20 April 2017

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

I hope you enjoyed the Easter break! I had a fantastic time on my extended holiday and am now refreshed and ready to face the term ahead! I would like to thank Mrs McKeaten for stepping up as Acting Principal in my absence and Mrs Tracy Freeman for taking on the DP role.

This term is a very busy one with many public holidays, events and report cards. Next Tuesday is ANZAC day. The Graceville ceremony will go ahead again this year and it would be great to see as many children as possible in attendance. If attending please wear school uniform and a hat. The ceremony was under threat of not going ahead this year due to lack of volunteers to help. To ensure it could go ahead, schools, clubs and organisations in our area were asked to help out. Graceville was asked to provide chairs and some shade shelters. We need to move them from the school to the oval and have them set up by 6.55am. We need volunteers to help! There will be a March this year but only on the oval itself and not on the roads as in previous years. The March starts at 7.15am but if taking part please meet at the croquet club on the far side of the oval at 7am. I look forward to seeing a show of strong support from our community!

If you cannot make the official ANZAC day ceremony, you are welcome to come to the school’s ceremony on Monday 24 at 10.10 in the hall.

We are very excited to be hosting Kath Murdoch, our Inquiry expert, on Friday 28 April. Kath will model lessons in three classrooms and our teachers will be released to observe her teach and then take part in a follow up reflective conversation. All teachers will have the opportunity to observe a lesson and they will be replaced by a relief teacher while they are taking part.

This term we will be holding a number of parent information sessions to help parents understand our school focus areas. All parents are welcome to attend the sessions. The sessions are detailed below:

Week 2 (Wednesday 26) Curiosity and Powerful Learning Information Session - 6 -7.30pm in the Waratah room

This session is a repeat of the two sessions we held last year. All parents are welcome to attend to hear an overview of Curiosity and Powerful Learning with links to why it is I mportant for our student’s education. If you came last year you have heard it before!

Week 4 (Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10) Inquiry and Learning Assets - Tuesday 9, 1.30-2.45pm OR Wednesday 10, 6 -7.30pm in the Waratah room

This session will help you understand the schools Inquiry learning journey for teachers and students and introduce you to the Learning Assets (Thinker, Researcher, Communicator, Collaborator, Self Manager). This the first time the school is offering this session.

Week 6 (Tuesday 23 and 24) Framing Higher Order Questions - Tuesday 23, 1.30-2.45 OR Wednesday 24, 6-7.30pm

This session will help you to understand the school focus on broadening teacher understanding of higher order questions and how to frame them in lessons to deepen student knowledge and understanding. This is the first time the school is offering this session.

Please RSVP to the school by phone 37162777or email admin@gracevilss.eq.edu.au if you would like to attend any of the above sessions. You will need to indicate the session title, date and time in your RSVP. The office staff will collate a list of attendees for each session so the presenters can be prepared.

We hope, with this advanced notice, you can find the time to attend if interested.

Have a great week,

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Prep – Reading Eggs

We are using the program ‘Reading Eggs’ with our prep students from the beginning of this term. This online program is designed to motivate and excite students about reading and will be a useful addition to assist our classes in the reading process, which we view as one of the most important things for our preppies to learn as it unlocks all other areas in learning. Some families may already have a subscription, if you do please let your teacher know about this. School subscriptions are vastly cheaper for parents and students have access both at school and at home. Also with a school subscription, teachers can track student progress and achievement.

Technology Update

Thank you to the families who have paid their voluntary contribution this year thus far. 8 new laptops and 10 desktop computers which will update old technology in classrooms and our computer lab have arrived! I will post some photos when these arrive in classrooms.

Date Claimers:

Monday April 24 – our school ANZAC Day ceremony will take place at 10.15 in our school hall and families and friends are welcome to attend this special occasion.

