Welcome Back

It was great to see the parents and children returning to school so happily on Monday morning, ready for Term 3. I trust you all had the type of holiday that you were hoping for. Staff and children have been asking about my 6 week escape to Europe. It was a magical escape from reality, visiting England, Spain and France. My first visit to the continent has left me in awe of the visible history. You can almost hear, smell and feel those who have walked there before you. It made me appreciate the heritage listing of Yeronga SS. I can only imagine that the many people who visit our school during the 150^th in 2021 will appreciate the opportunity to see many areas of the school still recognisable from their school days. Planning for the 150^th celebrations will begin in earnest now, as the next school fete will encompass some aspect of this celebration.

NATURE PLAY

Thank you to the community for working with us to resolve concerns around the use of the new Nature Play area in the Junior school. It is great to see that nobody is entering the Nature Play area before or after school. This ensures it is respected in the manner that our P-1 children are seeking. Prep-1 children can play on the playgrounds under parent supervision before school from 8:30- 8:45am and after school from 3pm. Please make sure that they are wearing a hat and continue to follow school rules. No children should be playing under the Junior School buildings or on the Prep verandas. Please ensure you are supervising your children appropriately. All parents and students need to exit the school gates by 4pm.

DENTAL BUILDING UPDATE

We received news this week that the Dental Building has been handed back to EQ. Yeronga State School will begin the consultation process this finanacial year, including the planning and design stage with the view to being ready to begin the refurbishment next finanacial year. We are looking for a school hall, new accessible admin space and new classrooms, including replacing the demountable building in the Junior school. We will keep you informed of progress.

SCHOOL UNIFORMS AND SUPPLIES

A reminder for parents to ensure their children are wearing the right uniform each day including jumper and shoes. I encourage parents of the older students to do a check on stationery supplies (pencils, rubbers, rulers etc) at the halfway mark of the year too.

PARKING AROUND SCHOOLS

Brisbane City Council has advised that there will be an increased presence around our school as part of their efforts to ensure pedestrian and child safety. Officers will be conducting patrols during school pick up and drop off times. I encourage you familiarise yourself with parking rules at the council website www.brisbane.qld.gov.au Parking fines may be issued in cases where illegal parking is observed.

AIRCONDITIONING CELEBRATIONS

Staff and students are celebrating the news that every class in our school will be air-conditioned by the beginning of next term. This is the culmination of five years of hard work on the part of our community. We appreciate the phenomenal effort of the last four P&C Executives that have included work such as development of the Cool Schools report, reviews to ensure Tuckshop, Uniform Shop and YOSHC maximised profit, writing of  grant applications and coordinating fundraising events, both small and large. The many volunteers who gave their time to man stalls and snow cone machines and the families who donated to the Building Fund have enabled our school to become completely air conditioned in one year.

Our children will be able to learn all day every day over the course of the whole year due to these efforts. Thank you all.

Debbie Spanner
Principal

Welcome back to another fabulous term at Yeronga State School. Many exciting things are planned for this term. Keep an eye out for your child’s class newsletter over the next few weeks, which will provide details about any forthcoming events for their class.

School Disco

Thank you to those families who were able to support the Student Council Disco held in the last week of Term 2. We had some wonderful interpretations of the ‘Celebrity’ theme with outstanding costumes! Our students had lots of fun and the night was a tremendous success.

Preservation of our New Nature’s Play Area

We need your help!

Our new Prep and Year One Nature’s Play area is proving to be very popular with the children. The Prep and Year One students have enjoyed the being given time to explore, work together and create within this amazing new space. Unfortunately, during the last few weeks of Term Two we have had concerning reports of children playing unsupervised in this area and also some of the new plants have been pulled out. Our Prep and Year One students voiced concern that their new area was not being respected, in the way that they had envisioned.

Therefore it is timely for us to share with the school community our expectations around before and after school play. As a whole we are focussed on how we can maintain and preserve this new area in the long term, as well as keep our children safe. We ask our school community to assist us in preserving this precious area by adhering to the following guidelines: 

• The Prep and Year 1 Nature’s Play area is out of bounds for all children before and after school (this aligns with our procedures for the Senior Natures Play area)
• No student should be in the school grounds before 8:15am unless attending YOSHC
• All students who are not attending YOSHC should aim to arrive after 8:30am
• Children are not allowed to be playing on any playgrounds both senior or junior prior to 8:30am (if any children in Yr 1 – Yr 6 arrive between 8:15am - 8:30am they should be seated under C Block)
• Children in Prep and Year 1 only are allowed to be on the Prep and Year 1 play equipment between 8:30am – 8:45am (this does not apply to Nature’s Play – this is out of bounds)
• Prep children should be signed in at the classroom by a parent at 8:45am.

