Term 1 Week 2 2023
- Principal's News by Tracy Egan
- Team Mango We All Belong!
- Prep News by Michelle Alcorn
- Year 1 News by Melinda White
- Year 2 News by Kylie Vaughan
- Year 3 News by Ellaine Warner
- Year 4 News by Danielle O'Brien
- Year 5 News by Martin Winney
- Year 6 News by Ben Mills
- Curriculum News by Suzette Holm and Jessica Rivett
- Sporting News by The PE Department
- News from our Partners
2023 Priorities
Our 2023 priorities continue to focus on strengthening the learning, wellbeing and behaviour of all students. We recognise the teaching decisions we make have a huge factor on students so our 2023 catchcry is ‘Deliberate Decisions for Connection & Clarity’. This means...
- Enhancing connection with students and families to further strengthen wellbeing and behaviour. This includes a focus on learning more about teaching restoration and regulation of students and we are proud to work with the Berry Street Education Model this year to further develop student wellbeing.
- Improving clarity of the curriculum and teaching so students are actively engaged in learning and know how to succeed. We are really working on stretching student thinking to apply what they learn in different contexts and ensuring learning is visible.
It was great this week to be part of the Year 5 PLC where teachers collaborated with each other and leaders to consider the learning of students based on formative assessment. Teachers co-planned high-quality lessons differentiating for the range of students. These lessons focus on ensuring all students are catered for and have the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of concepts, challenging students to apply their learning in different contexts.
The photos below show our Year 5 teachers hard at work learning from each other! Each year level of teachers has this opportunity each week while students attend specialist lessons. Our teachers are learners and strive to keep getting even better!
Student Leaders Hard at Work
It has been wonderful to watch our 2023 student leaders start taking up their roles by supporting younger students, managing the flags and setting the culture of high expectations as role-models for our younger students. Check out the photos of them below hard at work!
Over the next week we will be electing our Year 4 & 5 student council representatives. All student leaders will be awarded their badge and inducted as student leaders at a special ceremony on Friday 17 February at 8.45am with Year 3-6 students attending. The leaders will also be introduced to our Prep to Year 2 students on Friday 24 February at 8.30am at their first sector parade. Parents are welcome to join us at both these events.
Student Council Raising Funds
Each year our student council choose 2-3 charities they would like to support with free dress days and other fundraising initiatives. In the past this has included raising funds for the Cancer Council, Cystic Fibrosis Qld, The Smith Family and others. If your child or family has a cause that is important to them, your child (with your assistance) is welcome to write a short pitch to the student council about why they should raise money for this cause. These pitches should be emailed to our teacher leading the student council Ms Emma Hutton ekhut0@eq.edu.au by next Tuesday 7 February.
At the first student council meeting the representatives will decide which charities they can support this year. We look forward to Caring for Others through this initiative.
A Reminder About Parking Around the School Environment
Parking rules exist to ensure Queensland roads and streets stay organised and safe for all road users and pedestrians. Parking signs show you where and when you can park or stop. If you do not follow the rules and the signs, you may get a fine.
Some common parking rules around our school include the following.
- No parking or stopping within 10m before the traffic lights of a marked foot crossing that is not at an intersection—or 3m after the crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).
- No parking or stopping where there is a continuous yellow line painted along the edge of the road.
- No parking or stopping within 10m of any intersection without traffic lights unless:
- there are road signs that tell you that you can
- or it is a T-intersection and you are parking along the continuous side of the continuing road
- No parking or stopping on a children’s crossing or within 20m before, or 10m after, a children’s crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).
- No parking or stopping in a bus zone—unless you are driving a bus.
- No parking or stopping in a loading zone unless you:
- are dropping off or picking up passengers (stopping no more than 2 minutes)
- are dropping off or pocking up passenger with a disability (stopping no more than 5 minutes) Unless the signs show a different length of time.
Do the right thing, keep everybody safe when sharing the roads.
Positions Vacant
Casual School Crossing Supervisor
Position exists for Casual School Crossing Supervisor at Mango Hill State School.
- A School Crossing Supervisor must be able to work in all-weather conditions
- 1 hour 30 mins per day, on a rostered basis.
- Relief opportunities on your rostered days off.
