11 November 2021

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

It is official, $662.85 was raised by Worongary State School for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. Thank you to students and families who donated to support a Day for Daniel.

School review

Thank you to the staff, students, parents and family members who met with the school reviewers last week. Over the next few weeks, a report will be shared with the school and an executive summary will be placed on our school’s website.

The report will be used as a tool to determine the next steps for Worongary State School in our next Strategic Plan for 2022-2025.

Thank you again for your participation and supporting school improvement at Worongary.

Congratulations to Mrs Pikunic!

Congratulations to our STEM Teacher on being selected as one of 10 Australian finalists in the MTA LEGO Education Learning System Competition. Open to all educators from around Australia, Michele shared an idea to develop a sequence of STEM lessons inspired by our fabulous reading tree in the library. Michele has won a SPIKE™ Essential AND a BricQ Motion Essential Kit for our school (valued at $700) and has progressed to the next stage in the competition which is trying to become MTA's 2022 LEGO Education Brand Ambassador as well as try to win the major prize of a $10,000 LEGO® Essential Learning System for our school.

Congratulations Worongary STEM students!!! They are off to the North National FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge!! Yesterday we saw Worongary State School’s First LEGO League Robotics Team, the WSS Transporters, score 250 points to win Round 1 of the robot games for the Cargo Connect season at the FLL Cargo Connect Regional Competition hosted at Merrimac State High School.

The WSS Transporters also received the Innovation Project Award for their amazing work and presentation on developing a solution to their identified problem based on this year’s theme. Our students were grateful to have received feedback on their project from Jackie Dujmovic from @HoverUAV regarding the sustainable use of drones to deliver to, and connect remote communities.

Along with other regional winners, the WSS Transporters have now progressed to the next level and have been invited to attend the North National FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge to be hosted at Sheldon College in early December (date to be confirmed).

Congratulations students and Mrs Pikunic for supporting the students along the way!!

Principal Tour

I would like to invite our new families to register their interest in attending a tour of the school with me on Thursday 18 November 2021 at 3:15pm. Come see what makes Worongary State School a unique place for children to grow.

Register your interest by calling the office 07 5502 4444.

Tuckshop Day Friday 5 November

I would like to thank our new Tuckshop for all they do. There was a lovely theme, tuckshop volunteers are superheros. They truly are. Thank you for giving up your time to assist in the tuckshop, your smiles and creating a wonderful experience for our students. I know the staff have also appreciated your smiles and amazing menu options. Thank you for all you have done and achieved over the last months.

Download the QSchools App

Stay up to date with upcoming school events and information via the QSchools App. These events can be uploaded directly into your phone’s calendar, which is very handy.

Regards,
Adam

PREP 2022 ENROLMENTS

Do you have a child or friend/neighbour whose child is celebrating a birthday (turning 5 by 30 June, 2022) and lives in the Worongary State School catchment area? (Link to Catchment Map)

If so, then now is the time to be contacting us to secure a place in our supportive transition to Prep program – ‘Get Set for Prep!’.

Regards
Shiree Salazar
Junior Deputy Principal

Save the Date

From Read and Grow Update

You’re invited to attend our FREE Read and Grow Program with your 3-5-year-old children

Starting: Term 4 Week 2

Theme – Going to Big school

Come along and meet other parents and children – all welcome, even if not attending Worongary State School

During the session, we read stories, sing songs and complete activities learning about pre-reading skills in readiness for starting school.

Due to COVID restrictions, you MUST book prior to attending as we have a maximum number of 10 participants we are allowed. Please email to book your place NOW!

Katie Huggard: khugg2@eq.edu.au

Regards Katie Huggard, Prep Teacher

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences. Explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules. The esafety commission have dedicated parent/carer resources.

Your support and guidance can give your children the confidence to make sound decisions online ― and ask for help when they need it.

Three key strategies

Be engaged, open and supportive

• Get involved. Share online time with your children as part of family life. Play games together. Talk about favourite apps, games or websites.
• Keep lines of communication open. Ask about their online experiences, who they are talking to and whether they are having any issues.
• Reassure your child they can always come to you, no matter what. Let them know you will not cut off internet access if they report feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when online ― this is a real concern that may stop your child from communicating with you openly.
• If you notice a change in behaviour or mood, talk to your child about it. If you are concerned, consider seeking professional help ― from your GP, a psychologist or school counsellor.