Thank you in anticipation for your support.

New Buddy Bench

Yeronga State School has been extremely fortunate to receive a new ‘Buddy Bench’. Mr Graham Perrott MP arranged this generous donation for our school, with the assistance of The Men’s Shed at Sunnybank and Salisbury Rotary. We offer our sincere thanks to them and to our groundsman Mr Sutherland for installing the bench.

The purpose of a ‘Buddy Bench’ is for students to sit on when they are seeking a playmate or would like to invite others to join their activities. Children who are feeling lonely can sit on the bench as a clear signal to others on the playground that they are in need of social connection. Keep an eye out for the new bench in the Junior playground!

We would love to see you at our upcoming events - mark the dates in your diary!

They include:                         

• Junior Athletics Carnival from 9-11am (23/7)
• Prep Information Sessions at 9.15am and 6pm (12/8)

Active School Travel

We have a busy term ahead for Active School Travel.  The Bike Riding Train and the Walking Train are still happening for the term. Please see the timetable below for the teachers who will be travelling with the Walking Train for the next two weeks:

Week 2 – Tracy Freeman & Ruby Owen

Week 3 – Annabel Wheeldon & Brittany Richters

Ms Wheeldon and Mrs Harland walked with the biggest group to date in Week 1 of this term. All of these students received a Smiggle lucky dip prize.

Prize News

During the last week of Term 2, the active school travel captain attended the Junior Assembly to draw the scooter raffle that Nicole Johnston kindly donated.  The lucky winner was Evie in Year 1.  She was very happy to receive this prize and went to collect her new scooter over the holidays.

This term in AST:

• Launch of the AST maps – Week 3
• Class ‘Star Award’ – for the class with the highest number of students actively travelling to school (the classes that win this trophy the most will have a scooter/ bike session at school in Term 4)
• Active School Travel breakfast – date to be confirmed

NAIDOC Celebrations

During the Week 10 Junior Assembly the lower school celebrated NAIDOC week with a presentation from Aunty Jeanette Fabila.  Aunty Jeanette Fabila engaged the children with movement and dance and also showed traditional dress and designs.  The children enjoyed having the opportunity to ask Aunty Jeanette Fabila questions about her culture.

Amberley RAAF Base Visit

On Sunday 21 July our School Captain team were fortunate to participate in a tour of the visiting United States Aircraft at the Amberley Air Base. This occurred due to an invitation made by the United States Consulate-General and a successful nomination by our school to be a part of this unique and once on a lifetime opportunity. Our School Captain team were able to interact with members of the US Air Force and were given a close up look at an F 22 ‘Stealth’ Fighter plane (which is not generally allowed without high level security clearance).The Air Force representatives were extremely professional and engaging in their interactions and Morgan, Liam, Georgia and Hamish gained some invaluable insight.

 

All the best for Term Three!

Kate Paynter and Tracy Freeman

Deputy Principals

Building Fund Appeal thank you

THANK YOU to the 57 families who donated $6,300 to the 2019 YSS Building Fund Appeal to help us to fund air conditioning in classrooms for grades 1 to 3. Your generosity is sincerely appreciated - please keep reading below for an update on the air conditioning for our school.

Fete update and survey

We are delighted to announce that the 2019 Fete has raised just over $80,000. Combined with the wonderful community building and fun created by the Fete, this is a terrific outcome for our school community. Thank you again to everyone - Fete Committee, stall convenors, parent and family volunteers, sponsors, kids, teachers, school leaders and YOSHC staff - for your contribution to this major initiative for our school. 

Our next Fete will be in 2021, our school's 150th year. To help with planning and to make the 2021 Fete event more enjoyable for our school community we invite you to take a minute to complete the Fete feedback survey. We promise it won't take long: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019YSSFeteSurvey.

Your feedback is valuable. Thank you to those who have already completed the survey.

Air conditioning update

At the P&C meeting on 16 July we celebrated the installation of air conditioning into three more school buildings over the June/July holidays with members and the Fete Committee team. Light catering was funded through a gift voucher 'won' by the P&C Executive team for completing a P&C Queensland survey and the meeting was held in one of the newly air conditioned classrooms in A block (5/6W).

