LEARNING CURVE

This week our Learning Curve program is from the ‘Health and Strengths’ category  and the topic is ‘Healthy Mind and Healthy Body’ for the Prep to Year 2 classes. ‘Healthy Mind-Body Connections’ is the focus for the Year 3 to 6 classes. The Junior idea is about reminding students that there are many important things that you need to enjoy doing every day to be happy and healthy.

The Senior topic is about the same idea but more focussed on understanding the connection between mind and body and the challenge to look after both of them. We encourage them to use the Big 5 Habits which are: eating well, drinking plenty of water, exercising every day, sleeping well and keeping a positive mindset.

These concepts were introduced on assembly this week and were taught in the Health lessons with Miss Dunstan and followed up in classrooms.  Our Year 3-6 students continue to track their progress in their Learning Curve diaries.  The parent newsletter is attached below.

Primary_wk20_Parent_Newsletter_Article_2025.pdf

STAFFING

At present we have Mrs Gradwell from 1B off on extended sick leave for the rest of the term. She is being replaced by Ms Fairfax on the class. For the last two weeks of this term Miss Kerwick from 3C will also be on special leave for her wedding. We look forward to seeing them both back for Term 3.

PREP ENROLMENTS

If you know of families who live in our catchment and are hoping to come here next year, please let them know of the next Open Day coming up next term on July 25^th from 9-11am.  Families who have made their decision, can drop in enrolments forms to the office at any stage to enable us to get them on the system and into the communication channels for next year. 

I was very fortunate to see our Dance Performance Team (DPT) perform again at the Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge (BPAC) last week where they received very positive feedback and scores. They received a HC (Highly Commended) for their Contemporary dance “Ashes” and they received a VHC (Very Highly Commended) for their Jazz routine ‘Respect’. 

They did exceptionally well, considering they were up against schools who have much larger and dedicated Dance programs, which often run as after school businesses. Those schools have had much more experience in competitions, so we are very proud of our team on their first run in these types of competitive forums.

Their next and final competition will be the Beenleigh Eisteddfod next term on August 8.  A big shout out to Miss Dunstan again and also Mrs Rees for assisting the students on the day.

We are still waiting to hear if our Vocal Performing Team have been invited back to perform in the Choral Fanfare Finals after receiving their Gold Award in the Heats. Otherwise, their next competition will be at Singfest on August 28 of next term at Wavell SHS.

We look forward to seeing some of our groups perform tomorrow evening at the Winter Soire in EPAC from 6pm.  There are no ticket sales for this low key event and all of the performing arts families are welcome to attend.

Collaborative Learning Community-English

As part of our professional learning this year we are involved in a collaborative learning activity with Ascot State School focussed around our Learning Walls in English in the classrooms and their Reading v9.  Last week we went to Ascot to see their new v9 Australian Curriculum Reading lessons and this week they visited us to view our English Learning Walls.  Both of these visits were very positive and we took a lot away from our visit to them. We received very positive feedback around our school and our classrooms and they way our students were able to articulate how they were going in English and what they were focussing on. Many thanks to our CLC team of Mrs Burrows, Mrs O’Malley and teachers, Mrs Harris and Mrs Egerton who have been working on this project with me.

Next term we will be involved in similar type of activity with Oxley State School around Instructional Leadership.   

Collaborative School Improvement (CSI)

Recently, as part of my Principal Group with our School Supervisor (CSI) I was also invited to Moggil State School, where we also viewed and gave feedback on the teaching of Reading under the new v9 Australian Curriculum.  It is great to see how different schools are rolling out the new curriculum and pedagogies associated as we also undertake this new work at our school.

Till next time,