13 October 2020

Newsletter Articles

Date Claimers

Timetable for Maleny State School Swimming Program for Term 4 Weeks 3-7

Principal’s Report

Pool opening to the Community

Our school, in conjunction with Department of Education, has been working closely with the Maleny Swimming Club (who hire the pool from the school) to support them financially and by preparing pool facilities to enable the opening of the pool to our wider community as soon as possible. The swimming club have secured Council grant funding and commenced recruitment for a new coach/manager position. Once this process is complete, the pool will be open once again to members of the community. We love working with the Maleny Swimming Club and are excited that they will be able to kick off their new swim season soon. They would love any new interested families to join their club this year.

Early Finish to 2020 School Year

The last day of the school year will be Wednesday 9 December this year. Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December will be Student Free Days.

Cluster Schools’ Moderation

This Wednesday our school will be hosting a school conference with 11 other local schools looking at moderation of student assessment processes and practices. By reflecting on our practices and being able to share and collaborate with other local schools ensures effective systems are being implemented, sustained and are continually improving. I congratulate Brent Heiniger (our Literacy Coach) who has been leading this work within our school.

School Photos

School photos will be taken this Thursday 15 October. Please ensure your children are in full school uniform including white socks and black shoes.

Term 4 Camps

In a year where many events have been cancelled, we are so very excited to offer students in years 4, 5 and 6 the opportunity to go to camp. Children are extremely enthusiastic and our initial attendance response rate has been incredibly positive with almost 100% of students indicating they will be attending. A huge thank you to staff who are the ones that have made it possible for students to have this opportunity.

Week 4: (21 - 23 Oct) Year 6 Noosa North Shore $300
Week 5: (28 – 30 Oct) Year 4 Currimundi Beach $225
Week 9: (2 – 4 Dec) Year 5 Mapleton $270

Crazy Hair

Thank you to our Student Council for organising our Free Dress and Crazy Hair Day on the last day of Term 3. They raised a total of $368.10.

This was a fun day and children loved the opportunity. A big thank you to all the creative mums and dads behind the scenes. Here are a few lunchtime snaps.

Queensland Mental Health Week: Take Time for Mental Health, 10th-18th October

Aims:

• Raise awareness of the importance of mental health
• Promote easy to apply strategies to take time for mental health

This important week raises awareness of the importance of communities supporting mental health and wellbeing.

The theme for Queensland Mental Health Week this year is ‘Take Time for Mental Health’. We will be holding a whole school week where children and staff will be able to take part in a range of experiences which support wellbeing and help children understand the importance of being as healthy as they can be.

Swimming Term 4

Swimming commences on Monday 19 October (Week 3). All students will participate in Swim and Survive Lessons which is a national swimming and water safety program to teach children essential foundation skills in swimming, water safety, personal survival and basic rescue. These lessons will continue until Tuesday 19 November (Week 7).

2021 Classes

Class Preference Forms Due in by Week 3 Term 4

Please ensure you have completed a class preference form in writing by Friday 23 October 2020 if you would like us to consider any educational reasons about the placement of your children in 2021. I remind parents that we are a relatively small school and most year levels have two full class cohorts, this does not allow for a great deal of flexibility around which class or teacher some requests may ask for. All requests on time are considered but ultimately decisions are made by the school to benefit all students rather than specific individuals. We aim for balanced classes and a lot of time is put into making classes up by teachers who consider numerous factors including: academic, behaviour, social-friends, emotional, students with special needs, disabilities, physical classrooms, legitimate on time parent requests. Sorry late requests from parents will not be able to be considered. For requests to be considered they must be lodged on time on the correct form. Any request previously submitted in a past year must be resubmitted again this year if you wish the same circumstances to be considered.

Leaving our school or have a 2021 Prep student enrolling

Our staffing formula is based on student day 8 2021 enrolment numbers and as such it is crucial that 2021 Prep students enrol now to assist us with our class structure organisation. It is also crucial that if families are leaving next year they alert us now.

Prep Information Session – Save the Date

A Prep Information Session will be held on Wednesday 4 November at 5:30pm at our school in our Innovation Centre. Please phone the office on 5499 8333 to RSVP by Friday 30 October.

Register for Prep now! Don’t wait

It is essential that parents who have not contacted the office to register their child for Prep in 2021 do so now. Please do not assume we know you are coming. Registration can be completed in a one minute phone call (Ph 5499 8333) or an email to admin@malenyss.eq.edu.au.

Note: all students will require a birth certificate before commencing Prep in 2021. I look forward to meeting with you soon. If you know a family in the area that has a Prep eligible student for 2021 please encourage them to contact us immediately.

Prep Enrolment Interview Dates:

Interviews will be held over 2 days (Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October) and are already filling up fast. If you have not booked your Prep enrolment interview please do so as soon as possible.

Please call 5499 8333 to book your 20 min interview with your child, you can collect enrolment forms and packages from the office and our website.

