5th August - Term 3, Week 5

Acknowledgement of Country

News from Mrs Kelly

Hi Everyone,

Gosh there has been so much going on at Ironside, I barely know where to start!! 

The first of our Japanese School visits was a wonderful success.  Tomioka Higashi Elementary School were so happy and grateful for their time here.  Thanks again to all host families, to our classes who entertained them and our incredible staff who organised everything.  The welcome ceremony was beautiful, and I thought Lucas did an exceptional job of translating for the visitors, in fact I was stunned listening to him.  The farewell bush dance was another highlight for me, it was so much fun!  Tomorrow, it starts all over again, as we welcome Kobe University Elementary School.

Outstanding musical performances and opportunities have continued at Ironside State School.  I had the pleasure of attending Westcent to listen to our strings students playing with other schools, yet again I was moved to tears.  It was just sublime.  These children got to have the equivalent of a semester of music lessons across that week, what a great initiative!

Alongside Mr Corbett, I also attended the Redlands Eisteddfod, and our musicians represented our school exceptionally.  Never in my life have I witnessed a group of students so young, play in a group without a conductor, it was astonishing to me!  The year 5 Octet won 1st place in the primary small ensembles level B.  Chamber strings won first place in the Primary Large Ensembles Level A.  And in Primary small ensembles Level A the Year 6 Octet received 3rd place and the year Sextet received 2nd place. 

And a further congratulations must go out to those who performed at the Eisteddfod on Sunday.   

Just amazing, Congratulations to all of these children and Ms Trudy Weekes.

Next week is the FANFARE STATE FINAL!!!! Watch this space!

Mr James Kukulies put together his own wonderful version of Westcent right here at Ironside State School for our band musicians.  They had a great couple of days and we even had some Indooroopilly State High School musicians come over and join in with the workshops.  Congratulations to all of the children, your ability to play together is really improving and thank you Mr Kukulies and ISHS musicians.

Our Debating Teams have now competed in their first competition, and students in Year 5 and 6 came in 1st Place!

What an achievement this was! 

Congratulations to all these children and their coaches, Ms Faithfull and Mr Tait. 

There are some other wonderful, extension opportunities in our school at the moment too - the Maths Olympiad, the Australian Maths Competition, the Brisbane Northern Chess Competition and let’s not forget Interschool Sport.  It is so great to see that Ironside State School offers so many opportunities to extend children in areas they excel in.  Thank you so much to the staff who organise all of these opportunities and work with the children to get them ready to participate, as well as attending them.

There are so many wonderful excursions and incursions to enhance our children’s learning right across the school this term -  Year 6 had the Canberra Camp, Year 5 had Hoodwinked, Year 3 had Street Science right here, there was Towards Zero Waste for our Year 4s, Year 2 are off to Wolston Farmhouse, Year 1 are visiting the Nudgee Beach Environmental Education Centre and Prep are having a Storyteller visit them.  As a team of many new people leading our school, we are trying very hard to keep all of the wonderful things of Ironside State School going and communicating early about them and reminding about payments etc.  Sometimes we are not getting it right because we are new, but we continue to take on feedback and reflect. 

I take a lot of time putting together the term calendar and try to include everything that I am told about, please take the time to keep checking it, so that you know in advance what is coming up.  In 2025, we hope to present each parent at the beginning of the year, a list of all activities and events for each year level with an approximate cost.  In this way, you will get to see the year in advance and potentially set up a weekly payment to help pay for things gradually or you could choose to put a lump sum into your child’s account, that we withdraw from for each event.  I just want to reassure you that we are working hard, and we are listening. 

Thank you for supporting us to support your children.

We had another big P&C Meeting last week.  I cannot stress enough how important P&Cs are and how much they enhance the culture and available opportunities at schools.  Please come and be involved and please come to meetings.  To vote on important issues you must be a P&C Member.  This week there will be voting around the pool, if you aren’t a member, you don’t have a voice; this is a huge incentive to become a member!

