Changes to Play and Eating times

This week, students have learnt about some changes to the play and eating times at school.  For term 1, we are undergoing a trial of switching our eating and play times.  We are hopeful, that students will enjoy a longer play time, and eating in their airconditioned classroom with their teacher and classmates.   

Munch and crunch / brain break will still occur at around 10am daily, so we continue to encourage students to bring a fruit or vegetable snack to school each day. Some students are reporting they are getting hungry with eating a little later.  Students might like to bring a few additional snacks for munch and crunch.

Changes have been made to the bell times to reflect this new arrangement, and these are outlined below. 

• 8:55 – Song
• 9:00-Bell – start 1st session
• 11:00-bell – start play
• 11:35 – 5 minute whistle warning
• 11:40-Music – back to line up for eating
• 11:50-bell – start 2nd session
• 1:20- bell – start play
• 1:45 – 5 minute whistle warning
• 1:50-music – back to line up for eating
• 2:00- bell – start 3rd session
• 3:00 – Bell – end of day
• 3:15 – music - exit grounds / Jabiru

Yeronga State School staff agree there are many positive outcomes related to this change in eating and play times including:

• Positive interpersonal relationships
• Dedicated time in classrooms to discuss social situations
• Extended play time at each break for all students
• Positive environmental benefits (less rubbish, more composting)
• Calm transitions into learning after play
• Research suggests that Schools that have adapted this model report that students eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, waste less food, and are better behaved on the playground and classroom.

Our thanks to Tracy in the Tuckshop for making adjustments to the tuckshop schedule to accommodate this change.

This is a trial for term 1, which will be guided by staff, student and community feedback as we review and refine to move forward. 

If you wish to hear more about our trial, we encourage you to come along to the first PandC meeting on 20^th February at 7pm, where your feedback will be welcomed. 

Whole School Behaviour Matrix

The first couple of weeks at school is an opportunity to set students up for success.  The first step in facilitating standards of positive behaviour in a whole school approach to school discipline is communicating those standards to all students. At Yeronga State School we emphasise the importance of directly teaching students the behaviours we want them to demonstrate at school. Communicating behavioural expectations is a universal behaviour support - a strategy directed towards all students designed to prevent inappropriate behaviour and provide a framework for responding to unacceptable behaviour.

In order to raise awareness of these expectations and embed exactly what these behaviours look like in different situations, a matrix of behaviours has been developed. These expectations are communicated to students via a number of strategies, including:

• Explicit behaviour lessons conducted by classroom teachers;
• Reinforcement of learning from behaviour lessons on School Assemblies and during active supervision by staff during classroom and non-classroom activities.
• Display of matrix in every classroom.