Term 1 Week 5 2022
- Principal's News by Tracy Egan
- Team Mango We All Belong!
- Prep News by Melinda White
- Year 1 News by Kylie Vaughan
- Year 2 News by Ellaine Warner
- Year 3 News by Michelle Alcorn
- Year 4 News by Ben Mills
- Year 5 and Year 6 News by Martin Winney
- Curriculum News by Suzette Holm and Danielle O'Brien
- Sporting News by The PE Department
- News from our Partners
- Community News
Ensuring Excellence in Classrooms
Our 2022 priority is to
- enhance connection with students and families to further strengthen wellbeing and behaviour
- improve clarity of the curriculum and teaching so students are actively engaged in learning and know how to succeed.
The leadership team have been carefully monitoring student clarity through learning walks and talks. This strategy involves leaders entering classrooms and talking with students about what they are learning and how they are progressing to hear their understanding of expectations. When students know how to be successful, they can continue to improve their work and improve their results.
I have visited a number of classrooms and listening to students over the past few days with members of the leadership team. We have been so impressed with the understanding demonstrated by students. Many of them clearly know what elements they need to include in their work to be successful. I am so proud of the work teachers have done to help students know what success looks like and to give them the skills to strive toward their goals.
The photos below show how engaged students are in these conversations!
Congratulations Student Councillors
This week it was my privilege to present the badges to our Year 4 and 5 Student councillors who will work with the Year 6 captains to provide student voice in decision making.
These students were voted by their classmates to represent them and demonstrate the school values of excellence, respect, innovation, commitment and teamwork.
Once COVID restrictions ease in the next few weeks, we will have a more formal ceremony to acknowledge these students.
Congratulations Student Councillors!
P & C AGM
The P & C Annual General meeting will be held on Monday 28th February 2022 at 6:30pm in Gigum Hall (for social distancing). All parents are welcome to attend.
At the February general meeting following the AGM, we will discuss the 2022 school priorities and the costs for parents.
I hope to see you there!
Have a wonderful week
Tracy Egan
Principal
tegan4@eq.edu.au
Welcome to our Team Mango – We all Belong!
In this section we celebrate the diversity and inclusion of all students in our school and how we explicitly teach and design processes to ensure all students can succeed. This week … World Hearing Day!
World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss, and to promote ear and hearing care across the world. This year, the theme is “To hear for life, listen with care” and the theme’s goal is to highlight safe listening. You might see the hashtags #safelistening #worldhearingday or #hearingcare.
Did you know that there are approximately 10 000 people in Australia whose first language is Auslan? At our school, many students know or at least recognise Ms Michelle Racadio who interprets and signs Auslan on whole school parades. (Of course, Ms Racadio signs throughout the school day in one of our classrooms.) We are also in the process of installing a visual lighting system in some classrooms that can alert people who are deaf that an alarm is sounding.
Focus of the Week
The Care Class focus delivered on Friday, is ‘Problem Solving using the High 5.’ This topic has the purpose of developing care for self and care for others. Our students will learn about solving problems with peers by using the High 5. Below are some strategies students can use.
Talk Friendly: Use a calm voice, maintain eye contact, confident body language.
Talk firmly: Use an assertive voice, slightly raised, tell them to stop it.
Ignore: Do not make eye contact, count to five in your head slowly, take deep breaths.
Walk away: Stand tall, head up high, walk away with a friend to a safety zone (teacher or other peers).
Report: Walk away and tell a staff member.
What a Wonderful Job Preps are Doing!
Our Preps are doing such a wonderful job of settling into school! They are enjoying tackling new learning each day.
We believe they are ready to commence our usual before school routine. We amended this routine at the start of this year, due to our different start and the health guidelines. From Monday morning, we ask that you wait behind the blue lines on the concrete until the 8:15am bell rings, if you are dropping your child to class. If you would like to bring your child slightly earlier than 8:15am, we do have teacher aide supervision in the Prep undercover area each morning from 8:00am – 8:15am. When the 8:15am bell rings, we will ensure your child moves to their classroom.
It is wonderful to see so many parents allowing their child to unpack their own bag and manage their own belongings. Yes, it does take that little bit longer! But it’s a lovely way to foster independence in our children, in an age-appropriate, supportive way.
You’ll see the pictures below, with where the blue lines are. We ask parents to wait behind these lines in the morning before the 8.15 am bell and in the afternoons before the 2.30 pm bell. Please continue to spread out, wear masks and socially distance.
Our Prep students have been working hard on packing up at the end of play, when the bell rings and when teachers ask them to during lessons. Stopping what they want to do… and doing what they are asked to do… is so tricky sometimes! We have introduced a pack up song at the end of break times and you’ll see your child with stamps on their hand, if they have helped to pack up and if they have transitioned well back to learning. Please take a moment to celebrate with them at the end of each day, before they wash these stamps off in the shower!
