23 July 2020 - Term 3, Week 2

News from Mr Johnson

Dear Parents,

TIME CAPSULE UNEARTHED!
In a welcome change from traffic cop, uniform expectations and opinion survey information etc. I wanted to share with the community we have located, unearthed and displayed the 32 year old time capsule buried in 1988 on the occasion of Australia’s Bicentenary.

The 150^th Celebrations to be held on our Ironside birthday (10/10/2020), will include a ceremonial opening and display of the material contained within. We will also be ‘replacing’ the time capsule with updated material, celebrating the 150^th birthday and capturing school life at Ironside in 2020.

Sincere thanks to the ‘intel’ of the 150^th sub-committee along with the ‘muscle’ of Mr Tony Sellar our Facilities Officer for unearthing this great piece of school history.

JULY P&C MEETING
Next week on Tuesday evening 28 July, the P&C will be conducting their monthly meeting for 2020. The meeting will commence promptly at 6:30pm. The Ironside Staff Room is the venue for our P&C meetings.

The Ironside P&C Association and the monthly meetings are a very warm and welcoming environment.

We are looking forward to returning in situ for our P&C meetings.

Have a wonderful week ahead. Look after yourselves and each other.

*The Pocket - Early Education and Care*

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Hi Ironside State School families!

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Just a three minute drive from Ironside, our purpose-built centre offers a fun and supportive learning environment for your child, with state of the art facilities, engaged staff, nutritious meals prepared daily and our very own FUNdamentals program.

As an early learning centre, we at The Pocket believe that each child is unique. Because of this we cater to your child’s individual needs and developmental pathways, through our ‘learning by playing’ philosophy. This allows your child to better understand the world in which they live, through our planned early education programs which engages their capacity to participate, communicate, investigate, create, and reflect.

To support your child’s growing body as they develop and learn, we provide fresh, homestyle meals prepared on site, each day, by our Chef, Eliza. We also provide clear and regular communication daily about your child’s progress, routine and activities using Storypark.

Our degree qualified Early Childhood Teachers in our Kindergarten programme, ensures your child receives the best start to life before starting Prep. Our Centre Manager, Shandelle Banditt, and our friendly staff are committed to providing your child with incredible learning experiences in a safe and supportive environment that will foster a lifetime of benefits.

Educating and caring for your child 5 days per week, 52 weeks per year, 6.30am-6.30pm to support you and your family.

To join our Pocket community, call Elise, our Enrolments Manager, on 3568 5800 or 0476 997 332 or email enrolments@thepocketchildcare.com.au to discuss your children’s requirements.

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Merit Certificates from Term 3, Week 1

Adya Prep A       Kingston Prep D   Yuge 1A           Ellie 1D         Anasera 2A  Hanif 2D  Rose 2G
Jasmine Prep A   Aoife Prep D          Nika 1A            Ege 1D           Zosia 2A       Ella 2D    Shayaan 2G
Anna Prep B         Oscar  Prep E         Charlize 1B     Ashton 1E      Ryan 2B       Rebecca 2E
Alice Prep B          Matilda Prep E      Raphael  1B    Aaliyah 1E      Jihan 2B       Harper 2E
Prachi Prep C       Henri Prep F          Patrick 1C       Danisha 1F    Joshua 2C     Chelsea 2F
Anusha Prep C     Hugo Prep F           Victoria 1C     Rasyid 1F       Wilah 2C       Amira 2F

News from Mr Murdoch

Dear parents and caregivers,
2021 Prep Information Video
Our Prep Information Video is now accessible on the school’s website. This video will replace the information evening that took place early Term 3. 

For families with children who are eligible to commence Prep in 2021, this video is now the first step in our enrolment process. It will provide an overview and general information in regards to what families and children can expect in the first year of school. 

For further information, please see:

https://ironsidess.eq.edu.au/enrolments/prep/2021-prep-enrolment-information

Prep ‘100 Days of School’ Celebration
Last Friday, our newest students celebrated their 100^th day of school.  Our 2020 Prep cohort have had a unique start to their schooling experience and have managed the challenges before them with tenacity and resilience.

Students and teachers marked this milestone with a variety of activities focused on the number ‘100’, culminating in a disco and cake.

Well done Preppies, we are all so proud of you!

News from Mrs Vecchio

REPORT CARDS
Under COVID-19 operating guidelines, the release of Semester One report cards was delayed. Modified report cards are due to be emailed to parents at the end of this week.  Parents, please check your email in-boxes and advise the office if you’ve not received a report card by the middle of next week.  It may mean an update of your email address is required.

YEAR 3 SCIENCE
Year 3 students were full of wonderings during the Street Science show.  The focus was heat energy and students were excited by a range of fire and liquid nitrogen based demonstrations to explore a range of chemical and physical reactions. Students then became junior scientists – predicting, investigating, exploring and testing chemical reactions to feel and measure how heat can be absorbed and produced.  They tested different materials’ ability to conduct thermal energy and allow state changes. Highly engaging and active learning experiences that support students to make connections with their learning.

