INQUIRY MINDSET ACROSS ALL CLASSROOMS

Last Tuesday twenty- two educators from our CPL network and the Assistant Regional Director participated in Instructional Rounds, visiting all bar two classrooms across the school, observing teaching and learning with an inquiry approach. Instructional Rounds are one strategy our school uses to monitor school improvement progress.

Small groups of 4-5 educators moved through different groups of 5-6 classrooms across the school, observing teaching and learning to note patterns and trends. Each educator brought their learnings back to a home group to test for patterns and trends according to what individuals observed. Each group offered suggestions on where to next for Yeronga State School and shared their thoughts with our teaching staff over morning tea.

The process proved invaluable and confirmed that Yeronga State School has adopted an inquiry mindset in every classroom. Some feedback statements we received:

• Language and practices are consistent across the school.
• Teachers were modelling the language of inquiry.
• Students able to use the modelled language to talk about the task, how they were learning and what they needed to do to improve.
• The use of split screens in most of the classrooms provided clarity for students about the learning intention, success criteria and learning asset focus for the lesson.
• All students were included in the learning process and had high levels of voice and choice.
• Students consciously and conscientiously using learning assets to achieve learning outcomes.
• Students using a variety of visible learning routines to deeply engage in the inquiry process. Some students were able to choose the learning routine they wanted to use during the lesson.
• Student engagement being driven through high levels of student collaboration. Students working with a buddy or small groups to purposefully collaborate in their learning. Many students using some reflective questioning to help each other complete the tasks effectively.
• An inquiry stance strongly evident across the school.
• Classroom displays/posters referring to the learning assets and phases of inquiry.

We look forward to planning where to next considering questions raised such as:

• How are Inquiry pathways shared with your community?
• How do you help link collaborative discussion to learning intentions?
• How do you maintain the narrative of the inquiry unit through individual lessons?
• How are you monitoring student progress throughout the inquiry? Do processes need to be more visible?

Many educators commented on the enthusiasm and commitment to learning by both staff and students. The positive, caring and committed school culture was frequently praised. I am incredibly proud of staff and students for working together to amplify the adoption of an inquiry mindset across our school.

CONSULTANT VISIT- RYAN DUNN

University of Melbourne Education Researcher Ryan Dunn visited our school last Thursday. Ryan has been a consultant with the CPL project for four years. We wanted Ryan to visit our school to discuss our signature pedagogies for Mathematics. He met with curriculum leaders, Rachel Wise, Danielle Martin and Sharon Prestridge, to deepen his understanding on our approach to teaching mathematics and examine ways of engaging in quality differentiation. Ryan also delivered a professional development session for staff on Assessment for Learning, looking at ways to continually gain feedback on how children are progressing so we can adapt our teaching accordingly.

We are looking to engage Ryan as a consultant at our school to support our efforts to deliver a Maths program that challenges and engages every child.

STAFFING CHANGES

Thank you to Kayla Hicks (Templeman) who is leaving our school on Friday to begin maternity leave. Kayla is moving to the Sunshine coast and so is unlikely to return to our school. We are so grateful to have had Kayla as part of our team for the last three years and wish her well for the future.

We welcome Mrs Kay Wheatley to replace Kayla for four days and Mrs Parul Gadhoke for the fifth day. Thank you for making both feel welcome.

Mrs Tracy Freeman, Deputy Principal, will be on leave for two weeks, beginning Week 7. Mr Josh Newby will be replacing Mrs Freeman, as Acting Deputy Principal. Mrs Desley North (four days) and Mrs Julie Nolan (one day) will replace Josh on 3N at this time.

Ms Kaitlyn McDermott will be off class for 2 days for the rest of the year, supporting writing extension for some students. Miss Amy Ward will be replacing Miss McDermott on Thursday and Friday each week.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and support as we accommodate staff changes.

NEEDLE AND SYRINGE EDUCATION

We have taken steps to educate children on the risks of picking up syringes if they find these when they are out and about in the community and in the school grounds. We have shown children images of syringes on school assembly and advised children to Stop and Report immediately to the adult responsible for them. I encourage you as parents to have conversations with your children about the dangers of picking up syringes and what to do if they see one.

Q PARENTS

We are streamlining our student absence process, to make our daily audit and follow up more efficient. You will receive an invitation to join QParent in Week 8 when you have received it please downloaded the QParent app. Thank you for helping us keep your children safe by utilising this new process.

