1 September 2017

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Teacher Aide Day- 1st September

On Friday, it is World Teacher Aide Day. Days such as this allow us to recognise the skills and abilities that each of our Teacher Aides contribute to the daily life of our school. This year the day has fallen on the Gold Coast Show holiday so we will be celebrating this important day on the Monday.

This will allow us a wonderful opportunity to thank our magnificent, dedicated and hard-working Teacher Aides. We value their contribution to our school and the tireless support they provide to teachers, classes and individual students is second to none. I am sure we have the best Aides in the State.

Valuing and celebrating our super aides

Prep Enrolment - 2018

Do you have a student (born between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013) you would like to enrol at Musgrave Hill State School in Prep for 2018? It is the time to act! We are taking enrolments NOW. Prep is now compulsory and places are filling quickly. Please come to the office to pick up your enrolment pack to secure your child's place in Prep for 2018!!

Playgrounds before School and after School

Please note that the playgrounds are out of bounds before and after school even if supervised by a parent. On a number of occasions I have witnessed many students on playground equipment and there has only been 1 parent supervising. This is not safe practice and the safety of all students is paramount at this school. So I am asking for your support in this matter to please ensure the playground equipment is not utilised before or after schools.

Communicating with Students

I did mention this in the last newsletter but feel it is important to mention again as the message is still not filtering completely through our community. Please remember that it is inappropriate and will not be tolerated for a parent/carer to approach another student to try and resolve a situation or condemn a behaviour choice. If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to talk to your child’s class teacher or make an appointment to speak to either myself or one of the Deputy Principals.

Amazing Achievements

Recently both Pace and Alayah S competed in the World Karate Championships. We are proud to announce that Alayah was placed 4th in the World in her age group and Pace is the World Champion in his age group. What an amazing achievement by both children and we are certainly extremely proud of them.

Julie-Anne McGuinness - Principal

WHAT’S HAPPENING …

Maths Bee Results

A big congratulations to all students from Years 1 to 6 who participated in our second annual Maths Bee competition. It was wonderful to have the support of our whole school community. The class champions and year level champions are listed below.

MUSIC NEWS

Learn a Musical Instrument at Musgrave Hill in 2018

The Instrumental Music and Arts teachers are commencing the selection process for the 2018 Music Program.

Students currently in Year 2 are eligible to learn a string instrument in 2018: Violin, Viola or Cello.

Students currently in Year 3, 4 and 5 are eligible to learn a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument in 2018: Trumpet, Trombone, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone or Drums.

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument in 2018 or you would simply like to know more about the music program, you are invited to come to our Instrumental Music Information Session to be held in our new Music Rooms on Wednesday 18 October (Term 4 Week 3) at 3.00- 3.30 pm.

Mr Denning (Band Teacher) and Mrs Rickert (Strings Teacher)

ASSEMBLY AWARDS

SPORTS TALK

Broadwater District Athletics

A huge congratulations needs to go to Hesed L-F and Jayden C-B, who after an outstanding effort at District Athletics are off to South Coast Athletics next week. We wish you all the best!!

Special mention also needs to go to Ethan G, Hong Kai Z and Culiah T who competed extremely well at the Broadwater Carnival.

All students involved should be extremely proud of your sportsmanship and athletic milestones achieved last week.

Mrs Halsall – PE Teacher

TUCKSHOP NEWS

Ice Cream Day

Friday 15th September the last day of term will be ‘Ice Cream Day’ – you will be able to purchase one for $1.00.

Lost property

If your child has lost anything this term please come and have a look in our lost property bin which is situated outside the Tuckshop, if it is a hat or a jacket that you have lost then please check with the Tuckshop as we keep those items inside. The lost property bin will be emptied by the end of the term and will be given to charity or kept for spares.

Fete News

Tickets are available either on Flexischools or return the form that was sent home with your child a few weeks ago.

We are still looking for stall holders, especially if you have a home based business eg: Avon etc.

Please support your class by donating to the fete. These prizes need not cost any more than $2.00. We are also looking for chocolate bars, packets of chips, soft drinks, bottles of water, packets of pencils, rubbers, small toys etc. Please take to the classroom or the Tuckshop.

We are having a cake stall and looking for donations to be delivered on the day of the Fete.

There will be ‘cash out’ facilities available from the tuckshop on the day.

Raffle

Tickets are only $2 and available now at the tuckshop or at the fete and will be drawn Friday 6th October at 6.45pm. There is no need to be present.

