21 July 2021

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome back to Week 2 of Term 3.

Thank you for being so welcoming last week. It was an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to visit so many classrooms, Willows Warriors and spend time in the playground getting to meet Willows staff and students. I am looking forward to continuing these classroom walkthroughs and participating in cohort collaborative ‘Student Work at Table’ (SWaT) meetings over the coming weeks. The commitment of TWSS staff to collaboratively inquire into student learning needs and seek ways to respond through differentiated teaching practices and individualised adjustments was very obvious, as was the commitment to excellence.

It was also pleasing to see students in Week 1 transitioning in a safe, responsible and respectful manner around the school. Thank you for your partnership in reiterating with your child school rules, routines and conduct expectations to assist us to continue to maintain such a safe, calm and productive school learning environment for all throughout the term.

Thank you for your support of our NAIDOC Week activities last week. Special thanks to Mrs Carter for her coordination of these. There were many colourful and artistic NAIDOC shirts on display on Friday. The poster competition will be judged this week. Thank you also to our Prep teaching teams and Miss Hawkins for their coordination of the ‘100 Days of Prep’ (AKA 100 Days Smarter) celebrations last Friday. The concept of ‘100’ was well explored throughout the day and it was a delight to see so many sprightly ‘old’ men and women (walking sticks abandoned) dancing in the CPA on Friday afternoon.

On Monday we were privileged to have the Garbutt Magpies indigenous elders and supporters visit our school. Their speeches to our school AFL team students were passionate and inspiring and reinforced the importance of community and showing respect to our elders and leaders. We thank the entire team for generously giving up their time to visit our school.

On Tuesday Sunbus representatives attended school to speak with the students who travel by bus on the Shaw route. The Student Code of Conduct whilst travelling on buses was revisited. It is important to foster such positive school-community relationships and I thank the team for their collaboration with our school.

School Visit - Mr Dion Coghlan (Assistant Director-General, Disability & Inclusion)

On Friday, 23/07 Mr Dion Coghlan (Assistant Director-General, Disability & Inclusion) will be visiting a selection of NQR schools who have been acknowledged as embedding inclusive policy, practices and culture through effective teaching and learning. We are privileged to have the opportunity to host Mr Coghlan and proud to showcase the exceptional work happening in TWSS classrooms in this area.

Quadrennial School Review (QSR)

This term The Willows SS school community will engage in a Quadrennial School Review process to develop a new overarching School Strategic Plan 2022-2025. This process follows the Full School Review and involves extensive consultation with parents, community members, staff and students of The Willows SS in order to review the progress made on the current School Strategic Plan over the past four years and look ahead to develop a vision for the strategic direction of the school in future years. I will be hosting two ‘Parent Forums’ during Term 3 and all parents and community members are cordially invited to attend. Consultation will also occur via P&C Meetings and an online survey.

In week 1 of Term 4 the extensive consultation work of the Quadrennial School Review teams will culminate in the verification of a new overarching School Strategic Plan 2020-2023. Once verified the plan will be widely shared with the school community.

Academic Excellence Awards – Semester 1

The Semester 1 Academic Excellence Awards will be held in Week 3 on Wednesday, 28 July. Parents of student award recipients will receive an invitation to this event. We look forward to seeing as many parents/caregivers attending as possible to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of their children.

The Academic Excellence Awards CRITERIA are as follows:

Bronze Award – 4 or 5 A’s
Silver Award – 6 or 7 A’s
Gold Award – 8 or more A’s
Academic Excellence Medallion – Straight A’s

2022 ENROLMENTS

Our school is now taking enrolments for the 2022 school year, please get your enrolment forms in early. Should you know of friends or family looking to join our great school, please inform them that they are welcome to contact the school for further information and to obtain an enrolment package.

2021 School Opinion Survey – Parents/Caregivers

This year the Department of Education is running the state-wide School Opinion Survey process for staff, students and parents/caregivers differently. Please take some time to participate in this process. I have included some information below for your Reference:

• Families with one or more enrolled children at our school will receive one invitation to complete the survey. The parent/caregiver to receive the invitation is selected based on information and email address in OneSchool.
• Participation is by invitation only. There is no generic survey link that can be used by all parents. Each link is unique and can only be used once by the parent. One parent per family will receive the survey link via email.
• Parent survey invitations have now been distributed by the Department of Education. The survey will close on 30 July.
• The survey invitation email uses the subject line: School Opinion Survey of parents, 2021 - Parents are encouraged to check junk email folders if it can’t be found.

Warm regards,

Michelle Donn
A/Principal

GENERAL NEWS

Expression of Interest- BYOx (Bring your Own Device) program

The Willows State School is looking to introduce a BYOx laptop program for students in Years 4, 5 & 6 from the start of the 2022 school year.

Participation in the program is voluntary and we are currently seeking expressions of interest from families for students that may be interested in participating in BYOx program if established at The Willows State School.

What is BYOx?

