Term 1 Week 3 2024
- Principal's News by Ange Padgett
- Team Mango We All Belong!
- Prep News by Mieke Munko
- Year 1 News by Melinda White
- Year 2 News by Kylie Vaughan
- Year 3 News by Kris Olsen
- Year 4 News by Danielle O'Brien
- Year 5 News by Greg McCallum
- Year 6 News by Ben Mills
- Curriculum News
- Sporting News by The PE Department
- News from our Partners
- Community News
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
We have had another fabulous week at Mango Hill State School. Students have been calm, settled and ready to learn. I’m most impressed by the number of students displaying pride in our school by wearing the correct uniform daily. Let’s keep it up. I remind students that we encourage them to wear their hats to and from school as well. Students may also be fortunate enough to be "caught" wearing their hat and receive a golden ticket.
Each year, State Schools are required to write an Annual Implementation Plan. Mango Hill State School drafted our plan towards the end of 2023 and requested your feedback. Our three priority areas align with the Education Queensland’s strategic plan ‘Equity and Excellence’. Mango Hill’s three priority areas are:
- Educational Achievement – enhance teacher capability to make deliberate pedagogical decisions for improved educational outcomes.
- Engagement and Well-Being – embed the Team Mango Way to well-being for healthy, confident and resilient staff and students.
- Culture and Inclusion – create welcoming, inclusive and accessible learning experiences and environments to realise potential for all.
I look forward to sharing continued updates on how we are progressing with our plan as well as our associated actions.
Next Monday, the school will be holding an evacuation drill. We prioritise student safety and practise these drills on a termly basis. The purpose of these is to ensure we have efficient systems in place to keep our students and staff safe in case of an evacuation. The drill will occur at approximately 9:30am. Please do not be alarmed if you live close by and can hear the alerts.
Monday is also our first P&C meeting for 2024. It would be lovely to see as many parents/carers as possible. The meeting is held at 6.30pm and takes place in the Wandani Centre.
The school will be holding a Volunteer Induction this coming Monday prior to P&C, commencing at 5.30pm. If you are attending, please meet at the Wandani Centre.
We value parents and carers feedback and as such ask that you please complete the survey, accessed from the link below by this Friday.
https://survey.qed.qld.gov.au/n/e76hoNA
On Friday 16 February we will be holding our student leader badge ceremony. Further details can be found in Mr Mills section of the newsletter.
The leadership team were a little bit star struck this week by a visit from some of the Brisbane Lions players. I am Brisbane Lions number 1 fan!
Ange Padgett
Principal
apadg6@eq.edu.au
Welcome Afternoon
Please note that eftpos facilities will be avaliable for the sausage sizzle and this will be the perferred method of payment.
Term 1 Parent Overview
Please see below an updated copy of the Term 1 Parent Overview that was sent our late last week. Please note that an update will become available (should there be any changes) once all excursions and incursions have been endorsed by the P&C at the first meeting of the year, on Monday 12 February 2024. If necessary, an updated Term Overview will be added to the newsletter following the P&C meeting.
Positions Vacant
We are looking for School Crossing Supervisors in your area to help get our kids safely to and from school.
School Crossing Supervisors must be available for work in both morning and afternoon shifts on a rostered basis (in all weather conditions).
In return we offer the following.
- Casual pay-rate starting at $35.35 per hour
- Relief opportunities on your days off
- Long service leave entitlements
Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on the following.
- The favourable outcome of a pre-employment health assessment
- A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position)
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, give us a call on (07) 3863 9871 to speak with your local Road Safety Officer or email zillmere_road_safety@tmr.qld.gov.au for more information.
Last week we shared information about the drawings our Prep friends have been doing as part of their learning in English. This week, we are sharing some information about oral language (speaking and listening).
Oral language is considered to be the foundation of all the literacy skills needed to become a reader and writer. Engaging in conversation with your child helps them develop a bank of vocabulary and make meaning of the things they experience. In Prep we develop oral language skills in a range of ways including the repeated use of story books. This supports learning of vocabulary, concepts of print, letters and sounds and comprehension.
Here are some tips from the Literacy Hub outlining the best ways parents and carers can encourage oral language:
- Talk to your child and listen responsively. Ask and answer questions.
