22 October 2020

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

We are now one week away from the school’s biggest event of the year!

Next Thursday night is our inaugural arts event. Half of the tickets are already sold and we hope all tickets will be snapped up by early next week. The students’ art works are magnificent, the market stall items are brilliant and can’t wait to hear our young musicians perform. The whole school is the backdrop for the event. The map of the gallery walk is below. As you will see there is a one way path around the school which is in place to ensure our event is COVID safe.

There are some beautiful light and art installations which help to make the event quite magical! We hope you can join us! Entry is only via a pre-booked ticket so get in quick to make sure you do not miss out.

To make the night a success WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need help in setting up each of the spaces. We have a plan for each space and need helpers to put up canvases, prints, sculptures etc. The hall which will include all the P-2 art is being set up Monday and we need 8 volunteers. The Library which will house the Year 3 art is being set up Wednesday and we need 6 volunteers. Thursday is our major set up day where we will need up to 20 volunteers to curate all of the outdoor spaces! It might be nice to get some friends together and catch up while helping set up! We will have some tea, coffee and bickies for our volunteers as well. Pack up is on the Friday, we are desperate for help that day as the hall has to be ready for the election on Saturday. We will be grateful for any time you can give.

Go to the link below to see the roster and sign up to help.

You can purchase tickets for the evening here:

Finally, we will keep all our usual COVID safe plans in place for another fortnight. We hope to be able to lift some restrictions after that.

Have a great week,

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Preparing for Prep 2021

We have had to change the date of our second Get Set for Prep session due to a clash of the use of the hall. Please note that Session 2 Introduction to Speech and Language Development will now be on Thursday November 5, 9-10am.

Due to COVID restrictions we have also had to modify the times for these sessions, they will run from 9:00 – 10:00 meeting in our school hall and not finish at 10:30am.

Term 4

Get Set for Prep

Session 1: Tuesday Oct 20 OR Friday Oct 23, 9 – 10:00am Focus on Fine Motor Skills

Session 2: Thursday Nov 5, 9 – 10:00 Introduction to Speech and Language Development with our School Speech Language Pathologist

Session 3: Tuesday Nov 10 OR Friday Nov 13, 9 – 10:00am Focus on Reading

Prep Orientation meetings: Thursday November 26

Meet the class session: Thursday December 3, 9 – 10am

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

School Photos – Extra Curricular

These school sports and co-curricular groups were photographed on 8/10/2020:

You can now purchase these group images at a 20% discount up until the 2/11/2020 at your school's advancedorder site by clicking on the red button below.

Or visit the link below:

And enter online order code: 9RV WWZ 4X9

Important Information:

• Sports and co-curricular group photos can only be purchased online, DO NOT return payment to your school
• If your child’s group or team has not yet been photographed and is scheduled to be photographed at a later date, you will receive an additional email notification when the images are ready to be ordered
• Photos will be returned to your school for distribution approximately six weeks after photos are ordered
• Past years’ photographs including sports, co-curricular and representative groups are also available at your school’s advancedorder and your child’s advancedyou photo sites

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to Graceville State School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience, please contact us at the link below.

New Reading and Writing Centre website

Parents and carers play a vital part in supporting children to read.

The Reading and Writing Centre has a new website to support parents and carers to improve children’s reading and writing skills. It provides useful resources to support children’s reading and writing at home and at school.

The website also provides contact details to the Advisory service for those looking for advice to help support students with their reading and writing.

For more information, visit the Reading and Writing Centre website.

Let’s celebrate World Teachers’ Day on Friday 30 October

We are thanking our amazing Queensland teachers this World Teachers’ Day on Friday 30 October. Students and parents can get involved in the celebrations. Perhaps send your teacher a certificate or thank you card or maybe make your own celebratory paper bunting. Take a photo of one of the many local landmarks that are being lit up to thank our teachers.

There are lots of ideas to get involved on the website below.

Let us know how you are celebrating this important day by using our social media hashtag #ThanksQldTeachers.

Wear red for Day for Daniel 2020

Our school community is taking part in Day for Daniel on Friday 30 October.

It is an important day to educate children on their personal safety in online and physical environments.

Don’t forget to wear red on 30 October.

Visit the Daniel Morcombe website for free resources to empower children to “Recognise, React, Report” if they ever feel unsafe.

Money Matters

Anne Nixon

This week you may have received statements for your child if they have any outstanding fees, or have a credit on their file. Please ensure any outstanding accounts are paid by Tuesday 27th October 2020. If your child has a credit, please do not pay. Contact the office either via email to admin@gracevilless.eq.edu.au or phone 3716 2777 to allocate the credit to future invoices. You will need to do this when you receive the next invoice.

