|
Ardtornish NewsletterTerm 2 Week 7 - 13th June 2025
|
No 10
|
In this issue
Diary Dates
June 14th- State Aerobics/Dance 16th- Governing Council 7pm 19th - New Receptions Transition 20th - New Receptions Transition 23rd- Volunteers Morning Tea 24th- JP Swimming Week 27th- SAPSASA Football Carnival 30th- Pancake Day July 1st -Rm’s 17,18,29 AFL Max Camp 4th- Last Day Term 2 Road Crossing
Monitors Wed 18th June – Tue 24th June Leo S, Jace W, Shaan G Wed 25th June – Tue 1st July Caleb F, Ainsley H, Armaan S Wed 2nd July – Tue 22nd July Isaac S, Thomas F, Nathaniel B Please arrive by 8.25am |
What is Maths Fluency – and Why is it Important?
At our school, we are placing a strong focus on developing maths fluency across all year levels. But what exactly is maths fluency, and why does it matter so much? Maths fluency refers to a student’s ability to quickly and accurately recall basic number facts and perform simple calculations in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Fluency goes beyond just “knowing your times tables” or being able to add two numbers together as it’s about building confidence, number sense, and the ability to apply those skills flexibly in a variety of situations.
When students are fluent, they don’t have to stop and think about every small step in a maths problem. For example, a child who instantly knows that 6 × 4 = 24 doesn’t need to stop and count or draw groups. This frees up their brain for deeper problem solving. This is what educators call reducing cognitive load. Cognitive load refers to how much mental effort is being used at one time. If a student is using most of their brainpower just to recall a basic fact like 8 + 5, they’ll find it much harder to focus on multi-step problems, problem solving, or reasoning tasks. But if that basic fact is “at their fingertips,” they can use their mental energy to think, reason, and apply strategies. Think of it like reading: when children first learn to read, they sound out every word slowly. Over time, as they become more fluent, they don’t have to stop and decode every word because they can focus on understanding what they’re reading. The same applies to maths. To build fluency, we have introduced short daily fluency sessions in every classroom. These sessions are fun, fast-paced and focused. Students might practise number bonds, quick recall of times tables, doubling and halving, number patterns, or mental strategies for adding and subtracting. These sessions are kept short — usually 5 to 10 minutes — because we want to build speed and accuracy without overwhelming students. They are also designed to be varied and engaging. Importantly, the content of these sessions isn’t random. Each term, we assess student fluency and use the results to guide our teaching. Our teaching teams work together to analyse this data and identify patterns. For example, we might notice that some students might need more support with subtraction facts, or that some students are struggling with x6 and x7 multiplication facts. We then tailor the fluency sessions to meet those needs. It’s a responsive approach that helps every student grow. Tracking Progress Over Time - Students are formally assessed on their maths fluency once each term using quick, low-stress tasks designed to show how well they can recall and use basic number facts. We use this data to monitor progress over time, both for individual students and across the whole school.This helps us to make decisions about what to teach, how to group students, and where to provide extra support. But it’s not just the teachers who see the results — students themselves enjoy tracking their own progress. Many of them love seeing how they improve each term and take great pride in “beating their score” or being able to do something they couldn’t do a few weeks earlier. It’s a powerful motivator and builds a sense of ownership over their learning. Fluency is not about rote learning or doing hundreds of sums. It’s about helping students develop a solid foundation so they can confidently approach more complex mathematical thinking. It reduces frustration, builds confidence, and supports long-term success in maths. Through our daily fluency sessions, targeted teaching, and data-informed planning, we’re already seeing fantastic progress. Students are excited, motivated, and growing in confidence every day. |
Canteen ROSTERTuesday 16th Annabella, Cassidy
Wednesday 17th Erin Thursday 18th Jess C Friday 19th Chris Tuesday 23rd Lia, Sara Wednesday 24th Deb M Thursday 25th Deneice, Tui Friday 26th Carol 
On Friday, 30 May, the Carly Ryan Foundation visited our school to speak with Year 4 to 6 students about cyber safety.