- Read aloud to your child at least once a day. Good books expose children to vocabulary and sentence structures that they won’t hear in everyday situations. Research has shown that reading aloud to children is a major factor in their success in learning to read at school.
- Talk with your child about the books you read aloud together. Ask your child about the characters, plot or setting; the themes and ideas raised by the book; topics they’d like to read or learn more about as a result of reading aloud.
Happy chatting!
Mieke Munko
Deputy Principal-Prep
mmunk1@eq.edu.au
Year 1 Routines
We’re starting to settle into our new Year 1 routines. Each morning, we have a class morning meeting. We love this part of the day! This helps us to connect with each other, connect with our teacher and sets us up for a successful day.
When we are late to school, we miss this fun. It’s important to arrive by 8.15 so we have time to *unpack our own bag* and settle into the day.
During our morning meeting, we engage in a positive primer - a fun, quick game or activity that engages our brain and connects us to our friends. We talk about our values and what we are focusing on for the day. Our teachers always say that if they miss a section, the kids let us know! They don’t want to miss any bit!
Another way we reinforce our school values and expectations is through our Care Classes each Friday. Make sure you read the newsletter each week for a heads up about the focus areas for the week.
Swimming will begin in Year 1 in a couple of weeks time. All of the information will come home this week. It’s a little bit more expensive this year, as our lessons are 45 minutes in length and other things like the bus, have increased in cost. Please remember that we always offer payment plans for families. Contact our friendly finance officer Kerry and she can sort it for you.
Please see the timetable for swimming below.
Have a lovely 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. A recount is when we retell or recount about an event or experience.
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 to recount and entertain their audience.
One of the ways the students in Year 2 are generating ideas for writing is through mind mapping. This is a 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 these amazing mind maps from the students in 2I, 2C and 2E.
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.
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. Student consent forms and invoices will be emailed to families shortly.
So that swimming can run smoothly please ensure:
- you have made payment and completed the online permission form in QParents. Please visit the school office if you would like a paper copy.
- you pack your child’s swimmers (please no light blue coloured swimwear for safety reasons), 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.
Kylie Vaughan
Deputy Principal- Year 2
kvaug3@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 3
Each week when visiting classrooms, I am amazed at the engagement our students are showing towards their learning. Our students have picked up where they left off last year in maths and have been reviewing strategies to add and subtract numbers. To start the term our focus has been on choosing efficient strategies to match the appropriate number problem we are trying to solve. This may seem daunting at first glance, however our students have explored many strategies to solve number problems (split, compensate, estimation and counting just to name a few). Providing our students with a variety of strategies and the understanding of how to use them efficiently for the correct number problem are skills they can apply into many aspects of the real world. To support this learning at home, you could ask your child to teach you how to solve problems using different strategies!
Kicking it with the Lions
On Tuesday we had the opportunity to have a kick around with members from the Brisbane Lions AFL Team. Our Year 3’s played a variety of tagging and running games with the Auskick footys at break time. How great are these future AFL stars!
Deputy Principal Year 3
Science Fun!
Our students have been busy exploring the water cycle and identifying the key processes within it. It was great seeing 4S so engaged while exploring the process of precipitation through their class experiment this week.
As a part of their Science unit, students describe how water cycles through the environment using specific scientific language. You can help to support our Science exploration by using vocabulary such as condensation, evaporation, precipitation, transpiration, hail, snow, rain, sleet and vapor and linking these to specific examples.
Danielle O'Brien
Deputy Principal- Year 4
dxobr0@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 5
We have had another great week of learning for our Year 5 students at Mango Hill State School.
This week teachers have spent time working in teams to help identify the needs of our students, focussing on the next steps in learning. Please make contact with your child’s teacher if you have information that would help identify specific learning needs and learning styles.
Educational Achievement
In English students have continued their work on creating both persuasive texts and narratives.
At home, see if your child can identify three persuasive arguments for a familiar topic.
- What are the three strongest arguments they can identify?
- Who is the intended audience? How can your child make deliberate decisions as an author to persuade their intended audience?
- Can your child use ‘high modality’ to increase the strength of an argument?
Modality refers to the level of certainty in the language choices of a text. Modality is a range from high (for example, will) to low (for example, may). Using language with high modality impacts the audience's response to an argument.