If you are a year 6 parent, please contact the office in regards to filling in paperwork to receive a refund, if you are still yet to send it in. All refund paperwork must be received at the office by Friday 27th November 2020.

Student Resource Schemes (SRS) for 2020 are:

• Prep Requirements ($70)
• Reading Eggs for Prep ($25)
• Instrumental Music Programs – Instrument Hire ($100), Percussion Maintenance ($50), Music Participation ($90) & Choir ($40)
• Mathletics On-line registration (Years 1 - 6) ($12)
• Origo Maths (years Prep to 4) ($7)
• 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.

Credit in Account: Credits from 2019 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:

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

Thank you to all of our instrumental and choral students and conductors for their efforts preparing for and participating in the recordings this term! We have been navigating our way through the changes we've needed to make this semester including distancing students during rehearsals, which can make it more challenging for students to hear each other and feel supported while singing/playing, as well as the technical difficulties and differences with recording music. We have greatly appreciated the understanding of students and their families with the changes this year has brought to our rehearsals and performances via recordings. We would like to thank Chappy and Mrs Fennell for filming the recordings and greatly appreciate his assistance with this. Some ensembles/choirs may need to record or re-record a piece/song. If this is the case, conductors will let parents know via email and the recordings will be done in the usual rehearsal time.

Please note that next week, due to the set up required in the hall for the Arts Illuminated evening, all choir and instrumental rehearsals will be cancelled. Rehearsals will resume the following week, in week 5. This will also give our students who are involved on the evening time to prepare for the night. Thank you for your understanding with this change! We hope everyone enjoys listening to our recorded music at the art show and has a fabulous evening!

Instrumental rehearsals will finish at the end of week 8 of this term, 25/26/27 November.

Choir update

We were very fortunate to have Mrs Jo Schravemade to accompany our choir rehearsals in weeks 2 and 3 of this term and for our recordings. Mrs Schravemade is a professional accompanist and it has been a fabulous experience for our students to sing with her. Our choir students sang with enthusiasm and beautiful voices during our recording this week.

Mrs Funnell recorded our songs and we are very grateful for her assistance and support!

A number of emails have been sent to parents of students in the Senior and Junior Choir - if you have not received any of these messages via email, please let me know (via email nclos1@eq.edu.au) so I can add your email to the contact list. It is possible that the choirs will record or re-record an additional song or two this term If this is the case I will let you know via email. This would also give students who were in the back rows of our recording this week to be in one of the front rows. Please note that choir rehearsals will continue until and including week 7 for both choirs, with our last rehearsals on 17/18 November (and next week rehearsals are cancelled due to the art show preparation).

Instrumental Music Recruitment for 2021

Please note that expressions of interest received have been collated by our instrumental teachers and they have started meeting with students for the recruitment process. If any students were absent on the day of recruitment the IM teachers will meet with them in the next week or two, then the process will be finalised and offers will be sent home.

If you have any questions for teachers/conductors, please note their email details below. If your child is sick and unable to attend a rehearsal, please send an email to their conductor.

Music Teacher Contact Details...

Mrs Ruth Prout - string teacher and conductor - Wednesdays and Thursdays - rprou5@eq.edu.au

Mr James Kukulies - band teacher and conductor - Thursdays and Fridays - jkuku2@eq.edu.au

Mrs Naomi Lindh - classroom music teacher and choir conductor - Mon - Fri - nclos1@eq.edu.au

Music rehearsals

Tuesday 7:45am - Senior Choir (Year 4 - 6 students)
Wednesday 7:45am - Junior Choir (Year 2 - 3 students)
Wednesday second break - Junior/Beg Strings
Thursday 7:45am - Senior Strings
Thursday 2:50 - 4pm - Senior Band
Friday 7:45am - Junior Band

Thank you for supporting our music program. We look forward to sharing our music with you.

Naomi Lindh
Music Teacher and Choral Conductor

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

LIBRARY NEWS

BOOK FAIR 2020

We are fortunate enough to hold our Book Fair in the library this term. It will however be a little different to our usual Book Fair due to the current circumstances. Nevertheless, there will be a terrific range of engaging and affordable books and stationery items for everyone to purchase.

These items will be on sale to students when they visit during their scheduled Library time between FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER and WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER.

The Book Fair will also be open to STUDENTS ONLY (no parents/adults in the library) before school 8.00 – 8.30 and at First Break 11.00 – 11.20.

THIS YEAR THE BOOK FAIR WILL ALSO BE ONLINE.

Keep an eye out for the Book Fair information that will be coming home with your child/children.

If you are unable to purchase from our Book Fair, please keep an eye out for the next Book Club Catalogue. We will run Book Club in the last few weeks of this term.

Every order placed with Scholastic Book Fair and Book Club earns valuable rewards which can be used to purchase new resources for the library and classrooms for students to enjoy. This is a fantastic and easy way to support our school whilst encouraging your child’s love of reading.

