25 November 2021

From the Principal

Zoe Smith

Hello,

It seems quite unreal but the Christmas Holidays are only two weeks away!

The teachers are busily finalising report cards and class placements for 2022. Report Cards go home on Tuesday 7 December.

On Wednesday 8 December, all children will spend the last hour of the school day with their new class for 2022. The class placement letters will go home with the child on Tuesday 7 December. The class placement process is a very difficult one as we need to take many variables into consideration. We try our best to understand and use the parent and student considerations however with up to 125 children per year level, we cannot guarantee to meet all considerations put forward. We do guarantee that every child will be placed with one person they put down as ‘someone they learn well with’. All children are asked to identify five children and are guaranteed to be placed with at least one of those people.

I would like to congratulate our school leaders for 2022. The leadership processes which have been finalised are below.

Congratulate to our School Captains:

• Penny J
• Abigail C
• Murphy M
• Allegra B

Congratulations to our Student Learning Ambassadors:

• Giselle R
• Lewis W
• Owen A
• Anna C

Congratulations to our Cultural Ambassadors:

• Ruby C
• Dot N

Next week we will announce the House and Music Captains and Year level leaders.

Don’t forget the final P&C meeting for the year is next Wednesday the 1st at 7.30pm. The school will share information about the following changes for 2022:

• Preparations for how to manage COVID impacts post the borders opening (requirement for all QLD state schools)
• Resource schemes and fees
• Sun Safety Policy – for implementation in 2022
• Changes to the provision of private outside providers offering services on the school site
• General messages about enrolment, staffing, school budget etc.

I hope you have a great week,
Zoe Smith

From our Business Manager

Anne Nixon

Parents please be aware that we can’t process any payments after Wednesday 1st December. Please finalise all accounts now!

Newsletter Articles

Deputy Principal

Maree Hass

Cybersafety

Department of Education advisor Brodie came to school this week to speak with our year 5 and 6 students and also ran a parent session in the afternoon. They were very practical and informative sessions. Here are some useful links for parents:

Graceville Sun Safety Policy

A big thank you to those parents who came along to discuss our policy for sun safety last week, your input is highly valued. The policy will be in place for the beginning of 2022 and also available on our website from the start of next year.

2022 Prep Information

Prep Orientation meetings: Thursday November 25

Meet the class session: Thursday December 2: 9 – 10am

Parents please take your child to their classroom then come to the hall for a cuppa and meet with our P&C.

Junior Assemblies in term 4 are at 2pm

Our last junior assembly is on this week!

Deputy Principal

Lisa McKeaten

Booklists

I am still waiting for these to be finalised with Campions. Hopefully it will be this week. We will put the links on our website as well as send home the links and information in an email to all parents as soon as the information arrives!

Just a reminder about Lost property in the hall. If your children have lost items please come and have a look.

Year 6 news:

We are well into our planning for our Year 6 Graduation on 7th December. We are all looking forward to celebrating the primary school adventure of our year 6 children along with parents and carers.

Medications & Action Plans

Please make sure that you collect medications at the end of this term from the office. They will also need to be given back to us at the beginning of the school year. Any new Action plans for medical conditions will also need to be updated (if needed) prior to the start of the 2022 school year.

Sports & Co-Curricular Photos

20% Discount on Sports & Co-Curricular Group Photos available until 07/12/2021

Dear Parents,

These school sports and co-curricular groups were photographed on 26/10/2021:

You can now view and purchase the group images listed above and if you place your order before 18/11/2021 you will get a 20% early order discount. Just click on the link below. Please note the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Images can also be viewed by visiting the link below entering the code: NEV 1J8 1H6 and clicking on “Group Photos”

Important

• Sports and co-curricular group photos can only be purchased online, PLEASE DO NOT return payment to your school
• If your child's group or team 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 the discounted early order period has closed
• 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

Music News

Naomi Lindh

Thank you to Mr Kukulies and all of our band students for their performances at the Senior Assembly this week. It was lovely to hear our students play and share their music with the school community, including some parents.

