12 October 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Pride and Key Messages – Michelle Donn

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

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome to Week 2 of Term 4. It is certainly warming up now. Please ensure children are attending school with a water bottle every day so they can keep well hydrated.

This term will be very busy and I encourage you to read our newsletter each week to stay informed about timelines for permission forms and payments for all school programs and events. This term we will have the RACQ Streets Ahead presentations, Life Education, State Education Week, Day for Daniel, 2023 Prep Open Day Sessions, Swimming Lessons for Year 2 and 4, Year 6 Graduation, Gold Star Rewards, Semester 2 Reports and Academic Excellence Awards to name but a few.

NAPLAN Student Reports – issued LAST WEEK to relevant Year 3 and 5 students

Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN Student Reports arrived at our school last Thursday. These were distributed (with an overview letter) to all students late last week. Please contact the school if your child has not brought home a NAPLAN report or you wish to request an additional copy.

Student Leaders 2023 – Selection Process Timelines

Students in Year 5 shortlisted for 2023 School Captain or School Vice-Captain roles were provided with a letter advising them of this last Friday. Interviews for School Captains and School Vice-Captains will be conducted on Thursday and Friday this week with speech presentations by nominees for Music and Sports Captain roles occurring during Week 4. I look forward to being involved in the selection of our next group of student leaders – it is certainly going to be a very difficult task.

State-wide Principal’s Conference

This week I attended the state-wide Principal’s Conference in Brisbane from midday Monday-Wednesday. This was the first conference since 2018 due to previous COVID-related cancellations. Our new Director-General, Michael De’Ath, opened the conference with a presentation entitled, Equity and Excellence. I look forward to sharing the learnings and new directions launched by the department with staff and the parent community in coming weeks.

QPS School Support Officer (SSO) Program (Kirwan Cluster – TWSS, KSS, CSS) – Mechelle Hofmann

The QPS School Support Officer Program is supported by the Department of Education (DoE) and seeks to enhance community safety and security and increase community confidence and satisfaction with police by building positive relationships with members of the school community.   

The SSO Program aims to assist the school community and police by: 

• Engaging with the school community by collaborating with stakeholders to identify young people at risk of victimisation and offending behaviour.  
• Identifying best practice strategies to improve responses to young people by implementing effective early intervention frameworks.  
• Supporting stakeholders to reduce further demand on frontline services by strengthening protective factors around young people, through education and referral pathways.   
• Promoting positive relationships between the school community and police. 
• Enhancing community safety and security by building positive relationships and providing a quality service for members of the school community. 

The Willows State School has been allocated SSO, Mechelle Hofmann, as part of the Kirwan Cluster. It is anticipated that Mechelle will commence interacting with our school community at special events and on a regular one/two days per week visit basis from Week 3 onwards.

2023 ENROLMENTS – NOW OPEN FOR ALL YEAR LEVELS

Our school is now taking enrolments for the 2023 school year- please get your enrolment forms in as soon as possible. Should you know of friends or family looking to join our great school, please inform them that they are also most welcome to contact the school for further information and to obtain an enrolment package.

Prospective 2023 Prep students and parents/caregivers may like to consider attending a Willows Warriors Pre-Prep Program session on a Wednesday to support the transition and orientation process to school. Please contact our school office to obtain further information about this free program.

Is your Prep-Year 5 student transferring to another school in 2023?

We will shortly be starting the process of organising class composition for 2023. We would appreciate early notice if your child, or children, will be transferring to another school in 2023. Please inform the office by phone on 47 991 333 or email admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

Requests for specific factors to be taken into consideration for your child when organising class composition for 2023 are also able to be emailed to admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au.

REMINDER: 25th Anniversary Memorabilia – now available until sold out from the school office (cash or EFTPOS)

• Magnetic Pins - $5
• Coolers - $8
• Personalised Pavers – varying prices depending on size selected – see front office if you require a form.

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 47 991 333, the Student Absence Line on 47 991 366 or emailing admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au. Students are encouraged to come to school every day they are well enough to attend – so much new learning occurs every day. After Term 4 Week 1, we are sitting at 87.6% YTD and aiming to be over 90%.

Thank you for your ongoing positive partnership with us in your child’s education.

Have a wonderful week. Our next newsletter for Term 4 will be issued on Wednesday, 19 October.

