26 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

Date Claimers

Principal’s Report

History created now let’s get back to our “New Normal”

Congratulations on surviving “Learning at Home” in these unprecedented Covid times. My sincere thanks goes out to all parents, students and staff for your flexibility and adaptability over the last 6 weeks. We are excited to have all children back to school and getting back to the “New Normal”. Some changes in our new way of operating have been extremely beneficial, especially the many new technology skills acquired, along with increased personal hygiene habits and greater independence levels developed by students. Many parents have a better understanding of how their children are progressing with their schoolwork and have identified areas that they can work with teachers to support their children. Teachers have been busy this week setting expectations and establishing classroom routines, giving children a sense of safety and normality. It has been great to see the excitement on the faces of both children and parents alike with all children returning to school this week.

I have emailed many of our schools new procedures that are now in place to all parents last week and have repeated them in this newsletter. These processes may change or need tweaking as the term progresses to ensure they are achieving the desired outcome and are in line with Government and Education Department Regulations. Parent cooperation and understanding with our new procedures is most appreciated, especially where we have asked that parents minimise their need to come into the school grounds. Parents of younger children may continue to do so at drop off and pick up times. We ask that parents do so promptly ensuring they are socially distancing and not stay and chat to teachers or other parents. Not encouraging parents and volunteers into the school is the most awkward and unsettling direction that I have ever given as a principal, however I am sure you will abide by this regulation until we advise otherwise in line with government regulations.

2020 P&C Executive

Congratulations to our new 2020 Executive Committee.

President – Merrick Ilett
Vice President- Zoltan Bourne
Treasurer – Kathy Fernance
Secretary – John Cassidy

Last week a small number of dedicated parents participated in our first ever Skype AGM meeting. It was nice to see a couple of new faces. I would like to encourage more parents to tune in to our next meeting to ensure our P&C views are truly representative of our whole school community. The benefit of our evening Skype meeting allows busy parents to not have to leave home and still be able to manage the evening routine with their children.

I would like to take this opportunity to publically thank each of our past executive and 2019 P&C members for the time, ideas and efforts they have given to our school. 2019 was an incredibly productive year for our small band of dedicated P&C members who supported the school financially to the tune of $65 000. Our P&C is in great shape financially, which has been especially beneficial in these Covid times, where fundraising opportunities have not been able to occur. I am proud that our P&C has a proven reputation of being a positive and efficient organisation. I would like to especially commend Merrick Ilett for his continued leadership as president and our long serving Vice President Adrian McCallum, Secretary Kylie McAuliffe and Treasurer Chelsea Harper. It has been a pleasure to work alongside each of you. Our 2020 committee is extremely happy that you will continue as active members and support those parents that have stepped into your executive roles this year.

Next P&C SKYPE Meeting Wed June 10 6:30pm

Purchase your new School Jumper and School Hat

Our Uniform Shop is stocked up with new polar fleece jackets. No doubt with cool weather coming these jackets will sell quickly. A reminder that all students require a school hat every day at lunch time and for outside lessons. Please check your child has a named hat and it is in their bag each day, hats will not be lent to students by the school. Students without the correct school jumper will be offered a clean second hand jumper until they have their own. We ask parents to wash and return these after use to school.

Semester One Student Reports

Student reports for Semester One will be modified to reflect the content that students have completed and been assessed on while at school in Term One and Two. Teachers will report on the subject areas of English, Maths, Science, Health and PE (combined mark of swimming Term One 8 weeks and Health Unit completed, 5 weeks), Music and LOTE (Japanese Yrs 5&6). Reports will be emailed to parents for the first time on the final day of Term Two, please ensure the office has your most current up to date email address. If you do not have access to email, please contact the office for other arrangements to be made.

School Process Commencing Monday 25 May

Arriving at School

Parents are required to drop students off and leave as quickly as possible (drop off and collection points under/outside of Year level classrooms). Parents are not to go into classrooms. Parents can continue to stay in contact with teachers via phone and email. Parents can assist by not dropping students off until after 8:30am and not coming into the school early to collect (except Prep parents).

