17 August 2017

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

It was a short week with the Public Holiday for the EKKA! I did not brave the EKKA crowds this year but do love it when I go. I am holding out for the FETE this year though! The FETE is less than 10 days away now. It is a great day, full of fun with a wonderful community atmosphere. I attend the whole day and so have many opportunities to savour the yummy food, talk with children and families and of course watch the fireworks! The FETE is a big day for our school and I am extremely grateful for any help you can provide in the lead up to or on the day itself.

As you may have heard, we hosted a mix of 40 school leaders, teachers and regional staff to come and see, hear and feel how we are progressing in building an Inquiry Approach to teaching and learning at Graceville. It was a fantastic day and the feedback we received was affirming of our direction and progress so far. I am very thankful to the 14 teachers who took part on the day. The teachers who took part either opened their classrooms for our visitors to observe in, participated in a discussion with our guests about their experiences from their perspective of our journey so far or allow guests to listen in and observe as they planned lessons using our collaborative planning approach. I am also very proud of the 25 students who took on the role of Student Learning Ambassadors for the day, guiding our guests around the school and informally talking with them about their experiences of inquiry learning so far. Two groups of students actually took on the role of speaking with our guests in small groups to explain our Learning Assets and how they apply them in school and everyday life. Although they were prepared, they could not predict the questions the guests would ask and their responses were insightful and well-articulated. I saw many a guest’s jaw drop as they listened to the response of our student’s answers to their unplanned questions! Our Assistant Regional Director attended the day and she was blown away with our progress in such a short period of time. We are on a 3-5 year journey, only 18 months in, so we have a long way to go until school wide cultural change will be evident across the whole school but we are on track and proud of our students and teachers!

Don’t forget Free Dress on Friday! You will need to send along a block of chocolate for the lob-o-choc stall if attending in free dress.

Finally, please return the form asking if your children are intending to return to Graceville next year. Our current enrolment predictions tell us we are on the cusp of gaining a teacher in 2018. We need the most accurate information possible to decide if we will have the numbers for another teacher, which year level would need the extra class and hopefully find the best possible teacher to suit our school’s needs. All forms need to be returned by 31 August.

Have a great week,

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

We have started contacting in-catchment families for 2018 preppies for our initial meeting together. At these meetings please ensure we have completed enrolment forms, original birth certificate and proof of residency in our catchment. Current school families require the enrolment forms together with the original birth certificate please. Also bring your prospective preppie to this meeting. If we haven’t contacted you yet, please pop into the office and make an appointment now.

Date Claimer: our prep orientation meetings will be held on Thursday November 23 when new families will be invited to come to a session at prep, meeting staff and learning more about starting prep at our school.

Special Prep Uniform selling times:

14th November: 3-6pm
23rd November: 8.15-11am
28th November: 8.15-11am
17th January: 3-6pm (tbc)

Minzu Study Tour – September 13 – 24

Date Claimer: Wednesday August 30 at 6:15pm – meeting for parents of our outbound Study Tour group in the Waratah room.

We have now commenced weekly meetings with our 22 year 5 and 6 students who will be travelling to Taiwan later this term. These students are getting excited as they anticipate this experience of life and school in Taiwan for 10 days.

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.

Calendar for Junior Assemblies for Term 3

From the Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Swimming for Preps, Year 1 & 2 – term 4

Swimming will start for Prep, Year 1 & 2 will commence in Week 1 of Term 4. Permission letters and invoices will be sent to families in the next couple of days. Swimming will run from Week 1-8 and the cost will be $68 for the whole term’s program. Last day for payment will be the 8th September.

HRE for years 5 & 6 this term

HRE starts this week. Lessons will be on Fridays (18th, 25th August and 1 September). Both year levels will have an hour long lesson on those days in the first session of the day, due to interschool sport starting on 25th August. Lessons will be 8.45 – Year 6 and 9.45 – Year 5.