Warm regards,
Michelle Donn
Principal

General News

RACQ STREETS AHEAD

This term, the RACQ Streets Ahead road safety program is being delivered to our Prep to Year 6 students focusing on pedestrian, passenger and riding safety. Resource Packs with age appropriate activities and videos demonstrating strategies are available from the link below. These will assist you to continue to teach road safety, implement the strategies your children have learnt and apply them to your everyday lives.

PERFORMERS CONCERT – 26th October

Upcoming Events

Positive Behaviour Learning

Defence News

HELLO and WELCOME TO ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES

Reminder, if you are being posted and will be leaving our school at the end of the year, can you please email me and/or the office so that I can prepare farewell activities and packs for the students. Postings should have been rolled out by now so most of you will know if you will be moving on. If you have enrolled at a new school, please let me know and I can contact the DSM so students can have contact with their new school before arriving. I will have conversations to assist students with any questions they may have associated with the move. Our office will also have to be made aware of which students will not be returning next year. The time leading up to the transition out of one school to another can be challenging and emotional for most students and this may require some time for them to process. They may have lots of questions for you about the move. Please contact me with any concerns or queries about this process. I have attached very helpful flyers below to assist.

Brooke Ocampo is the DSM on a Friday in my absence. Brooke will be available to support Defence students and families on this day. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your children or defence matters, please contact the office with details and they will pass on the message to Brooke. Brooke is only at our school on a Friday, please let all students know that Defence Room/Kids Club will only be OPEN on Fridays both breaks.

OPEN ARMS has released their timetable of programs for the second half of the year. Attached is a list of all programs available. CONTACT OPEN ARMS on 1800 011 046 for support and to reserve your spot. Open Arms is only a phone call away and available to support children and families.

Reminder to Defence Parents - did you know your child may be eligible for the Education Assistance Support Program? If you have posted into our location in the last 18 months and after your 3-way conversation with the teacher you have found that your student requires tutoring, call the Helpline for details on 1800 624 608, more information below.

Education Assistance 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 students 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 visit the link below.

Geckos Family Centre at Lavarack Barracks is still under renovations. The internal facility will be closed until further notice. All weekly groups, school holiday activities and special events will continue (at various locations). The playground will remain open for families to utilise throughout this period. 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.

TO BE UP TO DATE WITH WHATS ON IN TOWNSVILLE CHECK whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au.

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

DATES TO REMEMBER

TROPICAL FRIDAY BAREFOOT BOWLS (ADULTS ONLY) - FRIDAY 21ST OCTOBER

Couples and singles, mums and dads, and other adult family members are invited to join us at another one of our popular Tropical Friday Barefoot Bowling Adults Only fun night out!

Enjoy a social evening with barefoot bowls and BBQ on us. Cutheringa Bowls Club, West End will provide all bowls equipment as well as demonstrations for anyone who hasn’t played before. While the name of the game is barefoot bowls, socks / thongs / completely flat soled shoes are permitted on the green. While we’d love to see your brightest tropical themed outfits, please keep in mind that the bowls club dress rules require neat casual clothing and no singlets.

Where: Cutheringa Bowls Club, West End
When: Friday 21 October from 6:30pm
Registration: Eventbrite - Barefoot Bowls

Check DMFS newsletters or Facebook for details of Coffee Connections and upcoming activities.

IMPORTANT - Contacts

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

DMFS Office at Nathan Business Centre on Ross River Rd, call 07 4430 3879

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. I look forward to meeting you.

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

EMOTION ARISES AT THE PLACE WHERE MIND AND BODY MEET. IT IS THE BODY’S REACTION TO MIND.

P and C News

Only two more P&C meetings for 2022. Come along to share your thoughts on what we should do in 2023, hear about our fundraising success this year and be a part of our school community.

Our final two meetings will be held on Tuesday October 18 (delayed one week from our usual time) and Tuesday November 8.

You are welcome to bring children along and, most importantly, there will be a selection of sweet and savoury snacks made by our fabulous Tuckshop team.

The meetings will be held in the TCBC conference room. Enter the school via the OSHC after hours side gate on Bilberry Street.

Music News (The Pitch)

Willows Warriors News

Our last two weeks of Willows Warriors were certainly busy. In Week 9, we had a visit from the ladies from the dental van. They talked to us all about how to care for our teeth and we got to be dentists and fix a sore tooth.

