4 March 2021

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

It is hard to believe there are only four weeks left of the term! The last day of the school term is Thursday 1 April.

The last four weeks are action packed with the Cross Country on March 10, the Spell-a-thon on March 16 and the Easter Hat Parade on Thursday 1 April. It is exciting that we can host these events this year. Parents will be welcome to attend the Cross Country and Easter Hat Parade as both events will be held outside. We ask parents who attend to socially distance please.

The P&C voted to support the Future Classroom Project. The school staff and are I excited about the project and extremely appreciative of the support from the P&C. We understand fundraising is difficult and volunteers put a lot of time and energy into raising funds for the school. The motion that was supported by the P&C asked for the school to consider how we can trial the concept of the future focused classroom for some classes while also finding a way to provide some level of equity of access for other students in the school. We are currently working on a plan for how we can try and make that happen.

As you may be aware, we have some leadership changes at the moment. We appreciate your patience as we mentor and train the staff members who are new to the roles. Mrs Martin is the Acting Deputy Principal who will support the lower school for the remainder of Term 1. Mrs Payne (Tuesday) and Mrs Cousins (Thursday) will be working as part of our leadership team one day a week this term to help out with the workload as this transition and training occurs. We apologise for any inconvenience that occurs if you are in need of our help or support over the next four weeks.

On Wednesday 17 March our school will be hosting an Inquiry in Action Open Day for educators from schools across QLD. The places for the event sold out in 36 hours! Many of our teachers are leading the way in QLD in the shifts required in curriculum, teaching and learning to set our children up well for what we know of the foreseeable future. We will be following our COVID plan on the day and ensuring no more than four educators enter a classroom at any one time. We will be using the hall as our base location with our visitors. Please be aware the day starts at 8am and so parking may be trickier to find around the school on the morning of 17 March.

Thankyou so much to the Active Travel Team for a wonderful and well supported event last week. Thankyou also to all of those families who took part in the event.

Finally, by the time you receive this newsletter I will have started a week’s leave. Mrs McKeaten will be Acting Principal in my absence. I will return on Monday 15 March. Please email principal@gracevilless.eq.edu rather than my personal email address during that period to communicate with Mrs McKeaten.

Kind Regards,
Zoe Smith

Newsletter Articles

Acting Deputy Principal

Belinda Martin

Cairns Senior Tour 2021

Last Friday I met with year 5 and 6 students to make them aware of some decisions that had to be made in regards to our Canberra trip. Due to new guidelines by ACT Health we have decided to remain within Queensland and visit Cairns. The trip is still action packed and educational with visits to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, Mossman Gorge, the Art Gallery (to name but a few). Students received an itinerary and a letter outlining the above in more detail. Once students confirm that they still wish to attend we will begin issuing final invoices which will be due in 2 payments, with the first being due on 26th March and then the 21st May.

Waiting List for Prep for 2021 – opens first day of next term Monday April 19th.

The waiting list for 2022 will open on Monday, 19th of April at 8:00am. Please let any interested people know that forms and information can be obtained from our school office from that date which is the first day of next term. 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 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.

Junior Assemblies

Due to current restrictions, parents and care givers of those hosting or performing a class item are invited to join us for Junior Assemblies which will be held every second Wednesday afternoon from 2.15pm in the hall. These assemblies will be for all Prep to Year 2 classes. Year 2 students have the opportunity to develop their skills of public speaking by taking turns in leading these assemblies and classes also take part presenting items for us all. We also like to recognise Birthdays and present awards to students from across all classes.

Below is the calendar for term 1 assemblies.

Mathletics for 2021

Subscription for the year needs to be paid by Friday March 12th .

We have commenced 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 $12 per student for the year and you should have received the invoice for this activity. Please contact our office if you have not received the invoice yet. Your class teacher can inform you more fully about Mathletics and how your class will be using the program this year. Each student should have received their own personal log on and password to access the program for both at school and at home.

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Halogen Young Leaders Day

Last Wednesday the twenty School Leaders went to the Halogen Young Leaders Day with myself and Chappy, at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

This event is held every year by the Halogen Corporation. This corporation uses the symbol of a Halogen bulb. It burns bright, for a long time.

