27 April 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Pride

2022 School Explicit Improvement Agenda (EIA):
Every Student is a Reader and a Writer – Aim for the ‘A’
Inclusivity: Everyone Counts!
Wellbeing and Engagement for All

Welcome back to a wet Week 2! Please take extra special care whilst travelling to and from school under these conditions.

School ANZAC Day Ceremony and Thuringowa ANZAC Day Parade

Last Friday we hosted our school ANZAC Day Ceremony in the TCBC Hall. It was wonderful to welcome the many parents and community members who were able to attend. Our students respectfully participated in the ceremony and received positive acknowledgement of their participation from our special guests. Sincere thanks to our Defence School Mentor, Mrs Correna Wheeler, and Deputy Principal, Mrs Patricia Winter, for their coordination of our ceremony, our school leaders for their facilitation of the ceremony, the catafalque party and Squadron Leader Peter O’Connell, from 452 Squadron RAAF Base Townsville who spoke on behalf of the Australian Defence Force.

This year we once again also participated in the Dawn Service and Thuringowa ANZAC Day Parade and Ceremony on Monday, 25 April. A very big thank you to our student leaders for their leadership at these events and respectful wreath laying. Thank you to all staff, parents and volunteers who also marched with us – your support was very much appreciated.

P&C Mother’s Day Stall – NEXT WEEK – Tuesday, 3 May - Friday, 6 May

Our wonderful P&C are once again running a Mother’s Day Stall for our students to be able to purchase gifts for the special female caregivers in their lives. Gift prices are very competitive, and all profits go towards school fundraising projects which include playgrounds, shade structures and resources.

This year payment can either be made with cash or vouchers purchased through your child's tuckshop account on Flexischools. Please see the P&C information regarding the stall later in this newsletter.

HR Update

• Congratulations to Mrs Melissa Dinnison who has been successful in attaining the A/Head of Department-Curriculum role at The Willows State School for Term 2 whilst Miss Hawkins has taken on an A/Principal role at Townsville South SS.

COVID-19 Positive Cases notification to school community

Over the past week we have continued to be notified of positive test results for COVID-19 in our school community.

May I remind you to continue to:

• Monitor yourself and your family for COVID-19 symptoms symptoms that can include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, headache, fatigue, diarrhoea, vomiting or nausea, loss of smell and/or taste.
• Stay home if displaying any symptoms, or feeling unwell. You should attend your local Queensland Health testing clinics where students are prioritised to get a free rapid antigen test (RAT).
• Continue to follow all Queensland Health advice .

If students become symptomatic while at school, you will be contacted to collect them. You will also be provided with a free rapid antigen test (RAT) to administer at home.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please follow Queensland Health guidelines for reporting the test result, isolation and quarantine.

More COVID-19 related information is available from the link below

Update

Last week the Health Minister announced that the Chief Health Officer has relaxed the quarantine requirements for people who are close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases, effective from 6pm, Thursday 28 April 2022.

Further advice about what this means in practice for us in schools (if different) will be provided as soon as it’s confirmed next week.

Assistant Regional Director (ARD) UPDATE

Our new supervising ARD, Mr Phil Sweeney, has now date claimed his first visit to our school – Thursday, 5 May 11am-1pm. We look forward to introducing Mr Sweeney to staff and students whilst also familiarising him with our explicit improvement agenda and school site.

FREE PARENTING SEMINAR

Raising Resilient Children – find out more about cyber-safety

Tuesday, 17 May 2022: The Willows SS TCBC – 6:30pm-8:30pm

Many parents worry about what their kids are doing online but aren’t sure how to best protect them. We all do our best to supervise our children’s online activities, but there are also other steps we can take. That’s why we’re proud to be hosting a Triple P Seminar to help all Townsville families give their children useful skills and strategies to manage their emotions, overcome challenges, and handle situations such as unpleasant online interactions. Whatever stage of life your child is at or what challenges you are facing as a parent, the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program can help make raising kids easier, and help you guide them towards a happy and successful adulthood.

