14 September 2017

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

The end of the term has finally arrived!

Just a brief message from me this week as I am currently on the Study Tour to Taiwan. I am sure it will be an amazing cultural experience.

I would like to thank our school community for a great term. The Fete was certainly the centre piece!

I hope you enjoy the spring holiday break!

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Getting Set for Prep at Graceville State School

If you are an in-catchment family and have a preppie for next year and haven’t lodged the enrolment forms please do so as soon as possible so that we can gather firm numbers for classes for next year.

Please see flyer attached for new events we are holding during term 4 this year to assist in preparing enrolled students and parents to commence at prep in 2018. These will be opportunities for pre-prep students to spend some time at school with their parents familiarising with our school and some practical information for parents on ways to assist their children have the most positive start at school. RSVP for each event is essential!

All families who put their name down for a meeting at our Information session have been contacted and meeting times set. If you haven’t arranged this meeting and would like to discuss your child commencing in prep in 2018 please come into the office and make a time.

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 (Orientation morning)
28th November: 8.15-11am
17th January: 3-6pm (tbc)

If you think your child will need a very small sized uniform then please come in sooner rather than later as these special orders take 4 – 6 weeks to come in. Our uniform shop is open every Monday, Tuesday and Friday 8:15 – 9:00am.

From the Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Whole School Assembly this week- Thursday 14th Sept

This week, being the last week of the term, we will be having a whole school assembly to celebrate some of our achievements. We will have our Curiosity and Random Acts of Kindness awards, as usual. We will also have our Creative Generation students performing for us to showcase their great dance moves. Lastly we will show a HUGE slideshow to celebrate our recent fete day. We would love to see parents coming along to celebrate a great term of work from our staff, students and parents. If you are coming along on that day for the Junior school sports day, why not stay on? Assembly starts at 2.15pm.

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 have been sent to families. Swimming will run from Week 1-8 and the cost will be $68 for the whole term’s program. Last day for payment is this Friday 8th September. Permission forms also need to be sent back to the teachers by the end of this term.

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. This also may include excursions where transport has been arranged. These are also 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 our music students and families for a fabulous term 3. All of our choirs and ensembles have performed this term, enabling them to share their music with our school community. We are continuing our rehearsals and lessons next term and our annual evening concert is planned for Wednesday 15 November at 6pm. Families and members of the school community are warmly invited to the concert.

Mrs Prout will be on sick leave for term 4. While she has not been replaced for the last 2 weeks of this term, we are expecting that she will be replaced for term 4. Final details of her replacement will be confirmed to families via email once finalised. There are a number of performances in term 4 so we request that our string students and families maintain their commitment to the program and their ensemble once lessons and rehearsals resume at the beginning of term 4.

For the students who have expressed an interest in the instrumental music program for next year, please note that our instrumental teachers will make final decisions by midterm 4 and this will be communicated to families via a letter.

Performance dates for term 4

15 November - 6pm - Annual Music Concert - all choirs and instrumental music students will perform at this concert
22 November - 10am Grandparents Concert - Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Senior Strings will perform for their grandparents/special guests

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

Thanks again to our instrumental teachers and conductors for their tireless efforts at our workshop last week!

Swimming – P.E

Wayne Daunt

In Term 4 the students in Years 3 – 6 will participate in swimming and lifesaving lessons as part of their PE lessons with Mr. Daunt. These lessons will commence in week 1 of Term 4. The students need the following to participate in these lessons – swimming togs, towel, swimming cap and a swim shirt (rashie). Swimming goggles are optional and not compulsory for participation in the lessons.

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STATE FINAL READERS CUP TEAM!!

On Wednesday 6 September, the 2017 State Finals of the Queensland Readers’ Cup organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia took place at The Metro Hotel Ipswich International. Despite the tough competition from 18 other schools, Graceville State School scored an AMAZING SECOND PLACE! They came in half a point behind St Andrew's Catholic College, Cairns.

These students were required to read five books and answered some very difficult and interesting questions about each of these books. The team studied so hard always working well together. This has been an incredible effort, and we recognise that it has been a long competition process, beginning with our School Readers Cup in Term One, followed by Regionals in Term Two and then finally Queensland States in Term Three – reading and studying multiple different books along the way! The GSS team was made up of Vienna, Isla, Eunsu, Tara and Josh, and they are to be congratulated not only on their hard work but also on their teamwork and sportsmanship. WELL DONE!

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

What a fantastic level of participation celebrating Book Week was evident yesterday with some amazing costumes on display. It certainly adds another dimension to an already engaging week. Well done to all the students, families and staff who dressed up and assisted in making the morning a visually spectacular one.

Our Study Tour participants have departed and our thoughts go with them. This must be quite an exciting and very daunting time for all involved, including the families here at home. What an incredible opportunity for those students to experience a very different lifestyle and culture. I can’t wait to hear recounts of the time away.

Junior Sports Day will see our school oval come to life with enthusiastic and excited athletes showing their athletic prowess this week. I know how much the younger students love sports day and am certain there will be a good crowd of passionate supporters, cheering the children on.

