principal’s message evidence based diary dates: welcome ... · fashion, however students wearing...

Waterford State School acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Yugumbeh and Jagera people, of the country on which the school is located and pays respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Principal’s Message

Jingeri Wahlu, Welcome! Term 2, Week 6 • 29th May 2020

Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, Be a Learner

Evidence Based

ApproachEvidence Based Approach - the 2 books shown are the evidence based approach used at Waterford SS to improve student learning outcomes. They combine approaches to enable school leaders and teachers to boost student achievement and build teacher capacity to learn, teach and lead by emphasising collaborative processes.

“Embed and quality assure all elements of the

Australian Curriculum – English, to ensure

consistency of practice across the school.”

2020 Sharp and Narrow

At least 12 months growth for one year’s schooling

T: (07) 3451 8222 F: (07) 3451 8200 E: [email protected] W: https://waterfordss.eq.edu.au

Office hours: 8am - 4pm Tuckshop: 3451 8216 40 Nerang Street, Waterford Qld 4133

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Waterford State School

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back Year 2-6 This week we finally welcomed all students back to school. It has been a breath of fresh air to have the “heartbeat” of our school return. All those who have returned have done so full of enthusiasm, keen to re-engage in learning and most importantly catch up with friends they haven’t seen for months.

A number of operational measures are in place at school to ensure a safe learning environment. Please refer to the previous email on Friday 22nd of May which outlines these measures.

School drop off and pick up areas Student drop off and pick up areas need to be managed during the return to school, including increased supervision at peak times. We understand and recognise that there is significant congestion on the local roads during pick up time in the afternoons. I am currently working with our local members office, and the Logan City Council on measures to relieve some of the traffic congestion on Nerang Street and particularly Jordan Street in the afternoons. I ask for your ongoing patience as we work to resolve this. For those families with older students, please make arrangements to meet at locations around the school that are less congested. This includes near the C&K Kindergarten.

Queuing of cars along Jordan Street is causing significant congestion. Parents are requested to avoid the practice of “stacking” around the corner. Parents will be asked to do a lap to free up traffic. Please take this into consideration during afternoon pick up.

We continue to work with the Local Council and MP Shannon Fentiman to improve the traffic issues around the school. I will update the community as further information comes to hand.

Remember adults must maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres from each other. Parents should not gather before or after school, in the car park, at drop off and pick up time, outside classrooms or at the school gate.

School cleaning arrangements and staffing During COVID-19, the Queensland Government has approved a temporary increase in cleaning time allocated to state schools. From 23rd of March until further notice, the additional cleaning allocation allows for greater attention and frequency to cleaning activity, particularly for the high touch points including administration buildings, classrooms and amenities.

Yours in Education

Daniel Bishop, Principal

Diary Dates:27th May - 3rd June National Reconciliation Week

Thursday 4th June MSP Photography

Friday 26th June Last day of Term 2

TERM DATES:

TERM 2, 2020: Monday 20th April – Friday 26th June

TERM 3, 2020: Monday 13th July – Friday 18th September

TERM 4, 2020: Tuesday 6th October – Friday 11th December

https://waterfordss.eq.edu.au/

https://www.facebook.com/WaterfordStateSchool/

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School we expect:

Australian Curriculum – English 80% of students receiving a C or better in English across the school

Lyn Sharratt’s “Clarity” – Every classroom operating under the 14 Parametres, building powerful collaborative learning cultures

Before and After School CareAt WSS we have before and after school care run by Camp Australia in our Community Hub. If you are interested in finding out more information, please call 1300 105 343, pick up a flyer from the WSS Office or visit www.campaustralia.com.au

From The Deputy Desk: P-2

Arrival and Departures

Kelly Roberts Deputy Principal P-2

Chicken Diva Our Prep and Year 1 students enjoyed participating in all the Chicken Diva activities this week. Classes read “Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas” by Lucinda Gifford for National Simultaneous Storytime.

• The current procedure for the arrival and departure for Prep, Year 1 students and older siblings will remain the same. Students will met by school staff in the mornings and directed to the usual area to meet their teachers. Following intense support over the past 2 weeks, this process is now familiar for these students and the number of staff will be reduced to enable supervision at other entrances.

• In the afternoons, class teachers (Prep-1) will escort their classes to the back gate at 2:45pm. It will be the responsibility of older siblings to collect brothers and sister from this point if families have arranged pick up from another location. An email to class teachers making them aware of this arrangement is appreciated.

• All gate entrances and parking will be accessible from Monday 25th of May. Parents are encouraged to utilise these various locations to avoid congestion. The car park at the base of the C&K Kindy is mowed and encouraged for use. Parents and caregivers are still restricted from using staff car parking inside the school grounds. Staff will be located at entry points throughout the school.

