BSS Parent/Carer newsletter Week 3

Term 1 Students commence 1st February to 8th April
(Prep students commence 3rd February)
Term 2 26th April to 24th June
Term 3 11th July to 16th September
Term 4 3rd October to 20th December

Other Important Dates

Victorian Labour Day Holiday- Monday, 14th March 2022

A very warm welcome back to all families for the 2022 school year. We hope you all had a wonderful break and are ready for another busy year. In 2022 our PLC1 and PLC2 students have made the transition over to the YAC and are very excited about our new classrooms and learning spaces. Our PLC3 students remain in their corridor and we welcome our new prep students to PLC4 with our grade 1’s.

PPLC1 News

PPLC1 have had a fantastic start to the 2022 school year. After familiarising ourselves with our new learning space, it has been pleasing to see new friendships forming as students begin to get to know one another. Classes haven’t wasted time in getting stuck into some Literacy and Numeracy with students working on their 10’s and 1’s and word sorts.

PPLC2 News

Room 32 would like to welcome everyone back to school for what should be a very fun and exciting year. We have started the year off strong by settling into our new classroom and making many new friends. We have enjoyed getting to know each other and taking advantage of our new outdoor spaces, where we have been conducting some of our lessons. We hope you all enjoy seeing what each classroom in PPLC2 gets up to this term.

PPLC3 News

All the students in PPLC 3 are settling into their new classrooms very well. We are having a lot of fun making new friends and learning our class routines.

PPLC4 (Early Years) News

Welcome to term 1! The staff in PLC4 would like to welcome new and existing students and their families to Ballarat Specialist School. Our grade one students commenced school a few days earlier than the prep students and spent the days playing with their friends and getting back into the school environment. Our prep students commenced last Thursday, and there were lots of smiling faces as they entered the school buildings. We have enjoyed spending the last week exploring the PPLC4 classrooms and the wider school grounds while getting used to the routines and transitions that the school day brings. This week we have started to explore our theme, “all about me”, where the students and teachers will learn about each other’s personalities, likes and dislikes. Below are some photos of the students in PPLC4 enjoying their first few days of school.

Middle School News

What a wonderful beginning to 2022 we have had in the Middle School. In the face of continued COVID uncertainty, our students have returned with amazingly positive attitudes, and have embraced their new classrooms better than we could have hoped.

With 10 new classrooms located in the portables, it has put us in the perfect position to encourage increased independence for all students. We are very lucky to be so close to the bus port, and to our family drop-off and pick-up point. We are focussing on gradually increasing independence for all students, in the way they move to and from the bus port and playgrounds. By gradually introducing new routines, we hope to see Middle School students increase in confidence and independence in these areas as they become more familiar with their new environment.

We would like to welcome our year 7 students, and their families, who are new to BSS and also our year 7 students that have made the big move from primary school within BSS. We are thrilled to welcome such a mature and enthusiastic group of students to the Middle School, and we look forward to growing together over the next 3 years.

To begin the year in Middle school we continue to have a strong focus on establishing new routines and completing various assessments. Assessment in the early stages of the year helps teachers to identify each student’s individual needs, and to plan effectively for their learning. Along with routines and assessment, students and staff have had a great time getting to know each other in a variety of fun ways, while also diving straight into literacy and numeracy activities. We have had some fun with following and creating procedural texts, which has seen the creation of some interesting ‘leprechaun traps’ in PLC1.

We would like to thank all families for their flexibility in the changes drop off and pick up locations and everything else that has come with our move to the portables.

We are looking forward to an exciting and collaborative 2022.

Welcome to the 2022 school year. We hope that the summer break was enjoyable for everyone.

Across the Senior School, the students have been participating in our ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ unit of work. The focus of these activities is to begin the process of forming relationships with new peers and staff. The teachers have been using this time to establish routines as well as discuss the behavioural expectations. At the FARM, we are working towards preparing the students for their post school options. When students leave BSS, there are a range of options out there to suit individual needs and interests. Over the course of the three years in the Senior School, students are provided with the opportunity to apply their skills and understanding to a variety of contexts. We are fortunate to have the support of Loretta Robinson, our Work-Experience and Careers Co-ordinator. If you would like to discuss your child’s future including post-school options please contact Loretta who is more than willing to help.

This week the students have begun the process of completing the ‘Job Well Done’ Department of Education resource modules. A ‘Job Well Done’ is a set of resources to help: students with a disability prepare for work experience; students understand their occupational health and safety responsibilities; and build the knowledge and capacity of the career practitioners and teachers to support these students. Although the modules discuss work-experience, teachers have been tailoring the activities to meet students need; this may be changing the context to what to wear when you go out shopping or gardening rather than a work place.

Next week students will commence their VCAL projects. This includes transitioning to classes within their PLC (Professional Learning Community) to engage in subject specific lessons. The primary focus for VCAL is to apply their skills and understandings through ‘hands on’ experiences. Students in both SPLC1 and 2 will begin developing their knowledge and skills to enable them to travel around the community safely. In conjunction with VCAL commencing, VET will also begin. The VET trainers are finalising the student groups and will communicate this as soon as it is possible.

Our students with high support needs have settled into their routines well. Students have been selecting preferred activities and building their communication skills through the use of visuals. They have adapted well to the bathroom modifications, and we are in the process of having a fence built to provide an additional outdoor learning space.

It has been great to see so many of our students wearing the new uniform. The uniforms can be purchased from PSW (1013 Howitt Street, Wendouree). Please make mention that your child is a senior student to ensure you are purchasing the correct colour. Year 12 jumpers have been designed, and we are beginning the process of ordering them. Year 12 students will be given a note to bring home outlining the details on how to order and purchase them.

Here is our classroom teaching team for the 2022 school year:
SPLC1: Jacob Smith (PLC Leader), Kelly Knight, Matt Piersma, James Reicha, Clare Kaczkowski and Janelle Simanjuntak.
SPLC2: Lynne Koene (PLC Leader), Guy McCutcheon, Wendy Gordon, Prue O’Neill and Gail Sanders (High Support).

Thanks,
All the staff from the Senior School

Photo 1: Blake and Sophie from SPLC2 in our new school uniform.
Photo 2: Hannah and Bri making chocolate mug cakes with Judith in the café.
Photo 3: Dakodah from SPLC2 writing a message to Gail.
Photo 4: Eric from SPLC1 helping with maintaining the garden around the FARM.