Grade 5 Newsletter, August 2021
Dear Grade 5 parents,Welcome to this year's Grade 5 blog! You will see that the blog is made up of a number of different posts, relating to each area of the curriculum. Since there are also a number of areas which overlap, we will be using labels to link all posts that are connected by common themes.
So, for example, any posts connected to science throughout the year will be labelled science on the right side of the blog. A subtopic within a science unit will also carry a label. We hope this will make navigating through the blog a bit easier, especially if you want to dot around and not necessarily follow a linear sequence. Do let us know if you have difficulties with anything and we'll endeavour to improve how we communicate the learning taking place in our classrooms.
The Grade 5 teachers are very much looking forward to working with your children and of course, we are hoping to meet with you at the Meet the Teacher evening in the first couple of weeks and details of this will be shared with you shortly. Another key event will be the G5 settling in Parent Teacher Conferences. More details of these will also be sent to you in good time.
In the meanwhile here are a handful of daily items that should prove useful:
Food
Grade 5 students are able to purchase their own Sodexo food daily. More importantly, they are able to make their own choices. We will encourage healthy choices (Sodexo menus are really varied with some extremely healthy options) but there is the potential for a hundred pizza lunches in a row, so we'd be grateful for a conversation at home about making varied and wise food choices!There is a 5 minute brain food snack time around 9am, for those children who would like a healthy home snack. Cut fruit and vegetables are ideal.
Allergies
Inevitably, there will be children in Grade 5 or neighbouring classrooms with allergies of one kind or another, some severe. Please avoid packing nuts in lunches or snacks. Kindly let your helper know if they are involved with this process at home.Belongings
Please label everything. The potential for children to inadvertently swap or lose clothing when changing for PE is high without named items. The same goes for school bags and other items such as phones. They do get misplaced and they are much more easily returned if named. Please see the information below if you would like to purchase printed labels for your child:Personalised children’s name & clothing labels.
In a school the size of UWCSEA, it is very important to have all children's clothing and belongings labelled. ‘Stuck on You’ are an internationally recognised company who provide quality iron on clothing and sticky name labels which are waterproof and dishwasher safe. In an effort to cut down on paper use, leaflets will not be sent home this year.
https://www.stuckonyou.sg/If you have any questions please contact ‘Stuck on You’ directly on 6589 8165.
Money
Most purchases on campus are increasingly only possible using the student Campus card. Should students need to bring cash for any reason, it should be a minimal amount and kept in a named wallet (just what they need on any given day). Sodexo food should be bought using the Campus card which can be loaded with credit via the school website and your parent log-in.Homework
Homework in Primary School has an important but relatively small place in the children's daily schedule. Please let us know if your child is having trouble completing or finding time for the set homework. Homework becomes counterproductive if it turns into a daily battle, so please do let your child's class teacher know if it becomes a negative experience and we'll address it individually.Reading: Children read for 30 minutes per night. This most defintely is important!
Mathematics: Children are expected to complete 20 minutes per week on Khan Academy. Fortnightly, teachers may send home a Daily Review, to follow-up work set in class.
Spelling/Comprehension: Children are expected to complete 20-30 minutes of follow-up activities per week. The work will vary slightly between children, depending on the spelling programme that individuals are following.
Communication
We will communicate regularly with you about your child's progress, what's going on in class and about anything you need to know. Class teachers will email, write Seesaw announcements, plus the Head of Grade (HOG) blog will update you whenever there is an upcoming change to curriculum units. Do communicate with us via your child's organiser or by emailing your child's teacher directly. If there is a last-minute change to your child's going home arrangements, please phone the office (64199314) and they will pass on a message. Teachers may not see an email if they are teaching.
We will talk more about the above items at the Meet the Teacher evening.
