Dear Families,

I am pleased to welcome in our new Parents and Citizens (P&C) Executive Committee for 2023.

President – Chris Day

Vice Presidents- Anna Rimpau and Cedryck Vaquette

Treasurer – Gulnara Horwell

Secretary – Gerlinda Amor

I encourage all our families to get behind our new executive and play an active support role in seeing Yeronga State School thrive as a community.

I thank outgoing president Hamish Townsend for his many years of service on the PandC Executive and to the students, staff and families at YSS.

Our teaching and learning priority for the remaining six weeks of term is to consolidate schoolwide routines and expectations whilst prioritising literacy and numeracy progression within the Australian Curriculum.  In the classroom this looks like;

1. Reinforcing school wide behaviour routines and expectations
2. Classroom literacy and numeracy routines within the Australian Curriculum learning areas
3. Our Conceptual Curriculum- Community: Visible Thinking Routines and questioning to elicit critical and creative thinking and inquiry stance

Our Year 3 and 5 students will commence NAPLAN preparation in the form of practising the test like conditions intermittently over the next few weeks. All of the tests are conducted online now with the exception of Year 3 Writing which is still completed as a paper test. The 2023 NAPLAN Tests will be conducted at YSS over the period of Wednesday March 15-Monday March 20. Tuesday 21 March is designated the last day students will be able to catch up on tests for which they were absent. Parents of students in Year 3 and 5 will receive a letter advising them of the NAPLAN tests details this week.  

The scoping for the new school security fence has been completed and now ready for tender. At this stage the fence plan will not impact on any of the heritage trees around the perimeter of the school however some shrubbery will be impacted. The fence location will come onto the school site to avoid extensive tree removal along the perimeter. I will continue to update the community as the works progress.

May I please remind families to exercise safety when bringing bikes, scooters and dogs on the school grounds for the comfort and safety of all.

Have a great week,

Eunice

2023 Parent Information Sessions

A huge thank you to all the parents who attended the Parent Information Sessions in classrooms last fortnight.  It was lovely to see so many parents within the school learning about their new classroom environment, their new teacher and also their child’s new curriculum expectations.

Keeping our Children Safe

Just a gentle reminder that school drop off and pickups are to take place accessing the carparks along the road on the outside of the school.  Please encourage children to use the pedestrian crossing/ school crossing when possible.

Halogens National Young Leaders Day

The Student Council representatives attended the Halogens National Young Leaders Conference this week. We heard inspirational stories from guest speakers including Anthony 'Harries' Carroll, Hilary Rogers, Bryson Klein and Gretel Bueta, and identified key lessons and ideas from the speakers that relate to young leadership. Key themes of inspiration throughout the conference were finding your joy, leaning into your strengths, being brave and giving back. 

Student Councillors enjoyed meeting the guest speakers during break times, and even learnt a new dance move or two!

Leadership Induction Ceremony

Congratulations to all the student leaders for 2023! On Friday 17th February, we celebrated your leadership with our official induction ceremony. We know you’ll do Yeronga Proud this year!

Congratulations to the Student Leaders this year

Performing Arts Captains

House Captain

Student Council Representatives

Legacy Committee Workshop

Last week, students in year 6 came together to begin their Legacy Committees for 2023.  Students collaborated on and committed to values and actions to make a positive difference to our school in the areas of wellbeing, sustainability, outdoor learning and play, and curiosity and creativity.

Our Legacy committees provide an opportunity for all student leaders to contribute to school improvement and enact change.

Each committee spent some time generating some ideas for their Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) for the year.  These goals are still being finalised by the committees, however the wellbeing team like the idea of promoting wellbeing and mindfulness across the school.  The Curiosity and Creativity committee are working towards sharing and growing knowledge around technologies and the arts in our school. The Sustainability crew are wanting to re-create the much-loved kitchen garden. The Outdoor Learning and Play committee are working towards a goal to make outdoor learning a regular occurrence so that students and teachers can engage in a curious space.

We look forward to great things ahead!