You should have received School Opinion Surveys via email, please contact us if you haven’t.  Can I please, please ask that you complete them?  We value your feedback.

And finally, today we had another lockdown practice. As per Education Queensland policy, we need to have these practices three times per year and the children did a great job. 

Please take the time to discuss it with your children if it makes them uneasy. Teachers already do this, but it is great to have parents do this too. 

Thanks for helping us keep our school safe. 

Have a wonderful fortnight everyone!

Yours in Education

Angie Kelly

PS Book Week is Week 7, and I cannot wait!!  I wonder who your child will dress up as?  Don’t feel compelled to buy anything fancy, get creative with what you have and recycling! :)

Important Term 3 Dates

A message from Queensland Education

Every day Counts

Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement. Additionally, attending school every day helps children to build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.

Further, research shows that poor school attendance is associated with:

• lower academic achievement including literacy and numeracy
  
• leaving school with fewer qualifications
• reduced opportunities for students to learn and access educational resources, further limiting achievement
• further absenteeism in higher year levels

If you're concerned about your child's attendance or absenteeism, please contact your school for further information. In the meantime, please see below for further information. 

For further resources please head to the following link: 

https://education.qld.gov.au/initiatives-and-strategies/initiatives/every-day-counts/for-parents-and-community 

NCCD

News from Mr Weston-Murdoch

Dear parents and caregivers,

Dear parents and caregivers,

School Values and Expectations:  Weeks 3 & 4

Our focus for this past fortnight has been:

Bridge Builders – Skill of the week

The skills we’ve been practising.

(Weeks 3 & 4): Feelings and Calming down

Children do choose their behaviour but they do not choose their feelings, and it is their feelings and thinking that influence them the most. This highlights the importance of teaching children to understand their feelings and to be given skills in calming down.

If your child sees you expressing your feelings in a positive way, over time they learn to do the same. Be sure to model appropriate ways to express feelings to your child. Children are like sponges – they soak everything up.

Our thinking can change our feelings, behaviours and the words we say. Listening to our self-talk and thoughts when we are upset and avoiding unhelpful, toxic thoughts and instead thinking helpful positive thoughts can be a very powerful calming tool.

“Empowered for Life”, Jocelyne Chirnside.

2025 Prep Enrolment Process

Pre-Enrolment Information

• Prep Information Video: Our pre-enrolment Prep information video is now accessible on the school website. The purpose of this video is to provide an overview and general information in regard to the enrolment process and what you and your child can expect in the first year of school. 
• ISS Website https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/Enrolments/Prep/Pages/Prep.aspx

Enrolment Applications (from Term 3)

• Prep 2025 Enrolment Pack is available on our website.
• Applicants must be currently living in the Ironside Catchment and be able to supply supporting evidence as per the criteria in the Ironside State School Enrolment Management Plan.

Enrolment Management Plan (from 02 August 2024)

Please see the following links for more information on the school's Enrolment Management Plan (EMP)

1. https://education.qld.gov.au/parents-and-carers/enrolment/management-plans/ironside-state-school 

2. https://education.qld.gov.au/parents-and-carers/enrolment/management-plans#enrolment-policy 

Enrolment Interview

After your application has been reviewed and approved by our Enrolments Officer, you will be provided details regarding an enrolment interview. Four days have been allocated to this process.

Further details about our Prep enrolment interviews are available on the school website.

https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/enrolments/prep/2025-prep-enrolment-information

If you have any questions regarding the enrolment application and required documentation, please contact enrolments@ironsidess.eq.edu.au.

In Prep we have been learning to retell favourite stories read in class.

Each week we introduce a new mentor text. We discuss the characters and setting. Then we retell the story, using the sentence starters: -First, Next and Finally.

After immersing ourselves in the books, we reflect on our personal connection to the story, describing what happened in the book and what it reminds us of in our lives.

Here are examples of the student retell drawing and writing in response to a recent mentor text.

Our mentor text for this week is ‘Tom Tom’ by Rosemary Sullivan and Dee Huxley. It follows the adventures of Tom Tom as he goes to preschool, eats lunch with Granny Annie in the bottom camp and swims in the Lemonade Springs in the afternoon.

