Early Learning Centre Newsletter

ELC Accreditation

I am delighted to share news of our recent Early Learning Centre accreditation visit from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development as part of the National Quality Framework process. Of the seven quality standard areas which exist we received the highest possible rating of Exceeding Expectations for each one and an overall rating of Exceeding Expectations. This is a great credit to Wendy Corser and her team; Alan Milsted, Meg Reed, Anu Vats, Danielle Fontana and Philomena McCormack and to the work they do with our youngest students, day in and day out.

Aaron Loats           
Head of Junior School

Primary Years Programme

As part of our PYP transdisiplinary theme for Term 3, Sharing the Planet, our ELC educators have utilised a variety of learning tools and provocations to promote learning around our central idea, ‘Our environment needs to be cared for and protected’.  The children have all had the opportunity to express their learning through, as Malaguzzi (1998), may say, many of the 100 languages. They have engaged in rich discussion, drawing, painting, problem solving, creative and collaborative thinking, exploration and inquiry in our own wonderful, natural environment. This learning about sustainability is now becoming embedded in our programs and is evident in the children’s actions. An example of this is when your children eat their lunch in the ELC, they now sort their wrappings into, recycling materials, worm farm, rubbish bin or an object to be reused in craft.  We shall extend on this by having a ‘Nude Food’ day in November.

Read full article here

Professional Development

Your ELC staff have been busy this term keeping up with their professional development attending the Whitehorse educators network conference and the Early Childhood Australia Conference.  We highly value the influence this ongoing learning has on our educational practices.

Collaborative Night

We had a terrific time working together at our family collaborative night on our quilt project.  This will be sewn together to make a unique quilt that will represent your family and our ELC community.  It will be displayed and enjoyed in the ELC. For those of you who were unable to attend, we have sent you home a piece of calico to design at home and we will incorporate this into our quilt. Our quilt is inspired by our year-long PYP transdisciplinary theme: Who We Are and the children’s interest in representing themselves and their families through drawing.

Communication

Please remember that your child’s class plan/program, reflections and ongoing learning are available in your child’s portfolio, in their planning folder or on the wall in the front foyer as well as Kingsnet for those of you who find it easier to access your computer.  If you have lost your Kingsnet log in please let us know.  We also have lots of parent information/education/resources on Kingsnet under the ELC tab.  We can help you navigate this if you would like assistance.   Our educators are also available to talk to you after school hours at a mutually convenient time.

Junior School Disco

Thank you to the PFA for putting on the Junior School Disco on Friday 8 August. The Pre Prep’s who were present on the Friday of this event had a great time ‘boogieing’ to the music.

Book Week

To celebrate book week we joined with the whole of Junior School in dressing up and parading in our costumes. This annual event highlights the importance of reading, and draws on the joy of stories and creativity of Australian books.

Junior School Production 'Kids at Sea'

Thank you to the Junior School for inviting us to the school production rehearsal matinee on Tuesday 2 September.  Those ELC children who were present on Tuesday were lucky enough to get an advanced performance, and we thoroughly enjoyed the show!

Footy Day

All the ELC students enjoyed fun activities this morning on the Fred Cox Oval.  Ian Leith our Junior School PE teacher put the students and staff through their paces.  Thanks also to Fay Lovus and her team in the Tuckshop for the great footy food for lunch.

We wish all of our families a safe and happy holiday period and look forward to seeing you back on Monday 6 October.