Striving for an engaged and motivated school community, fostering individual achievement, social responsibility and well being.

Principal Mrs Andrea Killen Email principal@dirranbandiss.eq.edu.au Contact Details PH: 4625 8555 Jane Street Dirranbandi QLD 4486 www.dirranbandiss.eq.edu.au Student Absences Line PH: 4625 8566 Absence SMS Line 0418 164 912 P&C Executive President: Laura Easton

Vice President: Annie Carson

Secretary: Tanya Moore

Treasurer: Sam Sutton dirranbandipandcsecretary@outlook.com

What’s Inside this Issue Pg. 1 First Week Snapshots

Pg. 2 From the Principal

Pg. 3 PE Swimming Book Club Pg. 4 Secondary Snapshot Pg. 5 Teacher Profiles Pg. 6 Novel Caronavirus Info

Dirranbandi P-10 State School

“Success Follows Effort” 2020

Term 1

January 31

STAFF Teachers Claire Armstrong Liz Bromwich Jessica Davis Monica Hadenfeldt Nia Hadenfeldt Kylie Hegarty Rogan Kinnear April McLaren Jessie Persse Amber Stewart Secondary Coordinator Kylie Hegarty PH: 4625 8534

Student Services Coordinator

Monica Hadenfeldt PH: 4625 8500 Head of Curriculum Jen Miller Business Manager Michelle Burke District Relief Teachers Hannah Trudgett Instrumental Music Luke Todd Teacher Aides Tamara Burke Sheldon Dawes Darcie Fenech Bronwyn Hopkins Jess Hourigan Astrid Kennedy Shelley Smith Cleaners Keith Blunden Leonarda Tramacchi Groundsman Boyd Hopkins Tuckshop Convenor Angela Hourigan

FROM THE PRINCIPAL Welcome to 2020! Hello and welcome to the new School year! Welcome back to returning students and staff. A special welcome to this year’s Prep students, new students and new staff. As I’ve been visiting classrooms, it has been wonderful to witness students excited about and actively engaged in their learning. Congratulations to all, on a great start to the year! (Check out student photos in this newsletter!) I look forward to working with students, families, staff and the wider community to ensure a great year of learning for all our Dirranbandi students. Staffing We welcome to our school Miss Amber Stewart in her new role as P-2 teacher, Miss Claire Armstrong Year 5-6 teacher, Mrs Annie Carson as Digital Technology teacher, Mrs Jessie Persse as History/Geography teacher, and teacher aides Miss Jess Hourigan and Mrs Astrid Kennedy. Multi-Purpose Court Upgrade Over the holidays, we have been fortunate to have the upgrade of our multi-purpose court completed. The court was looking very tired so it is wonderful to have a refreshed surface for our students to play on. In the hot weather the multi-purpose court is a popular place for students to engage in active play in the shade. Personal Learning Profile Meetings (PLP) Next Wednesday 5 February parents and students have been invited to participate in PLP meetings. These meetings provide an opportunity for students, parents and teachers to collaboratively set learning goals for the term ahead. Please contact the office if you would like to make an appointment. At PLP meetings, parents of students with attendance above 90% will have the opportunity to sign an agreement to participate in the Academic Success Guarantee (ASG) initiative. ASG is a signed collaborative agreement between students, parents and the school that provides an additional layer of support to ensure that students who attend above 90% or more of the School year will meet or beat their Personal Learning Goals set in PLP meetings. We believe all students can be successful when we work together and are committed. Hot Weather Please ensure that your child is well prepared for the hot weather. Check they have a school hat and water bottle for school each day. A fridge is provided in classrooms for students to safely store their lunch. Important Events in the Coming Weeks… Every Monday at 2.30pm Whole School Parade (Parents and friends welcome) Homework Centre starts next week Monday and Thursday afternoons Sporting Schools starts next Tuesday & Wednesday (Return forms ASAP) Wednesday 5 February PLP Meetings Friday 14 February Balonne Swimming Thursday 5 March School Swimming Carnival **note this is a date change Thank You To… Parents for supporting your children in their return to school.

Students are well prepared with all the resources they need to start the year.

Admin, Teachers, Teacher Aides, Groundsman and Cleaners for the organised and enthusiastic manner in which you have approached the start of the year.

