28 April 2016

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

It was lovely to see a large group of students attending the ANZAC ceremony at Graceville Memorial Park on Monday. This year we set up a shade structure which allowed most of our students to be protected from the sun. Our students showed great respect during the service which was noticed and acknowledged by the RSL representatives in attendance. My mum came along to the service this year. She was blown away by the community feel at the ANZAC service. Graceville has a unique community feel (for a school so close to the city) which is something we can never take for granted and need to nurture as our community continues to change and grow. Thank you to all of our students and their families who attended.

This week I attended a Curiosity and Powerful Learning meeting in Melbourne. It was a very interesting meeting where representatives from both Queensland and Victorian Schools and Universities were able to meet and discuss how to strengthen our partnerships. Griffith University is currently the only QLD University to become involved in the project and we will be working with them on different aspects of the project over the next three years. I also had the opportunity to visit three Victorian Schools who are part of the project. I enjoyed having the chance to talk with the school leadership teams and visit classrooms to see real life examples of how they are progressing on their learning journey as part of Curiosity and Powerful Learning. It won’t be long until we get some reciprocal visitors from Victorian schools!

This week our school leadership team was also invited to present our Curiosity and Powerful Learning journey at a Regional professional development day. Our school has been noticed by the Region as one which is making good progress against our set goals which is why we were asked to share our story. I would like to thank Mrs Belinda Martin and Ms Maree Hass for taking on the role of presenting our story. We have a long way to go over the next 3-5 years but it was very nice to be noticed so early on in the project, by both our region and the directors of Curiosity and Powerful Learning, as a school that has embraced the project and is committed to the journey!

It is hard to believe but next week we will be in our 4th week back after the holidays! The P&C meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday night in the Waratah room. It would be great to see you there!

We will also be having a special walk to school day on May 4th, it is a Star Wars theme hence the May the 4th be with you! It is a great opportunity for students to dress up as Star Wars characters and walk safely to school with their fellow school mates and some teachers. Thank you to Mrs Hornstra and the Active Travel committee for organising the event.

Don’t forget next Monday is a Public Holiday! We have been spoilt with two long weekends in a row. I hope you have a lovely long weekend spending time with family and friends.

Have a great week.

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

ANZAC Day Service 2016

Thank you to the many people who made our ANZAC assembly go so smoothly.

Firstly to year 5 parents who contributed to the morning tea and some of the parents who served the morning tea and stayed for clean up – much appreciated.

Our student leaders on the community committee very enthusiastically assisted in the setup of the hall and spent time with our returned servicemen and guests during morning tea. Well done students, our older guests very much enjoyed speaking with you and commented to me on your good manners.

Mr Dowling assisted with set up and Mrs Martin helped at the sound desk, thank you to them.

Mrs Lindh and the choir sang during our assembly which takes time to practise and prepare, thank you to them.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Squadron Leader Chris Nash who was our guest speaker at the assembly.

The Sherwood RSL always support our commemoration of ANZAC Day and Mr Frank Beattie said The Ode for us.

So you can see it is quite a team endeavour and it is great to see how we all pull together for community events.

Date Claimer: Under 8’s Activities on Wednesday May 25, 8.45 – 10.45

This annual event for Prep, year 1 -2 classes is on again. Please stay tuned for more information from your class teacher and in future newsletters.

Study Tour – From Future Heir School in Taiwan to Graceville State School

The past couple of weeks I have included information about the upcoming study tour from Taiwan. We urgently need families who would be willing to host a student during this time at the beginning of August.

Please read the information below and let me know if you would be able to assist.

In order for Graceville to be able to host these students, we need to provide homestay accommodation. You may have more than one student if desired with most students preferring to stay with another student.

A homestay family must provide:

• A bed – own bedroom is desirable but not necessary
• All meals – send lunch each day, if your child has tuckshop, then provide homestay student with tuckshop also
• Travel to and from school

Each Saturday, the students will go on an all-day excursion so must also be dropped at school at 9:00am and picked up at approximately 5pm (this is negotiable if your family was to go away for the weekend).

We cannot undertake this study tour without the support of our school families. Students from Taiwan will be 10-12 years of age. School families with younger children can be a homestay family as all students will be assigned a school buddy as well. Could you please indicate on the form attached if you would be interested in hosting a student for this upcoming study tour. Please return the form to the admin office ASAP or email me at mhass10@eq.edu.au I will arrange an information session for all families who indicate interest to go through in detail what would be involved.

