Term 4 Week 3 2024
- Principal's News by Ange Padgett
- Team Mango We All Belong!
- Prep News by Mieke Munko
- Year 1 News by Rachael Beard
- Year 2 News by Kylie Vaughan
- Year 3 News by Kris Olsen
- Year 4 News by Danielle Price
- Year 5 News by Greg McCallum
- Year 6 News by Evan Barrett
- Curriculum News
- Community News
- Sporting News by The PE Department
Australian Curriculum 2025
Our school is transitioning to the Australian Curriculum Version 9 (ACV9) to ensure our teaching in key areas like Maths and English aligns with the most current standards and best practices. In Maths, V9 emphasises problem-solving, reasoning, and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts, helping students apply these skills in real-world contexts. In English, the focus is on strengthening literacy, critical analysis, and communication skills, encouraging students to engage thoughtfully with a wide range of texts. By adopting this updated curriculum, we aim to provide students with the foundational skills and knowledge they need to succeed while keeping our teaching relevant and responsive to the latest educational research.
Our school has been actively engaging in familiarising ourselves with the ACV9 to ensure a smooth and effective transition. Teachers have been participating in professional development sessions, exploring the updated content and structure, and collaborating to align teaching practices with the new standards. This process has allowed us to deepen our understanding of the changes in key areas like Maths and English, ensuring we can confidently implement the curriculum and deliver high-quality learning experiences over coming years. By taking the time to thoroughly familiarise ourselves with ACV9, we are preparing to better support student success and growth.
In 2025, learning area offerings and how and when we report may look a little different from previous years. One such area is LOTE. The recommended time allocations for LOTE are increasing under ACV9. As such, Languages Other Than English will be taught from Years 3 to 6 in 2025 onwards. Our Prep – Year 2 students will be offered other learning areas. Staff are working hard to finalise year level learning areas and reporting guidelines, in line with the "Department of Education, QLD, Kindergarten – Year 12 Framework". These will be shared in the near future.
2025 Pace Class Placement Process
Across the school, we are putting many of hours of work into the class placement process for 2025. Part of this process involves us forming Pace classes in each year level. Below are two infographics to explain the Pace class placement process for Prep and the Pace class placement process for Years 1 – 6.
ICAS 2025
Traditionally Mango Hill State School has offered ICAS testing to interested students. Parents have paid for this testing and the school has provided the time and resources to administer the assessments.
Regrettably, the expenses for these assessments have steadily increased for parents in recent years, along with the time and resources required to administer the tests. The number of students involved is also dwindling. For this reason, we will not be continuing with ICAS testing in 2025.
Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness day
What is Day for Daniel?
Friday 25 October 2024
Held annually on the last Friday of October, Day for Daniel honours the memory of Daniel Morcombe. We ask all Australians on this very special day to Wear Red, Educate and Donate. Parents, carers, and educators are encouraged to start a conversation with children and young people about personal safety. Schools and early learning centres conduct child safety education activities. At Mango Hill State School, we revisit the 3 Rs of safety, Recognise, React, Report! These themes are also covered at times in the learning activities of our weekly Care Classes. On Friday 25 October, students are welcome to wear a red t-shirt or red accessory to support Day for Daniel (Please note, this is not a general free dress day – red shirts and accessories only). You can find resources to help you talk with children about Keeping Kids Safe at https://danielmorcombe.com.au/keeping-kids-safe-resources/
Students do not need to bring a gold coin donation as this is an awareness day at Mango Hill.
End of Year Awards Parades
Towards the end of this semester, the school celebrates students’ success through the Awards Parades. Attached to the link below is an outline of the criteria for Semester 2 Awards. Please read this carefully as it contains important information and if you have any questions, please email polla2@eq.edu.au
During the Semester 2 Awards, students have the opportunity to apply for award badges for Sporting Excellence and Cultural Excellence. Students NO longer need to apply for the Academic Excellence as eligible students will automatically receive this award. Students also DO NOT need to hand their existing badges back. All eligible students will receive a gold bar and bring this home for families to attach to existing badges. If students have not received a badge award previously, they will be supplied the badge and the bar.
Please see links below.
2025 School Planning
It is that time of the year again where we are starting to formulate 2025 classes.
If you have any matters you would like us to consider for your child’s class placement in 2025, please complete a Class Considerations Form and return to Petrina Ollard polla2@eq.edu.au by Friday 25 October, 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.
If your child will not be returning to MHSS in 2025, please let us know so we can ensure our staffing and resources are as accurate as possible.
