9 March 2023 - Term 1, Week 7
News from Mr Johnson
Dear Parents,
Ironside Movie Night 2023
It is important to note and remember that the Ironside Movie Night is a family event. All children are to be accompanied by an adult. The movie night is proudly organised and run by our Chaplaincy Committee. Please direct any questions or queries via email to Chappy Thu. tklet0@eq.edu.au
Further information will be contained in her section of this newsletter… KEEP SCROLLING!......
Harmony Week Activities
NAPLAN 2023
NAPLAN tests will be held from 15 to 27 March, 2023. This change means that schools will have results earlier, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year. NAPLAN is a nationwide measure through which parents, teachers and schools can determine how well young Australians are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning. NAPLAN assesses skills that students are learning at school. It is not a test that can be studied for, so the best preparation is learning what we do in the classroom every day.
Brisbane 2032 – Legacy Plan
Want your hopes and dreams to be heard at the Brisbane 2032 Legacy Forum to be held in Brisbane on 22 March? Young people are being asked to share their hopes and dreams for ideas that could be achieved or delivered sooner because we’re hosting Brisbane 2032. See the Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan Young People's Hopes and Dreams Activities Kit for more details.
All the very best for the fortnight ahead.
Warm regards,
Damian Johnson, Principal.
News from Mr Weston-Murdoch
Dear parents and caregivers,
Bridge Builders - Skill of the week: 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.
Around the classrooms – Prep:
In Prep, we have been learning about living things in science. We are exploring the needs of living things in a range of ways. First, we observed a real life ‘hungry caterpillar’ who was indeed very hungry! Now, it is inside a cocoon, wrapped up in leaves.
Next, we planted our very own bean seeds! Through these experiences, we have discovered that living things need: -
water, food, shelter, sun and air
Soon we will take our bean seeds home!
Around the classrooms – Year 1:
Last week Mrs English organised for the year one classes to attend an AFL clinic on the school oval. We learned how to handball (handpass) the ball and kick the ball to our friends. Our coach from Auskick Australia taught us some great games that kept us on our toes. We had to chase each other like we were playing a real game of AFL.
It was a really hot day so we had to drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
Thanks Mrs English, we had lots of fun learning a new sport.
Around the classrooms – Year 2:
This term in 2F, we have been looking at procedural texts. After having lots of fun trying to teach our friends ‘easy’ tasks like ‘how to put on your shoes and socks’ ‘how to make a paper plane’ how to make a pancake’ we discovered the importance of clear and explicit instruction writing. We have learnt about bossy verbs, quantity words and how to number and write detailed steps to become expert Year 2 procedural writers. We have even been perfecting our drama skills while acting out our procedures to ensure no steps have been forgotten!
Around the classrooms – Year 2:
Kind regards,
Scott Weston-Murdoch
Deputy Principal P-2
News from Mr Davey
News from Year 4
Over the past couple of weeks, Year 4 classes have been on an excursion to the Tarcoola Track. This excursion aligns to their Term One Science unit that asks them to explore natural processes and human activity that cause weathering and erosion of the Earth's surface.
What’s happening in 3D?
I was lucky enough to get to spend some time in 3D earlier this week and noticed some fantastic student learning visible around the room. The images below show some examples of the amazing learning experiences that are happening in HASS and English.
Mark Greenwood Visit
Our amazing teacher-librarian, Ms Roche organised a visit from author, Mark Green Wood. Students in Years 3-5 loved hearing all about what it takes to be a successful author.
Religious Instruction
Religious Instruction has commenced for this year. This is an option available to all students in Years 1-6.
Faith groups who are offering RI at Ironside are:
- Buddhist (Year 3-6)
- Catholic
- Combined Christian
- Islam
- Hindu
Students will be enrolled into the RI group aligned with the information provided on the enrolment form at the time of enrolment. Should you wish to change the RI group that your child attends, please submit this advice in writing to: pdave16@eq.edu.au AND adhil27@eq.edu.au It is possible to change groups/cease attendance at any time.
Kind regards,
Peter Davey
Deputy Principal 3-4
News from Mrs Bairstow
NAPLAN ONLINE – COMMENCES NEXT WEEK
Students in Years 3 and Year 5, will be participating in NAPLAN online Wednesday 15th March – Friday 24th March.
Students in Year 5 will complete the NAPLAN Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy tests on computers.
The sequence of testing for Year 5 students at Ironside will be:
Wednesday 15 March | Writing |
Thursday 16 March | Reading |
Friday 17 March | Conventions of Language |
Monday 20 March | Numeracy |
21 March – 24 March | Catch up tests due to absence, if required |
Adjustments will be provided for students with specific support needs, to provide equitable access to the tests. Such adjustments will require formal documentation, which will be emailed directly to parents for completion and return to the classroom teacher.
Students participated in a NAPLAN Omnibus online practice test last week and continue to work through practice modules with their classroom teachers throughout this week. The purpose of this practice test is to familiarise students with the platform and to troubleshoot any technical issues before the actual testing days.
What can you do at home to support your child in readiness for NAPLAN?
Technology support
- Functioning headphones are essential for students to be able to participate in all of the Year 5 NAPLAN Tests. Please ensure that your child has working headphones at school.
- Students who have their own BYOD device must bring their laptop to school on the Omnibus & NAPLAN Testing dates (listed above).
- Ensure that BYOD devices are fully charged at home.
- If your child has a BYOD device, the NAP Lockdown Browser must be installed. (This is already installed on school devices)
- If a parent is set as the administrator on a BYOD device, the parent must download the NAP Lock Down Browser following the instructions below. This is not something that can be worked around by teachers or the IT Department. This has been the most “troublesome” of our “trouble shooting” issues and has led to significant delays for other students commencing the practice tests. Your support and attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated and very helpful to your child and their classmates in having a smooth and settled start to the testing sessions.