Calling year 3 parents to help with morning tea please! Our year 5 parents have helped in this area for some years and considering that they play a huge part in the catering for year 6 graduation I am looking to other year levels to assist with both ANZAC day and Remembrance days’ morning teas. I also need a few parents who can give some time on this day, this year Monday April 24 to the set up and serve the morning tea in the hall. Some older community members really do enjoy participating in this annual school event so it is nice that we can offer them morning tea after the ceremony here at Graceville.

Next school Technology Community Committee meeting – Friday May 5 at 7:50am in the school library. All welcome.

Under 8’s Week is this term and our celebrations will include our annual ‘fun on the oval’ on Friday May 26, 8:45 – 10:45 for our prep to year 2 students. Parents are encouraged to attend. Please see flyer attached.

Waiting List for Prep for 2018 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. For in catchment families a birth certificate and proof of residency in our catchment is required along with the completed enrolment form.

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.

Date Claimer: Prep 2018 information evening – Wednesday July 26 at 7:00pm.

All welcome to attend.

2017 Outbound Study Tour to Taiwan

Term 2 meeting for parents and students will be on Thursday April 27 at 7pm in the Waratah room.

If a parent is unable to attend please let me know so that forms can go home that need to be completed early next term.

Inbound Study Tour – From Minzu Elementary School in Taiwan to Graceville State School

We still need more school families to volunteer to host a student.

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. Families who host a student will be funded $200 to assist in covering the costs in providing for a visiting student.

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.

From the Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

NAPLAN testing – Term 2

On Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 May, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will take part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, or NAPLAN, as it is commonly known.

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. 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.

Road safety

I just wanted to remind parents and guardians who are picking up in the afternoons about a couple of issues which have occurred recently:

• There have continued to be people parking in the 2 minute zones (front & back gates) who are ‘sitting’ in those zones for much longer than 2 minutes
• 2 minute zones - This is not a parking zone, you are not permitted to leave your car. There needs to be a quick flow of cars in both zones.
• Crossing Oxley Road – Please use the lights! We have seen lots of parents crossing Oxley road between the traffic. We have even seen traffic which has stopped to let parents and students cross. Not only is this practice very dangerous but you can also get fined! It also may give your children the message that they can do that when you are not around. Be a good Role Model!

SMS Messaging Service – Absences

Our school uses an SMS messaging service to communicate to parents when children are not in attendance at school and no explanation has been provided by parents.

Process to follow:

• If your child is absent on any particular day, please call the absences line (3716 2760) early (night before or prior to 8am if possible)
• Absences line will be monitored up until 9.30am
• If you know in advance that your child will be away please let the office (3716 2777) so we can “Explain the future absence”. Out of courtesy also let the class teacher.
• Teachers will mark rolls by 9.20am
• Late students 8.45-9.00 – go directly to classroom, after 9.00am parents to escort student to the office for a late slip
• After 9.30am we will send out the messages to parents who have a child absent (Unexplained)

Message will be from Graceville State School, “(Student’s Name) is absent from school today. Please contact the school on 3716 2777 or email sms@gracevilss@eq.edu.au”.

Obviously there are sometimes technical issues which affects this process.

Absences line (Absences & late notification)

Just a reminder that we have an absences line for your convenience if your child is away from school due to illness or any other reason, or they will be late. (3716 2760). Please ensure that if your child is sick or absent for any other reason you must inform the office as soon as possible. If absences are not explained by parents then it will appear on your child’s report card as “Unexplained”.

If your family are planning an extended period away from school (more than 2 weeks) you must complete an application for “Exemption from schooling” which entitles you to return to school after the absent period. This application must be approved by the Principal.

Money Matters

Anne Nixon

All excursions and events require payment and a permission form to be returned by the due date or your child will not be permitted to attend.

Student Resource Schemes (SRS) for 2017 are:

• Prep Requirements ($60)
• Instrumental Music Programs – Instrument Hire ($100), Percussion Maintenance ($50), Music Participation ($30) & Choir ($30)
• Religious Education Program ($10)
• Mathletics On-line registration (Years Prep - 6) ($12)
• Origo Maths (years 3, 4 and 5) ($6)
• Reading Eggs (Prep only) $22.50

All students involved in these programs must return a completed SRS form.