As this term draws to a close, I would like to extend my thanks to the school community for the fantastic support I receive. This year’s Lapathon was a very successful event, both as a fun activity on the day and also as the big chaplaincy fundraiser for the year. This year, the Lapathon raised over $8700 which is a massive result and will assist and resource the chaplaincy service to maximise the support it can provide school families.

Finally, to the school community as we head off for a couple of weeks, stay safe wherever you go. Have a great time, whatever you do. Let these holidays be a time where love abounds, relationships are strengthened and wonderful life-long memories are made. If possible, amongst all that, may you find time to refresh, relax and declutter your mind.

Have an awesome holiday!

See you next Term.
John Erichsen
(Chappy)

Tuckshop News

Volunteers for the first week of term 4, week commencing Monday, 2nd of October 2017 are -

Thank you to all our volunteers. There is no sushi in the first week of term. It will resume on Thursday to order for Tuesday and Wednesday of week 2.

Tuckshop is operated as an online ordering system. To open a Tuckshop account please visit the website below 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 Skorts will be back in stock this Friday.

Most of your swimming gear is available from the uniform store including long sleeve rashies, swim caps, bags and quick dry towels in your house colours.

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

Band folders are available for $15.

Prep selling days are:

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

Families that are already at Graceville State School are encouraged to come during normal uniform store hours as the prep selling days are much busier than usual.

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.

Active School Travel

P&C News

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 11 October
Wednesday 29 November

CONTACT: pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

Graceville State School Tennis Coaching – Term 4

Before School, Lunch Time and After School Coaching will commence from Tuesday 3 October 2017 (first week back after the holidays).

Enrolments close on Monday 11 September 2017. Spare enrolment forms are available from the School Office, they can also be downloaded from the School Newsletter. To ensure a place in class, forms must be returned by this date to the School Office. Do not return forms to the School Office after this date contact Jim Joyce directly on 0417 771022.

Special Offer – All new students in Grade 1, 2 and 3 will receive a free tennis racquet when joining for the first time.

For further enquiries please contact Jim Joyce on 0417 771022

Holiday Tennis Clinic

We will be running a Tennis clinic at West Brisbane Tennis Centre from Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th September 2017. Time: 8.30am -12 noon each day Cost: $135

Enquiries & Bookings jim@westbrisbanetennis.com.au Phone 0417 771022

Thanks Jim

September Holiday Swim Clinics

September Holiday Swim Clinics

A great way to get your children ready for the 4th term swim program is to join the holiday swim clinics being held at the school pool. All ability levels are catered for with learn to swim, stroke correction and squad classes on offer. The fist clinic will be held from Monday 18th of September to Friday 22nd and the second clinic from Monday 25th of September to Friday 29th. You do not need to attend every day of the clinic as long as you mention your availability when enrolling. If you are joining for the first time please call Pete to discuss your child's ability and needs. Children in holiday school care may also join the program as staff are able to bring students to the pool and pick them up after their lesson. If you have inquired about the clinics already and have not received a confirmation email from Pete Geraghty please send another email to make sure you are included in the schedule. My swim school is always looking for good teachers so if you know anyone interested in working at Graceville pool who is qualified or interested in becoming a certified swim teacher please put them in touch with me. Please direct all inquiries to Pete Geraghty via email petegeraghty@hotmail.com or phone 0432407442.

Term 4 Swim Program

Bookings are now being taken for the 4th term swim program. This will begin the first week after the holidays from Tuesday October 3rd. All students will begin the term in the SAME ABILITY LEVEL as term 1 as a starting point. During the course of the term the coach may move students to different levels where appropriate.

To join the entry group class of Beginner Stroke Development (BSD), children must be in Year 1 or older and be able to swim 25m freestyle nonstop. Any children not of this age or ability may enrol in private lessons on offer Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

Spaces are limited, so to avoid disappointment, respond to this email ASAP with your preferred days and available times. Feel free to contact me via return email or phone if you have any questions (ph: 0432407442).

Beginner Stroke development will run Mon to Thurs from 3 pm til 3:30 pm. Advanced stroke development will run from 3:30 pm until 4 pm on the same days and this will be followed by Junior squad and squad from 4 pm. If you are new to my swim school YOU WILL NEED to call me directly to discuss your child's ability and needs.

A terms and conditions agreement will be given to all the new students at their first lesson. This needs to be signed and returned no later than the 2nd lesson. Those who have enrolled previously do not need to complete a new agreement as the terms and conditions are unchanged and it is an ongoing agreement whilst participating in my Graceville swim school. Please advise if you would like another copy of the T's and C'c. Parents will be invoiced for the term once the program is settled.

Please send me ALL YOUR AVAILABLE DAYS and times and also days and times you are DEFINITELY NOT AVAILABLE. You will receive an email regarding your booking which will need to be confirmed by you before the commencement of the program .

See you at the pool.

Pete Geraghty

SchoolsPlus

Community Notices

Woolworths Earn and Learn Stickers

Keep collecting earn-and-learn stickers from your Woolworths shop and deliver these to the box in the school office! The more stickers we as a school collect, the more educational resources we earn via the Woolworth's redemption program with Modern Teaching Aids.