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Parents, please DO NOT PARK anywhere in the Hillcrest Estate, opposite the School, at any time. Thank you for your cooperation.
Mr D Fraser
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From the Director of Pastoral Care
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K-2 Friendship Groups
During our Pastoral Care lesson this week, the K-2 boys met for their first Friendship Group session. This year, the boys will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun activities, such as block building, blowing bubbles, making racing cars, playground sketching and an ice-cream picnic.
3-6 House Meetings
Also during our Pastoral Care lesson this week, the Years 3-6 boys met in their Houses – Cowper, Dent, Francis and Healey – for their first House Meeting of the year. The boys met the new boys in their House and they had the opportunity to discuss the Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival.
Through Friendship Groups and House Meetings the boys have the chance to become connected with other boys across the grades.
P-2 Activity Room
Each year we like to display a photograph of every boy in Preschool to Year 2 in the Activity Room. We would like a photograph of your son demonstrating everyday courage in one aspect of his life. The display will be a wonderful way to demonstrate one of the values of our School Code – Carrington’s Code!
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Games Room
This year, the Games Room for boys in Years 3-6 will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after eating lunch (1.25-1.50pm). All boys from 3-6 are welcome to come to the Year 3 Activity Room to play board games with their friends and boys from other grades. The Games Room provides another place for the boys to make connections and to build relationships across the School.
P-6 Cybersafety Information Session for Parents
I strongly encourage all P-6 parents to attend the following information session by Susan McLean this term: Wednesday 22 February, 7.00-8.30pm in the School Hall.
Social Skill of the Week
Week 4 – Sharing with Others
Ms L Dorn
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From the Director of Studies
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Here are some ‘did you knows’ about Etymology
I find researching the etymology of words fascinating! Here are just some examples this week.
Of this week’s examples, some words were changed to ‘look neater’, others were created to explain the look of something else and others have a geographical connection.
Anyone with a particularly favourite word history please send them in an email to the School Office (stives@sydgram.nsw.edu.au) and we’ll include them for all in a future Newsletter.
Ghost, ghastly, aghast
“William Caxton, an Englishman, imported the printing press from Europe, and he also imported Flemish labourers to work the presses, as nobody in England had the skills. The Flemish workers didn’t speak English, and they were also a little creative with their typesetting. In order to justify the print on the page so that it looked orderly and neat, they added letters here and there – a double consonant here, an e on the end of a word there, They also opted to spell some English words in a Flemish way, including putting in an ‘h’ after the ‘g’ in ghost, ghastly and aghast – words that had been gost, gastly and agast until then” (Adoniou, 2016)
Garlic, garfish and Edgar
“The morpheme ‘gar’ means spear. So garlic is a spear shaped leek, garfish are spear-shaped fish and Ed meant prosperity so Edgar is a wealthy warrior.” (Adoniou, 2016)
Tulip
“Tulips … are native to Turkey, which is where the name comes from. Tulbent is the Turkish word for ‘turban’, and that is what the flowers were thought to look like.” (Adoniou, 2016)
Mandarin
“Mandarin was the name the Portuguese used to describe Chinese officials. It came from the Portuguese word mander, meaning to command (which helps explain the origin of command too!). These Chinese officials wore deep orange robes, and so when the English were looking for a name for a small, deep orange fruit, they chose mandarin.” (Adoniou, 2016)
Jeans and Denim
“Although jeans are quintessentially American, and their invention is commonly attributed to Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss, the name of the popular garment is actually of European origin. The fabric which Strauss used for his patented, mass-produced trousers was first produced in Genoa, Italy and Nimes, France. Why’s that significant? Well, the French word for Genoa is Gênes, and the name jeans is likely an anglicization of the material’s city of origin. Similarly, the word denim most probably comes from de Nimes, meaning from Nimes in French.” (babble.com)
Thank you for the great turn out of parents on Monday night for Justin Caban’s talk on Spelling. What a fascinating and inspiring evening!
Next week in the newsletter I will be including some terminology from Synthetic Phonics and the definitions your child will be using to understand these terms.
Mrs C Greenup
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From the Director of Music
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If parents need to speak with their son’s music tutor, please arrange a time to do this out of school hours and not during the next boy’s lesson time.
Infant boys will be collected from the classroom by their music tutors. If parents wish to attend, please go directly to the studio, thank you.
Week 4 Timetable
Please click here for the Week 4 timetable. Parents, a reminder that this timetable is subject to change.
School Choir
Due to Mrs Fane attending a Professional Development course on Friday 24 February (Week 4) School Choir will rehearse on WEDNESDAY 22 February at lunchtime in the Hall. Please bring your lunch with you at 1.05pm. There will be NO rehearsal on Friday 24 Februrary (Week 4).
Brass Ensembles
Monday 7.30am in the Ensemble Room with Mr Grisdale – for boys in Years 3 & 4 who play a brass instrument. All welcome.
Tuesday 1.20pm in the Hall with Mr Pye – for boys in Years 5 & 6 who play a brass instrument. All welcome.
Saxophone Ensemble
If you have been playing saxophone for more than 2 terms, Dr Byrnes would love you to join the Saxophone Ensemble. Come to the Music Room at 7.30am on Monday.
Bambini and Pennington Strings
- Tuesdays 3.00-3.45pm
- Kindergarten and Year 1 boys will rehearse in the P-2 Music Room
- Year 2 Pennington boys will rehearse in the Hall
Please collect your sons from these venues promptly at 3.45pm. If boys are still waiting at 4.00pm, they will be sent to the School Office to await collection by their parents.
