4 June 2020, Term 2 Week 7

News from Mr Johnson

Dear Parents,

Once again, thank you for the tremendous job you are doing in accommodating the changes to school life as we manage the social distance of adults around our grounds.

Remember that we are certainly open and available to you. This is however, through appointment only.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE – TIPS

• Don’t 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’s your arrival or departure point. Drivers please don’t 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.

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.

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.

SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING – 8 JUNE
The next meeting of the School Council will be held this coming Monday 8 June, commencing at 5:30pm. The mode and/or venue of the meeting will be confirmed shortly.

Council members can expect the agenda and minutes of the previous meeting to be forwarded before the end of this week.

Have a terrific week ahead. Stay safe and well.

Warm regards,
Damian Johnson
Principal

News from Mr Murdoch

Dear parents and caregivers,

We continue to be delighted with our junior students new found levels of independence and resilience.  Well done Prep – Year 2!

WINTER CLOTHING
Now that the weather is becoming cooler, there is the need for warmer items of clothing here at school.  Could all Prep – Year 2 parents please ensure that names and labels are clearly written on jackets and jumpers to ensure they can be returned to their rightful owner. 

This is also another opportunity for our junior students to take ownership and responsibility for their belongings and further develop their skills in this area.

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Thank you for your continued efforts in our new arrival and departure processes.  We appreciate your support in helping the school maintain effective social distancing measures. 

We do ask that parents that are on foot, to be mindful of these measures and move quickly after drop offs and collections. 

Zone C, D, E & F parents:  If you are waiting for your child/ren, please wait at either end of the collection zones, not in front of the Central Avenue gate.  With four classes for each year level exiting from these gates it makes this process easier and safer to manage.

Kind regards,
Scott Murdoch
Deputy Principal P-2

News from Mrs Vecchio

Teachers and I have been really impressed with our students … how well they’ve settled into classroom routines and the purposeful learning that’s occurring.  We’ve also been delighted to welcome a number of new students to Ironside over the past few weeks.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE REMINDERS
Morning arrivals and afternoon departures are starting to run smoothly thanks to everyone’s efforts in following the new routines.  A few points to remember:

MORNING ARRIVAL:
Students in Year 3 – 6 who have a younger sibling in Prep – Year 2 should arrive together with their younger brother/sister via the Hawken Drive or Swann Road “Stop-Drop-Go” zones and gates.

All other students in Years 3 – 6 should be arriving via the Central Avenue gates.
The morning “Stop-Drop-Go” zone extends before and after the school crossing.
Utilising the full length of this zone will help ease the traffic congestion.

AFTERNOON DEPARTURE:
Older students are doing a great job at collecting their younger siblings and moving to their Class zone

Parents who are collecting Year 3 – 6 students only (not those with younger siblings) are reminded that pick-up times are:

Year 3 & 4 – 2:55pm
Year 5 & 6 – 3:00pm

Please don’t arrive early as this blocks the pick-up zones for families with younger students.

LIBRARY
Students are reminded that our school Library is open during play breaks only:

11:00 – 11:30am – Prep to Year 6
1:10 – 1:30pm – Years 3 - 6

Due to current conditions, the 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
Year 4 parents who are interested in joining the 1:1 Laptop program should refer to Mrs Bairstow’s section of the newsletter this week.

All the best for the week ahead!
Larissa Vecchio
Deputy Principal

News from Mrs Bairstow

STUDENT MOBILE PHONES AT SCHOOL
An increasing number of families are understandably choosing to provide their children with mobile phones to provide an additional safety measure for their walking / riding journey to and from school.  This means that, particularly in the upper school, there are an increasing number of mobile phone devices being brought on to the school premises.  I visited all Year 5 & 6 classrooms this week to remind the students of the expectations regarding these devices during school hours.  There was a mixed understanding of the expectations, and so I informed the students that I would echo the message in the newsletter this week, so that we can all be on the same page.

If a student has a mobile phone, they are required to turn it off upon entry into the school gates in the morning.  It needs to be placed in their school bag and not retrieved until the end of the day.  Students may turn their phone back on as they are leaving the school premises in the afternoon.

Some of the questions raised by students that I answered earlier this week were:

            Can I just put my phone on mute instead of turning it off?

            No.  This does not assist in limiting internet access beyond the schools networks – which have inbuilt filters and safety measures appropriate for use by primary school children.

            Can I give my phone to my teacher / the office?

            No.  The quantum of devices being used makes this untenable.  Parents need to be aware that the device will be in your bag, in the port racks for the duration of the school day.

            What if I need to call my parents during the day?

            Go to the office, and ask the staff to help you to get in contact with your family using the school phone.

            What if there is an emergency?

            Emergencies are managed by school staff in line with our lockdown and evacuation procedures to ensure student safety at all times.

            Can I turn it on at the port racks in the afternoon?

            No.  Please wait until you are leaving the school grounds.

            Other schools let you have phones turned on. Why can’t we?

            Because this is Ironside and we operate in the Ironside Way.  As part of that, it is an expectation that your mobile phone is turned off and in your bag for the duration of the school day.

Some students also have watches that have internet capability.  Thank you to the many parents who have disabled the phone and internet capabilities of these devices during school hours, requiring a parent pass code to reactivate the functions.

I have advised all students that if a phone is turned on and/or is out of a school bag, it will be held at the office and parents will be contacted to arrange its collection.  We realise that students having mobile phones is part of the reality of emerging technologies and changing communities.  It is not our intention to be punitive in our approach in relation to the use of technology, so we appreciate the support of the parents in this matter.

