ECDP funding extended beyond 2020

Last week we received exciting news in regards to the future of the Yerongpilly Early Childhood Developmental Program (ECDP), which is a part of our school. It has been announced that funding for ECDPs will continue beyond 2020. The Queensland Government announced the continued funding in the State Budget on 11 June 2019. Our school has also received an ECDP Great Start Grant. The grant provides an opportunity for us to work collaboratively with our parents, National Disability Insurance Scheme Early Childhood Early Intervention (NDIS ECEI) providers, kindy services and local schools to build on good practice so that children attending our ECDP are able to make the best possible transition to school.

Preservation of our New Nature’s Play Area

We need your help!

Thank you to the P&C group for the open and constructive discussion that was held at our meeting last Tuesday, regarding the situation we currently face with the opening up of the new Prep and Year One Nature's Play/ Outdoor Learning area. It was beneficial to discuss and come up with a shared and agreed vision on where to from here.

Our new Prep and Year One Nature’s Play area is proving to be very popular with the children. The Prep and Year One students have enjoyed the last month being given time to explore, work together and create within this amazing new space. Unfortunately, over the last week we have had concerning reports of children playing unsupervised in this area and also some of the new plants have been pulled out. Our Prep and Year One students voiced concern that their new area was not being respected, in the way that they had envisioned.

Therefore it is timely for us to share with the school community our expectations around before and after school play. As a whole we are focussed on how we can maintain and preserve this new area in the long term, as well as keep our children safe. We ask our school community to assist us in preserving this precious area by adhering to the following guidelines:

• The Prep and Year 1 Nature’s Play area is out of bounds for all children before and after school (this aligns with our procedures for the Senior Natures Play area)
• No student should be in the school grounds before 8:15am unless attending YOSHC
• All students who are not attending YOSHC should aim to arrive after 8:30am
• Children are not allowed to be playing on any playgrounds, both senior or junior prior to 8:30am (if any children in Yr 1 – Yr 6 arrive between 8:15am -  8:30am they should be seated under C Block)
• Children in Prep and Year 1 only are allowed to be on the Prep and Year 1 play equipment between 8:30am – 8:45am (this does not apply to Nature’s Play – this is out of bounds)
• Prep children should be signed in at the classroom by a parent at 8:45am.

Thank you in anticipation for your support.

Year Six Camp

Our Year Six students returned from their camp experience last week tired, but full of stories about the challenges they faced and the great spirit in which they participated in all of the challenges. We are extremely proud of these students for the fortitude they displayed and for representing Yeronga State School and their families so admirably. Thank you to the enthusiastic and energetic group of staff who accompanied the students to the Tallebudgera Beach Camp. I certainly enjoyed joining this group for two nights on camp. The ‘stand out’ memory for me is the overwhelming level of care the Yeronga State School students displayed towards each other. It was very impressive to witness our students communicating and connecting in ways that demonstrated such genuine kindness and thoughtfulness.

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC week is fast approaching. It is the most significant week of the year to celebrate Indigenous history, culture and achievements. NAIDOC Week is actually held during the school holidays, however we will acknowledge it in the final week of this term and the first few week back at school next term. At YSS we will prepare for and celebrate for NAIDOC Week in the following ways:

• Free Drees Day (through the colours of the Indigenous Flag) on Friday 28 June. Gold coin donations on that day will go towards funding a visitor to present on the Junior assembly and some cultural activities for the Senior students.
• Student Council presentations at both the Senior (Week 10 Thursday) and Junior (Week 1 Thursday) assemblies.

We are fortunate at Yeronga State School to have the guidance of the members of the Kalari group, who have been very active in sharing with us ideas of how staff can recognise NAIDOC week with their students.

Does Your Child Have a Hat at School?

Please check-in with your child that they have a hat at school. We have a strictly No Hat- No Play policy and have noted a rise in the number of children without a hat at school. Students are required to wear a wide brimmed school hat when at outdoor play and Physical Education. Failure to wear a hat will require children to remain under the school building during the play break.

Carpark

As a school we are facing ongoing issues regarding the inappropriate use of the car parks on the school grounds. We remind our school community about the very clear and explicit directions around use of the school car parks. Please ensure that you are taking responsibility for your own actions and following these expectations, as it has been distressing to hear of recent incidents that have compromised the safety of our students. The clear and consistent message to our community is that the school car parks are not to be used by parents (with the exception of access to Disability Parking with a permit). The following are the guidelines for parking at Yeronga State School:

STOP KISS GO : 2 minute zone (7-9am, 2-4pm). Please move to the front of the zone before allowing your children to exit or enter your vehicle. This helps make this zone work efficiently. Do not leave your vehicle in this zone as it significantly impacts the flow of traffic around our school.

Parking options around our school:

1. Front of Dental Building – 1 hour
2. Park Rd opposite school - 1 hour
3. School Rd in front of Junior School - 10 minute
4. Pool Car Park
5. Honour Ave parking
6. General street parking

Parking options for YOSHC drop off and pick up:

1. Pool Car Park
2. Honour Ave parking
3. Front of Dental Building – we encourage parents to use the entrance located near the crossing at the Senior School. Parents who choose to walk through the Tuckshop car park will see a designated area to the right of the gate as a way to transition safely through the shared vehicle and pedestrian space.

We appreciate the assistance of the school community in ensuring that our children stay safe.

Report Cards

Our teaching team have been busily finalising assessment with their classes, in order to complete the Semester One report cards for all students. These report cards will be sent out to parents via email during the last week of this term. It has been my pleasure to read many of the students’ report cards for Semester One and see the wonderful achievements of our students, both academic and otherwise. It is particularly pleasing to note that our students are working hard to continuously improve on their output and achieve the best they possibly can. This has been enabled by the regular and focused feedback that is provided to the students by our teaching staff.

After you receive the Semester One report card, it would be a good opportunity to take the time to help your child to reflect upon the results they achieved and set some goals for Semester Two. Parent /Teacher interviews will be held during Week 5 and 6 in Term Three, which will be timely for discussing your child’s progress with their teacher. 

Attendance Matters

At this stage of the term, it is important to reflect on the importance of consistent school attendance and its impact on student learning. It is crucial that parents support the expectation that students attend school every day, arriving at school on time and ready to learn. Regular attendance at school sets up good behaviours and routines for a child’s future progression. Please ensure that your child only stays home if they are unwell. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety and should be addressed through further investigation. We appreciate the support of parents in making attendance at school every day a number one priority.

School Annual Report

Please note that Yeronga State School Annual Report for 2018 is now available for viewing, via the school website. This document is required to be prepared each year and provides a summary of the school for the previous calendar year. It provides a broad range of information to parents and the school community, in order to give a greater understanding of the context in which the school operates. If you are unable to access this document on the internet, you are welcome to request a copy via the school office.

 
Kate Paynter
Acting Principal