Term 3 Week 5 2021

Re-connecting with students

How fabulous that we all kept safe last week and have almost all students back at school this week. A huge thank you to the parents and carers who kept children home to reduce the risk of spread. Home schooling is not easy, especially when you are juggling work commitments, younger children and other priorities. We appreciate your support!

Thanks also to our parents who are essential workers and sent their children to school. We know it was not an easy week for the children with such different teachers, classrooms and routines and we are proud of these children and their resilience.

The combined efforts of parents, students and staff meant the week was manageable. Well done Team Mango!

This week we are focussed on re-establishing expectations and routines to help children settle back into school and picking up the learning where we left off. We have had a great first few days back and feel grateful for the partnership we share with parents to support children through these unusual times.

Check out these little people below who were very happy to return to school this week!

Delay of School Review

With the COVID lockdown we were unable to have our school review last week. We were disappointed to miss this opportunity however we have been assured by the department that the review will be rescheduled as soon as possible. I will certainly let you know when I have the dates.

COVID Restrictions on site

Thank you to all our parents and carers for your support this week with the COVID restrictions limiting adults on site to reduce the risk of potential spread. I appreciate this change has not been easy and we are so thankful that the vast majority of parents have been cooperative and supportive. It has been wonderful to watch our student leaders step up and assist younger students, walking them to class and reassuring them. Of course, if you are really concerned about your little one and feel you need to walk them into school, you are able to do so. We simply ask that you avoid it if you can. We ask that you do not enter classrooms as this is of higher risk.

Look at some of our student leaders doing a great job with little ones!

P & C Meeting

The P & C Meeting on Monday will be via Microsoft Teams as we cannot meet on site due to COVID restrictions. At this meeting I will be discussing our Term 4 Health Unit – Daniel Morcombe Safety and Catching on Early Sexuality. Additional information will also be sent home later in the term including the parent consent form.

You're invited to join a Microsoft Teams meeting for the MHSS P & C General Meeting.
Time: Monday, 16 August 2021 6:30pm - 8:00pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting

I look forward to connecting with you via Teams.

Prep News

Wow, what a ride this last couple of weeks has been. Pivot, pivot, pivot!

Our youngest learners really have a lot to teach us; it’s not just us who are teaching them! They will try anything, as long as their loved ones show them how to, with confidence first. They CAN walk themselves into school and unpack their own bags. They are doing this with ease! I wish I could take a picture of the pride on all of their faces as they walk past me in the morning.  It’s proof that when we show our little ones what to do - and then we allow them the space to try, rather than jumping in and doing it for them - they are so very capable.

Thank you to Prep parents for your wonderful support during @homelearning week. We had a lot of perfect spelling in the writing samples, so it was pretty clear you were sitting with them and helping to guide their learning!

This week, we have built on the work at home from last week. In Prep R, they have been using all the wonderful maths pictures you sent in, to look at all of the different objects you can count. Wow, families were creative last week! Counting potatoes?!!

This week is also the week for us to reinforce our 4 Cares. There’s been some bumpiness in the playground as we all remember the expectations of play. You can support us by reminding your Prep child we don’t allow rough games at school and we always keep our hands and feet to ourselves. Our Preps are certainly a tad over excited about having more than just their siblings to play with!

Visions screeners are happening here in the next few weeks. The online permission form remains open until this coming Monday. Our Inclusion Teacher, Mrs Stewart will send the link home to everyone again. We currently have less than half of our students registered for this very important screener. Good vision is vital for good learning. The screeners are free for our Preps to access. Make sure you give permission for your child to participate!

Year 3 News

It was wonderful to welcome all of our students back to school on Monday after missing them greatly over the past week. We were so impressed with our students’ efforts while learning from home and connecting with their teacher and peers virtually. Despite the challenges we faced over the past week, it was a great opportunity to learn some new skills and for students to be exposed to online etiquette in an authentic way. Thank you to all of our families for your support of your children as they engaged with the tasks at home. We know it’s not easy!

To begin the week, the classes across Year 3 have focussed on reconnecting with one another and re-establishing our expectations at school. Our students, as always, have responded well. Across all classrooms, students have continued working hard towards their learning goals.

