School Newsletter Issue no. 13 - 28.07.2023
Message from the Principal
The Power of Data Brings Change
I am always envious of our eldest son. His birthday is July 20th (mine is the day before ) however, his birthday (July 20th) is associated with one of the momentous dates when mankind changed the course of our history with the moon landing (it was 54 years ago this year) .As a primary school student, I remember walking home from school (no family car at that time) to watch the event on the television.
I remember watching someone in a big bulky suit skipping down a ladder and stating:
“That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”
However, according to the authors of the 1986 book Chariots for Fire, the astronaut tried to argue it omitted the word "a" but after hearing a recording of the flight he ( Armstrong) admitted:
"I really did it. I blew the first words on the moon, didn't I?"
One must wonder how many times the Apollo 11 team of Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot practised their different moves before embarking on their truly life-changing experience. Of course, the Apollo 11 crew is just one part of the total picture associated with NASA in the period of time between 1950's and 1970's. The movie "Hidden Figures" gives an upbeat, and inspiring story about the role three African-American women played in the NASA program which leads to the Apollo landing. Each team must have practised their maneuvers and calculations multiple times in which to ensure the final outcome (positive or negative) is achieved. Adult learning theory acknowledges that learning (both academic and behavioural) is not a linear journey but takes time to achieve these skills through a planned process. The same is true of our students, sometimes it takes time to learn a different skill set in conjunction with parental and community support.
Historically, schools begin to plan for the forthcoming year in August. The planning process includes reviewing our data in different forms. The Annual School Survey which has been distributed to parents, students ( grades 2- 6) and staff is but one part of this big picture. This survey will close on August 4th. Our data will be further enhanced when we conduct small focus group interviews around specific questions, around week five or six of this term. This survey is part of the EPIC (Engaging Parents In the Curriculum) program in which we have participated in for the last three years in association with Griffith University.
In August we will continue our partnership with Griffith with our participation in the Open Day, on Sunday, August 13th. Our P and F will also conduct a raffle on the day. Our school will present two musical pieces one being the P - 6 choir while the other is our super strings group. The p-6 choir is voluntary. In late August we will have our two groups who have entered into the Optimind contest at the Griffith Logan Campus. It has been three years due to COVID since we were able to present a solution to the long-term problem in front of a live audience.
What is Optimind?
In a world where the ‘facts’ (data) changes quickly– we need to change our thinking!
Opti-MINDS IS the PROCESS of CHANGE…The opportunity to Opti-MISE your thinking for Opti-MUM performance!
Opti-MINDS is a process of PREVENTION – rather than damage control; it instils a proactive mindset of:
- Capability – “Can Do!”;
- Responsibility – “If not me – then who?”;
- Creativity & Innovation; &
- Unashamed EXCELLENCE, within participants; encouraging them to REALISE their own capacity and responsibility to ‘MAKE the DIFFERENCE’ for themselves – & to come from an “IF NOT, WHY NOT?” stance.
- Students will need to wear black clothing - timetable for the performances will be released closer to the event.
Life Education
Finally a big shout out to Life Education who visited us on Monday. Each group presentation was relevant and was aligned to the Australian and Qld Curriculum.
Reflection Quote
"What makes a child gifted and talented may not always be good grades in school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning." —Chuck Grassley.
Markets - Term 3
Road Closure
Griffith will be holding Markets/Events on the following dates. On these days, as per term one we will use the Visitor's Circle Car Park and the Maintenance Building M17 (please refer to the image below - section highlighted in green). Teachers will be in attendance to escort our students down to the school.
What's been happening
Weekly C.A.R.E.S certificates
Our students are issued with C.A.R.E.S certificates on a weekly basis as we strive to demonstrate these values.
C- Cooperation and
A - Appreciation of our environment and each other
R - Responsibility of self and resilience
E -Excellence and encouragement
S - Sharing
Congratulations to our students who received their C.A.R.E.S certificates
Dingoes NewsDesk
Hi everyone,
Dingoes students have started using Canva to display their writing work this week. They have been using templated to create brochures for the information report unit this Term. We have some very talented students in this class and I am blown away at how quickly they have picked up the skills needed to use the graphic design tool.
