8 September 2016

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Eisteddfod

Congratulations to the many students who participated in the Eisteddfod for the school. Thank you also to the Instrumental teachers, Mr Schimke and Mrs Coleman for putting in many hours preparing the bands and choirs.

Road Safety

I understand the frustration of the pick-up and drop off zone. Mr Tod and I have been trying to help in the afternoons with the pick-up zone, however, parents can also help by:

• Stay in your cars. For students who require to be buckled up in child restraints and booster seats, parents should find alternative parking away from the stop, drop and go area.
• As cars leave, move forward. Students are safe in the school grounds. They are not safe when cars are moving. Move the car closer to the gate and students will get in quicker. There is too much time waiting for students to walk to the car and then getting into the car.
• Students are safe past 3:00pm. We are on duty until 3:30pm so come a little bit later, especially if you know your children take some time to get to the pick-up zone.
• Be patient. Student safety is the number 1 priority.

If we can take care and be patient the pick-up zone will be quicker and safer. Thank you for your co-operation.

Holidays

I want to thank the staff and students for a fantastic term, I have thoroughly enjoyed the term at The Willows. I am looking forward to Term 4. I hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday, summer will certainly be on us soon. I will be heading to Atherton to see my wife's 95 year old grandmother and over to Maggie Island to see my mum. Swimming in the pool will also be on the high priority list.

Go Cowboys!

Regards Chris

YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP DAY

In the first week back in Term 4 on Thursday the 6th of October our year 5 students will all be participating in our Leadership Day. On the day students will do rotational activities designed to build leadership skills, teamwork, participation and communication. Teachers will be looking out for students who show leadership potential and guest speakers will be coming to talk about their roles as leaders. Students who are interested in nominating for leadership positions can submit a form at the end of the day. We will shortlist applicants and those students will participate in a writer's workshop in preparation for their leadership application.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

As you are aware, on Friday 12 August, school students from across all parts of Queensland, representing over 50 schools, converged at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to take part in a Guinness World Recordsâ„¢ official attempt for the Largest Practical Science Lesson.

Everybody was delighted that we were victorious - with a final count of 2900 students and teachers participating in the lesson, beating the previous record of 2102, held by the South Africans. The official record is now listed on the Guinness World Records website.

This achievement would not have been possible without you and your students from The Willows State School. As such may I offer the whole organising team's grateful thanks and warm appreciation for your contribution towards this successful event.

We are also heartened that many of these students will now be further inspired to become involved in science. Thank you again for your generous support in enabling a special outcome.

Sincerely yours

Dr Geoff Garrett AO
Queensland Chief Scientist

TRANSITION

Over term 4 The Willows will be working very closely with our neighbouring high schools to provide opportunities for transition. Students have already had visits from Kirwan State High and Thuringowa State High. It is very important that at this stage you have secured enrolment at the High School of your choice. In Term 4 we will be asking students where they are going so that students can participate in transition days with participating schools.

SAUSAGE SIZZLE

There will be a sausage sizzle on Friday 16th September. Order forms were sent home early this week. Please return the orders by Tuesday 9.30am. No late orders will be accepted as the sausages and bread need to be pre-ordered.

QPARENTS

Year 3 – invitation codes were emailed or posted out at the end of last week. Please let the office know if you expressed an interest in registering for QParents and have not received your invitation code.

Year 1 – forms were sent out last week to register your interest in using QParents. Please return the forms by Friday 9 September.

For more information about QParents, please click on the link below.

LOST PROPERTY

All lost property will be placed outside the tuckshop on Tuesday 13th September. All unclaimed, unnamed articles will be sent to a charity organisation.

4EVA HONOUR PARALYMPIC ATHLETES

4EVA is all about celebrating difference. To honour the Paralympic Athletes, students experienced life without arms/hands. We produced some drawings done by foot and some paintings done by mouth. All of us gained a better appreciation for our abled bodies. Please Youtube "We're the Superhumans Rio Paralympics 2016 Trailer". Be inspired!

1, 2, 3 Magic and Emotion Coaching

Are you dealing with difficult behaviour?