Prep 2025
Wondering if your child is due to start Prep next year? Try this easy-to-use online calculator to find out. If the answer is yes, please get your enrolment application in as soon as possible so we can be ready for your child in 2025.
https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/kindy/age-requirements-and-enrolment
Save the Date - Friday 1 November 2024, Diversity Day Parade
Students are invited to wear cultural dress from around the world to school on Friday 1 November as we celebrate the wonderfully diverse population of Team Mango!
At 9am we will have a whole school parade where students will hear about the some of the cultural backgrounds of our students and staff with further sharing taking place back in class. Please note this is not a free dress day and students not wearing cultural dress are expected to be in full school uniform.
Respect Program - Parent Information Session
Thank you to the parents who joined us for our recent information session on Respectful Relationships Education! During this session, we reviewed the research behind the program and explored some of the lessons students will engage in this term. We’re excited to offer another session on Monday, November 11, at 4:30 pm in the Wandani Centre. All family members are welcome to attend.
In last week’s session, we shared ways parents and carers can support respectful conversations at home. Here are some helpful tips.
- Have small, everyday conversations: Discussing important topics like consent can feel challenging. Sometimes, taking advantage of everyday moments can make these discussions feel more natural and effective.
- Use open-ended questions to encourage dialogue: Asking open-ended questions can help you understand your child’s views and encourage them to share their thoughts.
- Check in and encourage questions: Let your child know it’s okay to ask questions and that you’re open to discussing any concerns they have. If you don’t know the answer, reassure them that you’ll find out together.
Our Respectful Relationships program aims to equip students with the tools they need to navigate diverse beliefs and values with confidence and empathy. Thank you for your support in fostering respectful, open-minded communication in our community.
Year 4 Camp
Our Year 4s attend camp this week. We can’t wait to hear all about their experience. I’ll be heading down to spend the day with them and can’t wait to join in the fun activities.
Volunteers' Morning Tea
On Thursday 31 October at 8.45am we will be holding a morning tea for our volunteers. If you have volunteered for our school, we’d love you to come along.
Ange Padgett
Principal
apadg6@eq.edu.au
Focus of the Week
This week in Care Class we are going to Care for Self and learn more about noticing our feelings and emotions. We will use strategies to make ourselves feel better again so we can be ready for learning. You may like to use the following resource to support your child to identify personal strategies they could be to regulate when feeling strong emotions.
Uniform Shop
New Prep students - how exciting to see so many new faces at the Prep information session last Thursday. You may be thinking - What do I do now? - for your new Prep uniforms. We encourage all new parents to book an appointment to fit and purchase your new uniforms. Appointments are 15 minutes long and ensure the time is spent with you and your child to get the right fit. Appointments for new Prep students are running every Friday from Oct 18-Nov 8 and can be made at https://wearittomangohillss.simplybook.me/v2/
Please bring your child to their fitting so we can ensure they have the correct size. If you are concerned that your child will grow significantly over the Christmas break, we do offer an exchange service. If you purchase your uniform in Term 4, and feel they have outgrown it in January, you can pop back in and exchange the items they have outgrown.
If you are unable to make these appointment times, you are still welcome to come into the store during our regular opening hours. We also have appointments available in January. We open two weeks before school returns. January can get quite hot and busy, so please consider making an appointment if this is your preferred time to avoid lengthy waits in line.
If you have any queries, our email is mangohill@wearitto.com.au or our shop phone number is 3482 8117. Our uniform shop convenors are Zoe and Rochelle.
Our regular hours during the term are as follows.
Mon 8am-10:30am
Wed 1:30pm-4pm
Thu 1:30pm-4pm
Fri 8am-10:30am
We also have a retail store located at 41 Kirby Road, Aspley. They operate regular retail hours and can be reached on 3263-5566.
We offer online orders. Orders can be placed through our website any time at www.wearitto.com.au/schools/mango-hill-state-school
Stop, Drop and Go and Lookout
Prep students are able to use Stop, Drop and Go for our morning drop off. This is an easy and efficient way to get your child/ren to school safely and a great way to develop their independence. To use this option, please follow the signs to our Stop, Drop and Go area, saying goodbye to your children before they make their way over the crossing.
Students will then make their way to the Prep undercover area which is supervised from 8.00am – 8.15am.
If this is new for your child, talking about the following is a good way to help them prepare.
- Waiting for the crossing supervisor to blow the whistle before crossing.
- Walking safely along the path and staying with an older sibling if relevant
- The route to take from the crossing to the Prep under cover area.
Duty staff and senior leaders support this process from 8:00am. In the afternoons, Prep staff walk the Prep students to the Lookout for afternoon pick up.