P&C News

Rainbow Ninja Challenge Wrap Up

On the last Thursday in Term 3, the Rainbow Ninja Challenge went ahead and the day was an enormous success! The best measure of this success were the screams of delighted children as they experienced the obstacle course and the rainbow of coloured powders, the buzz of excitement at the Lob-o-Choc stall and the beaming smiles on the faces of children, teachers, staff and parents on the day. Comments are still being made on how the children all had a bundle of fun and made very happy memories in the year 2020 that has been challenging on many fronts.

An incredibly successful event does not happen without our very generous sponsors, to whom we are incredibly thankful. Donations and grants received as contributions towards the Rainbow Ninja Challenge are listed in the attached sponsorship report. Please take a moment to see the sponsor posters displayed at the front and back gates, and throughout the School. The best way to thank our sponsors within our local community is to support them in return. Thank you for your generosity and your momentous efforts before and on the event day – everything that happens behind the scenes is heart-warming and bucket filling!

This event with huge logistical challenges was also possible because of the time and dedication committed by parent volunteers. It is hard to express with words the amount of work, the effort, and the hours that were donated by a handful of dedicated parents, to whom we are forever grateful. Together with volunteers, the event came together because of an amazing collaboration with the school leadership team. We thank them for the huge effort they made to help organise and coordinate the day, along with the support of the administrative staff.

We thank all of the volunteers who turned up to help with their rostered duties, diligently abiding by the rules of the School’s COVID Safe Plan. Thank you.

Apart from the screams of happiness and smiles of joy, the other measure of success was that we raised approximately $32,000 for our School. An incredible effort – thank you everyone for your support and donations.

Finally, if you haven’t transferred money received from your fundraising efforts, please transfer directly to the P&C bank account:

Name: Graceville State School P&C Association
BSB: 064-111
Account: 00900130

Uniform Shop

Michelle Fanning

Hi all, welcome to week 3!

So we're really into the swing of things now. 2021 Prep parents are starting to buy, current parents are planning ahead for next year...and I love it! Nothing like being prepared.

OPENING DAYS AND TIMES FOR TERM 4

We will remain appointment only as well as having the online store for easy ordering. The appointment days this term are Tuesday and Thursday each week from 8:15am – 9:45am.

There is now an option when booking online for 2021 Prep parents or new families joining us to make a 20 minute appointment to allow time for trying on uniforms etc. The usual 10 minute appointments will apply for current families.

For any reason you cannot make your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible via the uniform store email or call the school office to leave a message.

When visiting the store, enter and exit the school grounds through the Oxley Road gate near the tennis courts. The uniform store is located just to the left of the courts.

To book an appointment click on the following link -

ONLINE STORE

The uniform shop has an online store, so if you already know the sizes you're after you can order and pay online with ease. The order will be delivered to your child’s classroom via their teacher.

2021 Prep orders will be sent to the school office and customers will be emailed once their order is ready to be collected.

The online store can be found on the link below -

SKORTS

Skorts are back in store in ALL sizes. Only a small number were able to be delivered last week, so don’t delay if you were thinking of purchasing. The remainder of the stock will arrive later in the year.

NEW ITEM

I am thrilled to announce that a long sleeve gold polo shirt will now become a uniform staple. It will look exactly like the gold polo shirt...GSS printed on the collar, buttons at the neck, school emblem on the chest and will have a cuff at the bottom of the long sleeve. They will be an excellent addition to the current uniform as they can be worn all year round...sun smart in summer and extra warmth in the cooler months. The long sleeve polo will retail for $35. If you would like to pre order, please send me an email as I know they will sell fast! Stocks are limited.

DONATIONS

We are always grateful for donations of 2nd hand uniforms that are in clean, saleable condition. We also ask that any donations are SCHOOL BRANDED ITEMS ONLY, so no items from any outside stores. Thank you for your generosity and understanding.

• Please be advised that refunds will only be given if you have the original receipt. Items should not have been washed, worn and any tags must still be attached.
• We encourage customers to use their EFTPOS or credit cards when purchasing.

The email address for school uniform store is:

gracevillessuniform@gmail.com

Thank you all for your ongoing support.

Michelle

Tuckshop News

We hope everyone has found the transition to Qkr! an easy one to make. Please be patient with us over the next couple of weeks as we iron out a few bugs that pop up now we are actively using the system.

If you haven’t already downloaded the app to your phone then do it asap! We find it a very easy system to navigate and hopefully you do too!

Remember cut off is 8am and if your child is away for the day after you have ordered lunch send us a quick email and we can cancel the order for you.

As you can see from the table above we are desperate for volunteers! We are getting busier each week and every day gets busier as the weeks progress– with Wednesdays and Fridays our busiest days to prepare orders. We are making up to 180 orders just on Friday alone!! It really is not possible to do those numbers without help.

