Thangool State School eNewsletter

From our Principal

We are now half way through the term. Our focus is on the teaching and learning occurring in each room and ensuring children are getting the best education at Thangool. Our grounds and facilities continue to improve with work currently happening on the fake grass area with a new handball and multipurpose play area being built.

THANK YOU-VOLUNTEERS WEEK

This week is National Volunteer Week, it is important to recognise members’ contributions to the education of our community’s children. P&C members are much valued members of our school community. Any member who helps with fundraising activities, contributes through P&C meetings, assists at Tuckshop and/or sports carnival canteens etc is sincerely thanked.

A very big thank you goes to our tuckshop convenor Mel McGovern and Uniform Coordinator Elise McDonald for the many hours that go on behind the scenes to provide such a wonderful service to our school.

To Kath Moller and Dianne Arneil for volunteering their time to hear children read every week.

Cathy White for her volunteer hours to organise our Breakfast Club every morning, how lucky we are.

Parents/caregivers who volunteer their time to help in anyway that supports our school are thanked too!!! Every contribution helps – THANK YOU!

Have an awesome week everyone!

Fiona

Under 8's Day

Our Under 8’s Day is being planned for next Wednesday 29 May. A range of activities are organised for our Prep to Year 3 students to experience. With an afternoon of fun activities planned by our year 4-6 students. Everyone welcome.

Attendance - Every day counts!

As it is at any time of the term, every day counts. Please ensure your child is at school every day – unless of course they are unwell. The shorter weeks for teaching and learning makes it even more important that your child is at school every day so that they have every opportunity to do their best in their learning journey. For the second half of the term, we have five-day weeks.

Visitors - Sign In

A quick reminder – parents/caregivers can accompany their child to their classroom before 8:50 without going through the front office. Between 8:50 am and 3:00 pm, ALL parents/caregivers must sign in through the office. Parents/carers are NOT to go to classrooms during school time! Your support with this process is very much appreciated.

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?”

Our school has developed its own 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 Chappy program ensures each class has an opportunity through games/activities to practice the disposition of the week.

2024 Priority Areas

In 2024 we have 2 priority areas:-

Literacy
Engagement through SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

Priority 1-Literacy

We are seeing great success with our reading. Staff continue to build their knowledge and capability through professional development to continue learning ways to improve their teaching so as to impact on our student’s literacy ability.

Priority 2-SEL

Our SEL program continues to grow and we see the impact on both students and staff. Tomorrow we have our 2^nd parent session on friendship with two timeslots available. This term we have also had community members invited in to help support our messaging with students.

Principal Roadshow

Next week I’m away Tuesday-Thursday in Rockhampton at the Principal Roadshow with all principals from our region. This is a great opportunity to network, and engage in conversations and learning about the departments strategic plan of Equity and Excellence.

2024 AITSL Highly Accomplish and Lead Teacher Summit

On the 9^th and 10^th May, AITSL Certified Lead Teachers from Thangool State School, Ms Fiona Byrne and Mrs Ellen Brewer attended the 2024 AITSL HALT Summit in Sydney. Keynote speakers shared the latest research and evidence-based practices through the theme of the summit ‘Innovate, Elevate, Celebrate’.

Speakers discussed how ‘innovation’ in education is crucial in education to improve learning outcomes, as we adapt to the changing societal needs, foster student engagement and creativity for success in an everchanging world. While ‘elevating’ education is essential for empowering individuals to reach their full potential, identifying and responding to inequality to create a capable workforce, developing effective leaders and learners and ‘celebrating’ education recognises and values the hard work and achievements of teachers and leaders in promoting a culture of lifelong learning acknowledging their commitment and positive impact on students and the wider community.

Reminders

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 8:15-8:35am our teacher aides are on duty and supervise morning play. On a Monday, Wednesday & Friday students are involved in SMART Moves which is organised and run by our year 6 students- under the super vision of staff.

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 3:05pm so please ensure your car is not parked in the bus zone from this time on.

HOC News

Under 8s Day

On Wednesday, 29th May, we will be celebrating Under 8s day. This is a community event and everyone is invited to attend from 9-11am. On this day we will have the emergency services and a range of art and craft activities for everyone to enjoy. The P-3 students will also need to wear old, sun safe clothing as the activities can get quite messy at times. Although the community events conclude at 11am, the P-3 students will continue to participate in a variety of different activities throughout the day. This day will also be our Term 2, transition morning for our 2025 cohort and our monthly playgroup morning catch-up.

The program for the day:

9- 11 Community Events (Children birth to 8 years)

11:45 – 1:15 P-3 Minor games

1:45 – 2:45 P-3 students participate in Year 4-6 planned activities

As we would like to provide our guests and volunteers with complimentary morning tea and are asking Prep families to assist by donating a plate of food (for example, sandwiches, fruit, slice etc). This can be dropped off in the morning at the front gate or over to the tuckshop. If you are able to assist with catering, please email a response. Thank you for your support.

SEL News

There has been a lot happening this term in our Social and Emotional Learning programs. We have connected in with our wonderful community by integrating Boxercise and Pilates with Gabe Graham. Through these activities students learn the benefits of exercise to help regulate emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, while simultaneously boosting mood and self-esteem.

Our boys' respect program focuses on instilling values of respect and empathy by fostering connections with the elderly. Studies have shown that intergenerational interactions promote empathy development in children, as they learn to understand and appreciate different perspectives and life experiences. It was the most uplifting experience seeing the smiles on our boys faces when they focused on giving to others with the Movement Moments ladies. We look forward to their return for afternoon tea next week. It is a busy term with many more learning experiences to come.

HPE News

Just a quick reminder that if your child is unwell, recovering from illness and unable to participate in PE lessons, please send a note in with your child or make contact with the office.

Sports Carnival - Our Interhouse Athletics Carnival is approaching fast (Thursday 6th and Friday 7th June 2024). Next week our program will be emailed home to all families.

Library News

Next week, we will be holding a Book Fair in the Library. Students may come in and browse or purchase books as outlined in the flyer below. We will also have child free browsing time for parents during Under 8's Day (9.30am-10.30am). We can accept cash or eftpos payments. Thank you for supporting our book fair - putting more books in little people's hands.

Beats and Pieces - School Performance Tour

Thangool State School will be hosting a School Performance Tour "Beats'n Pieces - Music Cultural Digitech". This performance reflects our school mission to 'develop the whole child' with this show focussing on STEM based technology, music, culture and history.

When: Thursday 30th May 2024

Time: 2pm

Place: Possum Place

Prep - Year 6

Cost: Free

If you do not want your child to participate, please contact the office.

P&C News

This week is National Volunteer Week and Friday the 24^th is P&C Day!
I'd like to thank our hard working P&C Members and Volunteers who give up their precious time to support our school and children.

We have a great committee who volunteer many hours each week to ensure services like the Tuckshop and Uniform Shop operate smoothly and successfully and ensure that our monthly meetings are held and recorded. We have a fantastic group of volunteers who plan and put on fundraising events throughout the year to raise funds to go towards our kids education.

And we have a great group of parents who volunteer their time to: work at the tuckshop; cook baked goods; sell raffle tickets and stall items; collect cans for Containers for Change; donate to fundraisers; cook sausages at our sporting events and attend the P&C meetings.

A special thanks needs to go to Mrs White and her helpers who volunteer their time and provide an important service daily, being the Brekky Club. We are so thankful as a community that this important program is provided for our children.

I thank all who volunteer in any capacity within our P&C and school and appreciate all you do for our school community.