Ironside State School eNewsletter

News from Mr Johnson

Dear Parents,

Welcome to our first – AND NEW FORMAT - newsletter for this quite remarkable second term of 2020. Thanks to Elizabeth and the front office team for their work in developing and producing a new school newsletter.

IF YOU ARE SICK – STAY HOME!
I need to stress to families that the ‘previous normal’ of students heading to school if mildly unwell and “seeing how you go” does not apply in the current COVID-19 context.

I understand there is a clear difference between some anxious tummies, allergies etc. However, if your child displays cold or flu like symptoms – cough, fever, runny nose, aches, lethargy etc. They need to be at home. In these present times we need to ensure both the health and wellbeing of the individual as well as the group.

Thank you in advance for your support as we enter another cold and flu season.

CAR SIGNS – A HUGE HELP!
If you collect your child using a vehicle please have the A4 paper sign with their first name, surname and class printed and displayed in the windscreen. The signs are predominantly for the benefit of staff. While we’re ‘pretty good’ we are yet to retain individual child and aligned family transport vehicle information!! Your help with this is very much appreciated.

At this stage the current pick up and drop off arrangements will remain in place until the end of this term.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE – TIPS
We have learnt the following over the last three days. See these tips for continual improvement;

Do not all wait until close to bell time to arrive at school. Morning supervision commences at 8:30am. Staff are there to see your children into school safely from this time.
Avoid Central Avenue unless it is your arrival or departure point. Drivers please do not pick up from Swann Road or Hawken Drive and then turn left into Central Avenue.
Central Avenue onto Hawken Drive – TURN LEFT!
Central Avenue has two ‘zones’, look to move AS FAR FORWARD AS POSSIBLE. There is lots of space ahead of the pedestrian crossing.

At this stage the current pick up and drop off arrangements will remain in place until the end of this term.

COMMUNICATION
I want to thank the parent community for receiving and accepting what has been a constant ‘barrage’ of information over the last eight weeks or so. I want to draw to a close the constant emails from me at this time. I am looking to re-engage with this newsletter as Ironside’s primary and weekly mode of communication.

Rest assured, this does not mean information will be delayed or withheld should immediate updating or correspondence be required. Personally, I am looking forward to a ‘steadier’ flow of information re-emerging back into all of our school lives.

WELCOME BACK!
Finally, I just want to say a HUGE welcome back to all our students and families. I have missed you. I am delighted that Ironside is once again a place filled with 1103 students. Parents, thank you for maintaining your social distance. We’ll be back to normal as soon as we can.

Have a wonderful week ahead. Stay safe and well.

Warm regards,
Damian Johnson
Principal

Get the Schoolzine App

Click on the link below for further information on the app.

SZapp

News from Mr Murdoch

Dear parents and caregivers,

This week marked the return of our Year 2 – 6 students and it is has been an absolute delight to see our playgrounds and classrooms return to ‘normal’ operations.

On behalf of the Prep – Year 2 team, I have to congratulate our Prep and Year 1 students for their outstanding work over the past two weeks. The way they have adapted to our new school routines both in the morning and afternoon is a credit to their burgeoning independence and resilience.

One positive that has become apparent in what have been unusual times, is the opportunity this new normal has presented to our junior students to develop and build upon coping strategies and personal responsibility. Saying ‘goodbye’ to parents at the gate, making their way to class on their own and being responsible for their belongings are significant milestones in their development and hold them in good stead for the future.

Kind regards,
Scott Murdoch
Deputy Principal P-2

News from Mrs Vecchio

WELCOME BACK!
School just is not as much fun without students! The last five weeks has reinforced the importance of social-emotional connections. We have all been reminded that there’s more to school than learning content.

This week, teachers have been focusing on well-being, revising routines and revisiting concepts covered in the last few weeks. Year 3 & 4 teachers are planning a “Fun Friday” program, starting next week, to help students reconnect with each other and re-establish positive relationships.

BRIDGE BUILDER® MEDIATORS - RESTART AND REFRESHER
Year 6 BRIDGE BUILDER® Mediators will restart their rostered duties next week in Prep – 2 play areas. This important leadership position requires students to demonstrate responsibility and behaviour that sets an example to the rest of the school. Mediators have been trained in listening skills and basic conflict resolution skills to assist younger students to get along in the playground. A refresher day is planned for Friday 19 June to sharpen their mediation skills.

LIBRARY
We have some new Library Life Members since the beginning of the term:

Emily F
Liam H
Emily B
Miwa U

In light of current conditions, our school Library is open for students during play breaks only:

11:00 – 11:30am – Prep to Year 6

1:10 – 1:30pm – Years 3 - 6

Library is closed before and after school for resource management, including sanitisation.

All junior classes attend a weekly Library lesson where they engage with high quality literature and can borrow books for home reading. Ms Roche is reminding students that overdue books must be returned before any additional borrowing occurs.

TECHNOLOGY
Good news for Year 4 parents who have ordered a lap-top through our school’s 1:1 Laptop program! The devices have finally arrived from overseas and should be distributed by the end of this week. Parents who are interested in joining the program, please look out for information in Mrs Bairstow’s section of the newsletter next week.

Families who borrowed school devices for students learning at home, are asked to return devices to the main office as soon as possible. Thank you in advance!

Kind regards,
Larissa Vecchio
Deputy Principal

News from Mrs Bairstow

WELCOME BACK!!
As I visited all the classrooms on Monday morning, it was hard to determine which smiles were bigger . . . the students’ or the teachers’! As I said to all of the returning students, schools are just not right without kids in them! The last couple of months has been an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate why we are all really here – because we love working with kids! The sounds of their laughter and play filling the halls is music to the ears of us all!