Leaving School

Aim: To not cause, large groups especially parents, gathering at crossing or around school/classrooms and disperse children in smaller groups.

Prep students will continue to be collected from the Prep area. Parents are encouraged to collect students from 2:40pm to avoid all parents from other year levels arriving at the same time.

Year 5 (walk past bike racks) and 6 (walk past Mr Byrne’s office) will be escorted by their teachers to the front gate near the office at the end of each day before other classes are released 2:45pm.

Year 1, students will be escorted by teachers to exit through the Crossing gate with parents or siblings just before the bell.

Year 2 students will be escorted by teachers to exit through the Crossing Gate immediately on the bell 2:50pm.

Year 4 and 3 will be escorted by teachers to the footpath shortly after the bell to exit also through the office gate leaving gaps between classes.

Students required to collect younger siblings will still be able to do so as normal and leave via the most appropriate exit.

Note: Please use patience, flexibility and common sense to ensure we achieve our aim. We may need to adjust times and tweak processes as the week progresses.

We are working in conjunction with the local police who have increased patrols around student arrival and departure times to assist and ensure processes are effective.

Bus

Bus students will continue to follow the same process as always. Teacher Aides will escort/wait with Prep and Year 1 students putting them on the bus. Students will sit and wait quietly for Goodstart or second set of buses under the school at 2:50pm.

Phones:

Students bringing phones to school will turn them to silent and leave them in their bags from the time they enter the grounds to the time they leave. Students using phones will have them confiscated and they will need to be collected by their parents. This will save office staff handling phones, reduce office crowds and save office time. Students that bring phones to school do so at their own risk. All students have the ability to request the school to contact home should it be required and parents can also phone the school to relay a message. Primary school students are not required to bring a phone to school and I would strongly advise against this practice. Parents should think very carefully about the associated benefits and pitfalls, associated with primary aged children bringing a phone to school before making this decision.

On-site health and safety measures

Whilst the AHPPC advises that physical distancing is not required for students during classroom activities, these protocols continue to apply to adults in the school setting. It is important that all adults:

• maintain 1.5m physical distance from each other, including in staff rooms and offices
• parents refrain from congregating in and around areas such as school gates, carparks and outside classrooms
• practise effective hand hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette
• unwell students/adults are not to attend the school site and the school must ask parents/carers to collect their child from school if they are unwell.
• students who are loaned clothing are asked to take it home and have it washed. As this can not be assumed with any certainty, office staff will place returned clothing in a plastic tub and it will be washed in the Enrichment Centre
• increased daily cleaning of school classrooms, particularly high frequency touch points including water bubblers, playground equipment, playgrounds is occurring

Student Hygiene

(We have the following personal hygiene measures in place.)

1. Students should wash their hands before lessons commence
2. Before going to play at break.
3. After play before eating.
4. After eating before class time.
5. After any toilet break during the day or activity teacher deems necessary e.g. PE, Music, Computers.
6. Before and after music and PE lessons (high touch lessons, do this in classrooms)
7. Before going home for the day

Lunchtime Play

We are very fortunate to have large ovals and a variety of play areas for students to spread out amongst at playtime, hence there will be no major adjustments to regular play areas.

Innovation Centre

The Innovation Centre will limit the number of students that can access it at lunch times by splitting class year levels as well as employing additional cleaning processes.

Lunch Time Ovals

Ovals will be open for students to play at lunch times. Sporting equipment used will be hired for the whole day by the individual students and placed in year level marked areas under the Shed Years, 4-6 or outside the sports shed for years 1-3. All sports gear will be returned at second break into special tubs. It will then be cleaned and different equipment used the following day.

Playgrounds are open and cleaned daily under current conditions.

Volunteers and Outside Groups

I would like to remind you that the Department of Education’s current position, in line with the Queensland Roadmap to easing Queensland’s restrictions, is that visitor and parent access to school grounds should be restricted. This includes any personnel from sporting organisations.

We are currently unable to have volunteers come and work within the school.

The public also at this stage will not be allowed to use the school facilities.

Social distancing signs have been put up around the school to remind parents and local police will be doing patrols to keep an eye on the effectiveness of our procedures and watchful of any social gatherings outside the school being mindful of social distancing.