In Week 10, we had our own mini colour run. It was lots of fun and we had lots of beautiful colours on our shirts.

Prep News

English

In English, Preps are learning to listen to and innovate on a familiar imaginative story to create a new story for a favourite character. We have also been writing words we know outside.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, Preps are learning to connect number names, numerals and quantities up to 10 and count to and from 20. We have been making teen number posters.

Science

In Science, Preps are learning to describe the properties and behaviour of familiar objects, to share and reflect on observations and ask questions about familiar objects.

75 Star rewards activity and silver star activity

To celebrate getting 75 stars and silver stars, Preps had an outdoor session and a technology session to end Term 3. We all had lots of fun.

Tea Towel Fundraiser - Order Form

LIFE EDUCATION – 28th October to 4th November

Year One News

Welcome back to Term 4

Term 4 is always a very busy term in Year One. We have started our English unit about procedure writing. We began by looking at a procedure and brainstorming what we noticed. Then we tried writing a procedure together.

In Maths, we have been learning about collecting and making inferences about data. Some Year Ones have also been learning about halves. We can split groups in half by making two equal groups.

Year Two News

The Year 2’s have been off to a very busy start this term! Students have been learning about the narrative structure in English, looking at data and chance in Maths, and Earth’s different resources in Science. For Science, we have planted some bean seeds in three different types of soil: sand, potting mix and clay. We are going to look at the different types of soil this term and students are going to make observations on how the beans grow throughout the coming weeks!

SWIMMING – 22nd to 29th November

LIFE EDUCATION – 28th October to 4th November

Year Three News

Once again it is great to see the Year 3 students back from holidays with their smiling faces and ready for another busy term full of learning.

We have kicked off the term with our poetry unit in English where students will be learning how to adapt a poem and use a range of poetic devices.

In Maths, we are continuing to practise recalling our twos, threes, fives and tens multiplication and related division facts.

Science is full of investigations where we will be finding out what happens when we add and remove heat from a range of substances.

Year Four News

During our Maths lessons, students are learning how to connect decimals to fractions which is an extension to our fraction unit from last term. The students in 4C SLA are enjoying learning more about place value, fractions and decimal numbers and how they can interact with each other. The students are currently exploring how each digit holds a place in relation to hundreds, tens, ones, tenths and hundredths. To do this the students are becoming really engaged using hands on concrete materials including the hundreds and tens grid, number lines and place value charts. The students in 4C SLA are also very excited to see a decimal number relating to them as we place everyone’s height onto a ruler display in class.

SWIMMING – 22nd to 29th November

LIFE EDUCATION – 28th October to 4th November

Year Five News

In Term 4, our classes are ‘Exploring narrative through novels and film’ in English by reading the novel Storm Boy written by Colin Thiele and then comparing this to the film adaptation produced in 1976. The children will write a comparison about both versions and state a preference of the text they liked and justifying the reasons why.

In Maths, the children are completing three assessment tasks this term –

• Describing chance and probability
• Calculating time and identifying factors and multiples
• And a Guided Inquiry called “What would be the best course for your charity run?”

In Science, our classes are ‘Investigating evaporation and explaining solids, liquids and gases’ in a unit called Matter Matters.

In HASS, we will complete a ‘Collection of Work: Participating in Australian Communities’ and learn about our Australian democracy.

TALK ABOUT IT – 1st to 3rd November

HEALTH UNIT – Growing Up

Year Six News

Welcome to Term 4, and the last term of primary school for our Year 6 students!

The students in 6D MAR have enthusiastically begun our Science unit by learning about fair testing in experiments. We started an experiment to test the effects of sun exposure on bean plants, and we will report our results at the end of Week 2. We remembered to only change one variable, and keep the other variables the same.

In Health, we have been thinking about the transition to high school. From a video which interviewed other students about going to high school, we learned that our current thoughts and feelings about high school are very common! We will be learning how to work through challenging situations, how to work with our strengths, and how to develop strategies to solve problems.

English has seen us learn about the plight of the Moon Bears in Asia, and how many dedicated people are working to protect them. We are analysing and comparing two different texts to decide which best communicates this message, and learning how they use different elements to make the readers empathise with the Moon Bears.

Fun Day and Graduation