22 October 2020 - Term 4, Week 3

News from Mr Johnson

Dear Parents,

SCHOOL COUNCIL (Rescheduled) MEETING – MONDAY 26 October The next meeting of the Ironside School Council will take place this coming Monday, 26 October. The School Council meets in the staff room commencing at 5:30pm and concluding by 7:30pm.

P&C OCTOBER MEETING – TUESDAY 28
Next Tuesday the 28 October is the P&C meeting for this month. The Ironside P&C meets in the staffroom commencing at 6:30pm. Meetings are concluded by 8:30pm at the latest. The P&C is a warm and friendly environment, new members are welcome.

CYBER SAFETY
Keeping our children cyber safe is an essential consideration in 2020. I have copied below a link to the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner’s website, which contains useful and helpful information, along with resources, to support parents in the space of children and cyber safety. Please browse and consider how these resources could assist you in the home.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

LOST PROPERTY
As I was visiting classrooms earlier in the week, I walked passed lost property on the ‘flyover’ to J Block. The amount of eating containers, school uniform items and other miscellaneous property was staggering.

If you are ‘chasing your child’ to track down any missing items – get them to visit lost property.

As we approach the end of the year any uncollected material will be donated or disposed of.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS
When arriving at school, students are required to move to their designated areas.
These are:

Prep – Outside Prep Buildings

Year 1 and 2 – Underneath G block

Year 3 and 4 – Underneath J block (just outside the Hall)

Year 5 and 6 – Underneath the Library (Library Basement)

When I have been walking around in the morning before school, I have noticed students doing an excellent job at being in the right place at the right time. Before school supervision commences in these areas at 8:30am.

After school, students are to move to their collection point as quickly and sensibly as possible. Should parents be running late, at the conclusion of the after school duty time, students will be taken to the office for collection.

All the best for the week ahead. Stay safe and well.

Merit Certificates - Week 2

ICAS High Distinction

Library Medals of Service

Active Travel Winning Classroom - 3A

News from Mr Murdoch

Dear parents and caregivers,

REMINDER:  2021 Prep Enrolments
We are accepting enrolment applications for 2021. Receiving these applications and information now means that we are able to forward plan and make balanced determinations relating to class placements that best support our new preppies. 

If you have a little person (born between the 1 July 2015 and the 30 June 2016) who is starting school next year, could you please make contact with our enrolments officer at enrolments@ironsidess.eq.edu.au.

REMINDER: 2021 Class Formation - Prep classes
Parents, please be advised that the communications and process relating to class formation in 2021 only applies to our current Prep – Year 5 students (future Year 1 – Year 6). 

Parents of future prep students do not need to complete the 2021 Class Placement Considerations Parent Submission Form.

As discussed during the prep enrolment process, we use the information provided by you on the Parent Questionnaire, in conjunction with the observations our teachers record during the interview.  We also draw on the knowledge from your ECEC when forming prep classes.

This combined information and collaborative approach ensures balance across classes and the best start to school possible.

Around the School

Prep:
The prep children have been learning about ‘Story Elements’ this term. Prep E have continued to look at the beginning, middle and end of stories, with a focus on characters and settings, problem and a solution to the story. We are using special words in each of the elements: one day; suddenly; luckily and finally.

Well done Prep E!

Prep

Year 1:
This week, the year 1 students were fortunate enough to have a visit from the scientists at ‘Street Science’. Students enjoyed watching the impressive science experiments and chemical reactions, while also participating in their own experiments. It was fantastic to see year one working together and engaging in a performance which tied in wonderfully with our current science unit. This unit looks at living things and what they need to survive. Well done to the year 1 students - our up and coming scientists!

Year 1 - Street Science

Year 2:
This term in year 2 we will be exploring “Past and Present” in our HASS unit. We will be looking at how household items, transport and technology have changed over the years, and then explore why these items have changed. Lizzy from 2F has created this fabulous title page showing some great images of past and present clothing, families and objects.

News from Mrs Vecchio

Year 4 students had a ‘wild’ time celebrating Book Week with their Prep buddy classes this week!

Dressed as their favourite book character, students explored picture books, read to their buddies and created many curious characters together.   Creativity and love of literature was evident in every room.

Year 4 students were also inspired as writers by a presentation from renowned author Nick Earles who shared practical ideas around areas of fiction writing. We appreciate your time and wisdom, Mr Earles.

Congratulations to Mr Chris McKimmie (grandfather of Astrid, Marcus and Scarlett) for winning the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Picture Book of the Year award with “I NEED a Parrot”.  This heart-warming book is about wanting and needing – what a child wants and what a wild bird needs. 

“I NEED a Parrot” as well as Mr McKimmie’s latest book, “Colin Cockroach Goes to Caloundra”, are available for borrowing from our school Library.

Special thank you to the Prep and Year 4 teaching teams for organising this annual celebration of literature and cross-class collaboration. Thank you also to parents who helped with costumes!!

News from Mrs Bairstow

YEAR 1 and 3: INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC -
2021 RECRUITMENT PROCESS UNDERWAY
The deadline for applying to enter the 2021 Instrumental Program was this Monday.  Thank you to those parents who submitted their child’s interest online.  A testing timetable for the Strings and Band program has been sent home for testing next week (week 4). If you cannot find your child’s name, or have missed the information and they are in year 1 (applying for the Strings program) or year 3 (applying for the Band program), please contact the relevant teacher as soon as possible 

Ms Weekes (Strings): (tweek23@eq.edu.au)
Ms Lisa James (Band) (lmjam0@eq.edu.au)

YEAR 6 BOOK WEEK CELEBRATION – NEXT THURSDAY
To celebrate Book Week this term, we are inviting Year 6 students to dress up as a character, or author from their favourite book on Thursday, 29 October (Week 4).

