Term 1 Week 3 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
- Sporting News by The PE Department - Copy
- News from our Partners
- Community News
Welcome Evening
We are looking forward to our welcome evening tomorrow night. Please pop in anytime from 4.30-6.30 and connect with other families and our staff. There will be loads of activities for the children. Grab some dinner in the piazza (BBQ or curry) and enjoy being part of Team Mango!
Does your child still need support setting up Company Portal on their iPad? Our IT technician Mr Laurie will be available in his office next to the Hub during our welcome evening. Feel free to pop by with any questions and support with connecting your child.
Congratulations Mango Mentors
It was my pleasure to visit the classrooms last week with Year 6 Deputy Principal Mr Mills to present our Year 6 Mango Mentors with their leadership badge. These students worked hard to achieve their leadership passport and have shown their commitment to being wonderful role models for Team Mango.
Next Friday 17 February we will award our Student Captains' badges. Year 3-6 students and all parents are invited to attend.
P & C AGM
The P & C Annual General meeting will be held on Monday 13 February 2023 at 6:30pm in the Wandani Centre. All parents are welcome to attend and all executive positions will up for election.
At the February general meeting following the AGM, we will discuss the 2023 school priorities, P & C Fundraising and the 2023 costs for parents.
I hope to see you there!
Can you help?
Would you like to see our students participate in the Colour Explosion? Have fun at the Arts Fest? Have access to Mother’s and Father’s Day stalls?
We can’t hold these events unless we have help! Our P & C have lots of great fundraising activities planned for this year to help raise money to buy more resources for our students but they need lots of hands to do just a little bit.
They are looking for at least one parent representative to join us for a meeting on Wednesday 15 February from 8.45-9.30 in the Wandani Centre. The P & C Executive and I will be there to outline the planned events and we hope to have many hands to lighten the load.
Please let your child’s teacher know if you can be a class rep! The more the merrier!
Tea Towel Sponsorship
Later this year we will be holding our tea towel fundraiser which is a wonderful momento of the year with all students and staff in a year level featured. We are looking for a business to sponsor each year level. If you are interested, please contact our friendly P & C team.
Team Mango - Volunteering at Mango Hill
At Mango Hill State School we are proud of the partnership we have with our parents, careers and community. Part of this partnership is the rich experience our volunteers provide our school. If you would like to volunteer and contribute to our school there are many ways you can. You can volunteer in a classroom to help support learning. You can volunteer through the P&C. You can volunteer by assisting in the canteen. You can volunteer in the Hub to assist with resourcing. The opportunities are endless. The school is holding a series of induction sessions for people interested in volunteering. Prior to volunteering you need to attend one induction session. Thank you to the large group who attended last week’s induction session. Below are the dates and times of upcoming sessions:
- Monday 13 February at 2pm
- Friday 10 March at 8.45am
- Monday 20 March at 2pm
Focus of the Week
The Care Class focus that will be delivered this Friday, is Before and After School Routines. This focus will continue in classrooms throughout the following week.
We use the Four Cares to help us care for self, others, learning and the school environment. In particular, students will review: how to follow Mango Hill State School before and after school routines.
Mornings
- Lining up quietly in designated areas
- Waiting patiently and quietly, in designated areas till the bell goes
- No playing in an area until there is a teacher on duty
Afternoons
- Walking safely out to the Lookout area
- If attending after school care (PCYC), walk safely to the meeting point.
- If collecting younger siblings, walking straight to their pickup area
Everyone
- Walking bikes or scooters in and out of the school grounds.
- Wearing your hat to and from school.
- Listening to the Teachers when using the Lookout area.
- Staying seated on the seats at Lookout.
- Hopping off your bike or scooter to cross at the crossings.
- When the bell rings, move straight to class to unpack and get ready for learning.
- Following instructions from all Teachers and Crossing Supervisors.
Creating Pictures
We are having so much fun creating pictures that tell a story which is understood by our readers when they look at our picture. Our pictures need to include people and things (the right sizes) that show their feelings and how they are connected (their relationship with one another). Details are super important! This includes colour choice, clothes, hair and clues in our drawing about what has happened and where our people are.
Our Prep friends love to draw! You can help us at home by drawing with us. Games where we take it in turns to add details to our person or the event that is taking place, will encourages us to draw. When it is your turn to draw be sure to share your thinking out loud to help our students understand the choices you are making.
Some prompts to help you strengthen your child's drawing skills at home could include the following.
