15 November 2018

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

I had the pleasure of attending the music concert on Wednesday night. I was blown away with the progress the students have made in learning this year. I would like to thank the music teachers for their dedication and from what I could see, the amazing relationships they have created with the students over the course of the year.

The next three weeks are extremely busy at the school. Our teachers and students are deep in finalising assessment for the year. Teachers have started writing report cards which takes up a huge amount of their personal time outside of school hours. I appreciate your understanding that our teachers may not be as readily available in the next few weeks as they focus their time outside of 8.45 – 2.50pm on report card writing. I would encourage you to make an appointment if you need to see a teacher.

Next week we will also start creating classes for 2019. Each day our enrolment numbers seem to fluctuate by a few up or down. We are currently teetering on the edge of another teacher next year which means we will need a Plan A and Plan B for classes. If you are considering not returning in 2019, please make us aware as soon as possible as it may impact on class formation.

Mrs McKeaten, our upper school Deputy Principal will be taking some leave for the next week or so. Mrs Belinda Martin will take on the role of Acting Deputy Principal in her absence.

Finally, I would like to congratulate our School Captains, Vice Captains and Student Learning Ambassador Leaders for 2019:

School Captains – Tom C and Hannah M
School Vice Captains – Alexander C and Maria B
Student Learning Ambassadors – Jasper N, Samuel C, Indigo M and Addie M

I hope you have a great week,

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

Maree Hass

Deputy Principal

Remembrance Day Assembly

A big thank you to year 4 parents who supplied morning tea last Friday and some who came along to help serve, much appreciated.

I would also like to thank Mr Ian Stoddart one of our school parents who was our guest speaker for the assembly.

Also to Harry B who played the trumpet for the Last Post and Rouse, well done and thank you!

Study Tour to Taiwan 2019

The study tour is open to students who will be in year 5 and 6 in 2019.

We had in formation session on Wednesday this week and now the next step is to decide on a firm ‘intention to participate’ and provide a $200 deposit.

We now have 8 confirmed students to participate in the study tour and require at least 15 to move forward with planning. The cut off date to return the ‘Intention to Participate’ is Wednesday December 4.

It would be up to families to decide on your own child’s readiness to participate in this very rewarding experience. If you have any question please send me an email mhass10@eq.edu.au

Prep Orientation

Our prep orientation meetings will be on Thursday November 29 with further class placement and meeting information in a letter to arrive home any day now if you are one of our enrolled families for 2019 prep.

Prep uniform selling days are:

29th November 8.00am - 12pm (Prep Orientation morning)
23rd January 3pm - 6pm

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.

Below is the calendar for term 4 Junior assemblies.

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

Lisa McKeaten

Deputy Principal

Religious Instruction this Term + End of Year Service

Our RI classes will cease on Friday 23rd November. Our End of Year RI service will be held on Friday 30th November in the hall from 2.00-2.30pm. All students who have permission to attend RI classes will participate in this service. All welcome!

Read about the great work happening in Queensland state schools

Did you know that approximately a quarter of all Queensland state schools are reviewed by the department each year?

The reviews are undertaken by the School Improvement Unit (SIU) and are a great way for schools to receive feedback on what they’re doing well and where they can improve.

The SIU recently published its latest annual report, which presents findings from the 295 school reviews conducted in 2017. The report highlights practices that are contributing to the ongoing improvement of Queensland state schools.

For more information, download the fact sheet or the report at the link below:

Every second counts around water

Be a super hero and help prevent children from drowning with some tips from Olympic swimmer Mitch Larkin in the latest Queensland Family and Child Commission water safety campaign.

Sadly, tragedy can strike in just a few seconds, so make sure you provide active supervision when your children are near water. Children should be in the direct line of sight of an appropriate adult at all times.

Children under five are most at risk and make up 82 percent of child drownings.

There are a number of steps you can take to keep children safe around water.

