Newsletter –Term 3, 2026

To all the Parents and Carers of 3/4,

Welcome to term 3!

The children have settled into their class routines and engaged in learning. It will be another busy and exciting term with lots of engaging topics and activities. Our science-based unit for inquiry on the Sun, Earth and Moon will be an exciting one, exploring how and why the seasons happen and why we have day and night.  We have planned an excursion to Science Works, including a show at the Planetarium in week 6. The children will have a fun and exciting time rehearsing for the school concert.

Rights and Responsibilities: 

At Thomastown West we have developed the following ‘Rights’.

• At this school everyone has the right to feel comfortable and safe.
• At this school everyone has the right to work and learn.

All classrooms are using these rights to establish class and playground standards of behaviour.

School Values: 

At Thomastown West we focus strongly on our school values Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Empathy and Being our Best, as well as honesty, cooperation, and kindness. We teach the children that: 

• Values guide the way we think, speak, and behave.
• Values help us to decide what is right and what is wrong.

You can help your child develop these values by discussing them at home and encouraging them to make good choices.

Homework:  Home reading will continue, and it is an expectation that children will read between 20 and 30 minutes daily. Please ensure that you have signed your child’s reading log after you listen to them read. The children will receive their weekly homework tasks on Monday and return their homework on Friday.

Punctuality: School begins at 8.45 am. Please ensure your child is at school on time. Remember, ‘Arrive on time, ready to learn, at quarter to nine!’ Late children disrupt the learning of other children, and some may miss important nstructions. Often, late children become upset and take longer to settle into school. Please ensure that your children go to bed at a time that allows for enough sleep to assist with morning wake up, so they are ready to learn when they arrive to school each morning. We suggest 8-8:30pm as a suitable time. 

Absences: School attendance is compulsory; however, we do not encourage sick children to come to school. If your child is absent, please provide the classroom teacher with a note for the absence or call the school on 94654317. Alternatively, you can log the absence onto Compass. Lessons taught in the classroom are sequential and often when a child is absent, they will have gaps in their learning. Many absences may mean huge gaps in a child’s education.

School Uniform: All children are expected to be in full school uniform every day. Please remember to label your child’s clothing. Please remember that red and navy blue are our school colour, not black. Please avoid black leggings and black tracksuit pants.

HATS!

All children are expected to be in full school uniform every day, including school hats. School hats are to be worn in from Monday 31st August until the end of Term 4. Please make sure that your child has a wide brim hat/bucket or legionnaire style hat with them at school. If your child has lost their hat, they can be purchased at the office for $14.

WHOLE SCHOOL CONCERT 

This term, the whole school is working together to present our Make the Earth Happy whole school concert.

✳ This performance will be an opportunity to showcase the children’s many skills and talents in The Arts. They are busy learning their songs, making costumes and props, practising dance steps and working on short skits. Everyone is bubbling with enthusiasm! It’s sure to be a SENSATIONAL Night! 

✅ 5:30pm Wednesday 2nd September 2026
✅ Students Need To Be At School By 5:00pm
✅ TICKETS $25 EACH : More information will be sent home later this week!
✅ Children under school age may sit on parents’ laps.

-Tickets need to be purchased by Tuesday 26th of August to attend the event as seating and space will be limited. The ticket will be a wrist band and sent home the day before the concert, Tuesday 1st of September.
- Families will be offered a maximum of 2 tickets initially.
- Families may place their name on a waiting list, and additional tickets (if available) will be offered.

Teaching and Learning

Literacy: 

This term in reading we are exploring the reading strategies of Sequencing, Making Predictions, Finding Information, Making Connections and Compare and Contrast. Students will participate in daily reading rotations which includes Guided Reading, Reading Eggs and a various reading strategies such as Making Predictions, Questioning and Vocabulary. For writing the students will be writing narrative, explanation and information texts related to our Inquiry topic on Space

Maths:

During term 3, there is a focus on a multiplication, division, area and perimeter, 2D and 3D shapes and the four operations. Children will be engaged in various activities to further their understanding of these mathematical concepts. They will explore through inquiry-based experiences and activities.

Inquiry:

In this Inquiry unit, students will research the Earth’s relationship with the Sun and how the Sun, Earth and Moon interact. They will learn that the rotation of the Earth on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day and the pattern of the seasons. They will develop their working scientifically skills, students will question, research, investigate and communicate their understanding of Earth and Space Sciences. Elements of digital technology, human endeavour and design and production skills are incorporated into the lessons.

Specialist Classes

Students will continue to participate in weekly specialist classes of Music, Physical Education, Art and STEM with Specialist Teachers. 

