28 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

Across the Principal’s Desk…

Choosing Schools

I am regularly asked by parents to offer up recommendations about which school to send their child to for secondary education. Without doubt, the single most important factor in making such a decision is to ensure that the school is the best fit for your child and you are avoiding trying to make your child fit the school. Sure, there will be ups and downs in any schooling system in relation to student achievement and happiness. Life itself doesn’t allow for everything to be perfect and there being no barriers present as we navigate our personal and professional experiences. Obviously we use the best information we have at the time to make an informed decision.

I found the article as attached very helpful in posing some initial questions or points to consider when selecting a school. What we need to remember is that, like in life and society, a school should be a microcosm of the former and reflect the diversity and experiences we want our children to have to enable them to become well rounded citizens.

We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful selection of state and private schools in the Windsor area. It really is about which one will suit your child best.

P&C Executive

Congratulations to the P&C members below who were elected, or re-elected, onto the P&C Executive at the recent AGM-

President- Craig Thompson
Vice President- Tracy Mills
A/Secretary- Jen Allen
Treasurer- Kirsten Tengbom

Thanks also to the many parents who stepped up again to take on roles within the sub committees of the P&C. Without these volunteers, our school community would be without numerous services including uniform shop, swim club, tuckshop, social events, supporters groups and the Windsor Fest.

I am looking forward once again to working closely with the team to raise funds and provide social opportunities for our school community.

Some Reminders

I have been really pleased to see that our students have settled into school really well to start off the year. Whilst most of the points I will raise below are in the parent handbook, I feel that it is timely for me to just provide some important reminders:

• Please ensure that your child is wearing a helmet if riding to and from school. Whilst it is only law to do so when on a bike, I have seen many who wear one when on a scooter or skateboard too.
• Students are not to be playing before school in the playgrounds unless supervised by an adult. We expect that if they are walking to school etc., that they would come directly to school and not leave the grounds for any reason.
• All students must wait under A Block area when they arrive at school from 8:30am onwards, with the exception of students who are with their parents who can be supervised in their own year level areas.
• All students need to be wearing full school uniform each day unless otherwise informed by their teacher for special occasions. This includes a broad brimmed or bucket hat.
• Please ensure that your child is at school by 8:45am when the first bell rings. We want all students seated and ready for learning at 8:50am. Arriving late can mean that they miss out on important instructions and information about the day ahead in the classroom.
• If you take your child out of school for an extended holiday during school term time, it is not the responsibility of the class teacher to ‘catch up’ your child on work which may have been missed. If it is for a period of over 10 days of school which they will be absent, you must complete an exemption from school form which can be completed at the school office, which I will then sign off.
• Please ensure that all dogs are tethered outside the school as they are not to be on school property. It is best to ensure they are a good distance away from the entrance points and are on a short leash so they cannot run at a passing student or adult.

Thank you for attending to these important points which allow our school to run smoothly and efficiently.

Have a great 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 .

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR & CODE OF CONDUCT

Pastoral Care: Habits of the Mind!!

There are 12 ways of thinking or attitudes, called Habits of the Mind, that we focus on in Pastoral Care sessions and class, that help young people to be Confident, Persistent, Organised, to Get Along and to become Emotionally Resilient.

When building Confidence in kids, we discuss the importance of these ways of thinking:

Be Independent- thinking that it’s important for you to try new activities and to speak up even if your classmates think you’re silly or stupid. It means thinking that it’s not awful when people laugh at what you do and knowing that “I can stand it”.

Taking Risks- means thinking that it’s good to try something new even though you might make some mistakes.

Accepting Myself- means not thinking badly about yourself when you make a mistake or when someone is mean to you.

When focussing on Organisation, we discuss with children the importance of:

Setting Goals- thinking that setting a goal to do your best in school helps you be successful. It means thinking you have a better chance of achieving good marks and results when short term goals are set.

Planning My Time- means thinking about making sure you understand what your teacher wants you to do before you start working and writing down when homework and projects are due. It means thinking about the different parts of the project or assignment and making sure you plan enough time to get each part done.

When focussing on Getting Along with others, we discuss:

Social Responsibility- means thinking that it’s important to be caring, to try hard to do your best, to be fair to others, to make sure that everyone has the freedom to say what they think and feel without fear, to be honest and tell the truth, to have integrity by making sure that you do what you say you are going to do, to respect others and have nice manners, to act responsibly by making good choices, to sort out problem without fighting, to care about nature, other living things and the environment and to be understanding and include others who are different.

Playing by the Rules- means thinking that by following school rules, school will be a better place to live and learn and that you will stay out of trouble and be more successful if you do. It also reminds children that games are more successful, and there are fewer arguments, when there are rules to follow.