Transition to Prep Days

We will be holding a series of Transition to Prep days to ease the children’s transition from home, kindy and day-care to Prep. Children are invited to attend any or all of these days with an adult. These transition mornings will provide you with an opportunity to visit the Prep classrooms and playground and meet the friendly staff. Please bring a hat. Parents can order uniforms for students on these days. Students need to be enrolled to attend our transition days.

These days will be held on:

• Wednesday 11 Nov - 9.00am – 10.00am
• Wednesday 18 Nov - 9.00am – 10.00am
• Wednesday 25 Nov - 9.00am – 10.00am

Maleny State High School Enrolment

Transition Days: Transition days for 2021 Year 7s will be held during Week 8 of Term 4 (25 & 26 November). This 2-day event will be for only those students who have submitted enrolment applications prior to these days.

Maleny State High School’s STEaM Immersion Day

There are still positions available for the day and class moving into next year.

If your child wishes to be involved in the Immersion Day on Monday 19 October (and have not already submitted an application form) please contact the Maleny State High School’s Administration Office (5499 8111) to register.

Application forms will be distributed by the Maleny High School directly to parents upon registration of interest.

Parents’ opportunity to register their child for the day will close Thursday 15 October at 3:30pm.

P&C Meeting – We Need You for 1 hour a month!

Our next P&C meeting for the term will be held this Wednesday 14 October (Week 2) at 6:30pm. Please click on the link emailed to you to join our Skype meeting. We welcome and encourage new parents and citizens to attend our meetings.

Have a Magic week in Maleny. John

From the Deputy Principal

The 2020 Engagement and Wellbeing Survey pilot will be conducted this term

Later this term, students in Years 4, 5 and 6 will be asked to participate in the Engagement and Wellbeing Survey. We know that wellbeing and engagement are important parts of your child’s life at school. Our school, and the department, want to support students in the best way possible and are looking at improved ways to accurately collect information on these important topics.

The Engagement and Wellbeing Survey pilot is a new tool designed to measure how Queensland students view aspects of their wellbeing and engagement. Results from this survey will provide an indication of our students’ levels of wellbeing and engagement, allowing us to determine how we can best support our students and meet their needs.

This is the first trial of the survey and is only available to select schools across Queensland. The survey is voluntary and will take students approximately 30 minutes to complete during class time. A parent information letter was sent out early this term explaining in more detail the Survey pilot.

Find out more and view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) online at the link below:

YEAR 6 – RI lessons

RI lessons will resume this term for Year 6. If you have changed your mind regarding your child’s participation in these lessons, please put in writing and drop off at the Office.

YEAR 5 – 2021 Leadership Nomination Process

Students in Year 5 have been given the latest information regarding their next steps in the 2021 Leadership nomination process. The process is outlined clearly in this information package, including a timetable of important dates, the official nomination form is also included in this package. If students have any questions regarding the 2021 nomination process they need to speak with their class teachers well before important deadlines.

Paula Heiniger – Deputy Principal

School Photographs will be taken on Thursday 15 October 2020

Advanced Life, our school photo provider, have advised if you have already purchased your package. Please be assured that your package will be delivered once the rescheduled photography has taken place.

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.

Innovation Centre News

Book Club – Catalogues for our final Book Club in 2020 have been distributed to students. Orders Due 23 October and please remember that NO CASH orders will be accepted. Thank you to everyone who has placed an order throughout 2020. Your orders have allowed us to purchase new resources for the school.

Adrian Greig- Innovation Teacher

Enrichment Centre

Communication is fundamental to children’s development; children need to be able to understand and be understood. Communication is the foundation of relationships and is essential for learning, play and social interaction. Many of the support programs that the Enrichment Centre provides for Students with a Disability, focus on communication skills. Children need to have good language skills in order to use their language to learn. Talking is key in supporting and extending children’s thinking and advancing their learning and understanding. The ways in which teachers and parents talk to children can influence learning, memory, understanding and the motivation to learn. Speech, language and communication needs in primary school can seriously affect children’s learning in particular literacy skills. Communication with children is essential to their relationships and development. Good communication involves listening and talking in ways that make children feel important and valued. Communicating well with children helps them develop skills for communicating with others.

Sharon Furlong (Head of Special Education Services)

SWPBL (School Wide Positive Behaviour Learning)

Welcome back to Term 4!

We are excited to welcome back all students for the final term of 2020. We have started the term off with a new Buzz Phrase...

"Leaders Inspire”

This is from our ‘Be a Learner’ rule and is a fantastic way to start the last term of the year.

Students are encouraged to:

• Be a positive role-model to others.
• Work cooperatively with everyone giving encouragement.
• Always help their peers to make appropriate choices.
• Use initiative and follow through with plans.
• Wear the Maleny State School uniform with pride and follow the 4 Be’s.
• Be a confident speaker.

From the
PBL Team

Prep A & Prep B

A mindful start to the term....

We’ve been taking time out for our mental health at Prep by learning about what makes our minds healthy. We have learnt yoga poses and breathing techniques and have enjoyed some short meditations. We are talking about why we are special and the things, people and places that help us to feel calm and happy. An app that we’ve found helpful is Smiling Mind. It’s free and has programs for children and adults. Check it out and put a smile on your mind.

