24 November 2022 - Term 4, Week 8
News from Mr Johnson
Dear Parents,
Teaching Teams – 2023
The following teams are in place on our modelling for 2023 – Predicting 954 Students in 39 classes to commence next year.
PREP TEAM – (4) Classes
Eddie Dobinson
Robynne Mc Lachlan
Amanda Hayes
Chris Lord
YEAR ONE TEAM – (5) Classes
Dee Burns (0.5) and Josie Donaldson (0.5)
Sam Rosinski
Sarah Cummings
Gillian Bishop
Cathy Gordon
YEAR TWO TEAM – (6) Classes
Leesa Palmer (0.8) and Robyn Chiffey (0.2)
Renee Graham (0.6) and Emma Zonca (0.6)
Mariela Morris
Sara Beeston
Robyn Behr
Annabella Eaton
YEAR THREE TEAM – (6) Classes
Brooke Richardson (0.4) and Alison Harris (0.6)
Susan King (0.8) and TBC (0.2)
Leonie Evertsen
Heather White
Andrea Ward-Isles
Gary Lake
YEAR FOUR TEAM – (6) Classes
Michael Cortes (0.6) and Annika Sauvage (0.4)
Michael Bierhuizen
Alex Burt
James Tait
Mikayla Graves
Georgia O’Donnell
YEAR FIVE TEAM – (6) Classes
Neil Malcolm
Sharyn Pinkerton
Nik Taufatofua
Hannah McFarlane
Dannielle Jeanes
Olivia Bryant
YEAR SIX TEAM – (6) Classes
Tim Shepherd
Jamie Henderson
Brett Perrier
Dannielle Faithfull
Bryan Chow
Liz Fairhall
SPECIALISTS
Jeremie Clarke-Okah
Megan English
Marianne Huxley
Victoria Keomahavong
Lisa Allely
Trudy Weekes
Ngaire Aboud
Maria Cesar
Cath Roche
Julie Short
Terri Avis (0.6)
Christina Maxwell
Kylie Sommerfeld (0.8)
Maureen Dancer (0.8)
Tara Wightwick (0.6)
Robyn Chiffey (0.6)
OTHER – (LEAVE etc.)
Deb Warren - DRT
Rachel Beattie – up until end T1 (max)
Kristen Curtis – up until end week 8, T1 (max)
Malindi Trehearn – Return Semester II
Annabelle Houlahan (0.6) – Return Semester II
Junior Rotary Celebration and Presentation Evening
Congratulations to our 2022 Junior Rotarians on the completion of their Program. Sincere thanks and appreciation to Miss Adele Todd for her leadership and coordination of the program again in 2022. Ironside was very strongly represented in numbers at the presentation evening. Students, well done on your achievement.
Junior Assembly – Merit Certificates
Last Friday our Prep-2 students were fortunate to have Cr. James Mackay as our special guest at assembly. Cr Mackay was delighted to be able to present the merit certificates to our P-2 students.
Warmest and best wishes to all our families for the fortnight ahead.
Stay safe and well.
Damian Johnson, Principal.
News from Mr Murdoch
Dear parents and caregivers,
REVISION: Bridge Builders - Skill of the week: Be Kind
Teaching children to be kind to someone who they have been in conflict with seems like an oxymoron. Often, a child’s natural instinct when they have been hurt is to hurt back.
Kindness in conflict is unexpected and it can be the opposite to what someone expects. This can mean that they struggle to continue to be mean. Learning to be kind when we are hurt starts with how we think about the other person. It can require empathy and encourages children to be brave enough to be the hero in a problem.
Acts of kindness release hormones that make us feel calmer, healthier and happier. They can also be contagious.
“Empowered for Life”; Jocelyne Chirnside
Prep 2023 - Meet Your Teacher
Parents, please note that we will be conducting our ‘Meet Your Teacher’ event on Monday 5 December.
As the name suggests, this is an opportunity for our future Preppies and parents to meet their classroom teacher, classmates and see the classroom. It is also a great way for families to connect before the new school year begins.
I will make contact in Week 9 and provide Prep parents with more details closer to the date.
Around the classrooms – Prep:
Prep has had an interesting year full of learnings, major achievements and wonderful wonderings!
Over the past weeks, we have been discovering the fascinating world of Year 1. Visits to the classrooms will support the prep children’s readiness to move to Year 1 in the new year.
