Term 3 Week 5 2023
- Principal's News by Ange Padgett
- 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 Emma Crawshaw
- Year 6 News by Ben Mills
- Curriculum News
- Sporting News by The PE Department
- News from our Partners
Classroom and Specialist Lesson Visits
We have had another amazing week at Mango Hill State School.
As I visit classrooms and specialist lessons, it’s clear to see our students are receiving explicit and timely feedback about their learning. Most students are able to discuss their learning in terms of what they are doing well and are able to identify next steps in their learning. I’m most impressed by the confidence the students are displaying when talking about their learning. Students are showing they really care about their learning. Well done to our students and to our teachers!
Ready Scales
Last week we launched our Ready Scale in our Care Classes. We’re in the "explore" stage, and each week in our Care Class, we are unpacking how to use this scale a little bit more. The Ready Scale is about building our toolkit around noticing and naming our feelings and communicating where we are at. This is big work - and it will be a long journey. The launch of the Ready Scale is the beginning. We need to keep returning to all of our previous Term 2 Care Class learning and integrating new learning with previous messages. We also need to keep using all the Team Mango things we already know, to help us. We still Care for Self, Care for Others, Care for Learning and Care for the Environment. We still value our values of Respect, Innovation, Commitment, Excellence and Teamwork. We still love our Golden Tickets! But when we know more about how we work, the way we feel, what helps us to be regulated humans, then we can help ourselves and each other. This is a handy resource for all aspects of life; school, home, the playground.
Upcoming Excursions
This week and next we have many excursions and incursions occurring. Our Year 4 classes have been or will visit Bunyaville Environmental Centre. We also have ICAS assessments taking place. Our Prep students will be involved in the Raw Art incursion and Bike Education continues.
School Uniform
Most of our students are wearing our uniform with pride, however a small number of students are not adhering to our uniform policy by wearing baseball caps, rather than the school sun safe hat. Coloured shoes have been worn, rather than full black shoes and jumpers of different colours are being worn, rather than the school jumper/jacket. I understand at times, uniforms can be costly to parents/caregivers especially when students lose things or outgrow their uniform. The school would appreciate our parents/caregivers help by ensuring our students adhere to the uniform policy. Teachers and Leadership members will be having a big focus on this over the next few weeks. Should you require some assistance with uniforms, please reach out to your child’s class teacher.
Public Holiday Reminder
A reminder that Monday 14 August is a public holiday (EKKA). I’m hoping everyone gets to enjoy this day with loved ones.
Have a wonderful week
Ange Padgett
Principal
apadg6@eq.edu.au
2024 Reach Framework Consultation
Throughout this year Mango Hill State School has collaborated with a number of knowledgeable others as part of a review of our current Reach classroom placement. We were exceptionally thankful to learn and seek feedback from a range of university experts, professionals in high ability learning along with our Reach and non-reach classroom teachers. It was really important for us at Mango Hill State School to also seek feedback from our school community. Thank you to the large number of parents and carers who completed our online questionnaire and the 40 or so Reach and non-Reach parents who attended our recent consultation. Your feedback was valued and really supported the refinement of what will become our Reach Framework in 2024. It was great to hear that the school community was excited about the shift in the Reach Framework and the rebranding of the Reach classrooms placement to Pace classroom placement in 2024.
Reach Framework 2024
The redesign of the Mango Hill State School Reach Framework is to continue to enhance and enrich the learning and wellbeing of high ability learners but broaden and recognise the scope of enrichment opportunities being offered across the school. Through a deep understanding of our learners, Mango Hill States School continues to provide a range of opportunities that fosters the intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical talents of all our students. Some of these Reach opportunities will include debating, choir excellence, dance troupe, STEM clubs, Senior Leadership Program, chess champions and more.
Pace Classroom Placement 2024 (in 2024 these classes will no longer be called Reach classes).
In 2024 Mango Hill State School will move to Pace Classroom Placement. Using a range of data sets students are selected for the Pace classroom placement as they tend to be learning at a faster pace than their peers. These students often require less repetition in most areas of the curriculum, therefore they tend to move through the learning at that faster pace. This allows for enriched learning opportunities such as Personal Projects with a focus on going deeper in the learning. Students selected for this classroom placement is designed to meet the differentiated needs of students demonstrating very high academic achievement in multiple learning areas. To ensure we continue to support the wellbeing and connection of our learners Pace classrooms will be engaging in collaborative learning experiences with their fellow peers form neighbouring classes, which will be exciting. In saying that, it is very important to know that Mango Hill State School has lots of very high achieving students in every classroom. Through quality curriculum design all teachers in all classrooms modify the learning journey of each child based on ongoing student data and engagement to stretch, enrich and provide every opportunity for all students to reach their potential.
