11 October 2017

Newsletter Articles

Across the Principal’s Desk…

CLASS ALLOCATIONS 2018

It has come to that time of year when we are looking at classes for 2018. You will find below a link for the 2018 Request for Consideration Form which is designed to allow you as a parent to express any important educational information which is NOT already known by the current class teacher. All forms must be submitted by Friday 10 November 2017.

I will reiterate that this is NOT a teacher selection process and any such requests will not be considered. Please read all the information on the attached sheet carefully before submitting your form. Please also note that if you have a child entering Prep in 2018, there is no need to complete this for them. All necessary information was gathered during the interview process.

There are numerous variables which need to be considered in placing students in a new year level and class. Often the class teacher/s will have the best idea in relation to this placement as they see your child in the class context each and every day. They see the social interactions and whilst you may think a friendship is positive for your child, it may not be the best dynamic in the classroom context.

This is your opportunity to raise any important educational information/concerns for the school to make an informed decision about class placements for 2018. If you're more than happy for the school to make an informed decision about your child’s class placement for 2018, you do not need to submit a form.

All of our teachers are highly professional, dedicated and bring their own unique teaching style to their classroom. After all, we want to have innovative and creative teachers, not a stock standard, one size fits all approach to teaching and learning at Windsor. It is healthy for a child to be with different teachers in their schooling as they will have to experience multiple teachers in secondary school and then multiple personality types when they enter the workforce.

The most successful children we see are those who are resilient and flexible with change.

We do however take specific circumstances into consideration and attempt to balance classes across a range of academic, social and emotional indicators. It is by no means a perfect science and our teachers spend many hours and weeks undertaking this process.

Class lists will be advertised from Tuesday 5 December 2017 (both on display boards and on the school’s website). There will be no changes made to the 2018 class lists once they have been finalised and advertised in Week 10.

2017 Voluntary Contribution information

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed this year. Payment can be made by direct deposit into the school bank account BSB 064 114, Account 00090145 or by EFTPOS or cash at the office.

Grant Baker

from the Deputy Principal…

Playground Before and After School

A reminder that children are not to play on the playgrounds before school. If in the Early Years’ area, students are to wait with their parent/carer before school until the bell rings. No students are to be on the playground at this time. If your child has a younger sibling, please be aware that our Prep and Year 1 students are working hard from the start of school and seeing younger children playing on the equipment outside the classroom windows during class time can be quite a distraction during learning time.

From 8.30am, students are supervised under Main Building (in the warmer months) and near the 5 Keys (in the cooler months). With the exception of before school programs, if your child is to be dropped off to school prior to 8.30am, she/he will need to be enrolled in before school care.

If supervised by a parent/carer, students are welcome to use the play equipment after school until 3.30pm. Helping Hands uses these spaces for their afternoon programming, so it is important that these play spaces are cleared by all students and siblings by 3.30pm.

ENROL NOW FOR PREP 2018!

Have you got a child born between 1 July 2012 and 30/6/2013? Enrol them now for Prep!

As our school is officially at capacity, our Enrolment Management Plan must be totally enforced. We can only offer places to students in our catchment area.

Places in Prep for 2018 are limited to 100 students, unless more students live in our catchment area. We no longer provide students in the Lutwyche Gordon Park area with guaranteed enrolment. Please check that you are in our school catchment online below.

I ask all parents currently at the school with siblings due to start school in 2018 to ensure enrolment forms are completed as soon as possible.

Tony Ryan Parent Session Next Week – Tickets on Sale Now!

On the Student Free Day of Monday 16th October, teachers and leadership teams from the City Cluster schools will attend the City Cluster Conference, hosted here at Windsor State School. It will be a great pleasure to welcome Tony Ryan to Windsor SS as the Key Note Speaker for this day.

Tony Ryan will also be conducting a Parent Information Evening on Monday 16th October in the WSS Hall from 6.45pm – 8.00pm.

All parents are invited to attend this event. The ticket cost is $10 and tickets can be purchased with cash or card any day this week from the school office.

Please click here to download the Parent Information Flyer for this exciting session.

Gala Days

Sport is an integral part of our school curriculum. The first three Fridays of Term 4 are Interschool Sport Gala Days. Each student in Years 4-6 must pay $12 per day, for each Gala Day, and have returned a completed permission slip to participate in Gala Days. It is crucial that the buses leave on time so that students do not miss games, so we ask that all Year 4-6 students arrive at school promptly on these mornings. Supervision will be provided from 8.30am. We will begin boarding the buses at 8.50am and the buses will be unable to wait for late arrivals.

