Dear Families,

The last couple of weeks have been a reminder of just how quickly our day to day routines, tasks and plans can change. Since my last newsletter message to you our school community went into the 8 Day Lockdown and At-home learning was prepared and delivered. Many of our families, staff and loved ones are still in Quarantine. Currently we are all required to operate under restrictions that are considerably tighter than previous times we have come out of Lockdown.

When we think of the effort it takes mentally, physically and emotionally to change well established routines and habits, it is understandable that change results in stress. Our brains are wired to prefer certainty. A survival response to predict and control circumstances in order to live our optimal/preferred life.   I came across the following article Why change is so hard – and how to deal with it .

It turns out when we experience change, our brains can interpret it as a ‘threat’ (usually our default) or as a ‘challenge’. When we perceive change as a threat it can lead to distress as we feel we are being forced to go beyond our capacity to cope. When we perceive change as a challenge or opportunity to learn or do something new, we are more likely to experience eustress. We feel more positive or at the very least, less bad about our capacity to cope. In essence our mindset greatly alters our emotional, physical and mental experience.

Our children particularly our youngest and or with disability may be struggling at present. We can help model helpful thinking.

How might this situation be an opportunity rather than a threat?

How might we celebrate moments of progress?

What small thing will I try?

I encourage you to explore the article and consider some of the many restrictions and demanding changes that we are being asked of us at present and how they may be perceived as an opportunity.

Children’s Health Queensland have developed a resource to help young children’s understanding of their world which for our very young is a ‘pandemic world’. CHQ have comprehensive and factual information for adults COVID-19 and Kids- What you need to know

Thank you again for your cooperation as we work through how the current restrictions apply to our school setting and your willingness to respect the good order and management of our school during these challenging times.

In closing, here is a reminder of who we are as a community! Please enjoy this lovely capture of the 150^th Celebration Fete held earlier this year and the announcement of how much money was raised by you for our wonderful school. We look forward to coming together again soon.

Have a great week,

Eunice Webb
Principal

Yeronga State School Behaviour and Engagement Focus

Each week, Students across the school focus on a particular school rule and value to develop a consistent shared language and behaviour expectation across the whole school.​ An Inquiry approach is used to address behaviour concerns to allow students to feel connected to specific scenarios. Students have the opportunity to consider familiar school scenarios, and think about ways they can improve behaviour and engagement across the school.  This week, as students returned to school after learning at home last week, we are focusing on being good communicators while lining up, getting us back into our school routines.

Yeronga Yabby Trophy

The Yeronga Yabby has recently replaced the ‘thumbs up awards’.  Students receive a ‘Snap Snap’ from staff to recognise positive student behaviour aligned to our school rules and learner assets.  When students receive ‘Snap Snaps’ during lunch or play times, these are collected in the junior and senior ‘aquariums’.  Each week, the snap snaps are counted into class groups, and the class with the most receives the Yeronga Yabby Trophy on assembly.

3J was the first class to receive the Yeronga Yabby trophy in week 3 for the senior school.  We wonder who will be this week’s recipient?  The first junior Yeronga Yabby trophy will be awarded on assembly next week.

We have a stand in trophy while we get creative and make a Yeronga Yabby, so watch this space.

	Safe	Respectful	Responsible
Collaborator	I speak up	I listen to others	I do my share
Communicator	I consider my audience	I speak with respect	I am honest
Thinker	I think positively	I think with curiosity	I think objectively
Researcher	I access appropriate information	I consider who the information may upset	I use information appropriately
Self-Manager	I act safely	I am polite	I accept consequences

Parent Teacher Interviews

Dear Families

Due to the recent lockdown the Parent Teacher Interviews have been rescheduled to Week 7 & 8 of this Term. An email will be sent home tomorrow with another booking link. 

We encourage families to book another interview time as soon as possible.

Bookings will close on 18 August 2021.

Year 5 Pullenvale Excursion

Year 5 students will be attending the Pullenvale Hoodwinked excursion this term. Invoices and a Parent letter has been sent home.

Students require payment and permission to attend. If you have not yet made payment or given permission online please do so by Thursday 19 August 2021.

Due to the current restrictions we are only accepting online permission and payment via QParents or BPoint as indicated on the invoice. 

