25 July 2018

Newsletter Articles

Across the Principal’s Desk…

Student Conferences

As previously communicated, the Semester 1 report cards will be followed with a student/parent/teacher conference. Bookings for the conferences are now open. Click here to book your interview through SessionKeeper. All interviews will be conducted in the hall. The dates and times for the student conferences are as follows:

Wednesday 1st August 2018: 3.20pm – 6.00pm
Thursday 2nd August 2018: 3.20pm – 8.00pm

The intent of this process is to help build students’ metacognitive strategies to help them develop awareness of their own learning, to self-regulate and to drive and sustain their motivation to learn. Research shows that this approach has a significant impact equivalent to 8 additional months of progress (effect size). The following article provides further detail about the impact of building such metacognition in students. You can read this below.

Professor John Hattie (formerly University of Auckland) in recent years has published a revised list of the most effective influences on student achievement, which identifies student self-reporting as the most significant indicator linked to raised student achievement. Two other international researchers, Black & Wiliam, further comment, "the process of students reflecting on their learning, through effective questioning that promote student thinking, is integral to classroom assessment practices that enhance student learning".

If the focus is to be kept on learning, and the ownership of the learning with the child, then the best person to talk about the learning is the learner. Not only is the student the best person to tell their parents/carers what they have learnt, but if we believe that students build their knowledge by communicating what they know, then providing opportunities for the students to tell their family what they know, can significantly assist with that learning. (Absolum, 2006)

In helping to strengthen the partnership between the learner, the teacher and the parent/carer, we believe student conferences promote some ways learning can also be supported at home.

The Pastoral Care focus for all year levels in the first two weeks has linked to “Organisation”, specifically the “Setting Goals” habit of mind. During this time, students have spent this time with their teacher and preparing for the student conferences.

If you need assistance in booking an interview time, please refer to the step by step guide below on 'How to Book Appointments with SessionKeeper'.

Thank you for supporting your child/ren with this new and exciting initiative.

School Athletics Carnivals

Thank you to everyone who helped out and was involved with the recent P-2 and 3-6 sports days. They were a huge success and the children loved seeing mums and dads there supporting and cheering them on. Thanks also go to Jim, Laura and the number of parents who volunteered their time in the BBQ to serve drinks and sausages.

MUSICAL SUCCESS...Peter Pan Jr. a triumph!

A MASSIVE thanks to all staff, students and parents who were involved in this year's musical, Peter Pan Junior. The two performances were just spectacular with all of the students doing a great job - whether it was on stage, back stage or in the sound and lighting booth! We acknowledged and celebrated their achievements during the ACE Awards parade last term.

Online Permission Forms

We are currently trialling the use of online permission forms via Schoolzine. We have previously used a similar approach this year for camp EOIs and have now trialled it for a few other events, i.e. the Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival. So far the feedback from parents has been very positive and we received over 70% of student permission for some events in just 4 days. The online forms generate a spreadsheet of responses which can be emailed to classroom teachers regularly in order for them to track who has/has not got permission. If you have any feedback on how we could improve this process, please contact me at school or send me an email.

Grant Baker
Principal

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR & CODE OF CONDUCT

Is your child Procrastinating?

Research tells us

Recent research has focused on illuminating differences between high and low procrastinators in terms of their emotional states and patterns of thinking. Some kids who procrastinate are likely to have a fear of failure that includes anxiety about meeting the expectations of their parents, teachers, and friends, a lack of self-confidence and assertiveness skills, as well as low self-esteem.

An even larger group of students procrastinate due to the unpleasantness of the task. Rather than worrying about not being successful, these kids are turned off by the boredom and frustration they experience while working on the task. High academic procrastinators can experience more anxiety, and are more likely to attribute their success to external and fleeting circumstances rather than their own ability and effort. They often lack a strong belief in their ability to be successful at the homework they’re putting off, and appear to have less control over their emotional reactions.

Ripping up excuses

If your child keeps putting off doing schoolwork:

• It’s very likely that he or she is pretty talented at making up excuses for why they haven’t done the work.
• They’ve made up the excuse so they don’t have to feel guilty about procrastinating.
• An excuse is often a rationalisation to protect them.
• The most popular excuse is : ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’
• By making an excuse, kids lull themselves into a false sense of comfort and security by imagining the task will be done tomorrow.