Assemblies, Excursions, Camps

We will continue to have no assemblies, interschool activities, camps, excursions, sports or Arts events including concerts and performances until the government eases restrictions.

Tuckshop

Will be open as usual on a Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. We ask that Parents use Flexi school to order students lunches.

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop will be closed at this time.

Orders can be made through Flexischool and items will be delivered to Classrooms.

Some Frequently Asked Questions Info

From Monday 25 May 2020, students in all year levels will return to schools.

Where parents elect to keep their child at home, the parent or carer is responsible for thestudent’s safety at home or elsewhere. Teachers will be teaching face-to-face within the classroom environment and will not be expected to lead dual (face-to-face and home-based) modes of teaching and learning.

Students learning at home due to medical reasons – (medical certificate)

Students who are unable to return to school due to medical reasons will be supported by their school, just as they would in the case of any extended student medical absence. Schools can determine the most appropriate approach, taking into account the expected duration of absence, the student’s learning needs, available tools and resources, and the school’s established approach to supporting continuity of learning.

Student absence due to parent/carer choice – (worried about Covid19)

In this situation, both supervision and continuity of learning are the responsibility of the parent or carer.

Schools will offer advice about appropriate learning activities that can be undertaken, but the classroom teacher is not responsible for providing a home-based learning program for these students.

The learning@home website will remain available and continue to be updated throughout Term 2 with new resources for Prep – Year 10. Schools may wish to direct parents and students to the relevant year-level units of work. Students will also be able to view quality curriculum-based television programs on three different stations — program information can be found on the learning@home site.

Attendance and roll marking

From 25 May 2020, schools will return to ‘business-as-usual’ roll marking arrangements. Schools will continue to use Code F to record the status of children remaining at home. This includes children:

• with compromised immunity or other medical advice to remain at home
• whose parent or carer chooses to keep them at home.

If the parent or carer is supervising their child’s learning, failure to attend processes will not be initiated in current circumstances.

Physical Distancing

While physical distancing measures remain an important consideration for schools to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and should occur where practicable, AHPPC provides guidance that physical distancing (i.e. 4m2 per adult in an enclosed space and 1.5m distancing otherwise) is not required for students during classroom activities.

All suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases will be escalated (via the Public Health Unit)

If a POSITIVE COVID-19 case is confirmed by a Public Health Unit (PHU), the school will be closed temporarily to allow contact tracing activities to be conducted, and for the school to be cleaned by a specialised professional cleaner before reopening.

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility and compliance with our new school processes that have student, staff and community welfare as our highest priority.

Maleny Show Holiday

Friday 29 May

Have a Great Week.
John

From the Deputy Principal

Welcome back to all our students – we have missed your beautiful smiling faces! This term has certainly been unprecedented with some students having already been back at school whilst others have been completing their learning at home. With the return to full time classes it is important to prepare children mentally for the transition back to school.

Returning to the school environment and reuniting with friends after lockdown may be exciting to your child, but it may also make them feel like they are suddenly being plunged back into an intense situation. Talk to them about what they are looking forward to and what concerns they may have about going back to school.

Act as a sounding board. Try to listen without immediately offering opinions or advice. Sometimes just talking about a problem or issue can help children come up with solutions of their own.

Take your child's concerns seriously. Remember how demanding academic and social pressure can be even without adding in the additional stress of returning after a lockdown.

Share some of the feelings and experiences you’re going through where appropriate. Speaking in an age-appropriate way about your own worries about the relaxation of lockdown rules and what you are doing to help you cope may create an open environment to help your child share their own thoughts and concerns.

Keep talking to your child about anything and everything. Grab opportunities to discuss important issues, but also ask simple questions like, “How was your day?” Do everything you can to maintain a strong bond and keep the lines of communication open so they feel that they can openly and honestly discuss things with you.

Make it a priority to motivate them to learn. When they return to the classroom, show that you are as curious and interested in what your child is learning as you were about their home-schooling work. Encourage them by giving specific, concrete praise such as "I really like your detail in this project," rather than a general comment of “You're such a great student." This indicates to your child that you have made an effort and noticed their efforts.