We are also working hard to develop our early literacy skills. We are learning the names of all the upper case and lower case letters. We are also working on identifying phonemes (sounds), as well as hearing syllables in words. Our Term 1 phonological awareness goals are:
- Initial phoneme identification: I can identify the first sound in a word. Eg, the first sound in bus is /b/
- Syllable segmentation: I can break up a word (clapping or chopping) in syllables. Eg, pup-py, clou-dy, di-no-saur
- Syllable blending: I can blend (when listening) two or more syllables to form a word. Eg, bay-bee = baby, rock-et = rocket.
Students who can do these sorts of things with sound and word play, are in a stronger position to be able to learn to read and write. At school, we read lots of picture books with interesting vocabulary and learn how to play with language.
Have a lovely week
Melinda White
Deputy Principal - Prep
mwhit37@eq.edu.au
Diving into Two-Digit Numbers
The Year 1s have been starting off the term diving into two-digit numbers in Maths. They’ve been practising counting forwards and backwards from 100 and learning all about place value.
Place value means the value of each digit in a number. For example, the 3 in 53 represents 3 ones while the 5 represents 5 tens. 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 using a range of different materials. When students manipulate these materials they start to understand the value of each place in a number.
Check out our students showing their thinking using numerals, linking cubes, tens frames and groupable materials.
Ways you can help at home…
- Practise counting aloud every day. Practice counting forwards, then backwards and then from any given number.
- Practise counting large collections. Encourage your child to use efficient counting by grouping objects into groups of ten and then adding on the remaining ones.
- Practise reading two-digit numbers when you are out and about. Price tags, house numbers, signs, TV channel numbers… They’re everywhere!
Year 1 Swimming
All our Year 1 children are gearing up to start swimming next week. A copy of the timetable is attached below here for you.
So that swimming can run smoothly please ensure:
- you have made payment and sent back your child’s permission form. If you are under financial hardship, please don't hesitate to contact the office to arrange a payment plan.
- 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. Please note that anyone wishing to volunteer will need to show proof of their vaccination status and have already attending a Volunteer Induction Session this year.
Have a lovely week
Kylie Vaughan
Deputy Principal- Year 1
kvaug3@eq.edu.au
Learning in Year 2
Your children are so engaged in their learning in Year 2. This week, I spoke with students in 2T and 2R to ask them about their learning in writing. Both classes were writing recounts. 2T students were very focused on adding detail to their recounts ensuring that their reader knows who, what, when, where and why. In 2R, students were practising “bumping up” their verbs. These writers were using verbs to ensure readers were interested and to convey the mood, for example, “eagerly racing towards” conveys a different mood to “reluctantly stepping forward”.
Teamwork by teachers
Year 2 teachers worked with Danielle O’Brien, Head of Department (Curriculum), Tracy Egan (Principal) and me this week to carefully consider our students’ progress in patterns in Math and identify the next step for a range of students. Teachers developed ideas and strategies to assist our learners reach that next step.
Changes to playground
The fence has come down in the Junior grassed area. We have a soccer field and some new trees. Our teachers remind students each day about that day’s clubs. There are some wonderful options such as Lego Club, Drawing Club, Beading Club, Origami Club and Beyblade/Pokemon Club. If your child is interested in any of these, please remind them to listen to their teacher for the days they are offered.
Ellaine Warner
Deputy Principal- Year 2
ewarn23@eq.edu.au
Building Friendships
This week our Kids Club and Outdoor Play Space was an absolute hit. It was great to see our students engage in imaginative play as they created landscapes for the dinosaurs to explore. We also welcomed the Matchbox Car Club, Games Factory and craft stations as part of our Kids Club and outdoor play program. Play is such an important part of our students' day as it provides opportunities for them to express their thoughts, emotions and ideas. It enables them to become problem solvers, experiment, think, create and to learn about themselves and those around them. Building friendships through play and developing the social skills to communicate with their peers is a very important part of our students' development.
All about Maths
3M this week were super engaged in their Maths lesson as they deepened their understanding of the mathematical language linked to their patterns unit. It was interesting listening to the students make connections to prior learning and experiences as they made meaning of their new learning. As 3M unpacked their learning intention of the day, they then worked with a peer who coached them to apply their learnings; identify the rule, continue the pattern and share their answer in a sentence. It was wonderful see our students working together as they continued patterns using addition and subtraction.
Have a great week
Michelle Alcorn
Deputy Principal- Year 3
malco14@eq.edu.au
Year 4 News
What an amazing team we are in Year 4! This week has been all about team building and teamwork across the Year 4 classrooms. From Care Class, to learning in English, Maths and Science, I have seen countless examples over the past week of our students working as a team to solve problems and achieve learning goals.
