22 February 2019

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Dear Parents/Carers and Community

Welcome

It is fantastic to be back at school and getting back into routine! Welcome everyone to the first newsletter of the 2019 school year at The Willows State School. A very special welcome to our new students and families – thank you for choosing The Willows State School – we will continue to strive to provide a quality education in a supportive school environment. I also welcome back to school all of our students from Harvey’s Range – it is great to see you back at school too!

What a start to the 2019 school year! I wish to thank all staff, students and community members for your patience and ongoing support of the school during the recent extreme wet weather event. Our primary concern during this period has been staff and student wellbeing and there have been many contributors working hard behind the scenes to ensure we could all safely return to school as soon as possible. My thoughts continue to be with all those in the community who have been affected both directly and indirectly and I wish them all a speedy recovery.

Whilst significant facilities and grounds work has occurred across the school in order to allow us to get school back up and running there are still some modifications in place for this week:

• TCBC is operational for smaller groups and will not be operational for large school functions until repairs are made. The investiture ceremony (student leadership badge presentation will occur as soon as possible and a note will be sent out about this shortly and event created on our School Facebook Page).
• We are currently in the process of working with BAS and contractors around the carpet installation that will occur as supplies are made available.

The Premier and Minister have announced critical disaster funding assistance will be available to parents for student belongings, including uniforms if required. On Monday afternoon, 11/02 parents/caregivers of students at affected local schools received an email from the department outlining the process parents/caregivers are to follow in order to make a claim. The email was sent to the primary email address recorded in OneSchool. Claims can be made in the link below.

Should you require any further information in relation to the claim process or assistance to make a claim please phone 1800 916 770.

2019 Staffing Update and Class Arrangements Pre Day 8 (Now 7 March for North Queensland State Schools)

We are still finalising student enrolment numbers – currently students are distributed across 40 P-6 classes. School funding and staffing arrangements will be finalised after the ‘Day 8’ enrolment census which has now been postponed until the 7 March due to the recent extreme weather event. Parents are reminded that all class arrangements are considered temporary until that time. Any class changes necessitated by ‘Day 8’ processes will be communicated to parents in writing.

Curriculum, Teaching & Learning

This year our school’s explicit improvement agenda will continue to focus on enhancing reading and writing standards for all of our students whilst delivering quality education in the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. The first few weeks at The Willows State School is also a key time for teachers to build relationships and establish rules, routines and expectations with students. Our students and staff have had a great first and second start to the school year and it is excellent to see the enthusiasm across all classes.

THE WILLOWS COMMUNICATION

Classroom – your child’s class teacher will communicate in many ways (emails, phone class, messages home, homework books, and school diary in Years 3-6). Each year we offer two formal Three Way Communications (parent-student-teacher meetings) and two report cards are issued to all students to report on academic, effort and behaviour.

Newsletters – these are emailed to our parents and can be accessed through the Facebook Page and our website www.thewillowsss.eq.edu.au or the Q Schools App (download Q Schools app – select The Willows State School.

QParents – the smart phone app can be downloaded for free. Please contact the front office for advice on this. This app allows parents to update absences, past and future, as well as access previous report cards.

QSchools – this smart phone app can also be downloaded for free. You can access information about our school, including calendar of events, newsletters etc. This app also provided Department of Education updates and alerts.

SMS Text messaging service for absences – parents/carers will be notified of an unexplained student absence via SMS text message. You can then reply with the reason for the absence via return text or update your child’s absence via QParents.

The Willows State School P and C Facebook Page – is a page run by P and C and holds information around upcoming P and C fundraisers and events.

The Willows State School Facebook Page – this is the official page for our school and provides regular updates on school learning, events and key messages. The page directly links to the school admin email.

THE WILLOWS STRATEGIC VISION AND WHOLE SCHOOL FOCUS

Leading up to the first day of school for students, our school team engaged in three days of professional learning. The key focus through these days was to continue the collaborative processes for year levels around teaching and learning and the Australian Curriculum requirements as well as continue our professional learning in our school systems and Positive Behaviour Learning framework. Our staff are highly energised and confident in the work ahead and we are looking forward to engaging our parents/carers in student learning.

As we work towards the half way mark of our School Strategic Plan (2018-2021), it is important for our school community to know that the strategic direction and priorities of our school community have remained unchanged (we have reworded these to help better understanding). We continue to strive for school improvement, progress and achievement.