YEAR 4 CONNECTION
Over the past six weeks, Year 4 students have been engaging in a “Fun Friday” program. The range of authentic learning experience included coding, chess, cooking, art, puzzles, kick-ball and STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). These task have required students to collaborate, communicate and work purposefully with their peers to re-establish connections and enhance their sense of belonging. Thank you to our Year 4 teaching team for their strong commitment to student wellbeing.

AFTER-SCHOOL DEPARTURE
The after-school departures process runs more smoothly when drivers respect protocols and routines. In particular, following the suggested pick up times for the Stop-Drop-Go zones makes a big difference. Thank you in advance for your co-operation and patience:

News from Mrs Bairstow

Dear Years 4, 5 & 6 Parents,
Students in Years 4 – 6 will again have the opportunity to sit the ICAS Tests in English, Maths and Science.  This is optional, and paid for by parents.  There is no requirement from the school, for students to participate. 

Students can choose to participate all three; two, one; or none of the tests. 

UNSW charges $15.95 per assessment (inc GST)

All tests at Ironside will be conducted online, and will be administered during the following official testing dates:

Particular sitting dates for year levels will be determined closer to the time, and after the parent registration portal has closed.  This will allow us to coordinate timetables and resources effectively.  Tests will be conducted on school computers / I-pads.

(Please note that UNSW have provided the option for alternative sitting dates in October.  Ironside will not be participating in this round.)

Ironside State School has registered for the UNSW Global Parent Payment System.  The Payment System is a secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.  UNSW have reportedly made improvements to their portal in response to the difficulties experienced in the first year of the online payment system.  Paying directly to the parent portal is the only option to register your child.  The school office will not be able to accept payments, or late registrations.  

The closing date for all parent payments for all tests is Sunday 2 August.

To register your child for one or more of these assessments please follow the below link and enter the Ironside School Access Code.  Then follow the prompts to complete information and payment.

NB:  When testing and trialling this, we have found that it only works using Google Chrome as your internet browser.  Internet Explorer takes you to an inactive link.  This is a UNSW enacted issue.  Ironside SS has no ability to correct the fault.  Please ensure you use Google Chrome to follow these instructions.

          Page link:  https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/pps

          School access code:  AHY630

For any further questions please email me at jbair51@eq.edu.au.

Community Providers

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

P&C Fundraiser - Entertainment Book

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).

How amazing are the NEW multi city Entertainment Apps, giving hundreds of 50% off dining, retail and activity offers across Australia and are valid for 12 months from activation!

Ironside's 150th Anniversary

Dear Ironside Community,

As we are nearing the historic 150th anniversary celebrations of Ironside State School, we invite you to read the following newsletter with information on the Ball tickets, Historic orchestra, and the Open Day.

We welcome your support and participation!

With kind regards,
Phoebe Anderson and Tina Macht
Co-chairs 150th Anniversary Subcommittee

P&C News

The P&C General and Executive meetings have been held via zoom calls. This term will see a return to face-to-face meetings adhering to social distancing regulations.

Hall Air-conditioning – The P&C executive has been working with school administration to install air-conditioning in the hall. Honeywill Consulting has been engaged as the project managers (same crew used for the tuckshop upgrade). As with all capitals works there are always some surprises and the hall air-conditioning is no exception. School administration are talking with the Department of Education about the capacity of the power grid being upgraded before the air conditioning can be installed. The unit is huge and will require a large capacity grid to run smoothly without shorting the power across the school. Upgrading the grid is a costly exercise. Stay tuned to more updates…

Voluntary Contributions - Every year the P&C raises funds for the benefit of all students through a P&C Contribution Program to support the school. Past efforts include the tuckshop renovation, playground refurbishment and music instrument upgrade. Air-conditioning of the school hall estimated $180,000 is the next item. Voluntary Contributions have started off well with $26k already contributed. Thank you if you have contributed, every cent helps. If you have contributed but not received a receipt please email shenr78@eq.edu.au with your name and date of deposit or if you submitted a credit card. You can make voluntary contributions on the QKR app and a receipt will be emailed automatically.

Next General Meeting Tuesday 28 July at 6:30pm in the staff room.
All welcome!

150^th Anniversary – Ball tickets for the celebration on October 10^th at Hillstone are available for sale on QKR for $120. Tickets include a drink on arrival, two course meal with cash bar available. The committee is in full swing organising the Open Day celebrations and the book to be launched at the Open Day. For more information on any of the events surrounding the 150^th Anniversary email ironside.anniversary150@gmail.com.

The tea towel for the 150^th Anniversary has been released and is available for purchase through the tuckshop for $15.

Tuckshop

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
As the new term begins, we are putting out our call for Tuckshop volunteers again.  Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the school community and see your children in action!  If you are interested in helping – instore or by providing homebaked goods – please see the attached volunteer sign up form. Our needs are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

VOLUNTEERS ROSTER

Community Information