On Sunday, the 4^th August it was National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day. This year’s theme is: Strong in Culture, Stronger Together, celebrating the children who will grow up to be the elders of tomorrow.

The Olympics have commenced, and 1C has been so excited to follow along!  To spread the celebrations and bring the Olympic spirit into our classroom, we decided to look at what we are great at and create our own Olympic medals to celebrate the incredible talents of our students.

Each student took time to reflect on their unique strengths and achievements, from artistic skills and athletic abilities to acts of kindness and teamwork. We crafted beautiful medals to honour these amazing qualities, showcasing the diverse talents that make our class so special.

This term, our Year 2 students have embarked on an exciting exploration into the concept of time. Delving into both analogue and digital timekeeping, they have immersed themselves in understanding how we measure and interpret time in our daily lives, specifically using phrases like quarter to, quarter past and half past. One of the highlights of their learning journey has been the creation of their very own clocks. They crafted clocks complete with moving hands, providing them with a tool to help them read time accurately.

Kind regards,

Scott Weston-Murdoch
Deputy Principal P-2
and the P-2 Team

News from Mr Corbett

Dear Families,

Our dedicated Chess Club students have been hard at work, honing their skills and strategies in preparation for the upcoming inter-school chess tournament in Week 6. Every Monday during first break this term, you'll find our young chess enthusiasts deeply engrossed in practice matches and refining their techniques under the guidance of our knowledgeable coaches, Mr Shepherd and Mr Malcolm.  We're confident that their hard work will pay off and can't wait to see them showcase their talents and represent our school with pride.

In 3A, our students are taking their understanding of money to the next level by practicing the essential skill of giving correct change. This engaging activity is more than just a math exercise, it's a vital life skill that our young learners are mastering with enthusiasm and precision.

Under the guidance of their dedicated teacher, students are participating in hands-on activities that simulate real-world scenarios. 

Through these practical exercises, our students are not only reinforcing their mathematical skills but also learning the importance of accuracy and responsibility in financial dealings. These activities are designed to be both educational and fun, ensuring that our students stay engaged and motivated.

3D's Creative Writing Adventures

This term, 3D have been actively learning how to describe characters, events, and settings with vivid detail. They are focusing on using noun groups, adverbs, similes, and sizzling sentence starters to make their writing come alive. 3D's goal is not only to become skilled authors but also to showcase their artistic talents as illustrators. The students are excited to bring their stories to life through both words and images. Stay tuned for some incredible creative work from 3D!

Warm regards,

Thomas Corbett
Deputy Principal Y3-4
and the Y3-4 Team

News from Mrs Bailey

Hi Everyone,

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

It’s hard to believe we are half way through the term! Please enjoy updates below from the Year 5-6 Team.

Year 5 News:

We are excited to advise that planning for the Year 5 Camp at Tyalgum Ridge is underway!

Date:  Wednesday 9 – Friday 11 October, 2024.

Location:  Tyalgum Ridge is located just over the NSW border and is set against the stunning background of the hinterland www.tyalgumridge.com.au

If you would like your child to attend camp, please complete the ‘Intention to Participate’ form (return to class teacher) and pay a $50 non-refundable deposit to be received by the school on Friday 9^th August.  Further information and ‘Intention to Participate’ form can be found here as an editable PDF. Full and final payment is due on  Friday 6^th September

An information session will be held on Tuesday 20^th August at 6pm. In the meantime, please feel welcome to email me if you have any questions on kbail140@eq.edu.au.

Year 6 News

Canberra Camp

Students are applying their experiences from their recent trip to Canberra in the HASS studies, which focuses on Australia’s place in our diverse changing world.  This camp provides invaluable learning and assists our students in making real world connections to the curriculum. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributed funding of $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs, which is “It is an Australian Government initiative that provides financial assistance to support students’ on-site learning about national democratic, historical and cultural institutions in Canberra.”

Headspace are coming to Ironside!

