23 April 2018

Newsletter Articles

Date Claimers

• 24 April: Anzac Day Assembly @ 9:00am
• 25 April: Anzac Day - PUBLIC HOLIDAY – Assemble at Cooke Park @ 10:15 (Please wear Maleny State School Uniform)
• 26 April: Junior Cross Country from 9:00am
• 27 April: Prep Vision Screening
• Week 3 Mother’s Day Stall
• 30 April: Glasshouse District 10-12Yrs Cross Country
• 4 May: Book Club Orders Due
• 7 May: PUBLIC HOLIDAY
• 9 May: Next P&C Meeting @ 6:30pm
• 1-2 June: Maleny Show
• 25 June: Maleny State School Junior Carnival (Prep – Yr 2)
• 26-27 June: Maleny State School Senior Athletics Carnival (Yr 3-Yr6)
• 29 June: Last Day Term 2, 2018
• 16 July: First Day Term 3, 2018
• 9-10 August: Glasshouse District Athletics Carnival (Yr 9 – Yr 12)
• Throughout Term 3, Tuesdays @ 3:00 – 4:00 afterschool rehearsals Pirates! We're Pirates!
• 2 & 16 September: Sunday Dress Rehearsals Pirates! We're Pirates!
• 19 & 20 September: Performance Dates Pirates! We're Pirates!
• 12 October: Maleny State School Country Fair

Ripper Writing Round-Up Review

There was movement in the classrooms for the word had passed around that the writers had gathered in the hall and that’s how a wonderful day of fun, education and writing commenced for our school’s inaugural writing round-up that was held in the week before the holidays. On Monday, March 26, our school was truly fortunate to have eight talented Maleny locals volunteer their time to come and share their knowledge of writing to the students. These generous writers came to us from many fields including children’s book writers, song writers, play rights, stage actors, script writers, main stream fiction authors and virtual reality creators.

The writing day commenced in the hall with the authors introducing themselves and their skills to the students which was followed up by the authors answering some prepared questions that the students had provided. This session helped the children gain an insight into the processes of what a writer goes through so the children could then relate this back to what they do. There was some great advice handed out at this time and some interesting stories about our writers’ early beginnings.

The middle session of the day saw our writers head out into the classrooms and deliver some captivating sessions for individual year levels. The children were involved in creating and developing rhymes, songs, cartoons, story lines, characters, word building, poetry and research skills.

In the final session the authors were given the opportunity to interact with our year 4-6 GEMS groups and share their writing. This was an excellent opportunity for these students to receive quality feedback from experienced writers. The children thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity as the looks on their faces mirrored those of a star struck fan working with a rock god.

At the end of the day there was such a great feeling throughout the school as writing experts from our school and community delivered such a positive and productive day with our students. Our students and teachers valued their new learnings and the writers were given the feeling of satisfaction with a job well done which was rewarded with huge smiles and lots of thanks from our community. Thank-you to our volunteer guest writers who were Susie French, Sarah Williams, James Marshall, Melissa Kent, Elliot Lacy, Ross Watkins and Mike and Margery Forde. Your time and expertise have been invaluable for our school.

To finish things off for the day a well-known Maleny identity, Jill Morris, generously donated a book for each child at the school. This kind of generosity is enormous and Maleny would like to publicly acknowledge and thank Jill for this amazing act of kindness. What a sensational community we live in at Maleny. Thank-you once again to our visiting authors, Jill Morris and the parents who came along to support our day and remember everybody, keep on writing!

Brent Heiniger
Literacy Coach

Principals Report

ANZAC Day Commemorations

ANZAC Day is always a great day of national pride and reflection where we take time to thank those who have fought for our country (many giving the ultimate sacrifice) and those who are currently serving. It is also one where we foster a great sense of belonging in our community.

ANZAC Day School Assembly – Tuesday 24 April @ 9:00am

Please join us on Tuesday morning at our special school ANZAC Assembly. There will be no afternoon assembly on this day.

ANZAC Day March – Wednesday 25 April @ 10:15am

We will meet as a group at Cooke Park at 10:15 near Maple Street, this Wednesday, parents are welcome to march. All students marching require full school uniform, hat essential. Parents are asked to collect children from the RSL cenotaph at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Our student leaders will give an address at the main ceremony.