Brisbane Lions
On Tuesday our students were fortunate to have a visit from Brisbane Lions players Deven Robertson and Jaxson Prior. It was great to see so many Year 5 students supporting the players. Hopefully it gives the players the edge to take the next step in 2024!
Greg McCallum
Deputy Principal- Year 5
gmcca24@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 6
This week I’ve had the pleasure of reading some outstanding short stories in Year 6. Our students have been tasked with writing a story that includes a twist. I have been blown away by some of the twists in the stories I have read so far. Our students are so clever! I encourage you to ask your child to share their writing with you. Don’t forget, there will probably be a twist at the end!
QLearn – our new eLearning platform
To start the year, our Year 5 and 6 students have transitioned away from our previous eLearning platform, Showbie, and moved toward our new platform, QLearn. Unlike Showbie, QLearn is provided by the Department of Education for free. Connecting to QLearn has been a learning experience for our students and staff to start the term but we are beginning to find our feet with it and see the benefits it provides. Currently, the majority of classes are using QLearn to complete classroom and homework tasks and upload work samples.
Welcome Night
We are looking forward to seeing our Year 6 students and families at our welcome night on Thursday, between 4.30 and 5.30pm. Our teachers will be on the Astro-turf beneath the Year 5 and 6 building, as well as on the Multipurpose Court, running a range of fun activities. This is a great opportunity to come by for an informal chat!
We will also have our first fundraising opportunity for Year 6 Graduation with a Sausage Sizzle being held outside the office building during this time. I will be on hand cooking the sausages so we know they will be good! Come and say hello and grab a sausage and drink while you’re there!
Ben Mills
Deputy Principal –Year 6
bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Hub Happenings
This week in the Hub we have a special Valentine’s Day display. We have found lots of Hub books that celebrate caring, kindness and the love we share with our families. February is a great time of the year to stop and pause, as we remember all of those who love and care for us. We also have some lovely Valentine’s hearts completed by our students as they celebrate the care shown by our teachers, teacher aides, tuckshop workers, fellow students and parents. Pop on down to have a look.
The Hub is open every morning from 8.15am and until 3pm every afternoon. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Accelerated Reader (AR)
For those students who have already developed their decoding and reading abilities, Mango Hill offers a special program called Accelerated Reader. This program is for all those students who can already read at a PM level 30 and are ready to challenge themselves by reading more complex books. For most students this is after Year 3, but students are able to join whenever they are ready. For students on AR, they are able to select books at their specific level, read these, and then complete an online quiz. This ensures that students are really comprehending the texts, rather than just reading the words.
For students on AR, they can access the online quizzes using the attached QR code. Students are also able to access our online library catalogue to search for books that might be interesting to read on their level. The Olly QR code is also attached.
Please read our Parent as Partners: Accelerated Reader handout for further information. AR is also a great program for students to set individual reading goals. We look forward to celebrating with those students who reach their AR goals in the coming months.
Have a fantastic week
Suzette Holm, Jessica Rivett
shol0@eq.edu.au
AFLQ Schools Cup Trials (Year 4-6)
The AFLQ Schools Cup is a statewide AFL competition amongst primary schools, with Mango Hill competing initially in the Brisbane North Regional playoffs. AFL QLD coordinates the competition with all matches played under the Laws of the game promulgated by the AFL.
In 2024, Mango Hill State School will again be entering a Primary Boys and Primary Girls team in the AFLQ Schools Cup competition. These teams are open for all students from Year 4-6. The Brisbane North Regional Playoff date will be in Term 2.
Trials
Trials for these two teams will be conducted via lunchtime AFL Clubs on Thursdays 2nd break (Girls) and Friday 2nd break (Boys) on the MHSS Oval. There will also be an afterschool trial at 3.00pm-4.00pm on Tuesday 20 February (wk. 5). Attendance at either the AFL Club or afternoon trial will help your child gain selection in our initial training squad. A final team to attend the AFLQ Schools Cup day will be selected early in Term 2.
Students interested in trialing can add their name to the signup sheet which is located on the PE notice board in M Block (in front of PE office).
Equipment/Uniform
If selected, a Mango Hill State School AFL jersey, shorts and socks will be provided for competition days at no cost. Students will need to provide their own protective equipment (mouthguard) and will require football boots (no metal tags).
