Learning together, growing together, each making a difference.

Dear Families,

Welcome to a brand new school and a brand new year at ISPP! I hope you all had an enjoyable and fun-filled summer and we are very much looking forward to meeting you all in the coming week!

Your Early Years team is Helen Bartlett, Henny McBurney, Karyn South, and Elaine Reimann.

We would also like to introduce the single subject teachers who will be working alongside us:

• Ms. Leigh Pritchard – Music (EY2 only)
• Ms. Dana Carney – Art (EY2 only)
• Mr. Ben Wiggins and Mr. Andy Munn – PE (EY2 only)
• Ms. Ann Coster – Library
• Mr. Matt Dolmont – ICT integration
• Ms. Anne - Swimming

Returning parents may recognise not only physical changes but also to the daily functions of the Early Years team. You will see the children:

• Move between the rooms
• Engage in a variety of learning experiences and provocations
• Collaborate with friends in the piazza
• Interact with all the teachers and teaching assistants

In Early Years, we learn through a variety of transdisciplinary play-based learning engagements. We will begin to lay strong foundations in developing numeracy and literacy concepts. One of the greatest benefits of playing is to assist with the development of social competence. Children can build relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviours. Physically active play allows children to test and develop all types of motor skills. The dispositions for learning, such as curiosity, openness, optimism, resilience, concentration, and creativity (SACSA, 2009), are developed in play. The IB learner profile and PYP attitudes promote the development of resilience and the beginnings of empathy as children begin to understand other points of view.

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing further details of the coming year. For now, here is some essential information.

School Hours:

• The school day starts at 7.30am and for your child to maximize their potential learning this year, they need to be at school every day by 7.30am.
• School finishes at 2.30pm, please ensure you are here on time.

Clothing:

Please ensure that your child wears comfortable clothing and shoes to school on a daily basis that will allow freedom to move and explore. Please ensure ‘best’ clothes are not worn to school in case they are dirtied during work/play time.

• Please send in two sets of spare clothes in case of accidents. Please ensure all items are clearly named and sealed in a labeled plastic bag. If your child uses the spare clothes, please return a replacement set to school.

• Send a hat for your child to wear outside for additional sun protection
• PE - Please ensure your child is dressed suitably on these days including sports shoes

• Swimming -  your child should bring a close-fitting swimsuit, a towel, a hair tie and goggles (optional) in a plastic bag

Items to bring to school:

• Library - Students will be allowed to borrow one book at a time that should be returned the following week.

• Home/school communication folder will be used for notes from home and school. Please ensure that any important information (ie, change of pick up, etc...) is relayed here or by email. Please spend a few minutes at the end of the school day checking the folder for any additions.
• Students should bring in a reusable bottle for water (please label with your child’s name) for use throughout the day.
• A healthy snack (please label the container) – fruit, yoghurt, vegetables, crackers, etc. Please note that at school, children not have fizzy drinks, candy, chocolate, donuts or large bags of crisps/cookies.
• School lunch - Your child will either eat the Epicure school meal, or eat a lunch from home. If your child eats lunch from home, please ensure the container is labeled with your child's name and dropped at school by 11.15am. More details regarding lunch drop off points will follow, but as always, there will be a drop-off point, and no food is to be delivered to classrooms.
• Toys and special items should be left at home to ensure they are not lost or broken at school.

Additional Information:

• We welcome the opportunity to celebrate your child's birthday in our classrooms! Please note that a small cake or mini cupcakes may be sent to school to share with all class members. Please do not send sweets or party bags to school, as ISPP supports a healthy eating philosophy, we will ask you to take them back home. Please let your child’s teacher know in advance.
• Children at this age require much sleep and rest, therefore, please ensure that your child gets a good night's sleep so she/he is refreshed and ready for a new and exciting day of school! Bedtime stories or lullaby CDs are a great way to keep a routine for bedtime.

Communication:

• Please feel free to contact your child’s homeroom teacher with any concerns you may have either by email or the communication folder. Please note that whilst you are very welcome to email, teachers will spend the majority of their school day working alongside the children and therefore, do not check emails during the school day. If the matter is of great urgency, a phone call to the school office (012 222 970) is the best means of communication.
• Our class blogs - Please subscribe to our blog to ensure you are kept fully updated with the latest events and happenings in the classroom. More details to follow soon.

We are looking forward to having an exciting year with the students! Thank you in advance for all of your help and support!

Many thanks!

Early Years Team