24 February 2017

Newsletter Articles

UPCOMING EVENTS

February/ March 2017

Find attached Term 1 Calendar:

PAYMENTS DUE

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

Drop Off Zone

Parents / carers are reminded that the Drop Off Zone near the hall is a drop off / pick up area only. Please Drop, Kiss and Go! Some parents / carers are using this area as car park and are leaving their car. By doing this, it this greatly impedes traffic flow and creates congestion. I ask for the cooperation of all motorists to make this area efficient and safe area for our students to be dropped off and collected after school.

QPARENTS

The QParents web and mobile application provides an easier way for you to interact with our school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Q Parents allows parents to connect instantly with our school to access and manage their child’s student information, including:

• Attendance and absence details, as well as the ability to notify the school of an absence
• Academic report cards (June 2017)
• Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online
• Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address
• Enrolment details

Q Parents will assist both staff and parents in sharing and responding to information in an efficient and effective way. It won’t replace the traditional ways you communicate with our school, but it will provide another way to communicate with us!

Currently, Aspley State School has 406 active Q Parents, which is close to 60% of our families. Let’s see if we can be the first school in the state to reach 85% of parents to be registered this term.

If you have questions or need any assistance with signing up please do not hesitate to come and see one of our helpful office staff or contact admin@aspleyss.eq.edu.au.

Student Resource Scheme

Thank you to those parents / carers who have paid the student resource scheme. If you have not made this payment please contact the office to do so or discuss a payment plan for these resources for your child. For those who have not negotiated payment, or a payment plan, the digital resources will not be available to your child after the end of February 2017.

Metropolitan Choral Honours Music Program

Congratulations to Annika, Luciella, Emma, Saskia and David who have been selected to participate in the Metropolitan Region Choral Honours Music Program to be held in March of 2017.

Drama Club

There will be a meeting of any parents and teachers who may wish build a team to support the establishment of a drama club for students in years 5-6 to produce a school musical. A meeting of interested parties is called for Wednesday 15th March at 6.30 pm -7.15 pm in the school library. Parents who can assist with rehearsals, costuming, props, staging, voice training, back stage, ticket sales are welcome. If you cannot attend and would like to register your interest please email dramaclub@aspleyss.eq.edu.au.

Every Day Counts !

Learning at school is cumulative and deeper understandings are often built on the work from the previous day’s learning. It is important, and required, for all children to attend each day of school. I wish to challenge the misconception with parents / carers that the last week of term is not valuable and it doesn’t matter if my child attends each day of the last week of term. If your child misses one week at the end of each term then that is 100 hours of instruction that they miss! Each student at Aspley State School will be engaged in valuable learning experiences, in every day, of every week, at our school.

School absenteeism and student attendance is a complex issue which includes a range of student behaviours including school refusal and truancy. Parents and caregivers can access strategies to improve student attendance through the Every day counts resources.

Every day counts is a state wide initiative that aims to assist in improving student attendance at school through a shared commitment by students, parents, caregivers, schools and the community.

To do this, Every day counts promotes four key messages:

• all children should be enrolled at school and attend on every school day;
• schools should monitor, communicate and implement strategies to improve regular school attendance;
• truanting can place a student in unsafe situations and impact on their future employability and life choices; and
• attendance at school is the responsibility of everyone in the community.

If school attendance is a problem please discuss this with your teacher, Deputy Principal, or your teacher may refer you to the school guidance officer, Ms Fiona Eaton who attends Aspley State School each Tuesday and Wednesday.

Gala Day Sports and Friday Sports

Students in years 4-6 will have the opportunity to participate in: 3 interschool Gala Days in term 2. Students will be required to nominate their sport this term. Sports offered are beach volleyball, rugby league, volleyball, netball and soccer. Sports are played at various community and school facilities and children use bus transport to attend these games.

In term 4 students in years 4-6 participate in four Friday Sports Days with other schools in the North District Sports network. The cost for each student is dependent on their sport and includes bus travel where necessary.

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

Senior Leader Induction

Congratulations to the Captains and Senior Leaders (Round 1) inducted at the special Assembly on Monday 20 February 2017.

These students have made a pledge to support the school community, demonstrate excellence in conduct and endeavour, and leave a positive legacy on our school as a result of their leadership this year.

Thank you to the many parents, grandparents and invited guests who attended this special celebration.