SCHOOL OPINION SURVEYS

Parents, caregivers, school staff and a random sample of students are encouraged to have their say in this year’s suite of School Opinion Surveys by providing their opinions about what this school does well and how this school can improve. Each of the online surveys will open until Friday, 23 August 2019.

Access details for the Parent/Caregiver Survey have been sent home with students. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with internet connection. Please contact the school office if you are yet to receive your survey information – admin@yerongass.eq.edu.au

Debbie Spanner
Principal

Over the last few weeks we have enjoyed a multitude of additional experiences here at Yeronga State School, including the Life Education Van arriving on site, a Year One Fire Services visit, Prep 2020 Information sessions and the Year 5 ‘Hoodwinked’ excursion to Pullenvale. This is all in addition to continuing to build on our main focus here at Yeronga, which is creating students who are literate, numerate and curious.

Instructional Rounds

On Tuesday 6 August we hosted a number of visiting teachers, who came to observe the use of the Inquiry stance in action here at Yeronga State School. It was encouraging to see our staff and students so willing to open up their classrooms to all of the visitors during Instructional Rounds. It was certainly heartening and affirming to hear all of the glowing feedback received.

Travelling Roadshow

During one of our staff meetings this term teachers went on a travelling roadshow of the school. Teachers were split up so that they have one teacher from every year level and they went into classrooms to learn about the Inquiry that is happening across the school. The feedback from teachers was that it has allowed them to see how inquiry teaching and learning is starting to take shape across the school.

School Opinion Survey

It is that time of year again when the annual School Opinion Survey is being conducted. This survey is undertaken with the purpose of gaining the opinions of parents/caregivers, students and school staff about important aspects of schooling. The survey is designed to help the school identify what they do well and what they can improve. Details regarding survey will be distributed over the coming week.

Active School Travel

Next week the school will be hosting the RACQ Streets Ahead program. This a program that we have been able to access through BCC and AST. The program addresses road safety.

On Wednesday 28/8 actively travel to school to receive a free barbecue breakfast that will be provided by the local Lions and Nicole Johnston. This will be outside the tuckshop area from 8:20am. To celebrate the upcoming Father’s Day there we are encouraging the children to wear CRAZY SOCKS as they will get double stamps for wearing them. There will also be a Crazy Sock Competition which will be judged in the tuckshop area at 8:40am.

Science Week 2019

If your haven’t’ already heard, it’s Science Week! Destination Moon: more missions, more science is the school theme for National Science Week in 2019.

This theme is a way for teachers and their students to discover past missions to the Moon and space programs that have solved some of the seemingly unsolvable problems—and current and future space programs, operations and missions. Many of these use big picture thinking in science to solve problems, and technology, engineering and mathematics to design new solutions. This will help forge our future paths in the areas of space operations, space science, Earth observations, positioning systems and communications.

Our thanks go to Mrs Clare Triggell, our Head of Curriculum for Inquiry, who has organised for us all an absolute plethora of visiting parents to come in to the school and share their scientific expertise with us this week. We are very lucky!

We look ahead to an exciting few weeks on the horizon, with the Prep students heading to Toohey Forest for their first excursion, the RACQ visit and preparations for Gala Day.

See you at our upcoming events - mark the dates in your diary!

They include:

-2nd Parent Teacher Interview Evenings (19/8)

-Cybersafety Parent Information Evening for Year 4-6 (3/9)

Student Council Free Dress Day- Friday 30 August

Support research for childhood genetic diseases in style, by donning a pair of your best jeans on Friday 30 August and bringing in a gold coin donation.

While the majority of babies are born healthy, 1 in 20 is born with a birth defect or genetic disease and more than 160,000 children around the world are diagnosed with cancer every year. Medical research is always looking for ways to treat or prevent such childhood diseases and some of the major advances over the years have included the eradication of polio, smallpox and diphtheria.

In Australia, the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is dedicated to finding ways to treat or prevent childhood cancers, birth defects and genetic diseases to create brighter futures for all children. However, medical research is expensive, which is why Jeans for Genes Day was born.

Over the next two decades, the Institute plans to develop new treatments for epilepsy, kidney disease, diabetes, infectious diseases and every type of cancer. They also hope to find gene therapy cures for rare genetic diseases in children.

