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Sunset State School Newsletter
20 May 2009Thank you to
Dear Parents
ast week was a significant one for our Year 3,5,7 students as they participated in the National Literacy and Numeracy Tests. The students were involved in testing over the three days and did an outstanding job of applying themselves and trying their hardest. I had the opportunity to read some of the students’ writing from 7F and was extremely impressed with their creativity, spelling and sentence structure. Congratulations to our Year 3,5,7 teachers and teacher aides who did a great job of preparing our students and ensuring that the test was a positive experience.
ell done to those students who competed in the violin section of the Eisteddfod. The students have been learning the violin with Mrs Moore and did a wonderful job of representing our school. It is always exciting to see students learning to play an instrument at a young age. The study of music can help students to develop important skills that apply to all aspects of school life –
dedication, commitment and reflection! Our Choir is performing this evening. The session commences at 7:00 p.m. and is held at the Civic Centre. The students will be performing two pieces - the set song is ‘Best Friend’ and their chosen piece of ‘My Island Home’. The whole school was treated to a performance at parade on Monday and we were blown away by the talent that we heard. I can't wait to hear the children perform this evening - it would be wonderful to see as many Sunset families in the audience as possible. I hope to see you there.
iss Thompson has been working tirelessly to co-ordinate our Under 8’s celebration. Our P-3 teachers and teacher aides have a wide range of exciting activities planned for the students. The activities will be held in the Prep area starting at 8:45 am on Tuesday the 26th of May and finishing at around 10:30 am. Parents are more than welcome to come and join in the festivities - if you have younger children at home we would love to see them as well!
on't forget to visit our Library next week as it is Book Fair time! The Sunset school community always responds well to our Book Fair which results in new resources for our Library. Please see Mrs Potter for further information.
ur P&C is holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday the 2nd of June. The meeting will commence at 5:00 p.m. in our school Library. During the Annual General Meeting a new executive will be elected - the executive is comprised of a President, Treasurer and Secretary and without these three positions we are unable to continue to run our school tuckshop. Sunset's school tuckshop is a very popular service provided by our P&C. It would be such a shame for our families to loose this opportunity. Please take the time to consider becoming involved in our P&C. There are many benefits to your child and yourself as you play a role in decision making, get consulted in major projects and are provided with up to date and current information on everything that is happening.
Yours in education
Aderyn Chatterton
Dear Families
We would love you to come to our Jurassic Book Fair.
Join the fun and help encourage your child’s love of reading. Our Jurassic Book Fair is on May 25 to May 29 and will be open for viewing and sales, so you can visit as a family.
Every sale at the Jurassic Book Fair benefits our school. So join us in making our Jurassic
Book Fair a big success for our school.
Mrs Jenny Potter
Teacher-Librarian
TERM 2 2009 KEY DATES
May
Book Fair – 25th May to 29 May
FAMILY READING CHALLENGE
Attached to last week’s Newsletter was a poster “Make Every Minute of Every Day Count!” We encourage parents to read with their children every day for 15 minutes and to let children make their mark on an egg on the poster for each day you read together. Read with your kids and everyone wins!
NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME DAY
Sunset will be participating in National Simultaneous Storytime Day on May 27 in the Library during the Book Fair. Community and School Libraries around the country will be reading “Pete the Sheep” to children at 11.am on this day! Sunset will conduct its own Simultaneous Storytime with the story being read in the Library by Mrs Potter and also in the Games Room by Mr Campbell at 11.00 am.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The more we talk to our kids the brighter they will be. Television doesn’t talk to children, it talks at them and they can’t talk back, and talking back is what learning language is all about. One of the cosy effects of reading aloud is the private language that develops in families through shared book experience. The love children crave most is the love of their parents. Parents can show that love by giving children time to read aloud together, to talk to each other, and to bond.
Little kids and big ones love being read to. It is important for a child’s feelings of self-worth to be able to ‘read’ without really recognising the individual words at first.
- Reading is being able to make sense from the marks on the page.
- Reading is being able to make the print mean something.
- Reading is getting the message.
COMMUNITY SOFTWARE PLAN FOR 2009
Our school is participating in the CSP (Community Software Plan) featuring the Australian-Made Maths Made Easy series along with all the regular EdAlive favourites. This will be the only CSP for 2009, so don’t miss out! As well as the CSP saving, all titles are also eligible for the new 50% Education Tax Refund.
Please consider making an investment. As part of the CSP our school will receive a FREE Unlimited School Site Licence for an EdAlive software title of our choice. If we receive a strong response donated by families we will also receive a FREE school version of the computer Classroom title of our choice. Return you orders to the school by Friday 22 May. The leaflet has been handed out with last week’s newsletter.
DONATION TO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY BY THE MOUNT ISA RODEO
Manager of the Mount Isa Rodeo, Tricia Esdaile, presented copies of the 2008 Xstrata Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo 50th Celebrations program to Year 7 students.
Our Teacher-Librarian Mrs Potter was unable to source a rodeo picture book suitable for the primary aged school children. The rodeo books that were available for loan were so well used by the students that they were worn out!
The students will get years of enjoyment from the additions to the Library thanks to the Rodeo Committee.
HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE QUEENSLAND EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Parents, caregivers and other members of our school community are encouraged to provide feedback on Professor Geoff Masters' recommendations for improving education outcomes in Queensland's primary schools.
His final report, A Shared Challenge: Improving Literacy, Numeracy and Science Learning in Queensland Primary Schools, was presented to the Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh and Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson on 1 May.
Professor Masters' report contains five key recommendations to improve the performance of Queensland primary schools in literacy, numeracy and science.
They are:
1. That all aspiring primary teachers be required to demonstrate through test performances, as a condition of registration, that they meet threshold levels of knowledge about the teaching of literacy, numeracy and science and have sound levels of content knowledge in these areas.
2. That the Queensland Government introduces a new structure and program of advanced professional learning in literacy, numeracy and science for primary school teachers.
3. That additional funding be made available for the advanced training and employment of a number of 'specialist' literacy, numeracy and science teachers to work in schools (and/or district offices) most in need of support.
4. That standard science tests be introduced at Years 4, 6, 8 and 10 for school use in identifying students who are not meeting year-level expectations and for monitoring student progress over time.
5. That the Queensland Government initiates an expert review of international best practice in school leadership development with a view to introducing a new structure and program of advanced professional learning for primary school leaders focused on effective strategies for driving improved school performances in literacy, numeracy and science.
You can read the final report and have your say on the recommendations by visiting the Queensland Education Performance Review website at www.education.qld.gov.au/mastersreview
The consultation period closes on Friday 29 May.
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