BYOx stands for ‘Bring Your Own’ device. The BYOx program maximizes learning opportunities as students have 24-hour access to school resources through their device.

BYOx devices will have access to the same resources as school owned devices including filtered internet via the schools wireless network and FREE software.

This device MUST BE a windows based laptop and meet the minimum specification as outlined by the school.

Parent Information Sessions

Parent Information sessions will be held in Term 3 and 4 for interested students. To participate in the BYOx program the parents and students must attend a session to receive more detailed program information.

Please complete the survey below if your child is interested in participating in the BYOx program and indicate which information session the family will attend.

Completing this survey does not indicate a firm commitment to moving forward into the program or once you have attended the parent information sessions.

Survey Link:

WELL DONE ANNETTA

The Willows State School is very proud to share in the successes of our students in their extra-curricular interests. Recently, Anetta entered a fabulous work of art into the Fine Arts Competition of the Townsville Show and she was awarded the Championship First Prize.

Well done Anetta!

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 8.45am in Multi-Purpose Learning Centre

Parents/Guardians are most welcome to attend.

Positive Behaviour Learning

Defence News

HELLO ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES

Week 2 is upon us. Hoping all students have settled back into school well. Kids Club has been busy with many students visiting for a chat and to spend time with friends. I have also been asking defence students to make a handprint while at Kids Club as DMFS are organising a display. In August there will be a display of defence students hand prints and a message at The Thuringowa Library for all to see. If you would like your child to participate please ask them to come to Kids Club at lunchtimes or let me know so I can arrange this.

I have also been talking to students and they have been informing me that their Mum/Dad are away or going away soon for the exercise and they don’t know how long they will be away. Some students are becoming upset and worried about their parent. It is always most appreciated if you can send me a quick email with any information regarding a loved one who may be away, then while at school they can be supported and have a better understanding of the situation and I can do a check-in during class time and discuss ways to cope during this time. Please remember that you can also call me at school anytime for a chat. If you haven’t been to a Defence Afternoon Tea at school make sure you make it to our next one, it is coming up next week. Bring a friend and small children are also welcome. It a great way to meet friends and it is very informal. See you there.

Posting are starting to filter out, so if you know you will be moving on this year, please contact me so I am able to support each student with their transition to a new school and deliver a Farewell pack before they leave our school. All posting students look forward to receiving their FAREWELL PACK to take with them.

Quick Update - Defence Afternoon Tea will be held at school on Friday 30th July at 2:00pm in L Pod (Defence room) with an Open Arms representative present to discuss their services which are available to all veterans and families to access. All parents and caregivers are invited to attend. Please email me on cwhee36@eq.edu.au or call me to register for this event. Look forward to seeing you there. Flyer attached.

REMEMBER OPEN ARMS is available to YOU and your family - Veterans and Families Counselling provides 24 hr support and confidential counselling, group programs and suicide prevention training. Former and current serving ADF personal and their families can use the service. Call 1800 011 046 for more information. Attached is current flyer with programs available.

DCO is now DFMS (Defence Families and Family Support) Townsville office call on 07 4430 3879. Online you can find them at the link below, Facebook @DefenceMemberFamilySupport. Defence Member and Family Helpline is 1800 624 608. Defence Social Workers are available for you to access at DFMS office. Appointment required.

Geckos Family Centre at Lavarack Barracks is a tri-service facility providing services, support and activities to enhance family resilience in the North Queensland Defence Community. Geckos offers a range of formal and informal activities catering to Defence members, partners and families such as playgroups, parent groups, boot camps, yoga, and sewing group. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with the activities and events held throughout the year. Check availability due to exercise.

Please remember to sign up to the mailing list for what’s happening for defence families at dfms.townsville@defence.gov.au or to register collect a sheet from me.

EVENTS TO REMEMBER

SUNDAY 22nd August - Geckos Father’s Day Fishing Charter from 6am-6pm, Northern Conquest Fishing Charters. Contact Geckos for more information.

TO BE UP TO DATE WITH WHATS ON IN TOWNSVILLE CHECK whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au or follow on Facebook or call 07 4411 7031.

DON’T FORGET to Register for DCO mailing list NOW at dco.townsville@defence.gov.au

DMFS Townsville Office: 07 4430 3879

Need to find them online? New home is

Defence Family Helpline 24/7 call 1800 624 608 memberandfamilyhelpline@defence.gov.au

Open Arms call 1800 011 046

Mates4Mates – Email: townsville@mates4mates.org or call the Townsville FRC on 4771 9600

DFA (Defence Families of Australia) nth.qld@dfa.org.au

Geckos Family Centre-Nth Qld Lavarack Barracks Contact for enquiries on 4411 7031

Kookaburra Kids Tvl- 1300 566 525

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

My hours are Monday to Friday 8:00am-3:30pm, phone me anytime for a chat on 4799 1333 ext 323, or e-mail me cwhee36@eq.edu.au.