There are many benefits in participating in a study tour including:

• Our students get to experience other cultures
• Friendships are formed which last for many years
• Learning is enriched for all students
• Students enjoy sharing their daily lives with students from another country
• The school benefits financially.

If there are any questions that you may have about being a homestay family please email me or call the office to speak with me.

I look forward to hearing from interested families.

Waiting List for Prep for 2017 is now open

The waiting list for 2017 is now open. Please let any interested people know that forms and information can be obtained from our school office. Families from within our catchment area we also invite you to obtain enrolment forms to begin the process when convenient after the start of term 2. For in catchment families a birth certificate and proof of residency in our catchment is required along with the completed enrolment form.

Date Claimer: Prep Information Evening - Wednesday July 27 at 7pm.

Graceville State School recognises as its prime obligation the provision of access to an appropriate educational service for students resident within this community as defined by its local catchment area.

Please visit the following link which details our school enrolment management plan and also provides a link to the catchment area for Graceville State School:

This site also outlines the process for placing your child’s name on our waiting list if you reside outside of our catchment area.

Below is the calendar for term 2 assemblies.

From the Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Wellbeing

During this term we will have a variety of events which are part of our Wellbeing focus. These include Arbour Day 29/4, Active School Travel event - May the 4th Be With You, Mother’s Day etc.

Next week we will have details about our planned activities for Mother’s Day.

On the whole school assembly on Thursday 5 May starting at 2.15, we will have a wellbeing focus. Teachers and students will be focussing on “Growth Mindset”.

Later in the term we will have events to commemorate Reconciliation & NAIDOC week.

NAPLAN – this term!

On Tuesday 10, Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 May, students in Years 3 and 5 will take part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, or NAPLAN, as it is commonly known. Friday 13 May is the catch-up day, for any students who may have missed one of the tests during the week.

Skills that will be tested include: reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

These tests are done here at school and are considered just another part of the curriculum.

It is important for you and your child to know that NAPLAN is not a pass/fail test. It simply looks at what level students are achieving in literacy and numeracy against National Standards and compared with student peers throughout Australia.

NAPLAN cannot be studied for and students are not expected to do so. The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to let them know that it is just a routine part of their school program, and to urge them to do the best they can on the day.

All students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are expected to participate in NAPLAN testing. Please ensure that if you have a child in Years 3 or 5 that they are in attendance during that week in May. Please avoid booking holidays or appointments during those days. Holidays should not be scheduled during school terms. If you can’t avoid those days e.g. specialist appointment, please try to make it in the afternoon. All testing will be completed by 12.45 on those days.

Later in the year we will send you an individual student NAPLAN report that you can use to view and monitor how your child is progressing.

More information is available on the NAP website

If you have any concerns, please contact the class teacher or myself.

University of New South Wales Competitions

Entries for all UNSW competitions have now been finalized. Payments for these have been included in the Term 2 account.

Competition dates:

Digital Technologies 17 May Yrs 3-6
Science 31 May Yrs 2-6
Writing 16 June Yrs 3-6
Spelling 15 June Yrs 3-6
English 02 August Yrs 2-6
Maths 16 August Yrs 2-6

If your child is away on the day of any of the competitions, please let the class teacher know so we can look at an alternate day, before or after the sitting date.

Money Matters

Roberta Harycki

Your family statement was distributed last week. Issued this week – Term 2 Year Level Permission Proforma. This form must be returned to the class/specialist teacher by Friday 29 April 2016.

Year 5 camp for Term 3 has been added to allow families to budget for this event; UNSW competitions have been added as per student entry. These competitions have been ordered and prepaid. No sit, no refund applies here.

Your attention to your child’s permission form and last day for payment will ensure your child’s attendance.

Voluntary Parent Contributions

Still collecting your valuable contribution to this school’s learning journey.

$60 single student family and $115 for 2 or more in family. Please refer to the Principal’s letter and information sheet.

Credit in Account: All credits (e.g. -$10) in family accounts may be used with current invoices at the parent’s request. BPoint payments over the invoiced amount will be added as a credit balance.

Request for Refund form for an excursion paid and not attended is available from the front office. Prepaid ticketing excursions and prepaid competition entries are non-refundable.

Payment of account days:

8am-3.15pm - Monday to Wednesday
8am-12pm - Thursday and Friday

BPoint is the preferred method of payment.

Eftpos, Debit Cards: Visa/Mastercard, cheque or cash payments are accepted.

BPOINT User Information

For payment of multiple items on your statement/invoice, you will need to do a separate entry for each item, entering the invoice number and the corresponding payment amount for that item only e.g.

Separate Entries for each line must be done to ensure the payment is allocated to the correct Excursion/Resource Fee.

