7 August 2020
Newsletter Articles
PRINCIPAL’S PRIDE
What a quick term this has been so far! Each week I am proud of the work of our students and staff and this week I saw a significant improvement in the bookwork standards and pride in student work across Years Prep-6. Keep up the great work! I think back to the start of the year and I look at how far our learners have come. I have seen significant growth in student reading and writing across our school and over multiple units of works. Well done to both our students and our teachers.
It’s been great to see our students accessing our new Multi-Purpose Learning Centre for play and learning. The official opening has been postponed until later this year. We will inform our school community of arrangements when the timing is right.
Our front of school makeover is well underway, we can’t wait to have this ready for all to enjoy.
OPERATIONAL UPDATES - COVID-19
I am sure that you are all aware of the Victoria and NSW situations and hotspots and it is heartbreaking to see cases grow and lives lost in this pandemic. While we are enjoying some of the restrictions being lifted, there is a close eye on all ways of working to keep our community safe.
As advice comes through, there is a need for action and there is an appreciation for patience, understanding and support when implementing the necessary guidelines.
Looking forward to the fantastic weeks ahead!
Kind regards
Helen McCullough
Principal
GENERAL NEWS
Has your student lost their glasses?
We have a number of prescription glasses that have been handed in at the office. Please check with the office if your student has lost their glasses.
VOLUNTARY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION
General Information:
- A voluntary financial contribution operates at The Willows State School. Parents/caregivers are strongly encouraged to participate as your contribution makes a direct difference in the resources available for your child/ren. It assists us to provide them with an enhanced range of learning materials and equipment.
- The purpose of the contribution is to enhance the level of resources available so that maximum student outcomes can be achieved by providing Library and Reference Books, Home Reading Books, Art and Craft Materials, Sporting Equipment and Classroom Technologies.
- All contributions to this scheme are gratefully received and make a significant difference to the education opportunities of all students.
- Payment does not cover items such as general stationery, admission to sporting venues, excursions and transport costs.
- Payment is now due to enable us to be a great school for your child/ren and every cent will be used to support your child/ren this year at The Willows State School.
- The Willows State School has maintained the current contribution of $40.00.
Specific Conditions:
- Parents who are experiencing financial difficulties may make a Payment Plan with the Business Manager to pay the contribution via regular instalments. All discussions will be held in confidence.
How can you pay your contribution?
Payment can be made at the office every day between 8:00am and 3:30pm, using cash, debit or credit cards. You may also pay your contribution by direct deposit into the school bank account.
Details are as follows:
The Willows State School
BSB: 064 823
Account: 1022 1460
Reference: (Student's surname and Roll Class) e.g. Brown 2BOU
Important: If you use the direct deposit option, please ensure you USE A CLEAR REFERENCE. We will be unable to receipt your account if we don’t know who the deposit belongs to.
We thank you for your support of our voluntary contribution scheme. Please read the following information about the scheme. Please don’t hesitate to contact the office if you require any further information.
Barbara Anderson - Business Manager
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
DATE CLAIMER |
|
|
19th August |
ICAS Science test |
|
26th August |
ICAS English test |
|
31st August - 3rd September |
P&C Parent Day Stall |
|
2nd September |
ICAS Mathematics test |
|
4th September |
Student Free Day |
|
7th - 8th September |
School Photos *Pending COVID-19 Guidelines – may be subject to change |
Positive Behaviour Learning
Well Being
Narelle Thomas
Guidance Officer
Defence News
HELLO TO ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES
We are nearly half way through term 3. Hope you are enjoying the cooler weather. It has been great to see so many students returning to Kids Club at break times. We have been making flowers titled ‘What is a Good Friend’. Some students have been playing board games with friends and some are enjoying painting. We have recently farewelled some students who have been posted down south and welcomed some new families to the school. It is a busy time at the moment checking in with students as many parents are away or planning to go soon. Please send me and email or call if you know that a parent will be away as this ensures that I can check in with your child.
Remember to commemorate Sat 15th August for VP 75th Anniversary Day. I will be organising activities at Kids Club leading up to this day.
Some parents have been sent to different locations to support borders for an unknown period of time. This can be a difficult time and if your child is experiencing some separation anxiety please inform teacher and myself so we can best support them. Please contact me at school or via email to discuss strategies. Conversations are an important part of a child’s learning. I have some practical tips for starting conversations with children.
