23 November 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 back to Week 8 of Term 4! We are getting closer and closer to finalising this year’s teaching and learning with 12 school days left in the year. This week also brings our final Cluster Moderation for the year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Hearing reviews and our final Student Council ‘future selves’ dress up fundraiser on Friday.

The next few weeks will continue to be busy with a range of special events such as our 75 Stars Reward sessions, Silver and GOLD Reward Celebrations, Year 6 Graduation, Year 6 Rite of Passage, P-6 Academic Excellence Awards and P-3 Christmas Concert to name but a few.

Cluster Inter-school Moderation

This week on Monday afternoon 3:30-5:30pm, The Willows SS teaching staff met across sites with teaching staff from Rasmussen SS and Weir SS to engage in school moderation of Term 4 English student assessment portfolios in order to quality assure curriculum standards. I would like to thank all teaching staff for their ongoing commitment to working with our cluster colleagues to intentionally collaborate, learn from each other through professional dialogue and quality assure our understanding of Australian Curriculum standards. Work with this cluster of schools is planned to continue into 2023.

Prep-Year 3 Christmas Concert

On Friday, 2 December (Week 9) we will be holding a Christmas Concert for students in Prep to Year 3.

The concert will begin at 9:15am in TCBC and parents/caregivers are cordially invited to attend.

Students are invited to come dressed in Christmas themed clothes for the day.

Water Safety and Swimming Programs

This term The Willows State School is offering Water Safety and Swimming Programs as part of the Physical Education Curriculum. The Swimming Program commenced on Tuesday this week for Year 2 and Year 4 students.

On Monday, 28th November, Zoe from Surf Life Saving Queensland will be here to present a Water Safety presentation to Prep, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5 students. There is no cost for students to attend the Water Safety presentation.

BYOx Program Letters

All students who have committed to the BYOx Program for 2023 (currently specific students in Years 3, 4 and 5) will receive a confirmation letter advising them of the final updated device minimum specifications, intune onboarding instructions and advice about technical set-up assistance available (if needed) at the Book Drop Off session in January. Please don’t hesitate to contact the school should you have any further queries at this stage.

2023 Student Leader Announcements – letters to be distributed TOMORROW

Year 5 students who nominated for student leadership positions will be notified on Thursday this week whether successful or unsuccessful. The number and calibre of applicants was truly outstanding this year and it was a challenging process for the panel and class teachers. All student leader applicants will receive a letter to share with their caregivers. The school community will be more broadly officially advised of the 2023 Student Leaders at the conclusion of the Senior Academic Excellence Awards ceremony in Week 10 on Wednesday, 7 December.

Teaching and Learning – Report Cards

Teaching and learning will continue to be our focus right up until the end of the school year. You can assist your children to “finish strong” by ensuring they are in full attendance. The Willows State School will be emailing Report Cards again this semester. To ensure all parents and caregivers receive their child/children’s Report Cards, it is important that the school has your current email address recorded in OneSchool. If you are unsure that the school has your correct current email address, please ring/email the office to confirm.

Report Cards will be emailed in Week 10 (Tuesday) to all parent/caregivers recorded as receiving correspondence.

Academic Excellence Awards – Semester 2

The Semester 2 Academic Excellence Awards will be held in Week 10 on Wednesday, 7 December. 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 with us.

The Academic Excellence Awards CRITERIA are as follows:

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

Year 6 Graduation Ceremony, Year 6 Pizza Party, Rite of Passage and End-of-Year Excursion

Notes have been distributed to all Year 6 students regarding arrangements for the Year 6 Graduation Ceremony to be held on Tuesday, 6 December, the Year 6 Pizza Party on Wednesday, 7 December and the Year 6 End-of-Year Excursion and Rite of Passage on Thursday, 8 December. Please contact the school office if your child has not brought home a note as yet or you have any queries about these events.

Enrolling your Year 6 child in Secondary School

On 30 November, all State Secondary Schools in Townsville will be holding an orientation and transition day for Year 6 students commencing Year 7 in 2023. It is essential that your child has been enrolled in their future high school prior to this day, or they will not have the opportunity to attend this orientation and transition activity.

Reminder: School finishes for the 2022 school year on Friday, 9 December. The school office will re-open on Monday, 16 January, 2023.

2023 Booklists

These will be made available on the school website and school Facebook page THIS week. Booklists will also be emailed to each year level to the email addresses recorded in OneSchool for parents and caregivers.

2023 Class Teacher Meet and Greet, Stationery Pack Drop Off

The first day of school for students in 2022 is Monday, 23 January.

Families are most welcome to come into school the previous week on Thursday, 19 January, 2023 between 2:00pm to 3:30pm to locate their child’s 2023 teacher and classroom (lists and maps will be displayed), meet the teacher and drop stationery packs off. This is a great way to remove some of the ‘busy-ness’ and anxiety often associated with the first day of a new school year. It would be appreciated if possible, that families take advantage of the opening of school classrooms on Thursday, 19/01.

