13 December 2018

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Merry Christmas!

On behalf of the school staff, I would like to thank you for the support you have shown the school they year! By working together as a school community, we can do great things for our children!

In 2019, Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Peacock will be taking a full year’s leave. They might pop in from time to time to do some relief work for us if we need them to. We wish Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Peacock the best of luck as they take a year off and hope to see them back in 2020.

The school staff and I return on Tuesday 22 January, where we will be engaged in professional learning and planning for the 2019 school year.

The first official school day for 2019 is Tuesday 29 January.

We look forward to seeing our students return safely from their holiday break!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

What a busy year we have had, our students in Prep to year 2 have grown, matured and developed so much. I wish you all a safe and happy holiday and Christmas, recharged for an exciting school year in 2019!

Study Tour to Taiwan 2019

We are off and running! We now have 22 students in total going on the Study Tour next September. If your child doesn’t have a current passport this might be a good holiday activity to do as the passport will be required to book the tickets early next year.

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

We made it! A very busy 2018 school year, filled with amazing opportunities, is almost over. Thank you to everyone for their efforts this year! Parents, staff and students have built and nurtured strong partnerships during our exciting learning journey. Rest up and refresh for what lies in store in 2019.

Over the holidays, my wish for you is that you find lots of time to do what you love with those you love. However you spend the festive season, stay safe and brighten up your world. This is a time of celebration for families, as they reflect on how far children have travelled in the past 12 months.

For the Graceville families who won’t be with us next year, I wish you all the very best for the next part of your school adventure. We will miss you and the support you have shown to your children and the school during your time here has been invaluable.

Have an amazing break, enjoy the lack of school morning routines and I look forward to seeing you next year!

John Erichsen

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Thank you to all of the students in our choirs and ensembles for their dedication and enthusiasm throughout this year in lessons and rehearsals. Please check the Newsletter at the beginning of next year for confirmation of lesson and rehearsal days and start dates (which is later in the year for beginners/junior rehearsals than seniors who start in term 1). All instrumental lessons will start by week 3 in term 1.

Thank you also to our dedicated music captains this year who have assisted us and supported our music students, teachers and programs throughout this year, Emily R, Megan B and Zara M. We have greatly appreciated your leadership and commitment to the music program.

We would like to thank all of our graduating year 6 students for their year’s commitment to the music program and wish them all well for their transition to high school. We hope they continue their involvement and enjoyment in music in the future.,

Instrumental students who are continuing in the instrumental music program next year were given an IM student resource scheme note last week and we ask that you return it ASAP. This form has already been sent home with students who have been offered a place in the program starting in 2019 so beginning students will not need to complete another one. All current students in the IM program will have a place until the end of year 6 so no other paperwork needs to be completed for their continuation in the program.

All students should have returned instruments on loan from the school (unless they have negotiated to reloan these over the holidays, which is particularly for larger instruments that we loan until the end of year 6) but please ensure they are returned as well as any music their conductor has given them throughout this year.

Music teacher contact details...

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

We wish all of our students and families a very Merry Christmas and a safe and relaxing holiday!

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

Firstly I would love to thank all the lovely volunteers who have helped in the store this year, it has been a great year and without their help the uniform store would not be able to run, I also would love to say a special thankyou and goodbye to Ally and Rowanne for their continued support over the last couple of years, I am sad to see them go as their boys move onto high school, I will miss you xxxx

I would also like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all in 2019, maybe a New Year resolution would be to volunteer in the uniform store!!

Opening Hours for 1st week back 2019: Tuesday and Friday 8.15am to 9.00am.

Prep selling day is:

23rd January 2019 3pm - 6pm

We will be open on the first day back to school, 29th January 2019, please note, I will NOT be opening up the store for anyone who may want to buy uniforms during the school holidays and please do not ask the office staff to open the store either, if you need uniforms you can come on the prep selling day which is 23rd January.

Thank you to all those people who have offered to volunteer in the store next year, your help is greatly appreciated and we are now able to cover all the days, but any extra help is always welcome!! At the moment it would require you to be there from 8.15-9.00am on Monday, Tuesday or Friday each week, but 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 :)

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

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 News

Tuckshop Roster for Week One 2019!

Tuckshop Roster for Week Two 2019!

THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING!!. We are giving advance notice so you can plan ahead. If you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible.

2019 TUCKSHOP ROSTER – Thank you to those people who have newly signed up to volunteer for Tuckshop next year. We are looking forward to meeting you! And thank you also to our existing volunteers; we look forward to welcoming you back!

We are still in need of a few more volunteers. Please send us an email at tuckshop.gss@gmail.com or drop a volunteer form into the P&C box in the school office to let us know when you can help. We need you to stay open five days a week!

Volunteering is only three hours once a month or term from 8.30am until 11.30am. You’ll meet new people, have a laugh while preparing the student lunches and help keep tuckshop prices reasonable. Many working parents VOLUNTEER in the tuckshop, they use flexi-time, rostered days off or work part-time and find just a few hours per term to come in and help. It’s satisfying work with a happy outcome; the students love to collect their tuckshop class buckets and buy a treat at the tuckshop window. Give it a try!

This has been a big year for Tuckshop with the full transition to the Queensland Government healthy choices menu. Judging by how busy we have been, it’s safe to say that most people have enjoyed and embraced the menu! We have noticed how many people use the tuckshop as a regular lunch option and not just as a treat.

We are a P&C run service and need volunteers to stay open. HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAYS AND SEE YOU IN 2019!!

Holiday Swim Clinics

Bookings are now being taken for the two holiday swim clinics being held at the Graceville school pool this Christmas holiday. The first will be run from Monday December 17th until Friday December 21st and the second from Monday January 21st untll Friday January 25th. All ability levels are catered for with learn to swim, stroke correction and squad classes on offer. You do not need to attend every day of the clinic as long as you mention your availability when enrolling. 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. You will need to do some paper work with schoolcare if this is the case. The number of sign ons for the group lessons will determine the start time of the private one on one lessons. As a rough guide, squad will start at 8am followed by Advanced Stroke Development at 9 am and then Beginner stroke development at 9:30 am. I will then have teachers on hand for the one on one program from about 9:30 am. The one on one lessons will be available at this stage from 9:30 am onwards every day of the week. When booking please state which hour you are available [e.g. between 10 am and 11 am]. To really help me with making the schedule the best response is....' available anytime'. See you at the pool...

Pete Geraghty
ph. 0432407442

School Plus

Term 4 has just flown by with only one more week left for the year! This week the children welcomed our new Assistant Coordinator Griffin, by building a Waffle Block fort specifically designed to fit him in! Some of the week’s other highlights included Christmas craft, marble paintings and rope mazes. The children have also been extremely excited for Vacation Care to start! Don’t forget to book your child/ren in if you haven’t already or we can assist with completing an enrolment.

Donations have been flooding in for our Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and we want to thank families for their generosity. There is still time to donate to a great cause. As we enter the last week of the year we want to thank our families for a fantastic year, it has been a pleasure watching the children grow, excel and make great memories at School Plus Graceville.

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