18 February 2021

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

Thank you to all the parents and carers who were able to attend the Parent Information Sessions over the past few weeks. It was nice to see parents back in the school again engaging with our teachers!

We would love your support in helping us to better manage the Stop, Drop and Go Zone on Acacia Avenue. The zone has a 2 minute only wait time in the top three locations where children can enter and exit vehicles. Some parents are arriving very early and when their child/children do not arrive right on 2.50pm, the whole zone is banked up. We are on duty at the gate until 3.10pm. You are welcome to leave your pick up run a little later to avoid the long queues. We also ask parents using the drop off and pick up zones to have the family surname visible. We have a variety of staff at the gate in the afternoons and not all know every family or vehicle. We can keep the flow of vehicles moving more efficiently if the teacher on duty can have the children ready and waiting at the appropriate pick up spot. We do appreciate your support in helping us manage pick up time especially.

As the school year is now well underway, the teachers have formally started reading groups. Teachers are aware they can have up to 4 adults in a classroom at any one time and so they may start to ask for help in reading groups. If you’re helping in a classroom, please remember if you are sick in anyway, you would not be able to come to school and help on that day.

The P&C meeting is next Wednesday. The meeting will start at 7pm as the school will be presenting the research and modelling what they have done on new look, future focused classrooms. We hope the P&C support a trial of some classrooms (seven would be amazing but we would love at least three) being furnished as future focused flexible spaces. A show of support would be fantastic for this innovative project. We understand that only members of the P&C can take part in the final vote.

The Spell-a-thon is on this term! Very soon you will start to see information coming home. The money raised from the spell-a-thon will go directly towards purchasing much needed new reading books this year and supporting the development of writing.

The Cross County event is planned to go ahead on Wednesday 10th of March. The event will obviously be run in a COVID safe manner. More information will come out soon.

Finally, Ms Hass, our Head of Lower School, will be taking leave for the remainder of the term to seek treatment for a serious health related concern. We wish Ms Hass the best of luck this week as she undergoes surgery and once healed, starts a treatment plan. Our best wishes and thoughts are with her this week. Mrs Belinda Martin will be the Acting Deputy Principal for Term 1. Parents with children in Prep to Year 2 can contact Mrs Martin as the acting Head of Lower School.

I hope you have a great week,

Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Welcome to another school year, there are many excited young faces in the playground and classrooms eager for all the new experiences they are engaging in. Some children’s energy is waning come afternoon, so early nights and good nutrition is required, especially at this time of the year.

Our new Prep students have met their buddies and the buddies have been an invaluable help in orientating our new students to where everything is and feeling safe and confident in this new environment. Thank you and well done school buddies.

Mathletics for 2021

We will shortly commence the Mathletics program for this year. It is an online Mathematics program that is individually based and one that students can access at home as well as at school for all students in year 1 to year 6. The cost for Mathletics is $14 per student and an invoice will be emailed home once the Student Resource Scheme form has been signed and returned. Your class teacher can inform you more fully about Mathletics and how your class will be using the program this year. Each student will then receive their own personal log on and password to access the program for both at school and at home.

Reading Eggs in Prep and Year 1

We will be using the program ‘Reading Eggs’ with our prep and year 1 students. This online program is designed to motivate and excite students about reading and will be a useful addition to assist our classes in the reading process, which we view as one of the most important things for our young students to learn as it unlocks all other areas in learning. Some families may already have a subscription, if you do please let your teacher know about this. School subscriptions are vastly cheaper for parents, and students have access both at school and at home. Also with a school subscription, teachers can track student progress and achievement.

Please return the Student Resource Scheme permission form so that you can be invoiced for access and the programs set up ready to go.

Junior Assemblies in term 1

We have started having face-to-face assemblies once again after Zooming for most of 2020. These assemblies will be for all Prep to Year 2 classes. Junior assemblies will now be on Thursday afternoons at 2pm in the hall. Year 2 students have the opportunity to develop their skills of public speaking by taking turns in leading these assemblies and classes will also take part presenting items for us all. During our time together we like to recognise Birthdays and present awards to students from across all classes.