Writing
This term our Prep students are writing to entertain peers by creating new events for familiar stories. Our learners have been reading picture books and using mind mapping and brainstorming to think of their own ideas of things that could happen in the story. Last week I enjoyed hearing ideas about ‘Harry the dirty dog’.
You can support this at home by talking with your child when sharing books about the events in the story and what other ideas might be possible.
Mieke Munko
Deputy Principal-Prep
mmunk1@eq.edu.au
Year 1 have been busy exploring money and building number skills!
This term, our Year 1 students have been excitedly exploring the concept of money. Using pretend coins in our classroom shop, students are learning to identify and count different coins, as well as recognise how the same total can be made in different ways. For example, they’ve discovered that $1 can be made using a single $1 coin or two 50 cent coins!
At home, you can encourage your child’s learning by allowing them to help with small tasks, such as sorting loose change or counting coins when paying for something. You may even be able to play some guessing games. Can you guess which coin this is: I’m large, round & silver. I’m worth more than a 10 cent coin but less than a 50 cent coin. A platypus swims on my front. Who am I? This will reinforce the skills they are learning in class in a fun and meaningful way.
In Year 1, we are also using a variety of games to practise simple number facts, such as addition and subtraction. We are having so much fun playing with cards and dice that we hardly notice we’re learning! Every day we are aiming to build our confidence and accuracy when recalling number facts which will help us in years to come!
Thank you for your ongoing support! Together, we’re creating a strong foundation for our students' learning journey.
Deputy Principal- Year 1
Rachael Beard
Exploring Shape in Year 2
The Year 2s have been exploring the features of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes in Maths. Two-dimensional shapes are those that have the dimensions of length and width. Some common two-dimensional shapes are squares, rectangles, circles and triangles.
Three-dimensional shapes on the other hand are those that have the dimensions of height, width and depth. Some common three-dimensional shapes are cones, spheres, cubes and rectangular prisms.
The children have also been using geometrical language to describe shapes. Two-dimensional shapes can be described using the number/types of sides and corners. Three-dimensional shapes can be described using faces, edges and vertices.
Ways you can help at home
- Play Eye Spy and spot shapes in the environment… ‘I spy with my little eye an object that is shaped like a cylinder.’
- Make shapes with playdough.
- Cut shapes out from junk mail and magazines. Sort them into groups and name them.
- Play ‘What shape am I?’ ‘I have 6 square shaped faces. I have 12 edges and 8 vertices. I look like a dice. What shape am I?’
- Build with different shape blocks and name the shapes you build with.
Look at the children in 2T who are learning all about two-dimensional shapes. They’ve created their own posters describing the features of each shape. These are going to be a great resource for the children to use on the 2T Maths Learning Wall.
World Teachers’ Day
We are so lucky in Year 2 to be taught by so many amazing teachers. On Friday 25 October we will celebrate their contribution at World Teachers’ Day. Please consider getting your child to write their teacher a letter, card or picture to let them know just how wonderful they are!
Kylie Vaughan
Deputy Principal- Year 2
kvaug3@eq.edu.au
Travelling to school each morning.
With warmer weather upon us, it's the perfect season for students to get active on their journey to school. Each day, we’re delighted to see so many students securing their bikes and scooters at our bike racks and using the crossings to walk safely onto school grounds. Walking, biking, and scootering are all fantastic ways to enjoy the fresh air and stay fit!
For those who drive to school, there are several options to ensure your child arrives safely. If you'd like to walk your child to the gate, please use the car parks accessible from the right-hand lane on Bonnet Parade. Friendly staff are stationed daily in our car parks to help keep traffic flowing and make it easier for everyone to find a spot.
Alternatively, if you're using the "Stop, Drop, and Go" zones on Bonnet Parade or Mallard Street, these areas offer a quick, efficient, and safe way to drop off your child in the mornings. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to another safe, active term ahead!
Year 3 Swimming
As we reach the halfway point in our swimming program, Year 3 students have begun practising essential water safety skills in the outdoor pool. A big thank you to the team at Grace Swimming for making this experience both enjoyable and valuable for our students.
Later this term, these new skills will come in handy as students participate in their first Mango Hill State School Swimming Carnival! Although competing in races can feel a bit daunting, the event is designed to be a fun, easy-going experience. Race participation is optional, and students can also enjoy the splash zone and visit the canteen.
In the coming weeks, our PE team will share more information about the swimming carnival, which will take place on Friday, Week 9 (29 November). We look forward to an exciting day in the pool!
Runaway Bay Camp
Our Year 4 students are having a great time on camp! See some photos below and be sure to look at our school Facebook page for more photos.