BOOST

We are now approaching the completion of week two of the six week First Session of BOOST for Years 3 and 5.

Students and staff have been hard at work in various activities designed to BOOST students’ literacy performance within their group, including:

• consolidating their letter/ sound awareness
• participating in modelled and/ or guided reading
• enhancing their use of the common comprehension strategies using QAR or CARS strategies
• participating and/ or leading reciprocal reading within their group
• being actively engaged with a range of students and staff in targeted learning opportunities

To support this program, I ask parents of Year 3 in particular to ensure that students are present in their classrooms at 8:30am sharp every day, so that roll marking can occur prior to moving to BOOST at 8:40am (Tuesdays – Fridays).

In the next Newsletter, we will provide information to parents on the pedagogical strategy of reciprocal reading, due to its usage within the BOOST initiative.

Aspley Reading Club

Aspley Reading Club (ARC) 2017 will begin on Tuesday 28 February at 8 am in the library. If you have sent back the signed permission form with the co-payment, your child would have received their new username and password.

They should also have access to the books set by their class teacher. On Tuesday, when they come to ARC, they will get to read the physical books with the Year 5 mentors.

Please encourage your child to read the online books at least 3 times a week or for 10 minutes every day. Practice makes perfect.

Easter Concert

If you do not wish for your child to participate in the Easter concert at the end of the term, please inform the class teacher as Mrs McIntyre and the class teachers will be teaching the children Easter songs and actions for the concert in the next few weeks leading up to the concert.

Focus Rule

The Focus Rule for Weeks 6 and 7 is “Show Respect”, with the Target Behaviours being on using kind words and kind actions in their day to day interactions with other people (staff and peers) at school.

Please assist us with this by reminding students of this focus at home over the next two weeks.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWS

Aspley Choral Program

ALL Choral Ensemble rehearsals will be cancelled this week (Week 5 –Monday 20th February – Friday 24th February). Choral students will be notified upon choral rehearsals resuming as soon as possible. Please refer to the timetable below for rehearsal days and corresponding times for each choral ensemble.

Students in Years 2 through to Years 6 interested in participating in the Aspley Choral Program have now received a parent information letter outlining the finer details of participating in the Aspley Choral Program.

It is important that children participating in the Aspley Choral Program understand that participating in this program is a weekly commitment, which they are expected to attend all choral rehearsals. With this in mind we are asking every child to sign a contract when participating in the Aspley Choral Program. This is to reinforce the importance of commitment to a task. We ask that you speak with your child about this assurance before signing the contract. The student contract is attached to the Parent Information letter and we ask that it be returned to the office on or before Friday 24 February, accompanied with the choral resource scheme payment. The choral resource scheme payment is a one off single payment of $15.00 (regardless of how many choirs your child chooses to participate in). We request that you pay this amount with the return of the choral contract. If you have difficulty paying this amount, please contact the school to discuss a payment plan.

Mrs McIntyre is highly motivated and keen to see the choral program work at its highest level and is looking forward to your child participating in the 2017 Aspley Choral Program.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE UNIFORM

The Aspley Performance Uniform is worn by ALL performing ensembles at Aspley State School - Junior/Senior/Boys Choirs, Senior String Orchestra, Junior Concert Band and Senior Concert (excluding Beginner String students). All students involved in these ensembles at Aspley are required to wear the following performance uniform at all performances – Long Black Dress Pants, Long Sleeved White Dress Shirt, Black Socks and Black Shoes.

All students in performing ensembles who are required to purchase this music performance uniform have now received a parent information letter regarding purchasing the Aspley Music Performance Uniform through the Aspley Shop.

A REMINDER THAT IF YOU ARE PURCHASING THE PERFORMANCE UNIFORM FROM THE ASPLEY SHOP, THE ORDER FORM NEEDS TO BE RETURNED TO THE ASPLEY SHOP NO LATER THAN 10.00am Monday 3rd April 2017 or alternatively, ordered through the Flexischools online ordering system by 3.50pm Sunday 2nd April 2017. Orders with the supplier for the required uniforms will then be placed and should be available for collection by week beginning 17th April 2017.

Continuing String/ Woodwind/Brass/Percussion and Choral students should have the necessary uniform requirements.