We are still restricted in the number of adults we can have in the hall together and ask that only the parents of students who are involved in the class item or are presenting attend on that day and remember to socially distance from each other at the back of the hall.

Below is the calendar for term 1 assemblies.

Waiting List for Prep for 2022 – opens Week 2 of Term 3 Monday July 19.

The waiting list for 2022 will open on Monday, 19th July at 8:00am. Please let any interested people know that forms and information can be obtained from our school office from that date. Families from within our catchment area - we also invite you to obtain enrolment forms to begin the process when convenient after the start of term 2. 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 residing 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.

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Medical issues

Any child or adult who shows any symptoms of COVID or are feeling unwell must stay home and get tested.

COVID symptoms to look out for:

• Fever
• Respiratory symptoms
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Other symptoms: runny nose, headache, muscle or joint pains, nausea, diarrhoea

If a child is showing signs of illness at school the parents or carers will be contacted to come and collect them.

Thanks for your understanding with these important matters.

Student Leadership

Next Wednesday 24th February, Chappy will accompany our 20 student leaders, with me, to the Convention centre for a Young Leaders’ Day. This day is always a great inspirational day for our students listening to some very impressive leaders from many areas of our community. I believe one of the speakers this year is our Governor General.

Naplan 2021

We will be participating in Naplan this year – Years 3 & 5 students.

Dates to note:

Week 1 Term 2 (19-23 April) – Yr 3 & 5 Practice tests (online)
Naplan testing: During a 2 week period – 11 to 21 May

Business Manager

Anne Nixon

Student Resource Schemes (SRS) for 2021 are:

• Prep Requirements ($70)
• Reading Eggs ($26)
• Instrumental Music Programs – Instrument Hire ($100), Percussion Maintenance ($50), Music Participation ($90) & Choir ($45)
• Mathletics On-line registration (Years 1 - 6) ($14)
• Origo Maths (years Prep to 4) ($8)
• Year 4/5 maths levy ($19)
• ESmart Digital Licence Yr 5 ($11)

Student Resource scheme forms have now been sent home. Please return all forms to the office asap.

Invoices have started to be generated this week. If you have not seen any invoices by Monday 22nd February 2021, please contact the office.

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 2020 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.

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Thank you to all of the students who have attended their lessons or rehearsals over the last couple of weeks. We hope they have enjoyed their first lessons and rehearsals! If your child is in the IM program and has not received their timetable via email from their teacher, please contact them (see email addresses below). Our rehearsal times are also listed below. All members of the instrumental program should attend their rehearsals regularly as part of their commitment to the program and their ensemble. If your child is unwell or unable to make a rehearsal, please let their conductor know via email. Timetables for lessons will be sent to parents by IM teachers via email and given to students.

Our choir rehearsals started this week. Please see the link for further information regarding our rehearsals, which are open to any interested students in years 2 - 6. If your child would like to join the choir next week, they are very welcome to attend. Paper copies of this letter are available from the music room which your child can collect. The slip can be brought to the first rehearsal they attend. Students who are new to the choir this year (and were not a member of the choir last year) will also need to complete an SRS form which will be handed out at their first rehearsal. Involvement in the choir is $45 for the year.

The rehearsal schedule for 2021 is below. These rehearsals will be held in the school hall.

Monday 7:45am - 8:30am - Junior Choir (students in years 2 and 3)
Tuesday 7:45am - 8:30am - Senior Choir (interested students in years 4 - 6)
Wednesday 7:45am - 8:30am - Junior and Beginner Strings (this will begin in term 2, date TBA)
Thursday 7:45am - 8:30am - Senior Strings
Thursday 2:50pm - 4:00pm - Senior Band
Friday 7:45am - 8:30am - Junior Band (this will begin in term 2, date TBA)

Music teacher contact details

Alex Chin - String teacher and conductor (Wednesdays and Thursdays) email: axchi4@eq.edu.au
James Kukulies - Band teacher and conductor (Thursdays and Fridays) email: jkuku2@eq.edu.au
Naomi Lindh - Classroom music teacher and choral conductor (Monday - Friday) email: nclos1@eq.edu.au

Uniform Shop

Michelle Fanning

Hi everyone!