For more information visit the Queensland Family and Child Commission

Hatchery Crusaders assemble!

Queensland Museum and World Science Festival Brisbane are calling for Queensland students to help raise awareness of the impact of pollution on marine ecosystems.

Under the guidance of Queensland Museum’s turtle expert, Patrick Couper, join the crusade and learn more about loggerhead turtles and the impact of ocean pollution.

Students can get involved by contacting <<school contact>> to register their interest and produce a piece of artwork reflecting their learnings about the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems. Finalist artworks will be showcased during the World Science Festival Brisbane in March 2019.

Does your child require medication during school hours?

If your child requires medication while at school, please ensure you complete and sign an Administration of medication record sheet available from the school’s office.

You will also need to provide the school with the prescription-labelled medication in the original packaging with clear directions for its use. The school may request an accompanying doctor’s letter for certain medications.

2019 Booklists

Ordering:

The booklists for your 2019 Back to School Book Packs are ready for you to place your order, please go to the link below, click on “Order here” and follow the prompts.

Enter our School login code 8PA4, choose the year level and make your selection, please remember to place your order before the ordering deadline of 30 November 2018 to avoid late order charges.

We recommend that you open an account as that will save you having to re-enter your details for other orders. For multiple children, we recommend that you place all your orders in one transaction, your packs will still be delivered with one pack per child.

If you do not have access to the Internet or if you wish to pay cash (cheques are not accepted), you are welcome to come go to the Campion Education Retail Store in Salisbury and place your order in person, there is plenty of car parking.

Delivery:

Your prepaid Book Packs will be delivered to your nominated physical address (home, work, relative or friends’ address) during the fortnight ending 25 January 2019.

Alternatively parents can choose to collect their book packs from the school, please ensure the School Collection box is ticked at the time of ordering.

Book packs must be collected from 9am to 12noon on Wednesday 23 January 2019 from the School Hall.

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.

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB

Scholastic Book Club is up and running again for the FINAL TIME this year.

This term’s flyer (Issue 8) has been handed out to the classes – to order, just look over the flyer with your child/children, select the books you would like and mark them on the order form on the back of the flyer.

Then ORDER ONLINE WITH THE CORRECT PAYMENT, by the closing date FRIDAY 16TH NOVEMBER.

Preferred method of payment:

CREDIT CARD payments online, or through the LOOP APP [LOOP: Linked Online Ordering and Payment available at the link below or download the LOOP Apple or Android app]. The order forms do not need to be returned to school.

If paying by credit card on the phone or with a cheque made to Scholastic Australia, return the order form to the school library by FRIDAY 16TH NOVEMBER.

NO CASH ORDERS PLEASE – GRACEVILLE STATE SCHOOL IS RUNNING A CASHLESS BOOK CLUB.

Music News

Naomi Lindh

It has been a very busy and enjoyable week for the music department with the annual concert. Thank you to all of our music students and families for your support throughout this year! This is our last formal concert for the year for some of our ensembles. The Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Senior Strings will perform at the Grandparents' Concert on Wednesday 28 November at 10am. Please note letters in links below with further information. Our Senior Strings perform and also accompany the singing of shared Christmas Carols after the performances. We then have morning tea with our guests after the concert.

The final concert for the year will be the combined Junior and Senior Choirs will be singing at the Community Carols evening at the Chelmer Riverside Church on Saturday 1 December at 5:30pm, with choir students requested to arrive at 5:15pm. This will be an optional event for any students and families who are able to attend and they will schedule our combined choir (Junior and Senior Choir students singing together) at the beginning of the evening which starts at 5:30pm, so children and families can enjoy the evening afterwards. They are planning it to be an outdoor event with market stalls and a jumping castle. Please note date of this event, Saturday 1 December at 5:30pm, for any Senior or Junior Choir students and families who would like to attend and please note that parents/carers are expected to stay at the venue for the performance and supervision of children immediately before and after it.

