Information for 2024 Prep Enrolments
Prep Transition HANDBOOK 2024 - 2025
PRINCIPAL ’ S MESSAGE
Dear Families
Thank you for enrolling your child at The Lakes South Morang College.
We warmly welcome you to our school and look forward to developing a strong partnership built on respect and trust. Starting school should be a seamless transition and our committed teachers work with students and families to ensure the experience is supported and positive.
Our experienced staff will nurture your child through their first year of school creating the foundation for a successful school life.
Our transition program aims to provide pre - school children with a taste of school life and is conducted by our Prep team. All Prep children enrolled at The Lakes for 2024 are encouraged to attend.
Bill Panas
Marcus Abney - Hastings
College Principal
Primary Campus Principal
Prep Transition
CONTENTS
TRANSITION DATES
1
SESSION INFORMATION
2
Session 1
2
Session 2
2
Session 3
3
Session 4
3
2024 TERM DATES
4
Term Dates
4
Literacy & Numeracy Assessment
5
Official First Day of School
5
PREP PROGRAM
6
SCHOOL READINESS
7
Physical Development
7
Social Development
8
Emotional Development
9
Intellectual Development
10
FURTHER ENQUIRIES
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
TRANSITION DATES FOR PREP 2024 STUDENTS
There will be four transition sessions for your enrolled Prep child to participate in prior to the start of 2024 school year.
Our sessions are designed to be fun and to assist your child to become familiar with our school and teachers so that they feel safe and comfortable in our school environment.
Your child will need to bring a water bottle and a hat . (Please label everything with your child ’ s name).
During these sessions, parents are encouraged to attend our parent information sessions in our staffroom.
Session 1: Wednesday 15 th November 2023
Session 2: Wednesday 22 nd November 2023
Session 3: Wednesday 29 th November 2023
Session 4: Wednesday 6 th December 2023
Sessions will run from 9.15am to 10.30am
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
Prep Transition
SESSION INFORMATION
SESSION 1: WEDNESDAY 15 TH NOVEMBER 09.15am - 10.30am
Student session:
Students will meet the Prep teachers. They will get to know their teacher, peers and learning spaces. They will read a social story and draw a picture
Parent session:
Meet our School Principal
•
• General information about The lakes South Morang College
• Find out about important dates for transition and starting school
View an learn about our School uniform
•
SESSION 2: WEDNESDAY 22 ND NOVEMBER 09.15am - 10.30am
Student session:
Students will continue to get to know their peers and teacher. They will meet their Big Buddy and complete an activity together
Parent session:
What to bring to school
•
Differences between kinder and school
•
Information about what Term 1 will look like
•
Learn about our online communication system, Sental
•
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
SESSION 3: WEDNESDAY 29 TH NOVEMBER 09.15am - 10.30am
Student session:
Students will continue to build relationships with their peers and teacher.
They will become familiar with our outdoor play areas including the sandpit, playground and turf areas and draw their favourite site.
There will be no parent sessions
SESSION 4: WEDNESDAY 6 TH DECEMBER 09.15am - 10.30am
Student session:
Students will continue to build relationships with their peers and teacher. They will take part in an activity to prepare them for their first day of school and to learn about routines
There will be no parent sessions
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
Prep Transition
2024 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Tuesday 30 th January 2024 to Thursday 28 th March 2024
TERM 2
Monday 15 th April 2024 to Friday 28 th June 2024
TERM 3
Monday 15 th July 2024 to Friday 20 th September 2024
TERM 4
Monday 7 th October 2024 to Friday 20 th December 2024
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
MEET AND GREET
Tuesday 30 th January 2024
Families will have an opportunity to book in with their child ’ s Prep teacher on this day for a 10 minute ‘ get to know you ’ interview. Preps will only attend school for their interview with their parents. Your interview time will be confirmed by mail in December.
OFFICIAL FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Thursday 1 st February 2024
Surnames A - K - start at 9:15am
Surnames L - Z – start 9:30am
From Friday 2 nd February school hours are 9:00am— 3:15 pm.
On the first day of school, parents are invited to a ‘ Tea & Tears ’ session with other parents in the Staff Room after drop off.
LITERACY & NUMERACY ASSESSMENT
The Prep assessments are between your child and their teacher only. The purpose of this assessment is for the teacher to gain knowledge of each child ’ s understanding in order to prepare an appropriate individualised program. Prep students will only be required to attend school for their assessment time. Parents are not required to attend this one hour session.
Your assessment time will be confirmed with you in December.
Wednesday 31 st January 2024
Wednesday 7 th February 2024
Wednesday 14 th February 2024
Wednesday 21 st February 2024
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
Prep Transition
PREP PROGRAM
The Prep Program promotes investigation and inquiry skills through structured play and group activities. It develops and supports interpersonal skills and oral language development.