Here we are in Week 4 already! As they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Things are in full swing with the Year 6 Commemorative Shirts so thank you to all who have already returned their forms, ordered online or have come to see me at the store.

OPENING DAYS AND TIMES FOR TERM 1

We will remain APPOINTMENT ONLY as well as having the online store for easy ordering. The appointment days are Tuesday and Thursday each week from 8:15am – 10:15am

BOOKING APPOINTMENTS ONLINE

There is an option when booking online for 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 who know what sizes and items they are after.

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. All uniform items can be found online except for 2nd hand garments. Items ordered online will be sent to your child’s classroom.

The online store can be found on the link below

POLO SHIRTS

We are currently out of stock of size 6 and 8 in the Gold polo shirts. I hope to have them back in stock by early March. More House shirts will also be in this order.

NEW ITEM

If you missed the announcement, a long sleeve gold polo shirt is now available. It looks exactly like the usual short sleeve gold polo...GSS printed on the collar, buttons at the neck, school emblem on the chest and now with a 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 is available in size 4 to 16 and retails for $35.

WINTER GEAR

I have just ordered more sizes in the polar fleece jackets, sports jackets and rugby jerseys. If you would like to pre order, please come and see me at the store so you’re guaranteed the size you're after. I hope for these items to be available in store by mid/late March.

YEAR 6 COMMEMORATIVE SHIRTS

Forms went home last week to order shirts, so if you haven’t received one by now please let me know so I can get one to you. You can also order the shirts and printing costs through our online store. The cut off for ordering and purchasing is Friday the 26th of February. There will be no extension as the shirts need to get to the printers so I get have them back to the kids to start wearing asap!

DONATIONS

We are always grateful for donations of 2nd hand uniforms that are in a freshly washed, saleable condition. We also ask that any donations are SCHOOL BRANDED ITEMS ONLY, so no items from any outside stores.

If you were thinking of going through the wardrobes, please do! When donating, please either drop them in on a Tuesday or Thursday morning when the store is open, or you may leave them with the ladies in the office any other day. Please DO NOT leave bags at the uniform store if it is closed.

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

Thanks everyone!
Michelle

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop News 2021 – week 5/6

How quickly is this term flying by already!

A very big thank you to all our volunteers that have signed up and helped us the last couple weeks. It has been fantastic to have a few new faces help us out and give tuckshop a go.

We are desperate for some helpers for the first week of March so please sign up and lend a hand using the link below– it’s really not as hard as you think and such a small part of the day. SignUp.com:

NEW MENU ITEM NEW MENU ITEM NEW MENU ITEM NEW MENU ITEM

Twisted Frozen Yogurts have been added to the menu!

We have 4 flavours to choose from:

• Watermelon and Mango
• Strawberry and Vanilla Bean
• Chocolate and Vanilla Bean
• Chocolate and Coconut
• Blueberry and Cookie Dough

They are already very popular so if you haven’t tried them give them a go, low in sugar and Gluten free they are the perfect yummy healthy treat and only $2.00 each.

This Week’s Reminders

• Birthday Iceblocks need to be ordered 24hours in advance so we have time to organize a balloon with the iceblocks. We would hate anyone to miss out as the kids just love seeing what Brendan from Fun Xtreme brings them. And we love seeing the joy on their faces!
• Orders close at 8am every morning. Please do not use the Oops I forgot menu if you miss cut off. This menu is only to be used for emergency situations i.e., where kids have dropped their lunches or discovered they have no lunch at break. The menu is only checked after we have spoken with a parent or the office and is not to be used for any other purpose.
• Preps cannot have Ice Cream on a Friday. If you accidently order an ice cream we will substitute for a water iceblock. Preps are not able to collect ice cream at break so please order an iceblock or other frozen treat instead.
• We are still not taking cash over the counter. Please order any treats through the QKR! App.

If you have any questions or concerns and you’d like to speak with us please email tuckshop@gracevillepandc.org.au or pop in for a quick chat we’d love to hear from you.

