Principal’s updateWelcome to the first edition of our newsletter. It’s been an exciting time as staff and students have settled into our new facilities and classroom routines. Many thanks to the families who have already connected with classroom teachers and teacher aides and shared information about students. We also thank parents and carers for all the positive comments and goodwill that has been expressed to staff members. Lee Street State Special School is off to a great start and we look forward to ensuring positive learning experiences for our students.

Currently, we are operating with 28 classes. The school is organized into Junior Secondary classes (Yr 7-8), Middle Secondary classes (Yr 9-10) and Senior Secondary classes (Yr 11-12).

Classrooms have been buzzing with excitement as the schoolwide expectations of ‘I am safe’, ‘I am a learner’, and ‘I am respectful’ have been explicitly taught across all classes. Each class has worked hard to understand what this looks like and sounds like in our new school. Students have been settling into routines, making new friends and getting to know their teachers and teacher aides. Walking through classrooms each morning it has been exciting to observe students focused on their learning.

FacilitiesBuilding continues and the next General Learning Area is on track for completion by Term 2 2020. This will provide us with 10 more classrooms which our senior school classes will move in to. “Badge” is the construction company responsible for the school build and they are committed to ensuring students are able to access these classrooms as soon as possible. Walls are up, kitchenettes are installed and painting is underway. Thank you everyone for your patience as these works are completed.In the last week of term 1 there will be a temporary change to traffic flow (just for the week) as the road into the carpark is resealed and completed. More information will be provided closer to the date.

Front gate news:We are aware that the current front gate into administration presents as an inconvenience when you arrive and it is locked. Please be assured that we most definitely want you to come into the school, however as a temporary solution to assist in students remaining safe the gate is generally locked. We are working with our builders to arrange a system whereby you are able to enter from the outside while ensuring that students are not able to exit from the inside. Thank you for your

patience as we work out a solution.

Newsletter Edition 1/ February 2020

Staff newsOur student free days started with an amazing ‘Smoking Ceremony’ performed by Craig Weribone. The ceremony involved burning various native plants to produce smoke, which has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits from the people and the land and make a pathway for a brighter future. Craig encouraged all staff to bring positivity and energy to our new workplace and set the tone for our highly successful days of professional learning.

Staff have also undertaken mandatory training and an induction into our new school. Many thanks to the EQ nurses who have conducted several trainings to ensure that staff are prepared to implement Individual Health Plans and Emergency Health Plans.

As yet, staffing for 2020 has not been fully finalised as the usual collection of student enrolment which usually occurs on Day 8, has this year been delayed until Day 13 (Thursday 13th Feb), due to the impact of the Coronavirus across schools in QLD. So as always, our staffing remains indicative until final staffing is released after Day 13. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience if any changes to classes are required after Day 13.

Parent and carer connections

Working together…mobile phones and electronic devices

Thank you to those parents and carers who have supported school staff to implement safety and respect in regards to personal technology devices including iPads and mobile phones.

A school policy document is in development in regards to Student Code of Conduct which includes the use of personal technology within the school. This will be presented to the P&C for endorsement.

At this time, students have been informed that bringing personal technology devices to school is not encouraged by the school. This is due to the potential for theft and general distraction and/or disruption associated with them (an exception to this is personal devices used to provide communication /behaviour management support as negotiated with the Principal). However, if they are brought to school, they must be handed in at the front office for safe- keeping and the devices will be returned to students at the end of the school day.

Please note that all classrooms and learning areas are equipped with phones and any messages which need to be relayed to students can be done so by calling the school office.

Cybersafety- Appropriate use of Social Media

Lee Street State Special School recommends that parents closely monitor their child’s use of social media. While we understand that teenagers are developing independence and relish their privacy, we also acknowledge that students attending Lee Street continue to require adult supervision to make reasoned judgements and to navigate through the complexities of online social media use.

Students of Lee Street State Special School are expected to engage in the appropriate use of social media. Specific examples of appropriate use of social media sites and apps include:

Ensuring that personal information, such as full name, address, phone number, school name and location or anyone else’s personal information, is not shared.

