2024, T3Wk6, Kilcoy State School Newsletter
18.08.2024
Acknowledgment of Country
This newsletter comes to you from Jinibara Land. In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples today. We are thankful to be able to work, learn and play on Jinibara land.
KSS Vision & Values
"We believe that all members of the Kilcoy State School community have the right to work, learn and play in a safe and inclusive environment."
Our STAR values are:
SAFETY - Taking Responsibility - Active Learning - Respect
Principal's welcome
Dear Parents and Carers
Last week, we participated in the National Week of Action against Bullying, learning about what bullying is and how we can all contribute to the prevention of bullying. It was great to hear our students talking about how they can stick together to overcome adversity and that they can play an active positive role helping others.
Our next P&C Meeting is on Wed 4/9 at 4.00pm in the Resource Centre (Library). The P&C represents your voice in the direction and support of our school and we urgently need more parents to participate. You are welcome to bring your children as we have a space for them to play in while we meet.
Please read the P&C section of this newsletter for more information about the new Fun Run date, Father's Day Stall and the Kilcoy State School Family Recipe project
Safety Alert Reminder: As mentioned in the last newsletter, all Prep students are to be collected from the Prep doors, by parents/carers or a responsible older sibling. Staff are not able to walk Prep students to the Stop, Drop and Go, or other locations. Parents and Carers are required to park and walk into the grounds. We thank you for your support in this important safety issue.
Book Week is here! Our staff and students always love Book Week and this year looks to be no different! With a variety of activities engaging kids in reading and exploring books, our Book Week is designed to capture the interest of all. Our students are all visiting the Book Fair in the Resource Centre, making wish lists to take home to share with parents in the hope that they may be allowed to purchase a beautiful book to keep. Parents are also able to visit the Book Fair to purchase -one parent told me they use it as a good opportunity to start their Christmas shopping early! This week, you'll also be able to see the Teacher Wish Lists and, should you wish, purchase something from their list to donate to your child's class, specifically.
Finally, our Book Week Character Parade is on Thursday this week in the hall, from 9.15am onwards, Parents are very welcome to come in and join the fun. We look forward to awarding prizes in a variety of categories including Best Homemade Costume - that's my favourite category. Please don't feel you need to go and purchase a costume.
Student work showcasing, and the associated 'good feels' that come from trying hard.
I'm always particularly excited to see students arriving in the office, bringing their work to showcase. They have inevitably tried really hard and had experienced success in their learning. The pride with which they explain their thoughts and detail what they have been working on makes me proud as a principal! The Year 3/4 students are regular visitors at the office for this reason and it was with great pleasure that I met with Winzor and Eljay recently to discuss their ongoing work in English.
-Mrs Nash.
Occupational violence and aggression
Violence or aggression at work refers to any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. This includes violence or aggression directed at staff by students.
The Department of Education takes this issue very seriously and has recently developed a new draft strategy to support education staff to stay safe. More information will be shared about this soon so that we can, as a community, work together to ensure our staff are safe from occupational violence and aggression while at work. This is relevant for all schools.
Spotlight on Attendance
Our whole school current attendance rate is 89.9%
Prep: 90.01%
Year 1: 88.73%
Year 2: 90.44%
Year 3: 90.70%
Year 4: 88.63%
Year 5: 90.29% <- Congratulations to Year 5 for increasing!
Year 6: 90.55%
If your child will be absent, please make sure you call the absence line on (07) 5422 3366 to let us know why they are away so that it can be recorded accurately.
Our goal is for every child to be in attendance, every day.
Deputy Principal: Mrs Webster
No one succeeds without support. We cannot have a newsletter without acknowledging the late nights/early mornings watching the excitement of the Olympics. For me, it was the interviews after the event that really captured my attention. I couldn't help but get drawn into the outpouring of emotion from the athletes. Relief, elation, shock, pride. There are so many emotions and feelings in one medal. What really struck me was that every athlete thanked their parents, partners and/or family. This was a universal message. After winning a medal, the first people that came to mind was their families. The commitment and hard work didn't only come from the athletes themselves, but also from their families. 1500m silver medalist, Jessica Hull's brother, commented that it was worth being dragged to all those race meets as a child to support his sister! His heartfelt tribute after the race displayed the pride and excitement for his sister's achievement. It is the same for children at school. The more parents support children in the learning, the more they will learn. Reading every night with your child will help your child learn. The Olympic athletes can't do it alone and neither can our children.
It is pleasing to see the Prep students' writing taking off! Please see the photos below of some rhyming sentences that include the sounding out of words, finger spaces and full stops.
-Mrs Webster
Science Week
Each year, our staff and students put together a Science Expo, showcasing their work in science and demonstrating our collective love of it! Led by Mrs Maguire (1/2A teacher) with a supporting grant from the Australian Science Teachers Association, the hall is set up as an Expo and all classes get to visit and explore the wonders of science! Everyone gets to place a vote for their favourite display and prizes are awarded. This year, we invited members of all the local societies we could contact, with several being available to attend. It was so lovely to read the glowing feedback emailed to us by the Kilcoy Hospital Auxiliary Secretary, Judy Crawford-Raby. If your local society or group did not get an invite, please email me (principal@kilcoyss.eq.edu.au) so that I can include you for our next event. Primary school life is all about community and our students love the opportunity to show what they are doing.
