Wynnum State School eNewsletter

Principal's Message with Mr Ionn

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome to Week 8 of Term 4 – it is difficult to comprehend where the year has gone. The pace in Term 4 has been frantic, with many great activities and events still to come. I was so pleased to see our Year 5 students finally get the chance to have their camp experience, after missing out to cancellation due to Covid. So too, the welcoming of new and existing families in our prep transition program.

Reporting Semester 2

Reports at Wynnum State School are emailed to parents / caregivers. To receive an emailed report, we must have your latest email address. There’s still time to inform us if you have changed your details.

I have had the pleasure recently of viewing the ‘learning distance travelled’ by so many of our students in 2022, especially viewing the Semester 2 results in the upcoming release of reports. It is when I see this incredible growth and the pride students feel in achieving their personal goals that I reflect on the success of the teaching and learning happening every day in every homeroom. I wish all students well during these final days of their 2022 school year.

Step Up

Students (all except our Year 6 students) will have an opportunity to literally have a step up by meeting their teacher and classmates for 2023 in the coming days.

Starting a new school year can be an exciting time, but also an anxious one for students and families alike. Introduced in 2021, the Step Up innovation was implemented to reduce anxiety and best prepare students to deal with ‘the unknowns’. The more things feel familiar, the more your child can relax and feel confident about what’s ahead.

The following Step Up sessions (2:00 pm – 2:30 pm) have been planned, including:

Year 5 Step Up (to Year 6) Session - Thursday, 24 November 2022

Year 2 Step Up (to Year 3) Session - Tuesday, 29 November 2022

Year 3 Step Up (to Year 4) Session - Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Year 1 Step Up (to Year 2) Session - Thursday, 1 December 2022

Year 4 Step Up (to Year 5) Session - Friday, 2 December 2022

Prep 2023 Transition 'Meet the Teacher' - Tuesday, 6 December 2022 (2:15pm-2:45pm)

Prep Step Up (to Year 1) Session - Tuesday, 6 December 2022

I’m looking forward to the positive reactions of students and more importantly looking forward to another smooth start next year.

Gifts

Each year the Department reminds us about our expectation related to the receiving of gifts at Christmas. While it is never an expectation, I know some families like to offer a gift to teachers as a thank you for the year. Please be mindful that EQ staff are not allowed to receive items that can be converted to cash (e.g. scratchies) and must declare any gift over the amount of $150 (e.g. the whole class puts in for a class wide gift).

Christmas Cheer

I noticed during the same time last year, many students were bringing large volumes of candy canes and other foods not really conducive to good learning in the last two weeks. Can I please request parents to assist the school by limiting these items until the last part of the year, namely the latter part of week 10.

I look forward to the last newsletter wishing our outgoing staff members well and welcoming new staff to our school. My item will contain a final summary for the year in a special edition to wrap up 2022. It is with great excitement that we finish off strong with our Year 6 farewell and end of year ceremonies. Can’t wait to celebrate with all Wynnum Warriors on making it through another challenging but rewarding year of learning, growing and achieving our best.

Habits of Mind and Loving Literature Link with Ms Connell (DP Years 1-3)

Creating, Imagining and Innovating

The final Habit we are going to focus on this year is Creating, Imagining and Innovating. Intelligent thinkers use this Habit to help solve problems in which the answer is unknown by trying a new or different way, by generating possibilities and playing with new ideas. A fun way to help students practice ‘thinking outside the box’ is to play the analogy game. Just choose two unrelated things and ask your Wynnum Warrior to come up with ideas about how the two things are alike. For example, How is a school like an airport? How is a dog like a paperclip? How is a donut like a car? Play the game for the fun of it, encourage all ideas and watch how creativity grows! The online book to bring this fortnight’s Habit to life innovates on the traditional Cinderella story by reinventing the tale in the age of (imaginary) dinosaurs. Enjoy!

