30 May 2019

Domain and email change

Please be aware that due to the upcoming domain name change our school website address is now:

This domain name will also affect email addresses so please ensure that the following email addresses are updated in your contact lists:

principal@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

admin@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

newsletter@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

pandc@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

bsm@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

prepyear@gracevilless.eq.edu.au

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

This year our school will be taking part in a Quadrennial Review. Our last review was held in 2016 and the focus of our review was the Theories of Action from Curiosity and Powerful Learning. Over the past four years we have been developing and implementing the strategies from our last review. A major focus of our review was to start the shift towards a balanced approach to learning using both explicit and inquiry based pedagogies. Our school was already very strong in using an explicit approach to learning and wanted to lay the foundations for moving forward using an inquiry approach to learning. As we are in a review year again, we will be seeking your feedback in a range of ways throughout the rest of the year. The first phase of our 2019 review will be to celebrate our success from the past four years. In order for us to do this, we will be seeking feedback from students, families and staff. In the next week or so, you will receive an invitation to provide any feedback that you think will help us to celebrate our success from 2016 to 2019. We hope you will be able to take the time to reflect on our progress in laying the foundations for inquiry learning and trying to nurture the learning assets and dispositions for lifelong learning. The second phase of the review, which we will launch at the Fete, will be to seek feedback on how we can improve the school as we move forward in our inquiry journey as a school. We will have a range of both formal and informal ways for students, families and teachers to provide feedback. I will share more about this aspect of the review in the lead up to the Fete. For now, we hope you can take the time to reflect on the positive experiences or impacts of the aspects of inquiry learning we have begun to lay as foundations to build upon. Please keep your eye out for the invitation to provide feedback on our success so far!

The Graceville State School P&C have shown their continued support for the Chaplaincy Program in 2019. Each year the Chaplaincy Committee have the support of the school and P&C to hold one fundraiser to help support the Chaplaincy program. The annual Lap-a-thon, to be held on June 19, will be the fundraising event for 2019. The event will be on the school oval with each year level assigned 20 minutes to complete as many 220m laps as possible. Children may walk, run or jog the course to complete their laps. Children are encouraged to seek sponsors for each lap completed. The money will be used to support the Chaplaincy program at Graceville. All children are welcome and encouraged to take part in the Lap-a-thon regardless of the families’ choice to support the fundraising aspect of the Lap-a-thon. The Chaplaincy committee will be sending out more specific information and sponsorship forms very soon.

If you have children in Year 4 to 6, your child will also receive an invitation to express an interest in a special interest inquiry we are organizing as a school. Students will be invited to apply to be part of an exciting opportunity to inquire into the importance and significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and Peoples and their long standing connection to country and place.

As a school we have been wondering how to broaden our understanding of our first Australians. Through inquiry, our aim is to deepen our understanding into the wisdom of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Using the theory from the Eight Aboriginal Ways of Learning Model and participating in a workshop with our Yuggera Elder Gaja Kerry Charlton and members of the community, students will inquire into acknowledgment of country. This work will reflect the practices and processes of learning while respecting the wise and strong ways of knowing and principles of learning practiced by our First Nation People. Our research group will share their findings and reflection with the whole school.

If you or your child are enthusiastic and keen to participate in this inquiry please complete the expression of interest questions and return your responses to the box in the office. There is a tight turn around for expressions of interest for this project so that we can align the project with NAIDOC day on 20 June.

Finally, I would like to congratulate our Maths Team Challenge team for their outstanding achievements. Our team was awarded second in the competition highlighting the strengths of both the way our team collaborated on the day and their abilities to think like mathematicians!

Good luck if you are participating at the Trivia night on the weekend. It will be a big and I am sure very interesting and enjoyable night!

Have a great week,

Zoe

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Under 8s Fun Day

What a great day we had last Friday, thank you to all our lower school staff who set up and ran the activities, especially to Mrs Tink who was our organiser this year. Mr Dowling helped with the set up, thank you! We had a great turn out of parents, this was great to see and thank you to the dads who helped with moving furniture back afterwards. Here are some photos of our celebration.