CURRENT AND UPCOMING MUSICAL EVENTS - TERM ONE 2017

Please take note of upcoming musical events for Term One below:

Happy Music Making

The Aspley Music Department

SPORTS DEPARTMENT NEWS

North District Sport

Congratulations to the following students for qualifying to represent North District –

Netball – Keely and Saskia
Basketball – Dantes

Good luck to all our swimmers who are competing on Wednesday at the Metropolitan Swimming Championships – do Aspley proud!

Upcoming District trials:

Nominations are open for the following sports:

• Girls Soccer – 23rd of February
• Australian Football (AFL) – 1st / 2nd of March
• Boys Soccer – 8th of March

Cross Country

Just a reminder that our school cross country will be held on Friday 31st of March 2017 (the last day of term) at Ben Loman Park. This is for all students in grades 3-6. The Prep-2 fun run will be held on Wednesday 29th of March at our school oval.

Great Race

Students, remember that the great race has started, so try and get down to the oval on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday mornings at 8am to help your year level be crowned the best! The turn out so far has been great and a big thanks to all the teachers who have given up their time to assist.

If there are any serious runners in grades 3-6, Ms Sharon Iselin-Shea will be starting an “Elite Runners Group” during the great race on Tuesdays and Fridays only - starting at 8am. Please see Mr Schmidt to register your name.

Mad Hair Day

Aspley State School will again support the annual appeal by the Leukaemia Foundation by having a Mad Hair Day.

On Friday, the 10th March, all children and staff are encouraged to wear their hair in weird and wonderful ways. School uniform is still to be worn and we ask that everyone donate at least a gold coin for this very worthy cause.

Senior Leaders will collect the money from your child’s classroom during the first session of school that day.

Also, to raise more funds, children can go in the auction to do one of the teacher’s hair at morning tea. In the week leading up to Mad Hair Day, there will be boxes with teachers’ names on, outside the hall in the mornings. Children need to write their name on a piece of paper that will be provided and drop the paper and a dollar coin in the teacher’s box they wish to have a chance to do the hair of. On the Thursday, one name will be drawn out of each box and they will be the child to perform magic on that teacher’s hair. Everyone is welcome to watch the children doing the teachers’ hair during morning tea break.

Please note no hairsprays or hair products are to come to school. All products are to be applied at home prior to arriving at school.

Thank you for your support.

Nelma Wright

Canberra Trip Chocolate Drive

In an effort to reduce the cost of the Year 6 Canberra Trip, all children who have indicated they are going on the trip will receive a minimum of two boxes of chocolates. For each box of chocolates sold we make $20.

The chocolates will arrive during Week 6. If you are not going on the Canberra Trip but would like to purchase some chocolates or sell a box, please see me or see the Office ladies. It is hoped that the majority of chocolates are sold by the end of Term 1.

Because of our chocolate order with Cadbury, they are giving us 5kg of Favourites and two $50 Coles/Myer vouchers which we will raffle. In the week of the Easter Concert for Preps – 2s, raffle tickets will be available outside the hall for $1 a ticket. The raffle will be drawn at the Easter Concert.

Nelma Wright (Canberra Trip Coordinator)

SCHOOL BANKING

School Banking is a program designed to help your child develop strong financial literacy skills for the future. With the help of the School Banking coordinators, children can start saving regularly through the school. Best of all, the School Banking program makes saving fun with an exciting Rewards Program that encourages regular participation.

Encouraging Good Saving Habits

School Banking gives children hands-on experience at handling money and seeing it grow. The program helps them develop the knowledge, independence and confidence they need to manage their finances successfully as they get older.

Every time your child makes a deposit through the School Banking program, no matter how large or small the deposit can build to Earn you great Rewards!

How Does Your Child Get Involved?

In order to participate in the School Banking program, your child will need a Commonwealth Bank Youth saver account which can be opened at ANY branch of the Commonwealth Bank. You will need to have your child’s birth certificate and your driver’s licence for identification. If you are an existing customer with NetBank access, you can open an account online. Simply logon as usual, click the ‘offers and apply’ tab, then select ‘accounts’ and ‘Youth saver’. If your child already has an existing Commonwealth Bank Youth Saver/ Dollarmites account they are ready to participate in school banking!

Big thanks goes to our School Banking Co-ordinators and Volunteers Alex and Jodi. We appreciate the effort you put in.