Whilst there is one Pace classroom in each year level, Mango Hill State School ensures inclusive programming and curriculum design for all students through rigorous moderation and differentiated learning opportunities. Each year, Pace class placements are reviewed based on current student data sources.
Stay tuned as over the next few weeks we will be launching the updated Reach Framework and will share more information regarding the Pace classroom placement for 2024. We look forward to providing future opportunities to continue to learn more about how we can support all our high ability learners (within and beyond the Pace classroom placement).
Focus of the Week
The Care Class focus that will be delivered this Friday is ‘Ready scale revisited’. We will also be consolidating this focus next week.
In classrooms this week we will be revisiting the new self-regulation tool, which we have called a Ready scale. The Ready scale is a tool that helps children to better manage their feelings and emotions. This week we will be identifying where we are on the scale and then identifying what our body is doing to help us recognise this point on the scale. Children will also start to appreciate that not everyone will feel or behave in the same way when they are on the same point/position on the ready scale.
It is with continued use and discussions in classrooms, children will begin to identify their readiness for situations and use appropriate strategies to help them become active participants.
Enrolments are now open for students attending Year 7 in 2024 at Mango Hill State Secondary College. Information regarding enrolments, including submitting an enrolment enquiry to access the enrolment application form, can be found on the College Website.
We encourage all future families to complete their enrolment application no so as to ensure all of our future students are able to attend our first Transition event on Wednesday 13 September (Week 10). Students must be enrolled to attend Transition.
There are two enrolment sessions remaining this term to support completion of the enrolment process ahead of the first transition event. These are Thursday 24th August and Thursday 7 September. Submit your application for enrolment ahead of these events so as to secure a enrolment interview this term.
Year 7 Future Scholars 2024
Are you a Year 6 student who enjoys being a problem solver and ‘out of the box’ creative thinker? Do you enjoy facing learning challenges and collaborating with other learners? Then Future Scholar is for you!
Applications for our Year 7 Futures Scholars class for 2024 are now open on the Mango Hill State Secondary College Website.
Future Scholars aims to build adaptable, resilient learners through igniting curiosity in critical local and global contexts. Students will engage in deeply collaborative experiences, developing problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, and self-reflection, towards personal goals and pathways for tomorrow.
Applications, including submission of digital entry projects, close 15 September 2023.
Look at how far we have come!
We are most certainly working very hard in Prep Land and doing our best to self-reflect on our writing and bumping it up. With all this hard work we are all starting to feel a bit weary! But we are learning about perseverance and resilience and try, try, trying again to do our very best.
“Being our best selves” looks a little different for each of us. For some of us, writing one sentence and using some sounds, is our very best work. For others, our best work is writing whole pages of text. Sometimes it can be tricky for us to regulate our emotions when we’re tired and fatigued. But, being our best selves means accepting our teachers help knowing we have a predictable adult who will care and support us when we are feeling stuck.
We are going to work hard to “be our best selves” as we finish our first year of school. Our students have learned a lot and done a remarkable job in their first year of schooling thus far. As we tire, we might just need a little more down time or rest in the afternoons and on the weekend so we can feel energised and ready for the new school week!
Have a wonderful week
Deputy Principal- Prep
malco14@eq.edu.au
Skip Counting
We are busy, busy, busy skip counting in 2s, 5s and 10s in Year 1. Skip counting can be a much more efficient way to count, than counting in 1s. It depends on what we are counting!
So as mathematicians, we need to assess what we are being asked to count and consider - what’s the most efficient way of tackling this?
If there’s five seats around tables at a restaurant and I want to know how many seats there are altogether… what would be the most efficient way to count? (Hint: definitely not counting in 1s).
If there’s a field of kangaroos and I want to know how many legs there are in the field (because these are the kinds of weird questions 6 years olds ask, #amiright), what would be the most efficient way to count? (Hint: probably not 10s).
