School Newsletter Issue 21- December 25/11/2023

Message from the Principal

Dear Yarranlea Community,

I have a secret to share with you. Green is not my favourite colour! It reminds me that Christmas is near and that we have a lot to do before the new year. This is also a time when our students may feel more emotional as they face some changes in their school journey.  These changes include:

• Year 6 moving on to high school (Don’t relax yet, Year 6. You still have Naplan in March in Year 7, so keep up the good work)
• Year 2 moving up to Year 3 (Watch out, Year 2. Naplan is waiting for you in March too)
• Year 4 moving up to Year 5 (Double trouble, Year 4. You have two Naplan tests in March)

  We are proud of our Year 6 students and we wish them all the best in their next adventure. We are also excited to welcome our new Preps. We will have ten of them joining us in 2024. Thank you to Ms Zouliou and to our current students and parents who made our new Preps and their families feel welcome at the Oxley Common last weekend. It was a lovely way to get to know each other before the school year starts.

  We are fortunate to have a smooth transition process within our small school. Our students and staff know each other well through our daily interactions and play. This is not very common and in larger schools, where I have worked as a Deputy Principal and a Principal before. We value the professional relationships we have with our students and our parents, which are one of our strengths.

• School Calendar 2024 The term 1 calendar is almost ready.

  We are expecting to reach near capacity in 2024. Please remember that you need to give us a term’s notice if you plan to leave Yarranlea. In 2024, the State Government will introduce new rules about mobile phones in schools.

Remainder of Important Dates

Friday - December 1st - Year 6 Graduation and Lip Syc night - Griffith Sports Hall  - commencing at 6.00 sharp . Completion 8:30pm.

Report will be distributed in the week of December 4th 

Friday - December 8th - Last Day of term - Free Dress and last official day for current grade 6. Please wear appropriate sunsafe clothing and hats.

Exiting From School

The school must receive written notice at least one term in advance if a family decides to transfer a student to another school.  A full term’s fees are payable in lieu of the school not receiving this notice. 

 P and F Bunnings -BBQ 

December 17^th – Just before Christmas our thanks to the P and F for their support on the day. For further information on this event please see the P&F section.

Family Handbook

Our Family Handbook has been updated and ratified in our last board meeting.

Please ensure you have familiarised yourselves with all processess.

Puggles NewsDesk

Hello Wonderful Puggle Families, 

We have had such a lovely week in the Puggle Classroom!

Playgroup

This week marked our last playgroup for the year. Thank you to all our families who were involved in playgroup, our little people loved being leaders and building new friendships. We can't wait for playgroup to start again next year!

Transition Day!

While our Year Ones had a visit to the Kookaburra Room, we were lucky enough to be visited by our Year 6's. The children enjoyed drawing and reading together, it was so sweet watching the leaders take such good care of the Preps!

Prep Meet and Greet

We had our very last Prep event over the weekend. Thank you so much to the families that attended, it was such a wonderful day for all our families to get to know each other. We can't wait for our Preppies to start next year!

Science

This term the Year One students have been learning about light and sound. The Year ones have been learning about vibrations and how sound is made. This week, the students created sounds using their bodies and items around the classroom to create a storm. 

Maths

The Preppies have been exploring 2D and 3D shapes over the past couple of weeks. They have investigated what shapes roll and slide and how shapes stack together to make other shapes. The Puggles have loved building pictures out of shapes. 

Literacy

Our Puggles have been working REALLY on their writing this term. They have been identifying parts of a narrative and have started to create their own narratives and comics. They are all so proud of their stories and can't wait to share them with you.

Water

The Puggles have been lucky enough to have Mr C come in and teach them a water unit this term. This week they learned all about the creatures under the sea and created their own ecosystem of animals. 

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Kookaburras NewsDesk

Greetings Kookaburra Families,

We are well and truly on the home stretch now!

As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey the children and I have had together. It's a bittersweet realization that this chapter is reaching its conclusion. The memories we've created, the challenges we've overcome, and the personal growth we've experienced together make this year incredibly special.

Yet, there's a tinge of sadness in acknowledging that the familiar routine, shared moments, and the comforting rhythm of our days are soon coming to an end. The passage of time has a way of stirring a mix of emotions — gratitude for the experiences,  a touch of nostalgia for what's passing, and perhaps a hint of uncertainty and excitement about what lies ahead.

This distinctive setting enables us, as educators, to guide the same cohort of students through various stages of their educational journey—an experience that Bec, Sarah, and I have collectively described as exceptionally meaningful.

LITERACY:
Over the past few weeks we have been focusing on Narratives during our literacy time. This is mainly for the Year 2's in preparation for NAPLAN next year, however, it is also a valuable experience to really push the Year 3's in preparation for Year 4. We have been working REALLY hard on building description (through the 5 senses) and detailing and describing our characters, setting and problem as if our reader is blind. As the kids love to say to me, "But if they are BLIND how can they READ our story??" (I don't mean literally of course…) We are pretending that our reader cannot SEE what we SEE, so our words need to provide that "picture" for them. Please find below some #proud moments of the children with/sharing their stories.

ART:
Last week as a class we watched the story of Tiddalick the Frog. We discussed how the story centered around the message of not being greedy, and the importance of sharing what you have with others. The story also taught the children about the importance of water and the environment, and the value of working together. It also showed the students the consequences of being selfish and how this can affect others. To conclude the activity; the students used Cotton Tips as their paintbrush to decorate their "Tiddalick"… this was a resourceful activity as there was no cleaning or washing of brushes or pots…
(so an activity that seemingly also saved water as well??.. How fitting).. 