Do you wonder if there is a better way to manage the parenting challenges that you face?

The Willow State School is offering a 1, 2, 3 Magic and Emotion Coaching Course. This 3 session program is designed to help parents build skills to manage children's difficult behaviour. It teaches key ideas about children's abilities, the common problems that parents face and ways to help make parenting as enjoyable as possible.

When: Thursday 27 October, Thursday 3rd November and Thursday 10th November (6 hrs total)
Time: 1pm-3pm
Where: TWSS Conference Room
Cost: $10 for the course booklet

Please email Jodie Gausden jgaus1@eq.edu.au before Monday 17th October to book in.

CHAPPY CHAT

It feels like a long time since my last newsletter article! Here is what has been happening in Chappy World.

Dance Troupe

The Year 5 and 6 Dance Troupe is continuing on Wednesdays at first break and we are preparing two dances at the moment. We would love to have more along but we do expect you not to miss too many rehearsals.

Operation Christmas Child

Week 9 I will be collecting the shoeboxes from classrooms around the school so please bring in any last donations you have at home definitely before the end of term. So far the money count to send the boxes will only post THREE shoeboxes so we really need more money to come in through the office labelled 'Shoeboxes'. 50 cents per students will be plenty!

Book Week

I love books! And I love that at The Willows we get to celebrate Book Week in style. At our celebration I read the Preps and Year 6s a poem called 'The Yarn of Shaun the Sheep'. This is a true poem written about a sheep that had been lost in Tasmania and was so overgrown with wool after 6 years of wandering around its fleece magically created more than 30 garments! It was a special story that I love because it is true and it fits so well into our Australian stories theme and culture.

Triple P

Chappy's next Triple P 8-week session will now be starting the first Friday in Term 4 at night time, October 7th. Please email Chappy at lkutu0@eq.edu.au for more info or to register.

Here is a recent picture from Corey Parker, retiring Broncos player. He has recently completed the Triple P Program as he shared on his facebook page. If he can do it, so can you! Triple P is for every parent, no matter the child, struggle or situation. This program is being offered for free. Thanks to those of you who have expressed an interest already, I will be in contact shortly.

Chappy End of Term Sausage Sizzle

A reminder that the end of term sausage sizzle is on once again so please bring your orders back by 9.30am on Tuesday 13th September to ensure a smooth ordering process. Thank you for supporting school chaplaincy.

North Queensland School Chaplaincy Support Dinner – 'Frontline Dinner'

There will be a free dinner where you will get to meet and hear from many school chaplains in our region about who we are and what we do. Please see Chappy for information on the upcoming Frontline Dinner on October 24th. There will be an opportunity to support the school chaplains financially on the night.

Have a wonderful spring holiday and I will see you again in Term 4 I hope. Stay safe and enjoy the blessings of this beautiful place we live in.

Chappy Libbie

P&C NEWS

Hello All,

Fun Fair

On behalf of The Willows State School P&C, thank you to all the teachers and volunteers who sent in donations, set up on the day and help man the stalls on a successful family night. A huge thank you to P&C members who spent all day setting up the Fun Fair. This is a major fundraiser on the yearly calendar. Final figures to be announced in the next newsletter.

All students who purchased a pre-paid wristband went into a draw to win a Samsung Tablet. The winner was Serai from PYMCC.

Fun Fair Supporters

Our Fun Fair couldn't happen without the support of local businesses. These businesses supported us with donations and help... please remember them and give them our support where you can!

Amusements Plus
Kirwan Aquatic Centre
Sealink Queensland
Billabong Sanctuary
Choi Kwang Do
Sk8way
Paronella Park
Entropy
Rose Bay Resort, Bowen
Cairns Coconut Resort
Mamu Tropical Skywalk
Can Do Books
Fever Fitness
Townsville Tenpin and Fun Centre
Grandma's Lolly Shop
Cowboys Leagues Club
Kazza's Barber Shop
Kirwan Tyres
Bedrock Landscaping Centre
Crystal Caves, Atherton
Sa-Re Fashioned Upcycled Textiles
Future Sport Motorcycles
Cafe Carvery Castletown
Warrina Cineplex
Fresh 4 Less Fruit Barn
American Big Dogz
The Flower Station
Sue's Patchwork
Norwex
Miche
Tupperware
Arbonne
Thrive
Angliss Meats

Father's Day Stall

Our Father's Day Stall was a success! We hope the kids enjoyed picking out the presents, and the Dads and Grandfathers enjoyed receiving them.