Air conditioning has now been installed into the classrooms for all children in Prep, and grades 4, 5 and 6. This is the result of a massive planning, fundraising and logistical effort over many years by many parents and families within our school community. At the July meeting Debbie Spanner reported that there was much excitement from the teachers and children who came to school on the first day of term 3 to newly air conditioned classrooms. THANK YOU to everyone for making this possible.

The outstanding Fete fundraising result and generosity of families through the 2019 Building Fund appeal provided the confidence needed for members at the July P&C meeting to approve the extra expenditure needed to air condition the rest of the school. If all goes to plan, air conditioning will be installed into classrooms for children in grades 1, 2 and 3 during the September/October holidays, so our whole school will be air conditioned by the time the 2019/20 summer hits.

A massive THANK YOU to our entire school community for making this possible. Our children and their teachers will enjoy a much more comfortable learning environment in the height of summer, and we are assured that the air conditioning will be used responsibly and sustainably as possible.

Woolworths Earn and Learn results

Together our school community collected a massive 34,500 stickers through the Earn and Learn promotion. Thank you to everyone who submitted stickers and to Carolyn Adams and her family for collating and sticking every sticker onto sheets for submission. 

In news just at hand, we have been advised that the stickers we collected have enabled the school to order a set of 4 BlueBots (small robots to help kids learn coding) for the Library, as well as sporting equipment that includes 4 sets of 40 half cone markers, 9 netballs and 10 ball launchers. Woolworths have advised the supplies will be delivered sometime during term 4. 

TRIVIA NIGHT

Polish up your movie knowledge, drag out the dancing shoes and get ready for Yeronga's night of nights - The Trivia Night. This year's theme is 'At the movies'.

Date:  Saturday 17th of August

Time:  Doors open 6.30pm (we will attempt to kick you out at midnight)

Location:  School hall

Tickets:  $10 on-line only (Flexischools link coming) - first 20 people who purchase get to choose a song for the playlist

Details:  Drinks for sale on the night (discount for those who bring their own cups), BYO food. Loads of prizes including best dressed table (max 10 peeps). Tickets are booked individually not by table so just book for yourself, rock up and find some friends on the night...Please contact rackllmack@gmail.com.au if you have any questions.

Hamish Townsend and Kym Mansfield

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

NAIDOC week was held across the country from July 7 – 14 and we did a few things at Yeronga State School to celebrate NAIDOC week.

• In the last week of term 1 Auntie Jeanette Fabila performed a ‘Welcome dance’ at the Junior assembly and talked about Aboriginal culture. The students had lots of questions for her.
• On the last day of school students had a free dress day in the Aboriginal flag colours – black, red, yellow.

Kalari parent volunteer members, Aren Healy and Helen Hynd visited the Yeronga staff meeting to talk to the teachers about the Aboriginal history of the school and NAIDOC activities and links for teachers to use in the classroom. One of these ideas was to look at the book called Younger Dark Emu: A Truer History by Bruce Pascoe (a school’s version of the book that he wrote called Dark Emu which is designed to bring a different idea, a greater truth about the nature of Australia to young people).

Read more about Auntie Jeanette here: https://sibw.com.au/jeanette-fabila/

Watch Bruce Pascoe talk about the ‘Younger Dark Emu’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpjtIt3o8H0

Kalari Team

Welcome back for Term 3. I hope everybody had a restful and / or exciting and safe holiday. We are beginning term 3 with a rush as our Junior Athletics Carnival will be held tomorrow. Please do come along to support our students as they begin their athletics’ careers and prepare for the transition to the Senior (Years 3 – 6) Athletics Carnival.

Junior Athletics Day: 23 July ( 9- 11 )

Parents are very welcome to watch the sessions. Bring along your picnic rug or folding chair. Please be aware that all students need to be with their class teachers during the activities. They will need to bring along their snack, drink bottle and hat to the activities. Sunscreen should be applied before coming to school.

After roll call, all classes are to assemble under the shelters next to the top oval (at the “Big School”) at 9:00am. We will complete activities at approximately 11am so the lunchbreak should run as usual. Tuckshop may be ordered using the normal system and it will not be open to sell food during the sports activity sessions. Each rotation (2 activities of 15mins) will run for approximately 30 minutes with a 5 minute change over.