Congratulation… To all students on a great start to the school year! To all students for wearing your school uniform with pride! To Miss Amber Stewart on her nomination ‘7 News Young Achievers

Award’ (More details in this week’s Balonne Beacon) Have a great weekend - Andrea Killen

SEMESTER 1 2020 TERM 1

Week 2 Monday - 3 February Prep-2 Library Homework Centre Tuesday - 4 February Sporting Schools - Togs Wednesday - 5 February Tuckshop Prep-2 PE Swimming Year 3-4 PE Swimming PLP Meetings Sporting Schools - Togs Thursday - 6 February Homework Centre Friday - 7 February Year 5-6 PE Swimming Years 7-10 PE Swimming

Week 3 Monday - 10 February Prep-2 Library Homework Centre Tuesday –11 February Sporting Schools - Togs Wednesday - 12 February Tuckshop Prep-2 PE Swimming Year 3-4 PE Swimming Sporting Schools - Togs Thursday - 13 February Homework Centre Friday - 14 February Year 5-6 PE Swimming Years 7-10 PE Swimming

PBL FOCUS’ I am responsible

when I am … An Active Learner

Safe Respectful

* Wear school

uniform

* Follow Instructions

PE - SWIMMING Students will participate in swimming lessons as part of their Physical Education unit this Term. Swimming days are listed below...

Prep-2 - Wednesday (parent helpers welcome)

Year 3-4 - Wednesday

Year 5-6 - Friday

Years 7 to 10 - Friday

Please ensure students have the following items...

Togs Towel Swim Shirt (Rashie) Hat Water Bottle

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB For decades, Scholastic has been proudly bringing adventure and the unrivalled enjoyment of reading to multiple generations of Australian families via Book Club. Each Issue of Book Club contains specially curated, age-appropriate titles that have been carefully selected and levelled by a team of professional booklovers. With numerous studies finding that reading at home is a key factor in a child’s lifelong success, Book Club provides a fun and easy way of bringing books into a child’s home. It provides families with an affordable and convenient way to access the best in Australian and international children’s literature. We encourage parents to make payments for Book Club using LOOP by registering online and going to scholastic.com.au/LOOP and following the prompts. Book Club booklets go home this week, Issue 1 orders close Wednesday 12 February.

SECONDARY SNAPSHOT

Housekeeping: What a great start to the 2020 school year. We are all excited to get started and continue with our learnings across all subject areas and of course, catching up with our peers.

Students have a timetable in their lockers to ensure they are organised for the school day.

Our new lockers have arrived and we are in the process of purchasing padlocks that are suitable for our school routines and expectations.

Parent information brochure has been sent home with students to outline our B Block happenings.

Swimming consent forms are due back to school as soon as possible.

Our swimming day is Friday. Please ensure students bring togs, towel etc.

PLP interviews are next week (Wednesday 5 February), please complete the required form (sent home this week) and return to the office.

Until next week - Mrs Kylie Hegarty, Secondary Coordinator

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Homework Centre - Every Monday and Thursday afternoon 3pm to 4pm. Starting Week 2 Monday 3rd February. Homework centre provides the opportunity for students to have assistance with their homework and assignment tasks. A healthy snack will be provided. To avoid confusion please ensure students know if they are to walk home or if they are being collected. Sporting Schools - Runs every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon 3pm to 4:15pm. Swimming Term 1 from Week 2 to Week 9. Please ensure students have all their swimming gear - togs, towel, swim shirt. NB - Sporting Schools Consent form has to be completed and returned before students are able to participate. To avoid confusion please ensure students know if they are to walk home or if they are being collected.

STUDENT SERVICES 2020 Just a quick explanation about my role as Student Services Co-ordinator. This role encompasses: learning support for students with learning difficulties in literacy and numeracy. support for students with a disability. service delivery for students requiring speech language therapy/occupational therapy/

physiotherapy. support for students with social emotional and or mental health and wellbeing needs. support for parents and teachers to best meet the needs of their students. During the term specialists visit our school. Below is a list of who and when they will visit during Term One. Department of Education Staff Guidance Officer (Miss Kelly Lawton); 7th February and another date to be advised. Speech Language Pathologist ( Margo Galloway): 7th February and 5th of March. Social Emotional Support: Alex Donoghue; dates to be advised Vital Health Specialists: Visit once a month Ali Barry: Occupational Therapy Lyndal Thomas: Speech Language Pathologist If you have concerns regarding your child’s development, please ensure you discuss this with your child’s teacher and or myself. Early intervention is the key to success. Kind regards, Monica Hadenfeldt

DIRRANBAND ARTS COUNCIL AGM followed by

GENERAL MEETING Friday 21st February 2020

@ the pub @ 5pm

Items on the agenda include:

Workshops

Exhibition in September and setting a date

Rail & River focus for 2020

TEACHER PROFILES Hi!

I’m Miss Stewart.

Most of you already know me as Miss Amber or from around the community.

I am now the Prep – 2 Teacher. I am looking forward to working with the school community in my new role.

Let’s have a great 2020!!

"Hello, my name is Miss Armstrong and I am very excited to be a part of Dirranbandi State School this year, and working as the Year 5/6 teacher. I grew up in St. George and have completed my Bachelor of Primary Education at The University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba. Last year I taught Physical Education at St. Patrick’s School in St. George. I value education and believe that it is important to provide and encourage opportunities for students to be active in their learning. I look forward to the year to come and wish everyone a happy 2020 school year."