Science News with Mrs Crowe (Prep-3 Science Specialist)

Year Two physicists fully engaged in testing how the ‘pull’ force of gravity works against the ‘push’ force of air. Predictions about which of their two paper helicopters would fly longer and further, based on the length of the blades, created excellent scientific thinking about weight, air resistance, force of gravity and friction.

Each scientist tested their two paper helicopters many times with pure expressions of Wonderment and Awe and much Questioning and Problem Solving when the wind presented an extra challenge!

Our young scientists also used plastic ‘spinners’ and ‘flying discs’ to fully observe and compare physical movement in the air and the push and pull forces involved in flight. Some of our enthusiastic scientists were even able to gain extra height and observe gravity working against air resistance in spectacular ways! Enjoy the action photos below!

With the holiday season fast approaching you might need Science to make your wrapping paper, Science presents or you just want some scientific investigation to keep your kids learning. Check out the following link:

https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/

A couple of funny science jokes shared with our clever little scientists:

How do scientists freshen their breath?

With ‘Experi-mints’!

Why did the germ cross the microscope?

To get to the other slide!

How do trees get onto the internet?

They LOG in!

Library Buzz with Mrs Sutton and the Library Team

Library Buzz Week 8

I’ll start with the important bits and bobs…

Important Library Borrowing Dates

For the library team, these last weeks of Term 4 are the busiest times on the calendar year, accounting for all books and resources throughout the whole school. All library books are to be returned by the 25th November. Please help your children in their search and return of books. Replacement payments will follow for those books still unaccounted for.

Our Library does not lend books over the school holidays, however, with a pretty please and a cherry on top, can I encourage students to utilise our well-resourced Wynnum City Council library for their reading fix and summer holiday program.

Creating, Imagining and Innovating habits happening in spades around our school. Thank you, Mrs Colledge, for allowing the library to showcase the stunning images from her E & E students in the Up-Close Photography Exhibition this week. A Wynnum Wow!

Mrs Highland’s Upcycling, E and E students also showcased their creative pieces in the library space. Check out a very proud young Cassius from Yr 3 with his masterwork and a rather fascinating creature assembled by Gabby, Connor and Hayley in Yr 3. Well done all.

Our book spotlight last week had two of our very own excited and proud students in Lars and Pip, keen for me to read their Mum’s book, Friends don’t like Roaring. Written in 2019, this is Antje Taylor’s first picture book. Social interaction is important for children. They learn, develop, and grow a lot from being around others and having social experiences. Being able to have conversations helps children make friends, be listened to, ask for what they need and develop strong relationships with others. This book aligned so well with one of our Habits of Mind, Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision. Thank you, Antje, for forwarding some colouring pages of Lap the dinosaur for our students to enjoy too.

Just keep reading Wynnum Warriors…

Mrs Sutton and the Library Team

PS…Ms Sellars has set aside some giveaway holiday books to any students who need something to read over the summer. Books will be available from Monday week 9, so come in and browse.

Musical Notes with Mrs Gordon

♫ Instrumental Music

2023 IM Recruitment

Offers for Year 3 students to enter the Instrumental Music Program at Wynnum State School in 2023 will be sent home with students shortly. Families are asked to carefully consider the offer and return paperwork as indicated.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Instrumental Music Teachers:

Mr Cosic jcosi7@eq.edu.au or Mrs Thomas vthom38@eq.edu.au

Junior Band has its final rehearsal and all final lessons this week - Week 8

Senior Band Performance Date Claimers -

Week 8 – Senior Band on, final lessons of 2022
Week 9 – Band Tour Day Wednesday 30^th November
Week 9 – Final Senior Band (to prepare for Celebration Ceremony), lessons have concluded.
Week 10 – Possible run-through rehearsal before school for Celebration Ceremony.

♫ Choir

Thank you to all the wonderful students who sang in the Junior & Senior Choirs last week at the ‘Sounds in Spring’ concert.

Junior Choir has concluded for this year, there are no more lunchtime rehearsals.

Senior Choir has finished before school rehearsals however may have a special run-through in Week 9 & 10 for Celebration Ceremony.