This week will be the final rehearsal for the Junior Band, the Senior Band and the Beginner and Junior Strings. Senior Strings will continue to rehearse until the Grandparents' Concert and this will be their last rehearsal day and performance. The Junior and Senior Choirs will finish rehearsals after week 8, so there will be no choir rehearsals in weeks 9 and 10 (from 3 December).

*28 November - Grandparents' Concert - Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Senior Strings performing for their grandparents'/special guests - notes attached in links

* 1 December - Community Carols Evening at the Riverside Church in Chelmer 5:30pm - combined Junior and Senior Choir performance for any students and families who are able to attend (optional performance) (parents/carers to remain at venue)

Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns about your child's involvement in the music program or if they are unable to attend a rehearsal.

Alex Grodecki - agrod3@eq.edu.au
Ruth Prout - rprou5@eq.edu.au
James Kukulies - jkuku2@eq.edu.au
Steve Stiller - sstil2@eq.edu.au
Julie West - jwest269@eq.edu.au
Naomi Lindh - nclos1@eq.edu.au

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

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

The last day to purchase uniforms this year will be Monday 10th December, the store will be closed for stocktake on Tuesday 11th December and Friday 14th December.

HELP!!! WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR NEXT YEAR, PLEASE!!!! The uniform store will be losing more than half of its valuable long serving volunteers at the end of this year as their children are moving on to high school, so we really need more parents or grandparents to help out for next year or we won't be able to be open as often as we are. At the moment it would require you to be there from 8.15-9.00am on Monday, Tuesday or Friday each week, if we get 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 on those mornings and help out I would really appreciate it, just send an email to the address below or come to the store and have a chat, hopefully see you soon :)

Prep selling days are:

29th November 8.00am - 12pm
23rd January 3pm - 6pm

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.

We are currently out of stock of large size hats until early December, sorry for the inconvenience.

Size 6 and 8 gold polo shirts are back in stock.

We have new school colour bows in store now for $5 each.

Swimming lessons are up and running, you can purchase lycra and silicone swimming caps, bags and towels in various colours.

Interschool sport Representative shirts are in stock.

As of 1st July stores stopped providing free single use bags therefore the uniform store will no longer provide plastic bags so please make sure you bring your own if required.

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.

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

Tuckshop and Uniform shop Convenor - Casual Positions

The P&C are looking for two candidates to fill casual positions urgently before the end of the school year. The casual convenor position will be trained in both businesses. This position is to work with, and fill in on short notice with existing convenors. Expressions of interest and job descriptions are available by emailing the P&C on pandc@gracevilss.eq.edu.au

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop Roster for week ending 23rd of November 2018

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS!

NOVEMBER NEWBIES!!

WOW!! We have added three new things to the menu this month! Have you tried one yet? Take a peek –

• a delicious Fruit Bun baked by our talented bretzel baking Mum. The bun is a great “green category” healthy snack option. Only 80 cents; find it in the snacks category on School24 or at the counter.

• Gingerbread People! Specially made for our “amber category” again by our talented Graceville baking Mum, they are delicious and a fun addition for Term 4! And only 80 cents, look for them in the snacks category on School24 or at the counter.

• New Wednesday Special! Pasta Salad! It contains pasta twirls, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrot with a tasty Tuckshop made dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard - simply delicious! Still at our special price of $5. Add optional extras such as chicken, ham, tuna, pineapple or corn for an additional cost. Wednesdays only.

We are losing some of our much-loved Year 6 Mums and Dads at the end of the year and need to fill their roster shoes. Some of these volunteers have given their time to Tuckshop for over 10 years! They all started with no experience, just a willingness to help and a fun attitude. They certainly made a huge difference to our Tuckshop and to the school. Very much appreciated and we will miss you!