- I love that you have ...... but I think you need to add some more detail to this, so it’s very clear. What do you think might be missing?
- Go for a walk or after a special event/ outing encourage your child to draw about their experience. What was your favourite part of today? What did you see? How about we draw a picture for your teacher/ family member so they can see what we did this weekend/ afternoon?
- Do you think there is enough detail to your drawing so the “reader” knows exactly what it’s about? Prompt your child to add more to their drawing if needed. Don't forget about adding colour and ensuring people are in size ratio to each other (eg adults taller than children).
We are all so very proud of how eager our Prep friends are to draw! Celebrate their great drawing progress with us.
Have a great week
Michelle Alcorn
Deputy Principal- Prep
malco14@eq.edu.au
Team Mango Welcomes
We’re really hoping to see as many families as possible at our Team Mango Welcomes… event this Thursday afternoon and early evening. The Year 1 teachers have designed some fun activities to enjoy with you; a lovely blend of active and calm activities. We’d love to get to know you all a little better and to assist you to forge connections with new classmates and their families.
Every day counts
Being on time counts! I know the carpark in the mornings is tricky, but Stop, Drop and Go is your friend. We have our senior leaders out the front, helping to walk any younger students to their rooms, if they are needed. Our little ones want some independence, they really do. I was at the gate yesterday morning and the amount of students who asked to carry their own bag in (admittedly, after they saw me!) was pretty high. But they were happy to carry their own bag, they wanted to do it, they were proud they could. We’re not asking them to climb Everest in their heavy school bags. But can they carry their own belongings into school? Absolutely. And can they walk themselves into school and to their classrooms? Absolutely. We rove and roam throughout the early years space every morning, so there’s always an adult in high vis nearby, should they need a bit of help. I really encourage you all to let your little ones have a turn.
In English we’ve been working to build our book language and our fairy tale vocabulary through our Shared Reading and Writing units of work. Once upon a time… Suddenly… deep, dark forest. I’ve read all of these in our writing this week. Well done us!
When we write, we want to see that sense of story. The mechanics – full stops and spelling – is not the main game. It’s important, for sure, but knowing how to spell, doesn’t mean you can entertain me with a story. We need to develop our ideas and structure them well. We need to have a sense of beginning, middle and end and how to engage the reader with interesting sentence choices and descriptive vocabulary.
Heidi went to the forest. She saw a giant. It scared her. She ran home.
That’s a fairly simple story. Interesting? Not really. Entertaining? Not really.
But when we write…
Once, there was a little girl called Heidi. She had blonde hair, large, blue eyes and a clever, funny brain. Her friend Jasper dared her to walk through the deep, dark forest.
I’m a bit scared, thought Heidi. But I want to do the dare.
Heidi crept toward the first tree.
Which story do you want to read more of?
That’s what we’re trying to help our students to do – to develop that sense of being an author, who writes stories, to entertain an audience. We’re writing a different story every week and we are working hard with our teachers to devise clever ideas to use!
Have a great week
Melinda White
Deputy Principal- Year 1
mwhit37@eq.edu.au
Recounting Events in Year 2
This term the students in Year 2 are learning to write recounts. The children are reading the texts Greetings from Sandy Beach and Are We There Yet? to help them learn how authors choose words and construct sentences that entertain their audience.
One of the ways the students in Year 2 are generating ideas for writing is through mind mapping. This is a new strategy being introduced to the students to help them sort and organise their thoughts before they put pencil to paper. The teachers have been modelling how to do this with their classes with the children providing the ideas and the teachers scribing. Look at this amazing mind map from the students in 2M and 2C.
After mind mapping their thinking, students then plan their own recounts. From there students construct their text and then receive feedback from their peers and teacher about how to improve their work. Look at these fabulous writers at work in 2R.
Swimming in Year 2
All our Year 2 children are gearing up to start swimming in Week 5. A copy of the timetable is attached here for you.
So that swimming can run smoothly please ensure:
- you have made payment and either sent back your child’s paper permission form or completed the online permission form in QParents.
- you pack your child’s swimmers, towel and flip flop shoes (goggles are optional). Please pack everything into a swimming bag and ensure everything is clearly named.
We would love parent volunteers to assist. If you are able to help out, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
Have a wonderful week
Week 3 already!