♫ Sounds in Spring

Sounds in Spring occurred on Thursday 17 of November. This was a wonderful experience for both of the Choirs and Bands. I was excited to showcase what we had learnt throughout the year. My favourite songs from the Senior Band and Choir were The Last Frontier and Gravity. One thing that I am looking forward to next year is being in year 6 and getting to do the Christmas songs that they did this year. I can't wait for next year to see what new songs we are doing and watch the other acts, I’m so happy I got the opportunity to be a part of this magical experience.

Pepper Sakora – 2023 Cultural Captain

On behalf of the Bands and Choirs, I would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Cosic, Mrs Thomas and Mrs Gordon for setting up all the equipment and making Sounds in Spring possible. It was nice to show our families how far we have come, after all of our hard work we have put in and the support our families have given us. Even though we had some technical difficulties, and it was very windy on the night, we still had a lot of fun. I would recommend joining Band or Choir because it’s super fun and you get to be involved in a lot of different performances and have the opportunity become Cultural Captain in Grade 6.

Archie Bridger – 2023 Cultural Captain

Congratulations to all students who performed in the annual ‘Sounds in Spring’ last week. The Bands, Choirs, Yr 6 Ensemble and three very brave Piano soloists presented with confidence and musicality their music for the wider school community.

I would like to thank the Wynnum SS community and especially the Music community (John Cosic & Vivienne Thomas) for their warmest welcome and support during my time here at the school. I shall certainly miss the collegial staff and talented students.

Best wishes and keep singing!

Mrs Karen Gordon – Music Specialist

Year 5 Kindilan Adventure Camp

Celebrating a year of being ‘Authors of our own Learning’, the Year 5 students ventured to the beautiful bushland site in Redland Bay for a day of canoeing, raft building, abseiling and catapult construction. Students participated in three sessions of activities designed to build confidence, resilience and risk taking while working in partnerships and teams. So many students met the challenge…

Armed with cameras and a creative eye, the students in the Up Close Photography group took to the school grounds and a walking tour of Wynnum Creek to explore the world ‘up close’. Interesting shapes, textures and colours became the focus of the camera shots. A selection of three images from each photographer was then showcased in an exhibition in our school Library. A selection from this outstanding collection is below.

Students have been busily preparing for the swimming carnivals, perfecting their swimming strokes and swimming lengths of the pool in preparation for the big days.

Senior Swimming Carnival (Year 4-6)

28^th November

Junior Swimming Carnival (Years 1-3)

5^th December

9:05am -10:35am

Year 4s, 5s and 6s

9:05am -10:35am

Year 1s only.

First Break 10:35am-11:15am

Students remain at pool area to eat.

First Break 10:35am-11:15am

Year 1s leave pool area

11:15am-12:45am

Year 4s, 5s and 6s

11:15am-12:45am

Years 2s and 3s

End of Carnival

1:15pm- 2:00pm

Year 6s afternoon swim to celebrate start of immersion week

Thank you to Wynnum Wahoos who will open the tuck shop on the dates with a limited menu of toasted sandwiches, sausage rolls, snacks including chips and ice-blocks and cold drinks.

I am looking forward to these days as we celebrate our swimmers and cool off on what will hopefully be some sunny days.

It has been a very enjoyable year as the new Physical Education teacher and I’d like to thank the Wynnum community for welcoming me into the school.

High Tea with Mrs Bennet

2022 E&E High Tea the Wynnum Way

This year the Enrichment and Extension group from High Tea had a marvellous program planned and it ended at the end of Week 6 this term. The students spent four weeks cooking and enjoying five wonderful recipes; choc chip cookies, cupcakes, sausage rolls, vegetarian rolls and scones. We celebrated the end of the program with a High Tea, enjoying the company of our peers and special staff members and eating the wonderful foods we baked over the weeks. The students were then gifted a recipe book and a tea cup at the end of the program. Myself and Mrs Seymour have already heard many stories of students having baked some of the recipes at home. It was an amazing and enriching experience.