Move It Move It

As an introduction to our science unit both classes have set up an exploration table with toys that move in different ways. The students are enjoying investigating, experimenting and discussing how a variety of toys move.

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

Year 1A & 1B

Light and Sound

This week students have been asked to think about the musical instrument that they will be making for Science. It might be something that can rattle, shake, boom, bop or twang. Each week Mrs D will be showing students examples of musical instruments that they could make, but being the sustainable school that we are, we would really love recyclable materials to be used. If you have space at home to keep the collection of ‘ideal’ parts for musical instruments that is great, but if you need to send them in immediately, we will find a safe space to store them.

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

Year 2A & 2B

Welcome Back!

It’s hard to believe that we are now speeding toward the end of the school year. It’s great to see so many happy faces in our Year 2 classes and they are ready to jump back into their learning, which is fantastic.

English is starting off this term with students exploring plot and characterisation in narratives. They will then have the creative opportunity to add an event to a familiar story. This is a fun and imaginative unit that engages students in creative writing. A great way to support your child at home is reading stories to them and with them, or have them read to you!

Our Swim and Survive Program is starting in week 3. The weather is warming up and soon we will be heading to our favourite swimming locations. Being blessed with a beautiful coastline and some lovely waterholes, it’s great to be able to fully enjoy these knowing that our children are safe. The swim program is the perfect opportunity to build children’s confidence in the water. Return permission forms as soon as possible, and please note items that will be needed for each lesson.

Please also remember hats everyday and make sure these are labelled clearly with your child’s name.

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

P & C News

Next P&C Skype Meeting Wed 14 October at 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 8:30-9:00am on Fridays, bring along a friend and be part of our happy team

The Uniform Shop's regular hours are Friday mornings between 8.30 and 9.00am. Payment options are EFTPOS, cash or cheque at the uniform shop only. Alternatively, orders can be placed online at the link below by 5pm Wednesday for Friday pickup or class delivery.

Chappy News

SHINE High Tea

During Term 3, I did a girls program with the Year 6’s called SHINE. It was a 10 week program that explored the topics of Worth, Strength and Purpose. This was such a valuable and precious time as we looked at issues such as resilience, boundaries in relationships, having the power to say No and understanding emotions. The “grand finale” was a high tea in the last week of term where the girls were encouraged to invite either their mums or another significant female role model. Because of the COVID restrictions, we had to adjust how this was organised and thankfully we had the space in the hall to make sure that all requirements were met.

Tables were decorated and each person received a pre-made “lunchbox” with their afternoon tea. Thankfully many people made this a beautiful afternoon and I had flower arrangements donated (Kathy Blackburn), individually wrapped gifts donated from the Maleny Chemist, decorations by Misty Bland, volunteers who came in the day before to make the lunch packs (Yvonne Plummer, Anne Anderson & Jasmin Stokie), and other generous people who made the program so wonderful.

Some of the girls spoke about significant weeks that impacted them and as a surprise to the mums, I had organised 4 girls to bless everyone with their singing voices. The afternoon was a great success and I am sure that everyone left feeling inspired and uplifted. A big thankyou to John Byrne for allowing every Year 6 girl to partake in this program and a huge thankyou to Emma Back and Peta Cave for supporting the girls each week.

Chappy Becky

Engagement and Wellbeing

Mental Health Week – Stop Pause Play

While our students are practising mindfulness at school this week, it may be helpful to get on the same page as them with our parenting style. Even the most vigilant of us whilst in parenting mode, do not always have life events run smoothly. With busy lives, where we often juggle several “hats” that we wear other than our parenting hat (worker, partner, friend, cleaner, cook etc.), it is not always simple to feel Zen. We can find ourselves reacting rather than responding to the situation. Impatience and weariness can sneak in and before we know it, we may have added to the drama and are left regretting the consequences of our knee-jerk reactions.

Using the concept of “Stop, Pause, Play” in challenging moments with our children, enables us to calm ourselves down before reacting (sometimes, over-reacting) to their behaviours. Responding mindfully is an option I’m sure we would all prefer to master as a goal to reaping the benefits of a healthy relationship with our children throughout their lives. These relationships continue long after they have left the nest and how we have parented whilst being the main carers in their lives, reflects on our continued relationship with them into their adulthood.

The most effective way of calming down is to concentrate on breathing, especially focussing on your breath as it goes out. In a standing position (Stop) breath in and (Pause) breathe slowly out, releasing your breath all the way to the bottom of your lungs. After several such breaths, you will find that your heart rate has slowed down, your breathing is deeper and you will feel calmer. When you are in this calm state (Play) you will probably be better able to respond in a thoughtful or considered way rather than in a reactive, stressed way. You will also be more likely to stay connected to what is going on for your children. You will be more aware of their experience of the situation and how they might be feeling. Using “Stop, Pause, Play” is a stepping stone to thoughtful parenting.

Give it a go. Your children may also be able to use this method alongside you, creating an atmosphere that will help to solve problems co-operatively.

Peta Cave

Engagement and Wellbeing Teacher

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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