Barkly Highway State School - Term 2 Week 4
Principal's Welcome
Each Monday afternoon, we hold our whole school parade to which our school community is invited. From the beginning of term 2 our Prep classes have been attending parade regularly. On each of our weekly parades, “Student of the Week” Certificates are presented to a student from each class selected by classroom teachers and at times, to students who are being acknowledged for by other staff. The certificates each week recognise student’s accomplishments which are generally linked to our school values and social skill of the week.
On this week’s parade, students Karmah Smith (3R) and Isabella Dyer (5/6 Green) were recognised by their classroom teachers for their innate display of the quality of kindness. A behaviour marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward. Congratulations, Karmah and Bella!
Kindness has also been experienced in the Mount Isa community. This week, Miss Samios was surprised by a “random act of kindness” when she ordered her morning coffee. She was very surprised to be informed that she did not need to pay for her coffee, as the people in the car in front of her had paid for her. This simple gesture of kindness is shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve one’s mood. As we acknowledge Do it for Dolly Day tomorrow at school I challenge everyone to spread kindness, take a stand against bullying and dress in blue. #bekind #doitfordolly #speakevenifyourvoiceshakes
School Priority: Consolidating Effective Teaching & Learning in Reading
This term we have been focusing on our strategies in the area “Consolidating Effective Teaching & Learning in Reading”, one of our three focus areas of our Annual Implementation Plan. The strategy - to continue participation in the Region’s Moderation Project has seen Miss Freestone and Miss Wehlow continuing their learning at the Centre for Learning and Wellbeing (CLaW) located in Miles Street. This will ensure that we have staff who can provide expertise in this priority area before our planned Moderation days at school and across the Mount Isa district. This term, teachers are moderating both Mathematics and English assessment tasks.
We are committed to ensure that all students move forward in their learning and that individual feedback / feed forward sets-up our children for their next steps in their learning. Valuable opportunities to reflect on teaching, strengthens our staff capacity to be great teachers and this is truly the most important space to invest.
Don’t forget – KEEP OUR SCHOOL SAFE. If you see anything suspicious around our school, please ring School Watch on 13 17 88.
Look forward to catching-up with families around the school.
Deputy's Report
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ASSESSMENTS FOR SCHOOLS (ICAS)
Every year students in Years 3 - 6 (Writing Year 4 – 6 only) are given the opportunity to nominate for the external online testing provided by ICAS in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Spelling and Writing.
We are using their fully automated Parent Payment System again this year, where parents can pay for the ICAS assessments you want your children to participate in directly to ICAS Assessments. We would like payments made by Sunday 25 July so preparations can be made at school for the assessments to occur. A letter is being sent home for year 3-6 students this week about the Parent Payment System.
Attendance- Everyday Counts!
Did you know? Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.
Why is regular attendance at school important? Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day.
- they learn better
- they make friends
- they are happier
- they have a brighter future.
Our school’s attendance data is regularly analysed and discussed with students. The ‘Every Day Counts’ strategy is integrated into discussions so that our students are aware of the importance of being at school every day. The school, classroom and students track attendance data each week.
The first weeks of Term 2 has seen our attendance data below the school target of 95%. Our end of Term 1 attendance data was 90.8%. Week 3 attendance data was 90.5%. Individual classes celebrate and acknowledge 100% attendance each day this occurs. At the end of each term we acknowledge student attendance.
4 Gold - Maths Inquiry
This year 4 Gold has participated in a Maths inquiry event each Friday. Over the past 2 weeks, we have been faced with a challenge to unlock the secret chest to reveal the grand challenge and participated in a Maths Olympics. Both events were designed for students to revise learnt mathematics concepts taught, work together in a team, and of course have a tone of fun! 4 Gold looks forward to their Friday challenges. I wonder what this week's will be!
