Term 1 Week 3 Newsletter 9 February 2022

From the Principal's Desk

Welcome to 2022 and the beginning of a new year at Thangool State School.  We have had a wonderful first week with all students settling in well to their classrooms. It was great seeing returning and new families. A huge thank you to our wonderful staff in ensuring our classrooms and grounds were ready for our students and to our supportive parents for having everything ready to go for your child.

While a later start and in these uncertain times we aim to keep school life as normal as possible for our students and families. Please do not hesitate to contact myself or your child’s teacher at any time if we can   help you in anyway.

Our school newsletter will come out every fortnight on even weeks. We are excited to trial a new newsletter template this year! Classroom newsletters will come out in week 1 and week 5 of each term.

School Mission Statement/Capable Learner

Our school mission statement forms the basis of all decisions made by the school. Our first question in all we do is always “what impact does this have on our students?”

Last year we introduced our Thangool State School (TSS) Capable Learner. Our capable learner works to support our mission statement looking at all aspects of what makes a student a capable learner at Thangool. Our PROSPER Program enables weekly sessions to explicitly pull apart the different rules, values and dispositions needed to support and nurture the whole child with all stakeholders working together.

Parade

Our school weekly parade occurs first up on a Monday morning at 8:50am. Our weekly parade enables:-

• Great way to start our week off having whole school together
• Any messages for week can be delivered first up with everyone hearing the same message
• Our rule reminders, focuses for week are given Monday morning which means students are hearing the message at the start of the day/week.
• Students can be told what the “kids Shed” activities are for the week, play areas any changes.
• Not as hot in our summer months in the afternoon.

Parents are welcome to attend our Monday morning parades once restrictions are over. We just ask you continue to follow COVID guidelines while on school grounds.

Playgound-“Outdoor Classroom”

Our Kids Shed was completed last year. This year we are purchasing new furniture and have exciting weekly activities planned for use in Kids Shed. The P&C were also successful with a Community Gaming Grant for $35 000 which will go towards purchasing a new fort structure in our Playground as part of our bigger “Outdoor Classroom” Project. We also will be having work completed at the front of our school with new gates/entry, dental van site and new pergola area.

Breakfast Program

Our Breakfast Program runs each morning Monday-Friday 8:15-8:40am. We have year 6 students rostered on but would love a parent helper or someone happy to help Chappy Casey with coordinating our breakfast program. If you are able to assist of a morning or interested in helping to coordinate could you let the office know.

Covid

I have to say, it is wonderful having all our students back. Currently we have restrictions in place until 4 March. We have altered our afternoon pick up times to ease the amount of people onsite at one time. Until 4 March P-2 finish at 2:50pm. Bus children and remaining students finish at 3pm. Once restrictions are over we will return to normal finish time.

We are currently waiting to see what announcements are made before making any decisions around different events such as year 6 badge ceremony, year 6 camp etc.

Student Safety and School Routines

Given that it is a new year, I thought I’d remind people about a few safety issues that come up from time to time, and get us all back into routine.

Before School

 Students should not be at school before 8:15am. When students arrive at school they are to sit in the eating area under the building. From 8:15-8:25am we have our ‘RISE’ reading. On a Monday, Wednesday & Friday students will then head out to the oval for SMART Moves which is organised and run by our year 6 Wellbeing officers- under the super vision of staff. On Tuesday & Thursday mornings children go out to play.

Parking

Parents are also reminded that there is no parking under the tree opposite the school. Our buses depart by 8:15am of a morning so please ensure you are not in bus zone before this time and in the afternoon,  they arrive from 3:10pm so please ensure your car is not parked in the bus zone from this time on.

NAPLAN 2022

For students in year 3 & 5 NAPLAN dates are 10-20 May 2022. Our school will again deliver this test online.  More details in coming weeks.

Staffing 2022

Business Manager:- Ros Zischke

Admin assistant:- Helen Lovell (every Thursday)

Librarian :- Cathy White

Teacher Aides:- Cathy White, Deb Carr, Amanda Goody, Paula Bruckner, Sarah Dean

Facility Officer/Groundsman:- Tim Boyd & Leigh Jones

Cleaners: Nazaria, Katy, Divina

Mud Pit

Our mud pit is operational in terms 1 & 4.  Please see table below for which week your child’s classes turn is. Students can come dressed in mud pit clothes with school uniform and towel in school bag. Students wearing mud pit clothes is parental permission for children to participate.

School Camps

We are doing our best to keep camps going ahead. Our Year 6 students will head out to Pelican Point date to be advised for their Year 6 Leadership Camp. Our 5/6 camp this year is at Boyne Island and scheduled for term 4 more details in coming weeks.

Have an awesome week everyone!

Fiona

Date Claimers Term 1

February

16th - Prep Vision Screening

18th - Mud Pit Year 4

25th - Mud Pit Year 1

March 

4th - Mud Pit Prep

11th - Art's Council - It's a Mad World

11th - Mud Pit Year 2

17th - School Photos

18th - Mud Pit Year 3

23rd - Playgroup

25th - Interschool Touch Comp

25th - Mud Pit Year 5

29th - Parent/Teacher Interviews

31st - Parent/Teacher Interviews

31st - Assembly

April 

1st - Cross Country Fun Run

1st - Last Day Term 1

1st - Mud Pit Year 6

PC Sport Trials

A note regarding the nomination process for PC Trials will come home with students born in 2012, 2011,2010 on Thursday.