VOLUNTARY PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS

Your valuable contribution to this school’s Learning Targets are most welcomed.

$100 per student.

Credit in Account: Credits from 2016 rolled over to this year can be applied to current invoices at the parent’s request.

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

Payment of account days:

8am-3.00pm - 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

Please ensure when paying via BPoint, that you log onto to the following website. You must put the entire website address as this has the biller code.

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. If this is not done, your child might not be able to attend the activity.

CROSS COUNTRY

Wayne Daunt

The school cross country will be held next Wednesday April 26, in the Graceville Memorial Park. The event is open to all children from our Prep classes through to the Year 6 students.

The children from Year 4 upwards (born 2007 and earlier) can choose to compete in a cross country event run over 2km (10 yrs) or 3km (11 & 12 yrs) or a fun run event (1km). Children who wish to possibly compete at the district cross country (available for children aged 10-12yrs) must run in a cross country event, not a fun run event. The approximate times for each event are listed below. Please note these times are approximates only and are to be used as a guide only, the event could be several minutes earlier or later depending on the organisation on the day.

TIMETABLE

9.10am : 12 yrs Boys & Girls 3km Cross country
9.20am : 11yrs Boys & Girls 3km Cross Country
9.35am : 10yrs Boys & Girls 2km Cross Country
9.45am : Year 4 Boys 1km Cross Country
9.55am : Year 4 Girls 1km Cross Country
10.05am : Yr 6 1km Fun Run Boys
10.15am : Yr 6 1km Fun Run Girls
10.25am : Yr 5 1km Fun Run Boys
10.30am : Yr 5 1km Fun Run Girls

SESSION 2

1.30pm   Yr 3 Boys 1km Cross Country
1.40pm   Yr 3 Girls 1km Cross Country
2.00pm   Prep Boys Cross Country
2.10pm   Prep Girls Cross Country
2.15pm   Yr 1 Boys 500m Cross Country
2.20pm   Yr 1 Girls 500m Cross Country
2.25pm   Yr 2 Boys 500m Cross Country
2.30pm   Yr 2 Girls 500m Cross Country

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Welcome back to term 2! We hope you enjoyed the break and are looking forward to returning to music lessons and rehearsals. All of our instrumental music lessons and rehearsals will resume this week, as well as choir rehearsals. We have a number of upcoming performances this term as noted below.

Thank you to the Junior Choir for their commitment to choir last term. Rehearsals will resume this Friday but please note the Junior Choir rehearsal scheduled for Friday 28 April will be cancelled as I am attending a professional development session with Kath Murdoch. Thank you for your understanding with this change. Please note that at the time of writing the Newsletter we have not rescheduled the date for the Junior Choir Harmony Day performance which did not go ahead due to the cancellation of school at the end of last term. Once we have rescheduled this I will inform families of the new performance date.

The Senior Choir will be performing at the ANZAC Day ceremony on 24 April at 10:10am. Families and members of the school community are invited to attend the service. The Senior Choir will also be involved in the Sing Together Day at St Peters on Wednesday 14 June which will include an evening concert. Further information will be provided to students about this, but the cost of $10 to cover the music will be included on term accounts but the supply teachers for Julie and I to attend and supervise students as well as the bus will be covered by the instrumental music budget.

The starting date for Junior Band rehearsals will be provided to students and families this week. Rehearsals will be in the music room before school on Wednesdays at 7:45am. The Beginner/Junior Strings will rehearse on Wednesdays at first break starting in week 1 of term 2.

Music staff email contacts

Alex Grodecki - agrod3@eq.edu.au
James Kukulies - jkuku2@eq.edu.au
Ruth Prout - rprou5@eq.edu.au
Steve Stiller - sstil2@eq.edu.au
Julie West - jwest269@eq.edu.au

Welcome back to lessons and rehearsals this week.

