14 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

Across the Principal’s Desk…

Our Moral Imperative

Last week in an email to Principals, our Deputy Director General, Mrs Patrea Walton, asked us to reflect on why do we do what we do? I think the answer to her question is simple. The moral imperative at Windsor SS is to ensure every student succeeds! Realising our school vision does not mean achieving success for some students, or even for most students. It means all students experience success. This, of course, is much harder than it seems, and requires not only persistence but the constant reflection and willingness to examine what we do and how to improve.

The School Hierarchy of Improvement model and Inquiry Cycle are fantastic resources and reflective processes that illustrate how our sharp and narrow focus of pedagogy/curriculum inquiry is so interconnected with everything we do.

I have mentioned these over the past 12 months to staff but as we progress throughout 2018, I have asked them to consider the following four guiding questions, through the lens of the inquiry process:

• How are our students doing in their learning?
• How do we know?
• What are we doing to improve student learning?
• How do we know it is working?

Our explicit Improvement Agenda in 2018

Each year we focus on particular aspects of our school curriculum where we know we want to provide additional professional learning for our teachers and staff, so they can in turn provide the best possible teaching and learning for your children. Naturally we continue to provide all other aspects of the curriculum as necessary, however with a clear and narrow focus on specific aspects, it allows for deeper learning and understanding to occur.

In 2018, we are focussing on:

The teaching of writing – including the newly developed Writing Launch program
Continuation of the teaching of reading, as per the school English framework
Continuation of imbedding the Digital Technologies / STEM curriculum
Continuation of planning and implementing rigorous and high quality units of work aligned with the Australian Curriculum , and
Continuation and expansion of the Age Appropriate Pedagogy Program - Prep and Year 1

Throughout the year there will be greater elaboration on these focus areas through communication from class teachers and the leadership team. We are looking forward to a most productive and positive year of learning!

2018 Annual Implementation Plan

I have attached below a copy of the 2018 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) to this week’s newsletter for your reference. The AIP has been developed over the past 5 months and directly aligns with the 2016 – 2019 Strategic Plan, which was endorsed in 2015. Our three school priorities for 2018 are Reading, Writing, STEM/Digital Technologies (which you will see are bolded in the AIP) and you will find these priorities referenced throughout the strategies and actions on the plan.

2018 Investing For Success (I4S) Strategic Plan

This strategic plan was developed in consultation with staff and the School Council over the past 5 months. The plan highlights how the 2018 funds have been distributed across 5 strategic domains - employment of a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) 2 days a week, ongoing professional learning across multiple domains, purchase of physical resources to enhance and strengthen the Writing, Reading and STEM/Digital Technologies programs, increasing human resources (Teacher Aides) across the school and finally the vision and hearing screeners. In the final section of the I4S plan, it highlights our writing and Age Appropriate Pedagogies (AAP) aggregated mean scores and strategic targets for 2018. Both the AIP and I4S plans will be presented and discussed at upcoming P&C meetings.

Building Resilience in our kids

We have had such a wonderful start to the year with students and families settling well into the routine of school. Each student, be they prep or year six are all finding their way in a new classroom environment, with a new teacher and peer group. Each day they will experience engaging and exciting learning opportunities, have to navigate their way around social situations, collaborate, communicate and negotiate with a whole range of different people and personalities.

What is wonderful to see, is the commitment from you as parents to build your child’s resilience as they undertake their educational journey. It’s not easy to hear that the school day may have had a few little ‘hiccups’ and sometimes what we perceive to be a large issue, is forgotten by the child very quickly. Sometimes it is our response which determines whether a situation will be escalated or deescalated in a child’s mind. It’s very tricky and of course there is no definitive handbook for raising children! We do our best with what we know at the time.

The best learning that children can have is when they are posed the question ‘well, what you think you could do to solve that problem?’

If we rush to their rescue with every issue that they face, we not only create angst and worry for ourselves, we undermine our children of an important skill and learning opportunity. With guidance, love (sometimes ‘tough love’) and a sensible measured approach from us as adults, our kids manage to navigate their way through school and the social situations which arise. Naturally, if an issue becomes a regular occurrence, then adult intervention is required. No one wants to see their child upset and not wanting to attend school. This may call for a more defined approach and specific strategies.

Should something like this arise at school, then please raise it with the class teacher in the first instance and if they are concerned about it being something they need advice on, they will bring it to the relevant member of the leadership team. Approaching other parents outside of school or in the playground etc. is not our preferred approach. This can often exacerbate an issue, when in fact we can deal with it at a student to student level and reach a solution.

There are very few situations within the context of school that we haven’t dealt with in the past, even though they may seem foreign or new to you as a parent.

Student Leadership Induction

It was wonderful to present the many leadership and Student Councillor badges to our students on Monday’s ceremony. I cannot thank enough our guest presenters, Councillor Andrew Wines from the Enoggera Ward Office and the school’s P&C President, Mr Craig Thompson, for giving up their time to attend. Congratulations to each and every one of the students. I am confident they will do themselves, their family and the position proud.

