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Sunset State School Newsletter
9 September 2009
Dear Parents
We have a bumper newsletter this week with lots of marvellous photos showcasing all of the exciting things that have happened at our school over the past week. Mrs Potter and her trusty sidekick Mrs Bate do a wonderful job of taking photos for our weekly newsletter. Mrs Potter also works closely with the North West Star to ensure our school is featuring in the local paper as much as possible. I am sure you enjoy the wonderful photos that are featured each week.
Last Friday we celebrated teacher aide day by holding a special parade to honour and recognise the wonderful work that our teacher aides do. We are very fortunate to have a highly skilled and passionate group of ladies who are an integral part of our teaching team and involve themselves in extra curricular activities including sport, rock pop mime, the show display and Mardi Gras float. A big thank-you to the ladies for everything they do:
Jazmin Polmeer – Prep A
Heather Patava – Prep B
Tricia Cornwall - 1W
Jo Marriott – 1/2T
Melinda Haack – 2C
Gayle Rachow – 3S, 4C
Julie Cross – 3W
Nashi Hill – 3S, 4C
Gail Kum Sing – 4M, 5W
Sandra Fegan – 4M, 5W, Library
Peita Webber – 5/6A, 6B
Maggi Bate – 7C, 7C, Library
Julie-Ann Walden – SEP
Nikki L’Estrange – SEP
Jenny Craigie – Indigenous Education Worker and Learning Support Aide.
Our Year 5 and 6 campers headed off on their camp this morning and will spend the next few days at West Leichhardt Station. Miss Apelgren, Mrs Williams, Mr Campbell, Mrs Kum Sing and Mrs Webber have lots of great activities planned for the students. The students are very excited about their first school camp and will no doubt return with lots of great stories.
During Monday’s parade I took a few minutes to remind our students of some of our fundamental school rules as it appears a few students have forgotten some of our expectations. Your support in enabling us to remain consistent with our expectations is appreciated – please take the time to talk to your children about the following rules.
- Tuckshop needs to be ordered before school commences.
- The students need to ensure they are sitting down during eating time and remain seated until they finish their eating.
- We have specific “eating areas” – food is not permitted on any of the grassed areas, play equipment, basketball court or near the music room.
- Verandahs are out of bounds at lunchtime.
- Closed in shoes are an essential part of school life – we have had a number of students wearing thongs to school – thongs are not appropriate footwear and children who are wearing thongs or no shoes are unable to play at lunchtime.
Our next P&C meeting will be held on Monday the 14th of September commencing at 5:00 p.m. in the school library. During this meeting we will review our school’s current Responsible Behaviour Plan. The document states our school rules and expectations and outlines the various ways that we support and address behaviour at a whole school level, targeted and intensive level. In addition to this, the document outlines our school’s Values and Anti-Bullying Program. Parent input into the review and refinement of this program is essential. If you would like to have your say regarding behaviour in your child’s school then please make the time to attend the meeting.
Interschool sport for term 3 wound up last week with our softball team playing Happy Valley in the finals. Congratulations to the girls who played a great game coming second in the competition. A big thank-you to the teachers who volunteered to coach and co-ordinate sport for this term – Mr Campbell and Mr Carroll (cricket), Mrs Williams and Miss Farley (softball).
CHILD SAFETY WEEK.
This week is the National Child Protection Week – a week in which the community, schools and parents are encouraged to talk to students about protective behaviours.
The following information is an extract from parent brochures that are developed as part of the community information package.
We all have the right to feel safe all the time
Nothing is so awful that you can’t talk with someone about it
Although many parents alert children to ‘stranger danger’ the reality is that children are more likely to experience abuse from a person who is known to them (a relative, friend or family acquaintance).
Things you can do to help protect your child
- Talk to your child – keep the communication open at every age
- Discuss with your children about their body – their public and private parts and the proper names for these parts.
- Teach them how to recognise if they are feeling unsafe (eg feeling tense in their body, sweating, stomach pains, feeling sick).
- Use the words `safe or unsafe’ when possible to give them clearer understanding of what these words mean and how they feel.
- Talk to your child about ways of being safe eg. going straight home after school, walk in a group, avoid isolated areas, communicate to the parent/ teacher/responsible adult, when they have uncomfortable feelings.
- Avoid being an alarmist but have an action plan for those ‘just in case’ situations. This plan should include: people they can talk to at home or school about this; things to do if they are approached eg. walk/ run away, scream etc; identify safe places to go to at home or on the way home; what to do if their friend tells them they are feeling unsafe.
