19 September 2018

Newsletter Articles

Across the Principal's Desk...

WINDSOR FEST SUCCESS!

I hope that you have all recovered after the big event on Saturday.

I cannot thank the school community enough for the massive effort in making this year’s Windsor Fest yet another enormous success.

Many, many thanks to the Organising Committee consisting of Mary-Lou Grohn, Coreena Clubb and their army of volunteers and stall convenors for their outstanding efforts.

It is a huge undertaking and the way in which they went about the organising and coordinating with what appeared to be a sense of calmness was fantastic.

A big thanks to the P&C Executive and the many volunteers, both past and present parents and other family members, who stepped up to coordinate or work on a stall.

Huge thanks also go to Kirsty Taylor and the many other volunteers in the office who spent the entire day counting money behind the scenes.

To all of the teachers and aides who assisted in creating the awesome performances by the children, from the individual groups to the choir, strings and many, many more…. what an amazing effort.

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors for their ongoing support this year and in many years gone by. This includes our Gold Sponsor - Garry Jones from Harcourt Solutions, our Silver Sponsors - Lutwyche City and Councillor Andrew Wines and our Bronze Sponsors – QScan, Windsor Chiropractic, Genesis Fitness Club, Trevor Evans MP, Roasters Coffee and Churchill Real Estate. We cannot do it without you.

Yet another very successful community event for our school and local area. Thanks to everyone who attended and what amazing weather we had as well!

Early next term, we should have the final figures for funds raised through Windsor Fest. Make sure you attend October’s P&C meeting to hear this update and other avenues for providing your feedback on the event.

HOLIDAYS ARE HERE

As I always say, the term has flown by so fast and there have been so many outstanding events, programs and learning experiences for our children over the past 10 weeks. The students and staff have worked incredibly hard and I would struggle to find a more dedicated group of people to work alongside. You too as parents form the third aspect of this critical school community partnership in your child’s education. Thank you for your continued support.

To finish the term on a really positive note, over the weekend I was in conversation with a person who manages several childcare centres around our immediate area and she was very quick to tell me that amongst the parents who have children attending her centres, our school has an outstanding reputation. Personally and professionally I would expect nothing less, it is just heartening to hear this unsolicited from a member of the wider community. We have a wonderful reputation as a school community which has such a positive, forward thinking and supportive culture. Thanks to all who make this a reality!

MR KEONG ON LEAVE

Mr Keong will be on some well-deserved long service leave next term and will be enjoying a trek across India. We wish him well on his travels and look forward to his return on Monday 5 November (Week 5). Mrs Lesley Tomkinson will be assisting the leadership team in Mr Keong’s absence.

WHO WOULD BE A TEACHER?

In a recent newsletter, I wrote about why we are losing teachers from the profession. Without labouring the point, I found an interesting article in the newspaper recently, which gave some insight and support to the cause. I have attached it for you below.

Please have a safe and much needed break if you are taking time out and we will see you when school resumes on Monday 8 October.

Grant Baker
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Playground and Quadrangle Before and After School

A reminder that children are not to play on the playgrounds or in the quadrangle 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). The quadrangle is not a play space before school. If in the quadrangle, students are to wait with their parent/carer. All other students are to be in the supervised

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.

GALA DAYS – Week 1, 2 and 3 of Term 4

FOR STUDENTS IN YEAR 4, 5 AND 6, SPORTS GALA DAYS are: Friday 12 October, Friday 19 October and Friday 26 October 2018. The back-up day for wet weather is Friday 2 November. Students will compete in games from 9.30am-2.30pm.

Students must have a hat, full water bottle and sunscreen to take to Gala Days.

The Year 4 students will participate in the 2nd and 3rd Gala Days, due to Year 4 Camp.

The sports are:

• AFL (played at O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere)
• Girls Touch (played at Shaw Park, Wooloowin)
• Boys Touch (played at Gibson Park, Stafford)
• Cricket (played at Shaw Park, Wooloowin)
• Baseball (played at Hendra All Stars)
• Flipperball (played at various locations)

In order to attend, the online Permission/Medical Form must be completed.

RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR & CODE OF CONDUCT

Why you should give your children the gift of boredom…

By Gillian Harvey

Left to their own devices, children grow in resilience and gain skills – including learning how to entertain themselves

Remember the summer holidays when you were at school? How you and your friends had the opportunity to learn a new sport, brush up on your maths for September or take advantage of a plethora of educational and recreational opportunities? How your parents would spend hours planning your break in order for you to get the most out of your teacher-free time?

No? Me neither. In fact, like many of my generation, I spent most of the long break wondering what on earth to do with myself. Other than 10 days in misty Cornwall, much of my summer was spent with my mum and siblings at home in Bedfordshire, complaining of boredom, getting into petty squabbles and feeling that I must be missing out on something more exciting.

ENROL NOW FOR PREP 2019!

Have you got a child born between 1 July 2013 and 30/6/2014? 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 2019 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, at:

I ask all parents currently at the school with siblings due to start school in 2019 to ensure enrolment forms are completed as soon as possible.

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.

Jump Rope for Heart

Windsor State School is participating in the Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart program and we would love your support! The House Captains are running this exciting initiative. Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart is an exciting and non-competitive program which encourages children to become more active through skipping, learning new skills and raising vital funds for heart research and community health programs. We also receive 10 per cent of the funds raised to use here at school. Jump Rope for Heart is also a great way to encourage children to get involved in our community and support Australia’s leading heart health charity, the Heart Foundation.

If you choose to register your child online, a secure fundraising page will be created as soon as you register, and you can then share this link with as many people as possible. This is an easy, safe way for your child to monitor their progress, receive bonus prizes and even receive sponsorship from family and friends who are further afield. Please be mindful of Cyber Safety when setting up your child’s registration page. For example, you do not need to display full name/s or photos on your child’s sponsorship page.

As students raise money, they not only help support the Heart Foundation and the school, but they are also rewarded with exciting Thank You Prizes! These include skipping ropes, soccer balls and even trampolines and flying cars! Thank you for joining us in the fight against heart disease!

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.

Walking Wheeling Wednesday EVERY Wednesday! Let’s get active Winsor!!
The classes with the most Active Travellers last fortnight are:
Week 6&7:
4B, 3A and 3B!

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!

Follow Windsor SS on Facebook & Twitter!

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