22 June 2018

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

The temperature is dropping, especially in the mornings, as we head towards our winter holiday break! One week to go!

The Trivia night was held on Saturday night. The costumes and table decorations were amazing this year! The Trivia night is always held with good fun and a healthy competitive spirit. I would like to thank Juanita Bennet and her Trivia team, for organising the night again this year. Many thanks must also go to Lisa and Bernie McKeaten for their support. Finally, I would like to thank Dave Whitefield for offering to host the Trivia night this year. It sounds like a healthy $8000 was raised on the night!

The P&C meeting was held on Wednesday night. A small and committed group of parents attended the meeting. I am very happy to say the P&C have agreed to support a parent evening with Kath Murdoch. This will be a fantastic night where parents can come along and get a deeper understanding of why an inquiry approach to learning is important for their child’s learning and development and will help set them up well for the needs of the 21st Century. The evening will start at 5.30pm with wine, cheese and a chance to socialise. At 6.00pm Kath will start the formal part of the evening which will go until around 8pm. Please save the date as we hope to get good participation rates on the night. I greatly appreciate the support of the P&C to help us build knowledge in our parent community about an Inquiry approach to learning and how it so beautifully aligns to the needs of our children for the future. Kath has a great TED talk, so if you would like to learn more prior to the night, you can check it out.

I would like to thank Mrs Martin and her helpers for organising the NAIDOC assembly. We appreciated the attendance of our special guests and friends from Milpera High School and the Benarrawa Community Centre.

Report cards will be emailed out by Wednesday next week. We send a year level at a time over the course of a few days so we do not overload the system. If you have more than one child, this may mean you will receive reports cards at various times over the two day period. If you do not receive your child’s report card by Thursday, please contact the school.

Don’t forget the athletics carnival is next Tuesday at the UQ athletics fields. It is always a well-run and exciting event for the students. You are welcome to come along and cheer on the students!

Have a great week,
Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

From the Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Study Tour 2018 – Minzu and Wenhua Schools are coming July 27 – August 11

Our numbers of homestay families is slowly building, we now have 6 more girls to place with Graceville families – can you help!!? If you have any questions please contact me to ask for further information. mhass10@eq.edu.au

Date Claimer: Prep 2019 Information evening will be held in our school hall on Wednesday July 18 at 7pm. We now also have pamphlets in the office with other dates for 2018 such as the Get Set for Prep and Prep Orientation sessions.

Waiting List for Prep for 2019 – opened at the beginning of this term.

The waiting list for 2019 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. For in catchment families a birth certificate and proof of residency in our catchment is required along with the completed enrolment forms.

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 Junior assemblies. Everyone welcome, we are on from 2.15pm on these Tuesdays in the hall.

Deputy Prinicpal

Lisa McKeaten

2018 UNSW (University Of New South Wales) competitions:

• English 31 July $8.00 (Yr 2-6)
• Mathematics 14 August $8.00 (Yr 2-6)

Students who have been entered in any of these competitions need to make sure that they are present on the appropriate day.

For the Digital Technologies competition, we had a large number of students not attend before school. Please make an effort to get your child here before school (Years 3-6). With the tests that take a longer time to complete, I can’t guarantee that they will have adequate time during the lunch break to complete them. We don’t want to interfere with class time to complete these tests, except for the Year 2 students, who are new to this experience.

Is your school ready for the plastic bag ban?

To protect the environment and wildlife, the Queensland Government is introducing a ban on the supply of single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags from 1 July.

School operations such as uniform shops, tuckshops and fetes are included. For information and resources for your school visit the Queensland Government website.

Time Out – protect students from spreading infectious diseases

When your child is ill, look after them at home to help reduce the spread of germs and prevent other children becoming ill. Keep surfaces, toys and equipment clean and encourage your child to wash their hands often, even when they feel well. If your child is suffering from a virus, gastroenteritis or another illness, there are rules about when they can return to school. Learn more about symptoms and exclusion rules in Queensland and take your child to the doctor if you are concerned.

Help reduce the spread of infection by keeping your child at home when they are ill. Keep surfaces clean and encourage children to wash their hands often, even when they feel well. Learn more below

Help reduce the spread of infection, keep your child at home when they are ill and get them to wash their hands often.

Money Matters

Anne Nixon

Thank you for your payments for excursions and resources to date.

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 2018 are:

• Prep Requirements ($70)
• Instrumental Music Programs – Instrument Hire ($100), Percussion Maintenance ($50), Music Participation ($80) & Choir ($30)
• Religious Education Program ($10)
• Mathletics On-line registration (Years 1 - 6) ($12)
• Origo Maths (years 3, 4 and 5) ($6)
• Year 4/5 maths levy ($17.50)
• ESmart Digital Licence Yr 5 ($10)

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

VOLUNTARY PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS

Your valuable contribution to this school’s Learning Targets is most welcome.

$100 single student.

You can either pay the Voluntary Contribution in the office, or by direct deposit into the school bank account referencing the payment “VC” with your child’s name. Our bank account details are:

BSB: 064-111
Account Number: 00090051
Account Name: Graceville State School

Credit in Account: Credits from 2017 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

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.

HPE

Wayne Daunt

Congratulations to Sam W in Year 6 who was recently selected in the Metropolitan West Regional Rugby Union team to attend the State Carnival next term. Well done also to Charlie H who was selected as a shadow reserve for the team.

