Principal's Report Week 7 Term 1 2020
I look back on a fortnight where we have made much progress in teaching and learning, with our class teachers taking part in year level Inquiry Coaching and planning, as well as our Year 2 and Year 4 teaching teams working closely with Dr Cam Brooks (from the University of Qld) with a focus on ‘Assessment for Learning’.
Our Student Council Representatives were thrilled to be a part of the annual Halogen Young Leaders Day, listening to a range of fascinating speakers, sharing their leadership learnings. Chappy Jen hosted a popular Pancake morning, with her delicious pancakes filling us all up, ready for a big day at school.
Our first Gala Day for the year is being held today and from all accounts, it is looking to be a great success. A large amount of planning always goes into preparing for Gala Day. A sincere thank you to Mr Hamish Curness (Year 5 Teacher) and Miss Nikita Langhorne (Admin officer) for all of the hours they spent planning for the Gala Day for our students. Thank you also to all of the teachers who have acted as team coaches, as well as the additional staff who are going today to provide supervision for our super keen Gala Day participants.
TRIPLE P PARENT CYBER-SAFETY INFORMATION SESSION
Please note that Triple P will be hosting a Parent Information Session in our Resource Centre from 6pm on Tuesday 24/3.
The seminar topic is:
-Raising Resilient Children with a focus on Cyberbullying (how parents can help set their children up to be safe online to prevent bullying)
The seminar will run for approx. 90 minutes and includes time for parent questions. Please go to the link below to RSVP:
QUADRENNIAL SCHOOL REVIEW
In the last newsletter, I shared the news that our school is scheduled to have a Quadrennial School Review during Term 3. Since then the dates for our School Review have been announced. The YSS School Review will take place over three days in Week 3 of Term 3- 27/28/29 July. Our entire school community will work together closely over the coming months to be prepared to share the great work that we do at Yeronga State School with the visiting review team in July.
School reviews complement the department’s four-year school planning, reviewing and reporting cycle. This will be an important process for us to undertake here at YSS as we review our 2017-2020 Strategic Plan and prepare a new plan for the following four years. Findings and feedback from the review will provide valuable input into this process. Community feedback will be an essential part of the review, with parents, students and the community encouraged to have their say.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM
The students at Yeronga State School are fortunate to be offered the opportunity to participate in an extensive Instrumental Music Program. Queensland schools are the last remaining schools in Australia to receive subsidised instrumental music tuition in the form of Concert Band and String Orchestra programs. Professional Instrumental Music Specialists are employed to provide small group instrumental tuition and direct and administer Concert Bands and String Orchestras. The highly skilled Instrumental Music Teachers at YSS are Robyn Rosewarne, Alex Grodecki and Tamsyn Eastgate.
We are also fortunate this year to be in receipt of financial support from our Yeronga State School P&C, to enable the program to be offered to a broader number of students in 2020. We are thankful for the generous support of our P&C body.
Students are offered positions by the school, according to the capacity of the programs and student attributes. There is no automatic entry into the program and an extensive information and recruiting process commences in Term 3 of the previous year. Positions for the following year are offered in Term 4.
Participation in the Instrumental Program at Yeronga State School is a privilege and carries responsibilities for the whole family. It is expected that students will continue in the program for the remainder of their time at YSS. The success of the instrumental music program is largely dependent upon students being committed to the program and participating as a responsible group member.
SUNSCREEN IN CLASSROOMS
Over the previous week we have distributed a large container of sunscreen to each classroom in the school. Teachers have been asked to ensure that students are encourage to put sunscreen on uncovered areas of their skin, such as the face and the back of the hands, for all outdoor activities. Parents are welcome to send in sunscreen that is specific to the needs of their child, to cater for allergies and/ or family preferences for sunscreen use. Please clearly name any sunscreen that is sent to school specifically for the use of your child.
The UV index is high all year round, so Queensland schools are encouraged to promote sun safety for all outdoor activities according to the Developing a Sun Safety Strategy. Schools are asked to make SPF 30+ sunscreen available for students and ensure they wear hats when outside. For further information, see the State Government Sun Safety website.
https://education.qld.gov.au/students/student-health-safety-wellbeing/student-health/sun-safety-strategies.
Kate Paynter
Acting Principal