Here is a little further background information on the Grade 5 teaching team:
Hugh Pollard (HOG 5) hpo@uwcsea.edu.sg
My name is Hugh Pollard and I have been teaching in SE Asia for a very long time! I am privileged to have been Head of Grade 5 for a number of years and the start of a new school year still fills me with excitement. I love to meet all our new students and begin the process of guiding them through their final year in Primary School. This in itself, makes Grade 5 special and ensuring that the last months before Middle School are packed full of wonderful experiences and masses of learning means Grade 5 is action-packed and loads of fun. We have an incredible team of caring teachers and ensuring your child's wellbeing and happiness is their number one priority. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help make your child's time in Grade 5 more enjoyable. I have a wife who also teaches in Grade 5 and two adult daughters at university who have graduated from UWCSEA with amazing stories to tell of their time at the College. I have four rescued cats in Singapore and I enjoy cycling, yoga and cooking vegan food. I look forward to meeting you at some point this year; please don't be shy!John Waters jwa@uwcsea.edu.sg
Hi my name is John Waters and I am originally from Christchurch, New Zealand. I am married to Emily who is a former air stewardess with Singapore Airlines. I have one son Leroy who is currently doing National Service. I have enjoyed working in Singapore and UWCSEA Dover since 1999 and have been head of Grade 2 and also worked in Grades 1 and 3 prior to joining Grade 5 last year. I have an interest in College Service and trips. I am currently leading both the Grade 5 Global Concern and the Grade 5 Ski trip to Japan that will hopefully resume next year. I am also a longstanding supporter of Tabitha having enjoyed numerous housebuilding trips. I have a passion for pastoral care and I am also the longest serving member of the Boarding Community. I completed a Masters Degree in Educational Administration at Massey University and also studied at Canterbury University and Teacher's College. When I am not teaching I am working towards completing my PADI dive instructor qualification. I am an avid underwater photographer so if you are interested in finding out more about diving in Asia please do ask. I also enjoy other active pursuits such as mountain biking, standup paddle-boarding, snowboarding and fly fishing. Tamsin Armstrong tar@uwcsea.edu.sg
Eight years ago I did my teacher training at UWC Dover and have worked here ever since. I have taught all subject areas across the curriculum in Grades 2, 3, 4 and 5 but have focussed upon teaching Mathematics throughout the Junior school. I also serve as a member of the boarding community.
We are an extremely active family and enjoy many outdoor activities. In particular, I am an avid kayaker and can often be found off the shore of Sentosa Island. We have one rescued dog and two rabbits and I am sure we will take on more animals as my children mature.
I am really looking to getting to know you all from August. I am sure it will be a fantastic final year in Junior School.
Lesley Finley lfi@uwcsea.edu.sg
I am originally from Cambridge in the UK. I taught at Tanglin Trust School for six years, tutored for several more and then started working at UWC Dover 12 years ago. I have taught across all the grades, including the infants. I look forward to establishing new relationships with the class. I feel privileged that I love my job. Every day the children make me laugh and inspire me. I respect the role I have in my students’ lives at such a crucial time in their education.My daughters Charlotte and Emily have completed Grade 12 aand are off to university in the UK this year and George has just completed boarding school in the UK. Yes, I have triplets! Since my own children have passed through Middle School, I can talk with confidence about the wonderful journey that lies ahead for your children. I love being outdoors and I run and cycle, (knees permitting) and have been on several of the Grade 9 expeditions. I enjoy watching and trying any sport, and am a keen Liverpool Football Club supporter as well as MotoGP and rugby. I enjoy quiet times with a book as well as taking part in the service side of UWCSEA.
