10 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Principal Report Newsletter

This week I was informed that I will be continuing as your principal at Worongary State School during Term 3. I am looking forward to leading the staff and students into Semester Two of 2020.

Enrol Now for 2021

Enrolments for Prep 2021 are now open. If you have a child, or know someone with a child starting Prep next year, please collect an enrolment pack from the office. For more information or to book a tour of the school, please contact the office on 5502 4444.

Uniform Shop Reminder

Due to restrictions of visitors to the school, the trying on of school uniforms is by appointment only during the hours of 12:00pm - 1:00pm. To make an appointment, please contact the uniform shop directly on 5502 4485 and leave a message. You will receive a call back as soon as possible.

All ordering can be done online if you do not require a fitting

Container Collection

Thank you families for supporting our students by dropping off your containers. Our students, staff and parents have been very busy collecting from their new locations in the Kiss and Go area. There again will be a collection this Friday 12 June from 8.30am.

Lego Virtual Assembly

Our staff and students continue to amaze me each week with their innovation and skills. This is showcased through our school assembly each week by students receiving a range of awards, Dojo Awards, Learning Vine Certificates and this week, Music awards. Please follow the links below to watch the last two assemblies.

Week 7

Week 6

Class Dojo Messages

Class Dojo is not only a fantastic way of rewarding students with points, it is currently used as a major communication platform between staff and all parents, and class teachers to parents in their class. Please be aware, messages that are sent to teachers will be responded to outside of teaching time. If messages are urgent, please continue to contact the front office to ensure messages are responded to appropriately.

Kokoda Challenge 2020

This weekend, 5 teams of courageous Worongary Year 6 students (4 students and teacher per team) would have participated with hundreds of students Australia-wide walking/running 15km in Brookfield Reserve trails.

The Kokoda Challenge values the Spirit of Kokoda, embodying Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. These values take their origin from Australian soldiers who fought on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during WWII. As in the title, this is a challenge, not a race. The aim is for all members of the team to cross the line together and for team members to support each other throughout the event.

This week I handed students special certificates acknowledging their commitment to training for this gruelling event. Congratulations to these students for their efforts leading into this challenge. Unfortunately, all Kokoda Challenge events were cancelled this year. Thank you to the school staff and parents who have been volunteering their time to train with the students and prepare them to complete in this challenge.

Training will commence again next term for current teams and those Year 5 students who are interested in participating in 2021.

Have a fantastic week,
Regards,
Adam Brandt
Principal

Save the Date

Behaviour

Developing Skills to Take Responsibility for our Actions

“It wasn’t my fault” and “he made me do it” are phrases kids like to put on repeat. A parent’s job is to help children learn to take responsibility for their actions, both because it’s right and because it helps teach them cause and effect. Admitting a mistake is difficult for our children. There’s a lot of risk involved – will there be a consequence? How harsh will the consequence be? How will this impact my relationship with so-and-so? Sometimes, it seems easier to avoid the issue completely than to admit any fault.

Hold each child accountable for their actions, not the one who “started it.”

Notice when your child fails to take responsibility for their actions and gently remind them where the responsibilities lay.

Require your children to follow through with what they start.

Help your children own age appropriate tasks and jobs around the home by enforcing consequences if they go undone.

Help your children learn to problem solve and ask questions when they feel powerless.

Don’t become the referee.

What you can do:

Respond, don’t react. Take a deep breath between your child’s behaviour and your response. Rather than overreacting, forcing them to apologise, or take responsibility immediately, give everyone time to calm down.

Make it safe to come forward with honesty. If/when your child does take responsibility, skip the lectures and resist the urge to pile on the punishments. Instead, acknowledge how hard it can be to admit fault and talk about how to address the challenge differently next time.

If your child is making the same mistake over and over, or if they seem to be struggling in one particular area, it may be a sign that they need help working through this situation differently – maybe they need to learn how to communicate a need, problem-solve with a friend, or manage a big feeling. Look for ways to help your child gain these skills, rather than hoping they figure it out someday. While it would be ideal if your children happily admitted their faults immediately, this probably isn’t a realistic goal.