Life Education
This week all Yarranlea students participated in lessons run by Life Education. For the Dingoes class, their lesson focus was on RELATE RESPECT CONNECT. Students investigated the importance of respectful relationships for wellbeing, including face to face and online connections. They explored how the physical and personal changes at this stage of life impact their behaviour, emotions and relationships. They also learnt to recognise, react and report disrespectful, unsafe and potentially predatory behaviour online. The key areas covered included:
- Concepts such as respect, empathy and consent
- Understanding the characteristics of, and importance of respectful relationships
- Recognising body clues
- Reacting to, and reporting (help seeking) unsafe online behaviour
YEAR 6 GRADUATION PHOTOS
I am putting a call out to all of wonderful Yarranlea community for photos of our 2023 Year 6 students. I am hoping for photos of them participating in events from throughout their primary school experience. Parents of our graduates, if you have photos from their first day of school (even if they didn't start at Yarranlea), these would be gold! I have included a few photos below of some of the Grade 6er's from their prep days at Yarranlea for reference (and also because they are super cute!!).
These photos will be included in a special slideshow to be played at this year's graduation night. Please email them to s.dionysius@yarranlea.qld.edu.au.
We have had a number of tradespeople through at the beginning of this week to install new softfall in the playground area. Elliot and Viella were very interested in watching them at work and dedciated themselves to being the site forepersons.
Kookaburras NewsDesk
Greetings Kookaburra Families,
SHOW AND SHARE:
Please find below some photos of our recent Show and Share moments!
Addy sharing her goodies from a Japan trip..
Jace sharing his family tree..
Allegra sharing her travel diary from her recent holiday to Europe..
Emily sharing about her recent family trip to Adelaide..
LITERACY:
This term in literacy, our focus is Information Reports. This unit is based on students understanding the difference between Fact and Opinion, as well as developing their research skills. As our overall theme for this year is "Water", each week the students will research a Marine Animal and fill in the provided Information Report template. This activity slowly develops their research skills, asking them to identify and read web sources to find the most suitable answer. It also addresses the concept of "reliable sources" and fact checking when we share and corroborate on the answers we all find. By the end of this term, the aim is that all students will create their own Information Report without the provided template they are practicing with each week. Encouraging them to think of their own topics to research and construct factual paragraphs around.
Year 3 dictation sample..
A sample of an Information Report
completed on the given template..
MATHS:
We are loving our recent addition of "Beat the Teacher" in Maths Time. This is a website where all students work individually but collectively as a team to solve Maths problems and beat a score I set. Each time the students beat my set score they earn a class tally. This week I set the students a goal of 1000 and they beat it up to 1904! That means, collectively, they correctly solved 1904 different Maths problems in the space of just 10 minutes!! This is a great activity to refine their Maths skills and promote quick critical thinking… and even better, they absolutely love it!
SCIENCE:
This term for both groups the science focus is Earth and Space. Our Year 3's are currently learning about what causes Day and Night, Shadows and our Solar System. A mind map to introduce a concept is a great way to gauge initial student understanding before exploring a topic. As their teacher, this means I can assess their current level of understanding and apply it to how I deepen and enrich the teaching of the unit in the coming weeks.
Healthy Harold:
On Monday of this week we welcomed in Healthy Harold to our classrooms. Healthy Harold is the mascot for Life Education, which are an organisation who are committed to supporting students to live healthier and safer lives. This is through education of physical health and social and emotional wellbeing. In the Kookaburra room, Harold's focus was "Friends and Feelings" which centred around the students' thinking about what qualities make a good friend. We had some BIG chats around how to safely and comfortably express our feelings, in order to not only protect ourselves but those around us too. We brainstormed many different scenarios and courses of action the children can take when problem solving their "BIG Feelings" in their friendships.