Please note students will participate in their classes not age group.  The day is one of participation in, and enjoyment of physical activity and our endeavour is to ensure all children achieve this.  Many of the activities will provide the students with an insight to what skills they will need when they enter the Senior Sports Day in years to come. We hope you can join the children on the day.

Junior Athletics Day - Tuesday 23 July 2019

*This program is a guide and times may alter slightly on the day.              

*Children will participate in their grade level.

Gala Days

The remaining dates for these very important days in Term 3 are 23 August and 6 September. Children need to begin considering their options which include Boys and Girls Cricket, Touch, Boys Softball, Netball, Touch and AFL. Early in term 3 they will need to choose a sport and commit to training as they will be required to attend all of the Gala Days.

Important Sporting Dates

YSS Junior Athletics Carnival: 23 July

10 – 12 Years Girls Cricket Nominations Due: 23 July

11 to 12 Years Girls Rugby League Nominations: 24 July

10 to 12 Years Girls Regional Cricket Trial: 6 August

10 to 12 Years Boys District Cricket Trial: 12 August

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

Welcome to the new semester.  I feel re-charged and ready for the next half of the year, and I hope you do too.  Last week I went on the annual Chaplaincy conference with 700 Chaplains from around Queensland, Northern Territory and ACT.  I met and networked, up-skilled and was really encouraged.  I attended some interesting electives that I can incorporate into my role here, learning about restorative justice, communication, and a framework for understanding poverty.

Power of Positivity…

Recently in doing some reading about positivity, I came across a study that sampled people’s thoughts, feelings and actions throughout the day, to determine what they were focused on, and how they were feeling.  The research came to a conclusion that “a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.”  It determined that when people allow their minds to wander, it leads the mind to thinking about potential worries of what could happen, tending then to think negatively and to have feelings of unhappiness. 

The type of mind-wandering we are talking about here is not the creative, day-dreaming type of thinking, but rather more about noisy thinking and stressful worries that gets us off track. The conclusions of the study were around the importance of staying focussed on what was happening, and being mindful about redirecting negative thoughts into positive territory.

So how do you keep your mind from wandering to those thoughts that don’t contribute to having a more positive outlook?  Here are some suggestions:

• Breathing - the slow breathing type
• Interacting with nature – take a walk, play with a pet, look out the window
• Physical Activity
• Meditation, prayer or mindfulness activities
• Eliminating known stressors
• Practicing attentive listening
• Performing concentration exercises

To help you stay positive, especially when your emotional batteries need recharging, find ways that work for you to feel relaxed and happy.  Be mindful of where your thoughts are taking you, and choose to think happy.  And always look for ways of being kind and helpful to those around you.

Chappy’s Christmas in July…

This fun night is next week – Friday 26 July!  I’ve watched the movie – “The Grinch”, and it is so funny and has great lessons that will warm your heart and make you feel happy.  With a Christmas in July theme, you can come dressed in your Christmas festive gear, and get excited to see Santa early this year.  For the entry price of $8/person, you also get a sausage sizzle, drink, and can enjoy Christmas moves, craft and activities. 

Please let me know if you are able to help out with the night.  I am in need of some extra adult volunteers who could help with serving dinner, or help with registrations, craft activities, or pack down.  Your help would be much appreciated.

Blessings,

Jennifer Bennett

jenniferb@chappy.org.au

Battery Recycling

Did you know you can recycle all household batteries, cords and phones in our school library? 

Collect them at home in your tiny purple wheelie bin.  When it's full bring them in and place them in the giant purple wheelie bin located in the recycling hub in the library.  Recycling batteries and phones helps to keep poisonous toxins out of our landfills that leach into the environment and all the precious metals inside them are saved and used again.  

ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE

On Thursday, 1 August, Stella Voce (our Senior Choir) will be performing at the Senior Assembly in the hall. Parents and guardians of performers are invited to attend and watch this performance at 1:45pm. This will be Stella Voce’s final performance before the majority of the choir head off to Singfest on August 27 to perform as a part of a massed choir with students from other schools.

COMBINED WINTER SHOWCASE

Thank you to all performers and audience members for supporting the Yeronga State School music program by coming to watch our annual Combined Winter Showcase at the end of last term. It never ceases to amaze me at how talented our musicians are here at Yeronga State School and I hope that you enjoyed the show just as much as I did.

Yours in Music,
Lauren Easey