We can use lots of different materials to help us. Our hundreds chart is hands down the most useful tool for us right now in maths. Do you have one at home? No? That’s on your next shopping list! In our house we actually own one of the turn and learn hundreds boards (little boxes for numbers that students can turn as they count) - please don’t think I’m Mother-of-the-Year because it only ended up in my house because it was on super super sale at Modern Teaching Aids! But honestly, even this teacher could not have predicted how often it would be used. The kids just sit there counting. I move it around the house. It’s fabulous in the laundry bathroom actually because that’s where Mr 8 tends to drag his feet the very most and instead of showering… he’s often counting… #pickyourbattles
A flat 100s chart from any bookstore is enough though. Or you can print your own off the internet. You can use counters to show them the “skips”. Make it tricky by counting in 2s, 5s and 10s in an atypical way, for example use the odd numbers or don’t start at zero.
Happy counting!
Have a great week
Melinda White
Deputy Principal- Year 1
mwhit37@eq.edu.au
Specialist Lessons in Year 2
We are so fortunate to have such wonderful specialist teachers who provide our students with a rich range of learning experiences.
Here are some of the highlights from specialists lessons in Year 2.
STEM
This term the students in Year 2 are exploring how they and others use water. They have been investigating where it comes from, how it is collected, transported and accessed at school and in the community. The students have even been discussing ways they can use water responsibly.
Check out the students in 2M who were using their iPads to record ways they use water.
Physical Education
This term the students are engaging in simple tagging games which incorporate the fundamental movement skills of dodging and running. They are learning to work in groups and to play fairly. Students are even using their skills to solve movement challenges.
Look at these superstars from 2O who were dodging and weaving this week.
Italian
In Italian, the children have been getting ready for their upcoming Gelato incursion. This incursion will be held on Monday and Tuesday in Week 8. The students are learning how to order and pay for a gelato in Italian. They will even create a poster to advertise a gelato using language to describe it and the cost.
This week the children in 1/2B were busy in their lesson practising how to order.
Music
The students have been working hard in Music to learn and compose a simple song on the ukulele.
This week the students in 2F learned to play the beat on the rhythm sticks.
Have a wonderful week
Kylie Vaughan
Deputy Principal- Year 2
kvaug3@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 3 - PCYC Bike Safety Excursion
The first of our Bike Safety excursions was a success with 3L heading off Monday to learn about road safety. Today, it is 3S’s turn and tomorrow 3J head off. All our classes go over the next few weeks.
This excursion links to our Year 3 Health unit where students investigate aspects of bike and road safety. Their assessment task will require students to reflect on their excursion to the Redcliffe PCYC where they learnt to ride a bike, following road rules. They will reflect on positive strategies to interact with others and ways in which tackling challenges helps to build our confidence and resilience.
Playing in Year 3
With our Senior Playground closed for at least a week, our Year 3 students are demonstrating their ability to cope with change now that they are in the back half of Year 3! Students are embracing the oval where they can run around and they love the play equipment near M3 (where 3T, 3L and 3C are located). I have seen lots of examples this week of students showing kindness at play time. Way to go, Year 3!
Year 3 Stay and Play
Parents are invited to spend some time on Friday 22 September to celebrate the learning in Year 3 in Term 3. We are looking forward to showing off our efforts and our achievements!
Take care and have a wonderful week
Ellaine Warner
Deputy Principal-Year 3
ewarn23@eq.edu.au
Bunyaville
Over the next couple of weeks, all of our Year 4 classes will visit Bunyaville Conservation Park as a part of the Science unit. Some classes have already visited this week and have learned about the water cycle and processes involved. From what I have heard, our students have been exceptional at demonstrating care for the environment while at Bunyaville.
Please enjoy a couple of photos from our time at Bunyaville.
Learning in Maths
Learning Mathematics involves more than just recalling factual knowledge. When children are working mathematically, they solve problems and reason. Problem solving in Maths is about finding a way to apply the knowledge and skills that you have to answer unfamiliar types of problems. Reasoning involves being able to explain your thinking about how you arrived at an answer.
This week I had the privilege of visiting 4M during their Maths lesson on justifying the placement of fractions on a number line. It was amazing to hear from the students, converting between improper and mixed numbers and then explaining and justifying in maths. I heard examples of mathematical language including words like benchmarks, increments, equivalent, denominator, numerator, equal, parts, partition and much more. Our students in Year 4 are given lots of opportunities to apply what they know to unfamiliar situations and are encouraged to explain their thinking using different representations.
