6 May 2021

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Dear Parents, Carers and Community,

Welcome to another fantastic week at our school. Our school weeks are certainly very busy, productive and rewarding with classrooms in full action. Seeing the high level of improvement, progress and achievement in our writing progress is a highlight for our school leadership and teaching team.

Attendance at school remains high with 92.3% attendance so far this year. I congratulate all of our families for always advising us when absences due to sickness, appointments and family matters arise. Unexplained absences are minimal at our school now and I thank you all for your assistance with this.

Our P and C Association is very grateful for the excellent attendance and collaboration that occurred as part of their last meeting. Walking through our school during daylight hours, helps the committee to see and contribute to the larger scale projects and updates needed for our facilities. The team have submitted a number of priority areas and these will be discussed and places on our School Infrastructure Plan for the future. Thank you to all who contributed, a great team effort!

The Willows Leaders and Student Council raised $819 at the Colour Free Dress Day last week. It is so great to see our student leaders and councillors coming up with innovative and fun ideas to raise funds for children and their families who need to access Ronald McDonald House Charities. Thank you everyone for your support and we look forward to our student leaders next initiative. Thank you The Willows for always getting behind and positively supporting our school!

Over the next week, you will have noticed a number of “Catch This Phrase” posts. These posts are to build understanding about the Full School Review occurring at our school next week. We have 3 reviewers, over 3 days, capturing the great work that we have achieved and improved upon over the past 4 years. As part of this process, the reviewers also provide considerations for next steps and actions at our school that will be reflected in the next School Strategic Plan (2022-2025). As reviewers approach parents at our school, they will be clearly identifiable and approachable. I am sure you will make them all feel very welcome and we look forward to celebrating, reflecting upon and planning for the next actions at The Willows State School.

Over the coming weeks our Years 3 and 5 Students also engage in NAPLAN online. Preparing for NAPLAN sits in every year level through effective teaching and learning of the Australian Curriculum. The testing regime measure literacy and numeracy and is a point in time test for students. Further information has been provided through our Facebook, previous newsletters and letters to parents. I wish all of our Year 3 and 5 learners the best over the testing period. Reports to parents and our school will be provided at a later date in 2021. Any questions regarding NAPLAN online can be directed to class teachers, Mrs Winter or Miss Hawkins through our office.

With our Mother’s Day Stall also being supported by our community, our P and C are very fortunate to have our school community support. Mum’s across our school catchment are about to be spoilt and we wish you a beautiful day with your child/ren on Sunday.

Kind regards
Helen
Helen McCullough
Principal

GENERAL NEWS

CHECK IN QLD APP

We’re using the new Check In Qld app to help keep you COVID safe the next time you attend an event at our school.

All you need to do is:

• download the app www.covid19.qld.gov.au/check-in-qld
• enter your details once
• open the app when you next visit us
• select ‘Check in Now’ and hover your smartphone over our QR code

Done!

Using this digital check-in means your details are stored securely by the Queensland Government for fast COVID-19 contact tracing if needed. #CheckInQld

SCHOOL REVIEW AND PLANNING

With staffing allocations and resource allocation now finalised and our Annual Implementation Plan and Investing in Schools Agreements approved, we are proud of our school improvement over the last 4 years. Early in Term 2, the Education Improvement Branch reviews our school over 3 days and our team is excited to share the fantastic work that The Willows as a collective team have achieved. Once the review is finalised, our school receives a report which then enables us to work with all stakeholders to develop the 4 year plan (2022-2026). Further information about the review can be found at the link below and in future information through our newsletters.

AUSTRALIAN EARLY DEVELOPMENT CENSUS

Australian Early Development Census

Playing our part to build a national picture of child health

In early 2021, our school, along with thousands of others across the country will begin preparations for the fifth Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC gives us a national picture of the development, health and wellbeing of children in their first year of full-time school. Since 2009, the census results have helped communities, schools and governments plan services and develop better policies to target support for children and families.

Children don’t miss any class time, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information for the census. The AEDC gives us data at a school and community level - it isn’t an assessment of individual children.

Some teachers have also noticed that completing the assessments made them more aware of the needs of individual children and the class as a whole and that the census results are useful in planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing class programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the census and how communities are using the data to help children and families visit the AEDC website below:

If you have any questions, you can contact Deputy Principal Amanda Souter through our office.

SCHOOL PARKING

We are aware that pick up and drop off times can be difficult due to the size of our school. We are working closely with the Queensland Police and the Townsville City Council in relation to the current parking and pick up issues. To ensure the safety of all who access our school, please note the following:-

• Do not park in no standing zones. Please see the below map
• Please use the pedestrian crossings and encourage your child/children to use the pedestrian crossings as well
• Do not walk through the traffic at the Stop, Drop and Go area
• Staff provide supervision at Stop, Drop and Go until 3:30pm every school day. These staff are responsible for ensuring the safety of your children inside our gates.
• Please be mindful of residential properties that surround our school – please do not park across their driveways
• Do not park on traffic islands or footpaths

Queensland Police have advised that they will be doing regular patrols and issuing infringement notices.

Thank you for your support in this important issue.

GATE SUPERVISION

Gate C (Sandstone Drive) is locked at 3.15pm. Any students remaining at 3.15pm will be escorted to Gate A (Stop, Drop, Go) where supervision is provided until 3.30pm.

WILLOWS WARRIORS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Year Level Parades

Prep – Mondays 8.45am in Junior CPA
Year 1 – Mondays 8.45am in Junior CPA
Year 2 – Tuesdays 8.45am in Junior CPA
Year 3 – Tuesdays 2.40pm in Multi-Purpose Learning Centre
Year 4 – Mondays 2.40pm in Main CPA
Year 5 – Mondays 2.40am in Multi-Purpose Learning Centre
Year 6 – Tuesdays 8.45pm in Multi-Purpose Learning Centre

Parents/Guardians are most welcome to attend.