Millmerran State P-10 School

19 Simmons Street,

Millmerran Qld 4357

Issue No 3

Ph: 4695 3333

N E W S L E T T E R

Email: Principal@millmerrss.eq.edu.au Website: www.millmerrss.eq.edu.au

Fax: 4695 3300

2 March 2017

Student Absence Line: 46953360

Est. 1882

From the Principal’s Desk This year’s investiture of student leaders was a wonderful celebration for our leaders, their families and the entire school community. Mayor, Councillor Paul Antonio, our P and C President Craig Antonio, James O’Neill (Principal Pittsworth SHS) and Ann Darcy (Toowoomba Regional Council Liaison Officer) presented badges and certificates to our elected leaders and Piper and Tom lead the group in accepting their pledge of office. Well done to all involved and many thanks to Tanya van Bruinessen for attention to detail in organising this event. Professional Development opportunities arise for staff throughout the year and if the opportunities relate to directly to our school improvement agenda or to the regional charter of improvement, staff are encouraged to attend. Recently 16 teachers and teacher aides updated their CPR qualification and 10 of these people also updated their first aid qualification. Last week, Tanya Shaw accompanied me to Harristown SHS where we spent the day updating ourselves with knowledge of QParents. Last year, I started talking to the P and C Association about QParents. The QParents web and mobile application provides a more convenient, easier way for parents and legal guardians of Queensland state school students to interact with their child’s school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer. QParents allows parents to connect instantly with their child’s 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

Behaviour information

Academic report cards

Class timetables

Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online

Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address

Enrolment details QParents will assist both staff and parents in sharing and responding to information in an efficient and effective way. We will be sending out invitations for parents to register for QParents in week 2 of term 2.

QParents won’t replace the traditional ways you communicate with our school, but it will provide another way to communicate with us.

In the meantime, you will receive some text messages from the school. Earlier this week you will have received an email requesting that you update your email address with the school. If both parents have emails, please provide us with both by replying to the text or sending the school an email at principal@millmerrss.eq.edu.au . On Friday of this week, you will receive a text message asking you if you would like to receive invoices by email. If the answer is yes, simply respond to the text with ‘yes’.

This week, Sharon Scheiwe, our master teacher, has had the opportunity to refresh her knowledge of OneSchool and how it can be used to plan curriculum units and schedule assessments.

Congratulations to Scott Grundon, Lucy Meddings, Tia Betts and Jye Betts who progressed to the inner downs swimming trials. Jye was also successful at that level and moves on to the Darling Downs Trials. Great fun was had by all who attended the Shooting with the Stars event at Pittsworth on Wednesday. Many thanks to Mrs Antonio and Chappee Pete for supporting our students on the day.

The state-wide Principals’ conference is on at the Gold Coast from 1 -3 March. I will be attending.

Our Year 1/2 class is visiting the show on Friday, to follow their focus on ‘Growing’, taking the chance to visit the setting up of the fresh produce displays. The P and C are again running the chip van at the show and appreciate your support to give two hours of your time to help. Please note the dates on the roster that appeared in the previous newsletter were incorrect and your help is needed on 3 and 4 March.

Next week, a team of staff will undertake a day of training focusing on “Positive Behaviour for Learning”, the program that sits behind our ‘four bees’. Congratulations to the winners of this year’s postcard competition – Kathlene Andrada, Bethany Nielsen and Charlotte Twidale. Their designs will featured on this year’s postcards for teachers to send to parents acknowledging students’ appropriate behaviour.

I look forward to catching up with many of you at the show on Saturday.

Ms Jenny Kent Principal

DATES TO REMEMBER

MARCH Friday 3………………………….…...Book Club due Friday 3……………...…………..Playgroup: 9-11am Friday 17…National Action Day Say No to bullying Monday 20……………………...…….School Photos Tuesday 21………….……………..Soul Connection Wednesday 22……………..Dance for the Fun of it! Thursday 23…………..…...Year 10—’The D Word’ Friday 24………..ICAS Form and Money Due Back Friday 24……………..Gore Interschool Sports Day Monday 27……………...….Year 10 Cemetery Visit Tuesday 28…………………….……..Cross Country Wednesday 29….……..Secondary Reports Issued Thursday 30 ………..…Toowoomba Show Holiday

Playgroup for Under 5’s

Held every Friday of the

School Term

9:00—11:00 am

In the School Hall

TUCKSHOP ROSTER TERM 1

MON 6 Mar WED 8 Mar FRI 10 Mar

Tamisha Senior Shelleen Senior

Amelia Stower

Paula McKinlay

Carol Cann

MON 13 Mar WED 15 Mar FRI 17 Mar

Lynnda Taylor Tammy Jurd Leesa Antonio

Millmerran Choir 2017 Choir has started off with a bang this year, with around 30 students attending our first few rehearsals! Choir members have been working really hard to learn the song ‘Try Everything’ by Shakira with some awesome dance moves for our premiere performance. This performance will be on parade in Week 8 – Friday the 17

th of March. We

hope to see you there! Some students still have to return their permission notes to take part in choir. Without these they will not be able to perform on the day. Thanks and have a great week, Miranda Licence

Dance For The Fun Of It looks at a multitude of different dance genres. Dance For The Fun Of It combines humour, audience participation, surprise, costume and of course dance in this most enjoyable look at dance through the centuries and most importantly today.

