Wynnum State School eNewsletter

Principal's Message with Acting Principal Ms Connell

Congratulations to our P&C for the planning and execution of the 2023 WSS Colour Fun run, an afternoon of messy fun and incredible fundraising by the community. Our library shelves are looking forward to an influx of books to help our students become amazing readers thanks to the monies raised. If you would like to read more about how our approach to the teaching of reading aligns with the Department of Education’s new Reading Position Statement, and why decodable readers are so important, I encourage you to follow the link below:

https://education.qld.gov.au/curriculums/Documents/reading-position-statement.pdf

While the end of the year is rapidly approaching, with many celebrations ahead, this stage of Term 4 can be tough going. Little and Big people are all feeling the effects of working hard together over the past 10 months. The temperature is rising, summative assessment is looming and we start realising that changes are ahead. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the students, staff and families who are making the extra effort to be respectful and reasonable as we hold a steady course over the last half of the term. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this and look forward to the return of Mr Ionn.

Save The Date!

Students not returning in 2024

Please make contact with the office if you know your child will not be returning in 2024 (excluding year 6 students).

Updating Details

Have you changed your address, your phone number or your email? If so, please make contact with the office to update details via email admin@wynnumss.eq.edu.au

Prep 2024 Enrolments!

Late Arrival/Departure Process

A reminder of the school process student late arrivals and early departures.

Parents/caregivers are required to come into the school office to sign students out early and will be issued an early departure slip which must be presented to the classroom teachers. This ensures a safe and organized dismissal process.

Students are required to come into the office to receive a late slip if they arrive at school after 8:45am. This process ensures students are accounted for when they have been marked absent on the roll.

We appreciate you following our school processes.

Year 6 Excursion to Parliament House

On Tuesday 10 October, the year 6 cohort visited Parliament House in the city. The excursion was linked to the Civics unit of study, which looks at our government system and how laws are created and amended. We were lucky enough to visit Parliament House on a sitting day where we got to see politicians debate during question time. We were even more lucky to meet Joan Pease, our Member for Lytton MP. It was a great day and everyone learnt something new about Parliament.

Teaching and Learning with Ms O'Donoghue (Head of Curriculum)

Book Swap

A huge thank you to everyone who has made donations to the Book Swap. We have a container next to the bookshelf for those who can donate.

Students may take a book, they don’t need to swap, but they do need to bring it back and swap again. We have been very pleased with how many of our students stop to take a book or simply stop to take a look.

Most weeks we turn over approximately 60 books, which means we have a number of students and their siblings reading extra books. Research shows that growth in reading ability is shown through ‘reading more’.

An analysis of more than 9.9 million students found that only those students who read 15 minutes or more per day made accelerated reading gains. www.weareteachers.com

Remind your children that Book Swap is located outside the office on the path into school. Students can take any book that interests them.

Library Matters with Mrs Sutton and the Library Team

Why do WSS students love their library so much? Well, I guess, a great mix of books, reading, friends, entertainment and ‘loom band’ experiences!! Yep, who knew that small rubber bands and some finger dexterity could create stylish jewellery to wear or gift to friends and teachers. Thank you to some of our older students for fostering this experience for our younger students during lunch breaks. Check out who came to Loom Band Central this week.

And yes, Beyblades are still a thing. We have a happy group of bladers most breaks each day outside the library and we love hearing their cries of glee! Keep on blading!

Still a number of weeks left of borrowing, so continue to remember your library days. Ms Sellars has set up some displays with some new titles. Come and check them out.

Keep on reading Wynnum Warriors!

Colour Fun Run Snapshots

The Junior Science Lab was buzzing with wonderment and awe as Preps investigated “Toys that Move”! A mini robot, gear kit, train set and toy cars stimulated much questioning and problem posing by our young physicists as they studied movement and forces. Forces are fun!

Year Ones are thoroughly enjoying their weekly science lessons learning about light and sound. Kaleidoscopes, glass prisms (in the sun to make rainbows), a light tube with colour paddles and mini rainbow viewers enabled all to see the world around them in a new and light-filled way! Excellent recordings of many different ‘Light and Dark places’ were made in each class lesson.

“Good vibrations” were felt through all their bodies and brains as the year one scientists used a variety of musical instruments to see and feel the vibration of different sounds. Look at these great photos that actually show the good vibrations they each created with the instruments!

Sparking curiosity and buzz about electrical circuits!

During Term 4, the Year 6 students are exploring electrical circuits. They have been testing out classroom materials to see if they are conductors or insulators of electricity by adding them to a closed circuit with a light, buzzer or motor. We have electricians and electrical engineers in the making!

Guidance Officer message with Mrs Manning (Guidance Offier)

Dear parents and carers,

In this digital age, it's crucial to exercise vigilant parental control over your children's online activities. The internet is a vast and sometimes unpredictable space, and ensuring your child's safety should be an important priority. Regularly monitor the websites they visit, set age-appropriate restrictions, and engage in open conversations about online behaviour. If you come across any concerning or inappropriate content, don't hesitate to report it to the appropriate platforms. In cases of misconduct or potential danger, reach out to law enforcement immediately (report to police). By staying involved and informed, you're actively contributing to creating a safer online environment for your children. Stay vigilant, stay safe.