Please remember to send sunscreen with your child to reapply throughout the day. It is important that they take responsibility for their personal sun-safety.

The remaining Gala Days for this term are Friday 13th October and Friday 20th October.

Day for Daniel

Friday the 27th of October is Day for Daniel. For a gold coin donation, students are invited to wear red to school on this day to support the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. The foundation aims to help raise awareness about child safety and protection. It aims to help empower children to Recognise, React and Report if they feel something is not right.

This is not just a ‘Free Dress Day’. If your child does not wish to wear red to school on this day, they are to wear normal school uniform. Wearing red could be anything from a complete red outfit to a red hair ribbon!

National Bandana Day

Friday the 29th of October is also National Bandana Day. Bandanas will be on sale for $4.00 before school near Constitution Building Monday-Thursday of that week and Student Councillors will go around to each class to sell any remaining bandanas on Friday the 29th of October. The money raised from the sale of the bandanas goes to Canteen, to help support young people living with cancer.

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR & CODE OF CONDUCT

Resisting peer pressure: teaching kids how

What is peer pressure?

Peer pressure is all about fitting in. It’s about acceptance. It’s about conforming to a certain dress code, behaviour or preference. Kids of any age can either apply peer pressure or be influenced by their peers. Some kids want to fit in, others want to do what others are doing and some kids just want what others have. There are those kids who don’t recognise peer pressure for what it is and there are others who are so super-sensitive, they crumble under the weight. It’s important that as parents, we teach our kids what peer pressure is and isn’t. This is especially important for younger kids, so that they know how to recognise it, and how to react.

Peer pressure can be positive

Peer pressure often gets bad press, but peers can play an important role in our kids’ lives. Hanging out with other kids of similar age (or older) provides opportunities for friendship and acceptance. Kids learn about social skills and how relationships are formed and kept. Within a peer group kids can find encouragement, ask for advice, share experiences and benefit from other kids who set a good example and show leadership. In a positive peer group, kids will often cotton on to another’s risky behaviour or silly decisions and be quick to say so.

… ‘but everyone else is doing it’…

Kids often give in to peer pressure if they’re led to believe this is the only way they’ll keep their friends. A child who is easily influenced may look to others to follow their lead, and think it must be OK because everyone else is doing it. Once at school, kids are quickly into all things ‘cool’ – language, clothes, electronic devices and toys. As kids get older, peer pressure can be more subtle: cool kids wear this wristband, so let’s laugh at the ones who don’t, let’s not let him into the group.

If we’re hearing ‘everyone else is doing it’, or ‘everyone else has one’, and ‘it’s unfair that I don’t, can’t, am not allowed’…it’s time to sit them down for a little chat.

Ways to help our kids handle pressure

When kids are coached in how to stand up to negative peer pressure, their confidence soars. They can recognise peer pressure for what it is and have the courage to say no.

We can help our kids by:

• Building their self-esteem
• Offering genuine praise when it’s appropriate
• Role modelling responses
• Teaching ways to say no and feel comfortable
• Encouraging independence, including developing good decision making skills
• Keeping home communication lines open
• Talking about our own experiences

Kids who are comfortable in their own skin usually do better at resisting peer pressure. They know their opinion matters, that true friends can take no for an answer, and that walking away from risk taking behaviour is good thinking. They’re also the kids who know how much they mean to us, and how much they matter.

( Source: https://youcandoitparents.com.au/ go to the website to read more or to register for YCDI Parents).

Active School Travel

Every family has received a Windsor State School Active School Travel Map. This map shows different Active School Travel routes, bikeways, crossings and more! There are also suggested routes where you can park outside the 6-8 minute walk radius from the school gate and walk or ride the final part of your journey. Part way is okay! You can download a copy of the map below. This map makes it easy to for parents, students and staff to find their best walking, riding or public transport route to school. Families may also like to use the map on the weekend to re-discover the local area.

Follow Windsor SS on Facebook & Twitter!

Get the most up-to-date information and school alerts by following Windsor State School on Facebook below and Twitter @Windsor_SS

You can also access important school information and alerts, including Facebook/Twitter, via the QSchools app! Download it now and keep informed of everything that is happening at our school.

QParents…please get on board!

Our school also has QParents. Parents will receive an invitation email or letter to register this week. Prep parents will also receive a Student ID card containing an EQ ID number to register.

