Education Officer Alex to guide us in the right direction.

If you see some bandicoots in Frank Smith, can you let us know?

Stay tuned during 2023 for more information!

Sarah Todd

Science Specialist Teacher

On Friday 11^th November Lisa, the Activities Coordinator from Bunnings Edwardstown, visited our school.  She brought donations including potting mix, gardening gloves, flowers, zucchini, cucumber and watermelon seedlings. Students from 1C joined us in the vegie garden to clear, prepare the soil and plant new seedlings for summer.

Thank you to Christian our SSO for donating 6 tomato plants to our vegie garden.

Last Friday we helped Jenny in the garden. We helped the soil by digging and turning it over. We liked helping to dig the soil. Gardening comment, 1C

This year we will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army to deliver to families as part of their "Christmas Cheer" program.

Please consider donating non-perishable staple items such as tinned fruit, vegetables, pasta, cereal, tea, coffee, long life milk etc, as well as some Christmas items

like mince pies, long life custard, Christmas cakes and puddings, chocolates etc.

Donations can be left at the front office and need to be at the school by Thursday 8 December.

Thank you for supporting our local community this Christmas!

If you have any questions, please contact Jenni Forder (jenni.forder365@schools.sa.edu.au)

Jenni Forder

Pastoral Care Worker

Instrumental Music at Coromandel Valley PS 2023

New and existing students:

Fundraise for Our School with Drakes Community Dollars Program is an easy way to help the school with some fundraising.

Key tags with barcodes are available from the school or you can download the myDrakes app, select Coromandel Valley Primary School and scan everytime you shop.

Dear Families

Proposed upgrade of Maddern Reserve Carpark (Coromandel Valley) The City of Mitcham is seeking feedback on a proposed upgrade of Maddern Reserve Carpark adjacent to Coromandel Valley Primary School in Coromandel Valley.

It would be great if those who utilize the Maddern Reserve Carpark and to provide feedback on the proposal.  Alternatively the link to the Yoursay page could be forwarded to parents and caregivers would be greatly appreciated:

https://yoursay.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/maddern-reserve-carpark

Jack Fanning, Project Engineer