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
Our Term 3 focus is: Active Learning
Active learners are characterised by their engagement and willingness to take responsibility for their own learning. They actively participate in the learning process and think critically about the material they are studying. Active learning also involves higher-order processing and critical thinking skills, which help students expand their knowledge and develop cognitive and social-emotional skills.
Active learners are curious and have the ability to identify gaps in their knowledge, actively seeking out missing information. They are also inclined to explore and ask questions, demonstrating a desire to learn and improve their understanding.
Active learners are motivated, engaged, and take an active role in their own learning process, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
In the third column below, you can see what our school-wide positive behaviour expectations are for students, in order for them to be Active Learners.
Sports News
It's been a huge couple of weeks lately with sport, between district athletics and speed soccer the students have had a blast competing against students from other schools and having fun in a team environment.
Just a reminder, if you have any rep shirts still at home or in school bags, can you please remind your child tdrop them into the office ASAP
P&C News
Term 3 is coming to an end really fast, but we still have a few more things to get through.
Thank you to everyone who has placed your Funrun prize orders. They should arrive within the next couple of weeks to ensure you receive them before the school holidays. We also want to thank everyone for being so understanding and supportive during the rescheduling of the funrun. Our BIG SHOW will be bigger and better than before! Our new date is 29th August 2024.
Everyone should have already received the email regarding the KSS Recipe Book project. Thank you to all families who have already submitted recipes.
If you haven't done so already, please use the below template to input your family recipe and email it to the email address below:
Feel free to attach a family photo or photo of the meal with your recipe.
The plan is to compile all recipes as soon as possible, open QKR up for preorders of the recipe book and have it ready for distribution early to mid Term 4. We will endeavour to keep the cost as low as possible, aiming for $15-$20. This price will be dependent on printing prices and how many recipes we receive; more information regarding pricing etc will be available at a later date.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. We cannot wait to see all the fabulous recipes so please keep them coming!
Our Father's Day stall will be held from Tuesday 27- Thursday 29 August. Classes will be able to visit on the Tuesday and the stall will be open Wed/Thur AM or PM depending on volunteer availability. Please do not send more than $15 with your child on class visit day and if you can spare some time to volunteer, please let the office know.
Our next P&C Meeting is this week, on Wed 4/9 at 4.00pm in the Resource Centre (Library).
- KSS P&C Committee
Inclusion Support
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As we move into the second half of the term, it remains important to focus on the wellbeing of our students. This period can be particularly demanding, with assessments, school projects, and the general busyness that often accompanies the end of term. As an Inclusion Support Teacher, I want to highlight the importance of maintaining a strong focus on your child’s wellbeing during this time.
How You Can Support Your Child
Encourage open communication: Make time to talk with your child about how they’re feeling. Whether they’re excited, anxious, or feeling overwhelmed, knowing they can share their thoughts with you can be incredibly reassuring.
Promote a balanced routine: Help your child maintain a healthy balance between schoolwork and downtime. Encourage them to take breaks, engage in physical activities, and pursue hobbies that bring them joy.
Prioritise rest and good nutrition: Ensure your child is getting enough sleep and eating well. Proper rest and nutrition are fundamental to their physical and mental health, especially during busy times.
Celebrate Effort, Not Just Achievement: Acknowledge and praise your child’s effort and progress, regardless of the outcome. This can boost their self-esteem and encourage them to keep going, even when things get tough.
We understand that every child is unique, and their needs will vary. If you notice your child struggling or if you have concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to support both you and your child, and together, we can ensure that they finish the term feeling positive, resilient, and ready to take on new challenges.
- Mrs Harriet McVeigh.
Literacy, Numeracy and EAL/D Support
Literacy Rotation Time – A visit to the Prep A classroom.
Literacy Rotation Time is more than just part of the day in the Prep A classroom, it is an adventure into the world of words.
On entering the classroom, the first thing you notice is how the room is carefully organized into distinct areas, each dedicated to a different literacy activity. At one table, the students gathered around Mrs Preston as she guided them through a reading activity. I could see how each child was hanging onto every word, their fingers tracing the lines of text as they eagerly anticipated what would happen next. Across the room, Mrs Ladroma led the students with a phonics game. I could hear them blending sounds together and saw their faces beam with pride when they got it right. Mrs Peisley was at the writing station. It was amazing to see how focused and serious the students were about writing their words precisely and constructing sentences. On an adjacent table, the students worked independently matching sounds and pictures and building words.
What struck me most during my visit was the way the children moved seamlessly from one activity to the next, each one eager to dive into the next part of the rotation. There was a sense of routine and familiarity, but also of excitement and discovery. As I left the classroom, I couldn’t help but feel inspired. Literacy Rotation not only engages the children in meaningful learning but also fosters a sense of independence and collaboration. It is clear that these young students are not just learning to read and write—they are developing a lifelong love for literacy, one that will serve them well for years to come.
Kind regards, Mrs Karen Burton. Literacy, Numeracy and EAL/D Support
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. If you have any suggestions for content, please forward them to admin@kilcoyss.eq.edu.au
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