27 June 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

Acting Principal

Maree Hass

Hello everyone,

It was great to see at our Junior Assembly on Tuesday when we had an Author’s Chair on stage and some young students sharing their writing with us including Year 2 Poetry and Prep Recounts. We have been working on developing not only the technical aspects of writing with all students but also a love of writing which could be seen in their enthusiasm and willingness to share their work with others.

The end of term 2 is quickly drawing to a close. We are now also at the half waypoint through the school year and as report cards are emailed and portfolios come home this week, it is a good time to reflect upon the enormous growth and development of all of our students. Parent teacher meetings will be offered early next term if you have any questions about any aspect of your child’s report and progress.

We are fortunate again this week to have our Inquiry expert Kath Murdoch in the school for 2 days working with all staff in our own Inquiry learning journey. It is important for our teachers to be inquirers into their own work as well as great role models for our students in classroom inquiry learning.

Heads up for early next term:

Twenty-three of our students will be participating in the annual Creative Generations at the Convention Centre from July 19 to 20. Book your tickets to see amazing items by very talented students from across our State. All the best to our Graceville participants.

On July 25 our students in year 4 – 6 will be participating in Cyber-Safety presentations with visiting EQ presenters.

We welcome the inbound study tour from Taiwan on Friday July 26 so this will be a busy 2 weeks within the school.

Term 3 is School Fete time with many people contributing time and efforts towards our fete to be held on Saturday August 24. I hope you can find some way to lend a hand and enjoy the day.

During next term we will also be reflecting on the work done and many successes over the past 4 years as we conduct our school’s Quadrennial Review. There will be opportunities provided for all of the Graceville community to join in various events.

We will also begin to prepare for our new intake of prep enrolments for 2020. We endeavour to provide comprehensive information to new families and also provide opportunities for new preppies to experience the school and classroom environments on a number of occasions in preparation for a smooth start in 2020.

I would like to wish you all a very happy and safe holiday break over the next two weeks and see you back for a busy term 3. Families in the neighbourhood, please be on the lookout around the school during the holidays and report any suspicious activity to School Watch on Ph: 131788.

Regards,
Maree.

Below is the calendar for Junior Assemblies in Term 3. 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: Tessa S, Josh S, Grace D, Daphne M, Ethan H, Eira D, Iva B, Ellena S, Flynn T, Sophie H

Year 1: Daniel B, Ezra H, Campbell F, Sophie G, Lara H, Anna L, Max M, Barnaby P, Eva A, Amelie B, Lily F, Jenny L, Shun O, Samuel K, Charlotte Rose H

Extra special congratulations to Silver Certificate recipients:

Sarah C, Clarie E, Fletcher S, Josh M, Zoe K

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

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: Monday October 28, 9 – 10:30am. Introduction to Speech and Language Development by School Speech Language Pathologist
Get Set for Prep session 3: Tuesday November 12, 9 - 10:30am, Focus on Reading
Prep Orientation meetings: Thursday November 28

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.

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Parking on school grounds

Just a reminder that parking on school grounds is not permitted. Particularly near the tuckshop is an issue at times. This area needs to be kept clear for emergency vehicles and deliveries. It is not a drop off or pick up area. However, it does have a disabled park next to F block, which can be used by parents if they have a disability parking permit and require close accessibility to the school buildings. This permit only parking space will not interfere with access by other vehicles.

Smoking on school grounds

Just another reminder that smoking is strictly prohibited in the school grounds (also all government sites) at all times and within 5 metres of the boundary of the school. This includes all times 24/7 (evenings, weekends etc). If you see anyone breaking this LAW you can report it (137468).

Year 4, 5 & 6 Relationships and Sexuality Program

Our Relationships and Sexuality Program commences after the holidays:

Year 4 – 16 & 23 July
Years 5 & 6 – 16, ,23 & 30 July.

All permission forms and payments need to finalised by the end of this week.

