Welcome to Term Two. It will be, without a doubt, a school term like no other. Thank you for your continued support as Yeronga State School delivers programming for students in an online capacity. Our teachers are committed to guiding, supporting and challenging our students as they learn from home or onsite. I have been overwhelmed by the encouraging and affirmative messages from families and I know that the staff have highly valued the support that we have received from our amazing community. The success of the ‘learning@home’ model reflects the positive partnerships between teachers, students and families.

I can confirm that throughout Term 2 I will be continuing in the role of Acting Principal here at Yeronga State School. It is a privilege for me to be in this role and I understand the importance of continuing to work to provide stability and robust leadership during these times of significant change. I am committed to holding the strong focus at Yeronga State School on our 2020 vision of creating Connected Individuals, Curious Learners and Community Minded Citizens.

ANZAC DAY

Yeronga State School has a long and proud history of commemorating ANZAC Day. Usually this would be a week where we would be busy at school preparing for the ceremony, which would involve a ceremony which would include readings by the School Captains, a guest speaker, a speech by the Principal and each class producing a wreath which would be placed at our on site memorial. Honour Ave would also play a special part in the ceremony. Since 1924 the students at Yeronga State School have brought along small individual bouquets which they take out to Honour Ave and place around the trees, which were planted by the community WW1 to remember the 97 men and women who came from the area and who lost their lives during the war.

Unfortunately, in 2020 we will not be able to commemorate ANZAC Day in the same way that we normally would. I encourage families to become involved in other ways. Our School Captain Team have been busily working at home to prepare a ‘virtual’ ceremony, which will be shared with our community on Friday 24 April. It is our hope that families can watch this short ceremony together at home. Families are also encouraged to link in to the RSL Queensland ‘Light up The Dawn’ ceremony, where people are invited to join together at 6am on ANZAC Day by standing in your driveway/ on your balcony or in your living room to remember all of those who have served and sacrificed. Details can be found at:

https://rslqld.org/whats-on/anzac-day

150th CELEBRATIONS

There are exciting times ahead for our school in 2021 as we celebrate turning 150!

Boggo School, the first school on the southside, made its appearance in 1871. On 6 February the small wooden school opened with 70 students catering for the children coming from Annerley, Moorooka, Dutton Park, Fairfield and Yeronga. In 1886, Mr St Ledger, Headteacher at the time, made a representation to the Department of Public Instruction to have the name changed to Yeronga State School.

In 2021, Yeronga State School will celebrate 150 years of public education. Events throughout the year are planned to allow those with a connection to the school to reconnect and reminisce.

One particular concept which I strongly encourage our community to become involved in, is the publication which will be put together for the celebratory year. It will contain a series of pieces written by present students, past students, parents, teachers, and others who have been involved with Yeronga State School. The writing could take any form reflecting the writer’s memories of their time at the school. This would form a type of informal history of the school over the past 25 years or so. Any questions regarding the publication and the writings to be included please contact Carla Walker by email – history@yerongass150.com

Prep Information - 2021

The information seminar for parents with kids starting prep in 2021 on Tuesday the 5th of May are cancelled the session will now to be held in Term 3 on Monday 31 August 2020 (9.15am, 6pm).

LOOKING AHEAD

I will continue to work to keep our school community as up to date as possible over the coming weeks. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to keep in touch with our community and are open to any ideas you may have.

Take care of yourselves and your families.

Kate Paynter

Acting Principal

Welcome back to school for term 2 to all our students, families, staff and wider community. Whether we are seeing you in person or communicating via technology/phone, we are hoping that our YSS community can help to offer some stability, engagement and a place (whether concrete or virtual) where students feel connected and safe.

We really appreciate the support and patience of parents and students as we navigate a new way of teaching and learning. This time of rapid change can be very frustrating on a number of levels, but we are also a very capable community with the ability to solve problems and help others.