Christmas Craft Volunteers:
CALLING ALL CRAFTY PARENTS!! I am extending an invitation for any parents who would like to come in and run a Christmas Craft activity of your choice. If you have any ideas in mind, please reach out and we can arrange a time. I can also then see if we have the appropriate materials here at school for you to conduct your activity. I am mainly making this call out, because I know some of you may have particularly crafty skills you would like to share with the children. As the learning for the term winds down, this is a great end of year activity for the students to be exposed to new skills they could continue to use over their schooling journey.

Dingoes NewsDesk

Hi everyone, 

As we near the end of term, it's hard not to get a bit emotional about our Year 6 students who will be moving on to high school next year. While I have only come in on the end of their journey with Yarranlea, it has been so special to get to know and teach each and every one of them. I know they are all going to make us proud and I hope they have a chance to pop in and visit next year! 

OSHC News

So, a week to go.

This year has arrived and moved on in such a flurry.  The excitement of our graduates moving on, maturing into such wonderful young teenagers.  

Before you click your fingers or wriggle that nose, Christmas and the New Year Celebrations will be upon us.

Vacation Care Program has been sent out TWICE.  If you have not received this please email me.

For OSHC we are finalising quite a few operations to see us into the new year and to bring to you in 2024 reocurring and possibly a new activiety for Wednesday afternoons. 

I will be sending out a form next week for all families to complete on all of the activities that we have ongoing.

2024 Continued activities - Heads up!

Monday - Tennis - Cost $15 - 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Excursion -Located at the Griffith Tennis Courts

Tuesday - Karate - Cost - $19.50 (current) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm - Incursion at school

Friday - Ten Pin Bowling - Cost $25 - 3:00pm - 6:00pm,  Excursion at Zone Ten Pin Bowling Kessels Road - Children collected from this venue.  Year 6 and above students are also welcome to enrol if able to be transported to the venue.

*** Wednesday - Possible Art Class Starting - Cost $7 - 3:30pm - 5:00pm - this will be dependant on numbers however hoping to move forward with this.   This will be a new activitiy.

 TEN PIN BOWLING NEWS

As Yarranlea bowling is a League there will be placements for our teams.  All year their scores have been so close some virtually neck-a-neck, right up to thefinal pin.  The last day of bowling will be a 'fun' bowl with party celebrations, Trophies and medallions.

Parents we would like to have our game first and then present the Trophies and medallions at the end of the session.  We are hoping that all teams will be completed by 4:30pm ready for our end of year presentation.  

A large thankyou to Graeme, our Coach, for all of the wonderful support, coaching, insights, tallying for our pins and of course end of year scores.  

Our Bowling Balls have arrived,  with the children choosing once again a new colour as the supplier did not have many of the ones chosen.  Hopefully drilling of finger holes will commence quickly and we will be able to have these completed by end of season.  

A message from Graeme,

Afternoon parents and carers, hasn't the year flown by.  As we are coming to the close of another year of amazing ten pin bowling for the Junior's, we have had some really great and oustanding games. The effort from our bowlers each week having up to 5 to 8 teams bowling over there average each friday , with stars of the week being presented each week to the the children we are improving by far. 

Just a heads up for the Star of the week 'free game'.  These do have a use by date on them.  They are to be used by the date on the certificate please.  This being within 3 months.  Any expired ones please use by the 31 st of December.   

TBA registration  for 2024 is coming up and TBA is running an early bird comp on line with some great prizes ..., and a reduced registration fee. 

I will be looking foward to coaching new skills and updating old ones as whow well they will do with their new bowling equipment...........   regards, coach graeme ...

P&F News

Graduation night - Friday 1st December - 6pm

For the Graduation night the P&F will be pre-ordering Pizza's and will have non-alcoholic drinks available for sale. Please use the link below to pre-order your pizza's. Orders need to be submitted by Monday 27/11/23: https://tinyurl.com/mvcy8xnm

Working Bee - Sunday 3rd December 2pm-4:30pm

The working bee will be held on Sunday the 3rd of December at 2pm. There will be a list of tasks provided prior to the working bee. We will have tasks for all abilities. 

Bunnings BBQ - Sunday 17th December - Volunteers/donations 

We are running a BBQ at Bunnings Mount Gravatt (Corner Creek & Wecker Rd) on the Sunday 17th of December. We are still seeking additional volunteers for the day, the current roster is: 

If any changes are needed to the roster, please contact one of the BBQ Captain's Vanessa B or Elelta. 

Prior to assist with we set-up costs we are requesting voluntary donations of either equipment/stock or cash to purchase these items. All donations are greatly appreciated. Please complete the below form if you can contribute: https://forms.office.com/r/qjyNbtmbnC 

Santa Packs - $20 per child

The end of year Santa packs are being prepared. Every child's bag will contain one calendar, artwork, and musical memorabilia. 

Additional calendars are available for purchase on a first come first serve basis. These will be $15 each. If you wish to purchase an additional calendar, please email PandF.President@yarranlea.qld.edu.au 

Santa pack collection date will be advised once the calendars arrive. If there is a delay in delivery, we will organise a collection point on the 17th of December at the Bunnings BBQ. 

Two-way communication platform - Signal - 2024 Chat groups

As per discussions at the P&F meeting on Tuesday night we have agreed to use Signal for two-way P&F communications. The 2024 Classroom Chats are in the process of being set up and links to join will be distributed via text message. Joining is voluntary, this will be a platform for P&F two-way communications and does not replace school platforms. In the meantime, parents are encouraged to download 'Signal' if you wish to. 

https://tinyurl.com/nc4y2bdm 

https://tinyurl.com/5d6dhfvf