- Talk to your child about the dangers of ‘secrets’ that make them or others feel uncomfortable
- Help your child identify who they feel comfortable to talk with. Get them to identify 5 adults from home/ school/ family/family friends
As a parent it is up to you to put in place everything possible to ensure your child’s safety. If you feel uncertain or uncomfortable about a situation then do what is needed to put your mind at ease even though your child might feel you are over-reacting. It’s more important to have no regrets.Talk to your guidance officer if you need help.
Some helpful contacts include:
- Parent Line: 1300 30 1300
- Department of Communities (Child Safety Services): 1800 811 810
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24 hour crisis counselling line)
- Family Planning Queensland: www.fpq.com.au for ideas and resources
SUNSET GIFTED & TALENTED EDUCATION -
The G.A.T.E team have been extremely busy this term brainstorming, designing, creating, engineering, constructing and reporting. To celebrate their achievements, a showcase of their work will be on display in the library courtyard next Wednesday 16th September. Parents, Teachers and Students are invited to come along and view what these talented students have been learning.
Display Times are as follows:
Year 5/6 – 9:30–10:30am
Year 4/5 – 11:30-12:30pm
Year 3 – 1:30-2:30pm
We look forward to seeing you!
Vanessa Perkins - G.A.T.E Co-ordinator
FATHER’S DAY RAFFLLE
Thank you to all who supported our Father’s Day Raffle. A special parade was held Friday afternoon to draw the raffle and the winners are as follows:
1st Prize – Mr Richters – Socket Set valued at $250 donated by Blackwoods Pty Ltd
2nd Prize – Mr Smith – DVD Player
3rd Prize – Mr Armstrong – Cowboys Signed Jersey
2009 NATIONAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM – LITERACY AND NUMERACY TEST RESULTS
In May this year, around one million students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participated in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
From 14 September 2009, The Queensland Studies Authority, which is responsible for the administration of the NAPLAN tests in Queensland, will begin distributing results to schools across Queensland.
Every student who participated in the 2009 NAPLAN test will receive an individual report containing their results. This report provides a range of information about your child’s performance on each of the literacy and numeracy tests. It also contains a detailed guide on what was assessed in each test and how to interpret these results. Parents and carers are encouraged to thoroughly read the report and the explanatory notes.
While these tests are important ‘point-in-time’ indicators or ‘snapshots’ of student achievement in literacy and numeracy, the results should be considered along with other information collected by our school about your child’s performance.
If you have any questions or concerns about NAPLAN testing, please contact the school office.
SCHOOL DISCO
As the term draws to a close the school is once again holding its term disco. This term our theme is ‘Rock Stars’. Come dressed as your favourite Rock Star to the disco, Wednesday, September 16th, 2009. Grades Prep to year 3 disco will start at 5:00pm until 6:30pm, and the year 4 to year 7 disco will begin at 7:00pm until 8:30pm. See you there.
ENROLMENTS OPEN FOR PREP IN 2010
Enrolments are now open for children entering Prep in 2010. If your child turns five by 30 June next year then they can enrol in Prep.
Prep is the first year of school. It develops children’s independence and gives them the very best start to school by better preparing them for the transition into Year 1.
Children attending Prep at Sunset will do lots of fun things to help them learn. They will play, draw, paint, build with blocks and story tell. Prep is five days a week and not compulsory.
Call into the office today and collect your Prep Enrolment form. Please bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate for age confirmation.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Year 5 Camp September 9, 10 and 11
Year 7 Camp payment
due – Total $700 October 8
Rock Pop Mime October 16
Year 7 Camp November 8 to November 16
LIBRARY NEWS
Could we ask that parents please assist their children in locating and returning outstanding library books to the library as soon as possible.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS ABOUT BULLYING ISSUES
In this time of heightened awareness of violence in schools, I would like to reassure all parents and carers that our school takes a tough stance on bullying.
We do not tolerate any form of violence or harassment.
As principal, it is my number one priority that every student feels safe in our supportive school environment.
I have reminded all students that bullying behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated at this school. I ask that parents and carers take some time this week to speak with their children about bullying and to remind them of the importance of treating others with fairness, dignity and respect.
If you believe your child is being bullied or may be involved in bullying another student, I also urge you to contact me to discuss the ways we can help to address this behaviour.
Our school community has a number of programs to combat bullying and harassment, including:
- Strong Choices – a whole school values program.
- Bully Off! – a whole school anti-bullying program.
For more information on these programs, please contact the school office.
Sunset State School takes very seriously its responsibility to keep our students safe and to ensure our school community is free from bullying, harassment and violence.
I urge any parents and carers who are concerned about bullying to contact me directly.
Miss Chatterton.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Free Blue Light Disco and fun activities
Where: Food for Less Car Park
When: This Saturday 12 September
Time: 6pm to 8 pm
Cost: Free! Free Food and entertainment (basketball, Wii’s, disco, T Ball and much more). Further information contact Pioneer Police Beat 4747 2811
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