JAPANESE STUDENTS VISIT

Mrs Annie Duffy

Aspley is saying goodbye to a valued member of staff this week, Mrs Annie Duffy. Annie has been with us for 6 years. We would like to wish her all the best for her future endeavours, we will miss you greatly. Thank you for all the hard work and effort that you have put in over the years making Aspley State School great!

TUCKSHOP NEWS

It is becoming more common over the past weeks that children have been using larger denominations of notes at the tuckshop. Please note that we do not carry a large volume of change and are unable to provide change relating to these notes. We suggest that the largest note to provide your children be a $5.00.

It is also become more common over these weeks that children are purchasing items for their friends. Although having tuckshop is exciting especially for the younger age group we do not encourage buying large volumes of iceblocks and slushies for their friends.

If you would like your child to have a break time treat and do not carry change please use the flexischool option for ordering. The bag will go to the class like usual tuckshop and they can exchange at break time for their iceblock.

Menu items available at play break times

The tuckshop is open every day, both breaks for ordering meals, as well as over the counter sales during play break times for drinks and ice blocks.

VOLUNTEER – we would love to see you.

No formal qualifications needed and all you need to bring along is a willingness to learn and meet new people. You do not need to spend all day or volunteer regularly every week. You can volunteer for 1 hour or 1 day a month if you like. Peak times in the tuckshop are from 8.30am – 10.30am and 12.00 – 1.30pm. If you are interested, please pop by and say hello email theshop@aspleyss.com.au or jump onto Flexischools for options.

Ordering of meals, drinks and ice blocks is available via Flexischools and cut off for ordering is 8.30am daily. Please discus with your children what has been ordered at which break period to avoid confusion or disappointment on the day.

Judith Whitehead
Tuckshop Convenor

ASPLEY SHOP NEWS

Music Uniforms

Aspley State School’s performance uniform is for all members of instrumental and choral ensembles (except junior string orchestra). This performance uniform will enhance the appearance of our ensembles to look professional and polished for public performances and reflect the pride and high esteem held by our school for our talented musicians.

Please use the size guide (see link) when ordering your uniforms.

There are two ways to order:

Flexischools online ordering portal found either through our school’s website or by clicking the link below:

Orders can be placed until the cut off time of 3:50pm Sunday 2rd April 2017.

Visit the Uniform Shop to place your order. The shop does not carry this stock and orders as required. All music uniforms are to be prepaid at the time of order. Cash and eftpos accepted Monday and Wednesday 8am-11am. Last day to order Monday 3rd April 2017.

Please order in plenty of time to be sure of the correct size.

Winter Uniforms

I know it’s hard to think about fleecy jackets when it’s still 30degrees outside but please begin to think about your winter uniform requirements.

There is a 5 week leadtime on Jackets from the supplier so don’t leave it until the last minute to order! As with the Music uniforms, we do not carry a stock of these and order as required.

Orders will be taken from March 6th and need to be prepaid.

Pre-Loved Uniforms

We have a large supply of pre-owned uniforms in the shop. All are freshly washed and ready for new owners! Come in a take a look!

P&C NEWS

Volunteers Needed!

After the success of our first Mother’s Day Stall in 2016 the P&C will be running a Mother’s Day Stall for 2017 on Thursday 11th May. We are hoping the school community can provide some donations including hot chocolate/coffee sachets and individually wrapped biscuits/chocolates. Help is required prior to the day with packaging products and on the day (Thursday 11th May) or Friday 12th May (from about 8am to 9am) to serve the children on the stall.

If you can help out at all, please contact Jodie Parke on Jodie.parke@bigpond.com or 0408 392 367 or leave a note at the school office (please provide your contact details and when you are available to assist). Any donations can also be left at the school office.

SPARROWS SOCCER PROGRAM NEWS

Consider Club Soccer

A packed oval for the year’s first two training sessions shows soccer’s continuing popularity rise. We’re thrilled to be able to offer our unique program. Among benefits, Sparrows Soccer serves as an on-field confidence-builder for beginners, and provides an opportunity for students whose only touch-point with organised sport is through school.

Thank you for being patient with our volunteers during these first few weeks. Training regimes and group drill configurations are evolving as we comprehend this year’s participant numbers and skill levels, and induct new helpers.

It is always important to remember that Sparrows is not a substitute for ‘club’ sport. If you have a child who desires focussed help with his/her soccer skill development and to play competitive matches regularly, then we urge you to consider a Football Federation Australia-affiliated club in your local area.