Being Tolerant of Others- means thinking that, when someone is mean to you or is different from you, he or she is not a totally bad person. It means thinking that you need to find out more about the person, to understand them. It also means not wanting to “get back” at the person if they do something wrong by you.

Thinking First- means that when someone acts badly or unfairly, before you take action, you: (a) think of the alternative courses of action; (b) think of the consequences of different actions you can take; and (c) predict the impact your actions may have on the feelings of the other person.

Emotional Resilience means knowing how to stop yourself from getting extremely angry, down or worried when something “bad” happens. It means being able to calm down and feel better when you get very upset. It also means being able to control your behaviour when you are very upset so that you bounce back from difficulty and return to work or play.

For example:

• When someone treats you unfairly, inconsiderately or disrespectfully you can stop yourself from getting too angry and lashing out.
• When you make mistakes, do not understand something, get a bad school report or are teased or ignored, you can stop yourself from getting very down and withdrawing.
• When you have an important test or activity to perform, you can stop yourself from getting extremely worried.
• When you want to meet someone new, you can stop yourself from getting extremely worried.
• When someone is putting pressure on you to do the wrong thing, you can stop yourself from getting extremely worried about what the person will think if you stand up and say “no”!

Positive Habits of Mind that Develop a Young Person’s Emotional Resilience include:

• Accepting Myself
• Taking Risks
• Being Independent
• I Can Do It
• Working Tough
• Being Tolerant of Others

Emotional Resilience results from the development of the self-regulatory skills of:

• Finding something fun to do
• Finding someone to talk to
• Relaxation
• Exercise
• Solving the problem
• Challenging negative to positive self-talk
• Not blowing things out of proportion

These are great discussion starters for parents and children at home!!

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

This week, through your email you would have received a copy of the 2018 Religious Instruction update letter and permission slip to inform you about the religious instruction (RI) arrangements in 2018. This document can also be opened by clicking the link at the end of this article. Religious Instruction for 2018 will commence on Tuesday 6th February.

If you wish to make any changes to your current preferences regarding your child’s participation in RI or other instruction, please complete the bottom section of the form. If there are no changes to be made, there is no need to return the form to the school.

Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs. Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, schools are to provide RI each week if approached by a faith group seeking to provide RI and students of that faith attend the school.

RI informs students about the beliefs and values of a particular religion. It is delivered by volunteers of a faith group using instructional materials approved by that faith group. These materials are not part of the formal school curriculum and are not endorsed by the Department of Education.

All RI instructors must hold a blue card and participate in compulsory Student Protection and Code of Conduct training. RI instructors are only entitled to deliver the RI program outlined below. A school staff member will be present during the delivery of RI.

Participation in RI is not compulsory. Any student (except Prep students) may participate in RI if a parent has given consent and indicated a religion on the Application for Student Enrolment Form or in other written advice to the principal. A parent, regardless of their own faith (if any), may choose to give consent for their child to participate in one of the RI programs listed below.

Any child not participating in RI, or whose nominated religion is not represented within the RI program at the school, will receive other instruction by a qualified member of school staff in a separate location during the time RI is held. Other instruction will relate to subject areas that have already been covered in class.

At any time, parents may provide written instruction to the principal to change their preference for their child to participate in or be withdrawn from RI. If a parent does not update their consent by completing and returning this form, their previous written instructions to the school will continue to apply.

The faith groups that provide religious instructors to deliver the program at our school are listed below, including links to the website for materials to be used in RI at our school:

The aims and objectives of the co-operative Christian RI program is to inform students about the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. Lesson aims and overviews for each of the RI programs to be used in this agreement are available via the link in the table above.

Further details about our school’s RI program and other instruction are available on the school’s website and in the school’s parent handbook. You may also wish to access the Department’s RI policy statement available at the link below for further information.

There is a small charge to cover the cost of the student activity book to be used in RI as listed below. Parents of participating students will be invoiced for the following year level cost:

Year 1: $5.25 Years 2 and 3: $3.45 Year 4: $3.80 Years 5 and 6: $4.95

Please do not make payment until an invoice is issued.

You will also be notified of any changes to RI or other instruction.

Our school’s Christian RI Coordinator Mrs Karen Grenning is available to answer any questions you may have about the program. You can contact Mrs Grenning at grenning@bigpond.net.au or you may make an appointment to meet with her in the school office. Copies of the RI Teacher’s Manuals and Student Workbooks are also available now in the school office for parents to peruse.

If you would like further information about RI or other instruction at our school, or require assistance with completing the form that can be opened below, please contact us at admin@windsorss.eq.edu.au.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

This week, each child will bring home a School Photo letter and ordering envelope. Queensland School Photography will be taking all school photographs on the following dates:

Thursday 22nd of March and Friday 23rd March

Students should wear their correct formal school uniform which is the check shirt or dress, along with black shoes and white socks. They should not be wearing the sports uniform.