We visited many classrooms to observe similarities and differences, between our prep room and Year 1. We collected data and concluded that there were more similarities.
We read the lovely story of ‘Old friends, New friends’ by Andrew Daddo. This led to discussions about making friends and friendships. We can make friends by being kind, helpful, caring, thoughtful, honest and having fun with others.
We will eat and play in different areas in Year 1, and are practising where to go. Bridge Builders will still be an important part of our learning and play.
We can’t wait for Year One in 2023!
Around the classrooms – Year 2:
Year 2 have been working hard creating lists poems about foods and animals. To make them interesting we have been using exciting extended noun groups, including topic specific vocabulary such as portions and collective nouns. They have also focused on rhyming patterns and alliteration. They have had endless fun experimenting with sound combinations and rhythmic sound patterns.
Kind regards,
Scott Murdoch
Deputy Principal P-2
News from Mr Davey
Year 3
Bridge Builder Strategy – How to get help
Tips to teach this skill at home:
- Listen, really listen to them. Give them eye contact, repeat back what they say.
- Ask them what they tried that worked and what didn’t work.
- Have them practise asking for help from an adult with you. Encourage them to use this skill at home when they need your help.
- Encourage them, especially any effort they have tried to solve the problem.
- Ask them if they have any ideas of what they would like you to do to help
- Consider calling their teacher and organising to have a chat about what is happening and how you can work together to empower your child.
- If the conflict is with a sibling, consider whether you need to step in and mediate or talk to your other child about consequences.
BYOD Information
Ironside State School offers a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environment for our Year 5 and Year 6 students.
In order to best meet the demands of the Australian Curriculum, our upper school students in Year 5 and 6 are encouraged to participate within the BYOD environment.
Students in Prep through to Year 4 are explicitly taught the knowledge, skills and cybersafe behaviours required for entry into a BYOD environment should students and families choose to enter the program.
For more information please visit: https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/curriculum/bring-your-own-device
If you have any general enquires please email: byod@ironsidess.eq.edu.au
Buddhism RI in 2023
As 2022 starts to wrap up, our planning moves towards 2023. Unfortunately, we were unable to offer Buddhism as part of our RI program in 2022 due to limited volunteers, but we are hopeful of re-introducing it into our 2023 RI program. Before this happens, we do require an Expression of Interest to ensure we have adequate numbers. Please find some information below about the program and email Admin@ironsidess.eq.edu.au if you would like your child to participate in Buddhism lessons through the RI program in 2023. Please note Buddhism lessons are only available for students in Years 3-6.
A Little bit about the Buddhism RI Program
The intention of sharing the wisdom of the Buddha with the children is for them to be aware that there are consequences of what they think, say, and do. This helps them to develop life-skills that will benefit their own lives and therefore also the wider community and society. Our aim is for the children to lead happy and healthy lives. Gentle meditation skills are integrated into the pattern of the lessons, and the children therefore learn how to better manage the inevitable ups and downs of life.
There is no requirement for the student to come from a Buddhist family, all are welcome.
BESS
Kind regards,
Peter Davey
Deputy Principal 3-4
News from Mrs Bairstow
Dear parents and caregivers,
MEDICAL LEAVE
Unfortunately I need to take medical leave from tomorrow, for the remainder of the school year. I am deeply disappointed to miss the milestone of graduation for our Year 6 students, along with other exciting events and memorable moments.
I am sincerely grateful to my colleagues for their kind support during this time. Alice Cowan-Dillon will take on the Deputy Principal 5-6 role for the last two weeks of this year. She can be contacted at acowa13@eq.edu.au
I wish all of your families a safe, happy and healthy holiday and look forward to working with you again next year.
SEMESTER 2 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC GALA
Looking forward to seeing you this evening.
Thank you to our P&C for providing snacks and light refreshments for our students and parents at this event. Special thanks to Rob Wootton and Emily Power for your work behind the scenes to make this possible.
Please allow for enough time to find a park in nearby streets, which can be limited.
CHORAL GALA
Congratulations to Mrs Keomahavong and all of her choral groups who performed a wide repertoire last week at the Choral Gala.
YEAR BOOK – AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON QKR! NOW
The Year Book has been created by a dedicated team of parent volunteers. It is an amazing collection of memories and a beautiful keepsake for the future.