These events are held all over in Australia, giving students an opportunity to see and hear truly inspirational people from all walks of life. They share with us their stories and also how we can develop our Leadership skills.

This year we heard from His Excellency General David Hurley (Governor General of Australia), Josh Pyke (singer, songwriter, author), Anastasia Woolmer (Memory champion), Darius Boyd (Ex Bronco Captain) and Lachie Smart (youngest person to circumnavigate the world in a single engine plane).

It was a very exciting day filled with laughs, music and inspirational words. We all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

Health Reminder

If your child displays any of the following symptoms they must go and get a COVID test:

• Fever
• Respiratory symptoms
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose, headache, muscle or joint pains

The following is directly from the COVID guidelines:

Any child or adult who is showing signs of illness COVID or other illness must stay home and go and get tested if they have COVID symptoms.

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

Naplan 2021

Year 3 & 5 students will participate in Naplan testing online (except for the Year 3 Writing).

All classes will participate in practice tests in Week 1 of Term 2. The actual Naplan tests will run over a 2-week period – 11-21 May.

For more information please have a look at the website:

Business Manger

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 been sent home this week to new students. All forms need to be returned to the office by Wednesday 10th February 2021.

Invoices for existing students will be generated from Friday 5th February 2021. If you have not seen any invoices by Friday 12th 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

We have had very exciting news for the music department recently. Students no longer need to physically distance during rehearsals and we will now be able to organise some live performances! While we are aware that if the restrictions move to level 2, we will need to return to physically distancing during rehearsals, we are all enjoying the excitement of preparing music to perform on the stage after a year of not having any live performances. We are very appreciative of the commitment many of our students and families have made and continued throughout the challenges of having no performances and sharing music via recordings during the last year. I would like to welcome any students from years 2 - 6 who are interested in joining the choir to attend the next rehearsal (on Monday or Tuesday next week). If you have any queries regarding the choirs, I can be contacted via email (nclos1@eq.edu.au). Please see the rehearsal information below for new students. Any 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. Students who are new to the IM program should also return their SRS form ASAP. Continuing choral and instrumental students who have been in the program in previous years do not need to complete a new SRS form.

I have sent an email to the parents/carers of students in the choir. If you have not received this correspondence please check your 'junk email' folder in case it is there, and if is isn't please send me an email with any email contacts you would like me to add to the email group for Junior or Senior Choir.

We are currently in the process of finalising some performances for the Junior and Senior Choirs. I will email the details of performances to parents once they are confirmed. Please note that as adults need to physically distance, the process for parent/carer attendance at any performances will be finalised by our administration.

Rehearsal schedule for 2021

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

Naomi Lindh

Library News

Melanie Hutchinson

GRACEVILLE STATE SCHOOL READERS’ CUP COMPETITION 2021

This term Year 5 & 6 students will participate in the annual GSS READERS CUP. Teams will compete against each other in the Readers Cup competition on THURSDAY 1ST APRIL (last day of Term 1) at 8.45 am in the HALL.

Our Readers Cup competition challenges students to read widely, work collaboratively in a team and continue to develop a love of reading.

The teams have already been formed and students are currently reading the FIVE selected stories : Red Dog – Louis De Bernieres (novel); Holes – Louis Sachar (novel); Spaghetti Pig Out (from ‘Uncanny’) - Paul Jennings (short story); Lucky Lips (from ‘Unreal’) – Paul Jennings (short story); King Pig – Nick Bland (picture book).

Points are scored on the day by answering rounds of questions on each book, as well as answering rounds of general knowledge questions on books and reading.

Families are encouraged to get their children reading the required stories and actively support their team!

Students who are interested in representing Graceville SS at the Regional Readers Cup Competition are provided with the opportunity to try out during first break on Thursday 1st April.

Active Travel

Active School Travel is back in a big way during 2021. With the opening event of the season, last Friday morning saw an overwhelming crowd of students, parents and teachers join us for a coffee and walk from Tocco Italiano Chelmer.

Even though the crowd was large and some did not get a chance to get the order they were hoping for, the energy and atmosphere was infectious.

It was wonderful to see students and parents from Prep all the way through to our school leaders in Year 6 being willing to get Actively Travelling. The messages behind the Active School Travel program like being active and being safe were being spread and used by all who attended last Friday morning.