This also aligns with our Term 4 English unit, where we are exploring different styles in which author’s write and create texts. This is an opportunity for our students to express their creativity and celebrate an enjoyment of literature.

Students will still need to wear appropriate shoes and a hat as per our uniform guidelines. Any students not wishing to participate can wear full school uniform.

YEAR 6 GRADUATION
We are pleased to see that the risk of community transmission of COVID appears to have reduced. That said, it is still vitally important that we remain vigilant and cautious as a school and continue to implement some measures to reduce risks of escalating transmission in the future. We have made our decisions regarding end of year celebrations, in line with current guidelines and recommendations set by Education Queensland and the Health Department.

Friday 4 December:  Guard of Honour; Awards Ceremony & Pool party
While parents are not permitted onsite, the Awards Ceremony will be professionally filmed & edited, and uploaded online for families to view in their own time.

Students are encouraged to arrive at school in smart and comfortable attire in readiness for the Awards Ceremony.  This does not require formal attire, nor casual clothes.  Students should wear an outfit that they will feel special and comfortable in.  Generally speaking – collared shirts, dress trousers or shorts, comfortable and appropriate dresses and footwear is recommended as a guideline.  Parents should also note that, these clothes will also only be worn for the morning session, prior to the pool party.

Monday 7 December:  Shirt signing and Year Book Day
Students will receive their Year Book and are able to bring in a school shirt (and a pen) for friends and teachers to sign.  Students MUST have a clean, unsigned school uniform for the Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday.  Special thanks to Bec Byrnes and her committee of volunteers who are still working hard on collating a Year Book that will be a wonderful souvenir for all students.  Families will be invoiced for the Year Book in the coming weeks.

Tuesday 8 December:  Graduation certificate presentations
We recognise and appreciate that graduation from primary school is a milestone to be celebrated and shared with families.  Due to COVID restrictions on adult gatherings we will be running six graduation ceremonies – one for each class.  This limits the number of adults onsite at any given time, and also gives families the opportunity to share the moment with their children.

Each child will be able to have two adults to attend the ceremony at the time listed below for their class.  Please be respectful of this requirement in the knowledge that we are making decisions in the interest of achieving fairness to all families, while maintaining a safe environment for our staff and students.

We will also be filming and uploading the Year 6 dance that the students are working on this term, with the assistance of Dance Fever.  As with the awards ceremony, this will be available on the school’s You Tube channel.  This channel has been established in accordance with the requirements outlined by Education Queensland’s Strategic Communication and Engagement Department who advise and approve social media access and content for schools.  The content on Ironside’s You Tube channel is only available when provided with the direct link and cannot be accessed through the search function on You Tube or Google.

I would like to thank the many parents who were willing to volunteer for events that are no longer possible.  Despite the changes that 2020 has required, your generous offers of assistance were valued and appreciated. 

We trust that these arrangements will provide an opportunity for families to celebrate the students’ achievements - and most importantly, that the events are enjoyed and remembered by the children for many years to come.  As always, please feel free to contact me at jbair51@eq.edu.au should you have any further questions.

Parents, please refer to the letter sent home via email last week for detailed times and uniform requirements.

YEAR 5 NEWS – BRINGING TYALGUM TO IRONSIDE
I am happy to announce that the Year 5 team will be “Bringing Tyalgum to Ironside” on Monday 9 November.  This will follow the commencement of our 2021 leadership selection program which will officially commence in the week prior.  A detailed letter, with timelines around the process will be sent home tomorrow.

HOW TO ORDER YOUR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PHOTOS
MSP have taken a number of music extra curricular photos over our photo days Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October.

These photos will be available for purchase post photo day.

After MSP have finalised proofing these groups they will issue new order forms to each student who had their photo taken as part of these groups.

The order forms will be sent home with the students and will include:

• A list of the groups available for your student to purchase
• Multi order discount information
• Order closing date
• A new shootkey so you can place your order online.

There are no proofs of these photos and you will only see a sample image online with the name of the group.

Any orders placed after the close off date will incur a $10 late fee.

Community Providers

To enquire about advertising please send an email to news@ironsidess.eq.edu.au

Ironside Swim Club

The 2020-2021 SEASON has started!
Where: Ironside State School Pool
When: 5:30pm doors open 25M swimmers (5:45pm start)
              6:30pm for 50M swimmers (6:45 pm start)

Ironside Swim Club meets every Friday night throughout term 4 and term 1. However due to COVID we will be operating at a limited capacity with restrictions in place for swimmers and parents.

What’s new?
We will not be offering a free swim or tadpole swim this term so if your child cannot swim 25meters please continue with swim lessons and join us in the New Year.

Only one adult per family will be allowed in the pool area and swimmers must exit the pool via the basketball court when their events have been completed.

The canteen will remain closed for the term however you can bring food for your child to eat on the sidelines

Annual participation fee has been reduce to $25 per swimmer

What remains the same?
Ironside swimmers will continue to get the opportunity to participate in a confortable, friendly environment in timed 25m for 50m races in various strokes.

Swimmers receive points for participating and improving their times.

The club is affiliated with Swimming Queensland (SQ) for those who want to join SQ and compete in other meets as Ironside Club Members.

We are not a learn to swim school. For a swimming school please contact Georgie Parkes Swim School at gpswimschool@gmail.com

Register now via the “Qkr!”App!
For inquiries email:  ironsideswimclub@gmail.com  or refer to the Ironside State School website https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/clubs/ironside-swim-club