The 2022 Year Book can be purchased now on QKR! for $18 per copy. This is the only way to order the Year Book.
The cut-off for payment is Monday 5 December at 3pm.
Students whose families have made the purchase on QKR! will receive their Year Book at school on Wednesday 7 December.
GRADUATION EVENING
Date: Tuesday 6 December
Location: School Hall
Time: 6pm (students to meet their teacher on the school oval – weather permitting – at 5.30pm for commencement of ceremony at 6pm sharp).
Student attire: Students to wear smart attire (not uniform, not formal, not casual). 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.
Guests: Family members are welcome in the audience. There is no registration for attendance. After several years of Covid-impacted and therefore limited graduation celebrations, we are happily returning to normal operations. History tells us that under these circumstances, while the hall space is tight – it is able to cater for our families’ numbers without placing restrictions on attendance. Families should be mindful to not bring an excessive amount of guests – but everyone is usually sensible, and respectful that is a shared event - and it all evens out to make for an enjoyable and memorable event for all.
Depending on the age of your younger children, it may be advisable to arrange for their care. The formal ceremony involves a lot of speeches, and it is always a very warm evening in December – making it difficult for some little ones to settle. They would also need to be fully supervised by you during the less formal and later part of the evening.
Seating at the front of the hall is reserved for students only. Family members will sit behind the student cohort.
Ceremony:
This part of the evening includes:
- Each student being presented with their graduation certificate from Mr Johnson;
- Prize giving for academic, music and sporting endeavours;
- Guest speakers and speeches delivered by students and staff;
- School and community citizenship awards;
- Students’ farewell song.
It is anticipated that this section of the evening will be finished by 7.30pm.
Family function:
Families are welcome to stay afterwards for an informal gathering, including some fun dancing to music selected by the students.
Drinks and light snacks will be available for purchase, with thanks to the support of our P&C and a group of Year 5 parent helpers.
No formal supervision is provided by the school during the family function time. If students are participating, parents must remain onsite and are responsible for the care and supervision of their children.
This function ends at 9pm.
SHIRT AND YEAR BOOK SIGNING – YEAR 6 STUDENTS ONLY
Date: Wednesday 7 December, during school hours.
Students will receive their Year Book (according to payments made on QKR!). Students are able to bring in a school shirt (& a marker pen) for friends and teachers to sign.
WHOLE SCHOOL FAREWELL ASSEMBLY
Date: Thursday 8 December
Location: School Hall
Time: 9.15am
Details: Parents are welcome to attend the whole school assembly. Award winners will be announced to the whole school body. Current school captains hand over to 2023 school captains. Year 6 students perform their farewell song for the whole school.
POOL PARTY, GAME TIME AND SAUSAGE SIZZLE – YEAR 6 ONLY
Date: Thursday 8 December
Location: Pool, classrooms, play areas.
Time: From conclusion of whole school assembly through to 3pm.
Details: Students rotate between pool, basketball courts and classrooms for games and celebrations.
Food: We sincerely thank the P&C for funding this event! Lunch will include a sausage sizzle, drinks, treats and a graduation cake to share. Dietary needs will be considered within the catering plan.
Volunteers: If parents are available to help Chappy Thu with the BBQ and organisation for this party, please contact me directly at jbair51@eq.edu.au
Remember to bring:
- Sun safe equipment: including hats, drink bottles, sunscreen, rash shirts / swim shirts, sunscreen for re-application during the day.
- Casual, comfortable, school-appropriate clothes for when they are out of the pool.
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITIONS
We are aware that many students will be visiting their high schools for transition days in the last week of school. Please follow our school procedures of signing students in and out of the office for early departures and late arrivals.
We are looking forward to sharing these special celebrations with our students and their families. As always, please feel free to contact me at jbair51@eq.edu.au should you have any further questions.
YEAR FIVE CAMP – PHOTOS
We hope you enjoyed the amazing video that Mr Aprile created before his departure overseas. If you haven’t seen it yet – please go to the school’s Facebook page.
Should your family wish to gather more photos of your child’s camp experience, please send them with a clear USB to school in Week 10.
The Year 5 teachers will be providing students with the time and opportunity to gather photos from a central digital storage location.