I was lucky enough to observe lessons in 4R and 4O this week. 4R were learning to partition 4 and 5-digit numbers in different ways. Students were challenged to be a coach to their peers as they attempted non-standard partitioning to consolidate their understanding of place value to tens of thousands. It was wonderful to see the respectful manner in which the students in 4R supported and challenged each other. Some great outcomes achieved in this lesson!
In 4O, students were learning to improve their writing samples by including figurative language. Throughout the lesson, students ‘bumped-up’ their writing samples using alliteration and onomatopoeia. They then worked with their peers to identify the best examples to add to their class bump-it-up wall. Amazing collaboration on display from 4O!
It’s exciting to see such great progress from our Year 4 classes so early in the year. I look forward to continuing to see our students collaborate and work as a team, throughout the year. Great job Team Mango!
Have a super week
Ben Mills
Deputy Principal – Year 3
bxmil3@eq.edu.au
Care for Learning in Year 5 and 6
It has been another great week in Year 5 and 6 classrooms. This week I had the opportunity to visit 5P as they engaged in clinics to help support their learning of the divisibility rule. It was great seeing students engaged in peer tutoring as they assisted their peers to bump up their work into 4 star. I also had the pleasure of visiting 5G as they participated in their guided maths rotations. I loved talking to students about their next best learning move. Great work Year 5! Also, this week, Year 6 students have demonstrated great innovative and inquiry thinking as they have tackled their Science unit. This term in Year 6 Science, we are investigating Marvellous Micro-Organisms. Our experiment last week showed us that yeast (a fungi) needs warm water to survive and sugar (some food) to thrive. When we mixed all three of these together, it produced carbon dioxide which we captured and measured in a balloon on top of the bottle. We can't wait to conduct some more investigations on micro-organisms!
SciConnect: Teamwork in Action
It has been an exciting start to the year for our students participating in SciConnect. SciConnect is a Science extension program that connects our students with other schools in the region. Last week our students focused on learning how the digestive system is connected to the brain. Students also explored differences between large and small intestines, and the organs comprising the digestive system. Mrs Koch was really impressed at the connection students made to the myelin sheath, axons and neurons. When I spoke to our students they really enjoyed pushing watered oats through the small intestines and the liquid running out, to emulate how our food moves through small intestines to the large and the nutrients and minerals are released into our bodies. Students demonstrated great teamwork as they tackled their learning challenge for the week.
Have a good week
Martin Winney
Deputy Principal – Year 5 & 6
mwinn7@eq.edu.au
Accelerated Reader (AR)
As part of our English and reading programs, many students participate in Accelerated Reader (AR). This is a program which allows us to match individual students with reading levels. Students are then able to read a book at their specific level and complete a reading comprehension quiz afterwards. The program provides students and teachers with lots of data including reading levels, quiz scores and the number of total words read. For further information see the attached parent handout.
For some students, chasing a million words is an important part of AR. This week we are very excited to announce that we have our first AR Millionaire for the year. Congratulations to Avery who has already reached her first AR goal. She has been busy reading over the summer holidays and returned to school ready to complete a series of quizzes.
We are very proud of her achievements so far this year and have added her photo to our special AR Millionaire display in the Hub. Pop on down to see Avery’s photo as well as all of the Millionaire Readers from 2021! Now is a great time to set a goal… How many books will you read this year? Which level will you reach before Easter? How many words do you think you can read?
The Hub is open before school (from 8.15am) and after school (until 3pm) for any students who would like to check on their AR level or borrow another book. See you soon!
Caring for our books
Don’t forget that using a library bag is such a great way to care for our books. Students are welcome to use a special library bag purchased from the Uniform Shop or any plastic or fabric bag. Many of our precious books are lost or damaged, especially by leaking water bottles, so it is always a good idea to start with a bag to protect them from any mishaps. For lost or damaged books, we ask families to replace the books. For lost AR books, these need to be replaced with the exact titles as some of these have been difficult to source.
Volunteers
Special thanks to the family members who have recently volunteered to help us contact new books for the Hub. If you are willing to help, we are happy to provide a small (or large) selection of books and some contact for you to do this special task at home. Pop in to the Hub to see Wendy if you are interested in helping.