Inbound Study Tour 2019

Thank you to the families who have come forward to offer a homestay place for a visiting student on our inbound Tour this year. We had a meeting this week to look at what is required, if you are interested and able to host a student and haven’t let me know yet, there is still time. Please email me at mhass10@eq.edu.au if you have any questions too. The visiting group from Taiwan will be at our school from July 26 through to August 10.

Waiting List for Prep 2020 – opened at the beginning of this term.

The waiting list for 2020 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 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.

Date Claimers:

Prep 2020 Information evening will be held in our school hall on Wednesday July 24 at 7pm. All welcome to attend to hear more about our school, programs in Prep and the enrolment process in preparation for next year.

Get Set for Prep session 1: Tuesday October 22, 9 – 10:30am. Focus on Fine Motor Skills

Get Set for Prep session 2: TBA Introduction to Speech and Language Development by School Speech Language Pathologist, 9 - 10:30am

Get Set for Prep session 3: Monday November 11, 9 - 10:30am, Focus on Reading

Prep Orientation meetings: Thursday November 28

Below is the calendar for term 2 Junior assemblies. Everyone welcome, we are on from 2.15pm on these Tuesdays in the hall.

Bronze Certificates have been handed out and students congratulated at Junior Assembly this week:

Prep: Ayden C, Calvin P, Tin V, Elsa J, Georgie H, Zainab A, Zoe H, Charlie H, Nina K, Matilda L, Blake F, Macsen D, Liv G, Grace B, Blair L
Year 1: Emma S, Mary W, Alexander N, Eliza B, Freddie C, James C, Emily R, Lucy L, Kieran S

Extra special congratulations to Silver Certificate recipients:

Lachlan W, Erin Diffin, Mitchell H

Well done to these students for being consistently safe, respectful and responsible!

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

From the Deputy Principal
Lisa McKeaten

Huge week again – we are really looking forward to the Trivia night on Saturday! My husband writes the questions every year and we both are on the organising committee. This year will be the biggest yet – 34 tables!

ISHS Maths Teams Challenge

Last Friday I went to ISHS with 10 students to compete in the Annual Maths Teams Challenge. It is always a great day for learners who thoroughly enjoy the challenges of difficult maths problems. Both teams tried very hard. One of our teams got 2nd place in our division (Primary). Well done to Tom C, Cooper D, Finn F, Benny B & Sam C who participated in that team. Thank you to Mrs Hirst who drove to the venue and assisted by supervising a team on the day. We all had a lovely day! The day is always very well organised and an enjoyable day. Students will receive their certificates and the trophy on assembly this week.

Year 5 Bright Futures STEM Program

All Parents in Year 5 will have received a letter and permission form if they would like to send their Year 5 child to a 2 hour session at Corinda SS on 26th June. This event is organised to give the students some hands on experiences to create excitement about STEM in the resources and energy industry. This includes simulations and virtual reality, 3D printing, drones and a range of resources and energy related activities. There will also be some Industry specific role models (predominantly female) who will be there to share their stories and connections about their occupations.

UNSW ICAS letter

This week the ICAS assessment letter for 2019 was emailed home. If interested please complete and return to the school office.

Respectful Relationships & Sexuality sessions – Years 4, 5 & 6 - Term 3 (16, 23 & 30 July)

As explained in a recent letter to all parents of students in Years 4, 5 & 6, we employ a qualified teacher to conduct a series of 2 sessions (Year 4) and 3 sessions (Year 5 & 6).

These lessons align with the Australian Curriculum in the Health and Physical Education key learning area, specifically in the Relationships and Sexuality focus area.

Parents will receive a permission form for their child to attend the sessions in the next few days. Parents are invited to attend the information session in the Waratah room on Tuesday 25th June at 6-7pm. Please return your RSVP if you are intending to come along.

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

For those keen for the colder weather to arrive, fret not. It would seem winter has arrived a little early, in complete contrast to autumn which was almost two months late in turning up. Hopefully, the morning chill doesn’t make the morning routine too difficult. This is a time where jumpers can wander so please ensure all items of clothing are named so they can be easily retrieved.

