30 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

The End is in Sight

The end of the school year is fast approaching and the school has a very ‘busy’ feel to it as students and teachers finish off the year’s programs. Many students are already talking about their holiday break and the Year 6’s are sharing their nervous excitement as they prepare to move into high school and a new phase of their educational journey. I would like to remind all students that school rules and expectations are in place right up until the final day of school.

The last few weeks of school are not a time to behave or act differently, this ensures that all staff and students can continue to learn and work unhindered. It has been a wonderful year and I would like the last few weeks to be just as positive as the previous three and a half terms. Parents can support their children by reminding them and helping them to keep adhering to our school expectations.

The Work on D Block

There seems to be some misinformation circulating in the community with regards to the building work that is occurring in D Block. Firstly, let me assure you there will be no disruptions to the drop off and pick up zones. This will continue as per usual and will not be closed off at all. Secondly, we are an old school, with some old buildings so when any work gets done we abide by the strictest of guidelines when it comes to the possibility of asbestos. As a precautionary measure trained asbestos workers will be entering the school this Saturday and Sunday to assess and remove any asbestos if required so please know there is absolutely no cause for concern.

I would also like to add that if the above stated concerns were actually what was occurring please know that I would have informed you via a letter home, newsletter and Q Schools long before this week. During the construction phase no classes are permitted on the work sites so our Year 3’s are being relocation to the library and 1 Jade will be relocated to the bottom level of C Block next to 5 Aqua (Mr Driscoll and Mrs Pearce’s room) for the last two weeks of the term.

Semester 2 Reporting- What does a C really mean??

As your child’s report will be emailed out on Wednesday 12th December, I thought it important to share the follow information with you as I do every report card time. It is my hope that we can eliminate any confusion there may be surrounding the allocation of achievement. I encourage parents to pay particular attention to the effort grades for each subject and support their children to continually try their hardest at school.

The level of achievement your child receives in each area of their report is determined by how well they have achieved the required national standard, not on how well they have achieved compared to others in their class.

Mums and Dads/ Carers sometimes feel disappointed if their child has one or more ‘C’s on their report card. This can be because they understand a ‘C’ to mean ‘average’. However, a ‘C’ does not mean average. A ‘C’ is something to celebrate!

Achieving a ‘C’ means that a student has achieved the required standard for their year level as outlined in the Australian Curriculum. Of course, it is FANTASTIC when a student achieves an A or a B, and ALL of our children are encouraged to strive for excellence. That said, you can feel justly proud if your child achieves a ‘C’ and should let them know that they have performed well.

One of our school values is Excellence and we encourage all students to strive to achieve to their potential. For some students, regardless of their level of achievement, their rating is a result of them applying themselves and working extremely hard. When this is the case, these students should feel proud of their efforts and be congratulated.

We trust that you will find the information in your child’s report card informative. If you have queries about your child’s report card, please contact your current class teacher/s.

Christmas Concert

A reminder that we are holding our Christmas Concert on Monday the 10th December commencing at 1.15pm. We would love to see as many families there as possible. The students are working hard on their songs and performances so please if you can join us it will be a great afternoon.

Year 6 Graduation

On Wednesday the 12th December we will be farewelling our Year 6 students in a very special graduation ceremony. I am sure it will be an amazing and enjoyable night for all. We wish them all the best and we are confident that Musgrave Hill State School has provided a solid foundation from which they can build their dreams on.

20 Merit Morning Tea

On Thursday 13th December, as I do every year I will be joined by students who have received 20 merit awards for a special morning tea. This is not an easy thing to accomplish and I am extremely proud of all the students who have managed this feat. Congratulations must also go to the many, many other students who received 5, 10 or 15 Merit Awards this year. I look forward to seeing how many students I get at the 2018 Morning Tea.

Student Leaders 2019

I am sure this amazing group of students listed below will do a phenomenal job upholding our school values and leading by example. It certainly reassures me that our school will continue to be in good hands with our Student Leaders for 2019

Every school, every business, every family has its difficult moments from time to time, but it is how we respond during these times that is most important. I am proud of the resilience, sense of pride and the togetherness that has been continually demonstrated by our staff, students and parents. As this is the last newsletter for the year I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for entrusting your most treasured gift to us and having the belief in our school and the trust in our teachers to deliver the best learning opportunities possible for your child. We certainly appreciate the faith you have shown and I thank you for your continued support of our school. From everyone here at Musgrave Hill State School, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Please note that the students return to school on Tuesday 29th January 2019. I look forward to seeing you all again then.

Julie-Anne McGuinness – Principal

ASSEMBLY AWARDS

Monday 19th November

Monday 26th November

Moovers and Groovers Opal Performance

On Tuesday our wonderful Moovers and Groovers took the school bus on a trip to Opal, Ashmore. The girls performed their dance routine ‘You can’t stop the beat’ to the residents and staff at the village. In return the residents shared a collective 15,000 years’ worth of wisdom with our young girls. It was a very powerful and thought provoking afternoon for all!

Words of Wisdom – Be honest. Choose to be happy. Enjoy life – grab every moment. Love. Be kind – treat people the way you would like to be treated. Stay close to the people you love. Make the most of every moment . Enjoy the good and bad. Be optimistic. Be patient – be prepared to wait. Travel the world. Think smart – don’t be easily fooled. Accept others for who they are. Be tolerant. Be caring. Work together.

PREP 2019 – TRANSITION MORNING

ARTS NEWS

The winner of this year’s Theatre Sports Competition is 6 Gold. The competition was fierce this year due to the solid foundation delivered by the Goat Track Theatre incursion in Term 3. The teacher team was very impressed with the quality of improvisation skills from our students – they may have to train more heartily in 2019.