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator

P&C News

WELCOME TO TERM 2

After the massive downpour and a couple of extra holiday days, we hope everyone has dried out and had a great break. Term 2 already and April is just about done. A big term for the P&C as we get ready for the fete in term 3. Thank you to all the volunteers who have put their hands up to help around the school and in the work of the P&C.

TRIVIA NIGHT – 3 JUNE

Get the date in the diary for the biggest night in Graceville in 2017. The trivia night is a fantastic event and one not to be missed. Please get your class tables together and get ready for more information.

UNIFORM SHOP

We are looking for more volunteers in the uniform shop and also in the tuckshop. Any assistance would be very welcome. These businesses do rely on volunteer labour.

LOST PROPERTY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Labelled lost property finds its way back to your children thanks to the work of wonderful volunteers. Are you able to help out for a couple of hours every few weeks? Our lost property team is ready to handover! Please email the P&C if you can help.

And PLEASE label all of your children's belongings with first AND last names!

BUILDING FUND

The P&C, like most other P&Cs, offers parents an opportunity to take part in a Tax Deductible Voluntary Contribution Scheme. If you wish to contribute to the P&C building work projects for the school, please contact the P&C Executive at the email below and we will send you the details. The building fund is going towards climate controlling the school, continuing to air condition the class rooms and the major project of fixing the ventilation of the hall.

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the P&C is to be held in the Waratah Room at 7:30pm.

CONTACT: pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

Active School Travel

(Travel Actively Coming-to-school On)

May the fourth be with you!!!!!

Our next event will be on Thursday 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.

Using the school Pick-Up-Zone

We recognize that it isn’t always possible to actively travel to school and that each day many students are collected from the Pick-Up-Zones on Park Road and Acacia Avenue. Last year in response to parent concerns and feedback we made a number of changes to how the pick up zone is to be used, and these changes have been rolled out on Acacia Avenue and we will be rolling them out on Park Road this year.

These RULES are designed to:

• Keep our students and families safe and reduce any accidents or incidents
• Help with the flow of traffic around the school at peak times
• Assist our wonderful crossing supervisors to help them do their jobs safely which keeps our community safe

With this in mind we all need to “do the right thing” for this to work – We understand that sometimes we are in a hurry or get frustrated, however, not adhering to signage or road markings puts everyone at risk. We also understand that caregivers, grandparents, and friends also use the pickup zones. If you can take the time to familiarise yourself with the procedures, and pass the information on to any family members, this will assist us to get you moving quickly and safely on your way.

Passports

Students who received passports last year are still able to present these for stamping each week. If you require a new passport they will be available at the stamping station.

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. We meet once a term and plan one key event a term. Parents run our committee with three staff members so we are in much need of additional support. Can you help? Please contact Jo Richards at sajrichards@iinet.net.au for more information.

Tuckshop News

Anne, Amanda and Ally

Welcome back! We hope you had a great holiday!

Volunteers for the week commencing Monday, 24th April 2017 are -

Please note there will only be sushi for Wednesday this coming week (26/4) due to the Anzac day holiday. Please order as usual by 12pm on Monday (24/4) for Wednesday only.

Tuckshop is operated as an online ordering system. If you need to open a Tuckshop account, please visit school24.net.au and use Graceville’s School Registration ID: 25314963 and follow the prompts. There is an information page and login guide on the Graceville State School website, under P&C and the Tuckshop, if you need any help.

If you have any questions or concerns, please see us at the Tuckshop or drop us an email at tuckshop.gss@gmail.com.

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

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

All House Shirts (Cook, Kennedy and Flinders) are available in size 4 and up.

I have in stock 1 size 10 long sleeve gold shirt for $35. This is the last one and these shirts are specially ordered so be quick as no more will be ordered until later in the year.

Band folders are available for $15.

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

The Year 6 shirts have arrived and will be sent to the classroom this week.

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

If you would like to volunteer in the uniform shop please send an email to the above address, if you have any questions please ask, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Fiona Fryer