12 May 2017

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

NAPLAN

This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, students in Years 3 and 5 took part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. The NAPLAN tests are a formal measure of how students are performing, however, it is important to remember that they are a point in time test and only one aspect of the school’s assessment and reporting process. I believe, that as a school, we have the balance right as far as our NAPLAN preparation goes.

We expect that this year’s test results will be sent to our school around September, and an individual NAPLAN report for each student will be sent home around this time. These confidential reports will show your child’s results against key national information in each year level. Our school will use the information in a number of ways, primarily to better identify students requiring support and extension, and to identify strengths and improvement areas in our teaching programs.

Uniform Survey

The Musgrave Hill State School Parents and Citizens’ Association supports a student dress code policy because it believes that a student dress code provides clothing that aims to contribute to a safe and supportive teaching and learning environment. From the feedback we received from our original survey the main concerns and issues identified by parents in the survey are -:

• Price
• All yellow is hard to keep clean
• New logo needs to be included
• More up to date design

We have taken this information and worked closely with clothing companies to create some new designs for our school shirts and we are now heading into phase 2. Your opinion matters so please take the time to have your say when the new survey comes out. Thank you in advance.

Mother’s Day

I hope all the amazing Mothers, Grandmothers and Carers in our school community have the best Mother’s day ever because every mum deserves to be spoilt rotten for the wonderful job they do each and every day. Thank you to everyone for your great support of our Mothers’ Day stall and we certainly appreciate the wonderful job our P & C do to ensure events such as this can occur in our school.

Cross Country

Last Friday, Musgrave Hill students competed in our annual Cross Country event. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank Katie Halsall for the great job she did organising what can only be described as one very successful Cross Country. To the teachers who assisted on the day, thank you for the way you each went about your jobs. This certainly assisted in the smooth running of the event. It was great to see so many parents in attendance and cheering loud and proud not only for their child but for all the children who ran. There were a lot of red faces, smiles and genuine excitement shown by our students and as always they conducted themselves with pride and sportsmanship beyond their years. Congratulations to the Pelican House who were the overall winners.

3 Way Interviews

A big thank you to all the families who attended our 3 way interviews this week. Each year the number of parents who attend these interviews continues to increase allowing the strong relationships between home and school to prosper. The students also thoroughly enjoy sharing their achievements with their families. Please note that Semester 1 Report Cards will be emailed out in week 10.

Winter Uniform

I would like to remind families about the school dress code. Please ensure your child is wearing the full school uniform, this includes black shoes. I do not want to put families under financial hardships but I do ask that the uniform policy is adhered to.

As winter is quickly approaching, I am noticing many of the jumpers students are wearing to school are not in line with the Dress Code Policy and therefore students may be asked to remove the jumper as it is not school uniform. Please support us and your child by ensuring they are aware of the dress code expectations and are in full uniform each day? A full copy of the dress code will be made available at the office for those who require it.

WHAT’S HAPPENING …

A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE

Musgrave Hill SS Invoice payment options explained

BPOINT

This is our preferred method of payment as your credit card details are kept confidential and secure.

This is an online payment system via a web link. A hyperlink is printed on invoices which direct parents to the DETE BPOINT payment page. The webpage allows parents to make a secure payment using details supplied by the school and displayed on each customer invoice together with details of their preferred credit/debit card.

All invoices will display web-link/address, CRN Customer Reference number and invoice number for on-line payments. BPOINT will provide the customer with a receipt for the transaction and update our system by recording the payment against the original invoice.

When parents use BPOINT, they need to make a payment for each invoice, for each of their children.

BPAY

This is a payment system to facilitate the payment of school invoices via personal phone banking and internet payment facility. Every school is provided with a Biller Code and every parent has a unique Customer Reference Number.

When parents use BPAY, they should only make one payment that totals a number of invoices for one or more of their children.

Example:

Mrs Black has 2 children and they have 2 excursions each for term 3. They have received notes for the excursions that total $45 - $25 for child 1 and $20 for child 2.

Using the BPAY information on one invoice the parent should pay $45.00 and the funds will be directed to both student and all invoices.

Parents using BPAY cannot pay a specific invoice, only an amount to be credited to their account. Our computer system will allocate the payment using a predetermined formula, not necessarily the right child or invoice.

The BPAY facility can only be used to pay an amount in excess of $10.00, as a minimum payment amount has been specified with the bank. If a parent has an invoice less than $10.00 and pays by BPAY the extra amount will become a credit on a child’s account.

Direct Bank Deposit

Funds can be put directly into the school bank account – Account details are as follows

Musgrave Hill State School General Account

BSB - 064-430
ACCOUNT NO - 00090243

As a reference please use - Surname/Initial/Class/Excursion

Eftpos/Credit or Debit Cards

Card payments can be made at the office at any time during office hours.

Cash

Please Note - cash is only taken at the office on a Tuesday and Thursday from 8.00am until 10.00am.

ASSEMBLY AWARDS

Mathletics

TUCKSHOP NEWS

Keep an eye out on Flexischools for new items added to our Tuckshop menu also our ‘Sports Day Meal Deal’ and Fete ride passes will be added soon.