The Headspace Schools and Communities organisation will be running a mental health education session tailored for Parents and Carers. This session will provide practical advice on supporting your child as they transition to High School. Key topics include coping with change, how to have conversations during tough times, providing support and accessing professional help. Concurrently, students will participate in workshops throughout the day on Tuesday, August 27.

Transitioning to High School – Mental Health Education Session.

When: Monday, August 26 at 6pm

Where: Teams Meeting - click here to join

Contact: Katie Bailey (kbail140@eq.edu.au)

RSVP: Click here to RSVP

Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and the sessions are free to attend.

Chinese New Year 2024 ‘The Wood Dragon’.

 Current Year 6 cohort - Chinese Zodiac Animal and Element - 2013 Water Dragons and 2012 Water Snakes.

The Arts provide opportunities for students to express and communicate ideas and feelings that extend beyond the written and spoken word. Using combinations of visual language such as line, shape, texture, and colour to convey concepts such as abstraction and composition to create images and structure.

Thank you to the above artist who gave permission for their artwork to be photographed and shared.

Deb Warren

Warm regards,

Katie Bailey
Deputy Principal Y5-6
and the Y5-6 Team

Language News

Spanish

I am very proud to share the fantastic news about our students' achievements at the 2024 Brisbane LTAQ Language Speech Contest, which took place on August 4th, 2024, at Griffith University.

Despite the tough competition, where each student faced over 20 equally well-prepared peers, our students’ hard work and dedication stood out. We are proud to announce that Ironside secured 3 medals this year!

This is a testament to the effort our students put in, often sacrificing their break times to prepare, along with the invaluable support from their parents. Their performance was truly remarkable.

Official certificates will be presented during the last assembly of the term by our Deputy Principal.

Congratulations to all our participants, and a big thank you to the parents and everyone who contributed to this achievement!
!Felicitaciones!

Maria Cesar
Spanish teacher

News from Chappy Thu

Dear Families,

There’s only 3 weeks left until our annual Father’s Day Breakfast & I’m so excited to share with you our plans! This year, we will have a catered breakfast provided by My Catering Club, a local, boutique business that will be cooking a delightful menu of rolls, wraps, pancakes as well as fruit & yoghurt with coffee, tea, hot chocolate & orange juice. Each meal (choice of one meal & one drink) will be $12.

We will also have a series of games in a Kids vs Adults style tournament. Winners from each round will win a prize! Pedal Go Karts, Hoops & Skee Ball…who will be the victorious? Kids or adults? Unlimited tries on all the games for only $5 per person!

Lastly, we will have a roaming photo booth where you can capture family moments & receive an instant photo to keep for only $2.50.   

Please note that this is a FAMILY EVENT, which means every student must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Supervision will NOT be provided for students until the regular time of 8:30am at their regular area.

All tickets are available on QKR!. Sales close on Wednesday 21^st August, so please don’t forget to order!

Parent Group

Thank you to all the parents who are joining us on Tuesday afternoons to discuss all the wonderful things about school, parenting & life. It is an absolute pleasure spending time with you all.

Over the last two weeks, we’ve learnt about public & private health care services near Ironside, places to learn English (free & paid), public speaking tips (Toast Masters & YouTube Channels) & we also had lovely guests speakers from our Christian, Islamic, Buddhists, Catholic & Hindu Religious Instructors. It was beautiful to see them coming all together to share with us their faith, love, hope & joy.

If you are interested in getting a copy of any of the presentations given at the Parent Group, please email me at tklet0@eq.edu.au.

Chappy Activities are back & they simple could not happen without the amazing Chappy Squad! These students volunteer their time to bring so much fun to our community & I am so proud of each of them.