Ensembles Week 4
All groups are up and running including Stevens Wind Ensemble, Kenyon Concert Band and School Orchestra. Any questions, please check the Music Office window or ask us.
College Street Music Scholarships
Boys in Year 6 in 2017 may wish to apply for a Music Scholarship to College Street in 2018. The closing date for registration is Friday 3 March 2017. Click here for the form.
Mr M Smith
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Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival
All boys across Years 3-6 arrived at School early today to go to the Swimming Carnival at Macquarie University Aquatic Centre. There has been a buzz of excitement throughout all year groups this week in the lead up to the event and I look forward to sharing news of the day with you in next week's Newsletter.
Saturday Sport Fixtures
Five rounds of Saturday Sport fixtures begin this weekend after the cancellation of last week’s fixtures. An up-to-date Fixture List is on the School's website and can be viewed by clicking here. All venue information, including links to Google maps can also be found on the School's website by clicking here.
A printable version of the Fixtures can be found by clicking here. Please note the printable version will not automatically update if there are changes during the season. Any changes will be notified in the regular Friday School Newsletter.
Team Sheets
On Thursday you should have received this email with team sheets for Saturday. Team Sheets detail your son’s game location, arrival and match time, team members and non-playing reserves. This Team Sheet Newsletter will be sent each Thursday morning. Please access these sheets each week as there is often movement between teams due to illness and injury and they will provide you with the most up-to-date information regarding your son’s fixture.
Wet weather and Illness
If there is any doubt about sport being cancelled on a Saturday morning due to wet weather, please phone 9990 8472 after 7:00am. Should your son become ill after School on Friday afternoon please phone the Sportsmaster 8302 5246 at your earliest convenience.
Mr P Derrin
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Lots of learning has been happening in the Library this week. Boys in Preschool to Year 6 have been expanding their skills in locating books in the Library. The first few lessons have been important in helping all boys to learn the different sections in our library and how they can access the books they like!
In Kindergarten to Year 2 library lessons, in addition to having a story read to them, boys are enjoying learning to use the computer to search for favourite titles and authors and to explore areas of interest. Each boy has an opportunity to choose to borrow non-fiction and fiction during their lesson each week. They may of course spend more time before or after school visiting the Library with their parents.
Thank you to Mr Cranna for creating a wonderful image for us on the Library blackboard of Carrington and our boys reading and enjoying literature together. Our mural shows Carrington enjoying the many books that our boys P-6 shared in their Library lessons this week and the mural will change slightly each Monday morning to reflect our programme.
K- Year 6 boys are also being encouraged early in the term to set some reading goals and to try reading something new. I know we have boys who enjoy reading from a particular series or from a favourite author or topic and I do encourage them to continue following their passions. I am asking all boys to see if they can find a little time each week to try reading from a new genre or to explore a different section of the non-fiction section of our Library. This gives them opportunities to grow as a reader and hopefully they may like the new genre too! There are posters in the Library with different genres and author’s names to assist boys when making their selection. The posters suggest authors under genres of:
Sport Fiction, Adventure, Science Fiction, Humorous, Mystery, Historical Fiction.
In the Non-Fiction collection, there are Classification charts and stickers on the shelves to highlights topics to assist boys. Some examples are:
Music, Space, Poetry, Jokes and riddles, History, Geography, Pets, Festivals, Families, Religion, Planets, Cooking, Technology, Sport, Magic, Famous People.
The lists go on of course, as there is so much to enjoy. It might be very helpful to ask your son if he has set some goals for reading widely this term and to find out which areas in our Library he is going to explore.
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In the words of Dr Seuss, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go!"
In some classes I have asked the simple question, What is a Library?
It has been delightful to have read boys’ varied ideas. A few Year 3 responses have been:
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- “A Library is a place of learning. It is also a place for sharing and reading books. It is a place of knowledge and research. It is a place of past, present, future, imagination and fact.” Jack
- “A Library is a place where books are read and we talk about books. We have some quiet time and enjoy books.” Oliver
- “A Library is a place to have fun reading books. A Library is a good place to read because there are lots of books to read.” Richard
- “A Library is a place for entertainment.” Thomas
- “A Library is a place where you don’t just read but you enjoy the books.” William
- “A Library is a place where you research.” Angus
It is exciting that our boys recognise the many uses of our Library. It is also delightful to see they understand it is a place for leisure and learning.
I would like to thank Mrs Fiona Potter for taking the role of being our Library Coordinator this year. Thank you to Fiona and the parent helpers who generously give of their time on a Friday morning to cover new Library books to ensure these are on the shelves for our boys to borrow as quickly as possible. If you feel you would like to assist at any stage, please contact Fiona at library@sgssipspa.com
May I please remind you that due to our Year 6 Debating Trials, the Library will be closed before school on these 3 Mondays: 20 & 27 February and 13 March. We thank you for your understanding.
Happy reading!
Mrs M Darin
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Chess coaching for Term 1 begins next Monday 20 February and concludes on Friday 31 March.
The allocated day for boys in Year 3-6 can be found by clicking here. Year 3-6 Chess will be held in the Year 4 Activity area and the 4R classroom. Mrs Rogut and the Chess Club staff look forward to welcoming everyone next week.
Boys are to make sure they have their name marked off the Roll when they arrive. Thank you.
Mrs S Rogut and Mrs A Forell
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From the Year 3 Typing Club
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Welcome to Typing Club for Term 1. The first group of 25 boys will commence in the Computer Room from 7.45-8.25am next Monday 20 February.
Mrs J Fraser
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