Uniforms

Winter jackets in sizes 4 to 8 are now available - cost is $47 and you can pay through flexischools, cash or card.

We also have pre loved bottle green jumpers and track pants from $3

All stock is available daily.

P&C NEWS

A big thank you to everyone who braved the cool night to see FINDING DORY.

The raffle was drawn and much to my surprise the winners were:

Paradise Resort - Tina Quirke
VIP PASSES - Sally McWilliams

Thank you to all those who supported us.

FETE NEWS

Friday October 6th 3-7pm

Everything is falling into place for our annual Twilight Fete.

During term 3 you will be able to purchase ride ticket passes on flexischools or from the tuckshop. We also accept layby’s for ride tickets to make it easier on your budget.

Stalls are available on the night for a low site cost, if you are interested please see Ange or Sally in the tuckshop.

Donations are now being taken for our fabulous cent auction.

P&C

Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month in the staff room, we would love to see you there.

Tina Quirke – P & C President

SPORTS NEWS

Cross Country Wrap up!

A huge congratulations to all students for the way in which they conducted themselves at last Friday’s Cross Country. There were some amazing individual achievements made, house records smashed, outstanding sportsmanship shown, house rivalries fuelled and the rise of a new champion house – PELICAN!! I was simply overwhelmed with not only the house spirit and effort put in by students, but the support from parents, friends and family was fantastic to see and I thank you all very much for your time last Friday.

A wrap up of results …

Overall Champion House = Pelican

I look forward to what I’m sure will be a fiercely competed Athletics Carnival come Term 3!!

Mrs Halsall – PE Teacher

CLASSROOM CAPERS – 5 AQUA

This term in 5 Aqua we have been working on Persuasive Writing. We have learnt how to structure our writing to persuade the reader and justify our arguments using evidence and examples.

We have developed persuasive language and used persuasive devices to present our opinions. The students enjoyed presenting their arguments on such topics as ‘Dogs make the best pets’, ‘Stop polluting our oceans’ and the class favourite ‘Homework is unnecessary’.

If you were to visit our classroom during the first weeks of term 2, you would’ve no doubt heard students using high modality, connecting phrases, emotive words and asking rhetorical questions. We also considered how politicians and advertisements use persuasion to convince us to vote for them or buy their products.

This term we have also had a guest in our classroom. Ms Georgia is a pre-service teacher from Griffith University and has enjoyed getting to know our awesome class.

Mr Driscoll – Classroom Teacher

A MESSAGE FROM OUR GUIDANCE OFFICER

The BRAVE Program

An exciting online program to help children cope with anxiety

The BRAVE Program is an interactive, online program for the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety. The programs are free, and provide ways for children and teenagers to better cope with their worries. It contains both resources and information for children, teenagers and their parents. It is designed specifically to help young people with anxiety overcome their worries and improve the quality of their lives.

There are 2 programs, one for children (aged 8-12 years) and one for parents. Any child who worries about things will find the program useful. Any parent wanting to learn more about how to help their child overcome worries can also do the program. You can do the program on your own, or together.

No matter how old or young you are, everyone experiences anxiety at times. The BRAVE program was developed to help young people and their parents develop skills and coping strategies so that worries and anxiety don’t stop people from doing the things they want or need to do.

We all live very busy lives, the BRAVE Program is ideal because you can work through it at your own speed in the privacy of your own home.

Joy Wheeler – Guidance Officer

ARTS NEWS

Here is an outline of what each year level is looking at in the Arts this term:

Year 1 – Continuing to learn about aspects of art and contributing to a class artwork for the Art Auction.
Year 2 – Collaboratively Illustrating an Aboriginal dreamtime story and turning it into an eBook
Year 3 – Individually illustrating a dreamtime story.
Year 4 – Making an educational video on the Impressionists and The Expressionists.
Year 5 – Designing a thought provoking poster based on one of three social issues – Poverty, Bullying, or Climate Change.
Year 6 – Continuing to design flags and document the process. This will be made into a short documentary.

Speaking of flags…CAN YOU HELP?

We need the help of someone with graphic design skills for the flag project. If anyone has a design program and design skills, and time they are willing to donate, we would be forever grateful! Contact Kerrie Doolan on extension 204, or kdool42@eq.edu.au

SAVE THE DATE - Musgrave Ensemble Students

Thursday 15th June - Musgrave Hill State School 2nd Art Auction from 5:30 – 7.00pm

Musgrave Ensemble members and the school band will be performing.

Rehearsals are going well for our Musical in Term 4.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

Please find information on a day conference for girls ages 11-15 years of age run by Scripture Union Chaplain and local volunteers. If you require further information or have any questions please contact me at the school on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or email me at rjour3@eq.edu.au

Application forms can be printed and returned to me ASAP or online:

SCHOOL BANKING

COMMUNITY NEWS

“This is a service provided when space permits. The school acts solely as a messenger and is not actually recommending any activities advertised”

Labrador Scout Group

UPCOMING EVENTS