BPOINT payments must be processed in time to clear (usually 2-3 business days) before the Due Date for payment.

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Thank you to Ms Julie West and the Senior Choir for their hard work in preparing for their song at the ANZAC Day service last Friday. Your involvement and lovely singing was greatly appreciated by the special guests, students and staff. We also appreciate the family members who were able to attend the service.

Upcoming music performances and events

5 May - Year 2/3 Choir assembly performance
31 May - Fanfare competition at Sherwood SS - Senior Strings and Senior Band
17 June - Choir Workshop/Incursion (to be held at school with a guest conductor and school choir conductors)

Music Rehearsals Term 2

Tuesday 7:45am Senior Choir - Ms Julie West (jwest269@eq.edu.au)
Wednesday 7:45am Senior Strings - Mrs Ruth Prout (rprou5@eq.edu.au)
Wednesday 3-4pm Senior Band - Mr Steve Stiller (sstil2@eq.edu.au)
Thursday 7:30am Junior Band - Mr Alex Grodecki (agrod3@eq.edu.au)
Thursday 7:45am Year 3 Choir - Waratah Room
Thursday 12:45pm Beginner/Junior Strings - Mrs Ruth Prout (rprou5@eq.edu.au)
Friday 8:00am Year 2 Choir - Mrs Naomi Lindh - music room

Please contact your child's conductor if they are unable to attend a rehearsal or having any issues with their instrument.

We look forward to performing for you in the coming weeks

Creative Generation

Amanda Nicholls

Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage 2016

Experience a stunning, award-winning production featuring the best young talent in Queensland. This including 9 of our students right here from Graceville State School.

Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage 2016 is an annual performance of the highest professional standard. The arena-style production showcases the wealth of talent in Queensland State Schools.

CGEN will feature 1511 young singers, dancers and musicians alongside some of Queensland’s leading professional artists.

Come and be inspired by this must-see event for the whole family.

Click the link below to book tickets online via ticketek.

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

After the Anzac Day long weekend, it’s good to settle back into school life and get as much work done before this coming long weekend. This week includes the National Day of Safety and Health at work day on Thursday and Arbour Day on Friday.

Enjoy a moment or two this week, thinking about what ways we can make our world a more positive place by celebrating days like these. I certainly hope workplaces on Thursday are as free from stress as they can possibly be.

Listening to the current school bell music can lead to only one conclusion, May the 4th is approaching and our Active School Travel team are aiming for another great turnout. Keep your eye out for more details regarding this event.

It’s only a couple of weekends before Mother’s Day, so now is the perfect time to consider ways we can reward those special people who do so much for us. Who knows? We might even be able to start doing little things now to show our mothers how truly amazing they are.

Have a wonderful week.

Active School Travel

TACO TUESDAY!

(Travel Actively Coming-to-school On)

May the fourth be with you!!!!!

Our next event will be on Wednesday 4th May. Get dressed up as your favourite Star Wars character and walk to school. Those who took part in last years “may the fourth” walk will remember what fun it was and all the great costumes that the students (parents and teachers) wore on the day. There will be prizes for the best costumes on the day.

Please be at your walking station by 7:55 am to start walking at 8am. Students in costume are asked to meet at the Quadrangle for judging by 8:20am

• Leah Bestwick (Teacher Aide)– corner of Appel Street and Plumridge Street (Memorial Park)
• Lisa McKeaten - corner of Appel Street and Plumridge Street (Memorial Park)
• Evonne Beruldsen - Corner of Harte St and Oxley Rd (Formerly Drift Coffee Shop)
• Sandy Davey - Corner of Harte St and Oxley Rd (Formerly Drift Coffee Shop)
• Anne Hornstra– Outside Uniting Church (Corner Verney Rd and Oxley Road)
• Kerrie Byrne – Outside Uniting Church (Corner Verney Rd and Oxley Road)
• Chappy Outside Uniting Church (Corner Verney Rd and Oxley Road)
• Belinda Martin, Jo Richards & Katie Howard - (Parent AST committee members) – Faulkner Park (at the netball courts – Acacia Street side)

Additional Stamping Station

There is an additional stamping station located at the gate between after school care and the music block, so that those active travellers who enter from Park Road can get their passports stamped without having to come up to the quadrangle. Thank you to our students who do all the stamping on Tuesdays!

Did you know that the Graceville Bike Company proudly supports the GSS Active Travel Program? They are offering the following to the families of Graceville State School:

• 15% off all kids’ accessories (not including bikes)
• 5% off all kids’ bikes

If you have a few spare hours a month to help us run this fantastic program we are looking for volunteers to join our Active Travel Committee. Please contact Jo Richards at sajrichards@iinet.net.au for more information.