ATHLETICS DAY

Next Tuesday June 26 the Year 4-6 children will be attending the school athletics carnival at the Qld University Athletics Centre. A reminder that the children need to be at school by 8.05am to board the seat belted buses that will deliver us to the venue. Unfortunately, we cannot wait for any child who may be late as this only delays the entire day. Children are asked to report to the hall on arrival at school and have their roll marked before boarding the buses. There are still a number of families who have yet to pay for the athletics day. This money MUST be paid by Friday 3pm, June 22 or children may miss attending the day.

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE 2018

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 encourage children to read widely for pleasure and learning.

That is why every student is encouraged to participate in this year’s 2018 Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Challenge is open to students in Prep to Year 6 and is running from 14 May until 24 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 are being handed out during library time to all students. Children who take up the challenge and read the required number of books will receive a signed participation certificate from the Premier herself. 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. Books may selected from the school library, the local library, home or reading resources at school.

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

Melanie Hutchinson
Premier’s Reading Challenge Coordinator
Teacher Librarian

Music News

Naomi Lindh

We have a very exciting week for our choir students! This Thursday our Junior Choir will be singing a song at the NAIDOC assembly which begins at 9am (finishing around 9:45am). This song was created as part of the Reconciliation in Queensland Schools action plan and involved some of our students and students from local schools working with Elders and Aboriginal leaders to create it. We are also having a short rehearsal in the hall prior to the assembly at 8:15am for any Junior Choir students who are able to attend. Parents and members of the school community are warmly invited to attend the assembly.

On Friday our Senior and Junior Choir students are all involved in an all day choir incursion with an Australian conductor and composer, Stuart Gillard and accompanist Judy Collins.

It will be a big day of singing for our choir and culminates with a choir concert at 2:15pm in the hall. We would love any family members and members of the school community who are available to come to our concert where we will be sharing songs we have been working on during the semester as well as songs from the incursion on Friday. Students are requested to go straight to their classroom teacher when the bell goes on Friday morning, then students in the Junior Choir should go directly to the Waratah room and students in the Senior Choir should go to the hall. It is essential that students see their classroom teacher after the bell to have their attendance marked on the roll. All choir students should wear school uniform as usual and bring their bag, including lunch and a water bottle to the hall. There is no additional cost to students for this workshop. Please note all choir students are expected to attend.

On Monday the RIQS song which students are singing at the NAIDOC assembly was officially launched at Oxley State School. Our four student participants Evie G, Annie H, Tessa K and Toby W attended with Mrs Lisa McKeaten and Mrs Lindh. They sang the song in a combined choir and we had the opportunity to listen to one of the Aboriginal songwriters, Sharron Lindh, speak about the song and the stories, sounds and language shared through music. Thank you to these students and their families for supporting this project, workshops, recording and performances. Thanks also to Mrs McKeaten for taking the students on Monday.

Thank you for supporting our performances this week!

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

Opening Hours for the Week Beginning 25th June: Monday and Friday 8.15am to 9.00am.

Polar fleece jackets and rugby shirts are available now in store.

Donations of 2nd hand uniforms are always appreciated, so please keep them coming but can you please make sure that all items are in a good, clean and saleable condition.

Please be advised that refunds will ONLY be given if you have the original receipt and items should not have been washed or worn. Also please be aware that if you paid by credit card you will need that card for the refund.

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 via the teachers pigeon hole in the main office.

Email address for school uniform store is:

uniformstore@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE!!!! The uniform store lost some valuable volunteers at the end of last year and will be losing more at the end of this year so we really need more people to help out. At the moment it would require you to be there from 8.15-9.00am on Monday, Tuesday or Friday each week, if there are more people willing to lend a hand then it wouldn't have to be every week. So, if you think you could spare some time and help out that would be great, just send an email to the address below or come to the store and have a chat, thank you.

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop Roster for week ending 29th of June 2018

A BIG THANK YOU to all our volunteers!

Order volumes have increased in this cooler weather; we are incredibly busy on Fridays. Our beautiful fresh food takes time to prepare.

For Friday orders, our best advice is to order the night before. Order volumes are high on Friday morning and problems can order when ordering late. Check your cupboards/fridge for lunch the night before and know if you need to order tuckshop, do not leave it until the last minute. We are already experiencing volunteer shortages and cannot stop to take orders by phone.

If you need to contact us, please send us an email at tuckshop.gss@gmail.com or come in and see us in the Tuckshop.

School Plus

The weeks have just been flying by, as we enter the last couple of weeks of term 2! The children are becoming even more excited as we come closer to our Vacation Care Holiday Program! This week the children enjoyed a number of fun activities, with some our highlights including making Memory Cards, Tissue Paper Pom Poms, Bead Bracelets and Making Pinwheels for Global Wind Day. The children have been loving our new equipment as well, with Totem Tennis being quite popular in the Quadrangle. Our weekly sensory activity, Making Snow, was a massive hit and was highly recommended to be repeated by children and staff.

As of next week, the program will have some minor changes. “Chat Time” will be introduced at afternoon tea time, where each year level will program a different area each day! The children will have more choice and opportunity to choose what they would like to play in the area they have been designated, which includes Craft, OSHC Room, Quadrangle, Oval or Q Block. We look forward to seeing the different suggestions from the different year levels!

Graceville State School Tennis Coaching – Term 3

Before School, Lunch Time and After School Coaching will commence from Tuesday 24th July 2018.

Enrolments close by Thursday 19 July 2018. 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.

A tennis meeting will be held at lunchtime (1st Break) on Monday 23 July on the School Tennis Court to advise of your lesson time – Please ensure your child attends.

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 2nd to Wednesday 4th July 2018. Time: 8.30am -12 noon each day Cost: $135

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

Thanks Jim