Postings are starting to happen again and concerns regards to moving and new schools for children. Please let me know as soon as you receive confirmation that you will be Posting Out. As there is information that I can pass onto you to assist with this transition to a new school. Be aware there is a New Posting App coming out soon. “Posting Connect” is a new platform currently being developed to streamline the posting experience by guiding ADF members. “Posting Connect” is being released later this year. PostingConnect will provide a single location from which users can manage posting tasks and access the information they need relative to their posting requirements. For monthly updates, and to learn about opportunities to be involved in improving the PostingConnect platform prior to its planned release later this year, sign up for the online PostingConnect Newsletter at the link below.
https://defencesurveys.com.au/survey/PostingConnectNewsletter.aspx?ver=767346471
I have also attached a useful flyer “Moving School Checklist for Parent’s” tips for moving.
Education Liaison Officers are part of Defence Community Organisation’s education advisory service, designed to inform, prepare and empower Defence families when they are relocating and changing schools. They are located in each state and territory and have extensive knowledge about the local schools and education systems as well as the unique needs of Defence children.
To contact your nearest Education Liaison Officer, call the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608 or check the DCO website for more details.
Deployments or going away to support Covid and this can be a very challenging time for all involved. While your partner is deployed and you are at home with the children, there may be times when you feel like a single parent. Though the situation is temporary, there are financial, emotional and day to day adjustments you will need to make as you adjust with this deployment. I have information I can give to you to assist at this time. If you inform me before the deployment starts I can support and check in with you child at school during this emotional rollercoaster. Remember the 3 “R”’s RULES, RITUALS AND ROUTINES. Also talk to the teacher. Check DCO website for more details.
If you have any questions please give me a call at school or email me any day of the week with any questions regarding postings and deployments. Contact me anytime during school hours. Don’t forget to check out RESILIENCE IS MY SUPERPOWER flyer attached. It is great positive reinforcement for children. Print out and stick to child’s door.
Here is a list of 9 Mental Health Activities to do with your Children. Worth a look.
Useful sites
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
http://www.australia.gov.au/
DCO are offering some activities so please check the DCO Townsville Updates Page for more details. Please remember to sign up to the mailing list for what’s happening for defence families at dco.townsville@defence.gov.au
Call Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608 or Open Arms 1800 011 046 with any questions.
Tutoring Assistance-There are changes to the EAS forms for families to access tutoring for students who have posted in to a new school. You can ring the Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608, visit DCO website or collect the forms from me .More Information go to
http://www.defence.gov.au/PayAndConditions/ADF/Chapter-8/Part-4/Div-2.asp
EVENTS TO REMEMBER
Coffee Connections coming soon.
Dr Seuss Themed Picnic-Tuesday 18th August from 10am at Queens Gardens.
Follow Defence Community Organisation on Facebook so you will be the first to know when the event is posted. Another option is to register for notifications on our Eventbrite page so you will never miss a DCO Townsville event
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/defence-community-organisation-townsville
GECKOS FAMILY CENTRE IS OPEN at Lavarack Barracks. Follow on Facebook or call 07 4411 7031.
DON’T FORGET to Register for DCO mailing list NOW at dco.townsville@defence.gov.au
Defence Family Helpline 24/7 1800 624 608
https://www.defence.gov.au/dco/
Open Arms call 1800 011 046
http://www.openarms.gov.au/
Mates4Mates – Email: townsville@mates4mates.org or call the Townsville FRC on 4771 9600
Café now Open from 9am-12.30pm everyday, welcome to attend for a chat and look around.
DFA (Defence Families of Australia) Chandelle Derham 0418 796 561 nth.qld@dfa.org.au
Geckos Family Centre-Nth Qld Lavarack Barracks Contact for enquiries on 4411 7031
Kookaburra Kids Tvl-Louisa Calvert 1300 566 525/0410 896 923
http://www.kookaburrakids.org.au/
Defence Holidays NQ 07 4725 3842 at Lavarack Barracks opp Gym admin@defenceholidaysnq.com.au
If you notice any changes with your child, please be sure to contact the class teacher/myself so we can best support them at school. My hours are Monday to Friday 8:00am-3:30pm, phone me anytime on 4799 1333 ext 323, or e-mail me cwhee36@eq.edu.au.