Danielle Price
Deputy Principal- Year 4
dxobr0@eq.edu.au
Mango Hill State School's Year 5 Students Shine at Writers' Café
This term, the Year 5 students at Mango Hill State School have been putting their creativity and storytelling skills to the test through Writers’ Café. Writers’ Café provides our writers the chance to explore a variety of genres and importantly the opportunity to develop writing stamina.
Students have been asked to select a familiar story, novel or text and transform it into a script. This challenge encouraged students to delve deeply into the structure of storytelling, character development, and dialogue, while honing their writing and collaboration skills.
Reminder - Year 5 Eureka Excursion
A quick reminder to all Year 5 families—our exciting Eureka excursion is happening in Week 8! This is a wonderful opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Australian history and learn more about the Gold Rush. Please log into QParents for more details and to make payments.
Student Leadership Reminder
Key Dates
- Application Booklet Due: Applications are due on Friday 1 November 2024.
- Shortlisting Process: After submissions, there will be a shortlisting process. Following this, shortlisted students will be required to deliver a short speech outlining why they would make an excellent school leader.
- Successful candidates are notified during the Year 5 Awards Assembly (Friday 6 December). This is a special moment to celebrate the achievements and leadership qualities of the selected students.
Expectations for Applicants
- Excellent Behaviour: Students are expected to consistently demonstrate Care for Self, Care for Others, Care for Learning and Care for the Environment.
- Positive Role Model: We look for students who lead by example, including punctuality and wearing the correct school uniform at all times.
- The application process not only involves gathering signatures but also showcases each student’s commitment to being a dependable and thoughtful leader within the school.
Greg McCallum
Deputy Principal- Year 5
gmcca24@eq.edu.au
It has been a busy but exciting first week for me at Mango Hill! I have loved meeting the students and being in their classrooms. Year 6 students have been incredibly busy this week. Some of the exciting lessons I have been witness to include: writing diary entries; analysing types of verbs and continuing and describing the differences between geometric and arithmetic patterns.
Thank you to those of you who have introduced yourselves in the mornings. I look forward to meeting more of you in the coming weeks.
Year 6 Photos- Friday 18 October
This Friday 18 October at 8.30am the Year 6 cohort will be having their group photo taken. This photo will take place in the Piazza. Please have your child/ren at school on time so they do not miss out.
Students are required to wear their senior shirts. If they do not have one of these please send them in their sports shirt.
If your Year 6 child missed out on an individual photo earlier in the year they will also have this taken on Friday as well.
Year 6 Graduation – Fundraising opportunity
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to support with cooking the BBQ on election day to support the fundraising efforts for Year 6 Graduation. If you’re heading to the school on Saturday 26 October to cast your vote, stop by to grab a sausage and/or drink!
Evan Barrett
Deputy Principal –Year 6
ebmcf0@eq.edu.au
Learning in Mathematics through Inquiry
This year our teachers from Prep to Year 6 have begun to implement some mathematical inquiry into our maths program. This fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills by encouraging students to explore, question, and investigate mathematical concepts. Through inquiry-based learning, students actively engage in posing problems, hypothesising solutions, and testing their ideas. This approach promotes a deeper understanding of mathematical relationships and processes, as students learn to apply various strategies and reflect on their findings. Through mathematical inquiry, we empower students to become independent thinkers, able to tackle complex, real-world problems with confidence and creativity.
Accelerated Reader
This week has been a busy week in the Hub, as our eager AR readers strive for their goals!
We congratulate Subhu who this week finished AR, reaching all the way to AR 9.0. This is an amazing achievement and we are very proud of her!
Congratulations also to Eloise and Nicola who last week reached their goals of reading 3 million words. Eloise and Nicola have been reading and quizzing all year to reach their goals and we are very proud of them. We have added their photos to our special AR Millionaire’s Display.
Well done Subhu, Eloise and Nicola!
Scholastic Book Club
Book club has now closed. Thank you to all of those families who purchased from Scholastic to support the Hub. We appreciate your generosity. We expect the books to arrive back in the coming week or two.
Hub display
This week in the Hub we have a new display from the Qld Museum highlighting varying cultures. Pop on down to have a look soon! The Hub is open every morning from 8.15am and until 3pm every afternoon.
Have a fantastic week
Suzette Holm, Jessica Rivett
shol0@eq.edu.au
jxqui5@eq.edu.au
Gold and Silver!!!
A huge congratulations to our very own Lian who represented Met North at the QLD School Sport Track and Fieild trials. Lian won gold (Shot Put - 12.40m) and Silver (Discus - 37.52m) and has earned a spot in the QLD team to go to the National Titles. A truly amazing performance Lian!
Mr Hills, Mr Newell, Mrs Fuller and Mr Lisha
Physical Education Teachers