2. Set some rules

• Set age-appropriate rules for devices and online access, with consequences for breaking them.
• Ensure your child’s input — this will help them understand risks. As they get older you can review your rules together.
• Consider creating a family tech agreement (sometimes called a family media plan or family online safety agreement). A family tech agreement is a set of rules about how devices, like smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs and gaming consoles are used in your home. It is written down and agreed to by all family members and kept in a place where everyone can see it, such as on the fridge.
• Your family tech agreement could cover the type of websites that can be visited, time spent online and acceptable online behaviour.
• eSafety has created our own version of a Family Tech Agreement, in collaboration with ABC KIDS, especially designed for families with children under 5. You can download this and fill it in with your family. Another example, from ThinkUKnow Australia, can also be a good starting point for families with older children.
• The consequences for breaking the rules should be clear. Negotiate these with your child when you create your agreement so they mean something to them — Raising Children Network has some useful tips and advice.
• Consider making some ‘rules for parents’ too — and stick to them! Model behaviour that you would like to see.

3.Use the available technology

• Get to know the devices you and your children use and set them up for privacy and online safety. Take advantage of parental controls to monitor and control screen time and access to content in ways appropriate to your child’s age and experience. See our guide to taming the technology.
• Choose apps and games carefully, taking age ratings and consumer advice into account. Check the App Store or Google Play, and for games, the Australian Classification Board’s online database. The Australian Council on Children and the Media offer information about apps, games and websites searchable by age.

For our students in Yrs 4-6 we have the eSafety education team visiting our students in Years 4,5 and 6 on Thursday 18th November.

PBL Focus: Being Safe. We will: Recognise/react/ report unsafe behaviours.

Kind Regards
Ms Kaia

FROM THE MUSIC ROOM

On Tuesday afternoon the hall was filled with over 150 students performing in choirs, string ensembles and bands, showcasing their skills to the Worongary Community.

A huge thank-you to Miss Sarah Larmor and Miss Alexandra Auchere ‘our best of the best’ Instrumental Music Teachers. To observe the skills that our Band and Strings students have learnt in such a small space of time is remarkable. A big thank-you also to Miss Kerri Buchanan who oversaw the Band Program for Term 1 – 3 this year.

There were over 150 students involved in the extra-curricula Music Programs this year and this really does cement Worongary’s status as a School of Musical Excellence! Well done students!

WHY YOUR CHILD MUST PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IN 2022!!!

Music is a big part of all our lives and is one of the best mediums to express emotions and communicate.

Many of us are passively involved with music, which means that we bob our head to chart hits sung by our favourite artists and band, but all to often, it ends there. Creating music and playing a musical instrument is an altogether different and surreal experience that not so many of us are acquainted with. Numerous studies have proven that playing an instrument is so beneficial to the brain. Read on to learn more:

1. Playing a musical instrument is a great stress buster!
2. Playing a musical instrument builds patience and resilience.
3. Playing a musical instrument helps children to focus.
4. Playing a musical instrument improves memory and motor skills.
5. Playing a musical instrument helps improve listening skills (don’t we all want our children to be better listeners!!)
6. Playing a musical instrument enhances respiratory practises.
7. Playing a musical instrument improves children’s learning by one year of academic growth (Dr Anita Collins Bigger Better Brains meta-analysis)

If you child is entering Year 3, 4 or 5 in 2022 we strongly encourage students and parents to consider this amazing opportunity within our school.

Please contact Miss Jones via dojo or email to discuss instrument choices and options for you child in 2022. This is too good an opportunity to miss!

Yours in Music
Ms Katheryn Jones kjone416@eq.edu.au

WOW!! I say it every year, but again, your support for our Book Fair has been amazing.

Thanks to your generous support the Library has received over $2000 of books (commission from sales). That's a great boost to our Library stock.

If your child's book was on order, hopefully they will arrive soon, pending Australia Post's delivery schedules. I will deliver them to your child's classroom when they arrive.