Thinking about what they want to say or post, and how it could be interpreted by others, before putting it online. Remember, once content is posted online you lose control over it. Students should not post content online that they would be uncomfortable saying or showing to their parents’ face or shouting in a crowded room.

Remembering that it can be difficult to work out whether messages typed on social media sites and apps are meant to be funny or sarcastic. Tone of voice and context is often lost which can lead to unintended consequences. If students think a message may be misinterpreted, they should be cautious and make the decision not to post it.

Never provoking, or engaging with, another user who is displaying inappropriate or abusive behaviour. There is no need to respond to a cyberbully. Students should report cyberbullying concerns to a teacher and allow the teacher to record and deal with the online concern.

If inappropriate online behaviour impacts on the good order and management of Lee Street State Special School, the school may impose disciplinary consequences for that behaviour regardless of whether the behaviour occurs during or outside of school hours.

Disciplinary consequences could include suspension and/or exclusion. In serious cases of inappropriate online behaviour, the school may also make a report to the police for further investigation. Lee Street State Special School will not become involved in concerns of cyberbullying or inappropriate online behaviour where the incident in question does not impact upon the good order and management of the school. For example, where cyberbullying occurs between a student of this school and a student of another school outside school hours. Such an incident will be a matter for parents and/or police to resolve.

School Photos- Save the date!

School photos are scheduled for Monday 24th February. Information will be sent home in student communication diaries this week.

P&C

Our hard working P&C are always looking for new members. We are extremely grateful for their support and fund raising efforts. Nomination forms for our P&C are available at the front office. Meetings are held on the the second Thursday of each month at 6.00pm at the school. The next meeting is February 13th . All welcome!!!

Please note the Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 12th March 2020.

The Uniform ShopRegular daily opening times for the uniform shop are Tuesdays 8.30-10.30am and Thursdays 8.30-10.30am.

Orders can be placed online at any time and completed orders will be available for pick up during the scheduled opening times above.

PLEASE NOTE: The library bags and home reader bags are now available to be purchased online.

The online address is https://leestreet.seaborne.com.au/

Remember: You can click on this link or type LeeStreet.seaborne.com.au into your browser address bar. The site is very new and cannot be found by a google search.

ParkingParent Priority Parking tags are available at the front office. These can be placed on your dashboard so that we ensure that only members of our school community utilise the parking spaces available.

Year 7 and Year 10 School Immunisation Program

In 2020, Moreton Bay Regional Council is providing free vaccinations for all Year 7 and 10 students, as part of Queensland Health’s annual School Immunisation Program.

All Year 7 students are being offered free vaccinations as recommended by the National Immunisation Program to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough).

All year 10 students are being offered free vaccinations as recommended by the National Immunisation Program to protect against Meningococcal ACWY. These vaccinations will be conducted by a team of registered nurses.

A consent pack has been given to your child to bring home. Please read the information booklet carefully, sign the consent card and return the consent card to the school by 11th February, 2020. If there is concern regarding nervousness of your child prior to vaccination please contact Council and ask to speak to the immunisation team. If it is suitable, it can be arranged that they are vaccinated before the immunisation clinic starts. Parents are encouraged to ensure their children have breakfast on the morning of vaccination and reminded to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

If your child misses the school immunisation day, they can still be vaccinated at a Moreton Bay Regional Council Community Immunisation clinic - please visit: www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/immunisation .

For more information about the School Immunisation Program, visitwww.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation or contact Moreton Bay Regional Council on 3205 0555.

Classroom connections

Literacy is alive! Classrooms are already full of examples of student’s literacy learning. Teachers have been busy learning how to use an approach to learning literacy called ‘Balanced Literacy’.

More information about this way of teaching and learning will be shared in upcoming newsletters and in your child’s upcoming ICP meeting.

Teachers are busy collecting data to inform your child’s ICP and meetings will be held from week 5 onwards.

Swimming: Middle Secondary students begin swimming next week and will have 6 swimming lessons. Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary students will attend swimming in Term 4.

Community connectionsInduction for volunteers, NDIS service providers and those seeking to work in relief teacher aide positions will be undertaken in Week 4. The first induction session will be held on Tuesday 18th February 2.30-3.30pm.

Have a great week.

Yours in learning

Kim(Principal)