Head of Gioia House

Gioia House update

I would like to congratulate our students for settling back into school routines and making new friends. Smiling faces, happy chatter and a wonderful feeling of togetherness were evident across the Gioia House since the beginning of the new school year.

In the first few weeks of the back-to-school period, teachers have prioritised the wellbeing of their students by having regular check-ins with students and involving them in getting to know you activities. At the start of the year, some students might experience times of uncertainty and possible anxiety over whether they will make friends, who they should play with and so on. We all want the students to be successful in their schooling and through periods of transition. It is worth reflecting, similar to when they were learning to ride a bike, at times, it is important to let the bike wobble. This is important to foster independence, build resilience and empower your child to ultimately be successful.

It was wonderful to host the Year 5 parent information evening session last week. We were thrilled to meet many of you and walk you through the Gioia House learning space. Thank you for taking the time to join us at school and sharing kind and encouraging words. Your positive feedback was very much appreciated. This week, teachers continue making phone calls to parents to introduce themselves and learn more about our students.

We look forward to meeting with you at our online Parent-Teacher interviews on 14-15 June between 3:45 and 7:30pm. Further details will be shared with you in due course. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your daughter’s core teacher.

We look forward to working in partnership with you, providing a learning environment that is rich with experiences, and nurturing those vital skills that will allow students to thrive in a volatile and ever-changing world.

Knowing students

In order to deliver effective teaching and learning experiences and meet individual student needs, we must know our students well. Data that supports the process of knowing each student includes rich information about their academic, social, emotional, behavioural and cultural experiences. Having a well-rounded understanding of each student enables us to adjust our instruction appropriately.

Teachers have been working hard to collect and analyse data to inform their teaching. Knowing our students allows us to implement early intervention programs and provide enrichment opportunities to our students.

Gioia House Monday gathering

We meet as a Gioia House community every Monday morning during homeroom time to set a focus for the week and communicate important information to students. Our focus for the last three weeks was courage, embracing opportunities and challenges and loving our neighbours. Monday gatherings are an important time for students to connect through prayer, reflection and announcements. It is crucial that students arrive on time for homeroom every morning and especially on Mondays.

Here are some of the ways students recognised demonstrating the above dispositions.

~I sat next to someone who was sitting alone. I also wasn’t very confident about running for House Captain, but I built up my courage and nominated myself.

~I was courageous this week by explaining things to people I don’t really talk to and I will show courage tomorrow or the day after tomorrow by reading the prayer in the morning.

~I was courageous because I’ve been getting on time to school every day which is a big improvement. I also have been putting my hand up a lot lately which is a good sign too.

~I was courageous this week by getting out of my comfort zone and talking to some new people.

~I think I was courageous this week because I decided to do a Gioia House leader speech even though I was worried about presenting in front of many people.

~I was courageous for the whole week by trying out new complex problems daily. My goal for the entire week was to try and talk to my peers every day and get to know each of them.

~This week I have been courageous by helping Verona with the finger that she jammed into the car door. I have also been courageous by being helpful to everyone that I see that needs help.

~I felt that this week, I showed a sign of courage by talking to new people and taking up opportunities. I have applied for things I never thought of and talked to people that I’ve never met. These acts of courage have helped me to build confidence and inner strength.

Gioia House leadership

In Week 1, students were introduced to the leadership structure in Gioia House and had the opportunity to nominate themselves for various positions. We had 62 out of 97 Year 6 students who had nominated themselves for a leadership role. I congratulate all students for their courage and interest in making a difference. Students who applied for Gioia House leadership roles will present their speeches this week. Then students will be shortlisted and the voting will take place next week. The leaders will be announced on Wednesday 22 February and the commissioning of the 2023 student leaders will be held on Tuesday 28 February. Parents of the newly elected leaders will be invited to the commissioning.

Homework

We believe that homework is beneficial in this stage of students’ growth. It may help develop effective study habits and broaden their understanding and skills across the curriculum.

Reading

As reading is an essential lifelong skill, particular attention is given to reading as a significant component of homework. We also encourage a love of books and reading regularly. The habit of reading every night is vital to support students in developing their reading skills.

The recommended daily reading time is 20-30 minutes.

Spelling

Our spelling program is differentiated and students are grouped based on their learning needs. Each week at school, they are introduced to a new spelling rule and complete activities to support the spelling strategies.

Students take their spelling list home to practise by completing activities assigned by their class teacher.

Mathematics

Students consolidate mathematical concepts by completing web-based (Education Perfect) or worksheets/activities assigned by the class teacher in Year 6 and Maths Mentals in Year 5. The recommended time is 30-40 minutes per week.