The school's many choirs, string ensembles and bands are full-swing into rehearsals now and the students are enjoying making fabulous music together. Rehearsals are on the following days:

Monday before school- Stradivari Junior Strings

Tuesday before school- Brandenburg Senior Strings

                  - Junior Choir

Tuesday 1^st break- Chamber Choir

Tuesday 2^nd break- Chamber Strings

Wednesday before school- Senior Band

Thursday before school- Junior Band (commencing term 2)

Friday before school- Senior Choir

 Music Performance Date Claimers

Beginner Strings and Band Performance and Information evening 

Thursday 30 March  All year 3 strings students and all year 4 band students  

The Curiosity Centre- Students arrive 5:15pm for a 5:30pm start 

Winter Big Sing Thursday 1^st June  All Choirs   

Yeronga State High School- Students arrive 5:30pm for a 6pm start 

Winter Big Play Thursday 8^th June  All String Ensembles and Concert Bands   

Yeronga State High School- Students arrive 5:30pm for a 6pm start 

End of Year Big Sing and Play Friday November 17 All Strings, Bands and Choirs  

Yeronga State High School- Students arrive 5:30pm for a 6pm start 

Full formal uniform is expected for all the concerts at the High School venue.

Running Club

Running club has resumed and will continue until the end of the year unless the weather makes it impossible to run safely or public health restrictions return. Sessions will be held on Tuesdays 3:15 to 3:45pm and Wednesdays 7:45 to 8:15am with Mr Bateman. Mr Sutherland's session on Fridays from 7:45 to 8:15am. All sessions will be on the main oval. Parents will be notified of cancelled sessions through Schoolzine App. 

District Swimming Trialists

Congratulations to the following students who have qualified for the District Swimming Team and will now compete at regionals for a spot in the Met West team;

Mollie W, Archie C, Tane D, Jesse S, Stevie K & Charlotte R. Unfortunately Tane D has broken his wrist and is unable to participate.

This trial was held on the Wednesday 22^nd of February at Chandler.

Senior (Years 4-6) Cross Country

This important event will be held the 6^th of March. A very rough schedule is set out below. Please remember to be on the top oval 30 minutes before your child’s event time in case we are running ahead of time. We, as always, welcome parent helpers. If you wish to volunteer please email Mr Bateman: cbate12@eq.edu.au.

Approximate Commencement times of Races

9:00            Boys Born 2011

9:15            Girls Born 2011

9:30            Boys Born 2012

9:45            Girls Born 2012

10:00          Boys Born 2013

10:15          Girls Born 2013

10:30          Boys Born 2014

10:45          Girls Born 2014

District Cricket Representatives

Congratulations to the following cricketers who will represent the Met West and Capricornia Region at the State Cricket Championships. The successful students are;

Ted H

Lily M

Piper V

And

Emma G.

Eastern Taipans Touch Football (District)

Congratulations to Mollie W, Lily M, Violet C, Dash W and Jesse S on their selection in the Eastern Taipans District Touch Football teams. They will now participate in the Regional trials in March. We wish them well at the Met West trials.

Important Sporting Dates Term 1 2023

21/02/2023:  10 -12 Years District Basketball Trial

22/02/2023: 10 -19 Years Regional Swimming Trial

28/02/2023: 10 -19 Years Regional Squash Trial

1/03/2023:  10 -12 Years District AFL Trial

8/03/2023:  10 -12 Years District Netball Trial

9/03/2023:  10 -12 Years Regional Basketball Trial

13/03/2023:  10 -12 Years Regional Girls AFL Trial

06/03/2023:  YSS Senior (Years 4 to 6) Cross Country (Reserve Day 23/3/2023)

14/03/2023:  10 -12 Years Regional Boys AFL Trial

14/03/2023:  10 -12 Years Regional Touch Trial

15/03/2023:  10 -12 Years District Boys Rugby League Trial

24/03/2023 10 – 12 Years District Hockey Paper Nomination Due

27/03/2023:  YSS Junior Cross Country (Prep to 3)

28/03/2023:  10 -12 Years Regional Netball Trial