For more information on playing football and to find a club near you visit the FFA website by clicking the link below:

Shoe & Shin-guard Swap

Football boots and shin guards are mandatory at every training session.

Has your child outgrown last year’s boots? Do you have no-longer-needed gear but no one on your ‘hand-me-down’ list? Are you cash-poor and want to test the sport first before spending money on equipment?

No problem! We’re launching our long-awaited “Big Sibling’s Boots” (shoe and shin-guard swapping system). Here’s how it works:

1. At Thursday training sessions, come along and find our Admin volunteers (ask for Carolynne Hassall and Jodie McLagan). They’ll have two large bags: one for trading second-hand shoes, the other shin-guards.
2. If you are donating, place boots/guards in a plastic bag and clearly mark the SIZE [on the bag]. Place bagged goods in the relevant receptacle.
3. If you need boots/guards, find your ideal size and away you go. Keep them until no longer needed for Sparrows Soccer, then trade them in again. (We invite you to ‘pay it forward’ by trading in your old gear, if you have some, but it’s not essential.)

Rules are: first-in, first-served! No responsibility taken whatsoever for the items traded – from a quality, fit or hygiene perspective. Please treat this as a purely goodwill initiative, which we hope helps with budget relief, breaks down barriers to sport access, and resonates as a planet-friendly, logical example of sustainable practice: reduce, re-use, recycle right?

Contacts for Sparrows information:

Kym Farrow, Class 6F teacher & Sparrows coordinator, kafar0@eq.edu.au | 07 3863 9111

Carolynne Hassall, volunteer program liaison, carolynne.h@dhconsulting.com.au | 0404 883 462

Jodie McLagan, volunteer program liaison, jodie@ozrig.com.au | 0403 186 609

CAMP AUSTRALIA NEWS

ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL

Aspley State School continues its partnership with the Brisbane city council In the Active School Travel initiative. In the 4th year of this program it aims to promote active travel to and from school and to reduce traffic in the school area through promotion and participation.

The aims of the program are to:

• Reduce congestion and improve safety of travel routes around the school
• Encourage environmentally-friendly alternatives to car travel

Every Tuesday we ask everyone to consider how they travel to and from school as part of our Active School Travel program. All students take part in a class competition and those who actively travel to school on Tuesdays will collect house points.

The Active school travel program is inclusive of involving, parents, community members and stakeholders promoting participation and longevity of the program.

Parents and caregivers play a critical role in influencing the development of a child's positive road behavior.

Lessons learned at an early age and reinforced throughout a child's schooling will have a major effect on their attitudes and behaviors for the rest of their lives. Families are encouraged to participate in Active School Travel events and initiatives and promote active and safe road behavior.

We know that everyone is different, so there are lots of ways you can actively travel to school. How will you actively travel to school?

Ideas for active travel include:

• parking a distance away from the school and walking the rest of the way (e.g. 500m/10 minute walk)
• going for a ride with your children to develop their confidence and exposure to traffic situations, as well as explaining traffic signs and signals
• travelling on public transport with your children to demonstrate correct behaviors
• nominating a day to walk, ride or scooter to school
• as a family, plan your journey to school, challenging yourself to travel a different way each time
• Carpooling with another family and sharing trips.
• Taking Public Transport – BUZ bus - The Brisbane City Council has introduced a network of 'no timetable needed' high frequency bus services known as Bus Upgrade Zone (BUZ) services. For more information click the link below:

The school data collected in 2017 demonstrates a 3% increase in the number of students who regularly travel to school actively through walking, riding, and carpooling from 2016-2017, which is great.

So Next Tuesday let’s make it a goal to Actively Travel To School!

COMMUNITY NEWS

Everton Park Rugby Union Club

All boys born in 2006 /2007 wanting to play Rugby Union, Everton Park Under 11's are looking for you!! Everton Park Rugby Union Club is offering 4 boys a season fully paid and supplying their uniform for 2107. The details for the Rugby Scholarship are as follows:

• Interest must be shown no later than the end of this week.
• The Club will pay your full season membership and supply you with the club shirt, shorts and socks to play in.
• Training is held 6:30pm Friday nights and a weekly game is on Sunday morning.
• Everton Park have only 4 scholarships to offer. The Club is offering the membership to the first 4 applications.
• Please contact Pauline Stockill pstoc8@eq.edu.au no later than the 27th of February.