Special thanks to the following members for their outstanding contribution to the activities & school over the past two week:

• Anousha, Irene, Liyara, Yoko, Justine, Olia, Stella, Ben, Mabel, Matthew & Skylie for seamlessly & enthusiastically taking on roles despite being new to the Squad this term – thank you!
• Saksham, Ella, Himani, Mabel, Arnika, Kelly, Ben, Tanmeh, Victoria, Ilai, Lavit, Thomas, Anna, Camilla, Sam & Olivia for volunteering to be our Pack Up crew over the past fortnight. Thank for always doing your best to restore Chappy Central to its intended organised, warm & clean state after all our visitors! You are so appreciated!
• Esther, Margaret, Ella, Justine, Mabel, Eva, Arnika, Sara, Tasnuva, Sam & Himani for being on our Prep Crew this fortnight! The preps loved their time with you & teachers have praised you for your confidence, enthusiasm & patience with our high energy prep bubbies 😉
• Saksham, Arnika & Kelly for always being so thoughtful & diligent in every duty they do. I am so grateful to have you on the squad!
• Ann, Arnika, Ella, Eva, Fred, Luna for being such enthusiastic team captains & gaining almost 100% team attendance each week. Special thanks to Eva & Arnika who also took the time to write lovely notes to class teachers asking help to remind team members in those classes to come to meetings. Such initiative!
  

Here are the top members & teams as of Week 3:

Chappy Activities were filled with laughter & new friendships over the past fortnight! In Paper Plane Club, we learnt to make different types of planes, then flew them in a competition in the oasis. Congratulations to our winners, Ilai, Anna & Ella! Honourable mention to Tahlia & Lucrezia as well! In Origami Club we made Poodles with Isabella & Penguins with Victoria – so, so cute! In 1,000 Hearts Club, we’ve made 41 hearts so far & we’ve started to embellish our hearts with buttons too! In our Scavenger Hunts, we learnt about Australia & the Olympics. Congratulations to Tanmeh, Victoria, Isabella, Esther, Margaret, Carolina & Alice for leading the winning teams!

And that’s all from me for now. Wishing you all a wonderful fortnight ahead!

Chappy Thu

tklet0@eq.edu.au
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
8am to 4pm

Library News

Annika Sauvage & Cath Roche
Library Teachers

Book Week

Admin News

Payment due dates

As we approach the middle of the school term, we'd like to remind you about the importance of making timely payments for excursions, incursions or other school event.

Many of the events we organise throughout the year involve a great deal of planning and organisation. Transport and entrance costs need to be paid in advance, and numbers need to be finalised with third parties.  

We'd hate for your child(ren) to miss out on these fantastic learning moments and for this reason, we kindly ask you to make a note of payment due dates for any upcoming event. 

If making a payment via BPoint, please allow at least 24 hours for the payment to appear on your account. 

Thank you for your co-operation and support.

QKR!

Payments for excursions, incursions, camps and music events can now be paid for via the QKr! app. If you don't already have the app, please download it from your app store. 

https://apps.apple.com/au/app/qkr/id589799471 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mastercard.labs.qkr&hl 

QParents

In our continuous efforts to enhance communication and streamline administrative processes, we will be transitioning to QParents for the following areas: reporting of school absences, invoice & payments, consent for activities, and accessing school reports. 

QParents will eventually become the main hub for all these tasks. 

In order make this transition a success it’s important for all parents to be registered and have access to QParents.

Here’s what you’ll be able to do with QParents once registered:

• View and download report cards online as soon as they are published
• Provide us with a reason for unexplained student absences, anytime and anywhere
• Notify the school of a future student absence at any time
• Pay your invoices. No cash or waiting at reception required, simply log in and pay online at any time
• Forget having to fill out and deliver a paper form for consent. Instead, provide consent for excursions and events using the QParents app.

The registration process is straightforward but it’s simpler if you use a home computer or laptop rather than your mobile phone*.

* After registering you can download the QParents app to log in and use on your mobile phone.

Please see below on how to register. 

Please note, you will be asked to provide your child’s EQI number. You should be able to find this on a recent invoice. If you still cannot find this, please email enrolments@ironsidess.eq.edu.au and request it. 

STEPS TO REGISTER

1. Locate your invite code (check your email. If you don't have this, please email the above)
2. Click the following link: https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/registration/account-owner/invitation/ 
3. Follow instruction to get your ID verified. 
4. Once verified you will have full access to QParents. Now you can download the app for your phone.  

