Amplify Dance Brings Energy and Joy to Our School

This term, our students have been absolutely loving their Amplify Dance lessons! The program has brought a fresh wave of energy and excitement into our classrooms, with dynamic routines set to current, popular music that students know and enjoy. Each session isn’t just about movement; it’s about building confidence, rhythm, coordination, and teamwork.

The engaging choreography has sparked a buzz across the school, with students eager to jump in, learn new moves, and express themselves through dance. Whether students are grooving to pop, stepping to country, or moving to funky rhythms, the upbeat music keeps dance sessions exciting and eagerly awaited.

To celebrate this growing love for dance, Friday mornings before school have become our very own Dance Party! Students have been proudly sharing their moves with Mrs Sheahan and Mrs Desailly, and are thoroughly enjoying this feel-good start to the last day of the week, joined by friends and staff alike.

The Amplify Dance program is doing more than teaching steps; it’s amplifying student engagement, creativity, and joy. We’re excited to see how their skills and confidence continue to grow throughout the term.

We’re also hoping to showcase our class dances on the 11th of September. If all goes to plan, the event will be held in the Menegon Centre. Stay tuned as more details will be shared in the coming weeks!

What is the Early Years Screening for Prep and Year 1 students?

The Early Years Screening is a collaborative process involving teachers, parents, and students. This valuable initiative enhances teacher capability and deepens understanding of our young learners. It supports student learning by identifying individual strengths and areas for growth and strengthens parent engagement by providing up-to-date data on student progress.

The screening process follows a comprehensive cycle that includes pre-screening, evidence-based feedback for parents, teachers, and students, targeted pedagogy, alignment with the Australian Curriculum, parent involvement, post-screening, and ongoing, data-informed feedback. It provides critical insights into students’ development in numeracy, oral language, and literacy.

Our Prep and Year 1 teachers have now commenced the post-screening phase, gathering current data to identify student growth in key learning areas. This information plays a vital role in guiding targeted planning and instruction for the remainder of the year, ensuring every child continues to progress with confidence.

Once the data is released back to schools, it will be shared with families during our next parent meetings, offering a clear picture of how each student is tracking in their early learning journey.

If you have any questions, please talk with our Prep, Year 1 teachers or myself.

Sarah Sheahan

Townsville Catholic Education Early Years Testing Plan