Thank you for the support you are giving your children to be their best. I have been exceptionally proud of how smart our cohort looks in their beautiful uniforms. I have noticed that some students are missing their hats. If that applies to your child, can you please “line manage” them while they look for their hat at home, in the car etc. We are happy to help them look for their hat here at school. It is a uniform requirement because it helps keep children safe from the sun. Thank you for your support.
Learning in Year 3
Parents, you will have received your first email regarding NAPLAN in Year 3. There will be updates to follow, but if you are curious and want to know more, I encourage you to attend the Parent Information Session on Thursday 9 February, during our Welcome Evening. Jess Rivett and Danielle O’Brien will be sharing some key points about NAPLAN in the Wandani Centre.
Circle time
Each week across Year 3 (and our whole school) students do a weekly circle time. This is different to a greeting circle in class or simply being in a circle for a discussion or learning. Our teachers make deliberate choices about Circle Time based on the needs of the class. Circle time has 5 elements – Meeting Up, Warming Up, Opening Up, Cheering Up, and Calming down. If you hear your child talking about one of those things, they are talking to you about their Circle time.
After school
Parents, please be mindful not to wait directly outside a classroom or in the immediate surrounds of a classroom. Avoid seating outside a classroom (such as the undercover area just outside 3B and 3W). This helps everyone care for learning!
Take care and have a wonderful week
Ellaine Warner
Deputy Principal- Year 3
ewarn23@eq.edu.au
Diving into 5-Digit Numbers
The Year 4s have been diving into 5-digit numbers in Maths. They’ve been recognising, reading and representing five-digit numbers and identifying and describing the place value of digits.
Place value means the value of each digit in a number. For example, the 3 in 41 253 represents 3 ones, while the 4 represents 4 ten thousands or 40 thousand. It is important that children understand that whilst a digit can be the same, its value depends on where it is in the number.
Children’s understanding of place value is strengthened when they have lots of opportunities to represent numbers, partition the numbers and compare and order numbers.
Check out our 4G students partitioning numbers this week!
Ways you can help at home…
- Practise reading four- and five- digit numbers when you are out and about. Price tags, signs, measurements… They’re everywhere!
- Playing riddles with your children – I am thinking of a number, it has 4 tens, 6 is the digit in the thousands place and 3 hundreds. What number could I be?
Connection in Year 4
Across all year levels, staff have been visiting classrooms and asking students questions about how they build connections, promote wellbeing and practise self-regulation in their class. I loved visiting the Year 4 classes this week as they shared the great things their teachers do to support their wellbeing. It was wonderful to hear students talking about how their teachers greet them in the morning, their strategies on their Ready to Learn plans and how they are striving for their specialist points in PE, Music, Dance, Italian and Technology.
have a wonderful week
Danielle O'Brien
Deputy Principal- Year 4
dxobr0@eq.edu.au
Care for Learning in Year 5
Well done to Year 5 for a great week of learning. When I visited classrooms I had the opportunity to talk with students about what they were learning in their writing and maths lessons. I loved the amount of students that could get out their scale and tell me what they had learned, what they were successful at and what their next steps were. They were all so clear about what success looked like for them in their classroom. Special mention to the students in 5P who invited me to their collaborative writing session. I loved hearing the conversations between students who were working together to generate great ideas for their narrative writing. Well done Year 5!
Martin Winney
Deputy Principal –Year 5
mwinn7@eq.edu.au
Year 6 representing Team Mango
Our schoolwide theme this term is ‘Team Mango’. Our Year 6 students are doing a wonderful job of representing Team Mango to begin the year, and setting an excellent example to their younger peers. It was great to see in 6L this week, how they have unpacked this theme and what it means to build Team Mango up. I enjoyed reading the thinking demonstrated by this class. Well done to 6L and Mrs Vaf!
Digital Innovation in 6V
I enjoyed visiting 6V this week and seeing the engagement in learning that Mrs Vos has already instilled in her students. Digital innovation is a focus across our school this year and there is certainly a lot of this happening in 6V. Students have used technology to collaboratively brainstorm characteristics of key characters to support their descriptive writing in English, and have used their iPads in Maths to create instructional videos to show their understanding of the process used to solve problems in Maths. Well done 6V!
Reading
Our students have been working hard in reading groups this week. At MHSS, students engage in learning to read and practising their reading skills in a variety of ways. Each week, students will get the opportunity to read with their teacher and receive guided instruction and feedback about their reading, practise reading independently using AR books and practise their comprehension using Reading Eggs, AR books or texts provided by their teacher at a targeted level.
