Welcome to Year 2

Dear Year 2 Families, 

We are incredibly excited to welcome you to Year 2 (Y2) for a year filled with awe, wonder and the magic of childhood! As your child embarks on the next phase of their learning journey in Y2, we will begin our unit of Discovery: ‘Our Class is a Family’. This unit will explore our sense of belonging within our school community.

Meet the Y2 Team

The Y2 team consists of four classroom teachers and four educational assistants, and we can’t wait to meet our new Y2 families. We are a dedicated team of educators who wish to ensure your child continues flourishing on their learning journey at DBIS Primary.

Kakapo Class

Teacher – Mrs Georgina Clothier, Y2 Year Group Leader 

Educational Assistant – Mrs Anna Hudak

Panda Class

Teacher – Miss Radhika Gidwani 

Educational Assistant – Mrs Jean Capito

Pangolin Class

Teacher – Mrs Laura Tomlin

Educational Assistant – Ms Brenda Dauz

White Rhino Class

Teacher – Mrs Mikayla Black

Educational Assistant – Mrs Karen Mason

School Uniform

School uniform is an important part of children feeling a sense of belonging and pride in our school; it is also a compulsory requirement, apart from small stud earrings and a simple watch. Jewellery should not be worn to school. We will ask children to remove necklaces, bracelets and other accessories as they do not form part of the school uniform and can risk their safety. Please be aware that smartwatches (or equivalent) are not permitted at school. Any accessories will be returned to parents and carers at the end of the school day. Link to uniform here: DBIS school uniform

Class Parents

Class parents are important in Discovery Bay International School’s community and culture. This role greatly benefits everyone within a class, assisting the teacher in various ways throughout the year. Class parents are parent volunteers who take on the role at the beginning of each new school year. This role is not limited to one person; ideally, each class should have two class parents.  

Some of the suggested activities that class parents may wish to be involved in are:

•     Communicating with the other parents in the class
•     Welcoming new families and farewell those leaving
•     Organising social gatherings for their class

Please speak to your class teacher if you are interested in this role. The class teachers genuinely appreciate the support from class parents throughout the year.

Pick-Up Procedures – Photo ID Cards

During dismissal, our prime concern is to ensure every child gets collected by the right adult and returns home safely and happily. Therefore, we have a system that must be adhered to. 

During your initial Parent–Teacher Conference (PTC), please inform your child’s class teacher of the adults who might collect your child. Please ensure all of these adults have a DBIS photo ID card. If you have not registered for these, please contact [email protected] to register.  

Please collect your child from their classroom door. When you collect your child, you must show your DBIS photo ID. We will check your ID against the list of named adults that you have provided us with. This process might take longer than normal in the initial weeks as class teachers get used to faces; thank you for your patience. 

If your child is going on a playdate after school, please inform the class teachers before midday of the name of the adult collecting them; this is best communicated through the Main campus office, using [email protected], or via Seesaw. Upon arrival, your child’s class teacher will check the named adult’s photo ID before releasing your child.

The dismissal process is taken extremely seriously at DBIS, and teachers will ask for the photo ID every time your child is dismissed. Any adult who cannot show the DBIS photo ID card must sign their child out, even once faces are familiar to us. Strict adherence to these protocols is in the interest of your child’s safety, and we appreciate your support. 

All About Me Postcard

We look forward to learning more about each child through their All About Me Postcard; this will enhance your child’s learning and sense of belonging to their class. Please bring in the postcard on Thursday 17th August. Information regarding the postcard was shared in your child’s Moving Up Morning in June. 

Homework

We recognise that there are some aspects of the curriculum that children need additional time to rehearse and practise for learning to be embedded.

Homework in Y2 will focus on the continued development of a love of reading; therefore, children will bring home reading books regularly that are pitched at a level at which the children demonstrate confidence to share their reading skills with confidence. We also encourage you as parents to read often to your children to ensure they are exposed to a wide repertoire of vocabulary and literature, as this will support their overall development in reading and writing. 

We encourage you to read with your child in your home language if this is different to English, as this supports children in reading for pleasure and listening to stories in a language in which they are confident. 

In addition, children will be encouraged to practise spelling high-frequency and common exception words. Once your child has settled into Y2, these will come home regularly in quantities suited to your child. The words will be repeated throughout the year to ensure learning is embedded. Activities that will help engage your children with spelling will be suggested.

Parent–Teacher Conferences

PTCs will occur on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th of August. On these days, the children will be dismissed at 12pm and return home for lunch. If you have not had the opportunity to book your initial PTC, please do so through the following link: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/login

Swimming

Please know that Y2 students will begin the swimming programme during Term 1. The PE department will share further information regarding the dates and times. 

Essential items:

Students will need the following items once swimming commences. Please ensure that these are clearly labelled with your child’s name and that your child can dress independently.

• DBIS rash vest with DBIS swim shorts/bikini bottoms/swimsuit (The DBIS swimming costume is also available; however, for ease of changing and use of the toilet, we advise the DBIS rash vest and swim shorts/bikini bottoms are worn by all students)
• DBIS swimming cap (house colours)
• Adjustable goggles
• Flip flops/crocs
• A towel
• A waterproof/plastic bag for wet things
• Underwear and uniform (if wearing a swimming kit to school). This applies to lessons before snack time only.

Teaching & Learning

Please make yourself familiar with the following documents. This will enable you to understand the curriculum and the transition into Y2:

• Year 2 Transition Booklet
• Key Stage 1 Curriculum Handbook
• Primary Parent Handbook

Y2 Class Welcome Letters

Attached, you will find Y2 Class Welcome Letters with important information for each class:

Kakapo Class Welcome Letter

Pangolin Class Welcome Letter

White Rhino Class Welcome Letter

Panda Class Welcome Letter

 

Kind regards,

The Year 2 Team