Techniques to teach kids who are putting off doing their school assignments or homework

• Knock-out technique. The harder and more boring the work, the better it is to do it immediately. Help to identify the homework where this technique can apply.
• Worst-first approach. Identify the most difficult aspect of homework and do that first. Sometimes kids won’t do the easiest part of the homework due to anxiety about having to do the most difficult. Ask your child to describe what he has to do and tell you which activities are the hardest and make a start on these immediately.
• Bits and Pieces approach. Kids can easily feel overwhelmed by homework, especially if they’re a perfectionist. Encourage them to make a start, and work from there, doing more and more until homework doesn’t seem so impossible.
• Salami technique. Just as salami tastes better eaten in small pieces, so two a large project broken down into simpler pieces.
• Remember-forget technique. If your child is forgetting what to do in homework, teach her that whenever she remembers forgetting to do something, to do at least some of it immediately.
• Five-minute plan. Getting started is easier if kids work on something for five minutes. Ask them to agree to work for another five and then another five. After fifteen minutes, they’ll be well into the homework.
• Switching. Switching encourages kids to learn to take the momentum they’ve gained from doing one activity they enjoy to immediately switching over to one they’ve been putting off. Time playing an app, to time doing homework.
• Premack procedure. As distinct from Switching, the Premack Procedure (names after the scientist who discovered it) involves kids selecting an activity they really enjoy and not allowing themselves to participate until after they’ve finished their homework.
• Referenting. Kids who procrastinate tend to think about the upside of not doing work and the downside of doing it. In Referenting, they reverse this pattern by writing down all the good things that will happen from doing work and all the bad thing from not. This list may need reviewing regularly!
• Establishing a set time. Encourage your child to schedule a set time to begin work ahead of time.
• Establishing priorities. Kids need to know which aspects of homework are most important and which are least. Ask your child to write down all the work due for completion in the next week. Then write down all the things he wants to do after school and on the weekend. Place a 1 next to most important, 2 next to fairly, and 3 next to not very.
• Isolation. Remove distractions, particularly any electronic devices. If they need to use the computer, sit with them and oversee.
• Visible Reminders. These can be printed notes on the bedroom door or electronic reminders. I can do it; Do it now; Put off putting off.

And finally, it almost goes without saying that if we as parents put off doing things we find boring or frustrating, our kids will learn from our example. So, be a good example your kids will learn from – put off, putting it off.

Check out the link below for more expert parenting advice from Professor Michael Bernard.

When Our Kids Get it Wrong - Why Criticism Won't Work, And What to Do Instead

by Karen Young, psychologist

One of the things that makes parenting so tough is that we don’t always see the effects of what we do straight away. Sometimes, getting it right can look the same as getting it wrong, and other times they can masquerade as each other. Are our boundaries too loose? Too tight? Do our words nurture their growth? Make them question their worth? Is this a time for consequences? Connection? How do I have both?

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Collecting data on school students with disability helps teachers, principals and education authorities support the participation of students with disability in schooling on the same basis as students without disability.

All Australian Governments have agreed to work together on the annual collection of data on school students with disability.

All Australian schools participate in this annual data collection.

The data provided to the Australian Government is aggregated data only. Please be reassured that the Department will not provide on to another organisation any data that can identify an individual student. The only data being collected at the school level to be reported nationally is the:

• the student’s year of schooling
• the student’s category of disability (physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional)
• the student’s level of adjustment (support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive adjustment).

Consultation with parents is important not only for the data collection but also to ensure you are aware of the adjustments being provided to support your child. We will therefore continue to consult with you.

The National Consistent Collection of data on School Students with a Disability is compulsory; all students must be included under the Australian Education Regulation 2013 .

See the 2018 Public Information Notice for more detailed information at the following link/

Further fact sheets are available at:

• Department’s website: http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/disability-data-collection.html
• Australian Government Department of Education website: http://education.gov.au/nationally-consistent-collection-data-school-students-disability

Alternatively, if you have any queries about the collection or use of this data I encourage you to contact an administrator directly.

STUDENT COUNCIL DISCO

The Student Council welcomes everyone back to the New Semester with a Disco on THURSDAY 9th AUGUST, the last Disco for 2018. This Disco helps to raise money to support our Year 6 trip to Canberra and the snow, so the theme for this disco is WINTER WONDERLAND!

Students are invited to dress up in their snow gear or even a snow man… get your white clothes ready and let your imagination run wild!

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). Pre-purchasing tickets makes it quicker and easier to get into the disco.

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. Food and drink will be on sale at the Disco.

Report Cards

Semester One Report Cards have now been emailed out to parents. Unfortunately, there seems to have been further issues with Bigpond and Yahoo email addresses. As a result, a number of parents may not yet have received their child's report card. All student report cards are now available through the QParents platform or you can request a printed copy at Admin.