To ensure a smooth running day, please note that all photograph orders are pre-paid and PAYMENT ENVELOPES MUST BE RETURNED TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON PHOTOGRAPH DAY ONLY – NO EXCEPTIONS. PAYMENT ENVELOPES ARE NOT TO BE HANDED IN TO THE OFFICE OR CLASS TEACHER PRIOR TO PHOTO DAY.

Follow these steps to order:

• Complete student details on the order envelope – please fill in one envelope for each child.
• You may pay by cash, cheque, money order or credit card. If you have two or more children attending you may include the payment in one envelope. Please note clearly in the box provided whose envelope the payment is in as every child ordering photos must hand in their own envelope.
• Online Orders- visit www.qldschoolphotography.com.au to order. Reference number must be recorded on envelope and handed to photographers on the photography day.
• Cheques are to be made payable to Queensland School Photography with your name, address and phone number written on the back.
• Tick the box for the package required.
• Enclose the correct payment (change cannot be given).
• Each student is to hand their individual envelope to the photographer.
• Parents wanting to have their children photographed together, please collect a family envelope from the school office and bring the completed envelope along with your children to the Hall from 7:30am on either photo day. Please note that if you are ordering sibling photos online, online orders close at 4pm the day before photography. Alternatively, please hand your envelope to the photographer with cash/cheque before school on photo day.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with the photos taken of your child, Queensland School Photography will provide a full refund. Queensland School Photography will accept late orders for individuals and group photographs; however a late fee to cover processing will apply. If you have any questions, or wish to place a late group order, please feel free to contact Queensland School Photography customer service department on 3216 6777.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Windsor State School Cross Country will be held on Wednesday 21st March 2018. Further information about the program for the day will be sent home shortly. Please see below for the distances for each age group:

Short Course Fun Run: Preps
One Lap Fun Run – 1000m: 8, 7 and 6 year olds
Two Lap Cross Country – 2000m: 9 and 10 year olds
Three Lap Cross Country – 3000m: 11 and 12 year olds

In preparation for Cross Country, optional training sessions are being held on the bottom oval on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8.00am – 8.45am from Wednesday 28th March until Friday 16th March.

PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Parent Teacher interviews will be held for all year levels on the afternoon/evening Tuesday 13th March 2018. Interviews will be of ten minutes duration. For these interviews we will be using an internet-based booking system. Further information about when and how to book will be sent home shortly.

ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL

National Ride to School Day – Friday 23th March 2018

National Ride2School Day aims to show school communities that riding to school is an easy and fun activity. Fruit and iced water will be available at the hall canteen between 8 to 8:30am for all students and parents who ride, walk, carpool or use public transport to get to school on Friday 16 March. All Active School Travellers can go into a raffle draw. Prizes kindly donated by 99 Bike Windsor store. To celebrate the day an extra stamp will also be recorded in each child's Active Travel Passport.

Volunteers will be needed to help out with this event from 7:45am. If you are able to assist please email Natasha at heard.natasha@yahoo.com

Remember that when riding a bike you are required by law to wear an approved helmet securely fitted and fastened.

Did you know? It is legal to cycle on the footpath in Queensland (unless otherwise signed) but remember to always keep to the left.

Walking Wheeling Wednesday EVERY Wednesday! Let’s get active Windsor!!

The class with the most Active Travellers this week is 1B. Congratulations!

Classes that deserve to be highly commended are Prep D, 3A and 3D!

Don’t forget to choose an active way to travel to school that keeps the cars off the road!

QParents

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!

Have you registered for QParents yet?

QParents is a secure app that provides parents of Queensland State School students with a new and exciting avenue of communication with your school. Join the thousands of parents who have already registered to gain 24 hour direct access to your child’s information and communicate with school easily and efficiently.

Don’t have time to go in to school and pay an invoice? Have a family holiday coming up and need to let the school know you’ll be away? Want to have access to your child’s report cards quickly and easily? With the QParents portal, you have access to everything via a single, clear student dashboard.

You can also request updates or changes to student details such as providing reasons for past unexplained absences, advising the school of future absences, notifying the school of changes to student address and medical conditions and viewing and paying outstanding invoices.

Please contact the office on 3866 4333 if you require any further information or assistance.

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.

Musical 2018- Peter Pan Jr.

Congratulations to all students who successfully achieved a part in the 2018 School Musical, Peter Pan Jr.

Rehearsal start next week, Week 7, and will take place in the Hall on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 3pm-4:15pm.

Only students participating in the musical are permitted to attend rehearsals. Alternative care arrangements for supervision of siblings must be made. Any student present at after school Musical rehearsals, who is not a cast member, will be sent to the office and parents contacted to collect.