P & C

ANZAC DAY

Thanks to the school leaders for fantastic ANZAC day ceremonies. The all school ceremony in the Hall was excellent and the official visitors and ex-servicemen were certainly very impressed with the school. Thanks to the students, the parents and especially the teaching staff who attended the morning ANZAC day service at Graceville Memorial Park. Another great turnout for the school.

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED – FETE

The first fete committee meeting will be held on Wednesday May 11 at 7pm in the Waratah room.  The P&C are in desperate need for new members for the fete committee.  Please email us if you can help - pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au .   The big day will be here before we know it – Saturday 27 August.

GRANTS TEAM – CALL FOR HELP

Thank you to Deb Mazoudier and the couple of volunteers who have agreed to get rolling on Grant applications for the P&C this year. We would really like a few more people to help, or even those with Grants knowledge to give any advice and guidance. Any help is certainly appreciated. Please contact Deb at pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au if you are able to help.

TRIVIA NIGHT

Time to start getting tables together for a great night of fun on Saturday 4 June. We still require a few volunteers to help with staffing the bar on the evening. Please let us know if you can help.

NEXT MEETING

All members of our school community are welcome to our next meeting Wednesday 4 May at 7.30pm in the Waratah Room (which is beside the staff room in the main reception block).

Please feel free to contact the P&C executive via email: pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

School Banking

School Banking is every Monday

• Place your money into your yellow Banking Wallet, complete your deposit slip (leave student no. blank the 1st time) and place the wallet into the Grey Banking Satchel in the classroom on Monday morning.
• We will keep a record of your Deposits.
• Once 10 tokens have been recorded we will issue a reward coupon to redeem a reward. Reward cards will be issued at school in 2016.

• Branches do not have access to tokens or rewards.
• The School Banking program rewards individual saving. Minimum 5cent Deposit
• School Banking is processed by parent volunteer School Banking Coordinators. Please take the time to thank them for their efforts as this is a great fundraiser for our School.
• Happy Saving!

Trivia Night

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop News

Second week back for Term 2 and back to normal with no camps or excursions. A few people have commented how interested they are in seeing the order numbers for the week. So, for your enjoyment, here is the week that was:

Please remember that because Monday is a public holiday there will be no sushi orders taken for Tuesday lunch. Sushi can only be ordered for Wednesday next week. Normal sushi orders will resume week commencing Monday, 9/5.

Our generous volunteers giving up their own time to feed the hungry hoards this next week are:

As always if you have any queries about anything pertaining to the tuckshop and School24, drop in and see us or email us at tuckshop.gss@gmail.com

See you at the Tuckshop.

Amanda and Anne

Uniforms & Stationery

Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Friday 8.15am to 9.00am.

Size 6 in House Shirts (Cook, Kennedy and Flinders) have arrived.

Size 6 Polar Fleece jumpers have sold out and we are waiting for the new stocks to arrive.

Band folders are available $15.

The last remaining school cookbooks are in stock $10 each.

Donations of 2nd hand uniforms are always appreciated. Good stocks are available for sale now, including lots of jumpers and good gold shirts.

Order forms are available on the School website. If you email the order, the items will be sent to the classroom.

Email address for school uniform store is: uniformstore@gracevilss.eq.edu.au.

Community Notices

Signal Flare’s BBQ for the Homeless and People in Need

HELP! We Need Your Support!

Mrs Davey and Miss O’Brien are currently collecting toiletries to be distributed to the homeless and those in need on Mother's Day at Musgrave Park, South Brisbane (10.00am - 2.00pm). The event is actually a BBQ and will offer a range of free services and food to those in need.

We will be there on the day, distributing much needed hygiene products to the mothers and need your help through the donation of toiletries including shampoo and condition, razors, deodorant, sanitary products, soap etc. A box will be placed in the office so that you can put any donations in. Your help is appreciated.

Please contact Mrs Davey on sdave13@eq.edu.au should you require more details.

Community Sport Notices

Taekwon-Do classes

Taekwon-Do classes are ongoing in the Graceville State School ‘Multi-Purpose Hall’ with Family classes conducted on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. Taekwon-Do provides families with an opportunity to have fun, improve fitness and learn self-defence in a controlled environment. Free introductory classes and family discounts apply. For more information contact local Bai Rui Taekwon-Do Instructor John Bates (graceville@bairui.com or 0416050601)