Work with us here at School. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Let your child/ren’s teacher know if you're worried about anything in particular, or if your child could benefit from extra help in making the transition back from home to school. We are here to help in whatever capacity we can.

Paula Heiniger – Deputy Principal

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.

From the Enrichment Centre

Transitioning back to school

What are we likely to see?

With more anxious children, they may be asking more questions than usual, especially questions about their worries and feeling unsafe.

• Increases in reassurance-seeking and stability-seeking behaviours
• Problems with attention and concentration, trouble focusing
• Feelings of being overwhelmed by once achievable tasks especially in the classroom
• Regression of emotional and social behaviours, especially for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Irritability and ‘acting out’, pushing boundaries, rejecting the rules
• Withdrawal, lack of interest in social connectedness
• Somatic complaints – mental struggles manifesting in their bodies
• Problems with working memory and new learning
• School refusal due to high levels of anxiety
• School refusal due to a preference with learning at home and the home school set-up

How you can help?

• Pay extra attention to the child’s emotional needs, ask them how they are feeling, normalise their feelings and listen to what they are worried about.
• Validate their feelings and difficult emotions, its normal to feel sad, worried or disappointed during these times.
• Exercise patience, offer reassurance whilst supporting the development of resilience and coping skills.
• Communicate and collaborate with your child’s teacher and others in the school community.

Create a routine for settling back in

• Re-establish day-to-day routines of preparing for school and unwinding at the end of the day. Routine helps all children to anticipate what’s coming up next which create a feeling of security and safety
• Debrief at the end of the day, what worked and what didn’t? How can we make it better tomorrow?

Teach coping skills

• Provide morning and afternoon check-ins to support emotional and physical awareness of anxiety. These are opportunities to provide support and strategies.
• Listen and talk about fears your child may have. Help them to focus on what they can control – not hypothetical ‘what if’s’ or issues that are out of their control.

SWPBL (School Wide Positive Behaviour Learning)

All the staff at Maleny State School are very proud of how students have adapted to the different ways of learning this term. We are all so happy and excited to have you all back at school now.

We are thrilled to unveil our new “4 Be’s” and “High 5” signage around the school on your return!

Our new Buzz Phrase this fortnight is a Be Responsible rule, “Big Efforts, Big Results”.

This Buzz Phrase encourages students to:

• Stay with a task and never give up.
• Show commitment, pride and a positive attitude in completing tasks.
• Be patient and willing to work hard.
• Set goals and stay focused.
• Always do your best; strive for excellence.
• Be willing to risk failure for a worthy goal.
• Be self-disciplined.
• Be sure to learn from my mistakes and failures.

PBL Team

Prep A & Prep B

The Big Bad Wolf Visits Prep

There was great excitement as an unusual visitor arrived at Prep last Friday doing a lot of huffing and puffing.

As part of the children’s Science learning about materials, they listened to the story of the Three Little Pigs. We discussed the materials the pigs used to build their houses and why the brick house was the strongest. We looked at photographs of everyday houses in Australia and thought about our own houses. The children drew their houses and labelled the materials used. They thought about the properties of each material and why it was suitable for building a house. For example, windows are made of glass. Glass is a strong material and it is transparent to let the light in.

We challenged the children to make their own house for the Three Little Pigs using a range of materials. The Prep classes joined together and had lots of fun creating “wind proof” houses.

There were squeals of delight when the wolf turned up to blow them down.

Mandy Bauer (Prep A) & Lindy Hicks (Prep B)

Year 1A & 1B

Strategies for talking about school with your child

Due to the current circumstances, you may feel very distanced from your child’s education and their Year 1 classroom. Each afternoon, your child will probably be tired and hungry or thinking about other things when they first get home. So easing the transition from school to home can help your child feel more like talking about what their day involved.

It’s best to avoid asking them lots of questions about their school day straight away. You can just let your child know that you’re glad to see them and talk about non-school topics for a while. Saving questions about homework for later can really take the pressure off!