5B - Carla Mardell         

5C – Hamish Curness          

5L – Nick Landbeck            

5TW – Kate Thomas & Kay Wheatley       

Gala Day Update         

Dear Parents

The school is still finalising arrangements for Gala Day in line with the current COVID restrictions. As soon as we have confirmed dates we will update parents via email.

We thank you for your patience around events and rescheduling. Student safety is our top priority.

Regards Office 

2021 Fete celebration video

We hope you enjoy this special video created by 2021 Fete Convenor, Juliet Brooks, to celebrate all that is great about our Fete and community:

Watch the 2021 Fete video here

P&C Meeting via Zoom: 17 August

With covid restrictions limiting in-person meetings, our next P&C meeting will be on Tuesday, 17 August, at 7:00pm will be held via Zoom. The link to join will be emailed to members with the meeting agenda and documentation. We look forward to seeing you there! 

2021 Father's Day stall: gift donations invited

The P&C is excited to offer the annual YSS Father's Day stall for our community. This special activity will be held on Thursday, 2 September - it is like a big 'lucky dip' that brings joy to children and adults alike when our children select a gift for their significant adult.

Families who are able are invited to please donate a gift to the stall of approximately $5 value, or $5 towards a gift for each child you have at YSS. On the day, children are asked to each bring a donation of $3 for their choice of gift.

We understand this is a challenging year for many in our community and would like to assure you that every child will be given the opportunity to select a gift from the stall for their significant adult (even if they don't have $3 on the day). If you have the capacity to do so and would like to support others in our community, we invite you to please donate more than one gift per YSS child in your family to help ensure there are enough gifts for every child.

To donate $5 in lieu of a gift, please make your donation online here - https://www.mycause.com.au/p/260578/2021-fathers-day-stall - and a P&C volunteer will go shopping on your behalf.

Tuckshop re-opening! Limited menu available

We are thrilled that the YSS Tuckshop is able to open again this week to serve the families in our community.
Our wonderful Tuckshop and Uniform Shop Convenors, Stacey and Yvonne, have developed a reduced menu to offer for our children without volunteers being able to help in the Tuckshop. All orders will need to be placed via Flexischools - both first and second break - with second break orders being picked up by class representatives, just like first break. Children are not allowed to line up at the Tuckshop and there will be no cash sales for the time being.

Uniform Shop: Flexischools orders available

While covid restrictions are in place Uniform Shop orders can be placed via Flexischools and our Uniform Shop Convenor, Yvonne, will deliver all orders to children in their classrooms to bring home.

Don't forget our special 150th sports polos Celebration Sale is on now! Normally $24 each, they're now selling 2 for $30! 

The sale is for a limited time only whilst stocks last - the shirts can be worn in 2022 and beyond (just like the sports shirts without the 150th wording). Order your little piece of history now via Flexischools.

 150th anniversary polo on sale now!

Welcome to new YOSHC Manager: Jody Wright

We are pleased to introduce our new YOSHC Manager, Jody Wright, who started leading the service on Monday, 19 July. Having hit the ground running Jody ably led the YOSHC team through the covid lockdown just two weeks into the job.

Jody has written a letter to introduce herself here. With 27 years experience in the childcare sector, Jody has experience as a Centre Director, Area Manager, Operations Manager and a Trainer and Assessor. During her years as a Director Jody's experience has ranged from working in centres with low numbers of children to those with long waiting lists; from overseeing only a few staff members to managing 45+ educators on any one day in a double centre. 

Jody has covered all aspects of running a successful centre, from leading teams through the assessment and rating (A&R) process, risk assessments, behaviour management strategies and plans, rosters, mentoring and training staff, and building relationships with parents and children, as well as identifying and implementing quality improvement processes.

As YOSHC Manager Jody leads the overall strategic, financial and operational management of YOSHC, and drives the overall performance and outcomes of the service. She is providing expert supervision and guidance of the service’s employees and volunteers, and ensures practices reflect quality consistent with the National Quality Standards and the Exceeding Themes, as well as the service’s day-to-day compliance with the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations. 

Please join us in welcoming Jody to our school community. She is enjoying getting to know our children and looks forward to meeting parents and carers too.

 New YOSHC Manager, Jody Wright 

YOSHC Farewell and thank you: Cate Jordinson

After 4.5 years with YOSHC, as an Educator, Deputy Manager, Acting Manager and Inclusion Specialist, Cate Jordinson will work her last day at the service this Friday, 13 August, to pursue a dream role and her Masters.