• Parents are requested not to enter through the gates.

Early Departures

• Early departures from class between 1:55pm and 2:45pm are not permitted except for genuine emergency situations. Early pickups to avoid traffic congestion is not a genuine emergency. Early pickups will only occur during lunch breaks. Should you require an early departure this is to be prearranged with the class teacher and front office. An email or note to the class teacher the day before or the morning of the early departure is the best form of communication. Front office staff will no longer take phone calls to coordinate early departure of students unless it is an emergency.

Handwashing Please practice this procedure with your children – in particular, Step 3. Some children are applying soap then rinsing it off without rubbing the soap on the front and backs of their hands.

Uniforms Monday is the first day of Winter! Upon the return to school, we are feeling the change of the season creeping in. We would like to remind families during the colder months, students may choose to wear black tracksuit pants and a plain black jumper. We understand the current fashion, however students wearing jumpers with a hoodie will be asked to tuck the hoodie in. Beanies, scarves and gloves are not required during learning time. Beanies are not a sun safe hat and are not suitable for playtimes. Reminder:

Please label all your belongings

Newsletter 29th May 2020 •

Be Respectful , Be Responsible, Be Safe, Be a Learner

It is so great to have all our students back on campus this week! When I walked around and visited classes on Monday morning, it was evident that students were so excited to be back with their friends and teachers in the classroom. Thank you to our parents for all their efforts in Weeks 1-5. You did a fantastic job!

While we are back at school, it is really important that we continue to implement measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. Students will notice new signage around the school encouraging social distancing where possible. We are all frequently washing our hands throughout the day and our staff are taking all precautions to minimise risks. One significant change has been at drop off and pick up and I am pleased with the way our Year 3-6 students have handled this change in a responsible and safe way. Once again, thank you for your patience while we work out the new ways of operating.

Attendance With only five weeks left in Term 2, it is so important that our students are here on time, every day for the entire day. Our teachers are currently delivering 5 week programs which will be assessed and appear on Semester 1 reports. Remember, Every Day Counts!

PBL Our Term 2 positive behaviour and rewards program kicked off on Monday this week for students in P-6. Upon return, all students received two completed cards for being wonderful learners between Weeks 1-5. This means that all students started on Card 3 on Monday. Our usual recognition system after Card 3 will stay the same and students who finish Card 5 will be invited to participate in rewards in Week 10. Our classroom teachers have worked with students to design exciting activities appropriate in our current situation and these reward options will be up on display in classrooms next week.

I started in this position just before the COVID-19 outbreak and closure of schools in Week 10 of last term. This means that I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know all the students and their families like I would have hoped. I am really looking forward to meeting you all over the next 5 weeks.

Take care,

Catherine Higgins, Acting Deputy Principal (Year 3-6)

Deputy Principal Year 3-6

Deputy Principal Diverse LearningIt was an absolute delight to have our Prep and Year 1 students return to school last week and our Year 2-6’s return this week. The students have demonstrated the learning they have done at home and have gained confidence in their abilities to complete tasks under the guidance of their exceptional teachers. It never ceases to amaze us how resilient and adaptive our students are. Seeing students settled and back into the routine of school it is hard to believe they were off school, for so many weeks. Our present times have been a challenge for us all. Our children have seen their families and their world in different ways, they have hopefully found out things about themselves and gained confidence in their own judgement and ability. Michael Carr-Gregg, one of Australia’s leading child and adolescent psychologists, talks about the major traits of resilient children:

Charismatic Adult – “A person with whom children identify and from whom they gather strength”. These adults convey love and acceptance and are willing to advocate for a child, especially in times of need.Positive Self-Talk – This talk is what makes people positive about themselves and the things that are going on in their life. It is like having an optimistic voice in one’s head that always looks on the bright side.Social-emotional Competencies – This is about learning how to manage feelings and friendships and solve problems. Children who have developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, resolve conflict and feel positive about themselves and the world around them.Islands of Competence – This is about a passion or a spark and the thing you can do really well. This capability helps us learn the importance of practice and persistence.Spirituality – This involves the child developing a moral compass to navigate life.Give them Vitamin “N” – Children need to hear the word “NO”. Young people are not emotionally or developmentally equipped to make major decisions or rules or to self-regulate; their brains are still a work in progress.Set limits and boundaries – Establishing limits over things that matter, (sleep, language, screen –time, content suitability, exercise and diet) things that related to their wellbeing are the means by which parents control the rate of change; helping their sons and daughters find a reasonable and balance approach to growing up.

