26 May 2017

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

It is hard to believe there is only one month until the winter holidays! It can be quite cool in the school in the mornings and so sending children with a jumper is a good idea. Please make sure all jumpers have names on them.

This week we held Parent Information Sessions on Framing Higher Order Questions. Although the numbers were lower than we had hoped, we were very appreciative of the 30 parents who were able to attend over the two sessions. The feedback we have received from both the Framing Higher Order Questions and Inquiry Learning Approach sessions, has been very good and parents have been supportive of the schools choice to focus on these areas. I would like to thank Mrs Belinda Martin, Mrs Tracy Freeman, Mrs Alissa Payne and Mrs Tina Cousins for the huge amount of time and effort they put in to creating the sessions. I am also very grateful to them for giving up time with their own families in order to provide information to our school community.

Next Thursday and Friday, Ms Hass, Mrs Martin, Mrs Freeman and I will be travelling to Melbourne to take part in professional development to help us understand more about how people are motivated and how we can encourage greater levels of intrinsic motivation for staff and students. Although she would love to also attend, Mrs McKeaten has agreed to ‘hold the fort’ at school in our absence. Please understand that Ms McKeaten will be here to help with any urgent matters and any non-urgent matters will be postponed until early the following week.

This week you should have received a letter, via your class teacher, to inform you about the consistent approach to the teaching of spelling across the school. If you have any further questions please ask your child’s teacher.

Finally, weeks 6, 7 and 8 in Term 2 are usually busy for our teachers as they work long and hard outside of school hours writing report cards. We would greatly appreciate your understanding during this busy time for teachers as response times to requests for meetings or emails may be longer than usual.

Have a great week

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

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

Dates for tour: July 18 – August 6, 2017

We have confirmation that 22 students from Taiwan will be attending our school on the above dates, 14 boys and 8 girls.

We urgently require host families to offer a homestay place for our study tour. Please email me or come into the office if you are able to help the incoming study tour. Details are below about requirements.

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. 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.

Date Claimers:

Under 8’s Week is this term and our celebrations will include our annual ‘fun on the oval’ on Friday May 26, 8:50 – 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.

Junior Assemblies

Parents and care givers are all invited to join us for Junior Assemblies which will be held every second Tuesday afternoon from 2.15 in the hall. These assemblies will be for all Prep to Year 2 classes. Year 2 students have the opportunity to develop their skills of public speaking by taking turns in leading these assemblies and classes also take part presenting items for us all. We also like to recognise birthdays and present awards to students from across all classes.

Below is the calendar for the remainder of term 2 assemblies.

From the Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

2017 International competitions

In 2017 we will be participating in the following competitions in the school hall:

• Science 30 May (Yr 2-6) Yr 3-6 – 7.30 start/Yr 2 – school time (11.30)
• Spelling 14 June (Yr 2-6) Yr 3-6 – 7.40 start/Yr 2 – school time 11.30
• Writing 13 June (Yr 3-6) Yr 3-6 – 7.45 start
• English 1 August (Yr 2-6) Yr 3-6 – 7.30 start/ Yr 2 school time 11.30
• Mathematics 15 August $8.00 (Yr 2-6) – 7.30 start/ Yr 2 school time 11.30

Let’s get reading!

The 2017 Premier’s Reading Challenge for Prep to Year 9 students runs from 15 May–25 August.

Fuelling imagination and helping develop early language are just two of the benefits of experiencing, sharing and reading books.

By registering to take part in this year’s challenge schools can help to foster a lifelong passion for reading and learning for their students. Parents can also take part by encouraging reading at home.

Help us reach our target of 2.5 million books to be read across Queensland by August 2017.

Visit the Premier’s Reading Challenge website to download suggested booklists and find out more.

Name our Icebreaker competition now open

An Antarctic experience of a lifetime is on offer for the Australian students who win a national competition to name the nation’s new icebreaker. The Name our Icebreaker competition has been designed to engage Australian students from Years 5–8 in Australia’s Antarctic Program and expand their understanding of Antarctica

Cybersafety resource for families

Parents — give your children the knowledge to stay cyber safe with the ‘Meet the Creeps’ website and quiz! The website guides you and your children through online scams, social media pitfalls and cyberbullying.

Find the free parenting support that’s right for you!

The Triple P — Positive Parenting Program now has an online app to help you decide what type of free parenting support is right for you.

In just three clicks you’ll answer two simple multiple-choice questions and be matched with a positive parenting program that suits your parenting needs.

You can find the Triple P Selector at the Triple P website

Money Matters

Anne Nixon

This week invoices were sent home for athletics (years 4 to 6) and for LOTE (year 6 and 5/6E only). 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
• Year 5 Digital Licence $11.00

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.

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 http://www.bpoint.com.au/payments/dete. . 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.

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Please ensure your child is attending instrumental music lessons and rehearsals regularly. The choirs are both rehearsing for upcoming events and regular attendance is important to ensure students are prepared for the performances. The Junior Choir will be performing at the NAIDOC Day assembly on the last Friday of this term. Further details about this performance will be provided in future newsletter articles. On Wednesday 14 June the Senior Choir will travel to St Peters by bus to attend the Sing Together day and evening concert. Notes have been sent home with permission slips which need to be returned to enable choir members to attend. Please find a link below to this note if you have not received it or misplaced it. We are aware that there will be a clash with Senior Choir rehearsals on a number of Tuesday mornings when some students will be attending the international competitions starting this week. On these days the Senior Choir students involved in the competition are requested to come to a choir rehearsal at first break. Students who are not involved in the competition are requested to attend the normal rehearsal at 7:45am on those Tuesdays. Students involved in the spelling competition on 14 June will have time to complete it then join the Senior Choir to travel to the bus to St Peters. Those students will need to ensure they arrive to complete the test by 7:30am.