If you have not received a copy of your child’s report card, please contact the Admin asap. If you have any questions about your child’s report card, please direct these to your child’s class teacher at next week’s Student Led Conferences.

QParents

Have you registered for QParents yet?

QParents is a secure app that provides parents of Queensland State School students with an easy avenue of communication with the 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.

Parents receive an invitation email and a Student ID card containing an EQ ID number to register.

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!

If you do not receive an invitation (QPAO), please contact the office on 3866 4333 if you require any further information or assistance.

Year Level Newsletters

Year level newsletters are being distributed via Schoolzine over the first two weeks of school. If you have any questions regarding the content of a year level newsletter, please contact your child’s class teacher. If you have not received your child’s year level newsletter by Week 3, please contact the Office to ensure that all contact details are up to date and accurate.

School Opinion Survey

The annual suite of School Opinion Surveys will be conducted 30 July to 24 August 2018. All families, school staff and a random sample of students will be invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what this school does well, and how this school can improve.

This fortnight, access details for the Parent/Caregiver Survey will be sent home with students. School computers will be available, upon request, for parents/caregivers who are unable to complete the survey at home.

Survey queries or requests for translations can be directed to admin@windsorss.eq.edu.au or (07) 3866 4333.

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.

Remember to watch out!

Driveways can be dangerous places. Make sure your children stop, look, listen and think before crossing a driveway. Please ensure that if you are walking in/out of the school with your child that you use the footpaths around the school, as walking through the carpark areas poses unnecessary risks for children and adults.

Remember the AST Crew’s four steps to safely cross the road are:

STOP - at least one metre from the kerb
LOOK - right, left and right again
LISTEN – for the sound of close traffic
THINK – is it safe to cross and am I holding and adult’s hand?

Parents, please practice these steps with your children EVERYTIME you cross the road.

As adults, we lead by example so it’s essential that we do the right thing when we cross the road. This year, everyone will have more opportunities to practice their road crossing skills when they leave the car at home and actively travel to and from school.

We have an Active School Travel meeting this Friday, 8am at Admin. Parents are most welcome to join this meeting and become involved in AST initiatives. Come along and help us plan our next celebration!

Walking Wheeling Wednesday EVERY Wednesday! Let’s get active Windsor!!
The classes with the most Active Travellers last fortnight are:
Week 1: 3B, 3E and 1C
Congratulations!

Children can claim their AST prizes by presenting their AST passports at the office after checking by their class teacher. Don’t forget to choose an active way to travel to school that keeps the cars off the road!

Illegal and dangerous parking

Parking rules and regulations are used throughout Brisbane to maintain the safety of all road users and pedestrians and also to ensure that street parking is available for all to use.

An illegally or dangerously parked vehicle, is any vehicle parked outside of Brisbane City Council's parking rules and regulations or any vehicle that maybe creating a public safety problem.

A vehicle that is parked illegally or dangerously can be issued with a parking fine or even towed.

Report illegal parking

To report an illegal or dangerously parked vehicle or if you think your vehicle has been towed, phone Council on 07 3403 8888.

Illegally parked cars around the school will be reported to Brisbane City Council every time!

CHESS CLUB

Reminder - 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 so 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.

INSTALL THE SCHOOLZINE ‘SZAPP’ ON YOUR PHONE?

Our newsletter is now available each fortnight either via email or by accessing the Schoolzine app. Details on how to download the app are available on the attached file.

Any families who are unable to access either the emails or app, please contact the school office.

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.

Enrichment Update

Term Three commences with 20 of our Year 3 and 4 students attending the Mini Festivals. It was so pleasing to see the energy and engagement of students participating in critical and creative thinking in the areas of Science, Writing, Coding, Design Thinking and Art. These students were among 240 other students from the 12 City Cluster Schools. I look forward to hearing more about their experiences in the coming weeks.

Innovators of Tomorrow Update

With Year 3, 5 and 6 camps held in term 3, Student led conferences, disco and the Ekka holiday, it has been decided to postpone Term 3’s Innovators of Tomorrow Program to Term 4 (week 2-6). Keep an eye out later in the term for program details.

Maker Space

Last year we were awarded a $10 000 grant from Advance Queensland to support developing our STEM agenda. From this grant we have been able to purchase robotic equipment, 3D Printers, design equipment and some amazing furniture for the Enrichment Room. Take a look at what we have been up to…

A huge thanks must be given to Advance Queensland for supporting the development of STEAM education. We can use this equipment to engage our students in Digital Technologies, Science, Maths, and the creative arts.