Our school-wide focus for the term is on showing a growth mindset. I am so proud of how our students have been living and breathing this recently as they have faced the challenges of recent disruptions.

Electives

At the end of Week 3, our students began their 2^nd semester of Electives. Our Year 3 students love doing Electives every Friday. I know there is lots of excitement about getting back to our Electives this week. Check out some of the photos from Electives Week 1!

NAIDOC week celebrations

In Week 3 we celebrated NAIDOC week with a special parade performance from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 4-6 who recited a poem in the local Gubbi Gubbi language. We also had some traditional dancers from Nunukul Yuggera.

We also had a Yarn and Eats afternoon with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. It was a wonderful opportunity to build connections and for the children to participate in some cultural activities. Thank you to all of the families who attended. We look forward to hosting another afternoon in the near future.

Year 4 News

Congratulations to our Year 4 students and their families for an incredible week of @ Home Learning in Week 4. I saw this expressed so well by one of our Year 4 teachers who wrote the following. “Having your children at home, while many of you are still trying to work full time is a feat in itself. On top of this you have been teachers and technology experts as well. Many of us have not only tried new technology, but mastered it. Pretty amazing hey?” I also acknowledge the essential workers who prepared their children so well for the days they attended school understanding that they would not be in their classroom, not necessarily have their class teacher, not see their usual friends and so on. 

This week our incredible Year 4 students and teachers have focused on both reconnecting with each other in their classes and promoting wellbeing, and returning to the learning at school. I am delighted to see all of our students reading each morning, all smiling and happy. In Math this week, students have been completing their learning about fractions and are now focusing on chance. They are learning to describe possible everyday events and order their chances of occurring; identify everyday events where one cannot happen if the other happens; and identify events where the chance of one will not be affected by the occurrence of the other. 

Finally, thank you for your ongoing support as we all ensure we follow the COVID safe guidelines.

Care for Learning in Year 5 and Year 6

It was with great excitement that we welcomed all of our Year 5 and 6 students back into the classrooms this week. I was so proud of how each and every one of our students conducted themselves during our week of learning from home. Many of the Year 5 and 6 teachers celebrated the achievements of their students; acknowledging the way in which they connected with one another to maintain their friend’s wellbeing and also for how they continued to focus on their learning, take on feedback and bump up their work. My pride was matched this week when I connected with each class and observed how well students engaged back in the classroom. Teachers have made an active effort in ensuring that they are embedding strategies in the classroom to look after student’s wellbeing and to assist them in being successful. I have observed a real effort in students connecting with one another, re-establishing their friendships, supporting one another to regroup after lockdown and continue the success our year levels have had so far this year. I cannot wait in celebrating the success we will achieve this term. Well done Year 5 and 6!

Year 5 Camp

Unfortunately as a result of current restrictions we had to cancel our Year 5 Camp to Currimundi. We acknowledge that this has caused some disappointment and we will be supporting our students through this disappointment. The Year 5 Team will be investigating options for later in the year and providing our students with the opportunity to do some outdoor learning and activities. We are currently looking at other options for a day trip or excursion. I look forward to communicating an alternative shortly.

Have a terrific week.

Helpful Habits

The last eighteen or so months has reminded us all that some parts of our lives we take for granted can be subject to change. During these times, routines and habits are at risk of becoming lost in the moment.  

However as we experience change, maintaining the healthy habits and reliable routines that we can helps our children. For example, we all know that exercise may improve wellbeing, energy, and sleep as well as physical health. During times of change, consider continuing or encouraging daily exercise, maybe in the form of walking, tossing a ball or playing together. Exercising together is also a way to strengthen relationships. Habits or routines can include bedtimes, behaviour expectations, structure of the day or daily chores around the house.

When changes are about to occur, you can prepare your child by creating a visual of what they may experience. Brainstorm what may change or stay the same. This can also be a valuable opportunity to talk with our children about gratitude and ways to self-manage emotions, and importantly to model these things for our children.

Have a great week.

Jess Rivett
Head of Curriculum
jxqui5@eq.edu.au