See you at Tuckshop!
Alex and Emma

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

Last week our school leaders were presented with their badges in a special presentation assembly. These badges are worn with great pride and I know our leaders will be excellent ambassadors and role models in 2021. Next week, some will attend a Young Leaders’ Day at the Convention Centre, where they will learn about and view leadership in a different environment. It will be an exciting opportunity to learn more about leadership. Last week 14 of our students competed at the District Swimming Meet at Yeronga, with everyone swimming well and many recording personal best times. Several Graceville students were successful in making it to the Regional Trials, despite very competitive qualifying times, so we wish them every success in their events at Regionals. I would like to thank all the students for their responsible behaviour and fantastic attitude on the day. It was certainly a different experience with parents and competitors being separated on different sides of the pool as part of the event’s Covid Plan. However, with so many events not going ahead, it was great for the students to have this opportunity to showcase their skills and receive some recognition for all their hard work in the water. Well done everyone!

Our Active Travel program is off and running/walking/ riding/carpooling with Footloose Fridays. Remember to have your Active School Travel Passport stamped on Friday mornings if you actively travel to school. It’s a great way to keep fit and lessen the traffic around our busy school streets at drop off and pick up times.

Have an awesome week!

John Erichsen
(Chappy)

P&C News

P&C meeting – Wednesday, 24 February at 7pm

The first P&C meeting for 2021 will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, 24 February in the Waratah Room. The meeting is starting a little earlier than usual as there will be a presentation on the proposed new classroom furniture and it will take 45mins - 1hr to run through this. Please note that only P&C members will be able to vote on any motion in relation to the furniture, but please come along and join in the discussion and learn about what is proposed.

Due to social distancing requirements, we are limited in the number of people the room can accommodate. We are therefore asking people to please RSVP to secretary@gracevillepandc.org.au. There will also be a requirement to wear a mask if you attend the meeting face to face.

If you would rather join online, please email secretary@gracevillepandc.org.au and you will be sent a link to a Zoom meeting. We have now done a few meetings this way and, from all reports, it works quite well.

P&C AGM – Wednesday 24 March at 7.30pm

The second meeting of the year will be the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 24 March at 7.30pm. All memberships will be open for renewal at this meeting and new members are also welcome to apply. Please see below the link below for the P&C membership nomination form.

Fete committee

We are looking for new fete/fundraising committee members this year. After not being able to have a fete last year, we need some keen hands and able minds to make it happen this year. We also have the opportunity to incorporate some of the lessons we learned through different fundraising events last year, particularly the joy and connections these events bring and the value of sharing this with the broader community who care about and support our school.

If you are keen to make the magic happen in 2021, please get in touch with President@gracevillepandc.org.au or look out for notifications for a fete/fundraising committee meeting.

Without a committee dedicated to these events, they simply will not happen.

P&C Communications

We are looking for someone to support P&C communications. This might include supporting communications for P&C events and also includes administration of the P&C Facebook page. If this is a contribution you can make to support the school (or you with a friend), please get in touch with President@gracevillepandc.org.au.

Community Notices

CATHOLIC PARISH OF CORINDA GRACEVILLE SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM

Expressions of interest are open for those parents who are considering enrolling their children in the local Catholic Sacramental Program (Confirmation, First Eucharist and Penance).

All interested parties are very warmly welcomed to attend an information night on Wednesday, March 17th, to find out more about our Sacramental program and the process for enrolling in the same.

The 2021-23 program - run by the Catholic Parish of Corinda Graceville – is for all children who are baptised and have turned 8 years of age by July 1, 2021 (usually Grade 3 children and above), regardless of which school they attend.

The mandatory parent information night will be held from 6.30pm at Christ the King Church, Churchill Street, Graceville on Wednesday, March 17th. If you have yet to do so, to express your interest in attending the information night simply email the Sacramental Program Coordinator at the following address :- sc.corindagraceville@bne.catholic.net.au

Your correspondence will be acknowledged with a confirmation and a copy of the agenda for the evening. Those that have already expressed interest will be automatically sent the agenda.

Enrolments for the Sacramental program will officially open following the March information session. Enrolments for the 2021/23 program will close 23 April, no exceptions.