ICAS

There are 2 more ICAS tests to go.

English – THIS THURSDAY at 8am. Please ensure your child is at school at 7:50 to be ready for the 8am start.
Maths – August 16

With regard to the ICAS results, in the past we have waited until they have all been received before issuing the results. This year, they will be distributed to classes as we receive them. If your child has obtained a Distinction or High Distinctions I will hold onto their certificates and present to them at the end of year parade in December.

WindsorFest

Side Show Alley Prize Donations

With the EOFY sales commencing, please keep a look out for new items that can be used as prizes for the WindsorFest Sideshow Alley Prize Stall. People play side show alley games to win prize tickets, save those tickets up and they claim a prize of varying value/size. We will have prizes for just 1 ticket right up to extra-large sized prizes worth 30+ tickets.

Prizes worth 1 prize ticket are things like gel pens, a small pack of hair accessories (like 2 or 3 ponytail holders) etc. with values of up to $2 or $3. We need a range of items, item sizes, and multiples of one type of item are fine. Sometimes you can get better deals if you buy a bunch of one thing, if you ask the sales people. Prizes don’t have to be only toys. Hair accessories, stationery, board games, sports gear (balls, handballs, jump ropes), inexpensive jewellery (like little earrings, fun bracelets), and outdoor gear (small torches, backpacks), are all great prizes. We would rather prizes be good quality - something that might last and you wouldn’t mind seeing your own child bring home from a school fair!

Please place the items in the cardboard boxes labelled “Prize Stall” at the School Office.

Thanks in advance!

Rides, Rides, Rides!

We are excited to announce the rides for this year’s WindsorFest. We have some great rides, including traditional family favourites and a ride that’s new to QLD! The Kamikaze is a ride for thrill seekers and not often seen at school fairs.

Silent Auction and Raffle

We’re still looking for donations of:

• vouchers for restaurants
• vouchers for kids sports/music/activities
• beauty product gift packs
• sporting equipment
• vouchers for massage
• vouchers for hair or beauty treatments
• gym memberships
• tickets to sporting events or local attractions

Do you frequently visit a shop/restaurant/gym? We have a pre-written letter below that you can use as a template to approach businesses, just add the name at the top! Remember the event isn't until 15th Sept, so please ensure there's a long expiry date on any vouchers.

We have such a fabulous Windsor community, and this is a fantastic opportunity to promote local businesses within our school community. The business/prize donation will be promoted on our WindsorFest website which will be online until after the event and through the P&C facebook page.

If you can help at all or receive any donations, please send the details to windsorfest@windsorsspandc.com.au

A legitimate excuse to scare kids!

If you would like a legitimate excuse to scare children then we have an excellent opportunity to offer you. Please contact Amanda Keane at info@amandakeane.com.au if you would like to offer your assistance as a ‘scarer’ in our Hogwarts inspired haunted house.

Jam Jars

Can you please start collecting empty jars for jams and chutneys? We’ll let you know where you can drop them off soon. Alternatively, if you’re a whizz in this department, start making jams and chutneys for the P&C stall.

Call out for all plants and/or cuttings that you might be able to donate

• Do you have any plants that can be pulled out of the garden and placed in a pots, e.g. Agapanthus or Bromeliads, succulents or orchid pups, even mondo grass
• Any cuttings such as Dracaena, Frangipani, Geraniums, Yucca, Cordyline
• Pineapple tops or avocado seeds are welcome too

If we haven't mentioned a plant, or you think you might be able to help but are not sure how, please just send us an email. We are happy to answer any questions.

If you can pot them and look after them until the fair, we have plenty of pots to share. If you can provide the plants but are unable to care for them, then we are happy to accept your donation.

If you would like to donate plants or cuttings or require further information please contact:

Angela Kenyon 5A on angkenyon@hotmail.com
Katie Robinson PD on kr284@uowmail.edu.au

Get Involved!

If you want to know more about WindsorFest or want to get involved, please feel free to come along to our next planning meeting on Wed 27th June, 7pm in the Library.

We thank you for your support.

Commonwealth School Banking is in Jeopardy!

NO SCHOOL BANKING TUESDAY 31ST JULY.

For school banking to happen each week, 2 parent volunteers need to count the deposits being made. We are in desperate need of a parent volunteer to help out each Tuesday from 9 till 10.30, otherwise the children will no longer be able to do school banking. Do not hesitate to put your name forward if you have a pre prep child, as there is room for them to play while you are helping out.

Contact Alison Courtice on 0417 631 654 if you can help out or require further information.