This Saturday will see the return of the 90’s as the school community rallies around the Trivia Night. As always, this will be an awesome night and a wonderful way for the school community to come together. Stars will shine brightly and some iconic moments revisited from an often-misunderstood decade. See you there and who knows, I might even recognise you.

Well done to our District Athletics representatives on their performances last Wednesday and Friday. They should all be very proud of their efforts. For those now heading to the Regional Trials, we wish you the very best in your events.

Have a great week!
John Erichsen
(Chappy)

P&C Weekly Update

What a great response!

In the last week, Voluntary Contributions have been made for another 36 students.

Thank you to those families who have contributed to support our children and help fund technology resources at Graceville State School.

Seventy-five per cent of your contribution will go directly and immediately towards purchasing new iPads, desktops and laptops to support our children’s learning and inquiry in the classroom.

Voluntary Contributions have now been made for almost 25 per cent of students.

To provide the technology resources required, ideally we need Voluntary Contributions from over two-thirds of students.

As you can see, we are still striving towards that goal!

Please see the letter from the P&C President below (also sent home with some students and distributed by email) explaining how you can help contribute to providing vital learning resources for our children.

You can make your Voluntary Contribution of $100 per student (or your preferred amount) by transfer to the P&C account, at the School Office or in $10 instalments online at:

The P&C account details are:

Account name: Graceville State School P&C Association
BSB: 064-111
Account number: 00900130
Ref: VC “Child’s name”

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Thank you to the staff, students and families who attended the Sorry Day Ceremony on Sunday morning, including Mrs Payne, Ms Byrne and our school captains and vice captains. This was a very moving ceremony and the first time the Ngaree-ba Kuba Lullaby has been sung, as it was written especially for it by Gaja Kerry. We were able to join together with others as a community choir to sing this song at the ceremony. The Junior Choir will be singing the lullaby at our special NAIDOC assembly on Thursday 20 June. As it is the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages, we are very privileged to be able to share this song with you, which has been written by a local Elder, in Yuggera language and sung on Yuggera country. Please note that this assembly will begin at 9:00am on Thursday 20 June.

Congratulations to Chloe R who is attending SHEP this week (the State Honours Ensemble Program) held at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. This is a fabulous opportunity for her and on behalf of the music staff we would like to congratulate Chloe R for her efforts in being accepted into this 3 day program!

Please note the planned performance dates listed below. We appreciate your assistance ensuring your child/ren to arrive on time for rehearsals/lessons and with the appropriate equipment. Although we have heaters in the music room, with the high ceiling it takes time for the room to warm up so I would suggest that students coming to morning rehearsals wear a jumper.

The Beginner Strings have been invited to attend a workshop at Sherwood State School on Tuesday 18 June. This will be for beginner string students only. We are requesting parents to drop their children at Sherwood State School for the workshop and collect them at the end of the day. The workshop will include a concert (at Sherwood State School) at 2pm which parents and members of the community are welcome to attend. Please find a link to the note which was handed out this week below.

The Senior Choir will be attending the Sing Together Day at St Peters on Tuesday 18 June and an evening concert. There is a link below to the letter that was handed out to students this week. Students will come to the Sing Together Day, then return by bus in the afternoon. They will be asked to come to St Peters for the concert which is currently scheduled for 6:30pm. We need all Senior Choir students to attend to make the most of this exciting performance opportunity and to represent our school, so we ask families to ensure students will be at the evening concert. The Senior Choir will also be performing at the Junior Assembly on Tuesday 11 June prior to their St Peters performance.

Please contact your child's instrumental or choral conductor if they are not able to attend a rehearsal (email contacts are listed below) or if they are experiencing any issues with their lessons.

2019 Rehearsals Venue - Music Room

Monday 7:45am - 8:30am Senior Choir (year 4,5 and 6 students) Ms West
Tuesday 7:30 - 8:30am - Junior Band (starting in term 2 on 21 May) Mr Kukulies
Wednesday 7:45am - 8:30am - Junior Choir (year 2 and 3 students) Mrs Lindh
Wednesday 10:45am - 11:25am - Beginner/Junior Strings (starting in term 2 with junior string students only on 1 May, then beginner strings will join these rehearsals later in the term) - Mrs Prout
Wednesday 2:50pm - 4:00pm - Senior Band - Mr Stiller
Thursday 7:45am - 8:30am Senior Strings - Mrs Prout

Music teacher contact details...