Danielle O'Brien
Deputy Principal- Year 4
dxobr0@eq.edu.au
High Impact Teaching
It has been a pleasure visiting classes during the week and observing the high impact teaching and learning occurring across all of year 5. I loved working with some enthusiastic mathematicians in 5G as they focused on some multi-step word problems. Students were provided with a “My Favourite Mistake” question to answer independently and then, in a collaborative structure, students discussed and defended their answer and the way in which they solved the problem. It was great hearing students talk about their thinking.
In Year 5 English our students are still enjoying hearing poetry and responding to a poem through the creation of an imaginative text that maintains a consistent mood and point-of-view. I am really enjoying seeing how our students can really take on the perspective of a character and portray their thoughts and feelings through their clever word and sentence choices.
Emma Crawshaw
Deputy Principal – Year 5
ewils209@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 6
During the week I visited 6V during a Maths lesson where they were learning how to multiply decimal numbers by whole numbers. The students watched as Mrs Vos modelled the steps for doing this and then they created their own success criteria to reference as they solved their own problems. After seeing their teacher model the process, the students attempted multiple problems on their own, while having a “checker” at each of their tables to see seek feedback from. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the learning culture in 6V and how they worked together to encourage and support each other to get the answers.
Throughout the lesson, Mrs Vos challenged 6V to apply their understanding of multiplying decimal numbers within a real-world context, where students had to calculate the cost of an item from the supermarket based on the price per kilo and how much of that item was purchased. Super teaching Mrs Vos and super learning 6V!
Year 6 Graduation – we need your help!
Our Graduation Committee have been working hard behind the scenes for a few months, planning ahead for a big celebration for our Year 6 students at the end of the year, as we farewell them from Primary School. To help us achieve our plans for the night, we need help with fundraising.
The MHSS Arts Fest held on Wednesday 6th September, is our opportunity to raise funds for Year 6 Graduation and your opportunity to help out. We need volunteers on the night to help out at our BBQ and to sell baked goods (and to bake the baked goods!). If you can spare even a small amount of time on the night to volunteer, please reach out to me via email: bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Uniform
At MHSS we aim to demonstrate the value of respect by wearing our school uniform with pride. The majority of our students do this really well. However, we are seeing an increasing number of students wearing non-school jumpers. Over the coming weeks, staff will be providing regular and direct reminders about correct uniform. Let’s all make a considered effort to represent Team Mango with pride!
Have a great week
Ben Mills
Deputy Principal –Year 6
bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Accelerated Reader
Congratulations to Leima who last week reached 1 million words in AR. We are very proud of her and have added her photo to our growing AR wall.
There is still plenty of time to set an AR goal for this term. Pop on down to visit the Hub if you’d like help finding your next AR book!
Museum
This week in the Hub we have a display from the Qld Museum, highlighting colonial Australia. There might even be a few things you recognise that we have adapted in our modern lives.
Book Week Competition
We have already had some fabulous entries in our Book Week competition. Don’t forget to think about all those things that ‘read, grow and inspire’ so you can also enter! Visit the Hub to see some of the prizes! All entries can be submitted to the Hub now or before the end of August! Don’t forget to add your name and class to your entry.
Have a fantastic week
Suzette Holm, Jessica Rivett
shol0@eq.edu.au
3rd at SEQ Football (Soccer) Championships
MHSS represented the Pine Rivers District at the Met North section of the South East QLD Football Championships. This day brings the best schools from the Met North region together, with MHSS competing in a very strong Year 5 competition.
It was a tough start to the day with MHSS losing 4-0 to Albany Hills (North District). MHSS bounced back strongly however beating Newmarket 3-0 (City District). MHSS is super proud of all our students and thank Aspley SHS for organising a great day.
Mr Hills & Mr Newell, Miss Richards and Mr Lisha
Physical Education Teachers
Uniform Shop Update
Monday - 8:00am-10:30am
Wednesday 1:30pm-4:00pm
Thursday 1:30pm-4:00pm
Friday 8:00am-10:30am
The uniform shop will be closed next Monday August 14 for the public holiday. We will resume our normal opening hours on Wednesday afternoon.
We also offer online orders. Orders can be placed through our website any time at www.wearitto.com.au/schools/mango-hill-state-school
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Mango Hill State School - Schools - Wearitto Wearitto delivers high quality uniforms in a way that makes things easy for schools and parents. We create clothing for school, work and play. |
Orders are packed through the uniform shop during our opening hours and an email is sent to let you know when your order is ready to be picked up, or, if you'd like your student to bring the uniforms home with them, email us at mangohill@wearitto.com.au with your student's name and class name and we can get it to them.