1st Prize

Baronnet Apartments – Surfers Paradise
2 adults for 2 nights valued at $398.00

2nd Prize

School uniform valued at $148

3rd prize

Southport Sharks voucher valued at $100

Angela Anderson and Sally McWilliams

P & C NEWS

Our annual fete is our biggest fundraising event for the year and we rely entirely on the support from our school community to make this event a success, so please come along and invite family and friends. All proceeds go directly back into the school for resources for your children.

We have rides, private stalls and stalls held by each Year level.

Hope to see you there.

Tina Quirke
President – Musgrave Hill SS P & C

YOU CAN HELP IMPROVE OUR STAFFROOM

CLASSROOM CAPERS – 1 INDIGO

Well it’s all about lighthouses in 1 Indigo! We have been immersed in the fabulous text, “The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch”. This term, we are retelling this story for our written English assessment. You will be amazed to hear the superb vocabulary that our kids are using when they retell this story. So far this term we’ve dressed up as Mr and Mrs Grinling and acted out parts of the story. We’ve decorated our classroom with seagulls (or ‘varmints’ as they are called in the story!) and we’ve even sung some ‘sea shanties’. There will be some amazing lighthouse art created at the end of this term, so look out for a glow of light from schoolbags as they make their way home!

A WORD FROM OUR GUIDANCE OFFICER

Managing Difficult Moments

Praise and other kinds of acknowledgement are motivating, and are often needed to help children (and adults) change their behaviour. Psychological research has shown that following up on a person’s good behaviour with something positive makes it more likely that the behaviour will happen again, but is this enough?

The following suggestions will also contribute to a calmer household:

Pick the battles

• Especially as children get older the battlefield can, if not monitored, become `out of control’ – As children grow and assert their independence they, at times, push the boundaries. Friends and technology become a focus rather than family; safety can be ignored; messiness and mood changes can create disharmony in the family. Picking and choosing which battle to tackle is an art to acquire. Here is a tip - Focus on the most important issue at any one time rather than a plethora of problems. If children / adolescents perceive that nothing they do is right then often they give up listening.

Remember: Safety is a priority not to be negotiated.

Be clear in your expectations

• Is what you have asked your child/adolescent to do clear enough? Saying ‘I want you to pick up the clothes off the floor in your room’, is clearer and achievable than ‘your mess is annoying me’.

Ensure the expected behaviour is realistic and achievable

• Sometimes we ask children to do things that are too difficult for them to do without help eg. expecting a child to be in charge of young siblings is not realistic nor safe

Monitor your own behaviour

• Are you managing your own emotions when you are requesting your child to do the same (yelling at a child because of their angry outburst is actually reinforcing that yelling and loss of control is ok)
• Do you say one thing and do another (eg. getting annoyed about mess when you are messy)

Catch Your Child/ Adolescents Being Good

• Keep a record of the behaviours you are pleased with and share the positive observations with your child

Have reward strategies up your sleeve for those `hard to change` behaviours:

• Ask your child about what they like. If they suggest the reward, it will be more motivating.
• Make sure the reward is realistic for you to give (and preferably not costing money)
• If the child becomes bored by use of the same reward, use a menu of items to create variety. When your child meets his/her behaviour expectation, he/she selects one reward from the menu.
• If a child wants to earn a big reward (e.g. computer game, movie, etc.), you could use a token system. Each day he/she could earn tokens that can be exchanged later for a bigger reward.
• Emphasise social rewards and privileges over material rewards. Material rewards (e.g. toys, money, etc.) are expensive and often don’t work. Many children enjoy having time to spend with their parents or carers. Rewards involving time and activities with parents or carers (no matter what age), can be reinforcing and promote good relationships at the same time

Follow through with consequence

• Is it fair and related to the misdemeanor
• Does your child understand why they are given the consequence
• Will there be opportunity for your child to learn from their mistakes eg. parent/child discussion about the problem at hand, problem solving with your child around better choices, and if necessary, role playing of appropriate behaviour.

Adapted from: www.kidsmatter.edu.au

Joy Wheeler – Guidance Officer

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

Role of a School Chaplain - Part 4

A lot of people aren't aware of what the role of a School Chaplain is so I thought I'd share with you some information collected about the role and activities of a Chappy in Queensland State Schools..

Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any support to you, your family or student. I am available at MHSS each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday or please email me on rjour3@eq.edu.au .

Holiday Day Camp

Chappy Rusty

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”

Learn the Didgeridoo

Eco Explorers

Animal Welfare League

UPCOMING EVENTS