The Active School Travel committee would like to extend a massive thank you to Councillor Nicole Johnston for her support and sponsorship of last Friday’s walk. Councillor Johnston’s ongoing support is truly appreciated by the Active School Travellers.

We hope to see you at our next and upcoming event on Friday 19th March, which is National Ride to School Day. We encourage as many students, parents and staff to get involved in teaching and practicing how to ride safely to school. Keep an eye out on the school’s oval that morning as you might just see some teachers in their active wear and helmets peddling along...

Many thanks for all the support,
Active School Travel 2021

Uniform Shop

Michelle Fanning

Hi everyone!

Here we are half way through Term 1 already...and it’s March! Where does the time go?

It’s been a busy couple of weeks preparing the Year 6 Commemorative shirts. A huge thank you to all the teachers, parents and children for their efforts getting the order forms in or ordering online to meet the deadline. The shirts have gone off to the printers and will take approximately 4-6 weeks. All commemorative shirts will be delivered to the Year 6 classrooms. I have to say it’s one of my favourite times of the year, as the kids are all so excited to receive them. I can’t wait to deliver them!

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

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

Polar Fleeces, Sports Jackets and Rugby Jerseys are all now fully stocked in store and are also available online. I have already had quite a few sales this week by families who are planning ahead. We also have the Track pants and Leisure pants in stock so the kids can be warm in the coming months from head to toe.

INTER SCHOOL SPORTS REP POLO SHIRTS

The Year 5's and 6's will be starting Inter School Sports this Friday. You may have seen the gold polo with the royal blue panel down each side....well these are designed especially for Friday sports. They make a nice change to the plain Gold polo, while still displaying the school emblem and colours when representing GSS. The shirts are $35 each and are available in a child’s size 8 up to an adults size 16.

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 7/8

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU – to the volunteers who stepped up last Friday last minute to help. We had over 200 orders…. that’s a lot of Ice cream scooping and sandwich making!!

And as always thank you to all our volunteers that have signed up and helped us the last couple weeks. As you can see, we have some gaps in the roster 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:

MENU ITEMS NEWS

Twisted Frozen Yogurts have been such a HUGE success! Such a great healthy treat and the kids just love them. So much so that we have added them to the Birthday Iceblocks Menu!

Birthday Iceblocks now have the following options to choose from:

Class Box Jelly Joys @ $15 per class
Class Box Quelch @ $20 per class
Class Box Water Ice Blocks @ $25 per class
Class Box of Frozen Yogurt @ $45 per class

AND you can add a Birthday Balloon for only $5 more thanks to Brendan from FunXtreme.

Please order your Birthday Iceblocks 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 getting them and we love seeing the joy on their faces!

NB: A class box refers to how many kids are in the class on that day.

This Week’s Reminders

• Orders close at 8am every morning. If your child wakes up sick you can cancel your order on the QKR app as long as its before 8am. If you have any issues then feel free to give us call and we can try and help you
• 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
Tuckshop Convenors 2021

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

Last Wednesday, our student leaders attended a Young Leaders Day at the Convention Centre where they were inspired and challenged by a number of fantastic speakers. From the Governor-General David Hurley, the opening speaker, to the final speaker Lachie Smart, who at age 18 became the youngest person to fly solo around the world, our students were taken on an exciting journey of what can be achieved. It was an awesome experience for our student leaders and who know -perhaps one day one or more of our students might be back again but as a presenter sharing their wisdom, story and the lessons they have learned. I would like to say a huge thank you to the parents who provided transport to and from this event.

This Friday sees the kick off, bounce off, jump ball and starting whistle for Interschool Sport for our Year 5 and 6 students. Over the next eight Friday afternoons students will compete in their chosen sports against several other schools in our area. These weeks will be a chance for students to train and hone their skills, develop greater understanding of the sport and build a cohesive and positive team environment. I wish all our students a successful Interschool Sport season, knowing there will be times of mixed emotions as they meet with both success and disappointment on the sporting field. I am confident our students will be great representatives of Graceville State School when they participate, playing with a balance of passion for the game and empathy for those around them.

Have a brilliant week!