They shared the tragic story of Carly Ryan, a 15-year-old who met someone online she believed to be an 18-year-old named Brandon Kane. In reality, it was a 50-year-old man named Garry Newman, a predator and paedophile. After months of communication, he convinced Carly to meet him at Port Elliot, South Australia, where he tragically took her life. Within 11 days, detectives located Garry Newman in Victoria. He was found at his computer, logged in as Brandon Kane, communicating with a 14-year-old girl in Western Australia. Newman was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. In 2010, the Carly Ryan Foundation was established to promote online safety and provide information to teachers, children, and parents on how to stay safe online. The presentation was highly informative, teaching us how to recognise false information and the challenges posed by AI. The Carly Ryan Foundation offers fact sheets for students and parents, along with online contracts to help families set boundaries for device use at home. A key message was to encourage young people to seek help from a trusted adult if they encounter any online content that makes them feel worried or uncomfortable. All websites and apps have sections for reporting concerns and inappropriate content. If this is not effective, you can always contact eSafety for assistance. For more information, families can access fact sheets to stay safe online at: https://www.carlyryanfoundation.com/resources/fact-sheets https://www.esafety.gov.au/ https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/ Written by Armaan Singh with the help of Mrs Hall Year 6 – Room 6 
Monday, June 30 is Pancake Day at Ardtornish Primary School.
Funds raised will go to Uniting Care Wesley Bowden (UCWB), an organisation that supports our school community through small group work and short term counselling services. We are seeking volunteers to assist with cooking and serving pancakes from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm on Monday, June 30. Are you a registered volunteer with our school and free to help? (if you're not a registered volunteer at the school or are unsure please contact the front office) Please complete the form below to register. https://forms.office.com/r/3sFN4WdpdU Pancake Orders
Place your orders via Qkr by Monday, 23 June, at 4 pm. No late orders please. Cost: $2 for one or $3 for two - pre order special only (maximum of 2 pancakes per student). Please note any dietary requirements through Qkr. Any orders already placed for the first Pancake Day will be rolled over to the new date. You do not need to place an order if you have already done so. Thank you for your support! |
A Safety Reminder for Parents and Caregivers Please refrain from walking through the staff car park, as it poses a safety risk. Many parents and children use the area as a thoroughfare before and after school and in the past there have been some near misses between people walking through and cars backing out. For the safety of all students, families, and staff, we kindly ask that you use the school footpaths and designated school crossing at all times when entering or exiting the school grounds. 
In Week 5, the SRC executive team participated in an online student forum with two other primary schools to explore how collaboration with fellow students can enhance our learning and performance. We learned about concepts such as learning and performance modes and how they intertwine. We also discussed ways to improve our school. This forum helped us understand how to identify when we are in learning or performance mode and recognise these modes in others.
The SRC Executive will participate in another student forum about learning modes next term. In Term 4, we will gather with all the other participating schools to share our findings about learning and performance modes. In Week 9 of this term, four SRC executives will attend a Student Forum on Respectful Relationships Education at Adelaide Oval. The Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) Student Forum will consult with students to understand their educational needs and preferences for learning about respectful relationships. We look forward to sharing information about our experiences with the student forums as we attend them. Written by Kai Walding – Year 6 – SRC Executive 
SRC Executive team participating in the Term 2 Student Forum about learning and performance modes.
FUN-FILLED COOKING CLASSES
Whether your child is starting out as a Kinder Cook, stepping up as a Growing Gourmet Chef, or ready to join the Teen Cuisine Crew, our classes serve up a perfect mix of fun, learning, and hands-on culinary adventures. Kids Kitchen is designed for children aged 4 to 16 and will be held from Tuesday 8 July - Friday 11 July at TAFE SA's Regency Park campus. All ingredients are supplied. Just come along and enjoy! Kids Kitchen Book Here 
Interested in joining North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club? Click on one of the links below to register.
U10s – https://www.trybooking.com/DBXBN U12 Boys – https://www.trybooking.com/DCAFV U14 to U18 Boys – Under 14-18 Boys Expression of Interest to Play U12 to U18 Girls https://www.trybooking.com/DCAFV |
Students in Room 26 were inspired by the book Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty. After reading the story and discussing Iggy’s creativity, passion for building, and clever problem-solving, students were challenged to design and create their own tree houses.
With great enthusiasm, students got straight to work constructing their tree houses, including a swing and ladder. There were many imaginative creations. We’re so proud of our budding architects and the fantastic effort they put in!
With great enthusiasm, students got straight to work constructing their tree houses, including a swing and ladder. There were many imaginative creations. We’re so proud of our budding architects and the fantastic effort they put in!
Room 26 students enjoyed heading outside to participate in a variety of team-building games designed to strengthen cooperation, communication, and trust within the group. These activities encouraged students to work together, think critically, and solve problems as a team.
It was wonderful to see students supporting one another, listening to different ideas, and celebrating each other’s successes. These experiences not only fostered stronger friendships but also reinforced important values such as respect, resilience, and kindness.
It was wonderful to see students supporting one another, listening to different ideas, and celebrating each other’s successes. These experiences not only fostered stronger friendships but also reinforced important values such as respect, resilience, and kindness.