- Pay Rate $33.97 per hour.
Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:
- The favourable outcome of a health assessment.
- A Positive Notice Blue Card
- Criminal History Check
- Successful completion of training on Wednesday 8 February.
Please send your resume to bsm@mangohillss.eq.edu.au
Mrs Alcorn Loves to Visit Prep!
It has been super exciting visiting classrooms and seeing our Prep students ready to learn. Their morning transitions are improving by the day! Well done to all our families for building our students independence to unpack their bags at the start of the day, kissing and going at the door and letting us begin learning right on that 8.15am bell. Starting school on time each and every day is ever so important in setting us up for success. In the mornings we spend time with our teacher and friends greeting one another, checking in, building relationships and learning about what our day ahead is going to look like. We love our morning time together, please help us be on time. It helps us feel calm about the day and connected to our teacher, friends and learning!
Learning to Draw
In English this term, our students are learning about the purpose of drawing. Our teachers have been giving us choice and helping us to generate ideas to create a picture to share ideas. As writers and illustrators we have been working on adding detail to our drawings including people with bodies and heads and arms and legs. We can’t forget about where our people are. We do have to think hard about how we can draw images to give the reader clues that are recognisable and make sense.
It is super exciting to see how quickly the drawings are evolving. What is even more special is that students are enjoying this activity.
Stop Drop and Go
Thank you parents for using the Stop Drop and Go in the mornings. Our school leaders have loved walking our Preps to the undercover area in the mornings where our teacher aides supervise. Once the bell goes the teacher aides on duty are supporting the transition to the classroom. Everyone is doing such a great job that we will continue this process for Week 3! Keep an eye out in the mornings for one of our school leaders in a vest who will be standing with our Year 6 leaders. They are ready and eager to help.
Have a great week
Michelle Alcorn
Deputy Principal- Prep
malco14@eq.edu.au
We are well into the Learning in Year 1 - and We’re Having Fun!
Some of us are finding the return to full days of learning after the holidays very tiring. Hang in there parents! We will all return to our usual routine if we’re consistent. You can help us by ensuring your child is going to bed early, packing them a range of healthy foods for lunch, helping them to eat a decent breakfast and being on time in the mornings to help them settle into the day.
In Maths, we’re working to explore numbers to 100. We want to see deep understanding. Mathematicians can “think outside the box” and that’s what we want our Year 1 students to be! We want them to think mathematically. This means being able to show a number in many, different ways and being able to explain their thinking. We’d much prefer a child be able to show a deep understanding of the value of 33, rather than a shallow understanding of the value of 99, learned purely through rote counting.
To use maths in the world, and in life, we need to be able to apply our mathematical thinking to everyday problems. How do we know that this tub of butter is cheaper than another? Our deep understanding of number!
Have a great week
Melinda White
Deputy Principal- Year 1
mwhit37@eq.edu.au
Playtime in Year 2
We love playtime in Year 2! Not only does it give us a chance to get out and move our bodies but playtime is a great time to form new friendships, problem solve and develop social skills. In Year 2 there are a wide array of play options catering for children’s varying interests.
The playground is always a popular place to play. We are lucky enough to have a new climbing playground alongside our existing playground. A slide area and rope area have also been added over the holidays to our Astro turf playground. The children have loved playing back in the cubby house and always enjoy play in the maze and riverbed areas. The students in Year 2 also have access to a sandpit and a large grassed area to kick a ball and run around on. The Junior Undercover Area is also set up with lots of equipment for children who want to get out of the sun and enjoy more of a quiet play.
The students also have access to a range of lunch time clubs. Clubs are a great way for students to engage with children who share common interests. Soccer Club runs every day on the Junior Soccer Field. There are also lots of other clubs running across the week. A copy of the Year 1/2 club roster is attached. Our teachers do a great job reminding children of the clubs on each day but having a copy of the schedule printed at home and reminding your child of what’s on can also help them make it to the clubs that interest them.
Upcoming Welcome Evening
We are looking forward to welcoming families on Thursday 9 February from 4:30- 6:30pm to our Team Mango Welcome Evening. We will have a range of activities set up in the Junior play areas for you to enjoy. We’d love for you to come along and introduce yourself to your child’s teacher and meet other families. The P&C will be selling food in the Piazza and the Gelato cart is booked if you’re looking forward to a cool treat. We can’t wait to welcome you on Thursday in Week 3.