Triple P’s Raising Resilient Children Seminar offers tips on how to develop your child’s ability to cope with problems, now and in the future, in real-life and online.

HELP YOUR KIDS COPE WITH LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS – INCLUDING ONLINE

• Problem-solve with your child, to help them stay safe and manage risks online
• Support your child’s ability to manage emotional ups and downs
• Manage screen time and set age-appropriate boundaries
• Know what actions to take if your child is being bullied online
• Help your child cope with stress and setbacks and stay positive

The seminar is fun and friendly and it’s FREE! It’ll help kids AND parents take the drama out of family life (and screen time) so everyone can deal with issues calmly and more confidently.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE FREE SEMINAR: visit the Triple P website to learn more and book your free spot.

Triple P is a world-renowned program (developed in Queensland!) that has already helped more than 4 million children and their families, and is currently offered free of charge to Queensland parents and carers of children up to 16 years. Triple P also offers other seminars, group workshops and one-on-one consultations, as well as Triple P Online, Teen Triple P Online, and Fear-Less Triple P Online (web-based courses you do in your own time, at your own pace). There are also a range of Stepping Stones Triple P programs, which are tailored specifically for parents of a child with a disability. New Fear-Less Triple P helps parents of anxious children and teenagers.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Week 1 & 2 Rule Focus: Show You’re Strong - Get Along

Over the first two weeks of Term 2 our PBL school focus will be on promoting respect and acceptance for all, both within the classroom and playground. Respect for each student and compliance with the requests of all staff at school is an important skill for students to demonstrate. Staff will also be reinforcing and revisiting general school rules, routines and expectations. Your support in enforcing these expectations with your child is also much appreciated.

The Willows State School Attendance Strategy – Every Day Counts!

School attendance is compulsory under the Education Act. If children are going to be absent from school for any reason, parents are requested to inform the school by phoning 4799 1333 or emailing admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au.

If your child is absent from school on any given day and we are unaware of the reason for the absence, an SMS message will be generated asking you to contact the school regarding your child’s absence. Students are encouraged to come to school on every day they are well enough to attend.

Have a wonderful second week back at school and (another) enjoyable long week-end. School returns on Tuesday, 3 May and our next newsletter for Term 2 will be issued on Wednesday, 4 May.

Warm regards,

Michelle Donn
A/Principal

General News

FREE PARENTING SEMINAR – RAISING RESILIENT CHILDREN

JUNIOR AND DISABLED ARTIST SECTION

The Townsville Pastoral, Agricultural and Industrial Association has invited us to participate in the Fine Arts Competition for the 2022 Townsville Show.

This is a section that sees local artists from around Townsville and surrounding areas submit their artwork for judging and placed on exhibit for thousands of people throughout the duration of our annual event.

If you are interested in putting a piece in for the competition, please visit the following website for details.

If you would like to put in a school entry, please see Mrs Winter in the office.

Upcoming Events

Positive Behaviour Learning

Defence News

HELLO and WELCOME TO ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES

Week 2, what a busy first 2 weeks it has been. I hope your Anzac Day was shared with family with a thought for past and present Defence members and a thought of hope for a peaceful future. We held our school Anzac Day Ceremony last Friday and it was a memorable event. Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to say a BIG Thank You to everyone who attended and was involved in our Anzac Day ceremony. To all the student leaders, they did an amazing job, also to all staff who supported in the development of this event, your support is always very much appreciated. Special thanks to RAAF 27 Squadron members for assisting us with Defence personnel to be part of our school Ceremony. A guest at the service also commented to me on the wonderful behaviour of all the students present at the ceremony. A very positive comment to hear.

I was fortunate to be present at the Dawn Service on Monday with students Kasey, Lewis, Elouise and Thomas; some staff and parents also attended this truly meaningful service. Later in the morning we attended the March with students, staff and parents and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph. Last Wednesday some students were given the opportunity to make Anzac Biscuits with me at school. It was a great experience for students and we had lots of fun. The students took them home and enjoyed the biscuits immensely. I was told they were very Yummy. Mother’s Day is fast approaching so the plan for Kids Club over the coming weeks will be to have activities for students to make to take home for MUM. Please remind your children to attend so they can make mum a special gift.