The take away? Big feelings are common and we all have them, but it is important to let them out kindly and safely in order to best protect ourselves and others. The students learned that our words are more powerful than our actions, it is all in how we communicate our feelings.
If you as parents would like any extra resources around this topic, you can click HERE for their website.
Exploring "Friends and Feelings"
What QUALITIES make someone passive and aggressive?
"I'm just a kid having fun" - Dontrelle Willis
Loving our gymnastics right now!
"1,2,3... POSE!"
Some of the girlies choosing to do some BEAUTIFUL artwork during their lunchbreak!
Puggles NewsDesk
Hello wonderful Puggle Families,
Life Education
This week we were lucky enough to be visited by life education. Sara and Harold took the students on a space adventure to explore safe friendships and to discover who their Hi-Five Grown Ups are that they could go to when they are feeling scared, unsafe, or need help.
Dance
This term in arts we are learning about dance. The students have been learning the elements of dance and creating dances using space and time. The Puggles have also been enjoying creating their Scary Dance! They are already so excited to show their families.
Show and Share
This week we were very lucky to have some parents come in for a storybook read. Thank you to all our parents who have been able to come in and share a story with our Puggles.
Happy Snaps!
Sight Word Books
As we draw closer to the end of the year we are asking the Puggle children to bring in their sight word books at least three times a week in preparation for Year 1 and Year 2.
Music and More
Hi Parents!
Sunday 13th August is Griffith Open Day at Nathan Campus. Our students have been invited to perform! Super Strings will present their items first, followed by Yarranlea Voices. Year 5 & 6 Strings will need to meet at 11.45am to be tuned prior to their performance. All other students will need to meet at 12.30pm for Yarranlea Voices performance. We assume all students will be there. Students are to wear full Yarranlea school uniform.
If your child is unable to attend, please let me know by email or in person by Friday 4th August. Thankyou!
Our latest debating team has worked hard to put together their negative side of the debate "that we should stop selling bottled water." Even though our opposing team from NSW has had to forfeit, our students Michi, Matilda and Remy will present their debate to the class tomorrow in a fun debate against the teachers!
OSHC News
"SIMPLIFY, SLOW DOWN, BE KIND, AND DON’T FORGET TO HAVE ART IN YOUR LIFE – MUSIC, PAINTINGS, THEATRE, DANCE AND SUNSETS" – ERIC CARLE
SCHOOLS TREE DAY – JULY 28
Trees make happy healthy children by providing shade and helping to reduce exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. Trees provide fun play opportunities through activities like climbing, swinging or creating a tree house. The benefits are endless.......................
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP – JULY 30 Friends are beautiful presents, each wrapped in their own unique packages. We develop friendships within our communities and across the world. We surround ourselves with friends of different ages, backgrounds, cultures and personalities. We encourage and treasure our friends. They are important for our health, happiness and world peace.
WHAT'S COOKIN?
AFTERNOON TEA - After School Care HITS!!! Buckwheat, Date, Carrot and Walnut Muffins (without the Walnuts) Crumbed Cauliflower Hawian Muffins
If you have a favourite recipe you would like to share with our families, please forward to me so that I can include in our newsletter.
TEN PIN BOWLING - A word from Coach Graeme,
Welcome back parents and caregivers, hope everyone had a great winter break. As we start Term 3 in our Bowling League, I would like to welcome back 2 bowlers from Yarranlea League - Nika, Sara. - Duru and Deniz. As we continue through Term 3 I am introducing the children to the '2 step delivery to the foul line' which allows the delivery of the ball to travel further down into the pins. Over these 9 weeks the children will progress into 3 steps then 4 steps on there approach to the foul line. We refresh the childrens memory of the lessons they learnt from bowl patrol, to recap on safety, handling the ball and around the lanes, to keep their scorecards up to date , and to keep record of the games bowled for pin awards. Could we please ask you, the parent, to check where your childs pins are, as many of the children are saying that they have not received them, and the records show that these have been handed out. Much appreciated.