What a Fabulous Start to the Year From all our Year 3 Students
Thank you to our families who are all supporting their children to be successful at school. Our teachers and teacher aides are continuing to invest time this week getting to really know their students as learners. Teachers are pre-testing and assessing students in lots of ways, some formal and most less formal. Our classrooms are becoming safe havens for our students. Our students all know Ms Tanner (our Inclusion Teacher), Ms Rayne (teacher aide) and they are getting to know Mr Mackie (teacher aide) who help us so very much to be the best we can be.
Learning in Year 3
Our students have picked up where they left off last year in writing. It was wonderful to be in classrooms this week when students were responding to a stimulus to either write a narrative to entertain the reader or write a persuasive piece to convince the reader of the student’s point of view. Is the best holiday at the beach? After being in our classrooms this week, I think it is! I’ve loved hearing your children discuss and mindmap their ideas for an exciting story set at the beach. A reminder that Year 3 students sit NAPLAN in Term 1 this year. There will be lots of news and updates to follow.
Playing in Year 3
We are reminding our students to Pick, Stay and Play at break times. This means that students are encouraged to choose their play area or Club before break and stay to play all break. This supports our students who find making a choice or holding the choice in their head a little difficult and it allows for the teacher to check that there are some friends nearby. It was such a pleasure to spend time in 3C this week as they realised that classmates are a bit like siblings – we didn’t choose them but we are all happier if we put in the effort and strategies to get along and problem-solve where required.
Class Emails
In Year 3 class teachers will email a class email once a fortnight. This is slightly different from last year where teachers emailed weekly. Expect your class email at the end of this week.
Before School and After School
Gentle reminder that before school, Year 3 students who arrive prior to 8:30am may wait in either Piazza or on the Oval. Parents, if you arrive to collect your child prior to 2:45pm you may wait in either the Piazza or in the middle years area. Please be mindful not to wait directly outside a classroom or in the immediate surrounds of a classroom. This helps everyone care for learning! Thank you for your support.
Special Events and Date Claimers
Please keep reading our Principal’s newsletter article for date claimers and special events.
Take care and have a wonderful week
Ellaine Warner
Deputy Principal- Year 3
ewarn23@eq.edu.au
Caring for Learning in Year 4
It has been a great week of learning in our Year 4 classrooms.
I was lucky enough to visit 4S this week as they continued reading the novel ‘My Girragundji’. It was great to observe students brainstorming and writing the next part of the story. I also had the pleasure of talking to students about their next best learning move after they received feedback in their scale folders from their pre-tests.
It was also wonderful to see our students demonstrating innovative and inquiry thinking during their Science lessons. They have started exploring decomposition by observing different composts and recording their observations. Students in 4T and 4J were very excited to explain to me the term ‘decomposition’ and show off their annotated diagrams. They cannot wait to continue recording their observations and carry out more experiences throughout the term!
It’s exciting to see such great progress from our Year 4 classes so early in the year. I look forward to continuing to see our students collaborate and work as a team, throughout the year. Great job Team Mango!
Lunchtime Options for Year 4
At MHSS, we have a range of clubs available at play time for our students. Some of the clubs for Year 4 include:
- Piazza Games
- Drama
- iPad
- Italian
- Eco Marines
- Lego
- Soccer
- Chess
- Robotics
- League Tag
- Dance
- Choir
- Board Games
- Cricket
- Martial Arts
- Rugby
- Puzzles
- Gardening
- African Drumming
- Drawing.
There really is something for everyone! If students are looking for something to do at break time, we highly recommend checking out a lunchtime club.
have a wonderful week
Danielle O'Brien
Deputy Principal- Year 4
dxobr0@eq.edu.au
Care for Learning in Year 5
It has been a wonderful start in Year 5. I have particularly appreciated the effort students and teachers have been making to ensure they are ready to learn. This has involved students building great connections with their peers to help foster a supportive learning environment. I have had the opportunity to see some great learning. In particular I have observed students making a great start to building their skills in narrative and persuasive writing. I have loved reading students entertaining narratives with the setting and activity being camping. While, in terms of their persuasive writing, I have loved reading the reason I should not take up camping. Or for some people, the positives of camping. Thank you to 5S as well who were the first Year 5 class to proudly demonstrate their use of their Bump-It-Up Wall in Maths. Keep up the great start to 2023 Year 5!