Be patient. Allow mistakes to be learning opportunities, rather than shameful experiences that need to be avoided at all cost. Eventually you’ll see (and hear) most children own their behaviour, even when it’s hard, rather than shifting the blame to someone else.

Kind Regards
Ms Kaia

Library Books

As students have been away for a while with school closures, many of them have forgotten if they have books, or where they might be.

Can you please check at home to see if you can find any books or library bags? Many Thanks,

Book Club

Issue 4 order forms went home on Monday, and orders are due back at school, AND online, by Wednesday 10 June.

Returning orders to school by 19th June will ensure they are processed. NO LATE ORDERS can be processed due to holidays the following week.

Many thanks.
Jann Connor
Teacher/Librarian

Read and Grow Update

Read and Grow is a fun interactive story sharing program for parents and children 3-5 year old children who are not yet attending school.

Throughout the program we will learn to listen, sing songs, share books and play together. This is a great way to develop your child’s oral language skills and help prepare them for school.

Currently, Read and Grow cannot take place due to COVID-19 restrictions. We will let you know when we are able to resume sessions

For more information or to ask any questions, please contact Katie Huggard via email: khugg2@eq.edu.au

The program was put together by a speech language pathologist and early childhood teachers. Each week we will read a story and develop language skills through reading, songs, play and craft - practicing the skills we know are important for school readiness such as:

• focusing on key words and concepts
• asking and answering questions
• noticing the print and the written word in the story or title

For more information or to ask any questions, please contact Katie Huggard via email: khugg2@eq.edu.au

Regards Katie Huggard, Prep Teacher

School Plus

School Plus Worongary have welcomed Lauren as our new Assistant Coordinator. She is an experienced educator who brings wonderful knowledge around programming and the ‘My Time Our Place’ National Framework. She has already formed significant relationships with educators, children and families. If you have not met Lauren please introduce yourself.

Over the fortnight at School Plus Worongary, we have been marking important events in our calendar that reflect respect for our first Australians. We worked towards marking National Sorry Day on 26th May with the children by informing them of the National Inquiry into the Stolen Generations and the subsequent Bringing them Home Report. We then made felt native Hibiscus flowers for the children to wear and handprints containing ‘Sorry Day’ messages. We acknowledged Country and, as a group, listened to relevant Dreaming stories. Through these stories the children identified messages and life lessons contained.

Following National Sorry Day we have spent the last week acknowledging and participating in National Reconciliation Week. The children and educators addressed key issues of Reconciliation by Acknowledging Country daily, playing traditional Torres Strait Islander games with ‘Kokan’ being a favourite. We also made a Dhari (tradional Torres Strait Islander headdress) using feathers we had collected over the previous weeks. We also made damper, taste-tested kangaroo meatballs and participated in Boomerang throwing.

We have continued our Pen Pal Communiuty Project with School Plus Graceville. It was very exciting for the children to receive return letters from their newly established Pen Pals. This inspired many more children to be a part of the projects, with many writing letters and drawing pictures for their new friends. We are excited to get more return letters.

The June/July Vacation Care Program has been sent to families with educators busy planning a fun-filled exciting program for the children. Highlights will include Wheels Day, Superhero Day, Master Chef Worongary, Survivor Challenge Day and much more.

Maria Bamford
School Plus Worongary Coordinator

Excursions

P&C News

Tuckshop & Uniform

Opening Hours

Monday-Friday: 8:30am-2:00pm
Closed: Entire last day of each Term

Online Ordering

Thank you to those parents who have recently made the move to online ordering. We appreciate your assistance with cutting down on the need to handle cash.

Key things to note about online ordering are:

• Online ordering is great for busy parents. Orders can be placed online at your convenience.
• The cut off time for Tuckshop Online Ordering each day is 9am so if your mornings are busy try ordering in advance the night or even the week or month before!
• We are unable to access your online account – we can assist with general queries but for issues or detailed information please contact Schoolshop Online directly via the contact details listed on their website.

