26 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

What a term we have had!

I continue to be extremely proud of our whole school community’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As we start our winter holiday period and despite the various changes thrust upon us this year, our students, staff and community have banded together to make the most of a very challenging situation. So on behalf of the staff here at Musgrave, we wish you all a safe, relaxing and enjoyable break with family and friends.

How Term 3 will look for Musgrave Hill? I sent this information out to families on Wednesday but have included a summary below. Please know that every decision we make is to ensure the health, well-being and safety of our school community remains our highest priority.

School Times-:

Drop Off and Pick-Up Guidelines (same process as Term 2)

DROP OFF-:

• Drop off time is 8.30am for all students. Children who are dropped off early will not be supervised.
• For foot traffic, you can walk your child/ren to the old driveway near Prep buildings or staff carpark. Here you “Kiss and Go” and staff at each of these access points will direct children to their designated “Meet and Greet Area”.
• You can also access by vehicle the normal drop off zone

PICK UP-:

Prep to Year 2 parents ensure you start arriving by 2.20pm.

• Prep parents can collect students from the old driveway near Prep buildings or use the pick-up zone. Your child will be escorted to you.
• Year 1 to 2 parents please ensure you start arriving by 2.20pm. Enter the Pick-up Zone, remain in your vehicle and your children will be escorted to you.
• If you walk, or park and walk please collect children from the front of the school. Markers will be placed there for you to wait ensuring we maintain the appropriate social distancing required. Your child will be escorted to you.

Year 3 to 6 Parents please arrive after 2.45pm

• If you have a child/ren in lower year levels and also in Year 3 to 6, please pick up all your children at the later finishing time of 2.55pm.
• If you arrive prior to 2.45pm, you will be asked to move on and re-join the queue so we can keep moving the cars through for families of only Prep to Year 2 students.

The following guidelines will continue and remain in effect throughout Term 3. These measures are to keep everyone safe while also reducing the volume of movement throughout the school.

• We ask parents/carers not to escort their child/ren into the school grounds or to their classrooms and remain outside the school boundaries at all times.
• Parents/carers are asked to wait outside the school grounds for their child/ren or use the drop off and pick up zone and must maintain social distancing of 1.5 metres.
• If you would like to talk to your child’s teacher, please email or phone to make an appointment. No face-to-face meetings will occur this term without prior approval.
• We are asking all parents/carers if they have any concerns that they be made via the front office.
• Assembly will commence week 3 Term 3 for students only. Parents will receive invitations to attend if their child is receiving an award and strict protocols will be in place. More details will be sent home explaining the process and who can attend.

2020 School Opinion Survey

Parents and Caregivers are invited to participate in this year’s School Opinion Survey and have a say about schooling during the COVID-19 lockdown. You are also given the opportunity to provide feedback about our school more generally.

Participation in the survey is anonymous and you are encouraged to take this opportunity to have your say. The survey form has been designed so that it can easily be completed on a computer or smartphone. The online survey will be available until Friday, 17 July 2020, and should take less than five minutes to complete.

To access the survey, please click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web browser:

Please contact the school if you have any questions about the survey.

Uniforms

With the holidays upon us, this may provide a perfect opportunity to purchase any new items your child may need to ensure they return to Musgrave, Monday July 13th in the full and correct uniform.

Prep Enrolments

If you have a child that is eligible for Prep in 2021 and have not yet enrolled, please contact our office immediately to ensure a placement as our Prep classes are Filling Fast. Our Prep interviews are commencing very shortly hence the importance of having all information and enrolment documents. If you are aware of families that have Prep aged children for 2021 can you pass on this information to them. We do not want any families disappointed.

Changes to 2020 Show Holidays Dates

The Gold Coast and Logan City Councils have taken the opportunity to move their 2020 Show Holiday to Friday 14 August 2020, in line with the change to the Ekka Show Holiday.

Julie-Anne McGuinness – Principal

WHAT’S HAPPENING

New School Phone Number

Musgrave Hill State School has a new phone number as of Thursday 25th June so please make a note of the changed details. The new phone number is now:

5644 5555

INTRODUCING AT MUSGRAVE HILL

What is KindyLinQ?

KindyLinQ is a play-based program that families living in identified locations can attend in the year before their child can start kindergarten.

The program provides a safe, welcoming space for families to stay with their 3-year-old child and participate in fun early learning experiences.

KindyLinQ is led by a qualified teacher and early years support coordinator for a minimum of 6 hours a week across 2 or 3 days.

Benefits for children and families

KindyLinQ enables young children to play, explore, sing, create and socialise with their parents, other children and experienced staff in a safe space.

The program also offers guidance for families about how to support their child’s learning and development at home.

Parents and carers play the most significant role in establishing the environment children need to support optimal development and learning, and they will attend each session with their child.

Learning through play

KindyLinQ is based on a facilitated playgroup model. It is about children learning through hands-on experiences with the support and guidance of a caring adult.

Children will learn skills that will support them now and in later learning, including socialising, managing their emotions and developing language skills to ensure they can effectively communicate their ideas and needs.

The program is informed by the Early Years Learning Framework and is separated from the curriculum expectations of school-age children.

KindyLinQ also assists in connecting families with approved kindergarten providers.

Where do I register?

Pop into our administration office to register your interest and to collect a registration form. Alternatively, you can register your interest at thall197@eq.edu.au

ASSEMBLY AWARDS

Monday 15/6/2020

Monday 22/6/2020

THE ARTS

What a strange term!