Alex Grodecki - agrod3@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Thursdays)
Ruth Prout - rprou5@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Wednesdays and Thursdays)
James Kukulies - jkuku2@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Tuesdays)
Steve Stiller - sstil2@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Wednesdays)
Julie West - jwest269@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Monday/Tuesday)
Naomi Lindh - nclos1@eq.edu.au (at Graceville Wednesday/Thursday/Friday)

Important dates to note...

11 June - Senior Choir singing on Junior Assembly
18 June - Senior Choir attending St Peters Sing Together Day (bus leaves at 8:30am sharp)
18 June - Senior Choir evening concert at St Peters - 6:30pm (All Senior Choir students)
18 June - Beginner Strings Workshop (beginner students only - all day at Sherwood SS with a concert at approximately 2pm)
20 June - Junior Choir singing at the NAIDOC Assembly - 9am
24 August - Fete performances - Junior Band, Senior Band, Junior Choir and Senior Choir
28/29 August - Instrumental Music Workshop
29 August - Instrumental music concert at 2pm involving all IM students (no choir performances at this concert but all students who learn an instrument at school will perform at this concert with their ensemble)
13 November - Annual Music Concert 6pm - all choral and instrumental music students will be performing at his concert
27 November - Grandparents' Concert - students in the Junior Choir, Senior Choir and Senior Strings will perform at this concert for their grandparents'/special guests

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and IM Coordinator (Wednesday - Friday)

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE 2019

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 also 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 2019 Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Challenge is open to students in Prep to Year 6 and is running from 13 May until Friday 23 August 2019.

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

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop Roster for week ending 7th of June 2019

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS!.

As you may know, last week was National Volunteer Week, when we get to say thank you to all our volunteers but why limit thanking our wonderful and generous volunteers to just one week? After all, they are making our kids lunches and giving us a day off making lunches, and that’s just the volunteers in the tuckshop. Do you know any of the people above? If so, say thank you to them the next time you see them.

Like to help in Tuckshop and become one of these fabulous volunteers? Please contact us by email to tuckshop.gss@gmail.com and we will find you the perfect spot on our roster.

We have had some interest in the backup Convenor position to cover both the Tuckshop and the Uniform Store. We are still receiving enquiries about this position, so if you are interested, please read on.

This is a paid position, employed by the GSS P&C, and all training will be provided.

If you would like to know more about this position or would like to submit an Expression of Interest in it, please email the GSS P&C at:

pandcgraceville@gmail.com

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

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

Cross Country Singlets

If you hired a singlet from the uniform store please could you return it, you will also receive your $5 deposit back.

Stock Update

We will be getting new girls long pants in royal blue at the beginning of June.

Size 8 dresses are out of stock until the end of the year.

Size 4 and 8 track pants are out of stock, more coming next week.

We have size 2 house shirts in stock.

School colour hair accessories are available; there are headbands, hair ties, bows and clips.

As of 1st July 2018, 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, please keep them coming in but can you please make sure that all items are washed and in a good 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

School Plus

Last week we commenced the process to implement a formal Homework Club on a Monday at ASC to start in June. There will be an allocated quiet space for Homework Club with a junior session followed by seniors. We are hoping this will help further support our parents and children during our time! Come and see us in the School Plus Office for more information and don’t forget to sign up!

This week’s highlight was definitely Thursday’s World Turtle Day. It was a day filled with everything turtle! At BSC the children did fantastic Turtle colour-in pictures and signs for our Squirtle’s Tank. ASC was filled with many activities from Making Turtles, Turtle Face Painting, and Turtle Treasure Hunts on the oval! Of course, Mr Squirtle the Turtle came out for a play. Sushi Slices were also a big hit for this week’s menu! Watch this space for more exciting news at School Plus!