Friday the 27th of October is "Day for Daniel". "Day for Daniel" is dedicated to the memory of Daniel Morcombe, a young Australian boy whose life was tragically cut short. Held annually, this day serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of child safety and awareness. It's a day when communities come together to educate children about stranger danger, online safety, and ways to protect themselves. Through various events, talks, and activities, Day for Daniel aims to instil a sense of vigilance and empowerment among children and their families. It's a day to honour Daniel's memory by fostering a commitment to creating a world where every child can grow up safe and secure. We can help by spreading awareness, building resilience, and ensuring that the legacy of Daniel Morcombe contributes to a safer future for all children.

Don't forget to take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the incredible teachers who play a vital role in shaping your child's future. Friday the 27^th of October also marks World Teacher's Day. It is a perfect opportunity to express gratitude for their hard work, dedication, and the positive impact they have on young minds. A simple thank you or a note can go a long way in acknowledging the profound influence teachers have in nurturing a love for learning. Let's join hands in recognizing and honouring these unsung heroes who contribute so much to our children's growth and development. Happy World Teacher's Day!

Have an amazing week.

Sports Report with Mr Blair

A very special shout out to Alex E in 6SS and Jake E in 4KS who have been participating in the Great Cycle Challenge raising money for cancer research. Together they have raised over $5000 and ridden close to 1000km over the several years they both have been fundraising. Well, done boys!

We have been very lucky with warm, sunny, perfect swimming weather for our swimmers. Students have been busy preparing for the upcoming swimming carnival, practicing the different swimming strokes and having fun while doing it! Information about the two swimming carnival days can be seen above. We look forward to seeing you there if you can make it!

Musical Notes with Ms Barnes

Welcome all,

The hills are alive with the sound of music, and so is Wynnum. Sounds in Spring is back with our Junior and Senior bands and choirs showing off their musical talents and everything they’ve learned this year. The P&C will have a range of menu items to purchase or pre-order prior to the concert. Please join us to celebrate how incredibly musical our students are.

When: Thursday November 9

Where: MEGA Central

Time: 6pm start.

Yours in music.

A Funny Face Biscuit

We wrote a procedure about how to make a funny face biscuit. Then we followed the steps to make the biscuit. We made sure to use lots of different adjectives and verbs to help with our writing. I wanted to share one of my biscuits with my brother and I did. I loved my biscuit and I hope you loved yours.

By Julieta

We are getting chickens!!

This semester we have been busy preparing a home for some beautiful, fluffy chickens. The chickens will be a great benefit to our school as an educational resource, helping to reduce our organic waste and for providing social and emotional support for our students.

To raise money for a chicken coop we had a Dress as a Chicken Day on Friday 6 October which saw our school transformed into a sea of yellow, white, brown and black. A gold coin donation was requested which was proudly organised by our student council and we managed to raise $500 to go towards a fantastic metal coop. Capalaba Produce are super stars and also contributed $500 towards the coop. Thank you so much Capalaba Produce.

A big thank you also goes to all of the parents/carers, Mr Erick and the Chicken Team for constructing the wire enclosure on our Saturday working bees. This enclosure will help keep our fluffy friends safe.

A final big thanks goes to Manly West Bunnings for their donation of $500 worth of materials for our enclosure. It’s great to see the local community working together for the greater good of our children at Wynnum State School.

Stay tuned, the sound of clucking chickens should be heard through the school in the coming weeks!

Qparents

Have you downloaded the Qparents app?

QParents is a secure, online portal that has been created to provide parents/carers of Queensland state school students with 24-hour access to their child's information.

Qparents allows you to securely access information about your child and communicate directly with your child's school.

Features of Qparents:

attendance details
report cards
invoices
payment history
excursion permissions

Currently we have roughly 80 percent of parents/carers on Qparents. If you haven’t already made an account with Qparents, new invitation codes have just been emailed home.

Any further questions please contact the school office.

P&C News

P&C Meeting Alert: Mark Your Calendar!

P&C Meeting Alert! 📢 Save the date: Our final P&C meeting of the year is on Thursday, November 16th. More exciting details are coming your way as the date approaches. Let's make it a memorable one! 📆✨

Colourful Triumph at the School Colour Fun Run!

Wow! 🌈 Our School Colour Fun Run was a fantastic whirlwind of vibrant energy! A huge 'Thank You' to all the spirited participants for turning our school into a kaleidoscope of happiness. And a special shoutout to our brave kids who took on the hilarious slimy challenge with our wonderful school staff.

Surpassing Expectations: Over $37,000 Raised!

We're thrilled to announce that together, we've raised over $37,000, surpassing our target! 🎉🏆 You've all outdone yourselves. 🌟

Class 6SS Shines as Fundraising Champions!

A round of applause goes to Class 6SS for shining as our fundraising champs! Their amazing effort will be rewarded with a delectable pizza or ice cream party, generously sponsored by Joan Pease. 🍕🍦

Peek into the Fun: Photos from the Colour Fun Run! 📸

And now, for the best part - a sneak peek into the fun we had during the Colour Fun Run! Check out the captivating photos below that captured every splash and dash. 📸✨

School Facebook Page

Please visit the page via this link https://www.facebook.com/WynnumStateSchool and click Like!

Absentee Line

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

2023 School Term Dates

QLD school term 2023	QLD school term dates
Term 1 QLD	Monday 23 January 2023 - Friday 31 March 2023
Term 2 QLD	Monday 17 April 2023 - Friday 23 June 2023
Term 3 QLD	Monday 10 July 2023 - Friday 15 September 2023
Term 4 QLD	Tuesday 3 October 2023 - Friday 8 December 2023

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

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Term 4 - 2023 Week 4 Newsletter