Business Manager

Anne Nixon

Student Resource Schemes (SRS) for 2019 are:

• Prep Requirements ($70)
• Reading Eggs for Prep ($25)
• 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 2, 3 and 4) ($6)
• Year 4/5 maths levy ($17.50)
• ESmart Digital Licence Yr 5 ($10)

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. Please note that there are a few Term 3 excursions that need to be paid before the end of Term 2.

We will be sending statements home next week. If you have a credit on your account and would like to apply it to any outstanding invoices please contact the office. We cannot automatically apply any credits to invoices without parent authorisation.

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.

Music News

Naomi Lindh

We have had a fabulous end to the term with excursions and concerts last week for our Beginner Strings, Junior Choir and Senior Choir and have received some lovely feedback about each of these experiences for our students. On Tuesday 18 June our Beginner String students attended a Workshop at Sherwood SS. Over 90 beginner students from 4 local schools were involved in this intensive string workshop. It was a great experience for these students who are just beginning their musical development to play in such a large group. The concert held for parents at the end of the workshop highlighted new techniques and pieces learnt for the day. Thank you to our beginner string students, their families and Mrs Prout for your efforts last week! We would also like to thank Sherwood State School for organising and hosting this event.

Our Senior Choir attended the Sing Together Day at St Peters, also held on Tuesday 18 June. It was an amazing day of singing that Ms West and I were very fortunate to be able to attend with our choir students. Guest conductor Paul Holley OAM conducted over 360 students from various schools during the day. In the evening each choir sang individually with their school conductor, then as a massed choir with Paul Holley conducting. The experience of working with such an experienced and professional conductor was fabulous for our students, learning new skills, songs and being part of a massed choir. Thank you to our Senior Choir students and families for your support throughout the semester with rehearsals and also attending the evening concert. It is a great experience for our students to be able to listen to students singing in their school choir as well as having the opportunity to perform in their large auditorium. We would also like to thank Ms Julie West for her work with the Senior Choir and their lovely singing at a recent assembly and the evening concert at St Peters.

Last Thursday our Junior Choir performed at the NAIDOC assembly. Thank you to our enthusiastic choir students who sang beautifully, sharing 3 songs at this special event. Thank you also to our Junior Choir families for supporting your child to attend rehearsals in preparation for this event and those who were able to attend the assembly. Please see the important information below regarding next term and the continuing journey of our culture sharing at Graceville SS.

Next term on 9 August our school is hosting a symposium which includes a focus on Indigenous Education which up to 100 educators will be attending. I am organising a performance of two songs at the symposium, after the Welcome to Country and the sharing of the Inquiry to develop a school acknowledgement. This performance will take place before school on Friday 9 August and students will be requested to meet me at 7:45am on that day (in the Student Services room near the hall). Students in the Junior Choir, Senior Choir and the students who have been involved in the Inquiry are invited to sing at this event. Interested students are requested to join our Junior Choir rehearsals on Wednesday mornings at 8:00am, starting on the first Wednesday of next term and continuing until the week of the performance, which will give us 4 rehearsals in total. The songs we are planning to perform are the Ngaree-ba Kaba Lullaby which the Junior Choir sang at the NAIDOC assembly and the song created last year, Yuggera Djarra-na. Both of these songs include Yuggera language. If your child would like to be involved, it is important that they commit to attending the rehearsals each week from Wednesday 17 July at 8am until the performance.

If your child would be interested in attending can you please RSVP via email (nclos1@eq.edu.au). At this stage rehearsals will be held in the music room but depending on the number of students, we may need to move rehearsals to the hall. Interested students should come to the music room for the first rehearsal, on Wednesday 17 July at 8:00am. Junior Choir rehearsals will continue to begin at 7:45am. (If there are any siblings of Junior Choir students planning to join the rehearsal, they may do so at 7:45am.)

Parents will be able to attend the performance and opening of the Symposium at 8am in the hall on Friday 9 August. After the Welcome to Country, Inquiry sharing and song performance, students will be able to leave the hall and attend classes as usual and parents will be asked to leave the hall as the symposium will continue with the educators.

