Dear Families,

A warm and hearty welcome to you all for the official start to our 2022 school year. The past few weeks have found us once again adjusting our sails and navigating a new way forward. What has not changed is the commitment our staff have to ensuring every one of our students starts the year with enthusiasm and ambition. Thankyou for your partnership and assistance as we realise our school vision: We are connected, curious and community minded learners and citizens who make a positive difference to our world!

Thank you again for your respectful cooperation in ensuring social distancing is occurring as much as possible and for your vigilant management of any COVID symptoms as/if they present in your children. The next few weeks will continue to hold ‘unknowns’ as we implement Department of Education directives within the context of Yeronga State School. You will continue to be informed of positive student cases as per their year level and of any positive staff members. This is not to alarm but rather to be informed of the prevalence of the virus in our community and to assist in our collaborative management of the situation. The privacy of individuals is paramount, however we can all assume that spread of the virus is possible indoors. All classrooms are utilising air-conditioning as well as fresh air through open windows, making face masks available and encouraging their use.

It has been wonderful to touch base with many of you at drop off times over the past week. We are looking forward to the many opportunities over the rest of the term to engage with you on many accounts. I encourage you to ensure you are reading the fortnightly newsletter, correspondence from the school office and classroom teachers. The Schoolzine App syncs with our school website calendar page should you need to check on upcoming dates.  If in doubt please check with your classroom teacher or the administration team.

Yeronga State School continues to review and modify how the Australian Curriculum is delivered equitably and inclusively ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn and demonstrate what they know and can do over the course of their primary school years. The Queensland Curriculum and Reporting Authority has provided further advice in 2021 to assist schools to provide coverage across the learning areas. Much consideration has gone into the preparation and logistics of providing rich and engaging opportunities for all learners this year from our Head of Department -Curriculum, Head of Department-Inquiry Learning and Head of Department-STEM and Library Services in consultation with our Specialist and Classroom Teachers. For families who have been at Yeronga State School for some time you will notice some changes and trust you are excited as we are;

The Performing and Visual Arts

Strings (Year 3-Year 6) Band (Year 4-Year 6) Choir (Year 3-Year 6) and Classroom Music (Prep-Year 6) will continue to be offered with intention to increase performance opportunities for our students and excellence pathways for talented students.

Our Music Team for 2022 is Tamsyn Eastgate (Strings), Alex Grodecki (Band) and Lauren Easey (Choir and Classroom Music). Robyn Rosewarne has relocated to another school this year whilst we sad to see Robyn go after many years of service to YSS we are delighted that her fraction has been picked up by Alex Grodecki.

Visual Arts- new this year as a specialist subject taught by Jessica Greenfield (Prep-Year6). Jess is a qualified visual arts teacher and we look forward to many opportunities in the future to view the artworks produced by the students in the form of exhibitions and displays throughout the school.

Health and Physical Education

Hamish Curness will join Cameron Bateman as a Health and PE teacher this year increasing the opportunities for students across the school to participate regularly in physical activity.

• Swimming has been condensed into Term 4 with an extended season over the full term.
• Athletics, Swimming and Cross-Country carnivals will continue to provide opportunities for student participation as well as excellence pathways for those students in Year 4-6 to be nominated for regional, state and national competitions.
• Year 4 Students will participate in Monday afternoon sport for 3 X 5 Week sessions over the year. Soccer, Netball, Teeball, Softball, Basketball and Touch Football culminating in mini-GALA Days at school at the end of each season.
  Due to the growing numbers of our school community (and the district) and students turning 10 this year, we are aligning with other schools and providing an opportunity for year 4 students to prepare for Gala Days in Year 5 and 6. The year 4 program will provide students with the skills needed to participate in future Gala Days due to the district restricting the number of nominations put forward by each school. These are a few of the key reasons for the change to the year 4 Gala Day format.
• Year 5&6 Students will continue to participate in interschool sport GALA Days in the Sunnybank Cluster of School Sports (offered to nominated teams of Year 5&6 students from each of the participating schools)

STEM

Our new multi-million-dollar facility to support STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics) facilitated by our HOD-C Debbie Cowie and Year Level STEM Teacher Champions is due to open for the start of Term 2. This exciting addition to our school will provide a stimulating and dedicated space for all students to engage in STEM related learning integrated into their inquiry units of work. For many of our students, excellence pathways and partnerships with experts beyond the school community will be an opportunity to shine in their area of interest.

Inclusive Education and Yeronga Excellence Program – Prep-Year 6

We continue to increase staffing to support the wellbeing and achievement of all learners at Yeronga State School. An expert team has been established and we are fortunate to also be recruiting for a full-time Head of Special Education Services this year to support the early identification and educational adjustments for students with disability. Our inclusion team for 2022;

School Guidance Officer -Robbie Spence (increased to full-time this year)

Head of Special Education Services (new this year) TBA

Dedicated Gifted Education Teacher – Rachel Wise (new last year and continuing)

Inclusive Education Teachers – Sally Ainsworth (English as an Additional Language), Tarnee Southwell and Sonja Wise 

Our inclusion team is joined by Chappy Jenny our school Chaplain who is here to support the wellbeing of students, staff and families in need. This year, our Guidance Officer and Chappy will host a parent café to support connection and belonging. Assemblies will move to Friday mornings to make it easier for parents to attend more regularly.   Our aim is to repair and reinvigorate those community connections that the global pandemic has so sadly disrupted.

Spanish

Our long-term much-loved Senora Bueno will teach Spanish from Prep-Year 6 this year.

Our Four Priority Contexts

Teachers and Year 6 Student Leaders are aligning leadership across the school through four existing priority areas at Yeronga State School aligned to our school vision; Curiosity and Creativity, Sustainability, Wellbeing and Outdoor Play. Our Student Leaders will lead various legacy projects in their final year of primary school supported by Student Council Year Level Representatives, Specialist Teachers and teacher leaders throughout the school. Parent Evening Seminars on topics aligned to the four priority areas are planned for each term to engage our parents as partners in this work for the benefit of our whole community. The incredible support over the years from the outgoing PandC Executive is evident in the huge amount of facility improvements already completed and underway. It is anticipated the current major works (landscape project and new administration, classroom and Curiosity Centre) will be completed in readiness for the start of Term 2. These facility improvements will provide significant support of our school vision and the four priority areas.

On behalf of our school community I welcome all our new families and staff to our great school.

I look forward sincerely to working in genuine partnership with you this year.

Have a great week,

Eunice