Staying Connected As a Community

One of the biggest challenges facing our school is maintaining a sense of connectedness among students, parents and teachers. We are always trying to think of new ways to involve more people – from using YouTube for news sharing and morning notices, to involving everyone in some rather competitive “Scattergories” games! These little routines can help us all to stay in touch and remember the lighter side of life.

We understand that families are often under growing pressures and quite busy, so please don’t feel pressured to get involved in every activity – they are provided only as an option for you to consider.

Mrs Paynter has already written to you about ANZAC Day and given details of optional activities. Our year level teams have also discussed ANZAC Day and will post some information home via our online learning platforms regarding some activities/resources you may wish to use. Our school captains are also working on a presentation to help connect us on the day.

From time to time you may also be contacted by a school staff member, either via email, phone or the SZApp to clarify information or for a check-in. This helps us with forward planning and to ensure that we are using our resources in the most effective way possible.

Please look after yourselves, your families and each other at this time. We look forward to working with you this term and a future time when we are all back at school together.

Tracy Freeman and Louise Vaggs

Deputy Principals

Hamish Townsend and Kym Mansfield

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

Blessings,

Jennifer Bennett

jenniferb@chappy.org.au

Representative Sport

Congratulations and commiserations to Matilda S and Hayden C who were selected in the Met West Regional Swimming Team, but did not have the chance to compete at the state championships.

We have just been informed that representative sport has been cancelled until after June 30. I cannot, at this stage, say how this would affect lead up events such as school athletics carnivals. I would imagine that events such as those would depend on an easing of the broader social distancing restrictions regarding crowds at events. It’s one of the great truths from a very wise man in Nelson Mandella that we cannot have normal sport in an abnormal society. As we all do our best to maintain distancing and help our community and, in particular, our health practitioners there are some things that fall by the way side.

Rebel Sport Community Givebacks

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.

Yeronga State School (YSS) District Trial Selection Policy Special Consideration (Years 3 to 6)

The representative pathway for school sport is for children from 10 to 12 years of age. Yeronga is part of a very strong district which consists of 28 schools from Yeronga State School to the Calamvale area. In contact and skill team sports those aged 11 and 12 need to possess the advantages of size and speed, as well as skill on most occasions. Selectors will choose those with the skill and the resilience to compete at a higher level. Remember that selectors give up their time for these trials meaning that it is important for us to send only those ready to compete at a higher level. Very seldom is it appropriate to send students for experience. An indicator of readiness for participation at a higher level would be being among the best 3 or 4 players in most games for your club under 12 teams.

In order to be selected to attend a District Trial children should make themselves known to me (Mr Bateman) for either a selection trial with the appropriate teacher or so that they may be given the appropriate forms. Remember that children must give at least two weeks notice that they wish to attend a district trial to allow for a school selection trial to be held in the event of a great deal of interest being shown in a particular sport.

Important Sporting Dates 2020 (All upcoming events postponed. We will advise you of dates when events of this nature are permissible)

All representative sport cancelled until after June 30

– YSS Athletics Trials (Years 4 – 6) TBA

– YSS Athletics Trials (Years 4 – 6) TBA

– YSS Athletics Trials (Years 4 – 6) TBA

– YSS Junior Cross Country (Prep – Year 2) TBA

– YSS Athletics Trials (Years 4 – 6) TBA

– YSS Junior Cross Country Reserve Day (Prep – Year 2) TBA

– Gala Day Reserve Day (10 – 12 years) TBA

– YSS 1500m (Years 4 – 6) TBA

– District Softball TBA

– YSS Senior Athletics Day 1 TBA

– YSS Senior Athletics Day 2 TBA

– YSS Junior Athletics TBA

Cameron Bateman
Sports Teacher

Scholastic Book Club

The due date for LOOP is on or before 11/05/20.

Here is the link for the Digital Issue 3 Book Club brochure;

https://scholastic.com.au/book-club/virtual-catalogue-1/