YEAR SIX SUSTAINABILITY SHOWCASE
STUDENT LEADERSHIP – CURRENT YEAR FIVE STUDENTS
Congratulations to the twelve boys and eleven girls who were shortlisted to deliver speeches to the Year 5 cohort this morning. Progressing to this stage means that your peers have recognised, and value, your leadership qualities. We wish you all the best in the ensuing stages of the process, and in your leadership journeys.
Below is a summary of the roles and responsibilities for student leaders at Ironside.
A Year 5 student nominating for election into school leadership positions must have consistently demonstrated leadership qualities throughout 2022. At Ironside State School, student leadership positions are held in high regard. The process for student leader selection is therefore rigorous and the criteria is specific in nature. The student leadership election process has been structured to provide a clear and supportive procedure which is outlined in the following information.
To be considered for a leadership position at Ironside students must have demonstrated consistent modelling of the Ironside Way through exhibiting the STAR values of being Safe and Kind, Treasuring Diversity, Acting with Integrity & being Respectful. They must also have demonstrated competent public speaking skills in both formal and informal contexts. Duties of the Captains and Vice Captains include; holding executive positions in the Student Council; welcoming and hosting school guests; organising and running school assemblies; and representing Ironside at community events.
The following timelines will guide the nomination, application, interview and election processes:
As representatives of Ironside State School, all of these leadership roles involve and require mentoring, guidance and the maintenance of very high standards of conduct to which other students can aspire to. We trust that parents will support their children’s involvement in the nomination and election process in accordance with the guidelines set by the school’s expectations. We look forward to engaging in the process with the students and working with the successful applicants.
2023 SYDNEY CANBERRA TOUR
All 120 positions on this camp are now full. Should you wish to add your child’s name to a waiting list, please email me directly at jbair51@eq.edu.au
Kind regards,
Jennifer Bairstow
Deputy Principal 5-6
HPE News
Reminder!
- 100m Freestyle races are taking place on Friday, 11:30-1pm
- Year 3/4 swim carnival is next Wednesday, November 30th , all day.
- Year 5/6 swim carnival is next Thursday, December 1st, all day.
Students have the race selection list up in their classroom and should know what they are swimming.
Music News
Upper School Choral Gala
Last Thursday we had our upper school Choral Gala. The gala presented Canto Voci, Belle Voci and Voci Musicali with the opportunity to perform their repertoire from this semester to friends and family. The night included pieces from Hamilton, Annie, Encanto and more. We recognised the hard work of our choral captains and of course all of our Ironside choristers. It was a fantastic night and a beautiful way to end the year for our choirs.
This weekend we have a number of our students attending the State Honours Ensemble Program, hosted by the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. SHEP is an educational program designed to help students extend and encourage their pursuit of musical excellence. Congratulations to the following students from our choirs that have been selected to attend.
Selene A. Year 4
Masya B. Year 4
Anne H. Year 4
Aria J. Year 4
Caragh L. Year 4
Molly G. Year 5
Coco L. Year 5
Nathan B. Year 6
Madeleine C. Year 6
Olivia D. Year 6
Manura G. Year 6
Elenora J. Year 6
Susannah L. Year 6
Upper School Choral Gala
News from Chappy Thu
Dear Families,
Guess what? Our Gingerbread Houses have arrived! How exciting! Preparations are well underway for the evening & I can’t wait to share the fun with you all. In the hall is where the Houses will be made as well as where you will find the Chappy Squad Stall & the Gingerbread Stall where you can purchase cookie kits to decorate & extra lollies (see Chappy Treats below for a sample). Just outside, you will find the food area where you can purchase snacks & drinks as well as the P&C Christmas Market. There will even be a small light display, so lots of fun for everyone! For those who ordered a Take Home Kit, these will be delivered to classrooms early next week. My kids & I made one of the kits last night with the Chappy Treats as decorations. Images below 😊
Please remember, you DO NOT need tickets to attend on the night! The tickets were just for the Gingerbread Houses. If you missed out on ordering a house, cookie kits are available for purchase on the night so you can still join in the fun.
If you would like to be involved, here are the ways you can help:
- Volunteer to help on the night (please email Chappy Thu if interested (tklet0@eq.edu.au)) We will begin setting up at 3pm.