Our whole school focus is:

• Reading and Writing across the Australian Curriculum
• Quality Teaching and Learning across the Australian Curriculum
• Positive Behaviour for Learning
• Positive Partnerships across our community

Our school is great place for students, staff, parents and visitors and we look forward to working with you and your continued support. “Learning is the work: Excellent is the Standard.”

Kind regards
Helen McCullough

GENERAL NEWS

BEFORE SCHOOL PROCEDURES

Reminder that all students need to go to the Main CPA in the morning from 8am. No students should be at school before 8am.

At 8:15 am students in years 3 to 6 move to TCBC. Prep to year 2 students go to Junior CPA. To help our students we ask that parents and family members model the following behaviours at our school

• Sit quietly
• Listen to the speakers
• Follow instructions
• Keep noise to a minimum

We appreciate you being a part of our respectful community and modelling our expectations. The Outside School Hours Care facility is an option for families to book/use and parents/carers who have early starts and late finishing times are encouraged to access this facility.

ATTENDANCE – THE WILLOWS WAY IS 100% ATTENDANCE

Every student in our school is important to us and we are committed to providing personalised education suited to their needs. The very first step in that is maximising learning time and we believe that if students attend every day and every learning minute of the day we are improving their opportunities for academic success. Note that arriving late or leaving early can also take up valuable learning time.

YEAR LEVEL PARADES

This year our students will have year level parades weekly and full school parades as scheduled on our school calendar. Note the time and place for all year levels. Parents/Guardians are most welcome to attend.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers at our school need to complete the mandatory induction training and provide the school with a current blue card before they can start. We welcome volunteers to our school and we are offering our first induction session on Monday the 25th of February 2 to 3pm in the Knowledge Centre. We look forward to seeing you. Reminder that as a visitor to our school you will need to sign in at the front office. Any questions please contact Barbara Anderson (Business Manager).

TESTIMONY FROM ONE OF OUR FAMILIES

UPCOMING EVENTS

Positive Behaviour Learning

The Willows State School strives to create a safe and positive learning environment for all students. As a school community we work together to enable students to engage in learning through our Positive Behaviour for Learning Plan (PBL). The primary goal of this plan is to promote consistency in our high standards fostering our school rules of being Safe, Respectful and Responsible. The students learn about PBL through fortnightly lessons that target our behaviour expectations. These lessons also feature at our whole school and year level parades. The school has signage in each area to inform and remind the students of The Willows expectations.

Students, classes and cohorts are continually acknowledged and rewarded for displaying Safe, Respectful and Responsible behaviours throughout the year. Please regularly ask your child if they understand the expectations in different locations around the school and celebrate the rewards your child receives.

Students have a goal to collect 75 stars each 5 week cycle and then will be able to attend that 5 week cycle reward activity. Also if they have had no major behavioural incident in the term they can attend an end of term celebration. The teachers and students are currently deciding on the mid-term and end of term celebrations for their cohorts.

Our school expectations are printed on signage around the school for teachers, students, parents and visitors. This is so we have a calm and consistent environment conducive to learning.

Parents play a crucial role in helping their children be successful in school. When schools and parents work together as partners, students reach even higher levels of success. It’s vital for parents to support their child’s education. One of the most effective ways to do that is by using Positive Behaviour interventions and supports.

Well Being

From The Guidance Officer

Hello to you all. My name is Narelle Thomas and I am the Guidance Officer based at The Willows 5 days a week. This year I am located in F Pod behind the year 4 building. Any appointments to meet with me can be made through the front office. This week I would like to begin with a very relevant topic: “Starting School”

Starting school is an important time for children and families. Children who make a positive start to school are more likely to:

• Feel comfortable, relaxed and valued
• Feel excited and motivated to learn
• Have good relationships with others
• Develop a sense of belonging within the school community

Starting school is not just about the first day. It is a process that begins when children and their families start to prepare in the year before and continues as children experience their first days, weeks and months of school. The process involves a number of changes for children and families and everyone reacts differently. For some children the change, from kindergarten to Prep, a change to a new year level or a change to a new school, brings excitement about making friends or reconnecting with friends and learning new things, while for others the change can leave them feeling nervous and overwhelmed.

To assist children to cope with change more easily, the following provides you with some ideas for helping your child manage and build upon their social and emotional skills and independence.