Semester 2 Arts

After returning to school in Week 6, we have concentrated on Visual Art. Everyone has seemed to enjoy the relaxed sociable nature of the lessons. Next semester, Years 2, 3, and 6 will be investigating the conventions of Media Arts. Year 1, 4, and 5 will be doing Visual Art. All students doing Visual Art will need their own paint shirt (just an old shirt you would rather they got paint on than their uniform!). I have suggested to the students that it would be best if they kept it in their bag in a plastic bag so they don’t have to remember which week is Arts and which is PE.

Lip Sync Competition

Year 5 usually do a Lip Sync Battle but social distancing put a stop on that this year. We have decided to do an ONLINE LIP SYNC COMPETITION that the whole school (Prep – 6) can get involved in.

It is NOT compulsory – it’s just a LOT of fun! We all need some fun don’t we? Dress up! Do a dance! The entries will be posted on the Arts page as they come in, so you can see the competition in action!

There are 4 Solo, 3 duet, and 3 group songs to choose from and you will be able to find them through the ‘Lip Sync Comp’ tab on the Arts page on Student Home page. We have chosen songs from across the decades so there is something for everyone! Songs will be on the Student Home (Arts page) by Week 1, Term 3. Judging will take place in Week 10, Term 3.

The categories are:

Best Solo, Best Duet, Best Group, Best Family Lip Sync, and Best Teacher performance. The family performance winners will receive a dinner provided from the tuckshop. Solo, Duet, and Group winners get their name on the trophy.

Yes! You can do a number with a friend from a different class. You might do a whole class entry! Yes you can do it with friends outside of school, your neighbours or your nanna (Your name will go on the trophy and the trophy will be displayed in the foyer in Term 4. Ms McGuinness will be judging – get your creative brain in action and enter! Details on how to enter your masterpiece will be on the Home Page in Week 1, Term 3.

Mrs Doolan – Arts Program

TUCKSHOP NEWS

I’d like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday and I look forward to seeing you all back next term, as well as a big thank you for your cooperation to the challenges we have faced during this time in regards to ordering. As of next term we will have chips, milk and ice blocks back on the menu and available on Qkr! only. We are still following the instruction of going cashless, so unfortunately there will be no over the counter orders or over the counter purchases at little lunch or big lunch. If you have not done already, please download the Qkr! App, it is a free app and is run by Mastercard and is very safe. You can order your treats via the online system.

Thank you so much for your understanding and patience, we are hoping to add some of your favourites back to the menu so keep an eye out on the specials. If your child receives a Musgrave Way Award and would like to spend their $5 voucher please send in a note with what you would like to order with the voucher attached to the class teacher and they will make sure the order gets to me. Once again please have a safe and happy holiday.

UNIFORM NEWS

All orders for uniforms are via Qkr! only and will be delivered to the classroom the day of the order, if you find that your child has not received their order please contact the school and we will sort it out for you. For those parents who purchase their uniforms via the credit on their account, can you please ring the office to have the order placed as we are not taking any orders over the counter.

Sally McWilliams – Tuckshop/Uniform Convenor

CLASSROOM CAPERS – PREP YELLOW

Prep Yellow have been busy researching the needs of living things and learning how to write an information report. The students have been researching and sharing information about their chosen pet. Surprisingly, snakes were voted our favourite pet to learn about! We posed many questions on our “I Wonder Wall”, and we have learnt so many interesting facts about different types of pets and how to care for them. Now we are starting to use our pet care skills at the Prep Yellow Vet Clinic in our dramatic play area. We are sure that our new knowledge will be very useful when caring for our own pets at home.

A WORD FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

Hello MHSS families

It's been wonderful to have the students back this term...

Things are operating a little differently and some people have found the gifts in the present circumstances and others have experienced loss and challenges.

Please know that I am here if you or your student and family are experiencing anything that you would like to chat about or feel I could help support you with.

I hope you all have a nice two week break and I look forward to seeing you next term.

Stay safe.

Abundant blessings to you & yours!

Chappy Rusty

A WORD FROM OUR GUIDANCE OFFICER

‘Talk With Your Kids’ Website

Did you know? 1 of the top 5 reasons children call Kids Helpline is because of a breakdown in family relationships and communication.

‘Talk to your kids’ website, developed by Optus and Kids Helpline includes a range of practical and straightforward information, tools, and tips to help bring your worlds closer together. It covers topics such as;

• Sexting- What is sexting, why kids may do it, what are the consequences, what to look for and what to do if your child is a victim of bullying.
• Bullying- Covers symptoms, tips for talking to your child and where to go next
• Cyber bullying- Covers symptoms, tips for talking to your child and where to go next.
• Abuse- An overview of child abuse, possible symptoms, what to do if you suspect your child has been a victim and links to child protection services.
• Mental Illness- An overview of symptoms of mental illness, what to do if you suspect your child is suffering from a mental illness and everyday tips for stress reduction.
• Technology- An overview of MSN, Internet Safety and Text Speak.
• How to help- Tips for helping your child develop the necessary skills to deal with problems independently.
• Closing the Gap- Tips on how to modify your approach to communication, to make it easier to talk with children.
• Conversation Starters- Links to popular websites for particular age groups so that you can discuss their interests with them.
• Translator – to help you understand common kids-speak. Link: https://www.talkwithyourkids.org/

Joy Wheeler – Guidance Officer

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”

Southport High School – Creative Arts Excellence Program

Keebra Park State High School – Academy and Excellence Program