Barkly Highway State School - Term 4 Week 2
Principal's Welcome
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
This week, I have attended the 2022 Principals’ Conference and Business Day in Brisbane with over 1 400 Queensland state school principals and senior education leaders who gathered from all over the state. While this was a valuable opportunity to network with fellow principals, the work on the second day included collaboration and providing feedback on system strategies which had been presented on day 1 of the conference. This is going to be a work in progress to ensure a progressive, high performing education system realising the potential of every student is in place for the future.
DATA ANALYSIS
This term we have commenced the analysis of current school data reflecting the learning that has occurred up to and including Term 3. This will provide the evidence of the strategies that are in place and includes -reading benchmark data, Mathematics and the 2022 School Opinion Survey.
During Term 4 each year, the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) for the year is reviewed to map out the AIP targets and strategies for the following year. The 2022 data analysis informs the AIP that will be presented to the P&C in 2023.
Are you going to Rock Pop Mime on Friday evening? Our junior and senior rock pop teams and staff have been committed with practising all of term 3. Thank you everyone for supporting our students who are excited to finally be on stage in costumes and under the bright lights!
Twenty-nine Year 6 students with Miss Connolly and Mr Benson are attending Tallebudgera camp next week. The activities have been confirmed and students have had a meeting with the camp staff online to set the scene for their week on the Gold Coast.
Looking forward to hearing of their adventures on their return.
Kind regards,
Fiona Kropp
Deputy's Report
NEW ROADWAYS BEHAVIOUR MONITORING SYSTEM
The MP Transport and Main Roads has let all Queensland schools know that Main Roads will be trialling a new Roadways Behaviour Monitoring System at selected Queensland schools.
“In a world-first road safety initiative, new speed camera technology will soon target speeding drivers at selected school zones across Queensland.
Everyone has a role in keeping our roads safe. It is imperative drivers reduce their speed to the signed 40 km/h speed limit and be aware of activity by students on or near the road.
Speed cameras will only operate during school zone times at the selected schools.
Parents, and carers dropping off or picking up students are urged to comply with school zone speed limits. Those who slow down will not be penalised.
To find out more about practical tips for parents/carers and resources for teaching children about travelling safely to and from school click on the link below:
QUEENSLAND MENTAL HEALTH WEEK
This week is about shining the spotlight on mental health and wellbeing and this year’s theme of awareness, belonging and connection reflects the factors that help us maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.
Awareness is about understanding the things we need to maintain and boost our mental health.
Belonging is about looking out for each other, ensuring we feel safe and supported.
Connection is about our relationships with friends, families, groups and networks to keep us happy and healthy.
“Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. This is a time when rapid growth and development take place in the brain. Children and adolescents acquire cognitive and social-emotional skills that shape their future mental health and are important for assuming adult roles in society.” – WHO
Imagine if all children were taught about mental health from a young age – how to cope with big emotions, what helps make us feel good and the importance of taking time to engage in these activities, and what to do when times are tough.
Mental health promotion is all about creating environments that promote and sustain positive mental health for everyone.”
‘It's important that you understand the difference between mental health and mental illness. ‘Mental health’ is often used as a substitute for mental health conditions – such as depression, anxiety conditions, schizophrenia, and others. But, everyone with a brain has mental health, just as everyone with a body has physical health. According to the World Health Organization, mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. It's important to know that everyone’s mental health varies during their life and can move back and forth along their own personal range between positive and healthy at one end through to severe symptoms or conditions that impact on everyday life at the other, in response to different stressors and experiences.’ (NB: Information sourced from QMHW website)
To find out what is happening in our local area and the contact details for event organisers, visit the QMHW website 'Search events' page:
Kind regards,
Cheryl Gallagher
Swimming in 2 Blue
Library News
The term has well and truly started and we are busy in the library.
We received our Premier’s Reading Challenge Certificates earlier this week and they were handed out to students. Congratulations to all our students who completed the Challenge!
Book Club Issue #7 brochures went home on Monday. There are some great Christmas Reading ideas this time around. If you wish to order, please ensure your order is paid via Credit Card through LOOP (see order form in the brochure) or cash with the order form to the office by tomorrow.
We also have our Book Fair coming in Week 5!
We will be open 8.00-3.00 Monday -Thursday and 8.00-11.00 on Friday. Students will have an opportunity to browse our Fair with their class and also during lunch breaks. They might write a wish list to bring home. We always stress that this is not an obligation to buy. We would love to see our families come in and browse the Book Fair together, if you can and share the excitement of books with them. Hope to see you there!
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries you may have.
Kind Regards,
Svenja Spitzner-Lewis
Before School - Pump Track
Recently, we were made aware of a few Barkly Highway SS students littering and being disrespectful to equipment and others around the Pump Track of a morning. We please ask that you encourage your children to come straight to school and clean up after themselves as this reflects poorly on our school.
Events & Flyers
Want to know what's happening within the school? Check out our School Calendar to keep up to date.
https://barklyhighwayss.schoolzineplus.com/calendar/1
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barklyhighwaystateschool