• Teach friendship skills: Teach your child ways to introduce themselves to new children, join in play with others and be friendly and cooperative. Talk to your child about what being a good friend means (e.g. sharing, taking turns, and using kind words).
• Encourage sharing and taking turns: Playing with your child, following their lead and having fun together will help develop their social skills. Playing simple board games, card games or computer games helps them to develop sharing and turn taking skills. It also helps children to cope with disappointment when they do not always win.
• Invite children to play together: Arranging for your child to get together with other children helps them to establish friendships and practise their social skills. Providing positive guidance and helping to structure activities can be helpful when supporting children to establish new friendships.
• Involve your child in conversations: Talking with your child and involving them in conversations can help them learn the rules of communication such as waiting for a turn, expressing ideas and listening without interruption.
• Helping your child manage their emotions: Emotional skills are being able to recognise, express, understand and manage a wide range of feelings. You can promote your child’s emotional development by spending time with them and being warm and responsive to their needs. Talk to your child about what is happening and help them describe and label the emotions they are feeling.
• Get to know other families in the school community; arranging to meet with other families in the school community will help develop relationships and a sense of connectedness to the school community.

I hope you and your family enjoy 2019 at The Willows and you can join us and make it a successful year for your student.

Until the next edition
Narelle Thomas

Defence News

HELLO AND WELCOME ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES TO 2019

Welcome to the crazy and unusual start of 2019 at The Willows State School. To all new families hope your move and transition to Townsville has been enjoyable and not too stressful. Hope all is well with you and your family after all the rain. If you have any concerns please contact me for support. Thank you for choosing our wonderful school and becoming part of our school community here at The Willows.

My name is Correna Wheeler and I am you Defence School Mentor (DSM). I have been the Defence Mentor at school for many years and look forward to welcoming and meeting all the defence parents and students over the coming weeks. My role is to assist with the transition of defence students into the school community, support students during parent deployment/courses, assist with the development of friendships and provide support to parents when required. I also develop activities and programs for defence students here at school. My defence room is open every day for defence students to come during both breaks. We make craft, play board games, make lego or just chat with me or other students. This is a great place to meet new friends in a relaxed environment. My door is always open to adults if there are any concerns you wish to discuss. I will always make time to talk with you and work through the concerns. Please contact me through the school office or come to my room in L Pod or e-mail me cwhee36@eq.edu.au There are many defence activities coming up over the coming months so please check my Dates to Remember below.

A BIG Thank you to all parents, school staff and our guest Jessica Stark who attended our 1st Morning Tea last week. It was great to see so many people come along and have the opportunity to meet others. Great way to network. If you couldn’t make it don’t worry I will hold another before the end of the term.

KIDSMART RELOCATION PROGRAM (starting Wed 27th March) - is a 4 week program for primary aged kids to help them manage posting and relocation. It is held here after school starting Wednesday 27th March from 3:00pm-4:30pm in L pod. The workshop is delivered by DCO and myself. It covers things like helping children cope with feeling stressed or anxious. Some tips for handling emotions and learning relaxing techniques. Kids will learn how to manage change, stay connected with friends and meet new people. For more information and to register please contact me on 4799 1333 ext 323. Great fun afternoon for kids. Afternoon tea provided.

Rex D Dog Welcome Packs are available for the first time from Defence Housing in Townsville. If you have just arrived and would like a pack for your child, please contact them.

Moving schools can be a difficult time for children and parents alike, so be patient as it will take time to adjust to a different environment. Remember to listen and talk with children about their feelings for the new school. They may have some worries and questions about their new school and it is important to talk them through. This will assist with their transition and provide them with resilience skills which they may use in future years. Any concerns talk to me or you can contact the Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608 and Open Arms Office 24/7 (ex VVCS) 1800 011 046.

WELCOME TO TOWNSVILLE EXPO will be held this year at the TVL RSL Stadium on Saturday 23th February from 10:00am-1:00pm. Great place to see all things Townsville and meet community groups and sporting organisations. Come and say Hi to me at our DSM stand. See you there.

DATES TO REMEMBER

23rd February-Welcome to TVL Expo at RSL Stadium from 10:00am-12:00.

27th February-Kidsmart Relocation Program held at school from 3:00pm-4:30pm for 4 weeks.

DON’T FORGET to Register at DCO mailing list NOW for all the upcoming events in your local area.

GECKOS AT LAVARACK BARRACKS is a place for defence members, partners and families to build friendships, socialise and access information to assist with the challenges of the defence lifestyle. Open most days with lots of events organised. A great place to meet other defence spouses and the younger ones can play together. Host of events and activities are organised.