DEFENCE AFTERNOON TEA this FRIDAY 29TH APRIL IN L POD AT 2PM. Please pop in for a cuppa and a chat before pick-up time. I would love to say Hi to any new parents to our school. My door is always open.

We are living in an ever-changing world and your loved one may be asked to go away with work at any time in their career. Please send me an email if your loved one is away/going away as it can be very emotional and challenging for your children and yourself. I can offer support to you and assist your children while at school. Please call for a chat or email me.

Kookaburra Kids is a worthy organisation for children aged 8-18 years, who have a parent serving and ex serving members of the ADF with a mental illness as a result of their military service. They provide fun activity days, camps and mental health education. Go to their website at www.kookaburrakids.org.ao to read more or call Hannah in Townsville on 0484 544 451 to register. It is a wonderful way to meet new friends and have fun.

If you just posted into Townsville this year or in the last 18 months, your children may be eligible for Education Assistance. This is available for students who move to a new school due to a posting. You have 18 months to apply and use the Education Assistance. If you have posted in this year and would like your children to benefit from some extra tutoring, you can do so NOW. Just contact the Defence Member and Family Helpline 1800 624 608 or email education.supportprograms@defence.gov.au for the form. I have copies of the Education Assistance form at school that I can have the teacher sign and return home with student upon request. One hour of tutoring per subject (Maths and English) for up to 14 weeks can be accessed. Reports are no longer required to access this service. Please contact me if you have any further questions about the form. This is a valuable resource to assist students with their learning and therefore assist with their transition into a new school. This builds self-confidence and resilience in children. I am always available to answer any questions about your student’s transition into their new school. You can ring the Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608, visit DMFS website or collect the forms from me. For more information go to the link below.

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, Mums and Bubs, boot camps, yoga, and sewing group. Geckos Family Centre is open Mon-Thur from 9am-4pm and Fri from 9am-3pm. Geckos has a playground that is open all day every day – from dusk until dawn – with access to toilet, parking and cold water facilities. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with the activities and events held throughout the year or phone them on 07 4411 7031 for more details.

City of Townsville, Work Skills Traineeship Intake is currently recruiting their next Work Skills Intake. There is a flyer attached for more information.

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

DON’T FORGET to Register for DMFS mailing list NOW at MemberandFamilyHelpline@defence.gov.au or follow on Facebook for updates.

DATES TO REMEMBER

DEFENCE PARENTS AFTERNOON TEA - Friday 29th April in L Pod at 2pm. Pop in for a cuppa and a chat before pick-up time. All Defence parents and small children welcome. Please RSVP for catering purposes to cwhee36@eq.edu.au or phone me at school on 4799 1333. I look forward to seeing you there.

IMPORTANT

Defence Family Helpline 24/7 - 1800 624 608 - Need Help give them a call

Open Arms support former and current serving ADF personnel and their family members can use the service also call 1800 011 046 www.openarms.gov.au

Mates4Mates – Townsville FRC 4771 9600 townsville@mates4mates.org

Café now Open from 9am-12.30pm every day, you are welcome to attend for a chat and to have a look around.

The Oasis Townsville for Ex-ADF Community in Townsville hello@theoasistownsville.org.au

Dirty Books Café – 1 Staging Camp Avenue, Oonoonba – 07 4759 8777

DFA (Defence Families of Australia) – NQ Delegate Larissa Ostermann 0418 796 561 nth.qld@dfa.org.au

DSNG Defence Special Needs Group - 1800 037 674 www.dsng.org.au

Beyondblue.org.au www.australia.gov.au

Geckos Family Centre Nth Qld Lavarack Barracks - Contact for enquiries on 07 4446 1238 or follow on Facebook.

