Term 4 - 2023 Week 9 Newsletter

Principal's Message with Mr Ionn

Thank you

It has been a pleasure to return to school after the absence this term.  I have appreciated the support and well-wishes during my time away and on my return.  I herniated several discs in my back and although I made my way around the school slowly, I am distinctly out of the acute phase, and looking forward to making a full recovery.  Although sad about missing some of my favourite cultural events (being slimed at Colour Run and Sounds of Spring for example), I am so grateful for the exceptional support of my leadership team.  In particular, Lara Collingwood and Megan Connell for both acting as principal in my absence. I am in debt to the entire leadership team for taking on extra duties during this time and beyond.

Outside School Hours Care Services News

Wynnum State School (panel comprising of W.S.S. members and P&C representatives), in conjunction with Finance, Procurement and Facilities Division (Department of Education) conducted a tender process and completed an evaluation of offers for the provision of (OSHC) Outside School Hours Care Services at the school. I am pleased to inform the school community that PCYC was selected as the preferred supplier for the service, and will continue the long and productive relationship with Wynnum State School.  Congratulations Wynnum PCYC. 

Wynnum State School 2024 Student Leadership

I was so pleased to see the result of the latest student leadership process and look forward to working with these Warriors as leaders.

School and Community Engagement

1.Camp Information Session

Recently, I led an information session just prior to the P&C meeting to explain the changes to our 2024 Excursions and Camps program. I want to thank our P&C for setting the time before the general meeting for this to occur.

To remind everyone, the school has decided that from the 2024, Year 6 will be the only ‘sleep away’ camp, with years 3, 4, 5 having school-based camp experiences focusing on attributes such as character, teamwork and leadership. 

At the meeting, I was able to clarify that our department does not mandate camps, and that the decision was based on educators not wishing to volunteer time in overnight situations.  However, I explained how day camps and excursions with a focus on leadership, resilience and team building can be planned to give students all the experiences needed prior to engaging in the Year 6 overnight camp. We have planned a really extensive series of experiences for students that can be incorporated into the curriculum areas.

2. Parent Input Sessions

We welcomed new and existing parents of prep students for 2024 recently, during the four Prep Parent Sessions. As our new Warriors were being immersed into classrooms, we hosted parents to glean additional information about their children, and ran a quick input session to gain feedback about our school, as well as eliciting new ideas leading up to what will be a full school review in 2024 and a new 4-year Strategic Plan.  The feedback, input and ideas have all been amazing.  All of this great input will feature heavily when going through the visioning process for the plan.

Multi-age Classes 2024

The variable numbers between year levels often results in having to form multi-age classes – with 2024 being no exception, with the formation of a Prep/1; and 3/4; and a 5/6 class. Known by other names such as composite or multi-grade classes, multi-age classes are not uncommon in small rural and regional schools, as well as large schools where numbers determine class sizes.

All students, including students in multi-age classes are exposed to their year level achievement standard from the Australian Curriculum.

Research, which has been predominantly conducted in primary schools, suggests there is no discernible difference between multi-age and straight year classrooms in terms of academic performance. However, benefits relating to student independence, responsibility and study habits have been highlighted. For instance, younger children in multi-age settings generally aspire to emulate older children in their work, and older children enjoy leadership and mentoring opportunities that lift their self-esteem and wellbeing.

At the end of the day, the quality of teaching, combined with student interest and engagement, has a much larger impact on learning than class structure.

2024 Planning

Our staff will be engaging in an exciting program during the pupil free days at the beginning of next year.  Apart from great professional learning, teams will engage in creating academic targets for 2024 as part of the Annual Implementation Plan. Setting these targets with confidence is due to the excellent work achieved in professional learning teams, led by newly appointed Leaders of Learning.  These teacher leaders (one per year level) and one for Sport Co-ordination, lead our teacher teams. Academic targets and facilitated leading gives us confidence that school-based teaching, learning, assessment, moderation and reporting processes provide validity and rigour in the allocation of ratings in Maths and English.