The reality of our 2020 circumstance means that there are several changes to programs:

Life Education have advised that there is no availability to deliver the lessons we had scheduled;
Religious Instruction will not recommence until Term 3 at the earliest;
Instrumental Music lessons will continue to be delivered through the Notebook online platforms, as Ms Weekes and Miss James continue to work from home;
The Fanfare competition has been cancelled; and
Year 5 Camp (scheduled for October) remains uncertain, especially as it is located in NSW.

However, there are new beginnings ahead, as we will welcome our youngest strings players to commence morning rehearsals with Miss Todd starting next week. Some routines have been re-established with the arrival and processing of our one-to-one student laptops this week. Student Council & Art Club will also both recommence their regular schedules next Tuesday.

While there certainly have been some challenges, there are many silver linings to be celebrated. We have embraced and engaged with a whole new way of learning through technology, that will shape the way we teach and learn for the better in the future. We have all worked together to navigate our way through unforeseen challenges, and in teaching speak we have come out of the “learning pit” stronger, together.

Possibly one of the hardest decisions for me personally, was after much consultation, cancelling our Year 6 trip to Canberra. Of course now, with border closures in place (which none of us could ever have foreseen) the conclusion has effectively been made for us. While I certainly have the perspective of being grateful in the scope of the impact on the world and many people’s lives, it is important to acknowledge that there are some disappointed kids at the end of this necessary decisions. The Year 6 team is keen to not let the pandemic ruin all of our fun and final year memories, so we’re bringing Canberra to Ironside this year!! Stay tuned for some exciting plans that will involve a virtual tour of some of the highlights of the National Capital, some beanies (a necessity on our Canberra trip), and some camp activities . . . all within the comfort of our Ironside surrounds.

NEXT WEEK:

Instructions for how to order a one-to-one student laptop for the commencement of Term 3.

Warm Regards,
Jennifer Bairstow
Deputy Principal

Community Providers

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

A Message from the Guidance Officer

It has been wonderful to see our students return to school over the last few weeks. I have seen that many children are feeling energised and enthusiastic about returning after such a long absence. However, it is normal for students to feel a range of emotions at this time of change such as excitement, worry and nervousness. The Queensland Department of Education has developed an online pamphlet with advice for parents and carers regarding how to support your children’s wellbeing as they return to school:

Click Here to View Advice Flyer

You can also access the Wellbeing Resources page on the Ironside State School website for additional resources to support your child.

Ironside State School Website

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s wellbeing, please get in touch with your child’s classroom teacher.

Ms Jessica Ballantyne
Guidance Officer

Chappy Corner

Hi everyone and welcome back to all our wonderful students who have joined us over the last few weeks. I hope everyone is well and keeping safe. Please let your children know I have really loved seeing them again. Parents, a huge congratulations to you all on successfully transitioning them through online learning and back into school again! What a whirlwind process it’s been with a lot of learning and growing for everyone.

Personally, I found that the last few months, while trying in many ways, helped me appreciate many things I previously took for granted, such as being able to visit friends and family, the ability to head out into nature, go to a café, or see a movie with a friend. On the other hand, I have heard many people saying how much they have treasured this time of slowing down and focussing on the important things in life, and I have very much enjoyed this as well.

This time has affected each person in different ways, including of course our children. If you or your child would like to chat about anything at all, please do not hesitate to be in touch, at katies@chappy.org.au. It is during this time when stress and feelings of anxiety are more prevalent that I love to remind our students that every one of us is loved, important, and valuable beyond understanding. As the old adage goes, we are human beings and not human doings. Our worth and value is found not in what we achieve, but in who we are. My prayer is that each one of us would rest in the knowledge that we are loved and valuable, and that we will come out of this time feeling more connected with the most important things in life, and with each other.

All the best for the coming weeks ahead.

Chappy Katie and the Local Chaplaincy Committee : )

Tuckshop

What’s Cookin’ at Tuckshop…

Parents/Caregivers, we ask that you please tell your children when you have ordered Tuckshop for them. As we are currently closing at 11am, some orders have been left unclaimed and when we found the children to deliver their order, often they were not aware they had an order coming.

We also please ask that you remind your children that Tuckshop is not open for over-the-counter sales at First or Second break. Children are coming to the window with cash to spend and are disappointed to find out (or remember) we are not yet open. We also want to make sure your children have brought enough food to eat at both breaks.

Many thanks for your help and understanding during this time.

Tuckshop Team

Tuckshop_Term_2_Menu.pdf

Uniform Shop

Due to the requirement of Social Distancing between Adults, the Uniform Shop will remain closed for Term 2. It is however a requirement that the school uniform be worn at all times, so please order online using the Qkr! app. Order prior to 5.30pm on Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday to receive your order the following day. Please allow additional time for embroidered items.

It may be possible to arrange an appointment should you need to purchase second hand items (Uniform Shop contact details are included below).

Should you need to return or exchange, please contact Hanorah via hwall79@eq.edu.au, complete the Return Slip which will be included with your order, and have your child drop the item to the tuckshop prior to 11am. If you do not have a return slip, please enclose a note with your name and mobile phone number, your child’s full name and class, reason for the return and the item you wish to receive in exchange. Remember to return your item within 30 days of purchase.s

It has come to our attention that families may not be aware of the Ironside Uniform Policy. Wearing the Ironside State School uniform assists in maintaining the tone within the school and gives the children a sense of belonging. It also eliminates undesirable competition in dress. We appreciate your co-operation in ensuring the children wear the uniform to school and to school events. It is important that the uniform be worn as a complete ensemble and not mixed with other garments. Please refer to https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/facilities/uniform-shop for more information

We will keep you updated as soon as we have a date to reopen, until then please use the Qkr! app to order and if you need any assistance please contact Hanorah.

Many thanks,
Uniform Shop