To help pay for this important work, the organisation holds Jeans for Genes Day every year in August. On Jeans for Genes Day, much needed funds are raised across the nation for children’s medical research. The Yeronga State School Student Council has elected to support this cause by holding a Free Dress Day. We are encouraging students and staff to come along wearing their favourite denim jeans and to bring a gold coin donation!

Assistance Dog at School

Please be aware that a student at our school has an Assistance Dog who is in the process of being trained to support this student at home, in the community, and at school. Assistance Dogs are not like pets, they are able to go inside buildings, on public transport and other public places. The Assistance Dog at our school has been specially trained and certified, and will wear a bright vest to identify her. Teachers this week will be discussing the following rules with their classes about Assistance Dogs:

1. I keep my hands and feet to myself – do not pat or touch the dog

2. I eat my own food – do not give food to the dog

3. I use respectful words and tone – do not call out or distract the dog

Younger classes will also be reading picture books by Gina Dawson entitled “Next Door’s Dog has a Job” and “Next Door’s Dog Goes to School”. The message we are communicating is that Assistance Dogs are “dogs with a job” and we must not distract them from their important work. Please reinforce this message at home, or if your family sees an Assistance Dog working in the community.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Lizzy King Inclusion Teacher P-2

Have a fabulous fortnight!

Kate Paynter and Tracy Freeman

Deputy Principals

Trivia Night – Volunteers and prizes – THIS Saturday 17 August

With just a sleep or two to go until the Yeronga SS parents' night of nights, we are pleased to announce it is now a sell out. Our intrepid Trivia Night organisers, Rachel and Simon, have the trivia, games, song list and entertainment covered, but they need a little more help on the night. 

A big THANK YOU to all the parents who have already signed up to volunteer. There are a few places left on the bar and for the pack up at the end of the night. If you'd like to help please head to our special Trivia Night signup.com page to secure your spot. The more the merrier!

Thank you, also, to prize donor, P&C Vice President and parent,Darren Cosgrove, who has kindly Donated 3 x $100 vouchers to the Victoria Park Putt Putt and Driving range as prizes on the night. Who will be the lucky winners?Trivia Night prize donations are still being accepted. Please email Rachel atrackllmack@gmail.comif you would like to donate a prize. Thank you!!!

P&C meeting - Tuesday 20 August

Please join us for our next P&C Meeting next Tuesday 20 August, in the Resource Centre (Library) at 7pm. All members of our school community are welcome - come and have your say on the P&C's plans to support our kids and school.

Father's Day Stall – Friday 30 August

Our annual YSS Father's Day stall in the hall on Friday 30 August. This special activity for our school community gives kids the chance to select a gift for their significant adult for Father's Day (1 September). 

Families are asked to donate a gift of approximately $5 value for each child. Please give gifts to your children's classroom teachers by Tuesday 27 August. If you prefer to donate $5 towards a gift (P&C volunteers will go shopping on your behalf), please pop this in an envelope with your child's name and class into a P&C Payment Box (Grade 1 building, or Admin building), or to a YOSHC Coordinator. On the day children bring in a donation of $3 and are able to choose a gift from the stall for their significant person. 

If you have any questions or would like to help on the stall please contact Kristen at kristenmjennings@gmail.com.  

Please VOTE For the YSS Green Team - voting closes 23 August

Hamish Townsend and Kym Mansfield

Yeronga State School P&C Co-Presidents
ysspandcpresident@gmail.com  

Friday 9^th of August marks the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples which promotes and protect the rights of the world's Indigenous population. There are estimated 370 Million Indigenous peoples across the world who speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.

We would like acknowledge those families and friends of Yeronga State School who come from these communities and contribute to the rich diversity of our school.

In keeping with this year’s global theme of Indigenous Peoples’ Languages we would like share a Yuggera Word of the Week: Friend  - Yuingin (You-in-gin)

Click here to learn more everyday Yuggera words.

Kalari Team

Congratulations Mr C and Hayley

For those who don’t know our own Mr Curness and Hayley G coached and participated in the Qld Touch Carnival at Longreach almost 2 weeks ago and went very well. Mr C as Coach and Hayley as one of his players won the carnival. Well done to both of them. Not too many people achieve a state championship.