WHEN: Wednesday 22 March

TIME: 1.30 pm

WHERE: Millmerran State School

COST: $ 5.00 per child Maximum $15.00 per family

Please return envelope with name of child/children on

the front – money enclosed or pay at the school office.

Thankyou!

Hello to all parents. All students are working well at school and I am surprised at the amount of work they are completing. For homework students have a unit of Maths Mentals each week, which is generally corrected on Friday. Each week we have a unit of 25 spelling words to learn at school and at home. Each student is encouraged to read for half an hour each night if possible. In Mathematics we have been concentrating on the basic algorithms of operations, adding and subtracting of fractions with common and related denominators, percentages, measurement conversions and number and numeration. Students have been shown specific setting out procedures. In English we have studied several short stories and have completed writing one narrative story on the computers. Each student has conferenced with me several times and are expected to take my advice and have returned to the computer to produce their final stories. At the moment we are working on a second story which involves having to solve the problem of crossing a flooded stream. The children are keen and eager and interested in producing good final copies. Please view at the show their Cinquains which are very amusing and funny. A job well done. In Science we have been studying reversible and irreversible changes, various states of matter, cheese making and bread making process on YouTube. We are also looking at the water cycle and recycling process and studying all the vocabulary used by Scientists. In Health we have covered important concepts involved with fire safety, eye sight, hearing, dental care, healthy eating of the five food groups and the importance of regular exercise. Please view their fantastic charcoal, pastel drawings at the show which is a culmination of several lessons focused on shading, outlining, shadowing and focal prospective. The students really enjoyed their art lessons. We recently had a visit by a native bee expert who informed us that in Australia we have over 2000 stingless bees which live individually or in hives. He informed the students about the importance in our farming programs as they pollinate the flowering crops and taught us about self-pollination and cross pollination. Besides being knowledgeable he was very entertaining. All children were given the chance of tasting the honey which was sweet and tangy. Thanks John Wilkes

In Maths we have been studying and developing important concepts in fractions. 5/6N have been looking at

Data collections, and have been learning how we use data and display data for use in our society. In Science we are studying living things and have observed in the garden and the trees the various bugs, insects, animals and birds which are in our school ground environment. We enjoyed the entertaining and knowledgeable talk given by the native bee presenter. In our show work, year 6 wrote Cinquain poems while year 5’s wrote Acrostic poem. A lot of time was spent searching for just the right words to make our poems our very best. Our Acrostic poem was SHOWDAY. Please take the time to view our work at the show. We also spent many fun afternoons working on our pastel/charcoal drawings of a country landscape. In English the focus for all classes is on reading. The students in groups of 4 or 5 undertake specific activities to improve their decoding skills, fluency and their comprehension of reading passages. All parents can help in this process by supporting their children at home encouraging them to read for half an hour each night. Thank you 5/6N

School Photos

Monday March 20th

8.30 am- School Captains - Formal Uniform Change into school uniform for class photos. 8.40 am- Band- with instruments BE ON TIME! Thankyou.

Swimming Lessons

Thankyou Parents for your wonderful

assistance during swimming lessons.

We have 3 weeks left of lessons and need

your continued support!

We appreciate your time and effort!

Manual Arts 1. Safety 2. Accuracy through concentration 3. Designing 4. Creating 5. High work ethic

Term 1

Year 7 and 8 - The first four weeks of the term has been spent introducing students to the computer graphics program Autodesk Inventor. The year 7 students each designed and created a child’s toy. Whereas the year 8 students created key elements of a teenagers bedroom. Students learned how to work to scale while being creative, the end products of students work was very successful.

The year 7 and 8 students have now moved into the workshop where they have been introduced to the essential safety rules that will keep them safe in, what can be, a dangerous environment.

Year 7 students are currently creating a helicopter and when they finish that they will be making a truck.

Year 8 students are creating a turtle shaped pot holder after which they will make a pencil box.

Year 9 students have been working on a timber tray, when they finish this they will be making a hinged timber pencil box.

Year 10 students have been working on a hinged timber toolbox.

Congratulations to all students in Manual Arts, you are all keen to work and doing an excellent job.

Rebecca Stark

Meet the New Staff Member

Tanya Shaw

I was born in Sydney, NSW and have lived in many places including on a Thoroughbred Horse Farm in

Kentucky, USA for 4 years. My husband Jamie and I owned and managed an Australian Stock Horse

Stud in Tamworth for a number of years and have now made Millmerran our home. I am a qualified swim

teacher and personal trainer and we currently run Shaw’s Swim School from our home. I have two

gorgeous boys, Jackson Year 8 and Mack Year 1. We love to camp, fish and travel for sporting events. I

am currently training for a 50km ultra trail run through the Blue Mountains in May. It’s a tough event but

you never know what you are capable of until you have a go!