Defence Family Helpline 24/7 1800 624 608

Open Arms call 1800 011 046 www.openarms.gov.au
DFA (Defence Families of Australia) Chandelle Derham 0418 796 561 nth.qld@dfa.org.au.

Geckos Family Centre-Nth Qld Lavarack Barracks

Defence Holidays NQ 07 4725 3842 at Lavarack Barracks opp Gym admin@defenceholidaysnq.com.au.

If there are any changes with the home dynamics, please be sure to contact the class teacher/or myself so we can best support the student at school. I am available to talk anytime at school. My hours are Monday to Friday 8:00am-3:30pm, phone me on 4799 1333 ext 323, or e-mail me cwhee36@eq.edu.au anytime.

My aim is to assist to empower students at school by developing RESILIENCE, CARING AND TRUST. Students with these life skills will be ready for the future.

Have a great day
Correna Wheeler
DSM
Defence School Mentor

Prep News

LEARNING THE LETTER P

This week our preps have been learning about the letter “P”. For hands on learning they had a playdough party where students made pasta, pies and pizza with playdough.

Year 1 News

Year One News

On Monday at 12:50, the Year One Cohort had their first parade for 2019. They made us all very proud with their respectful listening throughout the parade. It was fantastic to celebrate with the students who received awards for attendance, behaviour and learning.

The children enthusiastically joined in songs about our behaviour expectations:

• Slow your pace it’s not a race. (Referring to walking around the school safely.)
• No hat, no play.
• First time every time. (Following instructions the very first time they are asked.)

In class the Year One children will be learning about imaginative texts and their purpose, teen numbers and chance and data – events that will, won’t or might happen.

*** PLEASE REMEMBER TO RETURN HISTORY BOXES TO YOUR CLASS TEACHER AS SOON AS THEY ARE READY.

Year 2 News

English in Year 2

Year 2 have been busy working on Unit 1 English, learning how to create and present an innovation of a known poem to an audience. This has included listening to sound patterns within a variety of poems. The images show the students identifying syllables within words and within poems. To be successful, students will be able to create a poem that keeps the same syllable count as the original poem.

To be successful when presenting their innovated poem, students will need to speak clearly and vary their tone, pace and volume to match the sound and word

patterns. They will need to use pause and expression so the audience stays engaged.

Year 3 News

Natural Disaster Mathematics

The Year 3 teachers (Miss Donna Bell, Mr Aaron Davies, Miss Grace Provan, Mrs Kylie Faherty and Mrs Patrice Evans) were extremely pleased to meet so many parents on Day 1. The children have settled well into the new school year, eager to share some of their learning experiences from 2018. Our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) has been a major focus in the classrooms recently, setting basic, yet important expectations for the year ahead.

Although we’ve had to battle the wet weather logistics, students have also been showing what they can do with maths and measurement.

Year 4 News

MATHEMATICS

Our first unit of Maths has focussed on the numbers to 10 000.

We have learnt to represent these numbers in a variety of way including:

• Digits
• Word form
• Picture form - MAB blocks
• Expanded Notation
• Number Sentence
• Word Problem
• Using the symbols < >
• Counting Patterns
• Place Value Charts

Here are some examples of the work 4MIL and 4NOS have been doing in class. We have been using concept maps to show the same number in a variety of ways.

Year 5 News

English in Year 5

There has been some outstanding detective work taking place in year 5 this week as the children resume their novel study of Emily Rodda’s “The Forests of Silence”. Our learning intention has been to write an analysis of the main character Jarred. The attached photos from 5 KRO show the children scanning the novel and actively searching for Jarred’s character traits. We have learnt that authors can demonstrate a character’s personality traits by employing noun groups, verb groups and precise vocabulary. They do this to create imagery for the audience. Students will know they have been successful when they can define Jarred’s character exploring the language features the author has employed.

Year 6 News

P & C News

Welcome to 2019!!!

The start to the 2019 school year certainly has been a disruptive and emotional one. Everyone on our P&C send their sincerest thoughts to those affected by the flooding. To the school and P&C staff and professionals who assisted in the cleaning of classrooms and our OSHC facilities – THANK YOU!

Welcome back. We’re very excited about our plans for this year, and we’re looking forward to continuing our work with the school. Our focus continues to be providing maximum benefit to our kids through everything we do.