Thank you for supporting this sharing of culture including Yuggera language and performance opportunity for our students.

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.

On behalf of the music staff we wish all of our students and families a safe and relaxing holiday!

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 - 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...

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)

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

Chappy’s Chat

The last sounds of Term 2 can be heard as we near the winter holiday break and students are keen for a well-earned rest. It has been a very busy term, including NAPLAN, Athletics, Interschool sport, ANZAC Day, NAIDOC Day, assessments and reporting. No wonder some are feeling a little weary. Make sure you refresh over the next couple of weeks for Term 3 will be just as busy as we speed towards our annual Graceville State School Fete.

Last Wednesday, the weather was perfect for our Lapathon fundraiser and the students did exceptionally well as they “lapped up” the school oval. A huge thanks to all the helpers who made the day so successful and it was fantastic to see so many parents and grand-parents attend the day to cheer on the participants. The winners will receive their prizes on assembly early next term. Well done to everyone. I hope you had a fun time.

This Friday, our year five and six students participate in their last afternoon of interschool Sport and some teams will be in a final or in contention to finish on top of the ladder. We wish all our teams the best of luck and hope they enjoy this last sporting afternoon of the season.

The second week of the holidays, for the first time, sees the annual Chaplaincy conference take place outside of school weeks. I think this is a great move as, although the conference provides valuable training and networking opportunities, being out of the school for a week of Term 3 was a shame. This will work far better for all, I think.

Whatever your holiday plans, I trust you will have a great time, staying safe… and warm as the chilly mornings greet you. Wherever you are heading, I wish you safe travels and no delays. May your holidays be filled with wonderful times creating lifelong memories with those most important to you!

See you next Term,

John Erichsen
(Chappy)

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop Roster for week ending 19th of July 2019

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS!.

Another term down. Why are they going so fast?

Term 3 is our fabulous GSS Fete, scheduled for Saturday, 24 August.

Term 3 hits tuckshop hard as cold and flu season really ramps up and takes out many of our volunteers. Not only that, volunteer fatigue set in around the fete. If you can help us in tuckshop for just one day this term please email us immediately! Don’t wait, do it now. We would love to hear from you. Please contact us by email to tuckshop.gss@gmail.com and we will find you the perfect spot on our roster.

Hope you all have a wonderful, restful and safe holiday. See you all in term 3.

Uniform Shop

Fiona Fryer

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

Uniform Store Roster
Term 3

Stock Update

We have new girls long pants in royal blue in stock for $30, perfect for winter.
Size 8 dresses are out of stock until the end of the year.
Size 8 Kennedy house shirts are out of stock, due in beginning of term 3.
Size 6 and 8 polar fleece jackets are out of stock, due in beginning of term 3.
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

Can you believe it, the last week of term 2 is just around the corner already! We had many exciting days and activities in week 9! One of the weeks’ highlights was definitely picking the freshly grown tomatoes and lettuce from our garden and using them for afternoon tea! The children enjoyed delicious sandwiches and crackers using our very own vegetables, after about 3 long, patient months of growing, nurture and love!

This week we also celebrated World Refugee Day on Thursday. The discussion began at BSC when the children were asked about what they believed the day was about. Most of the seniors were able to answer and began educating the juniors as well as starting some research on the iPads! This then expanded to creating posters and a large discussion at group time! With Vacation Care right around the corner, don’t forget to book as the days are filling quickly, especially Inflatable World, Football Queensland Soccer Clinic and Super Drone Day!

Community Notices

GO SPORTS Coaching Term 3:

Kids will improve skills a and be active in a FUN environment

NETBALL : Grades 1-4 commencing Wednesday 7th August 7.45-8.30am
SOCCER : Grades Prep-3 commencing Wednesday 7th August 7.45 -8.30am

To Register go to the link below and click on Register now.