Please note, for the majority of parents, you will be able to get your documents verified online. If, however, you do not have the 100 points needed to register, you will need to come to the school to present your documents.

Invoices

BPoint is the preferred payment method for Department of Education, due to the efficiencies that automated receipting brings to schools. BPoint is an online payment system which provides schools with a secure and efficient method of collecting payments for parents/customers. BPoint allows a parent to pay their child's invoices directly from home and receive the receipt immediately.

Click directly onto the link on your invoice (example one) at the bottom left-hand corner of your invoice.  By clicking on the link on your invoice it will automatically fill in your CRN (Customer Reference Number) and invoice number.  All you need to do is fill in the amount you want to pay.  You cannot pay multiple invoices on the one link.

If you want to pay all your invoices online, you can do this by clicking the link in the box and entering the exact six-digit invoice number from your statement (example two). 

If you prefer, click the link below and follow the steps to make a payment. 

1. Log on to: www.bpoint.com.au/payments/dete External link
2. Enter your Customer Reference Number (CRN). It is always the same for your child. It can be found on the bottom left hand corner of your invoice.
3. Enter invoice number
4. Enter student name
5. Enter amount $

Lost Property

We're coming up to the mid-way point for term 3 and the lost property section is getting lost in all these jackets! 

This is a reminder any items left by Friday 9th August will be collected and donated to a local charity. 

Multicultural Queensland Month 2024

Did you know...

At the time of the 2021 Census, Queenslanders spoke more than 180 overseas languages, held more than 110 religious beliefs and came from more than 220 countries and territories. Did you also know, more than 1 in 10 Queenslanders spoke a language other than English at home? 

Multicultural Queensland Month takes place in August each year and is focussed on creating a more inclusive multicultural Queensland through learning, action and celebration.

Check out the link for more information and what's on. 

https://www.desi.qld.gov.au/multicultural-queensland-month 

Tuck Shop

Advertising

For all advertising enquiries please email: communications@ironsidess.eq.edu.au 

https://forms.gle/E2m5xMPcibQNR3kT7 

Suprada Academy is an organisation based in Indooroopilly which promotes Indian music and dance. There are classes for all ages. The most recent addition, an innovative fitness class 'Movement Meditation' is a must for anyone interested in getting fit while connecting with their mind and body. It is a fun workout incorporating Indian dance movements for soulful music. It is conducted by Navya who is a trained Indian Classical Dancer and a Psychotherapist. Please contact her for more details- 0415528706 or suprada.academy@gmail.com

Dear Ironside Families, 

We're excited to announce a new class in term 3. Please head to our website or click the link below for more information. 

Class Type: Coding
Day: Tuesdays
Dates: 16th July to 3rd September
Times: 3:15pm to 4:30pm

Please find the booking link HERE

Get excited – entries are now open for Wild At Art 2024!

From now until Monday 12 August – International Youth Day – we’re welcoming entries from young artists and nature lovers aged 5-12, showcasing the importance of protecting Australia’s threatened animals and plants for generations to come.   

ENTER COMPETITION

Key things to know about Wild At Art 2024 to help young people to take part: 

• Artwork entries must be a drawing, painting or mixed media work. Remember to check out our artist instructions for helpful tips. 
• Artworks must depict native Australian plants or animals listed as threatened or extinct under state or territory law. Use the Australian Government’s Species Profile and Threats Database if you're unsure whether an animal or plant is endangered or threatened.  
• Each artwork needs an adult sponsor – a parent, guardian or teacher – to submit on the child’s behalf. If you are a teacher, you must obtain consent from the parent or guardian of the child prior to submitting the artwork. 
• Submissions are to be made electronically via the submission form here. Entries open today, and close on Monday 12 August. 
• One artwork entry per child, unless the entry is a separate entry for groupwork (open to groups of children at schools or education centres only).  

For full details on entry criteria please read the terms and conditions.