Cross Country

Our P-3 Cross Country will be held this Thursday commencing at 9:00 weather permitting. Winning Sports Houses and place getters from our 10-12 year olds will be acknowledged on our Tuesday assembly on May 1.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN testing will occur this term in week 5, May 15 - 18. We are going about our normal business with 4 X 40 minute tests over 3 days for students in year 3 & 5. The Queensland participation rate has been falling since being the highest in the country in 2008 to the lowest in 2017. The higher the participation rate the more valid the results will be.

My take on NAPLAN and Why we encourage students to participate in NAPLAN testing.

1. NAPLAN provides us with an enormous amount of diagnostic data that our staff analyses in depth to improve future student outcomes and provide support in a targeted way.
2. NAPLAN identifies patterns of strengths and weakness in our schools teaching of the Australian Curriculum compared to other schools in Queensland and Australia as well as other schools that are similar in context to our school.
3. NAPLAN data helps to provide a curriculum focus for our school to improve on. This is why our school is focusing on Writing.
4. NAPLAN provides detailed specific diagnostic data on individual students that allows us to focus on and differentiate teaching for these students.
5. NAPLAN identifies how different groups of students are progressing in our school. E.G. gender, indigenous, SWD.
6. I believe students develop ‘test resilience’ and will better be able to cope with standardised testing as they get older. Inevitably students will need to complete tests in a real world context under test conditions. Imagine not participating in any formal testing until your year 10 Certificate or year 11 and 12 University entrance exams. Test stamina is something you gain from participating in them.

We all get a little nervous before an exam. This feeling is normal and the adrenalin we feel can actually help us to focus our thoughts just like a sports player before a game or artist before a concert. Our teachers work hard to ensure students are prepared for tests and do it in a manner that ensures student’s anxiety levels are not too high. Our school does not believe in teaching to the test, we believe by using good pedagogy and teaching the Australian Curriculum students will have the skills to do well in NAPLAN which is based on the Australian Curriculum. I also acknowledge that there will be individual cases where it may not be in the best interests of individual students to participate in NAPLAN. I do not agree with using NAPLAN scores or publishing to create league tables between individual schools.

How you can help your child do their best.

1. Ensure children go to bed early each night.
2. Give them a healthy breakfast.
3. Arriving early to school will ensure students are organised and well settled before tests commence.
4. Don’t make a big deal of NAPLAN or put pressure on students to perform well. Just tell them to try their best.

Knitfest Donations of Felt / Wool required (drop into office)

This year our students will be decorating our front fence for Knitfest (last weekend of this term) and we will require quite a lot of felt and wool. It will be an Outer Space and Science Fiction theme so all colours will be required. It could be rockets, galaxies, astronauts or students favourite science fiction characters that students choose to make. I’m sure aliens will be popular. Parents wishing to assist our students by making creations at home or in your social groups would be most welcome.

If you see some cheap felt/wool or have some that you don’t require please drop it in to the office. Assistance to help classes and pin items on hessian would also be welcomed. See John if you can assist.

Next P&C Meeting Wed 9 May 6:30pm

Many parents have expressed concerns with what is happening around the proposal for a service station to be built across from the school, to find out about this issue or have your say, parents need to attend our P&C meetings. With a very small roll up at our last meeting it makes it difficult for our P&C to have a full understanding of what our parent community beliefs are on various issues such as this one. If you would like to help out at this year’s Country Fair please come along as we desperately need more helpers.

Proud and Proper

I love our school and I am certainly proud of the way our students look. I can’t thank parents enough for the support they have shown at dressing students in the correct black shoes and white socks. As a school we will once again look very smart in the ANZAC march this year.

Mother’s Day Gifts Required

Mother’s Day gifts are required unwrapped. Please send in gifts up to $10 in value to your child’s classroom. Gifts will be collected each week. Parent helpers are required please see Mandy McMahon through the office.

Cold Weather Coming – Order a new jumper now to ensure you don’t miss out.

It is great to see most students wearing either a school jumper or a PLAIN NAVY jumper. Those that are not wearing the correct jumper are asked to put their jumper in their bag and borrow a second-hand jumper from the office. Many children do and some decide they are not cold and just put it in their bag.

Educator of the Year Finalist

At the end of last term I was honoured and proud to be nominated as a finalist in the Fisher Community Awards as Educator of the year. I believe this is a great reflection on how our school overall is traveling in terms of culture, performance, engagement, and community perception. I am very proud and extremely grateful for the efforts and work ethic of all our staff along with the tremendous support that our P&C provides.

Have a Great Week. John

From the Deputy Principal

ICAS Testing – Digital Technologies

Students who have registered for the ICAS Digital Technologies Test will complete this on Tuesday 8th May.