Loved by children and families alike, Cate has ably led YOSHC through times of transition and has provided outstanding service and support for children and families throughout her time with the service.

While she will be sincerely missed, Cate will always be a friend to YOSHC and we wish her every success and happiness in the next phase of her career and life.

 Cate Jordinson

150th celebrations: September fun

There’s still so much more celebrating to do for our 150th year thanks to the creativity and organisation of our 150th Anniversary Committee!

While current restrictions threaten to dampen our fun, the 150th Committee is still planning events and we are hopeful that they will go ahead. The Ballgames Carnival on Tuesday, 14 September will require each class to come up with historically themed costumes to complement our anniversary celebrations. That’s a bit different to the usual fun!

Calling all YSS alumni: Roll call by decade

For all YSS former students in our community, make sure you mark 11 September in your calendars to meet with your old friends and acquaintances at our Alumni Rollcall.

At your allocated timeslot, gather in front of the brick “Infants” building at the coloured tents to take a group photo.  From there, you can take a self-guided tour of the school and reminisce memories from your school days, experiencing the changes that have taken place, even in recent years.  The tour concludes in the school hall for a display of memorabilia and photos from our archives:

• 10am - past students in their 80s & 90s
• 10:30am - past students in their 70s
• 12pm - past students in their 60s
• 1pm - past students in their 50s
• 2pm - past students in their 40s
• 3pm - past students in their 30s
• 4pm - past students in their 20s & teens.

YSS Family Bush Dance

Plans for the YSS 150th 'night of nights', the YSS Family Bush Dance, are well under way. A night not to be missed and priced at just $15 per family (up to 7 people) or $5 each, secure your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/yssbushdance2021.

Join the festivities for a good old fashioned hoe-down with dancing, a live band calling and teaching the dances, fun games and competitions, a sausage sizzle, food trucks and bar.

• Date: 11 September, 2021.
• TIme: 5.00 - 8:30pm
• Venue: Main oval, Yeronga State School.

All proceeds from ticket sales are directed back into the running costs for this special school community event, and 87 cents from every YSS Bush Dance ticket sold via Humanitix will help to provide scholarships for First Nations Students in regional, rural and remote communities.

Parent Rep Coordinator role

The P&C is on the lookout for a well organised parent that likes to be in the loop, as our next Parent Rep Coordinator. In this role you will oversee a dedicated group of classroom Parent Reps by collating relevant information from the P&C Exec, School Newsletter, and school leadership team to distribute an email each week. Computer skills, availability to email on the weekend and having students enrolled across both junior and senior year levels would be ideal. Our current Coordinator will show you the ropes and be there to assist you as you find your groove. For more information or to put your hand up for this virtually virtual role, email parent-rep@yerongass.eq.edu.au. 

Kym Mansfield and Hamish Townsend
Yeronga State School P&C Co-Presidents
ysspandcpresident@gmail.com

Thank you…

Thanks so much for your support for a wonderful Chappy’s Movie Night/ Yeronga’s Got Talent that was a sold-out evening!  Sorry if you were unable to attend, but numbers were again limited due to Covid restrictions.  Congratulations to all entrants in the YGT competition for being brave and taking the opportunity to develop your performance skills.  While not everyone can be a winner, there are so many great take-aways and learning opportunities in just giving it a go.  Well done to all!

There are leftover “Annie” activity packs that were given out at Movie Night that are available for $3 each.  In the pack I have included a QR code to access the movie at home (thankyou to Mrs Cowie), 4 x pages of Annie activities, some craft fun, and a small sugary treat. It’s more fun than an Ekka showbag!  Please email me if you are interested, and I’ll make arrangements to send home with your children. 

Friendship Skills…

Despite the climate of restrictions and lock-downs, it is important to stay connected and in relationship with other people.  Social connection helps us to stay strong and healthy.  Beyond Blue reports that “strong ties with families, friends and the communities provide us with happiness, security, support, and a sense of purpose.  Being connected to others is important for our mental and physical wellbeing and can be a protective factor against anxiety and depression.”

