Term 3 Week 4 Newsletter
From our Principal
Week 4 already! Teaching and learning are our main focus with students knowing what they are learning about and how they can be successful. We have a lot of activities in coming weeks such as tennis, book week, project club day, speaking competition, interschool netball, cricket and parent teacher interviews. Our Facebook page is a great way to keep informed along with newsletters and emails.
Have an awesome week everyone!
Fiona
NAPLAN Reports are Changing!
The reporting of NAPLAN results to parents and carers is changing. You will shortly receive individual student reports showing your child’s achievement in each test domain according to 4 levels of NAPLAN – Proficiency, Exceeding, Strong Developing and Needs Additional Support. The report will also provide information about student knowledge and skills within each proficiency. A factsheet included with your child’s report will detail the new changes. Find out more at Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
School Opinion Surveys
The School Opinion Survey gives you the opportunity to have your say about how your school is performing. The surveys are designed to help schools identify what they do well and how they can improve. This is a great chance to provide feedback. The survey closes 18th August 2023. Find out more about the School Opinion Survey.
Electrical Safety Week
Get powered up for Electrical Safety Week (4th - 8th September) and register for the Safety Heroes program. Delivered by Ergon Network and Energex, the program teaches children to act safely around electrical equipment. Fun, free resources include videos, lesson booklets, coding programs, circuit demonstration kits and posters. Registrations close 18th August 2023.
Head of Curriculum
Australian Curriculum
Last month the Minister of Education, announced an amendment to the timeline, allowing Qld schools to delay the implementation of AC V9. As a staff over the past 6 months, we have been involved in professional learning regarding version 9 curriculum and have decided to follow the initial implementation schedule.
Curriculum – Reading
Over the past fortnight, staff have been engaged in professional development focussing on how to engage students in reading, using high impact activities and age-appropriate pedagogies. Staff have also been reviewing student reading goals to ensure all students know what they have to do to improve. If you are unsure of your child’s goal, please contact your child’s teacher.
Jeans for Genes Day
On Friday, we will be supporting the Children’s Medical Research Institute to raise funds to find cures for the 1 in 20 kids in every classroom facing a birth defect or genetic disease. Students can wear their jeans and support the cause with a gold coin donation.
Damien Kee
On the 10th and 11th August, we will have Dr Damien Kee visiting. Damien is a regular visitor to our school and we are excited for his return and expertise. During his visit he will be working with both students and teachers with robotics and programming, demonstrating how technology can be included into our daily life and classroom activities.
Early Literacy Nights
The first session of the Early Literacy Nights was well attended. Thank you to the Thangool families who attended. The next session is this Wednesday, 2nd August and focusses on Phonological and Phonemic Awareness. It will be held at the Biloela Community Arts House, beginning at 6:30pm.
Wednesday, 2nd Aug Phonological/Phonemic Awareness
Wednesday 17th Aug Phonics
All are welcome to attend.
SEL News
Did you know?
The top 3 responses from Parents when asked ‘What challenge is your child currently facing?’ were:
- Self-esteem and confidence 100%
- Friendship issues 62.14%
- Trouble regulating their emotions 59.69%
*More than one answer could be selected. (Michelle Mitchell, 2023).
This term we have several SEL programs running in-line with the above research. When our young people are struggling, Dr Mary Kaspar uses the analogy of a chess board. One side being high self-esteem and the opposing side representing negative thoughts.
Here is how it can play out with our students:
The positive piece saying ‘I am brilliant at soccer; I kicked the winning goal’. The negative piece saying ‘another student just got most valuable player. I am not good enough’.
Our natural reaction is to give plenty of reassurance, praise and encouragement. We want to advance the positive pieces of the chess board for them. While it is important to provide a supportive environment, ultimately, we want to support our students doing this work for themselves; be the guide by their side. How can we help them look at the whole chess board? Some ways to support students can be saying ‘I see a young person who is much stronger than they think, but that is just my opinion’. Or, in competition and comparison situations ‘if you can’t be the best at… what can you be?’
FRIENDOLOGY
This term our students are continuing to learn about friendships. They have been learning about butterflies and what they can and can’t control. We encourage you to talk with your child about what they are learning in Friendology.
Sports News
Green/Orange Ball Tennis
Best wishes to our Green and Orange Ball Tennis teams heading to Gladstone on Friday to compete in the Primary School Tennis Cup.
Next Friday, 11th August 2023, will see some of our younger students head into Biloela to take part in the Red Ball Gala Day.
Port Curtis Athletics Trials
Last week, some of students headed to Gladstone to take part in the Port Curtis Team Athletics Trials. Congratulations to Macey, Will, Paige and Harry for making the Port Curtis Team. They will now head to Mackay later this month to take part in the State trials for Athletics.
Project Club Day - Monday 21st August
Book Fair/Book Week
Our Annual Book Fair/Book Week is happening in Week 7. Our Book Fair will run from Monday 21st August to Monday 25th 2023. Keep an eye out for further information.
Thank you
We would like to say a big thank you to Clearly Dental for donating some goodies for Dental Health Week. Our students have been participating in Dental Health activities in Kids Shed this week.
What's Happening in Term 3
