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Dear Parents,
WELCOME
On behalf of the staff at Enoggera State School, I am happy to welcome you to the 2024 school year. We are excited to have our students back and have been ever so pleased with the way they have settled back into routines and their new classrooms this week. We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our students can achieve to their highest potential. We recognize that to be successful in school, our children need support from both home and school, so we know that a strong partnership with you will make a significant difference in your child’s education. As partners, we share the responsibility for our childrens' success and want you to know that we will do our very best to carry out our responsibilities. You can uphold your end of the partnership by doing your best to ensure that your children:
- Attend school daily and arrive on time, ready for the day’s learning
- Complete all homework tasks given by teachers
- Read daily to develop a love for reading and to improve literacy skills
- Share school experiences with you so that you are aware of their school life
- Know that you expect them to succeed in school
This aligns with our Mission at ESS which is: "To develop an inclusive community of innovative, lifelong learners by providing quality teaching and learning, which values positive partnerships and engages students to achieve succESS." Our Vision is that: "We are a supportive and connected community of resilient and collaborative learners who are prepared for the future."
Following our Quadrennial School Review and Full School Review last year we have been working hard to develop our school's next four year Strategic Plan (2024-2027). The focus of that plan is to continue our jouney around developing successful learners in Writing and Mathematics and to continue to develop our teacher capabilities in differentiation and data analysis through a range of strategies. We will also be continuing our journey around Wellbeing and providing enrichment opportunities for our students in a range of areas including the academics, The Arts and sport. We will also be continuing to build our work around the environment and sustainability. Once the plan has gone through the various levels of approval and the Annual Implementation Plan which comes from the Strategic Plan, is approved I will share that in the regular school newsletter.
STAFFING
Unfortunately, we have already had some some staffing changes to start the year. On the last day of school we were advised that we would have a different Guidance Officer servicing our school this year. Her name is Leanne Watson and she will be working with us for 1 1/2 days per week which includes our usual allocation of 1 day and then our additional student wellbeing allocation of 1/2 day.
We also received notification last week that our new/returning Instrumental Music Teacher, Yvonne Moore had received a late transfer and that we have a new IM Teacher servicing us and that is Lisa Kirk. We also have a new Defence School Mentor with us this year and her name is Rachel McCann. And Finally, Yr 5/6 Teacher Tom Emes has recently resigned to take up a position in the private sector and his replacement teaching 5/6B from Monday will be Mr Walter Yoia.
ALLERGIES
A reminder to all families that we have many students across our school who suffer from allergies to various foods. We have some children who are highly anaphylactic to nuts, who require an epi-pen to be near them at all times. For this reason we aim to make our school a safe environment for all students by being allergy friendly. Rather than blanketly banning foods to guarantee that we are nut free, which is impossible, we are allergy friendly which means we are doing everything we can to make the school safe for all children. Which is why we need your help with this to ensure that students do not bring nuts, peanut butter, nutella, muesli bars with nuts etc to school at any time. We encourage our families to keep these items as treats for the home. As per the attached fact sheet from Qld Health, this is just one of the strategies in place.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PICK UPS
A reminder that we operate a Stop Drop and Go designated pick up and drop off area at the front of the school and the back of the school on Laurel St, both before and after school. It is most important that parents use the system correctly and wait until they are the front of the line before children come to or leave the vehicle. When the system is supervised by school staff they will not allow students to enter the area until the car is at the front of the line. It is also most imperative that cars do not park in the zone at all. You can not leave your vehicle in the zone at any time as we have had several times this week. You are also reminded of the 40km/hr zone around schools from 7am to 9am and from 2pm to 4pm and in fact the QPS can book drivers not following the traffic signals and signs in these areas.
We will continue our reminders on facebook and in the newsletters but ultimately we are relying on drivers to do the correct thing.
BEFORE SCHOOL ROUTINES
A reminder that students waiting with parents should wait under C Block and those without being supervised by school staff should be under D Block. Students should not be on site before 8am in the morning. School staff are on duty from 8:15am in the morning and students under the supervision of staff can play on the astroturf and under E Block from 8:30am. Skipping and handball are the only available activities in the mornings.
When the bell goes students move to their line up areas to be collected by their teachers. Preps have been delivered by parents straight to rooms this week, but as of next week they also will line up in the line up area to be collected by teachers.
LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY DEPARTURE
A reminder that if students arrive after the second bell in the morning or are leaving prior to the end of the school day they must be signed in or out at the office by a parent. Students who are late or leave early have a part day absence recorded on One School.
STUDENT DRESS CODE
It is great to see our students dressed beautifully in their fresh uniforms this week. Thank you to those parents who have gone above and beyond to ensure their children are following the approved dress code. A reminder that shoes should be all black joggers (no colours, coloured laces or white soles) and hair that is longer than the shoulders should be tied back neatly with school coloured (blue/white) hair ties. I have attached our Student Dress Code here for your information.
LEARNING CURVE WELLBEING PROGRAM
We are again using the Learning Curve as our chosen Wellbeing Resource for staff and students this year. We have purchased Learning Curve Diaries/Planners for all students and staff. Our students use their diaries at school as part of the wellbeing program which is being implemented more explicitly as part of the Health lessons this term and then followed up by class teachers throughout the week. We will be adding the parent information pieces into the newsletter each fortnight to keep parents abreast of the focus each week.
COMMUNICATION
A reminder that we will communicate with families via telephone, email, text message, notes home, fortnightly e-newsletters and also via our school Facebook page. It is best for parents to contact the office directly if they have questions and commenting on Facebook is not the best way to get the correct information in a timely manner. LIkewise, independent year level or class Facebook groups not run by the school are not the best place to get reliable information. Time and time again we have families telling us what was said on Facebook (not the school site) and it is not accurate. So please keep this in mind when requesting information on these sites.
If you wish to communicate with your teacher, either email or making a time to have a meeting work best. Drop off and pick up times are not usually the best time to have an in-depth conversation with the teacher as they are busy with supervision. If you email a teacher they will endeavour to respond within 48hrs.
SPECIAL EVENTS
And finally, we have many special events happening this term. These include:
- Parent Information Sessions on Tuesday afternoon of Week 3
- Parent Teacher Interviews on Tuesday evening in Week 9
- Student Leader Investiture in Week 3 on Monday afternoon
- Easter Hat Parade on Thursday in the last week of term
- Interhouse Cross Country on Monday of Week 10
- NAPLAN for Yr 3 and 5 students in week 8/9
I feel privileged to be a part of this wonderful school family at ESS and I thank you for your support and look forward to another great year.
Sincerely,
Mrs Anne Robinson
Principal