Martin Winney
Deputy Principal –Year 5
mwinn7@eq.edu.au
Year 6 Student Leaders
Thank you to all of our student leaders who have made an outstanding start to 2023, being visible members of our school community by greeting families as they enter each morning, delivering important messages about our care focus of the week and setting a high standard of behaviour for their peers to follow. We look forward to recognising them all as a school at the badge ceremony in Week 4.
While we have a number of student leaders who are captains, we also have a large number of student leaders who will lead our school through their role as Mango Mentors. Today, I was lucky enough to visit our Year 6 classrooms and award our Mango Mentors with their badges. The Mango Mentors this year will support the school in a range of roles such as being play monitors, hub assistants and tuckshop assistants. They are a fine group of young people who I know will lead our school with integrity and pride.
Waiting Areas Before School
Year 6 students are doing an excellent job of following the Four Cares before school by waiting or playing in the appropriate areas. Before school students can play on the multipurpose court, soccer field or oval. They are also welcome to sit quietly in a shaded area while catching up with friends, or in the downstairs area of the senior building. Please remind your children that they should not be in the corridors outside of classrooms until the 8.30am bell goes.
Checking-in Each Day
At MHSS, our staff do a great job of checking-in on students at the start of each day. It was fantastic to see students in Mr McGregor’s class this week, quickly representing how they were feeling as they entered the classroom. I know Mr McGregor ensures he then checks-in on his students personally, particularly if they aren’t feeling the best. We are so lucky to have such caring teachers!
Have a super week
Ben Mills
Deputy Principal – Year 6
bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Borrowing in the Hub
We were so excited this week to welcome borrowers back to the Hub. All students from Prep to Year 6 are able to borrow 1 book and for those students who are on AR, they are able to borrow 2 books. Students can keep these books for as long as they need, but of course we encourage students to return and exchange their books as often as possible.
Don’t forget a library bag is a great way to take care of our precious books. Last year we lost many books to water damage so beware of those pesky water bottles in your bags. A plastic bag (or one purchased from the uniform shop) is a great way to ensure our books are kept dry and clean, and ready for someone else to read. While normal wear and tear on books is understandable we will need to ask families to replace any lost or damaged books. In 2022 most of the damaged books that needed to be replaced were ones that had been returned after a soak from a water bottle… so let’s try hard this year to take care of our books and use a library bag wherever possible.
The Hub is open every morning from 8.15am and until 3pm every afternoon. All students are welcome to visit during these times to borrow and/or to read. All classes also have a Class Borrowing time or an AR borrowing time where students can visit to choose their books. Each week we also have Hub clubs where students are welcome to borrow, play games, catch up with their friends or meet new friends.
- Monday first break: Year 2 Club
- Tuesday first break: Year 6 Club
- Wednesday first break: Year 3 and Year 5 Clubs
- Thursday first break: Year 1 and Year 4 Clubs
Accelerated Reader (AR)
This week also saw the return of Accelerated Reader. This is a program designed for students who have reached PM Level 30. Once starting AR, we are able to match individual students to book at their specific reading level. After reading books, students are able to complete AR quizzes on their ipads. AR allows us to continue to monitor individual reading progress and encourages students to focus on the importance of comprehension when reading. The attached parent information sheet provides more information about AR.
For those students who were already on AR in 2022, they can now continue their reading journey. Students should use Olly (our library catalogue system) to search for the AR books using their reading level. Don’t forget it is a good idea to choose a couple of AR books, just in case someone else has borrowed these before you find them in the Hub. https://mangohillss.softlinkhosting.com.au/oliver/libraryHome.do?SAMLResponse=&clientAlias=&time=&digest=&corporationAlias=MangoHillState
Have a fantastic week
Suzette Holm, Jessica Rivett
shol0@eq.edu.au
Physical Education News
Pine Rivers District Sporting Trials (10-12yr Old’s)
Pine Rivers District School Sport offers 10-12 year old students the opportunity to compete at Metropolitan North trials and carnivals, with the possibility of selection into teams competing at State events. Students must be nominated by their school in order to attend a district trial or carnival.