It then can be a challenge to support our children in this endeavour, in helping them to continue building connections with their friends through restrictions and lock-downs.  We need to be creative in finding ways to have meaningful time together.  You may need to consider virtual lunches and playtimes, group chats, and some old-fashioned telephone calls, letters, cards, and photo sharing.

The Chronicles of Covid-19 continue to impact our lives, bringing many changes and challenges.  Please contact me if you need any support through this time, even if it is just to have a chat with an adult.  I’m good at listening!

Coming up…

While the Sub and Drink Deal is scheduled for 30/8, this may need to be postponed.  Order envelopes will be sent home when more information is available.

Blessings, Chappy Jenny

Email jenniferb@chappy.org.au 

Facebook and Instagram – Community Chaplain

Running Club

Running club will continue, until landscaping works commence on the lower playing areas, this term on Tuesdays, from 3:15 to 3:45 and Thursdays from 7:45 to 8:15. Mr Sutherland will hold his sessions on Fridays from 7:45 to 8:15. Remember that all of these sessions will occur on the main, or years 3-6, oval.

Met West Regional Athletics

Due to the current restrictions in place, the organisers at Met West have decided to cancel the Met West Regional Athletics Carnical scheduled to take place on Agusut 31st and September 1st.

Important Sporting Dates Term 3, 2021

17 / 08 / 2021 - District Girls Cricket

18 & 19 / 08 / 2021 - District Boys Cricket

31 August & 1 September – Met West Regional Athletics – Cancelled

14/09/2021 – YSS Ball Games (Reserve Day 17/09/2021)

ASSEMBLY TIMETABLE

Thank you to the students who have already provided some musical entertainment before assembly this term. Due to our current COVID situation, we will have to suspend these performances until assemblies return back to the hall. I will let you know when the roster will come back into operation. To those who have missed performances due to the NAIDOC assembly and lockdown, I have noted your missed performance and will hopefully be able to give you another chance at performing in Term 4.

MUSIC WEEK

Thank you to all of our amazing parent and student performers who gave up their time to play for the Yeronga community in Week 3. You were all amazing. Parents, your variety of instrumentation and repertoire kept the students of all ages entertained and thank you for encouraging their curiosity and answering their questions that they had for you. We had such a variety of adult performances including those from professional musicians and teachers to those who play for the love of music. We even were lucky enough to have well-known children’s entertainer/musician Mike Jackson play for us. Mike’s cassette tapes (showing my age here!) were always on high rotation in our family car when I was young so it was a thrill to see him perform for us as a member of Ms Hurley’s Irish Band.

Well done everyone for also getting your music to cut through the construction noise – that was an enormous feat in itself! Please enjoy some of the pictures from Music Week below:

YERONGA’S GOT TALENT

Yeronga’s Got Talent was a brilliant way to send Music Week. Congratulations to all of our auditionees and to the following finalists for your bravery and willingness to stand up and perform in front of your peers: Lucy C, Gabrielle W, Jemima B, Helena M, Neve H, Mia D, Indigo M, Prabhnoor T, Abigail W, Emily L, Caitlyn W, Theia B, Olive S and, Amelie M.

The results of Yeronga’s Got Talent were as follows:

1^st Place – Olive S – “Fight Song”

2^nd Place – Prabhnoor T – “Punjaban”

3^rd Place – Mia D – “Zippety Do Dah”

Thanks to all who came and supported Yeronga’s Got Talent especially the Yeronga State School P&C for donating prizes for our finalists, McDonald’s at Annerley for donating some gift vouchers and, to Chappy Jenny for your help and organisation.

MUSIC ENSEMBLE REHEARSALS

Please note that for the foreseeable future, ALL extra-curricular music ensemble rehearsals are suspended due to COVID restrictions (Choir, Strings and Band). Your ensemble leader/teacher will be in contact with you when rehearsals are able to resume again.

MUSIC DATE CLAIMERS (Subject to COVID restrictions)

October 24 – Senior Choir @ MusicFest from 10am at Coorparoo State Secondary College

October TBC - Junior Band @ Music Fest

October 26 – 28 – Metropolitan Choral Honours Program (selected Year 6 students only)

October 31 – Strings @ MusicFest from 10am at Ferny Grove State High School

Friday November 19 - Big Play (Senior Band, Junior Band, Strings)

Friday November 26 - Big Sing (Junior and Senior Choir)