Have a fantastic fortnight,

Grant Baker
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR & CODE OF CONDUCT

Pastoral Care: Getting Along with Others…Do the High Five!!

Ignore!
Talk Friendly!
Walk Away!
Talk Firmly!
Report!

Ignore

• Pretend you didn’t hear it.
• Do not make eye contact.
• Maintain positive body posture (calm, confident).
• Think positive self-esteem statements.
• Count to five in your head slowly.
• Take deep breaths.
• WE CAN USE ROLE PLAY TO SHOW WHAT IGNORING LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE AND MAY FEEL LIKE.

Talk Friendly

• Use a calm voice.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Confident body language.
• Maintain relatively close body proximity.
• Use "I" statements – I feel . . . . when you . . . . . because….
• WE CAN USE ROLE PLAY TO SHOW WHAT TALKING FRIENDLY LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE AND MAY FEEL LIKE.

Walk Away

• Stand tall, head up high.
• Mouth closed.
• Look confident.
• Do not use eye contact.
• Walk somewhere, preferably towards a congested area or to a safety zone (teacher).
• Do not look back. Walk confidently, don’t run!
• WE CAN USE ROLE PLAY TO SHOW WHAT WALKING AWAY LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE AND MAY FEEL LIKE.

Talk Firmly

• As per Talk Friendly.
• Use an assertive voice, slightly raised.
• Tell them to stop it.
• Re-state your “I” statement. e.g. I said . . . .
• State the consequences of continued bullying.
• WE CAN USE ROLE PLAY TO SHOW WHAT TALKING FIRMLY LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE AND MAY FEEL LIKE.

Report

• Walk away and tell a staff member.
• Go to a safety zone.
• Bystanders - support and report.
• Report, report, report until somebody listens.
• WE CAN USE ROLE PLAY TO SHOW WHAT REPORTING LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE AND MAY FEEL LIKE.

WE ALWAYS ACTIVELY DISCOURAGE RETALIATION, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE RETALIATE THEY MAKE THEMSELVES PART OF THE PROBLEM. Children need to be aware that, even as a victim of bullying, choosing to retaliate to a bully can often result in serious consequences for themselves also.

Success occurs when children can not only talk the talk but walk the walk .

Sharon Hadden STLan

My name is Sharyn Hadden and I’m excited to be working at Windsor. I have had a long association with Windsor School as the previous Deputy Principal of Ascot School and have long admired the strong sense of community and inclusiveness evident at Windsor. I have a strong understanding of the importance of providing positive learning opportunities to all students, regardless of their level of academic success. In this role, I will be working as the Student Learning Support teacher, for years 3- 6 from Tuesday to Thursday each week. I will be supporting students through differentiated programs which are interesting and aligned to their year level learning.

l look forward to meeting and working with many students and their parents throughout the year and welcome any questions which you may have about my role.

Kind regards,
Sharyn Hadden
Learning Support Teacher
Windsor State School

Enrichment News

It is hard to believe we are week 4 already. For those new to the school, my name is Emma Kemph and I am the Enrichment Coordinator/Teacher and manage many of the extra curricula programs here at Windsor. So far this term, we have started Year 3 Reading Rockets, launched 2018 Innovators of Tomorrow, in which 90% sold in 8 minutes, Miss G’s dance club, Chess, and auditions for the Musical about to commence. Thank you to all the wonderful teachers, parents and community members for volunteering their time to these programs.

Windsor State School is a Queensland Academies Partner school. This partnership provides many opportunities for our students to participate in rigorous and challenging programs held outside school hours. Please see the Queensland Academies website for more information. Below is a flyer to attend their SMT Campus Open Day on 22nd February.

Enrichment and Extension is embedded in every class throughout the school. My role is to work with teachers to support curriculum delivery and high achieving students. These students are identified in many ways; data from assessments, research based checklists and teacher observations. Groups are often flexible based on how students are mastering the curriculum content.

More information about the Enrichment Program can be found on our website.

I will keep you updated throughout the term.

Happy Days!

STUDENT COUNCIL DISCO

The Student Council welcomes everyone back to the New Year with a Disco on Thursday, 15th February, the first Disco for 2018. This Disco helps to raise money to support student council projects at the school, including our World Vision Sponsor Child.

Tickets will be available in the Early Years Precinct, before 8:50am in the week leading up to the Disco ($5.00 single ticket; $10.00 family ticket- 2 or more).

The Disco times are as follows:

Prep-Year 2: 5:15pm-6:30pm
Year 3-6: 7:00pm-8:30pm

All Prep-Year 2 students must be accompanied by their parent/guardian at all times during the Disco. Parents/Guardians, you are responsible for your own children. Teachers will supervise at the Year 3-6 Disco. Parents are not required to stay at this Disco, but must collect students promptly at 8:30pm from the Hall. Children will be kept at the Hall until Parents arrive to collect. Food and drink will be on sale at the Disco.

ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL

Active School Travel promotes clean and green, active and healthy school travel modes such as walking, cycling, carpooling and public transport. Over the next three years, our school will receive a range of free resources, tools, incursions to enable active travel to and from school.