Students who express an interest to trial can collect forms from our PE office. They will be given the Pine Rivers District forms and the relevant trial information. Completed district forms are to be returned to the PE office by the due date. Once the forms are collated, students will be nominated for the trial. Forms are then handed back to students and must then be taken to the coach/manager at the District Trials. Students will NOT be allowed to trial if district forms are not handed in completed. Unless specifically organised by the school, it is the parents’ responsibility to transport students to and from district trials.
Most Pine Rivers District trials are limited to students turning 11 or 12 years of age and who are considered at a high level in the sport e.g. Div. 1 or A Grade. Cross Country, Athletics and Swimming trials however are open for students turning 10, 11 and 12 years of age. Sports that students are able to trial for include the following.
- AFL
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Football (Soccer)
- Golf
- Hockey
- Netball
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Softball
- Squash
- Tennis
- Touch
- Triathlon
Mango Hill can normally nominate up to three students for each district sport trial. If more than three students wish to be nominated Mango Hill will select the three best candidates for the trial. The selection of these students may be either based on past performances/current club form or through a selection trial at school.
If you are interested in your child trialling for Pine Rivers District more information can be obtained from the Mango Hill State School newsletter, with regular trial updates listed. You can also contact Mr Nick Hills - nhill96@eq.edu.au (MHSS PE Teacher) so he is aware of your intention to attend the trial.
MHSS Cross Country (Year Prep-6)
All students from Years Prep to 6 will be competing in the 2023 MHSS Cross Country Race. This is completed in the morning and or middle session of school with students competing in a long-distance race with their age group peers. More information regarding the Cross Country will be available later in the term. Dates are:
- Year Prep-2: Thursday Week 9 - 23 March
- Year 3-6: Friday Week 9 – 24 March
Sporting Schools (Year Prep-6)
The Sporting Schools program will once again be running in 2023. Sporting Schools is a national initiative, run by the Australian Sports Commission, which aims to help children foster a lifelong interest in sport, gain a healthier mind and body, have fun and learn sport activities and games skills in a safe environment. The Sporting Schools program is open to all Mango Hill students from Prep-Year 6. Each term Mango Hill will host coaching sessions at school for the chosen sports. At this stage Mango Hill will attempt to host two sports each term, one for students in Prep-Year 2 (up to 20 students) and another for students in Year 3-6 (up to 20 students). These sessions usually run afterschool from 3.00pm-4.00pm. More information is available below on the programs in Term 1.
Sporting Schools
Mr Hills & Mr Newell, Miss Richards and Mr Lisha
Physical Education Teachers
P and C News
P&C AGM is on Monday 13 February at 6:30pm. All positions including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer will be open and voted on.
We would also love to have parents put their hands up to head P&C events that are planned for 2023, such as, Mother's Day, Disco, Colour Explosion with the help of the executive team.
Looking for Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to help out at our first school event on Thursday 9 February.
The P and C are looking for volunteers to cook and sell food on site.
If you can help, please sign on at the following link
To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do.
Thank you for volunteering!
Amy Swalwell
president@mhsspandc.com.au
Canteen News
As advised at the end of last year we have moved away from flexischool and we are now using QKR.
Please make sure to download the QKR app and update your child's classes.
Please be advised QKR has a cut off time of 8.00AM
As we have grown in size as a school so have the canteen orders and we only have a limited time to cook and prepare.
We no longer have the capacity to take orders over the phone or at the counter.
If you miss the cut off you will need to arrange an alternative meal option for your child.
Breakfast
Breakfast is available over the counter each morning.
We accept cash and card
Hashbrown $1.00
Hot Chocolate $2.00
Hot Chocolate & muffin $2.50
Muffin $1.00
Toast $2.00
We would love to see some volunteers in the canteen!
If you have any spare time after school drop off we would love some help. Please either just pop into the canteen and see us or email Louise at mhsspccanteen@gmail.com
PCYC Update
Welcome back Mango Hill families. We look forward to supporting your family at PCYC in 2023.
