Time flies when youre having fun in Room 25!

We are now in our third week of school for 2015.

This note will give you an update on all our latest news in the classroom. It gives you an outline of
our reading, spelling, special events and dates to come this term. Please have a read.
Reading
Its Week 3 and we are ready to begin our reading for the year. Your child
will be bringing home a reader to read to you every night. Please encourage
your child to read their reader at least twice before changing it. The
coloured boxes in our classroom will be where their readers are kept. Their
names are written on a peg and their box is suited to their reading level.
Please be aware that they will be tested over the next few weeks and may
be moved up a level. If you would like to volunteer for reading in the mornings, please write down
your name on the whiteboard outside the classroom under the day its convenient for you. Your
child will also have the responsibility of looking after and filling in their red reading book. This will
allow your child to keep a record of the books they have read to you, with you or by themselves.
Please read the notes attached to this letter regarding further information on reading with and to
your child.
Spelling
Every Monday students will be given spelling words. You can find their spelling words in their
Communication Book. The children have 13 words to learn every week. Eight of those words are
specifically focused on a spelling rule. For example, this week you will notice we are focusing on
the silent <b>. Two words are family words and the last three words of their list are chosen from
their English Book when theyve made a spelling mistake in their writing. Please go through the
words and make sure your child knows what each word means. Some activities you could do with
your child to help them learn their spelling words include: playing hangman, doing Look, Cover,
Write, Check (which the students do on a daily basis at school), having your students read their
words to you, or having practise spelling tests. Every Friday students are tested with a buddy on
their spelling words to see if they have learnt them.
Bug Club
Room 25 will be starting a new literacy program called Bug Club. Bug Club is a
school reading program which joins e-books with printed books to teach children
how to read. Bug Clubs online reading world aims to help children improve their
reading skills at school with exciting e-books and rewards and has been designed
to motivate children so that they get the most out of reading each book and want
to read more. In either Term 2 or Term 3, this program will be integrated into our
Guided Reading lessons where all students will have an opportunity to use a laptop and our newly
purchased headphones to listen to and read independently on their own using the program. Please
note that this program will only be used at school. As a whole school, we will not be doing Reading

Eggs computer program this year. We are in the process of deciding what online program will be
best suited and age appropriate for your childs learning.
Classroom Website
This year, I have decided to create a class website for Room 25. I am currently in the process of
creating one and slowly teaching myself as I go along. The website should be up and running in the
next couple of weeks. This website will keep you updated on the latest news in Room 25. It will
have the classroom newsletters, timetable etc., a gallery displaying students work, announcements
regarding specific dates or events coming up, a blog and educational website links for your
children to access. There will be no photos of children on the website.
Thank-you
A big thank you to our two volunteers, Elouise Davies (Lucas Mum) and Kate Goodwin-Smith
(Jems Mum), who will be our parent reps for Room 25 this year.
Swimming for 2015
I would like to inform you that swimming lessons will not be taking place
this term as previous years. The swimming lessons will be in Week 7 of
Term 3 at the Aquatics Centre.
A reminder of some diary dates and special events for this term:
Please have a look at the dates below to record them in your diary. I will always keep you updated
on our whiteboard outside of our classroom and on our future class website if you lose track.
February 20th- Student Free Day (Teachers attend Maths Conference)
February 25th- Year 1/2 Ugly Bugs Science Show- 9:30am
March 9th- Public Holiday Adelaide Cup
March 12, 13th and 14th- I will be away attending Future School Sydney conference.
March 12th and 13th- School Photos
March 20th- Harmony Day
March 3rd Public Holiday Good Friday
March 4th Public Holiday Easter Monday
If you have any questions, please write in your childs Communication Book to organise a time if
you wish to see me in person otherwise, you can contact me by email (see below) or quite simply,
write in the Communication Book.
Warmest wishes,
Tess
tess.rieger945@schools.sa.edu.au