2023 BYOx Onboarding Sessions (if needed) – Thursday, 19 January 2023

BYOx IT onboarding support: 2:00pm – Year 4
BYOx IT onboarding support: 2:30pm – Year 5
BYOx IT onboarding support: 3:00pm – Year 6
*BYOx program siblings are welcome to attend any session together

Please remember however, as with every year, no class grouping is definitively able to be finalised until after Day 8 when classes may change due to varying enrolment numbers and subsequent staffing allocation adjustments by the Department of Education.

The Willows State School Schools Officer Vacancy

Expressions of Interest are sought for a temporary full-time position of a Schools Officer, Grounds and Facilities at The Willows State School. This position is 76hrs per fortnight + ADO from 16 January 2023 to 23 June 2023, with a strong possibility of extension. Please refer to the EOI and Position Description included in the Community News at the end of this newsletter for information on how to apply.

Closing Date – 3pm Wednesday, 30 November 2022.

Applications should be forwarded via email to the Business Manager, Natalie Schifilliti, at bsm@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au. All enquiries about the role can also be directed to Natalie on 47 991 333.

REMINDER: Please collect your child’s medication from school before the end of year

Remember to collect your child’s medication from school before the holidays begin. Advice about storage of medications such as asthma inhalers and adrenaline auto-injectors (for example, EpiPens) is available at the NPS Medicinewise website Please also check expiry dates before bringing medications back to school after the holidays.

2023 ENROLMENTS – NOW OPEN FOR ALL YEAR LEVELS

Our school is still taking enrolments for the 2023 school year. Please get your enrolment forms in as soon as possible. Should you know of friends or family within our enrolment catchment zone 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 best support their transition and orientation to school. Please contact our school office to obtain further information about this free program.

Our Willows Warriors sessions will conclude for the year on Wednesday, 30 November.

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

We would appreciate notice if your child, or children, will be transferring to another school in 2023. Please inform the office by phone on 47 991 333, complete the online survey distributed through Schoolzine or email admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au as soon as possible.

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.

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, 30 November.

Warm regards,
Michelle Donn
Principal

Upcoming Events

Positive Behaviour Learning

Defence News

HELLO and WELCOME TO ALL DEFENCE FAMILIES

Week 8 – This week all the Defence students who are posting out to new locations will have a party. They have been asked to bring a friend along to celebrate their time here at The Willows. We will share party food, play games and have lots of laughs. Each student leaving will receive a Farewell Signature Bear for them to ask their friends to sign. This is a keepsake to remember the special memories they have had along the way here at school. We hope they have fun and stay positive when they start at their new school. We will miss them all.

Next Friday, 25th November, will be the “Year 6 Defence Students Farewell Pizza Party.” Don’t forget to let me know if you are leaving so your child does not miss out on these fun activities. This can be a difficult time for children so talk to me if you have any questions.

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.

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 go to

Geckos Family Centre at Lavarack Barracks is OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Weekly groups, school holiday activities and special events are back on again. The playground is also open for families to utilise throughout the week. Check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with the activities and events held throughout the week or phone them on 07 4411 7031 for more details. Don’t forget to check out their upcoming program for the school holidays.

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

TIME TO DINE DINNER (PARTNERS ONLY) – Friday, 25th November

Come along to our final partner’s-only night out of 2022 where you can catch-up with new and old friends, and farewell others that may be heading off on their next adventure.

Townsville Yacht Club is located in the heart of Palmer Streets eating precinct. With waterfront views, it sure is an event not to be missed. The DMFS team have booked a table on the deck where we can soak up the sea breeze and enjoy the company of new and old friends.

This is a self-funded activity. Attendees are responsible for the cost of purchasing their own food and drinks.

Where: Townsville Yacht Club
When: Friday 25 November 7:00pm-10:00pm
Registration: Eventbrite - Time to Dine

RAAF BASE TOWNSVILE CHRISTMAS TREAT – Thursday, 1st December

The Annual RAAF Base Townsville Christmas Treat will be run this year at the Base Gym. Come and join in the fun as we bring back the celebrations of a RAAF Base Christmas Treat. There will be loads of fun to be had, with rides, face painting, sausage sizzle and drinks with of course a visit from Santa.

Tickets are $10 per child, which covers Santa's gift. Please ensure you detail each child's age & gender for gift selection.

Where: Base Gym (RAAF Base Townsville)
When: Thursday 1 December 4:00pm -6:00pm
Registration:

2023 RSL QUEENSLAND PARTNER SCHOLARSHIPS - As the partner of a current or former ADF member, you’ve been paramount to your family’s stability. Now it’s time to green light your career aspirations or have the chance to upskill with an RSL Scholarship.

