Dear Parent and Caregivers,

As we draw another busy term at ESS to a close, we thank our wonderful community for your unwavering support again this term.  It is a great opportunity to take stock over the vacation and reflect on the achievements thus far for 2023 in preparation for Term 2. 

On assembly this week I introduced our new Learning Curve focus for the week which is about ‘Living by Giving’ where we encourage our students to give of themselves through asking if someone is ok, a smile, friendly body language, kind words or doing something nice for someone else, as this not only makes the person feel good but also makes you feel good too.  We encouraged the students over the holidays to try this out with family and reflect on how it made them feel after doing something nice for someone.

We wish everyone a happy holiday and look forward to seeing everyone back ready for Term 2 on Monday, 17^th April.

CROSS COUNTRY

Thank you to all of the parents who came to school to view the Cross-Country event on Monday.  It was lovely to have it back at our school after a hiatus due to the building works last year, COVID and wet weather and also for the whole school to be able to run in the event.  The organising committee have already recognised that there were some safety issues with the course due to the changed landscape, so we will be reviewing this for next time and will take the WH&S recommendations on board to ensure a safer run for all next year.

Congratulations to Waratah for their win in the first of the inter-house activities for the year. It was lovely to see the captains receive their shield on assembly in the afternoon and to give their speeches and perform a final war cry. 

YMCA GOOD BYE

This week as we farewell the YMCA OSHC service provider and prepare for Camp Australia to take over it was lovely to farewell YMCA in style on assembly.  We presented the staff with some beautiful thank you cards for the classes, some Enoggera memorabilia and we finished off with a whole school rendition of YMCA, actions and all.  We thank YMCA for their 18 years of dedicated service to this school community and wish the staff well in their future endeavours.  There will be a farewell BBQ on the oval after school on Friday to farewell YMCA for the families who have used the service.

HOLIDAY FACILITIES

The work on the multipurpose roof project will commence from the South Pine Rd entrance to the school over the holidays.  Also happening in the holidays are some other key works under the Refresh Program where the DoE have provided the school funds to do essential refresh works.  We are having the concreting under D Block and the front entrance to the school refreshed with coloured spray-crete and also the bike entrance from Laurel St redone to make a ramp and full path to the bike cage and B Block steps for bikes, prams and all-weather access. We will also be getting the outside of the library near the multi-purpose court repainted after the roof goes on.  This has been a great project as for $20 000 we get $63 000 worth of works done. There are also contractors on site doing works to water damage in the Library and EPAC following the last torrential rain.

 FULL SCHOOL REVIEW

We currently have three reviewers from the Education Improvement Branch in our school undertaking our compulsory four-year full school review of our teaching and learning programs and processes.  They will provide a report to the school and community which will become part of our quadrennial school review next term and will then direct our next four-year Strategic Plan. They spend the time talking with staff, parents, partners and leadership to develop some affirmations of the great work we are doing and then also to provide some recommendations for the next works we should do to get the next lift in our performance.

 P AND C AGM

Last night at our P and C Annual General Meeting and General Meeting it was great to see the current executive all voted back in for another term. Thank you and congratulations  to the continuing executive team of: President- Dean Collings, Vice-President - Khesanh Brock, Treasurer- Debbie Brauer and Secretary- Chrissie Maher.  I look forward to working with them again this year to continue to progress our wonderful ‘Big Little School’ to enable our students to ‘Achieve Success at ESS’.

ANZAC DAY

Next term in the second week back we will hold our very important school ANZAC service at the front of our school on Monday 24^th April at 9am.  Our school will then march in the Gaythorne RSL march on ANZAC day.  We encourage our students to ensure they are in full school uniform for our ANZAC service (not house shirts) and that as many students attend the march to represent their school and pay their respects to those who have fought and lost their lives on ANZAC Day.  Our School Leaders will be selling ANZAC badges in the mornings under D Block in the first week of school from 8:15am.  They will be selling for 50c for fabric stickers for students for 50c and fabric pinned badges for adults at $2.

Till next time,

Mrs Anne Robinson

Principal