IMPORTANT DATES

At Thomastown West Primary School, we believe that education is a partnership between teachers, families and the wider community. We work together to ensure all students experience success. When sharing the responsibility of improving children’s learning, effective communication is vital for teachers, parents, and carers at TWPS to work in a positive and productive partnership. Our school utilises a range of multimodal communications with all key stakeholders within and beyond our school community.

Our fortnightly newsletter is shared with you via Compass, Class Dojo and Facebook every week and it can always be accessed on our school website:

https://www.thomwestps.vic.edu.au/enews/ 

We hope you all have an enjoyable term and thank you for your continued support.

Kind Regards,

Penny Koullinos, Kiara Galea and Milly Taylor

Newsletter –Term 2, 2026

Dear Parents and Carers of Grades 3/4

Welcome to Term 2!

Our students have all settled in well and have returned ready for learning. We have a busy term with an exciting and fun filled camp to look forward to in week  4, from May the 13^th to the 15^th of May. This term, families will be receiving their child’s progress report.

Staff in the Grade 3/4 area:

Room 15: Miss Penny Koullinos (Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri) and Ms Milly Taylor (Mon)

Room 18: Miss Kiara Galea

Teaching and Learning

Literacy:

This term in reading we are exploring the reading strategies of Inferencing, Making Connections, Compare and Contrast and Summarising. Students will participate in daily reading rotations which includes Guided Reading, Reading Eggs and a focus on grammar. We use Soundwaves to learn about Phonics which assists us with reading.

For writing the students will be learning to write a persuasive piece, an information report and a biography.

Maths:

During term 2, there is a focus on addition and subtraction, time, angles, shape and perimeter.

Children will be engaged in various activities to further their understanding of these mathematical concepts. They will explore through hands on experiences and activities.

Inquiry:

This term, our Inquiry unit is about Australia’s early settlement and the  importance of Country/Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples who belong to a local area.

Specialist Classes

Students will continue to participate in weekly specialist classes of Music, Physical Education, Art and STEM with Specialist Teachers.

Rights and Responsibilities

At Thomastown West we have developed the following ‘Rights’.

• At this school everyone has the right to feel comfortable and safe.
• At this school everyone has the right to work and

All classrooms are using these rights to establish class and playground standards of behavior.

Values

At Thomastown West we focus strongly on Responsibility, Respect, Resilience, Empathy and Striving to be our Best. 

We teach the children that:

• Values guide the way we think, speak and behave.
• Values help us to decide what is right and what is wrong.

You can help your child develop these values by discussing them at home and encouraging them to make good choices.

GENERAL REMINDERS:

• WHOLE SCHOOL PHOTOS: Tuesday 26th May
• All children are expected to be in full school uniform every day.
• Mobile Phones: All children are required to leave mobile phones at the office each morning and these may be collected after school.
• Brain Food: Each class allows ‘Brain Food’ time in between morning sessions. Students may bring some fruit or vegetables to eat during this time.  

Punctuality: 

School begins at 8.45 am. Please ensure your child is at school on time. Remember, ‘Arrive on time, ready to learn, at quarter to nine!’ Late children disrupt the learning of other children and also miss important instructions. Often late children become upset and take longer to settle into school. Please ensure that your children go to bed at a time that allows for enough sleep to assist with morning wake up, so they are ready to learn when they arrive to school each morning. We suggest 8:30am as a suitable time to arrive at school.

Absences: School attendance is compulsory; however, we do not encourage sick students to come to school. If your child is absent, please provide the classroom teacher with a note for the absence or call the school on 9465 4317. Alternatively, you can log the absence onto Compass. Lessons taught in the classroom are sequential and often when a child is absent, they will have gaps in their learning. Many absences may mean huge gaps in a child’s education.

Homework:

This term, the students began doing their homework. Each week, the students are given their homework grid every Monday. Students are expected to choose up to 3 activities to complete neatly in their homework book. The book is returned on Friday.

Home Readers: 

Children will borrow take home readers daily and complete home reading every night.

Class Dojo

Class Dojo is another platform we use to communicate with parents. We post important reminders and events on our class page. We also use Class Dojo to send private messages to communicate with families. Please ensure you are connected to Class Dojo to keep up to date with the latest news from your child’s grade.

At Thomastown West Primary School, we believe that education is a partnership between teachers, families and the wider community. We work together to ensure all students experience success. When sharing the responsibility of improving children’s learning, effective communication is vital for teachers, parents, and carers at TWPS to work in a positive and productive partnership. Our school utilises a range of multimodal communications with all key stakeholders within and beyond our school community.

Our fortnightly newsletter is shared with you via Compass, Class Dojo and Facebook every week and it can always be accessed on our school website:

https://www.thomwestps.vic.edu.au/enews/ 

We hope you all have an enjoyable term and thank you for your continued support.

Kind Regards,

Penny Koullinos, Kiara Galea and Milly Taylor

Important Dates