Mango Mentors
Last week, Ms Egan and I were able to acknowledge a large number of students who have become Mango Mentors after completing their leadership passports at the end of 2022. These students have all shown what it means to be a part of Team Mango, having made many positive contributions to our school. It has been encouraging to hear that many more Year 6 students are striving towards earning their Mango Mentors badge this week too! This week, Myka was able to complete hers, having completed the majority of her passport in 2022. Myka is an outstanding role model within Team Mango and I know she will do an excellent job as a Mango Mentor this year. Congratulations, Myka!
Have a super week
Ben Mills
Deputy Principal – Year 6
bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Now is a great time to read!
We have had a few very exciting days in the Hub as everyone has now begun to borrow. All of our brand new Preps were able to visit on Friday and borrow a picture book of their choosing. There was such joy as they selected and shared their choices with their friends and teachers.
Students are able to keep the books they have borrowed for as long as they like, but it is also a treat to return them each week. Once a book has been returned, students may borrow another one. Just think if you return your book every week, you may be able to read 40 new stories in just one year!
Don’t forget that a library bag really helps protect and take care of our precious books. We would love everyone to have a library bag. This may be a special bag purchased from the uniform shop or it may be a recycled plastic or fabric bag you already have at home.
We love that Class Borrowing at the Hub provides students with an opportunity to choose books that they would like to read. This doesn’t always mean that they will be able to read these books themselves, but what a great opportunity for families to join in with the reading. Reading at home is such a valuable experience that builds students’ comprehension and understanding of stories as well as creating positive reading habits. This week is a great week to starting reading with your youngest readers. Perhaps you’ll find a family favourite in the coming weeks or you might find an author or a series of books to follow. Reading with others is a super routine for all families to build in, even if it is only possible once or twice a week!
The NSW department of education provides some tips for reading with our youngest students, and the link has this handout translated into a range of languages.
Accelerated Reader (AR)
This week we have had lots of students return to AR and even a few who have started fresh on this reading program. All AR students are able to borrow 2 books a week. One of these books should be at their AR level. Once they have read the book, they are able to complete the online quiz.
For some students, AR is a great way to set and work towards individual goals. Students might like to strive for a particular level, a number of books or a number of words. AR counts the number of words read each year. In the past we have had many students reach 1 million, 3 million or even 7 million words. Reaching these goals is cause for celebration and we look forward to plenty of celebrations throughout 2023.
The first millionaire reader for 2023 is Avery. She has been super busy over the holidays reading lots of books, and this week she has been extra busy quizzing on all of these books. The result is, that she has already read 1 million words. We are so proud of Avery and have added her photo to a special Millionaire Reader display in the Hub. Congratulations Avery!
Museum display
This week in the Hub we also have a special display from the Qld Museum, highlighting some of the changes that we may be observing. The beginning of a new school year has many changes for individuals, but there are also changes all around us. Our display has some examples of how technology has changed and also some great samples that show the life cycles of animals, and the role of eggs. Pop on down to the Hub this week to have a look! The Hub is open every morning from 8.15am and until 3pm every afternoon.
NAPLAN
This year, between 15 and 27 March, our school will be doing NAPLAN Online.
NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for and students are not expected to do so. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance.
Read the NAPLAN Online information brochure for parents and carers and to see the format of the online tests, visit the public demonstration site.
We will also be participating in a National Practice Test on Thursday 23 February. This is an excellent opportunity to fine tune any technical and logistical needs, and to ensure the students are comfortable and familiar with the online platform.
Actual student data will be used for the dress rehearsal and the March tests. Before testing, please read the information relating to privacy, which can be found on the NAPLAN Online Queensland website’s parent information page. You can also download the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority’s (ACARA) factsheet on how student personal data is collected and protected and the ACARA privacy notice.
As our school runs a bring your own device (BYOx) program, you can assist by ensuring the NAPLAN Online locked-down browser (version 5.2.6) is downloaded prior to the tests. Information about BYO devices is also available on ACARA’s website.
We will be running a Parent Information Session on Thursday 9 February, during our Welcome to Mango night. We will be located in Wandani. We will have a children activity room set up next door for the session.
We will keep you up to date in the lead-up, but if there’s anything you need in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Jess Rivett at jxqui5@eq.edu.au or Danielle O’Brien dxobr0@eq.edu.au
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
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
PCYC’s new prep team.Our preps enjoying their time at PCYC last week. Some of their favourite experiences were craft, home corner and reading time.