The outcomes are for our students to become literate, numerate and creative thinkers.
The Prep Program includes:
•
Literacy
•
Numeracy
•
Oral Language Program
•
Play Based Inquiry
•
ICT - iPads
•
Buddy Program
•
Perceptual Motor Program (PMP)
•
Visual Arts
•
Performing Arts/Music
•
STEM
•
Health & Physical Education
•
Library
•
Social and Emotional Learning
•
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)
•
Auslan
• Various excursions and incursions relating to units of study
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
SCHOOL READINESS
Many parents ask,
“ What can I do to help my child be ready for the Prep year? ”
There are 4 main areas of development.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Children need to be able to care for themselves in many ways because an adult is not always available to help.
It is helpful if children can:
Eat on their own.
•
Use a hankie or tissue.
•
Use a toilet independently.
•
• Adopt a predictable morning and evening routines to maintain focus throughout the day.
Develop hand/eye coordination.
•
You can assist your child's physical development by:
• Practising independence when opening and closing their lunchbox, un- wrapping food and drinking from a drink bottle or a tap.
• Talking to them about their “ playtime/recess snack ” and their “ lunch ”
• Encouraging your child to use tissues and to blow their nose when they need to
Teaching boys how to use the urinal
•
Developing effective sleeping and waking up patterns.
•
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
Prep Transition
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
At The Lakes the Prep students will be mixing with more children than at their kindergarten. They need to feel safe and happy in the playground and the classroom.
It is helpful if children can:
• Demonstrate confidence to ask for help in the playground and class- room.
• Work in a group by taking turns, listening to others and have coping strategies to handle a win or a loss.
• Develop confidence to approach other children and ask to join in
You can assist your child's social development by:
Encouraging your child to ask for help if the need it.
•
• Playing games to learn how to take turns, listen to others and how to cope with a win or a loss.
• Trying not to let your child “ win ” all the time. It often causes disappoint- ment when they lose at school.
• Discussing ways to approach other children and ask to join in the game. Teach your child to ask nicely, be willing to take turns and not to be bossy, push or hit others.
• Encouraging your child to invite friends home for a play, especially those going to the same school.
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Children settle into school quickly and happily if they are prepared emotionally.
You can assist your child's emotional development by:
• Reassuring your child that you will be back at the end of the school day.
• Be encouraging and positive about coming to school. If we expect them to be happy and secure, they will be.
• Settle them into the room, say good - bye and leave. Please don ’ t peek through the windows. We will be in contact with you if there is a problem.
• Being on time to pick them up at the end of the school day. If you are not picking up your child, tell them and their teacher who will be collecting them.
• Encouraging them to look after their belongings. Help them by showing them where you have labelled their clothing.
• Visiting the school grounds on the weekend for a bike ride or a play on the equipment. Point out to children the buildings and places they can play.
• Developing independence by letting them carry their bag and reader bag. Remind them but do not do it for them.
• Praising your child. If you see them as successful, they will see them- selves that way.
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
Prep Transition
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Building a child's vocabulary and understanding of our language will support them to communicate and build on their knowledge and skills. Develop their understanding through conversation.
You can assist your child's intellectual development by:
• Talking with your child. Build their language every day. For example, talk about and ask them about the colours they can see around them.
• Reading to them. Encourage a love of reading by reading to your child daily. Let them see you reading.
• Encouraging your child to look for the print around them. Most children can “ read ” the McDonalds sign. What others can they find?
• Counting small groups of objects. “ How many steps are we going up? ” “ Help me set the table – get 4 spoons. ”
• When shopping, ask them which container is heavier/lighter, bigger/ smaller.
• Giving them materials at home to write with. It may look like scribble but it is the beginning of writing.
• Helping them to recognise their name. Write it for them and encourage them to write it.
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Prep 2024 Transition Handbook The Lakes South Morang College
Prep Transition
But remember –
In any Prep class children will be learning at different rates. Don't compare what your child is doing with somebody else in the grade or to an older sibling.
Trying to hurry children before they are ready will not work. Prep teachers expect a wide range of skills and abilities and plan for a variety of activities to develop the individual child.
Starting school is an exciting time for you and your child.
Be positive.
Enjoy the year.
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The Lakes South Morang College Prep 2024 Transition Handbook
FURTHER ENQUIRIES
We welcome all enquiries regarding enrolling at The Lakes South Morang College. Please telephone staff at the general office on 9404 9000 during business hours (8.15am – 4.00pm) or visit our website: www.thelakes.edu.au and complete an expression of interest form.
Tours of the College can be arranged by contacting our Primary Campus.
Primary Campus
275 Gordons Road South Morang 3752
03 9404 9000
www.thelakes.edu.au
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