This will be the last week of IM lessons, so please ensure that your child's instrument and any ensemble music has been returned by the end of the week or as organised with your child's teacher. Recordings of ensemble performances will be sent home by conductors by the end of this year.

If your child has applied for a place in the IM program letters of offer will be sent out by the end of this year. It is an extensive process which our IM teachers undertake to determine offers and places are limited due to the teaching time we are allocated. We appreciate your understand with this process.

Thank you for supporting your child/ren's involvement in the music program this year! We hope they have enjoyed singing and/or playing at lessons, rehearsals, recordings and performances!

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

Chappy’s Chat

John Erichsen

As the SS Graceville powers ahead closing towards the year’s final destination, the seas ahead can be challenging. Rough waves will break over the bow and we will need to work together to through safely. There are waves of weariness, where the past 2 years of change and uncertainty have taken their toll, leaving some without resilience for the remainder of the voyage. For others, there are waves of the unknown, facing a future looking very different to the safety known here at primary school. For younger passengers, there can be waves of excitement, difficult to contain, knowing what awaits a mere couple of weeks away. For those with older siblings, there can even be waves of frustration, seeing holidays have already arrived for some. All these waves can impact the final weeks of the 2021 voyage. A voyage, upon which we have travelled, forged strong connections, faced many new experiences and grown stronger together. While these final weeks will have their demands and some will arrive at the dock, running on fumes, we will get there and we will finish the voyage just as we have journeyed so far. Supporting, encouraging and building up one another. Thank you everyone for your collaboration in making 2021 the successful year it has been and getting the SS Graceville safely to shore, having overcome challenges and grasped every opportunity.

With the country starting to open up, it sounds like many are planning to get away over the holidays. I wish you safe travels and trust all planned made go smoothly and provide countless memories which strengthen the bonds you have with friends and loved ones. For those staying closer to home, enjoy the change of pace and lack of school morning routines. Have a fantastic time doing what soothes your soul and fills your bucket. I look forward to hearing about holiday plans over the next couple of weeks.

Have a wonderful last two weeks!

John Erichsen
(Chappy)

Uniform Shop

Michelle Fanning

Hi all!

Welcome to week 8! Just 2 short weeks to go and we'll wrap up the 2021 school year!

LOW STOCK

Many of our gold polo's are low in stock as well as smaller sizes in skorts and shorts but of course I have ordered more. I'm hoping stock will arrive before the end of the term. Sadly Covid is still a cause for delay with a few of our suppliers, but I have been assured they are doing their best to help as much as they can during this peak selling/buying period.

You are welcome to pre order any items that are currently out of stock. Please email www.uniformshop@gracevillepandc.org or make an appointment at the store on a Tuesday or Thursday morning from 8:15 – 10:15 to let us know how we can help.

BACKPACKS

Backpacks have arrived back in store! All who have pre ordered will receive a call or email to organise pick-up options. The backpacks are also now available to purchase online for everyone.

DRESSES

Please note that due to fabric issues we now have limited stock in our dresses. We have now sold out of size 2’s and 4’s.

I will not be ordering any more in the near future so if you know you would like a dress for next year, please don’t delay!

PLAN AHEAD WITH AN APPOINTMENT

Term 4 is extremely busy with many new Prep parents and new families needing attention. Stock flies out the door in record time so to avoid missing out and waiting periods, you can easily book an appointment ahead of time via the link below.

2022 OPEN DAYS

• Tuesday the 18th of January
  9am - 12pm
• Wednesday the 19th of January
  11am - 1pm

Please use the online booking system highlighted below to secure an appointment.

OPENING DAYS AND TIMES FOR REMAINDER OF TERM 4

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

For any reason you cannot make your appointment time, please cancel online asap so others don’t miss out. When visiting the store, it’s important to enter and exit the school grounds via the Oxley Road gate near the tennis courts. The uniform store is located just to the left of the courts.

ONLINE STORE

The uniform shop has an online store, so if you already know what your child needs you can order and pay online and it will be passed on to their teacher.