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

BE LIKE THE OCEAN, STRONG ENOUGH TO BE DESTROYED AND GENTLE ENOUGH FOR OTHERS TO FIND COMFORT IN YOUR PRESENCE.

Permission Forms

YEAR SIX FUN DAY AND GRADUATION (7th to 8th December)

Prep News

In Prep, for English, we are listening to narrative stories and discussing the beginning, middle and endings in these stories. For our assessment we have been asked to change the event in a story and to create a new ending. This has involved lots of writing and reading and some drawing.

In Maths, we are learning about the teen numbers. We are writing the numerals and the number names, and making the numbers with hands on, play-based materials.

Year One News

We are so close to the end of term and the end of Year 1! There have been so many different things we have learned throughout the year. All of our learners should be proud of the successes they have achieved.

In English, we ended our procedure writing unit by presenting our disgusting sandwich ideas to the seagulls we read about in “The Lightkeepers Lunch”. It is fair to say they thought the sandwiches were pretty gross and let us know with some interesting speech bubbles (including exclamations marks!).

In Maths, we have worked hard on lots of things ‘number’ using different strategies to problem solve and even took that into a Guided Inquiry where students had to construct, present and defend their own plans on how they could improve their recall of number facts.

In Science, we worked hard on understanding how light and sound are heard/seen by use and how we could use that knowledge to create light and sound instruments of our own. There were lots of creative ideas!

In the upcoming weeks as we wind down, there will be events to look forward to like our 75 Star, Silver and Gold Rewards. Ask your learner about the plans Year 1 has for these.

Year Two News

Year 2 English

This term, in English, the Year 2 students have been reading a book called “Toy Boat.” They have had to plan and write an imaginative event that they could add into this story. Once the event was drafted, students had to edit their work and have it ready for publishing.

Students published their work in digital format. The text was typed into a PowerPoint document. The illustrations were also created digitally in a program called Paint3D. These images were then inserted into their PowerPoint documents to complement their text.

Here are some photos of the students in 2MIL showing the progress of their work.

Year Three News

HASS

Exploring Places Near and Far

This semester the students are learning to identify, describe and interpret data about Australian places and explain the importance of making decisions democratically, the role of rules in the community and action in response to an issue.

There are three parts to this unit:

Part A: Representing data and identifying places using a map to find information and to represent data in tables and on graphs.
Part B: Identifying similarities and differences between places. Using information to compare two places in different countries.
Part C: Understanding importance of rules and making decisions democratically.

Science

In Science, we have been learning about liquids and solids. Students have been enjoying melting and freezing different materials.

75 Stars

Year 3’s who made 75 Stars in Week 5 enjoyed some fun games, iPad time and arts and craft. We had so much fun with some friendly competition.

Year Four News

In 4E PRO, we have been learning about connecting decimals and fractions. Students have been doing a lot of hands-on learning and enjoying small decimal games and quizzes. It was great to see 4E PRO not wanting to put their books away because they wanted to continue learning!

Year Five News

Year 5 students are currently busy finishing assessments. Well done to all of the Year 5 students who are trying their best and clearly demonstrating their learning for the term!

Year 5 classes are also focussing on areas for improvement that have been identified during the year. One important area requiring revision within the Mathematics learning area is number. Classes are working on improving mental and written strategies within the four operations – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Written operations and use of other strategies are being rehearsed to assist in more complex problem solving. Classes are finding creative ways to rehearse these vital skills within Mathematics.

This fortnight’s PBL focus is ‘We are bucket fillers!’ and this means that we are intent to interact positively with others, showing this through our words and actions. 5C AND is engaging in this fortnightly focus by writing positive notes about their classmates and anonymously sharing the thoughts daily. Great work 5C AND! I know that other classes will be following suit and engaging with this week’s PBL topic in the coming days.

Year Six News

Science:

This term in Science, Year 6 students have been exploring environments in which living things grow, and which conditions affect their growth and survival. After conducting multiple experiments exploring different environmental conditions and using our knowledge of fair tests, we concluded our unit with our mould experiment. This involved placing a slice of bread in three areas to determine which environment is best to reduce the amount of mould growth.

Although a bit ghastly to look at, we enjoyed observing the changes in the bread within the different environments. The end result was conclusive as we discovered the cooler environments drastically slowed the growth of mould.

The Willows World Cup:

The Willows World Cup is a three-game tournament involving staff and Year 6 students. It kicked off last week with a game of netball, where the teachers took out the win. The following Friday saw a close game of soccer, which ended in a one-all draw in penalty shoot-outs. The last event will be OzTag, where both teachers and students are keen to battle it out to reveal the final victor of The Willows World Cup! This has been a wonderful event organised by Mr Davies, where staff and students have enjoyed participating in a friendly game together, and spectators have enjoyed cheering on their friends and teachers.

Community News

EOI for Schools Officer, Grounds and Facilities