Dear Friends,

I trust you have taken the opportunity to meet with your child’s classroom teacher over the past week to discuss their progress. It has been wonderful to see the new Curiosity Centre serving the dual purpose of hosting the Term 3 Parent Teacher Interviews. These conversations are important touchpoints between teachers and parents to meet face to face. With families and school life busier and busier, this vital connection point serves to better support the collaborative nature of the parent and primary school teacher partnership. We thank all our families who have managed to meet with the teachers this term.

On Monday 15 August, 3D, 3J and 3M will be operating from their new classrooms in T Block (new building). At this stage all Year 2 and 3 students will continue to sit and play before school where they currently do. This will allow the students to be contained for before school supervision as well as play their much-loved handball before school. Teachers will introduce the 3D, 3J and 3M students to their new line-up and eating areas in readiness for Monday.

Future of the 1:1 Device program at Yeronga State School

At present, Yeronga State School operates a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) 1:1 program for all students in Year 3-6. Students in Year 2 who previously were requested to BYOD, now access school owned iPads. The use of 1:1 device at school to support and enhance the student’s engagement with the Australian Curriculum is supported by the Yeronga teaching staff. There are however disadvantages reported by parents and staff. One of the most problematic issues teachers face is the distraction of parent and friend messenger messages appearing on the device throughout the school day. This is a potential privacy issue as well as highly distracting to the student. It is appreciated that any parent/other wishing to relay a message to their child during the school day do so via the school office. Similarly, students are reminded that should they wish to contact their parent during the school day, that this also occur with permission from the class teacher and via the school office.

From 2022, the BYOD program will be fazed out with school owned devices. The reason for this is greater school control of the devices in order to maximise the advantages and minimise the disadvantages. This commenced in 2022 with Year 2 and in 2023 Year 3 students will move to school owned devices. In 2024, Year 4. 2025, Year 5 and 2026 Year 6. Students in older grades will be able to take the device home for school related homework under a hire arrangement when they cease the BYOD arrangement. More information will be shared at the upcoming PandC meeting on Tuesday evening. If this is an area of concern or interest to you, I encourage you to attend the meeting as the PandC is the consultative forum with our parent community on school matters.

Have a wonderful week,

Eunice

Tracy Freeman

Excursion & Incursions

Gala Day 1 - Tomorrow

Gala Day Payment and Permission were due today (Thursday 11/08/22). If your student has an outstanding payment or permission Mr Curness would have spoken to your student today and given then a paper reminder. Please check with your student if they received a reminder.

All Netball students must be at school for roll call by 8:20am as buses depart at 8.30am sharp.

Students will need to:

• Dress in the school sports uniform (no senior shirt)
• Bring a hat
• Bring a water bottle and sunscreen.
• Bring Morning tea and Lunch.
• Touch Football participants are welcome to wear Touch Football boots or Joggers are suitable.

The sports being played this semester are:

Year 6 - Annie Musical Consent - YSHS

Year 6 students have been invited by Yeronga State High School to attend the final dress rehearsal of Annie the Musical on the 18th August 2022.

Permission for your student to attend were due today. Only students who have returned their permission form to the teacher will be allowed to attend. 

Swimming 

All students have been sent home with school swimming permission forms. 

Invoices have been emailed home from rbenn127@eq.edu.au. 

Swimming lessons start on Monday 29/08/2022.

Students require both permission and payment to attend.

Payment and Permissions are due - 26/August/2022

CHILDREN WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED TO SWIM IF PAYMENT AND PERMISSION HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND RETURNED.

Regards,

Office

Year 6 Energy Futures excursion 

On Monday and Tuesday of week 3, year 6 students visited the Toohey Forest Environmental Education Centre for an excursion on Energy Futures. The day focussed on one of the biggest challenges facing humans over the next 50 years – ENERGY!  

Students rotated through different energy focused activities and worked scientifically making predictions, conducting tests, recording data, and writing findings. The activities included: 

• Discovering electricity and exploring the concepts of conductivity and insulation, designing, constructing and testing series and parallel circuits composed of electrical components including light bulbs, switches, batteries, buzzers and resistors. 
• Working with model wind turbines by constructing their own turbine to conduct investigations relating to the design, construction and testing of the turbine’s performance. 
• The Green Energy Lab where learning was about a variety of renewable energies including hydro, wind and solar; and testing household appliances using energy data loggers (PowerMates) to assist students in learning about their own energy consumption and the financial and environmental benefits of behavioural change.  
  