PLEASE NOTE – When buying online please add your child’s FULL NAME and CLASS on the FIRST page. Thank you.

The online store and appointment bookings can be made via the following link -

DONATIONS

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

PAYMENT

We encourage you to use Eftpos or credit cards when purchasing.

REFUNDS

Please be advised that refunds will only be given if you have the original receipt and items should not have been washed, worn and any tags should still be attached.

Email address for school uniform store is:

uniformshop@gracevillepandc.org

Thanks everyone!
Michelle

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop News 2021 – Term 4 Week 9/10

Jump on to Sign Up and pop your name down where you can using the link below or pop in to let us know what you can do when.

SignUp.com:

THIS WEEK’S NEWS

Last day of Tuckshop 2021 is Wednesday 8th of December. PLEASE NOTE orders will be cut off at 12pm on Tuesday 7th of December to ensure that we have enough food to fill all orders. Oops I forgot menu will not be available but of course in case of emergencies we will be able to feed your child. Wednesday is Sushi and Rice Paper Roll day so a great chance to try Cilantro Fresh’s delicious food if you haven’t already.

Tuckshop this year has been the busiest it’s ever been. We could not get out the orders that we do daily without the small number of volunteers who lend a hand every week. Whether you volunteered once this year, weekly or fortnightly or just popped in because you had ½ hour to spare – THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Also we would like to shout a very big thank you to Edina Symonds for always being on call from last minute shifts to emergency food drop offs – THANK YOU!

We hope everyone has a fantastic break over the Christmas/ New Year period. Stay safe and we look forward to seeing some new and familiar faces next year.

Tuckshop will reopen the second week of school Monday 31st January – see you then!

As always, 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

Tennis

CHRISTMAS SCHOOL HOLIDAY TENNIS COACHING CLINICS

MONDAY 13th, TUESDAY 14th & WEDNESDAY 15th DECEMBER 2021

School Holiday Tennis Clinics are now open for enrolments. Positions are available for all school students aged between 4-12 years. https://tennisforkids.com.au/holiday-programs/

CLINIC 1 – RED BALL STUDENTS (RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN 4-7 YEARS OF AGE)

• 8.00am - 10.30am at Graceville State School (Oxley Road, Graceville)

CLINIC 2 – ORANGE BALL STUDENTS (RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN 7-9 YEARS OF AGE)

• 8.00am - 11.00am at Graceville State School (Oxley Road, Graceville)

CLINIC 3 – GREEN BALL STUDENTS (RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN 9-12 YEARS OF AGE)

• 8.00am - 11.00am at Graceville State School (Oxley Road, Graceville)

Coaching clinics are suitable for everyone as children are divided into groups according to both age and ability. Each session includes plenty of coaching and games, with coaches ensuring regular breaks and snack time, especially for the littlies!

Holiday Clinic positions are limited - so please enrol early to avoid disappointment!!

For further details or to enrol, please click the link below - or contact Tennis For Kids at info@tennisforkids.com.au or on 0408 187 741

Community Notices

THE SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS APPEAL

The Sherwood Salvation Army store is again coordinating the collection of goods to create Christmas hampers and bring some Christmas cheer to those less fortunate in our community.

We’re calling for your support to purchase extra non-perishable item/s when your grocery shopping, and/ or purchase extra new children’s gift/s when you’re gift shopping in the coming weeks, and pop these into the Christmas box just inside the Sherwood Salvo store before Tuesday 14th December.

An example list of grocery items is attached. Suggested new children's gift/s include outdoor/ sporting equipment, clothing, lego, puzzles, games, books, art and craft packs, hair and beauty, and gift vouchers. We kindly ask you do not wrap the children’s gifts so parents can personally select suitable gifts for their children. You may wish to donate wrapping paper and sticky tape to allow parents to wrap the gifts themselves.

Drop-off: Salvos Sherwood, 450 Sherwood Rd, Sherwood QLD. Open every day 9am – 5pm (except Sundays).

Thank you for your generosity and support in advance.