Juliet Staples jst@uwcsea.edu.sg
I have been working at UWCSEA for 9 years. I have previously worked in international schools in both Asia and the Middle East. My first overseas job was at the Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur and I was there as a class teacher for 4 years. My husband and I then moved to Bahrain where I taught Grade 5 and coordinated science. Following our stint in Bahrain, we moved back to South East Asia and spent 11 years teaching at Harrow International School in Bangkok. Initially in Bangkok I was a class teacher and then later on I spent several years in a range of leadership positions. Both my children were born in Bangkok and are now thoroughly enjoying their time here at UWCSEA. In my free time I enjoy reading, skiing, gardening and sewing. I regularly run or bike in West Coast Park (please give me a wave if our paths cross, it helps with my motivation!) The last year of Primary School is an exciting time, full of new adventures and opportunities and I'm looking forward to sharing this 5JSt journey with your child over the coming year.Debra Pollard dpo@uwcsea.edu.sg
My name is Debra Pollard. I am from the UK and this will be my eleventh year teaching this grade and my fourteenth year here at UWCSEA. Before Singapore I worked at Shrewesbury International School in Bangkok, and before that at Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur. I also have several years’ teaching experience in the UK. I am married to Hugh Pollard, Head of Grade 5 and I have 2 daughters who are at university in the UK. We have 4 rescued cats Toby, Inky, Merry and Pippin, and a chihuahua named Bunny. I would have more pets but I am not allowed!
I am a vegetarian, love the outdoors and I am a keen gardener. I keep fit by cycling to school each day and by doing some yoga around the edges. I love to read and after much pressure from my youngest daughter Hannah I am reading my way through the Harry Potter series. If you are a fan you will be pleased to hear that I am really enjoying it. My family come from Scotland and live very close to Edinburgh, which is my favourite city. One day I would like to retire to my house in the countryside, grow my own vegetables and rescue even more animals.
Michael Wheeler mwh@uwcsea.edu.sg
Coach Pollard has given me another chance in the Grade 5 starting line-up and after a long off season, I am keen and ready to go! Before starting my teaching career, I sold saddles, cleaned toilets, planted trees, worked in a bank, pulled beers and dug holes. I greatly value these experiences. After graduating, I worked as a teacher in Queensland, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand before settling here in Singapore. I have taught children from Grade 1 to Grade 9 and this year will be my 33rd year of teaching and my 18th year here at UWCSEA. Teaching in Grades 3 and 5 at the college has given me valuable experience in how the children develop over these years and has reinforced for me the importance of treating each child as an individual, along with building a supportive, predictable and safe learning environment in which they can realise their potential.
I am married to Dawn, who was born in the year of the Snake, my son Daniel is a Dragon and my daughter Evie is a Tiger. I am a Rabbit and therefore at home I'm seen as nothing more than a source of entertainment or food.
Julie Ryan jry@uwcsea.edu.sg
Hi there! My name is Julie Ryan and I have been a primary classroom teacher at UWCSEA Dover since 2004. Prior to moving to Singapore, I have taught students in New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Indonesia. I have two 'international' children, both of whom are UWCSEA Dover alumni; Kelsey is a lawyer based in Melbourne, Australia whilst Jack is a marketing consultant in London, England. Since 2007, I have been a houseparent for UWCSEA boarding. Apart from my houseparent duties, I am also a registered (SAC) counsellor; the holistic wellness of every student is my utmost priority. Activity wise, I practise yoga and I'm a keen walker and netballer. I have coached the UWCSEA Dover U11 representative netball team for the past 10 years. I'm sure we will all have a wonderful year in 5JRy! I am very much looking forward to meeting you all in August.
Tara Burns tbu@uwcsea.edu.sg
My name is Tara Burns and I am originally from northern Ontario, Canada. In addition to the fifteen years I have spent in Singapore teaching at UWCSEA, I have also lived and taught in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Canada. I speak French and have a long-standing goal to learn Japanese. I am married and have twin eleven year-old boys who are in Grade 6 here at UWCSEA. We are very active family who enjoy traveling and a number of outdoor and cultural activities. I strongly believe in the curriculum practiced at the College as it allows children to take an active role in their learning, becoming passionate about their acquired knowledge and the world around them. I am very much looking forward to being a part of your child's educational experience this academic year and witnessing the many successes of students in 5TBu.
Here's to a great year!
The Grade 5 Team
