Thursday 10 November, 2016 From our Principal.. CELEBRATING STATE SCHOOLS ARE GREAT SCHOOLS! What a wonderful result! Our Wynnum Manly State Education Alliance (2 high, 8 primary and 2 specialist schools) was awarded the prestigious - State Education Showcase Award for School Leadership. This is a tribute to the hard work of the cluster working together to build teacher capacity and improve student performance. Principal Majella Frith Principal Mrs Majella Frith A/Deputy Principal Mrs Pamela Kondys A/Deputy Principal Miss Elissa Cramb HOC Mrs Bridget Hawkins HOSES Mrs Sarah Moscoso Follow us on Twitter & Facebook: Wondall Heights SS Page 1
School News Continued... STEM Last Friday, I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon searching for seagrass, with eight of our year 5 students. We were on the boat Inspiration from the Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre. The eight students have been working as part of an initiative across STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The students have worked with our local high schools and two of our teachers Danielle Fletcher and Danielle Trewin. Before heading out on the boat students and staff spent three afternoons investigating light and turbidity and making predictions about healthy seagrass locations in Moreton Bay. We had the opportunity to drop the underwater camera to different depths, measure the tide heights and investigate the turbidity of the water at each of 14 sites across the bay. We did find seagrass! Working with these eight students was a highlight of my week. Thanks Maddox, Jackson, Angus, Liam, Emily, Caitlyn, Indiana and Annaliese. CONGRATULATIONS Early last week our Deputy Principal, Elissa Cramb was successful in winning the position of Principal of Happy Valley State School in Mt Isa. I congratulate Elissa on her achievement but am very sorry to see her leave Wondall Heights at the beginning of next year. Elissa began her teaching career in Mt Isa and is thrilled to be returning as Principal. I wish Elissa all the very best. WAKAKIRI NEWS Wondall Heights State School entered the video made in 2015 featuring an anti-bullying message into a Wakakiri Screen Challenge. We were the NATIONAL winners of this section of the competition. Well done and congratulations to all the students, staff and parents who helped make the video presentation possible. I would like to particularly thank and congratulate the dance team teachers your work as a team is inspiring. Majella Frith Page 2
School News From the Deputy Principals.. 2017 Prep Orientation Day We are looking forward to our 2017 Prep students visiting us on Friday from 9am-10am for their Orientation Day. The teachers have planned some fun activities to give next year's Preps a taste of school. School Leaders for 2017 Many of our Year 5 students have applied for leadership positions next year. It is always uplifting to see how students are willing to put their hand up to serve our school community. Many of the applicants have already been serving our community. School captain speeches will be held on Monday 14 November at 9am. These speeches will be presented to Year 4 and 5 students, and parents are welcome to attend. Only the Year 4 and 5 students vote for the captains. End of Year Music Concert Next week on Thursday night parents are invited to attend our end of year music concert. Students have been rehearsing to polish their performances. Indigenous Health Checks Please return your health check form to the office ASAP to ensure that you are allocated a time for your child's health check. Yulu-Burri-Ba will be conducting the health checks at school. Christmas Reading Ideas Yes, it is that time when we start to look for stocking fillers. Here is a great tip from Karen Hills and Sharon Squires our Support Teachers - Literacy and Numeracy. Buy some books, new or second hand to pop under the tree or in your child's stocking so that they read regularly over the summer break. Pamela Kondys and Elissa Cramb Page 3
School News THE HIGH FIVE CAN PROTECT YOU! Talk Friendly: Ask the person nicely to stop. He/she may not know they are being hurtful. Talk Firmly: Tell him/her to stop in a serious voice, saying something like... STOP IT, I DON T LIKE IT Ignore the person: He/she needs to know you will not respond to hurtful behaviour. Walk to a safe area: Walk to somewhere where you will feel safe. Report to an adult: If the person will not stop then it is time to tell a staff member. Page 4
School News - Finance Payments Due Invoice Item Yr Level Amount Payment Due 2016 Student Resource Scheme Prep $34.00 Overdue Year 1 $26.00 Overdue Year 2 $30.00 Overdue Year 3 $17.00 Overdue Year 4 $34.00 Overdue Year 5 $30.00 Overdue Year 6 $38.00 Overdue Non Competitive Sport Yrs 4-6 $25.00 Overdue Interschool Sports Yrs 4-6 $75.00 Overdue Matilda Dance $70.00 Overdue Bush Christmas Theatre Prep $24.00 Tuesday 22 Nov Bpoint is the school s preferred method of payment. Please see instructions below. If you are making an online payment directly into the school s bank account, please put your child s name and invoice number as the reference. Please finalise all outstanding payments. Page 5
School Term News 4 Calendar of Events Save the Date! WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 7 14 Nov 15 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov 18 Nov P-2 Assembly @ P & C Meeting 7pm Program Alive Yr 1-2 2.30pm End of Year Music Concert 6.30pm 8 21 Nov Yr 3 6 Assembly @ 2.30pm Book Club orders close. 22 Nov 23 Nov 24 Nov Program Alive Yr 1-2 Dance End of Year Concert @ 6.30pm 25 Nov Tangalooma Eco- Marine Ambassadors to Port of Brisbane as Citizen Scientists. 9 28 Nov 29 Nov 30 Nov 1 Dec 2 Dec P-2 Assembly @ Yr 3 Incursion Raw Years 2 & 3 Years 4-6 Swimming 2.30pm Art Swimming Carnival, Carnival, 9-2:45pm Prep & Yr 1 Swimming Carnival, 9-10:50am 9-1pm Prep Excursion to 12th Night Theatre Program Alive Yr 1-2 Sun 4th Dec: Dance Team to Matilda. 10 5 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec Whole School Yr 6 High School Yr 6 Excursion LAST DAY OF Assembly @ 2.00pm Transition Day BBSC Chermside Water SCHOOL and WSHS Park School News Book Club Book Club Issue 8 (the final one for the year) will be due back at school by Monday the 21st of November. Page 6