Aim to assist to support defence students at school by developing their RESILIENCE, CARING, FRIENDSHIP AND TRUST.
Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor
Music News (The Pitch)
P and C News
School bags are coming to The Willows. We are interested in numbers for ordering. Please visit the P&C facebook page and express your interest to ensure you don’t miss out when the bags arrive.
Prep News
Prep Newsletter
English
In English the Preps are learning to create a rhyme that they we will present to the class. They have also started to write in red and blue lines and have made their own rhyming books to read during quiet reading time.
Mathematics
In Mathematics this term the Preps are learning to sequence the days of the week and connect an event to each day of the week. They are also learning to order and explain duration of events. We have talked about and made towers that would take a short time and a long time to make.
Science
In Science the Preps are learning to describe the observable properties of materials from which an object is made. Prep students will select materials to make a wind ornament suitable for hanging outside. They hang the ornament outside for a period of time (e.g. 1 week) and then observe the suitability of the materials they chose. They will then share and reflect on their observations.
Year 1 News
Year 1 have been learning all about comparing, estimating and measuring capacity using informal units. They have had a wonderful time exploring the different ways that we can measure capacity!
Year 2 News
This term in Science, Year 2 is learning about how living things grow and change through their life cycles. We have explored a range of animals including the frog, butterfly and chicken. Some students had the opportunity to watch an animal or plant change through stages of its life cycle, recording observations and explaining changes they could see. Ask your child if they can explain one of our science vocab words to you: metamorphosis!
|
|
|
|
2MAH’s alfafa sprouts |
2SMI’s butterfly |
|
|
|
|
‘I don’t look like my parents’ |
Butterfly life cycle craft |
Year 3 News
We have been busy in English this term reading a number of traditional stories. Students are unpacking these stories using comprehension strategies to answer questions related to these stories. We are also reading the popular Dr Seuss book, The Lorax. Their assessment task is to retell this story from the perspective of a different character in the story. Below are some of our English learning walls showing students progress in this unit.
Year 4 News
Year 4 have been responding to the Quest novel Rowan of Rin. We have been Blogging our answers to questions about the chapter using an Ed studio in the Learning Place. It is exciting to read the posts from our class members and respond to other student’s posts using etiquette.
Year 5 News
There have been some outstanding learning opportunities taking place in the Year 5 classrooms of late. Here is a couple…
In Health, classes have been exploring the concept of a time capsule to examine the changing nature of cultural identity.
Students have made comparisons between photos and social stories from the past to their knowledge of today, to explore the changes that have shaped our national identity.
Students are also examining how sharing traditional foods and physical activities from different cultures, supports community wellbeing and shapes cultural understanding.
Some classes are exploring foods/ activities from neighbouring Indonesia, whilst others are using the experiences of travellers from France via video, to make these learning connections. Some were even lucky enough to make crepes! Yummo!
Bon Appetit!
Science is super fun too at the moment... Our current unit ‘Now You See It,’ examines the concepts of light and has us all exploring the many unique properties of light.
We are learning how to plan and carry out investigations, which demonstrate the properties of light in action and a lot of new vocabulary to explain these processes.
We have particularly had fun exploring how light travels to the eye, inverting the images we see in the same way as a pinhole camera, or camera obscura, only for our brain to correct the images making sight possible.
It has been fun peering into the pitch black of the peek boxes, which the teachers tell us contain secret objects. Many of us are convinced there is nothing inside…
After examining how the density of materials determine the amount of light that can be transmitted helping us to classify them as opaque, transparent or translucent, we can’t wait to manipulate the mirrors and torches further, to explore the properties of reflection that we need to complete our science assessment.
Look Again- John Nesirky 2017– life-size example of a peek box… Strand Ephemera
Year 6 News
PBL
Our PBL focuses this term have included students creating posters to learn about RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY.
Science
In Science, Year 6 have been creating a PowerPoint explaining how natural events cause rapid changes to Earth’s surface.
Health
In Health, Year 6 have been learning about how drinks have effects on their health and wellbeing. Children have started researching the positive, negative and interesting facts for each drink.
English
In English, Year 6 have just finished learning to comprehend a letter from a different historical time. They are now ready to start writing a letter to the future that evokes a sense of time and place. The Year 6 cohort are looking forward to writing about their life in 2020, and the teachers are certainly looking forward to reading all their amazing and engaging letters.
Community Events & Notices