School Anzac Service

Our school ANZAC Service will be held on Tuesday 24 April at 9:00am in the hall. Our special guest speaker will be Mr Ivan Hankinson from the RSL. Two class representatives from each class will be placing a class wreath as part of our ceremony. Parents/caregivers and other members of the public are most welcome to also lay a tribute after the students have placed their wreaths.

One Way to improve regular attendance

Regular Attendance is an area that we promote strongly at Maleny State School and research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement. A set routine is one way that can help in developing regular attendance.

Ways in which a regular routine can be established:

• have a set time to go to bed
• have a set time to get out of bed
• have uniform and school bag ready the night before
• have a set time for starting and finishing breakfast
• set a time for daily homework activities
• speak about school positively
• be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and the last day of term!

From the Office

Payments

Payments can be made by any of the following methods.

1. Directly into our bank account noting the invoice number, initial and surname of the student for whom you are paying. Our Bank account details are:
   BSB: 064-462    Account Number: 10080359
2. Credit card using the bPoint reference number that is located on the bottom left hand side of your invoice. Credit card payments can also be made in person at the office.
3. Cash and cheque can be made by placing the cheque/correct change in a payment envelope and depositing it into the drop-safe in the office. Please ensure that the envelope is sealed so the cash does not fall out. Please write the student’s name, class, amount enclosed and what the payment is for, clearly on the envelope.

Office hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm on Monday - Friday.

Contact Details – Do we have your most up to date contact details?

There are times when we may need to contact parents and carers. Do we have your most up to date contact details? If not, please contact the school on 5499 8333 so we can update our records. These details include parent/carers’ name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details change.

Music Notes

Musical 2018: 'Pirates! We're Pirates!

Rehearsals for ACTORS have begun. If your child is an actor in Pirates! We’re Pirates! can you please remind them to have their script protected in a cover or folder and have it at school on Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays. Each week there will be a new rehearsal schedule displayed in their classroom on the School notice board and in the Music Room.

Can you help us?

If you have any of the following items you no longer need please send them to the Music Room:

Any Questions:

Please contact: Liz Shortland
Phone: 54998333
Email: lcrip9@eq.edu.au

Liz Shortland - Classroom Music Specialist Teacher

SWPBL (School Wide Positive Behaviour Learning)

Buzz Phrases

Our Be Respectful Rule for the first two weeks of term is "Manners Matter". This means that we use manners, speak nicely, care about others, take turns, include others, listen and accept other people's ideas. Our learning will be about all of the different ways we show manners – being friendly, greeting others, saying please and thank you. Students are expected to use their manners in all areas around our school and out of school, particularly when they are wearing their school uniform. The importance of thanking our many volunteers and helpers will be highlighted.

The Buzz phrase for weeks three and four, will be a Be a Learner Rule – "I can, I will, I'll have a go". Students are expected to come to school with a positive attitude towards learning, always try their best in everything they do. They are encouraged to give their best effort and take responsibility for having all of their equipment ready, listen to instructions, ask for help, stay focussed and practise skills learnt at school.

Prep A & B

Welcome to term 2.

We have been very impressed the way the Prep children have arrived back at school, after the holidays, remembering all the prep rules and routines. It was lovely to see them interacting with their friends after the Easter break.

Our Material World

As part of our science unit, we have started collecting materials to make our wind ornaments. Each classroom has a sorting station with baskets ready for the materials. It would be great if you could make holes in the objects, ready for threading. We have introduced a mystery box to our daily routine to help us understand the properties of materials. Whilst blindfolded the star of the day describes the mystery object to the class and places it into the correct basket.

Retells

We have enjoyed listening to many favourite stories and fairy tales and retelling the sequence of events using puppets, masks and props. Our writing has been to think, draw and write an exciting ending to each of these stories. Have a look at our writing books next time you are dropping off or collecting your child.

Mandy Bauer & Lindy Hicks

Year 1A & 1B

Welcome back!

This term Miss Johnston has an exciting expedition and will be taking maternity leave until 2019. We wish her well and hope she enjoys her time away with her baby, though we will miss her! Miss Rochelle Callard is replacing Miss Johnston and we look forward to the rest of the year with her. Miss Callard will teach 1A HASS and Mrs Dykes will continue to teach 1B Science.

Material Madness

This term in Science, students will be building their own boat! We will be investigating many types of materials and the properties of each material (buoyant/waterproof/smooth/rough etc) and I look forward to seeing the design of the boats along with how many marbles each boat can take before sinking!