Thanks to our band of helpers - Christine, Krystel, Kylie A, Darian, Natasha, Anita, Roslyn, Chappy Libbie, Ella, Jeff, Bec, Vanessa, Ali, Kylie M, Emiko, Melissa, Eva, Erin, Nicky, Sara, the ladies in the school office, the tuckshop ladies and the teachers in the school.

These people had a hand in either helping set up the stall, organizing the class time slots, sending home the notes, guiding your kids through the selection process, helping the kids calculate their purchases, and stocktaking and packing up the stall. Without them, it wouldn't be possible to run a Father's Day Stall, so a big thank you to them all!

Congratulations to the winners of the raffle prizes!

1st - Chloe 3CRO
2nd - Ella 1HAM
3rd - Hayleigh 5THO
4th - Allana 6THE
5th - Amaya 2GAT
6th - Troy 3JOH

Happy Father's Day!

Lauren and Vicky (Father's Day organizers)

Bookpacks

This year, the P&C will once again be offering bookpacks for 2017 to save parents time and effort. These can be ordered closer to the end of this year, ready for next year.

We are investigating an online system for ordering bookpacks this year which can be delivered to your door! At this point we are hoping to bring this to you early in term 4. More information to follow once the process has been finalised.

Facebook

We've hit 400 likes!

Thanks to everyone for your support. For a school of 1000 students, and far fewer actual families (due to multiple child families), that's a great reach for this page.

P & C Meeting

Our next P & C Meeting is Wednesday 14/09/16 6.30pm at the OSHC building. New people and new ideas encouraged to come along.

Special thanks to Jason, Lauren & Tanya.

P & C Committee

TUCKSHOP NEWS

The Tuckshop WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY 16th September, but will be OPEN at 1st break for TREATS. Be sure to come up and buy softdrink, lollies, chocolate slice and other goodies for the last day of term.

We can't thank our volunteers enough. All of you are so very much appreciated. Look forward to working with you all again next term.

There will be some more changes to the menu for term 4. So please be sure to check out online ordering, newsletter and facebook updates for these changes.

We hope all families enjoy the holidays.

Cheers
Rosie, Karen and Megan

DEFENCE AND MOBILE FAMILIES

Welcome to All Families,

Terms 3 holidays are just around the corner and Term 4 will be here before we know it. That being said, it is important posting families make the school aware if you intend to leave before the end of term. This ensures your students are properly farewelled and receive their special gift and we can assist you with the posting. Signature Bears are a long standing tradition of our Defence Program and something each students looks forward to receiving when they say good bye to The Willows.

SPIRIT OF ANZAC CENTENARY EXHIBITION

Correna was fortunate to secure tickets for Defence and other students in Year 5 & 6 to attend the once in a lifetime experience. The ANZAC Centenary Exhibition brings to life an infant Australia still finding its feet on the eve of war. It follows the footsteps of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses throughout the campaign. Driven by artefacts from the Australian War Memorial, the Exhibition also integrates environments, special effects and more to tell Australia's story in new and engaging ways.

So many interesting objects to see and read about. We were all amazed and enjoyed the whole Exhibition. We were very proud of the behaviour of our senior cohort. Thank you to Principal, Chris Anderson and Chaplain Libbie for attending with us. Awesome Experience!

MESSAGES TO OUR HONOUR ROLL SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN

Before visiting the SPIRIT OF ANZAC Exhibition, students took time out from their playtime to write messages of support and thanks to military members. These messages were then added to the interactive website:

The website has multitudes of information about Australia's involvement in war and the exhibition itself.