Many, many thanks once again.

FINANCE

Parents & Caregivers,

If you have an outstanding account with us, you will have received a statement on Monday.

Please finalise any monies owing to the school by Friday 26th November.

*Please note that if your statement has a negative figure, this indicates you have a credit with the school.

The invoices for 2022 Student Resource Scheme will be emailed out in the next 2 weeks.

Kind Regards,
Gabrielle
Business Manager

FROM THE JAPANESE ROOM

Konnichiwa!

Students are enjoying revising their key vocabulary by participating in ‘learning stations’, where they get to team teach, play games and gain confidence in small groups with sentence patterns previously taught. Last week students quizzed another on work taught over the last few weeks and discussed ways in which to learn these concepts. It was great to see students working and helping another in teams.

Well done yr 5 and 6- Yoku dekimashita!

There will be a comprehension /reading / writing test from Nov 10-11. It will cover family, dis/likes, pets, numbers, ages, greetings and colours. Many students have taken home their books to revise which is wonderful, but pls return the books for the 10 th Nov. Doomo (thanks)

The Japan Club is open to help and support students who would like some quiet one- on- one time or learn some culture, play Japanese games, do bonsai or gain confidence in any area.

FUN FACT:

Now in Japan, autumn (aki) people eagerly await the first matsutake mushrooms of the season and can pay up to $250 for 4 mushrooms!! Here are some that I found in a market. It is similar to truffles and are a delicacy!

Takai desu ne!! Expensive, aren’t they?

Other autumn foods are the lovely wagashi rice cakes in autumn colours and roasted chestnuts (yakiguri) that you can buy in the streets as you roam around in awe of the cities in Japan. The seasons are very important and the meals represent this in their presentation as you can see- too pretty to eat!

Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu – thank you.

Kim Rochelle-Brown
LOTE Teacher
Worongary State Primary School

EXCURSIONS

P&C NEWS

We recently celebrated Tuckshop Appreciation Day on Friday 5th November. We would like to thank all the students, teachers and staff that thanked us and wished us a happy Tuckshop Appreciation day. We had some very special Preppies come and visit us on behalf of the entire Prep cohort. They gave us some amazing pictures, a very special thankyou card, some yummy chocolates and some massive smiles and thank you. We displayed our special school-made gifts with pride, it made us feel very special. Thank you.

We have a special promotion for the month of November 2021 between 5 November and 26 November. Every first break- Hunger Tamer order completed on the QKR! App will go in the draw to win 2x admit one entry pass to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. There are 2 prizes of equal value to be won. The winners will be drawn Wednesday 1st December 2021. These prizes were kindly donated by Jess our new Tuckshop Manager. Thankyou Jess!

Are your kids celebrating a Birthday at School this term? We have introduced our Birthday Celebration Bonanza Box. The birthday child will get the choice of either a meat pie, sausage roll or Hot Dog and cold drink plus a basket full of Quelch Fruit Ice Sticks to enjoy with every student in their class. All this for only $20. You can find this under the Hunger Tamers section on QKR! App.

END OF YEAR TEACHER GIFTS

The WSS P&C have introduced a very special $10 Gift Lunch & drink Voucher which you can purchase for your teacher as an end of year Thankyou gift. This will be available to order at wss-pnc.square.site . You will be contacted when the voucher is available for collection.

UNIFORM STORE

The uniform store will be open Friday Morning this week instead of its usual Thursday, the times will be from 08:30-09:30am. We have been invited to participate in the Get Set for Prep Program 2021 and we will be assisting our new Families with their uniform purchases.

However, you can order uniforms online on the QKR! App and this will be processed weekly and delivered to your child's classroom.

CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE

This Friday 12 November is collection day for all eligible containers. Please drop off your eligible containers between 08:30-09:00am near the admin Building, at the Flagpole Area. Did you know that all the proceeds from our collections go to our Cool School Initiative Projects every year?

YEAR 6 GRADUATION

If there are any parents within our School community that wish to make any monetary or Vouchers contribution towards the Graduation Ceremony, please contact the Worongary P&C through pandc@Worongary.eq.edu.au

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