Year 5 – are getting ready for the ‘lip sync battle’ in Week 9. Invitations for parents/carers of students in 4/5 Teal, 5 Aqua, 5 Ruby and 5 Maroon went home last week – we hope you can come and watch your child as they display their musical theatre skills on Thursday 6th December at 11:30 in the hall.

Ms Doolan – Arts Teacher

TUCKSHOP NEWS

Friday 14th December is our Domino’s Pizza Party

You should have received the pizza notes by now and your orders must be returned to the tuckshop by Friday 7th December. Pizza toppings are Margherita, Ham & Cheese, Simply Cheese and Beef & Onion and each are $1.50 per slice. There is also Garlic Bread for $1.00 and a Lemonade or Pasito can of Soft Drink for $2.00. You can order on FlexiSchools or simply hand your note in with the money to the tuckshop by Friday 7th December.

We are currently minimising our menu options due to the Christmas break, this will mainly be our hot food options but we will still have sandwiches available for purchase.

Uniform News

Our uniform shop will be open on the last week of the school holidays in 2019 on the following dates and times:

Wednesday 23/1 8am-1pm
Thursday 24/1 12pm-5pm

Senior Shirts for 2019

Please hand your note and money to the Tuckshop by the 14th December.

Sally McWilliams - Tuckshop & Uniform Convenor

P & C NEWS

We will be holding a Christmas Stall at the Christmas Concert on the 10th December, all gifts will be $5.00 and under, gifts included are craft kits and other fun things to build over your Christmas break. Please remember all funds we raise this year are going towards our playground upgrade.

Melissa Holland - P&C President

SURFSIDE BUSLINES BUSS PASS AND TRAVEL INFO

With the end of school fast approaching Surfside Buslines are preparing for the processing, printing and distribution of school travel passes for use on their services in 2019.

In order for this to be executed correctly and in a timely manner we have attached the following forms, information sheets and frequently asked questions to assist parents when applying for a school bus travel pass:

• BTA application form
• SN application form
• Code of Conduct factsheet for parents and Schools
• School bus pass replacement form
• Frequently asked questions

This information is especially important for students commencing grade 7, changing their address or first time travellers as this would require a new application to be submitted.

CLASSROOM CAPERS

SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND

On Monday 10th December Surf Life Saving Queensland will deliver a surf awareness program aimed to change behaviours and save lives through education and an increased understanding of our key beach safety messages.

This frontline approach to safety allows the students to make informed, and potentially life saving decisions before even stepping onto a beach.

The overarching message is – prevention is better than cure, and educated swimmers are safer swimmers.

A WORD FROM OUR GUIDANCE OFFICER

Keeping Our Kids Safe During School Holidays

With school holidays approaching, it’s a good time for parents to talk with their kids about personal safety. For parents or carers, keeping children safe is one of the most important things we can do. To do this, we must equip our children with the knowledge and skills they need to avoid risky situations. Just as we routinely teach children the road rules, we need to give them an understanding of their rights to protect themselves.

The basic principles we need to teach our children (remember: it’s never too early to sow the seeds of personal safety) are:

1. To trust their feelings/instincts
2. That they have the right to say ‘no’ if they feel unsafe or unsure
3. That nothing is so yucky that they can’t tell someone about it
4. That if they feel unsafe or unsure to run and tell someone they trust (and to keep telling until someone listens).

There are some basic rules that we need to teach our children to keep them safe when they are not at home or with their parents. Rules for younger children might include:

• Know your name, address, phone number and your parents’ name
• Always check with your parents or person in charge before going anywhere – even going somewhere with someone you know.
• Always take a friend with you when you go somewhere
• Never go anywhere with someone you don’t know - run away if someone tries to get you to go with them

Rules for teens might include:

• Don’t go out alone – there is safety in numbers
• Always let an adult know where you are going
• Never go anywhere with someone you don’t know
• You can say ‘no’ if someone makes you feel uncomfortable or threatens or pressures you to do something you don’t want to.

Additionally, with many kids spending substantial periods of time online. Five quick tips you can teach your kids to be safe online are:

1. Private stuff needs protection (if you wouldn’t want your parents or grandparents to see something, don’t post it)
2. You can only really know someone if you know them offline (think about what ‘a friend’ means to you)
3. What you share will always be there (think before you post)
4. Not everyone online is who they say they are (remember that behind the screen it is easy to pretend to be someone you are not)
5. If something doesn’t feel right, tell a trusted adult (check out Bravehearts’ Join the Dots reporting app and website: bravehearts.org.au/join-the-dots)

If you would like further information explore the website or call their wonderful Information and Support staff on 1800 272 831.

Source: Bravehearts http://bravehearts.org.au/pages/keeping-our-kids-safe-during-school-holidays.php

Joy Wheeler – Guidance Officer

A WORD FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

Salvation Army Mentoring Program

A lovely celebration was had with our students involved in the MHSS & Salvation Army Mentoring Program. We are so blessed that these 4 wonderful people dedicate their time to support our students. Thank you Michelle, Noelene, Susan and Peter. And we are so thrilled you have committed to be with us in 2019.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed and safe holidays. See you next year!!!

Children First

KALWUN STUDENT ASSISTANCE

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”

Kids in Conservation

Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens are organising school holiday activities for January.

We are a not for profit organisation which promotes the conservation, education and scientific research of our regional species of plants and animals.

UPCOMING EVENTS