NORTHERN SERVICES COURIER

ITS BACK!! Ted Bragg and the NSC are back in a different format. It is now online and very interactive. To have a look at this great revamped Defence service, head to the link below. Membership is only $2 with some great benefits for Defence families; please support this wonderful media outlet.

DEFENCE SPOUSE PT CLASSES

If you are looking to get fit and socialise at the same time try the Defence Spouse PT classes. Every Wednesday @ Geckos Centre 6.30pm $5 per person.

MARRIED WITH DEPENDANTS UNACCOMPANIED

Important information for families who may be considering remaining in a different locale while the Defence member posts.

POSTINGS

Postings are beginning to trickle through more regularly this term, many students have already let us know they are expecting to post out at the end of 2016. Please ensure you inform your student's Teacher and Defence Aides. We like to ensure the students and their families are well supported during what can be a tough time. Additionally, if you require any information regarding a new posting locale or simply a chat please call in and see Correna and Louise.

Term 4 will see individual and personalised farewells for students along with a fun group get together to farewell all our friends.

GECKOS UPDATE

TUTORING

Education Allowance Scheme – Remember it's never too early to begin tutoring. You have 18 months from your posting date to take advantage of the Education Assistance. Don't leave it until it's too late. Tutoring can begin at any time of the year for students so be sure to take advantage of this scheme before your 18 months ends.

Well done to all those students who have got straight into tutoring, we know you will be well rewarded for all your hard work. Remember to get tutoring started soon so you do not miss out on entitlements. This assistance is very valuable for your children. Most children find it builds confidence and they enjoy it very much. This scheme is aimed at minimising the disruption to a child's schooling, caused as a result of a defence posting. Reimbursement can be provided for tuition for primary and secondary students within the first 18 months of enrolment at the new school. The entitlement is 14 weeks at 1 hour per week per subject. Forms are available online or from the DSTA here at school. There is a list of teachers available for tutoring before and after school. Please ask your teacher or email your DSTA for further details

KIDS CLUB

Pet Rocks finally arrived!! Thank you BEDROCK LANDSCAPING for provided the rocks for FREE. However, I think this was at the expense of Father's Day Craft as most students felt the need to prioritise their time and make rock first. Maybe lots of Dad's will have received a very special rock last Sunday. Kids Club is held every Monday and Tuesday during FIRST break on the verandah of the Outside School Care building. Kids Club is filled with exciting activities ranging from colouring in, board and card games, trucks and cars, and various craft activities each week.

Kids Club is a great way for children to get to know each other in a friendly, supervised environment. Please encourage them to come along and have some fun. They are welcome to bring a friend with them.

LEGO

The Fire Station has been successfully completed and students are now keen to build the Stars Wars pack.

DEPLOYMENTS AND ABSENCES

Please make sure you let your Teacher, the Office and DSTA know if you have a member away. We like to ensure all students are supported during what can be a challenging time and allow them the chance to share their experiences with other students going through similar events. Additionally, if you are having difficulties or would like a chat, come in and see us or contact us via phone or email.

Another lovely idea for farewell keepsakes are little hand prints attached to this special message. We shrink the gift to credit card size so members may carry on them comfortably at all times. You can see an image of this craft below, along with an idea from our PINTEREST page.

Your Defence Aides are located in L Pod behind the Outside School Building and families are most welcome to drop by any time for a chat. The lovely ladies at the office can direct you or give us a call if you would like our assistance. Again, please make contact as we are here to help in any way we can.

CONTACTS

Defence Community Organisation is available to all Defence members and their families.

Contact Defence Family Helpline operates 24-7 on 1800 624 608.

Veterans and Veterans Families – 1800 011 046

DFA Defence Families of Australia – 1800 100 509

National Delegate for Northern Queensland - nth.qld@dfa.org.au

Remember Louise and Correna are available morning and afternoon. Parents and students are very welcome to stop by L Pod or contact us via email or phone as listed below.

The Office on 47 991 333 or via e-mail - Louise on lwhit325@eq.edu.au or Correna Wheeler on cwhee36@eq.edu.au

Kind Regards,
Louise White and Correna Wheeler
Happy Holidays