Micheal Carr-Gregg (2018) certainly provides some food for thought for all of us.A sincere thank you to everyone in the school community for being so supportive of each other through this period in history. We can all be proud of the way our students have adapted, become more independent and continued to flourish in the face of change. Please take care and look after yourself and your family.

Melissa Davis, Deputy Principal Diverse Learning



From the Guidance OfficerWill you be tuning in for Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson?

In just under a month, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation will livestream brand new Child Safety lessons for upper primary students.

On 25 June, the lessons will focus on online safety strategies for children aged 8-12.

Join in on Thursday 25 June, for lessons including, personal safety online, cyberbullying, protecting personal information, and reporting unwanted contact.

Register now to join the national live event! https://danielmorcombe.com.au/australias-biggest-child-safety-lesson-2/

Registered participants will have access to an exclusive preview of the lesson prior to the event.

(On 10 September, as part of National Child Protection Week, the focus will be on the key messages about safe and unsafe secrets for children aged 4-7.)

Take care,

Mary

School Photos - Thursday 4th JuneMSP Photography will be coming to WSS on Thursday 4th June, 2020 for school photos so get your smile on…

National Reconciliation Week Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.

Through mutual respect we come together and connect with one another as we strive towards a more just and equitable nation.

On this journey, every one of us has a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

For more information, please visit: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/

Colour for Reconciliation Biripi/Bunjalung artist, Nikita Ridgeway made this special symbol for National Reconciliation Week. It is called “Reconciliation, a ripple effect through education”.

Nikita created her design with colours from across Australia, purple and red for berries, brown and yellow for flowers and seeds, blues for our waters and rivers, ochres for ceremony and culture – amongst many others!

Colour in her design with colours that you can see in the world around you.

Indigenous News



Wellness TeamFitclub This week at Fitclub, it was great to see students back together again and you could tell that they really missed playing games with their friends.First break we played Noughts and Crosses but we used hoops and throwing sacks. The students started at the cone and ran towards Mr H and the first person to Mr H picked a hoop to put their coloured sacks in. The team that got 3 in a row won. Second break the students did agility and speed exercises where they would perform multiple exercises to help with speed and foot placement that is useful for many kinds of sports.

Good start program Veggie champs!

The Good Start program has started back up for 24 of our Year 2 and 3 students. This term Good Start will be focusing on vegetables to help the students understand the importance of adopting a positive attitude towards eating vegetables every day. Charyse and Bati who coordinate Good Start every Monday, discussed with the students different types of vegetables and what vegetables we eat at home or for lunch at school. To end the session we went out the front of Old School and played a game where students would hop until they met a student from the opposite team and had to answer a vegetable related question.

Welcome Back to School!After 5 weeks of learning from home, we are so happy to welcome all our students back to school. We have missed you all and enjoyed seeing so many happy faces returning through the school gates. To welcome back all the students who have been learning from home, we created a large “Welcome Back” sign. The students did an amazing job and had some beautiful messages of support for their peers returning on Monday.

Avahn doing the side shuffle through the hoops that helps with lateral movement.

Jayla-May winning the forward shuffle race against Declan.



Wellness Team (continued)Breakfast Club is back! Breakfast Club has reopened its doors for the term! It was great to see so many eager faces back at school this week! Note: We are having no student volunteers until further notice.

Go Blue for Autism Day - Friday 29th May 2020 On Friday 29th May, our school raised awareness for Autism through Autism Australia’s “Go Blue for Autism Day”. To raise awareness, students and staff wore blue to school. It was a fantastic day!Why are we raising awareness you may ask? Well here’s why:

Autism is a complex, lifelong developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate, interact with others and cope in everyday situations. Go Blue for Autism is to increase greater understanding, acceptance and inclusion of people on the autism spectrum.

If you wish to donate to Autism Australia you can at this link: https://autismqld.com.au/product/914/Go-Blue-for-Autism-Donation#.XsxZdeRlLIV.Your support will provide vital funding that will enable Autism Australia to deliver much-needed education and therapy services to people living with Autism, as well as help Autism Australia to support the families and friends of those living with Autism.

Check out these amazing blue cookies and muffins, made by Erica and Michelle in our Tuckshop for the day. There was a special “Go Blue for Autism” pack, which included chicken wedges with choice of a sauce, a blue muffin and a blue cookie for $4.00.Thank you for everyone’s support of the day and wearing blue!

Visit by Registered Nurse for Free Prep Vision Screening Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening is therefore vital in early childhood, particularly for conditions such as ‘lazy eye’, which if not detected early can lead to blindness.A Registered Nurse will be visiting WSS on 14th & 15th September, 2020 to commence vision screening for all Prep Year children. If you wish to have your child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete and sign the consent form sent home with your child and return this to your child’s class teacher as soon as possible. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of your child’s screening.Please note that if your child has had a vision assessment in the past 12 months it is not necessary for him/her to participate in this screening program. If this is the case, please complete the consent form and indicate that you do not wish for your child to participate, and ensure that you follow the schedule of reviews recommended by your eye health professional.The vision consent forms were sent home with our Preppies this week. Please ensure you return your child’s consent form by Friday, 5th June, 2020.