Every afternoon or evening will be different. Even if your child usually likes to share his/her day with you, there’ll be days when he/she doesn’t want to talk. Sometimes it’s a matter of sensing your child’s mood and picking the right moment. Some days there might not be a right moment at all, to talk about their school day and that’s OK.

Simple, positive and specific questions about parts of the day can get your child talking. For example:

• What’s the news from school today?
• What was fun?
• What did you like best at school today?
• What does your classroom look like at the moment?
• Who did you hang out with today?
• What subjects did you do today?

Jo and I will endeavour to continue to keep you up to date with what is going on in our classrooms and please do not hesitate to contact us if you feel you need more information regarding what is going on academically and socially for your child.

Stay well in keep in touch,

Jo Dykes (1A) and Jenny Jenkinson (1B)

Year 2A & 2B

Welcome Back!

First and foremost, congratulations to families on your hard work and for dedicating so much time to creating a comfortable and stimulating learning environment from home. We have appreciated all the communication we have received from parents during the past 5 weeks. It has been an absolute pleasure to have established such strong parent/teacher connections during this time. We have enjoyed giving feedback to students on their writing and receiving feedback from students on the teacher’s ‘I do” writing pieces! Throughout this process we hope you have found time to laugh, and that you have enjoyed these moments together, and most of all to marvel at what you and your child can achieve.

Returning to school is the next big adjustment. It will feel as if we are starting the year again! So, we will be focused on establishing our classroom and school routines and reaffirming our behaviour expectations of following our 4 Be’s.

Just a few things for next week, one important part of our school day is outside play and P.E, so we would like to remind Year 2 students they will need to remember their hats next week.

All parents, if your child took their homework folder home before the holidays, could you please send this back to school, along with library books and bags, and any stationary they will need at school.

During the first couple of weeks you may receive an email or a note if your child is missing resources.

We are very excited to be back face to face with our Year 2 students!

Sarsha Anthony, Hayley Chamberlain (2A) & Libby Ferguson (2B)

Year 3A & 3B

Welcome back Year 3’s.

What a unique past 5 weeks we have just navigated through. Congratulations and well done to all of our parents and carers for an amazing job and a big Thank You to all of our Year 3 students for quickly settling into a routine with their learning tasks. We are very proud of you. I'm sure that through these recent challenging times you were able to discover special qualities and attributes about yourself and your children. We have emerged more resilient because of the experience. I’m sure special memories were created with your children that will be talked about for many years to come. I know that the students will have many stories to tell us. This week brings a return to happier times. Next week we will be revisiting classroom routines and behaviour expectations to create a supportive, happy environment. Please make sure that students return their materials [pencil cases etc] that they removed from the classroom prior to the Covid 19 lockdown.

Regards,

Kathy Brown 3A
Shelly Chandler 3B

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop will be closed at this time.

Orders can be made through Flexischool and items will be delivered to Classrooms.

Chappy News

Are You Alright?

On Friday afternoon I came home and saw some ambulances and a police car across the road from my house. I immediately felt concern, but because I haven’t met my new neighbours I didn’t go across and see if there was something I could do to help. I had almost forgotten all about the incident, until my mother in law suggested on Saturday morning that I should take a bunch of flowers over to the family. I almost felt reluctant at first. What would I say? Would they think I was just being nosy? Would I get abused and told that it was none of my business? I had a few thoughts go through my head, however, after thinking about it some more, I agreed to go across and ask the question. How are you? Is everything alright? Can I do something? So I bravely clutched my hand picked bouquet and tentatively made my way across the road not sure of what the response was going to be. It turned out to be a most wonderful and timely visit which was so appreciated and welcomed. There had been a death in the family and so the sight of a caring and concerned neighbour meant so much to this family. As I sat and listened, I was so encouraged once again, that we really can make a difference in our worlds and neighbourhood IF we are willing to ‘put ourselves out there’ and be brave. What’s the worst that could happen? Isn’t it worth taking the risk? Go and be brave…I challenge you! You never know where you can make a difference. Have a great week everyone.

Chappy Becky

P & C News

Next P&C SKYPE Meeting Wed June 10 6:30pm

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.

Community News

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