If you would love to be part of our school community, meet new people along the way and help our school, Tuckshop volunteering is just three hours once a month or per term. Please contact us by email to tuckshop.gss@gmail.com

Active Travel

While Active School Travel promotes leaving the car at home, we understand that some days this isn’t possible. AST also promotes safe driving around schools. Set an example to others (and your children) by following the road rules and obeying the line markings and signage around schools.

Yellow kerbside lines = NO STOPPING!!!!!!!!!

Please also be sure to observe the signage around the school – loading zones, two minute zones etc. These signs are there for a reason…..TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE AND TO KEEP TRAFFIC MOVING!

Passenger loading zone

Sign on Acacia Ave, Graceville

Passenger Loading Zones allow you to stop for up to two minutes to pick up or drop off your child. This should be enough time to help your child with luggage and seatbelts.

Tips for drivers picking up or setting down children:

• Move forward as space becomes available
• Ensure your child watches for their ride and moves promptly to the vehicle
• Always drop off and pick up in a designated passenger zone
• Where possible, remain with your vehicle at all times when using the passenger zone
• Observe the time restriction on the passenger zone – do not overstay
• Make sure passengers use the safety door or the footpath side door when getting into and out of the car
• Do not double park
• Do not park across a pedestrian crossing
• Do not park across driveways
• Do not u-turn close to the school
• Observe part time school speed zones – do not speed

Be courteous to other drivers and school crossing supervisors

source: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/parking-permits/where-park/school-parking viewed 2nd May 2016

For more information visit:

Active School Travel
Bus Buzz is Coming to Graceville!

Does your child already catch the bus to school? Would you like them to catch the bus? At least be ready for bus travel for high school? As part of Brisbane City Council’s Active School travel program, Year 6 students will be participating in a Bus Buzz session at school on 23rd November. The purpose of these sessions is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to confidently and safely use the Brisbane Transport network.

The session includes educating students on how to safely wait at a bus stop, identify where a bus is going, how to hail a bus, safely boarding a bus, using a go card, expected behaviour on a bus, stopping the bus, safely exciting a bus and safely crossing a road after exciting a bus.

Brisbane City Council is working toward providing a more integrated, accessible and convenient public transport network for the people of Brisbane. By catching a bus, train, ferry, riding a bike or walking, we are helping to improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and stabilise the amount of greenhouse gas emission into our environment

Public transport is easy once you know how. For bus, train and ferry timetables, visit the link below.

Why don’t you work out a route plan with your child today?

We need you!!!!!

We are very lucky to have the year 5 students involved in Active Travel this year and Mrs Hornstra who does an amazing job each week with organising the students to ensure that passports are stamped and the AST messages are delivered on assembly (and many other tasks too numerous to list). Without their support this program would not be the success that it is.

The Active School Travel committee is very “Active’ in our community. We have great support from Councillor Nicole Johnston and Michelene Doray, who is the Project Manager for AST in the BCC. Mrs Hornstra and Mrs McKeaten from the school and Paul Rueberry (Prep parent who has come on board this year) as well as myself. We would like to adopt the P&C model of having someone “Learning the role” from me this year. This person would attend our once or twice a term meetings and do the newsletter article each week as well as attend any school events, if possible. You would be very well supported in the committee if you were interested. We are always after fresh ideas. If you are interested in talking to me about this please email Jo at sajrichards@iinet.net.au

School Plus

As week 5 of the school term comes to another fast end, we reflect on the fantastic week the children have had at School Plus. As the days are getting hotter, we decided to bring out the new Water Pipes in the Quadrangle. The Water Pipes were a huge hit and the children loved creating different passages for the water to manoeuvre through. Although it was hot, the children still had some fun in the sun! With hats on heads and sunscreen all over, they were ready to go out for some Elastic Fun. One afternoon for group games, the Preps to Grade 2’s enjoyed learning some Circus Tricks. Although it was challenging at the start, the children didn’t give up and were super excited when they finally nailed the trick and…. they are now all ready to join the Circus! We are looking forward to all of the Adventures and Fun week 6 has in store for us!