  Students were challenged with thinking, and the learning enhanced concepts being taught and learned in the year 6 Inquiry unit: Smart Energy. Students also displayed wonderful behaviour and engaged learning too! 

The annual P&C Father’s Day Stall will be held on Thursday 1^st Sept and will offer the students a chance to purchase a special gift for the father figure in their life. 

Donations of small gifts ($5 or under) can be handed in to classroom teachers. Monetary donations can be made through Flexischools https://www.flexischools.com.au

We would LOVE your help! If you can, please sign up here: https://signup.com/go/NjOYDqw   

Volunteer days in the weeks leading up to the stall will be Wednesdays and/or Fridays after drop off 9 - 11am. If you have the capacity to help, we'd love to see you (It's fun, we promise!!) 

We could not do this without YOU!

If you have any questions please contact Kerri e: misskmic@gmail.com

Book Week

We will kick book week off with the Book Character Parade on Friday 19 August, for the Prep to Year 2 students, at 9:00 am on the Year One Oval. Prep to Year 2 students need to dress up as a character from a book. For the rest of the week we will have guest readers in the library during lunch times. An author visit from our very own Mrs Kelly Modulon, whose books are in our library. Click here to find out more about Kelly.

We will also have a teacher class swap to read a book to another class or year level and many more fun activities.

Curiosity Centre

Our curiosity centre is a space for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) and Inquiry. We are currently looking to make a connection to a printing company who may be able to supply offcuts of cardboard and vinyl.

Running Club

Running club has resumed in Term 3 and will continue until the end of term 4 unless the weather makes it impossible to run safely or public health restrictions return. Sessions will be held on Tuesdays, from 3:15 to 3:45, with Mr Landeck and Thursdays from 7:45 to 8:15 with Mr Bateman. 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.

District and Regional Cricket Representatives

Congratulations to our Eastern District Cricket representatives; Oliver C, Amelie M, Abbie P, Lily M and Emma G. We were blessed with an embarrassment of riches as far as talent in this sport went this year. The interesting fact is that 3 of the 5 that were selected are only 11 this year and able to trial again next year.

Unfortunately not everyone can be selected in the regional team as selectors attempt to fill 13 spots from a talent pool of at least 70 boys and 70 girls. We were very fortunate though to have the talent of 3 of our cricketers recognised by the selectors. A big congratulations to Lily M, Abbie P and Emma G who will compete at the Qld State School Cricket Championships, to be held in Ipswich from the 16^th to the 19^th of October, for the Met West Region and hopefully catch the eye of the Qld selectors.

New Football Goals

A big thank you to Mrs Webb for the purchase of our new portable football goals. Please remember, though, that although these goals are metal they are not built to be climbed upon. Please do not climb on them as you will be endangering yourself, damaging the goals and be the unhappy recipient of a white slip.

Representative Sport Dates Release (Important)

The trial dates for term one of 2022 are listed below.

District Sport and COVID

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 Term 3, 2022

30 & 31/08/2022 – Met West Regional Athletics

Mr Bateman
PE Teacher

Community working bee - Saturday 27th August - 9am to 1pm

The P&C will be holding a working bee to help ready the new building and gardens for their opening on the 11th September. The aim will be to restore the former grade 1 nature play area that was displaced during the new building renovation, as well some general clean up and restoration work as directed by Mr Sutherland. Bring your own shovels, rakes, wheel barrows, garden gloves and big big smiles.

Open Day for new building and gardens - September 11 - 10am-2pm

The last 18 months has seen an endless amount of construction and interruptions to our school life. But it's all worth it, as at long last Yeronga State School will have beautiful new classrooms, resources, gardens and play areas. The school and P&C would like to invite all parents to come and look through our new building and gardens. Picnics will be encouraged and the P&C will put on a sausage sizzle and coffee, games and tours. This is an historic moment for the school, come and share it with us.

Hamish Townsend

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