Reading

1A and 1B have a new batch of home readers. Students are showing wonderful progression in their reading strategies, and in our observations we have noticed that all students need to develop their retelling skills. An area of focus this term in the classroom will be comprehension (specifically retell) could you please assist us by asking your child to 'retell' the book to you (in detail) after they read it each night (and no cheating, no looking back over the book!)

Jo Dykes and Tammalee Johnston

Year 1/2C

Term 2 is upon us! We seem to have hit the ground running in the classroom with the children continuing to follow the rules, routines and expectations set up in Term 1 with ease. I am most proud of all the students and the dedication they have displayed towards their learning so far this term. Over the past few days, we have enjoyed reading and unpacking texts such as "The Very Blue Thingamajig" by Narelle Oliver, looking closely at descriptive language used in a picture book that contains a character who undergoes obvious changes between the beginning and end of the story. We are all very excited to embark on the work involved in our Design Technology unit where students will apply processes and production skills, in: investigating materials, generating and developing design ideas, producing a spinning toy that meets the design brief, evaluating their design and production processes and collaborating and managing by working with others. Spinning toy creation = fun times ahead in 1/2C!

Jenny Jenkinson

Year 2A & 2B

Welcome back!

All the children have settled in well to term 2. We have a busy term ahead with cross country approaching soon. We appreciate all the parent help received last term and we are pleased to know that many of you will continue to help this term.

Just a quick reminder that this is reporting term so its important that children are at school as much as possible so they can learn the concepts ready for the assessment and so they don't miss the assessment either.

We look forward to a positive and happy term with you and your children.

Sarsha Anthony, Jean Penny & Libby Ferguson

Year 3A, 3B & 3C

Welcome Back!

All year three classes have settled in to our new term with enthusiasm and boy do we have a busy term ahead! Hopefully by the time you read this we would have had our school cross country unless the weather decided to be unkind! In class we have been enjoying the first few chapters of Charlotte's Web for our English unit. After our inspiring talk and activities with the authors as part of the Writing Round Up last term we are now practising writing both narrative and persuasive texts. We are looking closely at the commemoration of ANZAC Day as part of our History Unit which is fitting in perfectly at this time of year. As this is an extremely busy term we value and appreciate any parent/carer help in the classroom. Please contact your classroom teacher if you are able to help out in any way.

Kindest Regards

Emma Back (3A Teacher), Anne Coogan (3B Teacher), Trish Mackay & Lou Walsh (3C Teachers)

P & C News

Next P&C Meeting Wed 9 May 6:30pm

Uniform Shop

If you have one hour per month that you may be able to help us out in the Uniform Shop please contact the office on 5499 8333. Open from 8:30-9:30am on Fridays, bring along a friend and be part of our happy team.

The Uniform Shop's regular hours are Friday mornings between 8.30am and 9.30am. Payment options are EFTPOS, cash or cheque at the uniform shop only. Alternatively, orders can be placed online in the link below by 5pm Wednesday for Friday pickup or class delivery.

Chappy News

Silence and Solace

Welcome back to term 2 everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break and feel refreshed and energised. For those of you who don’t know, I had the privilege of travelling to Spain in the last 2 weeks of term 1. During this time I spent a few weeks doing a walk called the Camino De Santiago. I was very fortunate to travel with two other friends, leaving my children behind. The time was spent backpacking across parts of Spain, enjoying the scenery and doing nothing but sleep, eat and walk. In total I walked about 160km.

The two things I felt profoundly impacted by was the power of living in the moment - to see every moment and especially every day as a precious gift. The second and most impacting for me was the power of silence and solitude. As an extravert I find being with people quite energising, however during this time by myself I had the perspective to see how powerful it is to be silent and enjoy the moments of solitude – a pleasure that busy parents rarely get. To take time out from the crazy speed we are prone to living in Western cultures was so wonderful. To simplify my days with nothing to think of but walking, eating and sleeping was the greatest gift I could have been given. So I urge you to find that time to rest in silence and solitude. Get that tent and go away for a night. Sit down at the beach for a few hours by yourself. Do whatever you need to do to simplify your life wherever possible, and always give thanks for the gift that each day.

Have a great week.

Community News

Choose how to add this event to your calendar:

Apple Calendar iPhone, iPad, Mac - Download .ics file

Outlook Desktop Outlook - Download .ics file

Android Calendar Android devices - Download .ics file

Other Calendar Google Calendar, Yahoo, etc. - Download .ics file

Download Event