Who are the P&C?

We are a dedicated group of parents and citizens who want to contribute to building our school community.

Our P&C manages our Tuckshop and the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program. We also sell and maintain stock of the house sports shirts, hats and water bottles.

In the last 3 years the P&C have contributed:

• $245,000 for new playgrounds
• $130,000 for IT upgrades
• $60,000 to the Wireless Upgrade Project
• $60,000 for cooling of The Carol Buchanan Centre (TCBC)
• $35,000 for installation of a digital sign
• $30,000 for improvements to OSHC building
• $30,000 annual contribution to the global budget of the school
• $20,000 for musical instruments & equipment
• $5,000 to the Chaplaincy Program annually
• $4,000 for sporting team uniforms
• $10,000 donation to for Senior Concert Band’s trip for Fanfare 2018 finals in Brisbane

Why join the P&C?

P&C members make a difference by:

• consulting on school policy
• financial planning and budgeting
• managing on-site businesses through sub-committees
• assisting with school functions
• applying for grants
• building school communities
• making the school a happier and more connected place

Get the inside story on what’s really happening in the school (not the gossip). Our Principal usually is available at meetings with other members of the school admin team to answer questions, and teachers regularly attend our meetings too.

Did you know that children who have actively engaged parents have better education outcomes?

• Working with your P&C provides you with valuable work experience and new skills.
• Volunteering improves your health and wellbeing.
• Joining your P&C creates life-long friendships

Can you help?

You can volunteer as little or as much time as you like. Just one thing can make such a difference!

Perhaps you might be interested in…

• attending meetings once a month (and you can just sit and listen if you want to!)
• helping at functions or volunteering in our tuckshop
• applying for grants
• an executive committee role (President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer)
• a subcommittee role (Tuckshop, OSHC or Fundraising)

Perhaps you have a special area of interest or skill that could be useful? Or maybe you have some great ideas? We’d love to hear from you!

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Our AGM will be held in March at a date to be advised in the TCBC Conference Room. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and the next newsletter for the date. We welcome anyone to come along to be part of our P&C. As part of this meeting, all executive positions and sub committees will be declared vacant and elections will take place. An ordinary meeting will follow.

Our meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6pm in TCBC Conference room. Any date changes will be published on our Facebook page.

And yes, you can bring the kids!

If you are thinking of attending a meeting for the first time, why not bring a friend? It is always easier to have some support in a new environment.

School Banking

Calling for volunteers – we need your help!

Our students really enjoy participating in the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program and to keep this program running we need your help.

The program requires a volunteer School Banking Co-ordinator to facilitate the banking and distribution of School Banking rewards. This only takes a small amount of your time one day a week and the Commonwealth Bank will provide support in how to run the program. Your help with the program will greatly benefit students as they develop vital saving skills and also help our school with fundraising.

If you are interested in volunteering for this great program so that it continues to be available to our families, please contact us.

Playgrounds

The wet weather and soggy grounds has delayed progress on the installation of our new playgrounds. Not to worry, things will start moving again soon and the new playgrounds will be amazing!

School House Shirts, Hats and Water Bottles – available from our Tuckshop!

School House polos are available in various sizes in all house colours for $30. For any new families to our school (and our new Prep 2019 families), these are not a compulsory shirt, and if purchased are only to be worn on Wednesdays and official school sports days.

Water bottles are available in all house colours - $5 each.

These hats are a brand new style with a toggle (as sold at The School Locker) available in four different sizes in all house colours on the reverse side - $15 each

Tuckshop – Volunteers needed!

The Willows State School Tuckshop operates 5 days a week at both break times & offers a light breakfast.

Volunteers are always welcome and are necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the Tuckshop on a daily basis. If you can help, please see our super convenors, Rosie and Nadine, at the tuckshop.

Fun Fair Planning

We have the wheels in motion to organise this year’s bigger and revamped Fun Fair on 16th August! It is a team effort and isn’t possible without volunteers. If you are available to help with either the planning or assistance with little jobs along the way, please get in touch!

We are also wanting to hear from market stall holders who may be interested in holding a stall at the Fun Fair. We are also after entertainment options, such as performers or sports demonstrators. Please contact us if you are interested.

Contact us!

Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with school and P&C events. (Search for The Willows State School P&C.) You can contact us sending a pm to the page. Alternatively, you can contact us via email at willowspandc@gmail.com.

See you round!