By leaving your car at home, at least one day a week on our active travel day, we can reduce traffic congestion at the school gate, improve our students’ road safety awareness, create a cleaner environment, and improve our health and fitness!

Each student has an Active School Travel Passport at school. Students can earn a stamp once a week, by actively travelling on ‘Walking Wheeling Wednesday’. Also, each week on parade, the Golden Boot trophy is awarded to the class that had the highest percentage of active travellers on ‘Walking Wheeling Wednesday’.

In addition to these incentives, there will be a number of special events this year to help further promote actively travelling to school. These include:

Term 1: 16th March – Windsor SS celebrates Ride2School Day “Bling Your Bike/Scooter”
Term 2: 18th May - Walk Safely 2 School Day “Crazy Socks Day”
Term 3: 17th August – AST Scavenger Hunt (more info to come)
Term 4: 30th November – End of Year Celebration Breakfast

ROOKIES2REDS

This term, Queensland Rugby is offering the Rookies 2 Reds program Monday afternoons 3.15pm-4.15pm on the Windsor State School bottom oval from the 23rd of February to the 23rd of March. Download the flyer below for more information about the program and how to register your child.

Follow Windsor SS on Facebook & Twitter!

Get the most up-to-date information and school alerts by following Windsor State School on Facebook 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.

Master Teacher’s Report

Welcome back Windsoroos!

At Windsor State School, we are once again very excited about running our Playgroup, the Windsoroos. It is an early years Playgroup, affiliated with Playgroup Queensland, designed to foster parent/carer, child relationships and provide networking connections.

Windsor State School pays the Playgroup Queensland annual membership fee which covers insurance. Every year, all families fill in a registration form and sign the weekly attendance sheet. The information will be kept on file and submitted to Playgroup Queensland. Each week we ask for a gold coin donation to cover the costs of consumables.

Our playgroup is for families of children, 0 – 5 years, who reside in the Windsor State School catchment area.

Parents, carers, children and babies meet together each Friday from 1.30 to 3.00pm in our relaxed Early Years Precinct to share knowledge, seek advice and gain invaluable support. We begin our afternoon in the Helping Hands area under the Constitution building. Helping Hands is our Before and After School Care provider and they readily and happily support and assist with our Windsoroos.

The Playgroup will recommence on Friday, 2nd February, 2018, and will continue to operate in alignment with the school terms.

2018 Timetable for the Windsoroos:

As the Early Years precinct will be a learning and teaching environment every Friday afternoon, we ask that all parents, carers and children respect the students, teachers and the young Windsoroos and stay away from the Early Years Playground. Please wait under the buildings or the meeting place until 3pm.

For more information about our playgroup, please click on the attachment below.

We look forward to having fun and growing with you and your child/children at the Windsoroos Playgroup.

Helping Hands

Hey Everyone

Hello Windsor Parents,

Well, term 1 is in full swing, and while we are missing last year’s grade 6s, we have truly loved meeting and getting to know this year’s new students.

So far we have been enjoying our afternoons outside in the sunshine with lots of cricket games and time spent playing on the school’s playgrounds. Now that homework is starting, we are running Homework Club Monday to Thursday afternoons. We use a dedicated space from 3.30pm – 4pm after afternoon tea, with lots of opportunity for students to play after they have finished. Students are ultimately responsible for choosing to partake in homework club, while we are happy to facilitate and assist with homework as needed, please talk with your children as to whether it is an expectation that they complete their homework at OSHC.

On Thursday afternoons, Tom has been running a Cricket Workshop from 3.30pm – 5pm on the oval. Tom is a long-time educator with Helping Hands, and has been involved with Cricket as a player since he was 12 years old. He currently plays with a C grade team on weekends, and coaches an under 12s team. His enthusiasm for the sport has been very well received by our students, who are loving the chance to practice their bowling and batting skills.

A note on extra-curricular activities. As the school’s wonderful clubs, Rookies to Reds, and Jo Hodge’s swimming lessons start back up for the year, please remember that we can help with drop off and collection of students attending these activities. This includes providing breakfast/afternoon tea as required.

We hosted a dinner for students while parents attended the meet the teacher night last week, we had a great time and look forward to hosting similar events on parent teacher interview nights, as well as a date night for parents – keep an eye out for details.

Our vacation care program is here, please find a copy of our brochure attached.

Best of luck for week 4 and 5,
The Helping Hands Windsor Team

Vacancy- School Crossing Supervisors

A casual position exists for a School Crossing Supervisor at Windsor State School.

Some pre-employment conditions apply. Currently recruiting for 5 days per fortnight however the suitable candidate may be required to work up to five days per week in all weather conditions, 1 hour 30 mins per day on a rostered basis.

The current rate of pay is $28.18 per hour.

Commencement of work for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a health assessment.
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position)

Closing date for applications: As soon as possible

Completed applications should be returned to:

The Business Service Manager
Windsor State School
Harris Street
Windsor Qld 4030