School is full of learning and FUN for all students when they stay positive. They also develop RESILIENCE SKILLS AND FRIENDSHIPS.

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

STRIVE FOR PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.

Music News (The Pitch)

Prep News

Prep July Newsletter

English

In English preps are learning to listen to, innovate on and create a rhyme using written and spoken communication. We have been listening to and writing rhyming words with chalk outside.

Mathematics

In Mathematics preps are learning to connect events and days of the week, and explain the order and duration of events.

Science

In science preps are learning about different materials and their properties. They are making a wind chime and testing its durability in different weather conditions.

100 days of Prep Celebration.

This week we celebrated 100 days of prep. Students and staff dressed up as an old people and we made crowns, badges and had a cake.

To celebrate this milestone, our Prep students were invited to come to school dressed as if they are ‘100 years old.’ All of our students participated in activities throughout the day and shared in a celebration cake and dance at the end of the day.

Our youngest learners have shown great progress in the time they have been here and we enjoyed celebrating with them?

End of term 2

To celebrate getting no majors in term 2, preps had a pyjama party. They had lots of fun wearing their pyjamas at school. They also brought their pillows and teddies and ate popcorn.

Year 1 News

Welcome back to Term 3. It is going to be another busy term with lots of learning to be had. Some of what we are going to be learning this term is:

English- create a new character and participate in an interview using the Willy the Wimp book series

Maths- measuring using informal units for length and capacity as well as explaining durations and telling time for hour and half past.

Science- describing objects and events that we encounter in our everyday lives when we see them in different parts of the day as well as in different landscapes. We will also describe changes in the local environment.

Media- explore how families are depicted in media artworks and create alternative representations of family through portraiture.

Year 2 News

Welcome back to another term. In English, students are learning to create a multimodal procedure based on key events in Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine. Grandma is not very nice to George so he creates a medicine to try and make her nice. Students will decide if their procedure is going to help Grandma, or do something horrible to her!

Throughout lessons, students will be exploring language features to describe ingredients and equipment, as well as writing clear steps instructing peers on how to make something for Grandma. Students will also present their procedure to the class with supporting images using a poster or PowerPoint. We can’t wait to see what these procedures are going to do to Grandma!

Year 3 News

Money

This term, we will be representing money and values in various ways. We need to identify and represent money values using words and symbols, compare and order Australian notes and coins based on their value, calculate the correct change for simple financial transactions, represent monetary value using a combination of notes and coins.

We are excited because we get to do our assessment online!!!!!

Please help your child by counting their money in their money box. When shopping help them add the amounts together and let them work out the change.

Year 4 News

‘This Term in Science, the Year 4 students will be exploring Forces. This week students have started playing 60 Second games requiring them to identify the force. Contact Force, Non-contact Force, Gravity and Friction is some of the language they will be exploring. By the end of the term, students will design their own game and explain the force which is used within their game.’

Year 5 News

Hey Team 5! Term 3 already! There are lots of great learning experiences planned. To your facilitate your discussions at home around the children’s current learning intentions and how they will find success in their learning an outline of units has been provided below.

Curriculum Overview

YEAR 5 CHARTERS TOWERS EXCURSION

Year 6 News

Year 6 News

And here we are already, week 2 of term 3. We are starting to get to the serious stage in year 6 whereby parents and students are looking at high schools for next year. Last week, we had visits from both Kirwan State High School and Thuringowa State High School, showcasing their school. It’s always lovely from a Teacher’s point of view, to watch the presentations eagerly in the hope of identifying past students from The Willows State School. I urge all parents of year 6 students, to take the time to study all of the options available, to ensure you find the best fit for your child.

This term in English we have two summative tasks to complete. Firstly, we are learning to write a letter to a student in the future to evoke a sense of time and place. We have started really delving into what establishes time, even looking back at some of the technology that has changed dramatically over the last ten to twenty years. Later in the term, we will be focusing on how participate in a panel discussion to analyse and evaluate the style of an individual author.

In Mathematics we have three tasks to complete. We will be learning to describe the use of integers in everyday contexts, locate integers on a number line, locate an ordered pair in any one of the four quadrants on the Cartesian plane and describe combinations of transformations. We are also focus on recognising the properties of prime, composite, square and triangular numbers, solve problems involving division and multiplication, calculate common percentage discounts on sale items and connect fractions, decimals and percentages as different representations of the same number. Last but not least, we will be learning to locate fractions on a number line, solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of related fractions, calculate a simple fraction of a quantity and describe rules for sequences involving fractions and decimals. To perform calculations on decimals including multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 and make connections between capacity and volume. We certainly have a lot of Maths to do this term.

In Science we are learning to explain how natural events cause rapid changes to the Earth’s surface and identify contributions to the development of science by people from a range of cultures. We will also be identifying how research can improve data. This unit is such an interesting unit that we are already enjoying thoroughly.

Term 3, bring it on!

YEAR 6 HIGH SCHOOL