STUDENT LAPTOP PROGRAM – TERM THREE ORDERS NOW OPEN
If you wish to purchase a student laptop through the school’s bulk purchasing agreement with HP for the commencement of Term 3, please follow these procedures detailed below.

• Refer to the PDF below entitled Laptop Info Sheet. This document details the specific details of the program;
• Complete pages 11 and 12 of the Participant's Agreement (below) and return to the school office;  
• Pay a $400 non-refundable deposit – an invoice will be generated after this payment is received;
• The deadline for deposits is Friday 19 June; and
• On Monday 22 June, a bulk order will be placed with HP. Laptops are usually delivered by HP over the following one month period, meaning they can be delivered and processed in the early stages of Term 3.  Please note that the COVID-19 pandemic led to significantly delayed delivery of our Term 2 orders.  These circumstances are beyond our control and families need to be aware that delivery timelines are not as reliable as in previous orders.

Please contact Mrs Bairstow if you have any queries about this process at jbair51@eq.edu.au

Kind regards
Jennifer Bairstow
Deputy Principal

WestCent District Music Camp - Strings

WestCent is the district music camp for over 20 schools from the western suburbs of Brisbane right through the Centenary suburbs out to Forest Lake.  This camp is by audition only, there are over 200 students auditioning for the 120 spots, and this is just for strings.  The camp is a week long event at two venues.  The Honours Camp is an overnight camp and contains the top 60 string and the top 60 band.  The Intermediate Camp is a day camp and contains the next successful 60 students in band and 60 in strings.  This camp is the equivalent to district sport for music.

This year the camp has been cancelled due to COVID-19 however students had already completed a video audition and it was felt that their efforts needed to be recognised.  So the auditions were viewed and assessed and certificates issued to those students who would have been successful in attaining entry to the camp.

Ironside has a strong history of participation at these camps and this year we have 26% of the string students at both camps, a huge number for any single school and something we should be very proud of.  We also, for the first time, had every person who auditioned receive a place.  Just fantastic! The following students were successful in their audition and will receive their certificates from their classroom teachers.  Congratulations. 

HONOURS
Lucas A, Lena C, Barbara F, Jessie F, Isabel H, Sophie L, Iago P, Abigail S, Charlotte Y, Keeran C, Nemi D, Hanneli D, James H, Freya L-A, Arianna M, Gemma M, Charles Z.

INTERMEDIATE 
Oscar B-L, Torma H, Sophie K, Naomi L, Katelyn L, Nathan S, Xi En T, Daniel W, Elsa Y, Isabella Z, Patrick E, Karis K, Madeleine McP, Yujin B, Ji-Ah L, Erin S.

Religious Instruction - Islam

Dear Parents,

The Islamic RI group is looking for volunteers from the Muslim community to assist with Islamic RI in Terms 3 and 4.

Please contact the Islamic RI coordinator at ri-admin@amynweb.com for more information.

Community Providers

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

P&C Fundraiser - Entertainment Book

As restrictions start to ease, we are once again conducting our Entertainment Fundraiser. 

The NEW 2020 | 2021 Entertainment app is now available for purchase, so you can save money AND help raise funds at the same time (20% / $14 per membership will go to the P&C).

Times have been tough the last few months so there is a heap of free stuff if you purchase before 13th of July.  Also, you can buy now and register the app up-to 3 months later if you want to wait until more restaurants and businesses are open.

Let’s support our local community and our school’s P&C Projects!  $164 already raised.

**Order online at http://www.entbook.com.au/2y22817.

If you need further information, please email Treena:  ISSEntertainmentBook@gmail.com 

Tuckshop

Here’s what’s cookin’ at Tuckshop…

We are welcoming back our treasured volunteers from Week 8.  Hooray!! We ask that you please sign in with the office before coming to Tuckshop and sign out when you leave as well. We are also accepting home bake with the same proviso; please sign in with the office before delivering your yummy home bake to Tuckshop and sign out when you leave.

Our sincerest thanks to all our volunteers. You are well and truly valued by Tuckshop and the Ironside Community!

A brief reminder that we are still NOT open for over-the-counter sales to students.

Tuckshop Team

Community Information

This section is about local community events and information. 

NATIVE LANGUAGE STUDY

Dear Parent,
Do you and your partner speak different native languages? Help us push the boundaries of knowledge by sharing your family’s language experiences. We are looking for parents who are native speakers of Languages Other Than English, and who have a partner who speaks a different native language. It does not matter what language(s) you speak at home. As a thank you, you will receive a FREE 10-page PDF document with printables and ideas for activities with children.

For more information, please see:  www.different-languages.org

Kind regards,
Agnes Faron, PhD Candidate, School of Languages and Cultures
Gordon Greenwood Building, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld 4072 Australia
E a.faron@uq.net.au W languages-cultures.uq.edu.au

SURVEY
Please click on the link below if you are interested in providing feedback on a potential software application that helps children learn math.  This software application is being developed by Spare Brainz and the survey is being run by them.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V8MWLBC

ENACT Study

Are you expecting a new baby?

Does your baby have a family history of ASD?

Mothers of babies who have a parent or sibling with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are invited to take part in a trial of the ENACT program as part of a new University of Queensland research study.

ENACT is an online intervention that harnesses the power of parents’ everyday interactions with their babies to support infant development – and parents’ own wellbeing – from the earliest months.

If you are currently pregnant with a child who has a first degree relative (a mother, father, sister or brother) who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, you may be eligible to take part. If you are interested in taking part, or to find out more, please contact Miss Kavindri Kulasinghe or Dr Andrea McGlade (Chief Investigators) on (07) 3069 7547,
email: uqenact@uq.edu.au, or visit us at https://qcprrc.centre.uq.edu.au/project/enact