Training
If selected in the team, there is an expectation that students commit to attending AFL training, which will be held Thursday afternoon 3.00pm-4.00pm and during AFL Club lunch breaks.
Costs:
There are no initial costs associated with the competition. If teams progress further in the competition travel and playing costs may apply.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact team manager Nick Hills (nhill96@eq.edu.au).
Pine Rivers District Sporting Trials (10-12yr Old’s)
Pine Rivers District School Sport (PRDSS) 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.
Most PRD 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) and have several years’ experience. Cross Country, Athletics and Swimming trials however are open for students turning 10, 11 and 12 years of age. PRD trials are not for students who are learning to play or are inexperienced. Sports that students are able to trial for include the following.
- AFL
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Football (Soccer)
- Golf
- Hockey
- Netball
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Softball
- Squash
- Tennis
- Touch
- Triathlon
2024 District Trial Nomination Process
A new process for nominating for PRDSS will be implemented for 2024.
- Step 1 - Trial Information will be placed in the MHSS newsletter. Parents can email Mr Nick Hills (nhill96@eq.edu.au) to express interest in their son/daughter attending.
- Step 2 – If necessary, MHSS will host a MHSS trial to select appropriate students for the district trials (normally completed if more than 5 students want to attend).
- Step 3 – Schools distribute the Trial Nomination and Information Form (with A QR Scan code) to their selected students. Families/students complete the scan code to nominate for a trial before the closing date – no students will be able to access this nomination Scan code after the closing date.
- Step 4 – Pine Rivers District School Sport collates scan code information and emails parents/students with the District Trial Notice & Trial Package.
- Step 5 – Families/Students returns completed forms electronically to the Pine Rivers District Coach/Manager.
Mango Hill can normally nominate up to five students for each district sport trial. If more than five students wish to be nominated Mango Hill will select the five 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.
Mango Hill State School Cross Country (Year Prep-6)
All students from Years Prep to 6 will be competing in the 2024 MHSS Cross Country Race. This is completed in the morning 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 as follows.
- Year Prep-2: Thursday Week 6 – 29 February
- Year 3-6: Friday Week 6 – 1 March
Sporting Lunch Clubs
At MHSS we provide opportunities for students to participate in lunch time clubs, which includes clubs directly related to sporting teams. The following clubs are offered in Term 1 with all students in Year 4-6 able to attend.
|
Sport |
Time/Place |
Teacher |
Notes |
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Soccer |
Monday @ 1st break on the Oval |
Mr Newell and Mr Smith |
Important for any student that wants to be selected in the MHSS “A Team“ for Soccer to compete at interschool sport and competition days |
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Soccer |
Tuesday @ 2nd break on the Oval (Year 5/6 only) |
Mr Newell |
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Boys League Tag |
Tuesday @ 1st break on the Oval |
Mr Vlieg and Mr Frisby |
League Tag is an option for Interschool Sport (Year 5-6) so any student wanting to chose this for Interschool Sport it is recommended they attend |
|
Girls League Tag |
Thursday @ 1st break on the Oval |
Mrs Drummond and Miss Roberts |
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Netball |
Monday @ 2nd break on the Multipurpose Court |
Mrs Faulkner |
Important for any student that wants to be selected in the MHSS Netball team that competes at Interschool Sport and in the QLD Netball Cup in Term 3 |
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Netball |
Thursday @ 2nd break on the Multipurpose Court |
Miss Hodges |
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Rugby Union |
Wednesday @ 2nd break on the Oval |
Mr MrGregor |
Important for any student that wants to be selected in the MHSS Rugby Union team that competes at competition days |
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Girls AFL |
Thursday @ 2nd break on the Oval |
Mr Hills |
Important for any student that wants to be selected in the MHSS AFL teams that competes at the AFLQ Schools Cup in Term 2 |
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Boys AFL |
Friday @ 2nd break on the Oval |
Mr Vlieg |
AFL QLD – Brisbane Lions Visit
On Tuesday, AFL QLD development staff along with players from the Brisbane Lions came to MHSS to run a promotional Clinic at playtime. What an awesome opportunity it was for our students to learn some skills and meet some AFL stars! Information will be coming home with students about how they can sign up for AFL with the local North Lakes Eels AFL Club.
Mr Hills & Mr Newell, Miss Hodges and Mr Lisha
Physical Education Teachers
P&C Updates