Wear Crazy Hair…

if you dare! Don’t be bullied for being crazy or different.

Lets come together on March 17th and say no to bullying!!!

We are all different and we don’t even

care!!!

Stop

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StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!! Stop

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!!!Stop

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!!!Stop

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!!!Stop

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StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!!StopBullyingNow!!!

If people are trying to bring you DOWN it

only means that you are above them.

Dear bully,

Guess what? You no longer have any power over me

A bully baffler

Shakira Hardimon and Bethany Farrington

School Cross Country 2017

Tuesday March 28th - Millmerran Golf Club - 9 years through to High School students

Leaving school at 9:00 am to walk to the Golf Club

9.30am 9-10 year old Girls and Boys - 2km

9.50am 11-12 year old Girls and Boys - 3km

10.20am 13-16 year old Girls - 3km

10.55am 13-16 year old Boys - 4km

Presentations / Clean up / Walk back to school

Tuesday March 28th – School Oval- Lower Primary Fun Run- Prep to Year 3- 2:00 pm start.

Students will be doing the following ‘Walk around the Cross Country Course’ either Week 8 or Week 9. This

will help them to feel confident about running the course on the day.

Staff will be positioned at Checkpoints around the course to direct and assist runners.

Coloured ribbon/Markers will also direct runners around the Parents are welcome to attend both events on

the day.

It is the students’ responsibility to wear school uniform, hat (a cap is only acceptable for the race), sunscreen

and appropriate joggers.

Remember to bring cold water bottles, insect repellent and snack food.

Training will begin on the school oval Monday and Friday mornings at 8.30 am.

Looking forward to a great day!

Day/Time Classes Supervisors Site

WEEK 8 Monday 13th 12:00 pm

Year 7 Kate Anderson Rebecca Stark

Millmerran Golf Course

Monday 13th 1:30 pm

Year 8 and Year 10 Tanya Van Bruinessen Kate Anderson Rebecca Stark

Millmerran Golf Course

Wednesday 15th 9:00 am Year 9 Tanya Van Kate Anderson

Millmerran Golf Course

WEEK 9 Tuesday 21st 9:00 am

Prep, Prep/1D, 1/2 T Tanya Van School Oval

Tuesday 21st 9:20 am 1/2T, 2/3L, 3H Tanya Van School Oval

Tuesday 21st 1:15 pm Year 3 students who are 9 year olds, 4D, 4/5 R

Tanya Van Melita Rorlach Jo Dines

Millmerran Golf Course

Wednesday 22nd 1:15 pm Year 5/6 N, 6W Tanya Van Pearta Nolan John Wilkes

Millmerran Golf Course

Parents are welcome to join us for the walk through!

Millmerran State School Monday 20th March, 2017

CHIP VAN ROSTER FOR MILLMERRAN SHOW- 2017

TIME SATURDAY 04.03.17 SUNDAY 05.03.17

10 – 12PM

Paula McKinlay

Craig Antonio

Kylie Kirby

Craig Antonio

Donna Atthow

Kris Dent

12 – 2PM

Clean Up Sunday

Maria Fraser

Lesa Casey

Tammy Jurd

Mary Tosswill

Mark Twidale

2—4PM

Rebecca Kirby

Sharon Graham

Tricia-Ann Gridler

4 – 6PM

Dean Grundon

Jenny Kent

Karyn Commens

6 – 8PM

Natasha Sauverain

Ainslie Elborne

Leah Collins

8 - CLOSE Ian Atthow

Leila Webster

TIME FRIDAY 03.03.17

3 – 5PM

Set up

Dewayne Gibbs

Rod Dent

2017 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ASSESSMENTS

Once again this year we offer students the opportunity to participate in these International Competitions. Students may chose to do all or any number of assessments offered, or to simply choose the subject they enjoy the most. Participating gives students another experience in testing conditions and helps to build up confidence in these situations. Every student entering ICAS receives a certificate acknowledging their participation.

Please write your child’s/children’s name in the column next to the Learning Area in which you would like them to participate. Please send total payment of cash/cheque by Friday 24

th March. to the school office with completed

form in an envelope marked with student names.

Learning Area Date Year Level Cost Name of Student sitting test.

Digital Technologies Wednesday 24 May

3 to 10 $ 8.00 1 2

Science Wednesday 31 May

2 to 10 $ 8.00 1 2

Spelling Wednesday 14 June

3 to 7 $ 11.00 1 2

Writing- Wednesday 13 June

3 to 10 $ 17.00 1 2

English Wednesday 2 August

2 to 10 $ 8.00 1 2

Mathematics Wednesday 16 August

2 to 10 $ 8.00 1 2

TOTAL MONEY ENCLOSED

$