John Erichsen
(Chappy)

P&C News

Support for new classroom furniture trial

The P&C are pleased to report that a resolution was passed at the meeting on 24 February to support a major project proposed by the school to create some future-focussed classrooms, emulating how new schools are now fitted out. A generous $60,000 was committed to ensure this major project achieves this aim and also provides a way for all children at Graceville to have the opportunity to access new furniture in some way during their learning while at Graceville State School.

The project team and teachers involved will now progress the planning to the next level of detail and we will keep the school community informed of exciting developments along the way.

Spellathon

All families should have now received both an emailed copy and hard copy of information about the Spellathon and kids will be bringing home their words to practise very soon. Spellathon Day is Tuesday 16 March and kids are encouraged to find as many sponsors as possible – family members, neighbours, friends, parent's work colleagues.

A huge thanks to Fiona Bird who has agreed to take on organising the Spellathon this year. She has done a marvellous job of securing the sponsors, devising the word lists, liaising with the teachers, organising the communication and just generally getting stuck in and doing what is needed.

Voluntary contribution

The P&C also resolved at its last meeting to support the voluntary contribution scheme in 2021. Voluntary contributions are payments made by families and collected by the P&C on behalf of the school, with all funds transferred directly to the school. This year the amount is again set at $100 per student, but we understand this may not be affordable for all families, so we encourage you to make whatever contribution you are comfortable with. 75% of funds raised will be dedicated to improving and maintaining IT resources and the remainder will be spent on other learning resources.

Payments can be made by electronic transfer to the P&C (see below for details) or via the Online Uniform Shop at the link below.

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

P&C AGM – Wednesday 24 March at 7.30pm

The Annual General Meeting of the P&C will take place 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 the link below for the P&C membership nomination form.

Joining the P&C is a great way to keep informed, to contribute to the quality education of our children and to make new friends. Your contribution can be as large or small as you can manage, but your ongoing support of the P&C is invaluable. Not only will you be supporting the school community, but you can also learn new skills and gain a clear understanding of how the school operates. This is a great opportunity to share in the school’s decision-making processes and help shape its future.

Well wishes to Ms Hass

The P&C executive recently wished Ms Hass well in her recovery on behalf of all parents from GSS. She received some lovely flowers, for which she expressed her appreciation and asked that her thanks be passed on to the parents of GSS.

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.

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.

Spellathon

It is Spell-a-thon time again! Students will have received their Word Lists and Sponsorship forms this week. (or see attached)

Please encourage your child to learn their words and fill up their Sponsorship Forms. Fabulous prizes including time on an Inflatable Obstacle course for one class in each year group who raises the most sponsorship money. Spellathon is proudly supported by Graceville Village Discount Drug Store, Superior Fruit and Place Graceville.

School Plus

Graceville Weekly Newsletter Week 4 & 5

We cannot believe we are halfway through the term already! It is crazy to see our new Preps and students settling into their routines so well. The past two weeks have been jam packed with fun and exciting new activities and snacks that the children have been loving. Last week we celebrated Chinese New Year, by doing a memory game, making our own chinese lanterns, and doing some chinese lettering with chalk. This was great to see all of the children getting so involved with celebrating another culture.

The children have also been loving science experiments in the afternoons. On Tuesday, we made fake snow out of bicarb soda and shaving cream. This was a great sensory activty for the children to do! We have also had some great activites for our mini olympics! The children were able to release some energy and show us all of their favourite skills.

We have had some great afternoon tea snacks, with healthy LCM bars, wraps, sandwiches, trail mix and apple crumble. If you would like any of the recipes we do at afternoon tea, we are releasing a recipe of the week! We cannot wait to finish up the term and get into our Vaction Care. The program will be released very soon so keep your eye out for it!

Holiday Swim Clinics

Peter Geraghty

Bookings are now being taken for the holiday swim clinic being held at the Graceville school pool this Easter holiday. The clinic will be run from Monday April 5th [Easter Monday public holiday] until Friday April 9th. 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 paperwork with school care if this is the case. The number of enrolling students for the group lessons will determine the start time of the private one on one lessons. As a rough guide squad will start at 7:30 am followed by Advanced Stroke Development at 8 am and then Beginner stroke development at 8:30 am. I will then have teachers on hand for the one-on-one program from about 8:30 am. When booking please state which hour you are available [e.g. between 8:30 am and 9:30 am or 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

Community Notices