Please sign up if you can spare an hour or two. We only need you from 8.30-11.30 but anytime you can spare would be fantastic. Signing up is easy. Use this link to sign up now!

In menu news – we have added Chicken Burgers to Thursdays. So, you can now pick either a Beef Burger (Beef patty, lettuce, tomato and cheese and tomato sauce) or a Chicken Burger (coated chicken breast, lettuce, mayonnaise) as a tasty lunch treat!

Birthday Iceblocks are still a winner with everyone. Orders for Birthday Iceblocks must be made with 24 hour’s notice so we have enough time to order balloons. We would hate anyone to miss out – and going by the faces that pick-up Birthday Iceblocks…the balloon is definitely a big hit.

Thank you to the group of people that keep answering our calls for last minute help especially on a Friday – we really would not be able to feed the school if it wasn’t for you!

As always if you have any questions about menu, Qkr or volunteering please email us at tuckshop@gracevillepandc.org.au and we will get back to you!

See you at Tuckshop!

Alex and Emma
Tuckshop Convenors 2020

Term 4 Swimming Program

Bookings are now being taken for the Term 4 swimming program. All students who have participated in the swim program will begin the term in the SAME ABILITY LEVEL as Term 1 unless told otherwise when re-joining the program this term. During the course of the term, the coach may move students to different levels where appropriate.

To join the entry group class of, “Beginner Stroke Development" (BSD), children must be in Year 1 or older and be able to swim 25m freestyle non stop bi-lateral breathing [Breathing both sides]. Any children not of this age or ability may enrol in private lessons on offer Friday and Monday afternoons. If I have teachers and space in the pool available there is a chance you may be able to book a private lesson on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after school as well. To help me make this schedule I need an hour’s time frame to work with. This program is from 3 pm until 5:20 pm on Fridays and 3 pm until 6 pm on the other week days, so if you want a private 20 minute time slot you would need to let me know day/s you are available and a 1 hour time frame of availability ...[for example between 3 pm and 4 pm on Tuesday and Friday] . It is impossible for me to give everyone a lesson straight after school so if you live nearby, maybe it is best to go home after school and return for the 4 pm until 6 pm timeframe. The best response I can receive is that you are available ANYTIME.

Spaces are limited, so to avoid disappointment, respond to this message asap with your preferred days and available times. My email is petegeraghty@hotmail.com

I am unable to respond to email queries over the next week but am able to answer any question by phone (ph: 0432407442). Talk to me...DO NOT TEXT ME. Call me to discuss all if you have any questions.

An attachment with the first draft of the schedule has been included in this message (you may need to scroll to the bottom). Information regarding the 3 levels of group/squad classes is contained in the attachment. The three group levels are Beginner Stroke development [BSD], followed by Advanced Stroke Development [ASD] and then Squad.

The scheduled program may change due to over demand or lack of demand for any particular class.

A new terms and conditions agreement will be given to all the students at their first lesson. This needs to be signed and returned no later than the 2nd lesson. Parents will be invoiced for the term once the program is settled.

Please send me ALL YOUR AVAILABLE DAYS and times to help me with the scheduling. You will receive an email regarding your booking, which will need to be confirmed by you before you join the program. Please forward this information to any friends or family who would be interested in joining the program. High school students and adults may join the program. You do not have to attend Graceville State School to participate. Everyone is welcome.

I am always looking for swim teachers. If you know, any qualified teachers or know anyone who would be interested in becoming a swim teacher, please put them in touch with me.

See you at the pool.

Pete Geraghty
0432407442

Robotics Lessons

School Plus Graceville

Week 1 of Term 4 started with a short week with the public holiday on Monday. The children started off the first day of the term with lots of stories from their Holiday Break! Plenty of camping stories and lots of sleepovers at friends and grandparents. We had a chat about our favourite September Vacation Care days, and many loved the Rock Climbing and Hungerball Soccer incursions, excursions to Bounce and Inflatable World, Wheels and Pokémon Days, just to name a few! At before school care the children have enjoyed morning Yoga and have loved the hot brekkies including pancakes and eggs your way. In the afternoons there has been a lot of games of dodgeball, rip tap and red rover games as well as outdoor craft. In week 2 our exciting 6-week Cooking Program started that was designed and run by our very own Educator, Adeline. The children made guacamole with oven baked tortilla chips that they took home along with the recipe. Both Wednesday and Friday sessions booked out quickly! For those that missed out, we will share our weekly recipes and creations. Watch this space to see what our little chefs will be making next week! In other exciting news at School Plus, Georgette has joined our Graceville team as our new Assistant Coordinator. She has loved her first week with us and enjoyed meeting our wonderful children and families!