Ball Games

The Ball Games Carnival is beginning to loom large. I will have more information in the next issue as to timing, but names are probably being thought of at the moment with costumes about to be considered.

Rebel Sport Community Kickbacks

Just a quick note to publicise our involvement with this scheme and how it works. For some time now Yeronga State School has been part of the above mentioned scheme. The scheme gives the school credit for purchases of equipment at Rebel as anyone who purchases equipment nominates Yeronga State School as the recipient of Community Kickbacks. I have purchased cricket equipment, Footballs and Netballs with this credit. It is an easy way to contribute resources to our school especially if you enjoy spending time and money in sports stores like myself.

Gala Days

The remaining dates for these very important days in Term 3 are 23 August and 6 September. Children should be well and truly committed to training by now as the first gala day is next Friday.

New District and Regional Representatives

Extra congratulations to Willow H, Joshua S and Maggie S who were selected in her second regional team; for 1500m and discus in Athletics.

Congratulations to Mia G who was selected to attend the Girls State Cricket Carnival as part of the Met West Regional Team, but has, alas, had to surrender her place due to other commitments. She is our resident Elyse Perry.

Important Sporting Dates

Gala Day One: 23 August

10 to 12 Years Boys Regional Cricket Trial: 26 August

YSS Ball Games Day (Prep to Year 6): 19 September

Cameron Bateman
Sports Teacher

Work update

For the rest of the term I will also be working at Yeronga State High School while they go through the recruitment process to find a new Chaplain. I will continue working my three Chaplaincy days (Tuesday to Thursday) here at YSS, as well as being at the YSHS every Monday.  It will be great spending some time in my old role, and catching up with lots of staff and students I’ve worked with previously.

Choosing Positivity

I’m naturally a half-glass full type of person, so positivity comes easily for me.  But being positive is more than just feeling good and being happy, or even looking for the good in everything.  It’s about choosing to practice being positive or optimistic in attitude.

At times I still need to work on having a good attitude, letting go of some frustrations, hurts and disappointments.  I have to choose to positive even if something is boring or difficult so that I can continue to learn, work and grow.  I want to persevere and be strong through tough times, so that I can flourish despite what is happening around me. 

Practicising positivity has the effect of feeling good and bringing a sense of happiness, but importantly greatly improves our physical wellbeing and boosts our immune system.  Having a positive mindset will help us to avoid anxiety and negative thinking, and enable us learn and to expand our thinking and generate new ideas.

So what can you do to encourage more positivity in your life?

Coming Up

27/8  Sub and Drink Deal (order forms have gone home with the incorrect due date – it should read Friday 23 August as delivery is the following Tuesday 27 August.)

21/10  Frontline Dinner at Howard Smith Wharves (with guest speaker Dylan Alcott, holder of all four tennis Grand Slam quad wheelchair singles titles, 2016 Australian Paralympian of the Year, 2019 Logie Winner)

26-27/11  Camp at School

Blessings,

Jennifer Bennett

jenniferb@chappy.org.au

Lids 4 Kids

Beauty Products Recycling

Thank you so much to all those people who have donated beauty products to our Terracycle recycling program over the past year.  Unfortunately this program has now closed, so we won't be collecting any more products.

Battery Recycling

We are however still collecting all household batteries, old phones and cords in the big purple bin in the library.  Collect them in your tiny purple bin at home (distributed to all families last year) and when it's full bring them in to the big bin to keep precious metals and dangerous chemicals out of landfill.

We are once again coming to Brisbane to run our special cartooning workshops.

WHERE

Mt Gravatt Show Grounds (Entry from 1644 Logan Road, Mount Gravatt QLD)

(Follow the long road down to the upper hall )

WHEN

Mon 23rd Sept ‐ Frid 27th Sept

Can you please forward the brochures to the teachers, students and families that are part of your school community. Please book online at: www.illustrating-man.com.au

To make a booking – please follow these easy steps:

1. Go to www.illustrating-man.com.au
2. Click on the colourful Cartoon Camp button in the middle of the home page
3. Select Brisbane
4. Complete the on-line form & payment
5. We will then email you the confirmation letter

We look forward to seeing the children once again.

Warm regards,

Cartoon Kingdom

www.illustrating-man.com.au

danny@cartoonkingdom.com.au

Tel: 02 9343 0833 (From Australia)