Currambena school blog

Hello everyone,

It’s been a big week in preschool!

On Monday, we farewelled Abi with warm hugs and heartfelt thanks as our new Diploma-trained assistant commenced with us. To celebrate, the children helped bake banana bread and banana bread cupcakes, and we finished the day with a cheerful little party.

By Wednesday, we warmly welcomed Abi back into the fold, as it became clear that the new assistant was not the right fit for our dynamic and child-led environment. It was lovely to have Abi’s familiar presence and energy return to preschool so quickly.

Throughout the week, our group times have continued to focus on fire and fire safety. The children have become very knowledgeable about what to do in the event of a fire, both in terms of prevention and response. In a stroke of perfect timing, we had a fire drill shortly after one of our sessions, providing an excellent real-world opportunity to put our learning into practice.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to share that on Thursday, May 29, from 10am to 12pm, the preschool children will be heading up to The Canopy to take part in this year’s Children’s Voices for Reconciliation. If your child does not normally attend on Thursdays, you are most welcome to join us for this special community event. Further details will be shared with all families shortly.

Wishing you a lovely weekend,
Katrina, Lisa and Abi

Hello everyone,

It felt like we experienced all four seasons in just five days this week! We’ve been encouraging the children to look after themselves and dress appropriately for the weather. That said, our preschoolers seem to run 5 to 10 degrees warmer than adults, with some still reluctant to pop on extra layers!

As many of you know, we welcomed a student teacher, Alex, who joined us this week for a five-day science-based practicum. Alex led several engaging experiments with interested children, connecting beautifully with their current interests in parasites and microorganisms.

During group times, we’ve continued our learning about fire safety and conflict resolution. In our fire safety discussions, we’ve focused on what to do in the unlikely event of a fire—including how to respond if we or someone near us is on fire. The children have also learnt that smoke is dangerous and that we need to crawl low if escaping a building that’s on fire.

In our conflict resolution sessions, we’ve been using the language of being “powerful people”, exploring how powerful people show respect to others, keep themselves safe, eat healthy food, rest well, exercise, and communicate their feelings and needs. These are big and important life skills that are still developing for many children, so we’re continuing to provide plenty of support and guidance throughout the day.

On Wednesday, we went on our first excursion to Lane Cove Library, and the children did an excellent job, following our safety agreements and listening carefully the entire time. We’re now planning our first visit to Kimberley Playground on Monday, weather permitting. As with the library trip, we ask that children arrive as close as possible to 9:00am to allow time to settle into the day before we head out.

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, Alison, our new preschool assistant, will be joining the team full-time from Monday. We also want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Abi for her incredible support and commitment to preschool over the past 18 months. Abi has worked with us on a full-time casual basis throughout last year and Term 1, and we’re so grateful for everything she has contributed to our preschool community. To show our appreciation, we’ll be holding a celebration for Abi on Monday afternoon from 2:30 to 3:00pm. If your child doesn’t attend on Mondays, or if you’d like to join as a parent, you’re very welcome to come along.

Love,

Katrina, Lisa and Abi