If you do not receive an invitation (QPAO), please advise Admin ASAP. QParents is one of the ways we communicate with parents, get on board to enjoy the ease and convenience that QParents offers.

QParents is also the means by which parents access Student Reports. It is important to register now as printed reports are no longer sent home at the end of each Semester. Help us become more ‘paper-less’ by registering for QParents now!

ICAS – Parent Access to Student Results

The ICAS results are finally back. Mrs Rapchuk and I will collate and hand back to your children by the end of the week. As in previous years, we will hold on to the Distinctions and High Distinctions. These will be presented to those students at the end of year parade on December 4. If you would like to further analyse your child’s results you can access their details through the ICAS website and the student portal link. The website is below. Each certificate comes with a yellow cover letter that informs you of their score in each area tested. On this letter, you will find your child’s TAP-ID and PIN just after the Comparative Performance graph. This will allow you to gain access to their results as well as the questions they had to answer. It may be worthwhile to show your child these results and discuss areas that may need further explanation. This will certainly help them when they participate next year.

Innovators of Tomorrow

Firstly, thank you to the parents who completed the survey. Feedback was very incredibly positive and it appears both children and parents love it. Here are few of the results:

• 82% thought their child thoroughly enjoyed the program
• 97% felt they received value for money
• 82% will participate again
• 97% will recommend the program to others
• The children completed a similar survey and their responses were just as positive:
• 99% of students were ‘extremely’ satisfied and would ‘definitely’ recommend the program to others.

We know that round 2 will be just as successful. Speaking of which….

Round 2 goes on sale Tuesday Morning at 7am (please see flyer). Please remember to register in your child’s name (not your name).

I would like to thank the dedicated staff who give up their time to facilitate an afternoon workshop. I know many of the teachers have not used some of our new coding/robotics equipment and are spending a lot of time ‘getting to know’ the ins and outs of how it all works. We are very lucky to have such wonderful teachers on staff!

Just a friendly reminder that children will assemble in the quadrangle to eat a quick afternoon tea and then be collected by the workshop teacher. Parents, please collect your child from the 5 Keys outside the library/computer lab area. Thanks.

Emma Kemph

WINDSORFLIX IS ALMOST HERE

This Saturday, 14 October, Windsor State School’s very first open-air cinema night will take place in the school’s quadrangle. After an afternoon of sideshow games, food and fun, our cinema will commence with the finalist entries of the Year 6 short film competition, followed by the family friendly movie ROBOTS, featuring the voices of Robin Williams, Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry and Mel Brooks.

Ticket Info:

Last chance to pre-purchase you tickets via Munch Monitor .

Family up to 3 $20, 4 or more $30
Sideshow Games Card $10 for six chances to play and win.

You can also buy tickets at the gate, with EFT and cash facilities available for food, drink and entertainment.

This alcohol free event, is perfect for the entire family. Settle in under the stars with a gourmet BBQ dinner, soft drinks, popcorn, choc tops and other delights.

Don’t forget you blanket, bean bags or camp chairs.

TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR SOIREE EN BLANC

Join us for a fabulous night of song, music, dancing, food and friends. Come wrapped in white and bring your friends to Windsor State School for sunset drinks and canapes on the lawn. Then take your seats and be entertained by extraordinary singers, Spanish and Latin guitarists and a host of other instrumental surprises.

Soiree en Blanc presents a Celebration of Song, a unique concert experience that will indulge the senses with sumptuous music to suit all tastes. This is a world class concert featuring an accomplished parent and teaching body from Windsor State School. See Artist Bios for details.

The night doesn't conclude there, festivities and music continue into the night with a DJ spinning vinyl and bar open til late.

Date: Saturday 28th October
Time: 5pm Drinks & Canapes, 6pm Concert, 7pm DJ & Party

Ticket Info:

Purchase you tickets now via TryBooking.

* Strictly no door sales, pre-purchase tickets only.

Cash bar and EFTPOS available on the night.

For more details click here to view the event flyer, or visit the P&C News and Events Page here.

Congratulations Ellie!

During the September holidays, Ellie Tippett from 3B attended the Junior State Gymnastic Championships held at Chandler. I am pleased to announce that Ellie was placed 3rd overall in Queensland for the Under 10, Level 5 category (out of 40 participants) and then came 2nd in the ‘beam’ apparatus. This is a tremendous achievement by Ellie and I would like to acknowledge her hard work and dedication towards gymnastics.