SUBWAY DAY – Friday 26 June – ONLINE ONLY

As the Tuckshop is closed on the last day of the term, we have planned a Subway Day as an alternative way to order lunch. Please see the Subway Information Flyer for details.

On previous occasions we have accepted orders both manually and online. This time however, in line with recommendations to minimise cash handling, all Subway orders must be submitted online. You can place your orders any time from now until the cut-off date/time: 9am Wednesday 24 June. Don’t wait – you may miss the date!

Supply Issues

We have been experiencing some supply issues this term and we have done our best to minimise the impact of this. We have had to substitute brands for some items at times but continue to provide most items every day. Please accept my apologies if your child has been impacted by any of these changes and thank you in advance for your understanding as we continue to navigate these unchartered waters and work with our suppliers to provide as much consistency as possible.

UNIFORM SHOP

Currently Open for Online Ordering Only

Please note the following points in regards to Uniform Shop operations at this time:

• The Uniform Shop remains closed for in store purchases
• Online ordering is available, with orders checked and processed daily
• 9:00am is the online ordering cut off time for same day processing. Orders made after this time will be processed the next day.
• From an administrative point of view, Uniform online ordering is structured differently from Tuckshop. If you are ordering for more than one child, the orders come through together. Therefore, all items will be sent to the eldest child. If you prefer for each child to receive their own items, please add a comment to advise this.
• A yellow note will be sent to your child’s classroom via the Tuckshop basket to advise when their uniform order is ready for collection from the Tuckshop. Please let your child know to keep an eye out for the yellow note.
• If you urgently require your child to try on uniforms for sizes we are taking appointments between 12:00pm and 1:00pm Monday-Thursday. The Uniform Shop phone is currently unattended but we check messages daily so please leave a message with your name, phone number, and preferred appointment time so we can assist you. The direct dial number for the Uniform Shop is (07) 5502 4485.

Online Ordering

Just a reminder that online ordering profiles need to be updated manually by parents each year and that Tuckshop and Uniform Shop online ordering profiles must be updated separately.

We have been receiving many uniform orders that have out of date classes listed for the students. Please note that this can cause delays in getting the items to your child/ren. If you think you have already updated your child’s class for this year please check again before submitting your order as you may be remembering updating the class in their Tuckshop profile, rather than Uniform.

Winter Stock

Winter items have been walking out the door very quickly. Limited stock is available, so get in quick. Prices remaining the same as last year. Available items are:

V-neck pullovers: $28.00 (Size 4 and Size 8 now sold out)
Track pants: $23.00
Zip-up Cardigans: $37.00 (Size 16 now sold out)
Tights: $7.00

Uniform Stock

Wow, it appears that many students had growth spurts while learning at home. Please note that due to a higher than usual demand this term we are currently running low in some uniform items.

We are now out of stock in polos in sizes 12 and 14 and running low in several others items as well. A new order of polos, shorts and skorts is under way but delivery is not expected to be until early in Term 4. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you in advance for your patience while we await delivery of the new shipment.

Take Care,
Michelle Lee
Tuckshop/Uniform Convenor

Community Notices

Benowa State High School Round 2 – EXCELLENCE PROGRAM APPLICATIONS

Round 2 Excellence applications for Year 7 2021 Cultural and Academic programs will be accepted commencing Monday June 15 2020 until Friday July 17 2020 (excluding school holidays). Applications must be submitted in person 8:00 AM – 3:15 PM to the parent counter in the administration building. All out of catchment applications are required to pay a non-refundable $100 application fee (Debit/Credit card only). Applications will only be accepted if all documents are provided at the time of submission as per the requirements on the application form. Please click here to download the application form or collect from the administration building. Applications for Sport Excellence are not being accepted at this time and will be advertised at a later date.

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