Celebrations

Every year is big in the life of a school and this year has been no exception.  At our P-6 Celebration Ceremony last week, all participants witnessed a great celebration of learning and success.  I thought the students did a remarkable job of bringing their best audience manners to this event: a long time for young people to sit – a long time even for us adults. 

At Wynnum State School, we aim for and achieve high standards in all areas - academia, behaviour, sport, cultural and community pursuits.  Our purpose is to create a caring, intelligent village of learners. Intelligence is about learning to be creative, democratic, healthy, eco aware and actioned, and informed. To grow and practise these intelligences, it takes all of us to working together to believe in our purpose, to make plans and work hard to achieve high standards of outcomes, and to celebrate when we succeed. It was clear to see the demonstrations of these combined attributes in all students, ensuring we develop into strong, resilient and intelligent citizens, both for today and for tomorrow.

All of what we achieve could not happen without the support of leaders, staff members, P&C, student leaders and school community. But most of all, it requires strategic leadership – this is a collaborative business – I am so fortunate to arrive into a strong and collegial leadership team.

I would like to take this opportunity again to pay a tribute to our teaching and support staff at WSS.  To our teachers, the impact you have on the lives of young people is immeasurable and powerful.  Our support staff, in their numerous and varying roles, support this on a daily basis.

In 2024, our focus will continue what was co-constructed in 2023; to be the best we can be, with a distinct focus on:

Starting Strong in Prep to Year 2 and Building on Foundations

• knowing each child and student’s needs to support positive and confident transitions into and through school
• achievement in English and mathematics, Health and Wellbeing
• maximising learning days.

Farewell to Year 6 Students

It was an absolute privilege (and pleasure) to address our departing students and share the pride of all those present at the farewell, as we obseved the self-confidence, optimism, and commitment to personal excellence of our Year 6 cohort.  Farewell to the Year 6’s: you certainly have made the most of 2023 and the opportunities that have been afforded you. I’m sure you’ll look back at your days at Wynnum State School with fond memories. Enjoy your new challenges at high school next year and continue to take every opportunity you can to Believe, Achieve and Suceed!

Holiday Message

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank the school community for their support and work in what was a very different year. Parents and carers , thank you for your continued support of our school.

Have a safe, relaxing break and remember school will start for all students on Monday, the 22^nd of January. I look forward to continuing our learning journey next year.

Have a safe and happy holiday and an enjoyable festive season.

Mark 

Prep 2024 Enrolments!

Library Matters with Mrs Sutton and the Library Team

For the library team, the last days in Term 4 are the busiest times on the calendar year, accounting for all the books and resources throughout the whole school.  A very grateful thank you to our students who have returned their books this last week and to our wonderful mums and dads who have checked in with us to follow up overdue books.  Continue to please help your children in their search.  Replacement payments will follow for those books still unaccounted for by next week.

I encourage students and families to utilise our magnificent Wynnum City Council library for their reading fix and summer holiday program.

Thank you to our Senior students sharing some reading buddy time with our younger students this week too.  Lots of positive social interactions and relationship building around reading books.

Just keep reading everyone!

P-2 Science and Technology with Mrs Crowe

P-2 Science and Technology with Mrs Crowe 

As the year begins to draw to a close, investigations have “ramped up” in the Junior Science Lab! Our Preps have been extra enthusiastic about being ‘Ramp Racers’ while testing out the laws of physics.  

In small groups, our young physicists used a variety of items including marbles, cars, blocks, pencils and bottles with a ramp. Each scientist had to observe, compare and record the movements of items on the ramp. It was very surprising and lots of fun for all …even for the head physicist (Mrs Crowe)!  

P-2 Scientists and Technologists have worked very hard all year. They are now ready to head off on well-deserved school holidays to investigate their world even further! 

Looking forward to 2024 Science. Check out the link below for information on the World Science Festival 2024. Happy Holidays!

www.worldsciencefestival.com.au

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

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

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 

Community News