Have a fantastic week
Suzette Holm and Danielle O'Brien
shol0@eq.edu.au
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 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 may also obtain trial information from the Pine Rivers District School Sport Website https://prdss1012yr.teamapp.com/?_webpage=v1 or Mr Nick Hills - nhill96@eq.edu.au
MHSS Cross Country (Year Prep-6)
All students from Years Prep to 6 will be competing in the 2022 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: Wednesday Week 10 - 30 March
- Year 3-6: Monday Week 10 - 28 March – NOTE DATE CHANGE
Interschool Sport (Year 5-6)
All Year 5 and 6 students will get the chance to participate in the Pine Rivers Interschool Sport, which was formally known as “Gala Days”. This will be structured slightly differently than Gala Days with students competing in Terms 2 and 3 only, with the competition running for 6 days (3 days each term). Students compete against teams from other schools for Interschool Sport. They will vote for which sport they would like to play and can train at school during our lunch clubs. The Interschool Sports for 2022 are;
- Netball
- League Tag Boys
- League Tag Girls
- Speed Soccer
- Outdoor Cricket
- AFL
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Dodgeball
Sporting Schools (Year Prep-6)
The Sporting Schools program will once again be running in 2022. 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.
2022 AFLQ Schools Cup Trial Information
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 2022, 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 is Thursday 26 May (Term 2 Week 6).
Trials
Trials for these two teams will be conducted via lunchtime AFL Clubs on Tuesday and Friday week 4 and 5, at 2nd break. There will also be an afterschool trial at 3.00pm-4.00pm on Tuesday 22 February (wk 5). Attendance at either the AFL Club or afternoon trial will help your child gain selection in our initiall training squad. A final team to attend the AFLQ Schools Cup day will be selected later in Term 1.
Students interested in trialling can add there name to the sign up 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 Tuesday afternoon 3.00pm-4.00pm and during AFL Club lunch breaks.
Costs
There is 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 Sport Trials – Term 1 and 2
Below is a list of upcoming Pine Rivers District trials. Most trials are limited to students turning 11 or 12 years of age and who are considered at a high level in the sport eg Div 1 or A Grade. If you are interested in your child trialling for Pine Rivers District more information can be obtained from the Pine Rivers District School Sport Website https://prdss1012yr.teamapp.com/?_webpage=v1 or Mr Nick Hills - nhill96@eq.edu.au (MHSS PE Teacher).
Costs
Some Pine Rivers District Trials that occur during the school day will incur a fee to cover the supervision costs of teachers running the trial. Trials which are run after school will be free of charge. All Metropolitan North Trials in 2022 are free of charge as well.
- Pine Rivers District Sports Trial (after school) Free
- Pine Rivers District Sports Trial (half day or full day) $10.00
- Metropolitan North Sports Trials Free
Please Note:
- Trial information and district forms are not available until 2 weeks prior to trial date.
- District forms must be returned by the due date for students to be nominated
- Trial fees must be paid online by 3pm on the due date
|
Event |
Date of Trial |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Swimming Trials – Boys and Girls – CANCELLED (noms direct to MN) |
16/02/22 |
|
Met North Regional U/12 Baseball Trials – Boys and Girls |
22/02/22 |
|
Met North Regional 10-12yr Swimming Trials – Boys and Girls |
23/02/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 AFL Trials – Boys |
2/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Netball Trials – Boys and Girls |
9/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/11 Netball Trials – Boys and Girls |
11/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 AFL Trials – Girls |
15/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Basketball Trials – Boys and Girls |
16/03/22 |
|
Met North Regional U/12 Golf Trials – Boys and Girls |
21/03/22 |
|
MHSS Internal u/12 Football Trials – Boys and Girls |
24/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Touch Football Trials – Boys and Girls |
24/03/22 |
|
Met North Regional U/12 Squash Trials – Boys and Girls |
29/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Hockey Trials – Boys and Girls |
31/03/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/11 & U/12 Rugby League Trials – Boys and Girls |
20/04/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Football (Soccer) Trials – Boys and Girls |
26/04/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Rugby Union Trials – Boys |
25/05/22 |
|
Pine Rivers District U/12 Tennis Trials – Boys and Girls |
25/05/22 |
* Due to high student interest in attending the PRD Football trials, MHSS will be conducting internal trials to select the students who will attend the PRD trials.
Have a great week.
Mr Hills & Mr Newell, Miss Richards and Miss HodgesPhysical Education Teachers
nhill96@eq.edu.au
tnewe20@eq.edu.au
P and C News
Uniform Shop
Hello and welcome to all our new and returning families. As things start to settle it's a timely reminder of the services our uniform shop offers.
Uniform Shop hours during the term are:
Monday - 8:00am-10:30am
Wednesday 1:30pm-3:30pm
Friday 8:00am-10:30am
Online orders can be placed through our website www.wearitto.com.au/schools/mango-hill-state-school. 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.
Lay By is available, with a 10% deposit and regular repayments required.
Senior Polos are special polos just for the year 6's to wear in their final year. They are stocked year round at the uniform shop and are now available to purchase online as well.
Aspley - we also have a retail shop located at 41 Kirby Road in Aspley if you need to access uniforms outside of the regular school shop hours. Their hours are 8:30am-5pm weekdays and 9am-12pm Saturdays.
Have a great week
Rochelle and Zoe
Uniform Shop Convenors