- Donate good quality, new items for the Make & Bake Stall (drop off at the office any time until Wednesday, 30thNovember)
- Donate already wrapped, ready to sell baked goods for the Make & Bake Stall (drop off in Staff Lounge on Thursday, 1stDecember during the day or bring to the Hall from 3pm onwards)
- Supply festive decorations for the night such as tablecloths, fairy lights, tinsel & so forth (these will all be returned to you afterwards). Drop off anytime until 3pm, Thursday, 1st December
We look forward to seeing you there!
Chappy Activities
It’s a wrap for Chappy Activities for 2022! We’ve had a wonderful term & I would especially like to thank the Chappy Squad for all their hard work over the past few weeks. They have really stepped up this last term & it’s been a pleasure working with them & seeing how much they’ve grown over the past year. Some images taken by the Chappy Squad are shown below. Over the past two weeks, we have made Pajaritos (small Spanish birds) in Origami Club, had fun with an impromptu conga line during Music in the Oasis, made heart bouquets for friends & family, took time to relax in between assessments & formed new friendships.
Week 9 will be dedicated to Gingerbread preparations & Week 10 will be a week of celebration! Everything from a Chappy Party to Year 6 BBQ & everything in between!
Upcoming School Events
TERM 4
- Gingerbread House Making Night with Chappy Squad Make & Bake Stall & P&C Christmas Market – Thursday, December 1st, 6pm to 8pm
Lastly…
- If you have any questions or would like to volunteer at any of the activities, please email me at tklet0@eq.edu.au.
- If you would like to join the Local Chaplaincy Committee (LCC) or find out more about what the committee does, please email our president, David, at mooresathome@internode.on.net
- If would like to donate items such as origami paper, lollies, chocolates, crafts or games for Chappy Lounge or Care Packages, please drop off at the office.
- If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please do so here: https://www.suqld.org.au/donate/ironside-ss-chaplaincy-tax-deductible/
Until Next Time,
Chappy Thu
International Parent Group News
Everyone is invited to join us this Friday (25/11/22) for our final Chat and Cuppa for 2022. This will be a time to both celebrate and reflect on our achievements this year. If you are attending, could you please bring a small plate of food to share – this could be either savoury or sweet. Everyone is welcome to this special celebration! We meet in the EAL/D Classrooms between 9 – 10:30am.
Thank you for your support and fun times this year. What we have achieved together has been truly amazing. An example of this was our International Breakfast! The money raised this year has been donated to GIVIT, BabyGiveBack, and Kids with Cancer. All organisations were very thankful to receive this monetary support. Thank you Ida for making the special movie of this event. This can be found on the Ironside State School Facebook page.
Thank you for attending our weekly sessions this year and have enjoyed just chatting, making new friends and learning more about our school and community.
If you are leaving, we wish you safe travels and hope that you have enjoyed your time at Ironside SS. If you are travelling during the holidays, we wish you a safe journey.
Our Chat and Cuppa will return on the 1st Friday of Term 1 in 2023. Have a safe and relaxing break!
Kylie Sommerfeld
(EAL/D Coordinator/Teacher)
OSHC News
OSHC 2022/2023 Vacation Care program is finalized – check it out by clicking on the link below!
To enrol your child into OSHC please follow this link and note if only for Vacation Care.
Tuckshop News
CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS
Tuckshop Volunteers for 2022/2023
The Tuckshop operates with the support of volunteer parents and carers. By having regular volunteers, the Tuckshop can offer a wide variety of homemade items and also keep the menu pricing and operating costs low. If you have some time available to help, even as little as an hour, your help would be gratefully appreciated by our Tuckshop team. Volunteer slots begin at 8am each day and duties include labelling bags, preparing food, serving and cleaning.
Home bake donations
Love to bake? We would love to include you on our home baking roster! Items that such as Banana Bread, Cookies, Slices, Muffins, Cakes, and Cupcakes (no nuts please) are a great treat for the kids. We would love to increase our homemade offerings!
Uniform Shop volunteers
Can you be a welcoming friendly face to help in our Uniform Shop? We have shifts to fill on Wednesdays 2pm till 3.30pm and Fridays from 8.30am till 9.30am. Shifts are usually once a fortnight.
To volunteer and join our Ironside Shops team, please email Hanorah Wallace hwall79@eq.edu.au
Uniform Shop
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