We are so happy to see everyone back at school. It is such a joy to see so many smiling faces that we have missed over the past weeks.This week we celebrated ‘International Hamburger Day’! What a great response. We will have more theme days and specials, so stay tuned. To kick winter off we introduce our ‘Winter Warmer’, available every day through winter. This is in addition to our daily specials.REMEMBER to register your child for Munch Monitor online as we are CASHLESS at the tuckshop. You can assign a daily amount, ‘snack money’ for them to use ‘over-the-counter’ at the tuckshop also. If you need assistance doing this please contact us at the tuckshop.

To register visit www.munchmonitor.com and enter: Username: Waterford Password: munch4133Have a great week!Erica & Michelle

Tuckshop News



HPE Update

Music

Last week during our Health lessons, we investigated how to maintain our health by eating well and keeping active. Students in Prep/Year 1 have been identifying personal hygiene habits and actions that help keep them healthy. This involved examining the ‘Australian Guide to Healthy Eating’ whilst making healthy food choices. The requirement was to draw pictures of every day foods and sometimes foods in relation to the ‘Australian Guide to Healthy Eating’. Elli and Lillian (P/1R) have produced some fantastic work involving healthy food choices as pictured below. Great job!

Years 5 and 6 have been reinforcing their knowledge on the elements of Music. In all the Arts, it is the elements that guide an understanding of how Arts work and how we communicate about any form of creative endeavour. All our tasks have involved not only using these elements but discussing their role and importance in the activities.

Some lessons have included whole class clapping/body percussion games and some have been designed for group work. These groups have been enjoying making and creating their own compositions and sharing their work with other class members.

STEM HighlightsOur junior school has been super busy this week with our Year 2’s joining back at school. Our Preps have been enjoying editing photos digitally and our Year 2’s demonstrated skills when starting their coding program on the iPads. Year 1 enjoyed planning and making a spinning toy.

Year 3 and 4’s have enjoyed beginning coding, making cars and ping-pong bats to use for their data collection activity both at home and at school.

Our Year 6’s have started learning about MakeyMakey, a fantastic invention kit that uses the magic of circuits and software. The students were able to set up a playdough arrow keyboard to use with a simple game.



Prep NewsThis week in Prep, we have been creating animal habitats as a part of our Living Things Science unit. In our habitats, we needed to include water, food and shelter for our animals to survive. We also made sure that our animals had oxygen to breathe and sunlight to keep them warm. Preps have all enjoyed using their own playdoh kits to make their animal habitats.

Year 1 NewsYear 1C are learning about 3D shapes!

We can name the shapes and we learnt about their faces, corners and edges.

Students made some 3D shapes by folding paper and also used mini marshmallows and tooth picks!

Can you name the 3D shapes in our photos? Can you find 3D shapes in your home?



The Year 2 teaching staff were very excited to welcome back their classes this week. The children have settled back in very well and are working hard. They have been engaging in reading groups, spelling, choosing favourite characters and writing about them, counting money and participating in Science investigations. It has been a very busy but successful week!

Year 2 News

Look and see, who can it be? It’s Year 3 being busy little bees!

This week we are back and it’s time to get on track! We have been reviewing our routines, skills while learning from home and showing how we get along and be learners. What can you hear but a silent cheer while looking around at smiles. We are happy to be back in the classroom learning.

Year 3 News



Year 4 are excited to be back together again and working hard. Learning and revising content and practicing strategies to achieve greater success. Students have been enjoying discussing, analysing and practicing topics and helping each other out to strengthen their understanding.

Year 4 News



Welcome back Year 6!

The Year 6’s have transitioned back into the swing of school life seamlessly. Learning to adapt and being flexible in uncertainty has been a challenge for all. The Year 6 Teaching team would like to personally thank all our parents and carers for your time, commitment and perseverance in ensuring your child continued along their educational journey. These times have been extraordinary however, together, we have accomplished great results. Thank you!

Year 5 News

Year 6 News

Year 5 have had a great return to school. Students were excited to see their friends and the teachers were definitely happy to see so many cheerful faces back in the classrooms.

We have been busy revising the work that we did at home and getting back into routine. We are also working on our group work and leadership skills with some fun activities. One activity that we did this week was a building challenge using spaghetti, string, tape and a marshmallow.



principal’s message evidence based diary dates: welcome ... · fashion, however students wearing...

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