Kookaburra Kids Charity Organisation Mental Health Service - 1300 566 525 www.kookaburrakids.org.au or contact Hannah Galliner 0484 544 451/1300 566 525

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

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

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

ALWAYS BE KIND TO EVERYONE

Music News (The Pitch)

Prep News

English

In English, Preps are learning to retell their favourite story, make connections to the story and present it to their friends.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, Preps are learning to sort 2D shapes. Preps are sorting shapes by the shape name, number of sides, number of corners, straight sides and curved sides.

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.

HASS

In HASS this Semester, Preps will be learning about special celebrations. Students will be asked to bring two items that are special to them and tell us why they are special.

75 Star Rewards Activity

To celebrate getting 75 stars, Preps had a Teddy Bears picnic. Prep students brought their favourite teddy bears to school and had a picnic and enjoyed fairy bread. Everyone had lots of fun.

Year One News

During our first week back from our holiday, we have been exploring our new learning units for Term 4. We have begun exploring characters in stories, investigating 2D shapes and 3D objects, and constructing a boat that floats. We have also been working on promoting respect and acceptance both in the classroom and the playground through our fortnightly PBL focus – ‘Show You’re Strong - Get Along!’. We have been working collaboratively in both learning and play to practise co—operation and treating other people with respect.

Year Two News

This term in Maths we are looking at the concept of time. We have been learning about analogue and digital clocks. Students have been working to tell the time to the quarter-hour and to match the analogue and digital representations of the same time. The Year 2’s have been working really hard and practising positioning the hands correctly on an analogue clock.

Year Three News

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you’ve all had a wonderful, relaxing and fun-filled Autumn/Easter break!

Term 2 has a lot of exciting learning occurring and we cannot wait to get stuck in! Throughout English we will be reading a new text ‘’The Worry Tree’’ by Marianne Musgrove, a beautiful story about friendship and personal growth. Students will be required to complete a series of comprehension questions about this text. They’ll then need to create their own imaginative narrative based on the theme of friendship, for a known audience. We cannot wait to see and hear their stories take shape!

In Science we will be exploring “The Sun, Earth and Us”, deeply investigating the Earth’s rotation, its orbit around the Sun, shadows and the effects the Sun has upon the Earth and us as humans. Students will be able to present their findings in a variety of ways, which we look forward to seeing.

Throughout Maths we will be covering a variety of topics, including number patters, adding and subtracting, positions on maps and finally, measuring length, mass and capacity using metric units. Whoa! There will be an array of hands-on activities to deeply immerse your student into each strand.

In Health, your student will be beginning a new topic titled, “Feeling Safe”. They’ll investigate how emotional responses can vary and understand how to interact positively with others. They’ll use decision-making and problem-solving skills and select and demonstrate strategies to help them stay safe.

All Year 3 students will continue with their current unit of HASS studies, “Our Unique Communities”, throughout this term.

We look forward to an amazing and productive Term 2!

Year Four News

In 4E PRO students have been really enjoying their learning in HASS. Students have been learning about the First Fleet, settlement in Australia and the impacts to the First Nations People. Researching, reading books, watching videos and imagining they are a convict are some of the task’s students have been asked to complete. These tasks have been enjoyed by all students in which they would like to share. Below are some students work where they were writing a journal entry as a convict onboard a ship.

Year Five News

On Thursday 21st April, the Year 5 students were lucky enough to be visited by Norman, a toad specialist from the biosecurity team in the Townsville City Council. Norman shared many interesting facts about toads and he even brought a few toads in for the students to look at!

During the next few weeks, students will be reading and comprehending a toad article from a scientific journal and Norman’s talk has certainly helped our students to prepare for this task.

Year Six News

Do you need a calm, relaxing beach holiday? Or are you looking for an action-packed, thrilling adventure holiday?

Year 6 are becoming advertisers this term, and are learning how to persuade their target audience to visit a location through an advertisement. 6MAR has been analysing an example of an advertisement and discussing the choices made by the author. We found that the colours, backgrounds, size and placement of elements, language choices and images have all been purposefully chosen to persuade a target audience.

We have also been starting to consider our own choices, starting with images. We considered our target audiences and locations, and justified why it was a good choice for our advertisement.

KIRWAN HIGH OPEN DAY – YEAR 6

Community Events & Notices