School News Commemorative Book: Wondall Celebrates 50 years! A reminder that our commemorative book is available for purchase from the school office. This book celebrates 50 years of Wondall Heights State School s history, and gives a fantastic picture of Wondall School in 2016. With photos from past and present, selfportraits of every current student, portraits by students of staff members, and whispers about each class s favourite things, there is something in this book for anyone who has connections to our much-loved school. $ 14.00 A MESSAGE FROM THE UNIFORM SHOP Be prepared for 2017! Uniforms are available now. Come and see us before the end of term. Please contact Alana on 3906 6474 or email uniform@wondall.com.au to book a fitting, or visit us during normal hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00am to 9:15am. A reminder to the current Preps: you will need to purchase a Blue Wondall Hat for Grade 1. Stock available now: $15.00 each. Page 7
School News Banking Hi School Bankers, We are nearly at the end of Banking for the year. Everybody has done a great job all year! The last day for school banking will be Tuesday 6th of December. All orders for prizes must be in by the 22nd of November. There will be no more orders after this date. The prizes that are left are Bush Fan, ET DVD, Skip Rope, Outback Tag, Outer Space Money Box and Wriggly Glow Worm. Can everybody please make sure for next year you put your new class on your bank books. I hope you all have a safe and happy holidays! Your Banking Co-ordinator, Shelley School News Library THANK YOU, THANK YOU to the parents who supported our recent Book Fair. We sold approximately $7700 worth of books. The outcome of this is that we earn approximately $2350 credit with Ashton Scholastic to spend on books for our library next year. Your support has enabled the success of yet another profitable, worthwhile Book Fair. LIBRARY BORROWING will cease for this year on November 18th. Community News Page 8
Tuckshop News Page 9
School News Music MUSIC NEWS! Please return your music concert form by this Friday. See Miss Ellis if you require another form. DANCE NEWS! Please return all class dance forms by this Friday. Dance Team: Infor mation about upcoming events has been emailed to all parents. Let Miss Ellis know if you did not receive this. Page 10
School News Sport Swimming Parent/Guardian Supervision Your assistance is greatly appreciated at swimming classes, as without helpers swimming at school would not go ahead. Please be aware that if you are planning to help out at swimming, no siblings can be present in the pool area whether you are in the water or not. Siblings in the pool area increases risk and distraction to all concerned. Please endeavour to make alternative arrangements. Remember that a note is required if students are not swimming. Keep in mind that Preps and Year 1s only have 3 one hour swims across 6 weeks and all other years have 5 or 6 30min swims over 6 weeks, so missing even one lesson greatly reduces their swim time. Missed swims are not taken lightly. Swimming Attire Several students, particularly boys are bringing board shorts for swimming. Board shorts are not a suitable choice for school swimming as they create more drag and slow down swimming. Leave these for use with a board i.e. surfing, bodyboarding, casual wear and beach trips. We are trying to complete drills and swim strokes with fun attached. Our boys should opt for the tight fitting standard togs or jammers (nothing below the knee). Furthermore, caps/goggles/sun shirts/togs/towels may not be available for loan for students who forget their gear. Students need to be responsible for their gear: bringing it, changing into and out of swimming gear and taking everything home. Swim-offs required As spaces are limited for Age Champion races and sometimes more students nominate than can be allocated, swim-offs are used to determine positions. The first round of swim-offs will occur for 11yrs boys and girls this Friday at 1 st break. Students need to remember their gear and come to the pool immediately at 1 st break. They can eat their morning tea after they re finished. Boys need to complete a 50m swim off for Freestyle only. Girls need to complete a 50m swim off for Breaststroke and Freestyle. Students who have put their name forward must be able to swim the stroke and distance correctly without using floatation devices, putting their feet on the bottom of the pool, using the side wall or lane ropes. Other years: 12yrs no swim offs required 11yrs boys and girls Friday 11 th of November (this week 1 st break) 10yrs boys require all four strokes to be swim offs and these will occur on Tuesday 15 th of November (next week) at first break. 10yrs girls require backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle as swim offs and these will occur on Tuesday 15 th of November (next week) at second break. 9yrs no swim offs required YR3 swim offs are required and will take place Wednesday 16 th of November (next week) YR2 swim offs are required and will take place Monday 21 st of November. Swim Lessons and Carnivals Our PE swim lessons continue until Monday Week 9 and then our swimming carnivals commence. Swimming carnival dates are as follows: Tuesday November 29 Prep & Year 1 9am 10.50am Wednesday November 30 Years 2 & 3 9am 1pm Thursday December 1 Years 4 6 9am 2.45pm Strive to excel because we can in sport Sports Coordinator/PE Teacher Mr Stephen Bloxsom Page 11
Community News Surf Life Saving Queensland runs the community based Little Lifesavers program at several locations across Queensland including Raby Bay. Running in Queensland since 1993, the Little Lifesavers program is a great introduction to surf lifesaving for children aged five to eleven, without the need to travel to the beach or join a surf life saving club. Our highly skilled surf lifesavers will guide your children through a structured program. Throughout the program, children will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of games, sports, and educational activities which are all designed to slowly build their confidence in the water and teach them how to stay safe at the beach. Through this participants are also introduced to some of the basic principles of surf safety such as general rescue techniques, first aid and, if nothing else. These are vital skills they can take with them for life. Page 12