Interschool Sport for Years 5 & 6

Mr Daunt has already sent home the letters about interschool sport and students have chosen their sports for the upcoming season commencing on 25th August. Permission letters and invoices (where necessary for some sports). Last day for half of the invoice for interschool sport will be this Friday 18th August. The second half of the invoice will be due by Wednesday 13th September, prior to the holidays.

Life Education

All year levels will again be participating in the Life Education later in the term (1-15 September). Last day for payment is 25th August.

QParent Information

QParent has started! We have sent home student information for families to be able to register. If you have all children at high schools with Q Parents already functioning, please make sure that you use the link that we sent you to register. If you haven’t registered as yet please do so ASAP. It will make payments and accessing details etc. much easier for families. It also makes the invoicing process much easier for us and you, as you will be able to pay for multiple invoices in one hit. Soon there will be the facility to also give your permission for excursions through this system. All excursion dates from now on will also be automatically added to the calendar. Remember that next term you will no longer be able to ring up and pay for invoices over the phone. In person or on B Point/Q Parents will be the only options for you to pay.

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.

We would just like to advise parents that from Term 4 we will not be able to process payments over the phone. You will either need to pay via BPoint, or in the school office.

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. 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

Thank you to the students and families who have continued to attend rehearsals regularly. We are excited about our upcoming performances and have recently added the Junior Band performance to our fete items, at 11:45am. Thank you Mr Stiller, Mr Kukulies and Ms West for your efforts getting students prepared for their performances. The music performance times are listed below. Some members of the Senior Choir have additional rehearsals to prepare their musical fete item. They have been advised of their times by Ms West and we appreciate their commitment to their parts and this performance.

The music workshop is scheduled for the week following the fete, on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 August. This will conclude with a performance on Thursday 31 August at 2pm. The cost of the workshop is $40 to cover the tutors who work with small groups of students to assist them with further developing their skills and musicianship. A letter with further information about the workshop has been handed to students and is attached via a link in this article.

We have sent a note and email out to all eligible year 2 and 3 students regarding the instrumental music program for 2018. A link to this letter is also included in this newsletter. If your child would like to be considered for the program please ensure the slip is completed and returned to the school (classroom/office/music room) by Friday 18 August. Please note that any students already enrolled in the instrumental program do not need to complete any forms at this stage. The will have a place in the program until the end of year 6 and only need to complete the student resource scheme form later this year. It is important to note that no swapping of instruments is permitted at any stage. The instrumental teachers will meet with students who would like to be considered for the program later this term.

Upcoming performances

Fete - 26 August
11:45 Junior Band
12:00 Senior Band
12:25 Junior Choir
12:35 Senior Choir
31 August 2pm - Instrumental Music Concert - all students involved in the instrumental music program will perform at this concert (IMP only, no choir performances)

Members of the school community are warmly invited to our concerts!

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

We are looking forward to our upcoming performances!

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE 2017

Just a reminder that the Premier’s Reading Challenge ends soon. Hopefully everyone has just about finished reading their favourite books for the Challenge.

The Premier asked 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.

THE READING PERIOD FINISHES ON FRIDAY, 25 AUGUST. All reading record sheets MUST be returned to the Library on or before this date.

Fete News

Only 2 weeks to go. Are you excited? We are!

Lots to do, so here's a checklist:

1. Return raffle tickets. We need them all back, sold and unsold.
2. Buy your Ride bands on School24. Sales close Friday, 18 August at 8pm.
3. If you have a Preppie, a Year 1 or Year 2 make sure you also buy their Art Show Canvas on School24.
4. Request a take home, make yourself sweets pack from the Sweets Stall class. Drop it to the hall on Friday, 25 August.
5. Plan your favourite cake, biscuit and slice recipes and bake! These fabulous treats can be dropped at the hall on Friday, 25 August too
6. Make some jam or relish or curd. All can be dropped off at the tuckshop anytime.
7. Final clean up at home to find items to donate to the Grand Bazaar - toys, books and garage sale items. POD is open for weekend deliveries on 19.8 from 2pm-4pm.
8. Put your name down on your class stall roster. Our fete needs you and your children will love seeing you getting involved.