If your child has been offered a place for the Intermediate or Honours WestCent camp forms and payment need to be returned to the school by Friday 2 July.

If your child is experiencing any difficulties or issues with their instrumental practice, lessons or rehearsals please contact their teacher to discuss them. This may enable them to support your child's continued involvement and success within the program. Please also contact your child's conductor if they are unable to attend a rehearsal for any reason Eg. an appointment/holiday.

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
Naomi Lindh - nclos1@eq.edu.au

Thank you for supporting our music program.

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE 2017

Literacy is at the heart of a student’s ability to learn and succeed – at school and for life. An enjoyment of books not only encourages an active imagination but allows the reader to learn about their world and develop literacy skills.

The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) aims to improve children's literacy, cultivate a passion for literature and urge children to read widely for pleasure and learning.

That is why every student is encouraged to participate in this year’s 2017 Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Challenge is open to students in Prep to Year 6 and is running from 15 May until 25 August.

The Premier is challenging every child from Prep to Year 2 to read or experience 20 books, Years 3 and 4 to read 20 books and Years 5 and 6 to read 15 books.

Student Reading Record Sheets will be handed out in the coming weeks to those students who express an interest. Children who take up the challenge and read the required number of books will receive a signed certificate from the Premier. Schools with 100 per cent participation will be in the running for numerous lucky draw prizes.

Please ensure your child keeps a record of every book they read or experience, and have signatures of those people who have witnessed them reading.

Books may selected from the school library, the local library, home or reading resources at school however, the books must be considered suitable for the year level and individual reading ability.

I hope many students will join in on this wonderful journey of reading and learning.

So please to the library to sign up and start reading!

Melanie Hutchinson
Premier’s Reading Challenge Coordinator
Teacher Librarian

Fete News

"Calling all Class Reps and Fete Class Reps”

Time to get together and distribute Stall Holder Information Packs and discuss any questions about the stalls and all things fete related.

Wednesday, 31 May at 7.30pm in the Waratah Room.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

Sharon, Annette, Alana and Mel
Stall Convenors"

Active School Travel

TACO TUESDAY!

(Travel Actively Coming-to-school On)

National Walk Safely To School

Thanks to all the students who decorated their shoes and wore crazy socks to school on National Walk Safely to School Day (WSTSD) on Friday 19th May.

Now in its 18th year, WSTSD is an annual event when all Primary School children are encouraged to walk and commute safely to school. It is a Community Event seeking to promote Road Safety, Health, Public Transport and the Environment.

The winners of the tuck shop vouchers were:

PJ from 5H
Connor 6A

Congratulations!

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. The next meeting will be on 20th July @ 10:45am in the Waratah Room. Can you help? Please contact Jo Richards at sajrichards@iinet.net.au for more information.

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop News

It was a big week in Tuckshop last week; there were lots of hungry students! Order numbers looked like this:

Volunteers for the week commencing Monday, 29th of May 2017 are -

Thank you to all our volunteers! We couldn’t operate a five day a week tuckshop service without you!

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.

We are currently out of stock of size 6 polar fleeces, new stock will be arriving in about 3 weeks.

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

Band folders are available for $15.

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

Donations of 2nd hand uniforms are always appreciated. Good stocks are available for sale now.

Any new volunteers would be greatly appreciated, it only requires you to be there from 8.15-9.00. If you think you would like to help out please send an email to the above address, if you have any questions please ask.

School Banking Update

School banking will be having an account opening morning on Wednesday 31 May from 8:15 to 9:15 in front of the Prep building. If you are interested in opening an account for your child or require further information on school banking please come and visit. A representative for the Commonwealth Bank will be on site.

Alternatively, if you are unable to attend and you would like your child to participate in school banking program it is now easier than ever. All that is required is a Youthsaver account with the Commonwealth Bank. Accounts can now be opened either online (https://www.commbank.com.au/personal/kids/school-banking.html) or at a branch. Once you have an account, the yellow Dollarmite wallet will be posted to you or you can visit us at the hall kitchen to pick one up before school Monday mornings.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN JUNE. Two of our regular volunteers that assist with school banking are unable to help in the beginning of June. If you have a spare hour on Monday mornings straight after drop off we would love your help.

Happy Saving!

P&C News

*** IMPORTANT *** VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION

The school and the P&C have worked closely to identify and create a strategy to turn around the aging technology in our school. Rather than go down the very expensive route of a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy as many schools are forced to do, the P&C strongly supports a voluntary contribution of $100 per child which started this year. This voluntary contribution route only works if everyone contributes! Contributions are still below 50% of the children in the school. Contributions are voluntary and of course can be part payments. All funds are used for the technology budget of the school. Contributions can be made to the office at any time.

2016 MEETING DATES

At the P&C meeting on 3 May, updated meeting dates for the remainder of 2016 were agreed. For your diaries:

Wednesday 7 June
Wednesday 26 July (morning meeting)
Wednesday 23 August (if required – fete week)
Wednesday 11 October
Wednesday 29 November

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 on Wednesday 7 June at 7:30pm.

CONTACT: pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

Trivia Night

Community News