Skill building support
- Typing practise is strongly encouraged. There are several free online resources available. Typing Club is a good place to start.
- Familiarise yourself with what the tests look like at: https://nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site
Wellbeing support
- Please don’t “prepare” or “drill” children for NAPLAN. This often confuses students on the day, and can lead to anxiety which impedes their best thinking.
- The best at-home preparation is modelling positive thinking, a good sleep and a full breakfast.
- NAPLAN attracts a lot of media attention – often with a negative spin. Use this as a conversation starter at home. Embrace stories on the television or radio as a learning opportunity. Encourage your child to apply their critical literacy skills and reflect as a family on how the media can represent (or misrepresent) events in our lives. Focus on the positives. Talk about how NAPLAN is an opportunity for students to show what they know. Let them know that the school uses the information collected to be able to help and extend them.
If you require extra information or have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s classroom teacher.
STUDENT COUNCIL – KNOWING OURSELVES AS LEADERS
Student Councillor have been guided through some inquiry thinking routines to reflect on the meaning of leadership in line with their own personal strengths and challenges. Last week’s conversation led to the following first and second thinking charts. When we mapped this out against our first key activity of supporting the RSL through the sale of poppies – we realised that even in what seems a small task, we will need to demonstrate some of the highest levels of conduct. This week, students reflected on their own style of leadership linked to a TED talk on introverts, ambiverts and extraverts. All of these discussions and the resulting levels of self-awareness set the team in good stead for leadership challenges ahead.
Kind regards,
Jennifer Bairstow
Deputy Principal 5-6
P&C News
Dear Ironside parents and community,
Last week the P&C AGM was held . It was very pleasing to see so many new members attend.
The following people were elected as the Executive for 2023.
President - Tugrul Durali
VP (OSHC) - Jacqui Romero
VP (Fundraising) - Uzma Hyat
Secretary - Timothy Tan
Treasurer - Lisa Zhao
Assistant Treasurer - Catherine Harty
We would like to once again thank the previous executive members namely Lily, Matt and Rachel, for all their hard work and time over the years.
The next general meeting will be held on the 28th March at 6:30pm in the staffroom. It would be great to see as many people as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Tugrul Durali
P&C President
News from Chappy Thu
Dear Families,
I am so excited to invite you all to our Welcome Movie Night in Week 9! It will be held on Saturday, 25th March on the oval at 6:30pm. The movie will be Sing 2 & you are welcomed to bring your own picnic blankets, cushions, chairs & food. We will also have a sausage sizzle (with halal & vegetarian options available), popcorn, slushies, drinks, treats & glow items on sale as well! Tickets are on sale NOW through QKR! You can find the event in the ‘Parent & Community Events’ section. Please be quick because sales will CLOSE on Thursday, 23rd March for catering purposes & organising space requirements. Please note that this is a family event & all students must be accompanied by an adult as no supervision will be provided by the school. It will be a fun evening for the whole family where you can catch up with old friends, meet new ones & enjoy a fun movie in a relaxed setting. We look forward to welcoming you soon!
Volunteers Needed!
As you can imagine, an event such as the Movie Night is successful thanks to all the wonderful people involved. We are looking for people to help with various roles such as serving food & checking tickets. If you have time & would like to help at the Movie Night, please email me at tklet0@eq.edu.au. Thank you!
Chappy Squad
Team People & Pickles have represented the Squad marvellously over the last fortnight. Extra thanks to Owen, Noah & Sherwin for always being so enthusiastic in their roles, for continually finding innovative ways to rescue planes from trees, for being assertive but also kind during the sign in process, for reiterating rules for those who need reminding and lastly, for always finding different ways to include more students in activities. Thank you also to Heidi & Rose for their drawing competition initiative which has proven to be a real hit in at Chappy Lounge. Thank you to Eva & Rosie for being our first Squad members to share bubbles of joy with the preppies last week. You were outstanding in you behaviour, kindness & inclusion of all the energetic preps! Special mention to Ben, Anna K, James, Geoffrey, Alisa, Sara, Ann, Tingran, Alice, Ella H, Shyah & Ilai for their punctuality & passion for whatever role they take on. Well done Squad!
The Squad is working towards getting 50 stamps/stars to receive a badge at assembly. Stamps are earned for completing roles & stars are earned for taking initiative & going above & beyond what was asked. Our current Top Members:
Chappy Activities
Chappy Activities have continued to be popular over the past two weeks. In Origami Club, we have continued with animals & made penguins & foxes. I loved Lilliane’s creativity with her penguin, which had surprises in each fin & a top hat too! Ella’s enthusiasm was contagious whilst making foxes – she made at least 5 & others followed & did the same! So cute!
Paper Plane Club attracted many new faces these past few weeks who enjoyed learning the four types of planes we have on offer. More seasoned participants have started inventing their own planes & having competitions to see which planes are fastest or do the best tricks. I love seeing the students experiment with different folds to see the effects…even if some planes ended up in trees.
For Bubble Friday, I have started to send two responsible members down to the Prep area to share our bubbles of joy with them too. Eva & Rosie did a marvellous job & the preps have been asking me through the week when the bubbles are coming again. Adorable! For older students in the Oasis, it seems bigger is better with students trying to blow the biggest bubbles or building the highest bubble towers in their hands!
Upcoming Chappy Events
TERM 1
- Ironside Welcome Movie Night, Week 9. Tickets on sale NOW!
TERM 2
- Silly Sock Day & Morning Tea
TERM 3
- Father’s Day Breakfast
TERM 4
- Gingerbread Evening
Until Next Time,
Chappy Thu
tklet0@eq.edu.au
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
8am to 4pm
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