Now you are set! The only thing left to do is have a great time! We have done everything we can to make sure you do.

Set Up Friday, 25 August

Each year the day before fete day the action starts. If you can help us out we’d LOVE to see you. Most of the setting up takes place after school finishes so come along any time after 3pm. Every bit of help is welcome.

We like to involve our Year 6 students in this set up process. They love getting involved and actively helping make their fete fantastic. They take ownership and enjoy the real sense community it creates.

If you DON'T want your year 6 student involved in this please email us at gracevillefete@gmail.com

The work they do usually takes place after the first bell and includes jobs like moving toys and books to the tennis courts for the Grand Bazaar and emptying the PODs of items and moving them to the same place. They do a great job and the work gets done soooo fast!

If they're still keen and our delivery of tables and chairs arrives, we ask them to help us move them too. We all need somewhere to sit to eat and drink!

There's still lots of parent supervision so it all runs smoothly.

Thanks.

Anne
Fete Convenor

Fete Competition

Don’t forget to get your entries in before this competition ends! Last opportunity for an entry is next Tuesday 22nd! There will also be an opportunity for those that actively travel on Friday 18th to get a ticket too!!! Tickets can be collected at the stamping station near the school hall.

The school fete committee has generously donated some prizes to Active Travel, which is great news for all those students out there who are active on TACO Tuesday! Active travel can be any of the following:

• Walking to school
• Park and stride – parking the car in the designate “park and stride” zones and walking a short distance to school
• Riding your bike or scooter to school
• Car pooling – arriving at school by car with some of your friends
• Public transport

Being dropped off at the front gate does NOT qualify as “active travel”.

In weeks 3-7 of Term 3 (25th July – 22nd August) you will have the opportunity to collect one entry each week when you have your active travel passport stamped at the designated stamping stations. All you need to do is fill out your entry form and put it into the entry box (either at the stamping station or the office). Entries must be received by 23rd August @ 3pm to go in the draw.

There will be one (1) ride band per year level to be given away. If your lucky enough to win and have already purchased your ride band, don’t worry we will organise a refund for you.

To win the free toss at the lob-o-choc get together with your class and get as many of your class mates to enter as possible. Its simple, the class with the most entries will win!

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. The next meeting will be held on 12th October @ 10:45am in the Waratah Room. Please contact Jo Richards at sajrichards@iinet.net.au for more information.

Tuckshop News

Volunteers for the week commencing Monday, 21st of August 2017 are -

Thank you to all our volunteers! We really appreciate your help!

Ride bands and Art Show sales finish on School24 at 8pm Friday, 18th of August. If you wish to purchase a ride band after this, please buy one on Fete Day from the Tickets stall. Art Show canvases may also be purchased on the day, please see the stall holders.

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.

Size 6 and 8 polar fleece jackets are now in stock.

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 and can be emailed to the uniform shop at the below address, 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.

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

P&C News

FETE

Thank you to all the wonderful effort of all families as the fete draws near. A fantastic contribution from the whole school community is what makes our fete special. A special mention to the fete committee and our fete convenor Anne, who are bringing everything together.

We are looking for new families to join the setup crew and helpers on the day. This is typically a great way for Dad’s to get in and lend a bit of muscle to help setup the stalls. Friday afternoon after school the school begins its transformation ready for Saturday. Sunday morning is also a great opportunity to get in and help return the school to normal ready for Monday morning.

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.

REMAINING 2017 MEETING DATES

For your diaries:

Wednesday 23 August (if required – fete week)
Wednesday 11 October
Wednesday 29 November

CONTACT: pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

Community Notices