Best of Brass & Barkly Band
The Barkly Highway SS Concert Band (Barkly Band) had their first rehearsal on Monday May 10, and we were very lucky to have the professional quintet Best of Brass (BoB) join us. BoB were in town over the weekend in the first of a series of workshops in the lead up to the Mount Isa Community Ensemble’s (MICE) Symphony Under the Outback Stars, a gala event in October that will also involve all school instrumental students from both the Woodwind/Brass/Percussion and Strings programs, as well as choirs. The Barkly Band, though small, has some dedicated students who are going to be working hard to get ready for this concert, where they will share the stage with musicians from all the other primary schools in town, which is a great opportunity to build their performance skills and experience. The Barkly Band rehearses every Monday morning in the Music Room from 7:40am-8:20am.
Front: Lorraine (Clarinet), Griffynn (Flute), Chase (Percussion), Claire (Flute).
Back : Warwick Tyrrell (Trombone), Danielle Rich (Trumpet), Chris Hudson (Trumpet), Greg Aitken (Bass Trombone), Deborah Jender (French Horn).
Library News
There are some great reading opportunities available this term for our students and wider school community.
Our school is participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, which has started this week and will go through to the 27th of August. We encourage all students to participate by recording the books they read. Prep-Year 2 will read 20 books as a class, while Year 3-4 students will have to record 20 books and Year 5-6 students will record 15 books individually during the reading period. Following the challenge, students who have completed their Reading Record sheet with the required number of books, will receive a certificate from the Premier.
Also, May is Scholastic National Family Reading Month and you can still participate here:
https://www.scholastic.com.au/scholastic-in-the-community/national-family-reading-month-2021/
National Simultaneous Storytime will take place on Wednesday 19 May 2021 at 11:00am from the International Space Station “Give Me Some Space” , written and illustrated by Philip Bunting. Everyone can join NSS, it doesn't matter whether you are at home, a school, a public library or even a university library! Register to participate - (it's free) https://www.alia.org.au/nss
Book Club Issue #3 orders were submitted last week and we are now awaiting their arrival.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries you may have.
Kind Regards,
Svenja
The Arts
Opera Qld and Choir
On Wednesday 28 April, Opera QLD came to our school to join selected choir students for a half day workshop leading up to their upcoming performance touring: 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'. The choir students were very ecstatic to be joined by these amazing professionals and even got a little suprise performance by Miss Sophia! Next week is the performance night which is a free event and starts at 6.30pm. Our choir students are very excited for this and hope to see you there!
MICE Poetry Competition
Students in our school including students in year 4 will be submitting their entries to the Mount Isa Community Ensembles poetry competition this week. We are very excited to see the outcome of this and to see if our students get selected to have their poems put into a song for Mount Isa's musicians. Everyone has done a great job regardless of the outcome and we are proud of their efforts!
Mount Isa District Cross Country
Mount Isa District Cross-County
Congratulations to the Barkly Highway State School Cross-Country Team!
This year, the Mount Isa District Cross-Country was held at the golf course on Thursday 29 April. All schools from the Mount Isa area were represented. As always, it was a tough course, but every student ran very well and represented Barkly Highway State School with pride. As a team, we won the Mount Isa District Cross-Country shield. The first 3 finishers from each age level received ribbons on the day. The Mount Isa Cross Country Team, who will be made up of the first 2 finishers from each age level, will head to Normanton and compete June 5.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) takes place every year. The NCCD is a collection that counts:
•the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability
•the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students.
Students are counted in the NCCD if they receive ongoing adjustments at school due to disability. This ‘help’ allows them to access education on the same basis as a child without disability. The NCCD uses the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
Please see flyer attached for more information.
P&C Association
Bicycles
Respecting and Caring for Belongings:
To prevent theft, if your child brings a bike to school please:
1. Provide a lock so that they can lock their bike up in the bike area.
2. Remind your child to make sure their bike is locked before they leave the bike area.
PCYC - OHSC
PCYC are looking for casual educators. If you are passionate about working with children and would enjoy a flexible work environment, please apply.
Blue card is essential.
Experience preferred but not necessary.