January 2023

Tuesday 17: 9:00am to 12:30pm

Wednesday 18: 8:30am to 12:30pm

Thursday 19: 1:00pm to 5:30pm

Monday 23: 8:00am to 9:30am

Tuesday 24: 8:30am to 9:30am

Handball Competition

The Annual Year 5 and 6 Handball competition finished in week 6. We are grateful and we thank all the 30 teams who participated. But there is only one winner. The Physical Committee is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Senior Handball Competition are the ‘Losers’! It was a very close win and we offer congratulations to both teams in the grand finale. The ‘Losers’ received their prize of two brand new handballs for each team member. We would also like to thank all the referees who volunteered their time to ensure all games were played fairly and without bias.

E&E Upcycling with Mrs Highlands

Did you know that it is estimated by Conservation International that by 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean fish!?

At 1.15pm each Friday afternoon, the 3EH classroom transformed into an Eco Warrior Workshop for 'Upcycling For a Better World E&E'.

Sixteen budding sustainability superheros worked hard creating incredible sculptures, scenes and villages, turning other people's rubbish into masterpieces. Giving them new life and stopping the devastating effects of trash finding its way into our oceans, soils and natural habitats. Well done Upcyclers, you all deserve a medal!

Chess Competition with Mrs Corten

Cupcake Day with Student Council

$1378.90 raised!!!

P & C News

The school Punk Rock Disco this week wraps up P&C fundraising for 2022. A massive thank you to all of the parents that volunteered their time to make this event a success.

A big thank you to our P&C Executive Team who responded to the call to arms earlier this year. A particular shout out goes to our President, Sophia, who contributes a significant amount of her personal time to volunteer a in this role and her efforts are greatly appreciated.

A big thank you also goes to our Uniform and Tuckshop staff who work very hard and often respond to requests for catering at the last minutes. We appreciate you.

We hope that in 2023, we will see more families involved in the P&C so that we can continue to hold fundraisers for our school community.

Tuckshop

While the P&C employs three staff members in the Tuckshop, on busy days it requires all three people to prepare lunch orders so they go out on time. This leaves no capacity to serve students with over the counter orders, take orders over the phone or to make apple slinkeys.

If you have spare time, even an hour (10:30-11:30am) particularly on a Friday, please consider volunteering in the Tuckshop. Assistance serving over the counter would be greatly appreciated. This is predominantly children buying ice blocks.

Similarly, online orders are preferable. Staff have limited capacity to take and process orders over the phone, particularly after 9 am when food is being prepared. Anyone who orders after 9am will only be able to purchase a late pack.

A late pack is $8 and includes a fruit juice, piece of fruit, cheese stick, popcorn and a sandwich (vegemite or jam).

Uniform Shop – extra hours

Please note that the Uniform Shop will be open in January 2023 as follows:

Tuesday 17 January - 09:00 – 12:30
Wednesday 18 January – 08:30 – 12:30
Thursday 19 January – 13:00 – 17:30
Monday 23 January – 08:00 until required.

Orders can also be placed via flexischools.

Absentee Line

To notify the school of your child's absence please text your childs name and reason for absence to 0429 467 361.

School Bus Services

Just a reminder that we have a bus service that runs from Wynnum State School. Below is a link to both services.

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/T/815

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/t/819/outbound/2022-05-31

A Go Card will need to be purchased to be able to utilise this Translink bus service. The following link lists retail outlets of where to purchase a Go card https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/go-card/locations

2022 School Term Dates

Term 4: Tuesday 4 October to Friday 9 December

Upcoming Prep 2023 Transition Days

Additonal Uniform Shop Opening hours

The uniform shop will still be open for normal trading of Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoons until the end of Term 4. Please see below additional opening times

Prep Transition Sessions

Tuesday 22 November, morning session: 8:00am – 9:30am

Tuesday 22 November, afternoon session: 2:30pm – 3:30pm

Thursday 24 November, morning session: 8:00am – 9:15am

Thursday 24 November, afternoon: 2:30pm – 3:30pm