Barkly Highway State School - Term 3 Week 4
Principal's Welcome
YEAR 6 to 7 - ACADEMIC TRANSITION
On Friday of week 3, Cameron Alley (HOD:C Y3-6) and I joined with other primary and Spinifex State College principals and identified middle leaders to work collaboratively as a team with system leaders. We analysed cluster and individual school data, identified Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) Action Plan and prepared for Learning Walk and Talks (with a focus on English Learning Walls and 5Q4 – Students) commencing at our school in year 5/6 classrooms on Wednesday this week.
The formation of this CLC in Mount Isa has evolved after a number of very successful collaborations occurring between Mount Isa schools, including Project 1000 and Community of Practices (COP). An initiative of the 2023 Equity and Excellence Educational Strategy, School Improvement Coaches (SICs), have been onboarded in 2024 providing the opportunity to evolve the next collective piece of work centred on the academic transition of students from year 6 to year 7 into the new format from the EFI called a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC).
The CLC work is narrow and sharp, linked to each school’s Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) and an agreed action plan. It requires a commitment from each participant to engage in the process, working toward common goals linked to the current work schools are engaged in, centred on internal and external moderation (within and between primary schools and the secondary school) so that all students experience common practices around academic routines, assessment literacy, marking guides and learning walls.
I am extremely proud of the ongoing commitment from all staff, who continue with the right work at Barkly Highway State School, providing teaching and learning opportunities, which support our academic improvement journey. Our students and teachers welcome professional teams into their classrooms to focus on school-wide rather than individual improvement addressing the identified “problem of practice” which this time is linked to Academic Transition for our year 6 to year 7 transition.
Looking forward to keeping you informed over the next 18 months of this important work across Mount Isa State Schools.
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER – LIQUIDATION UPDATE
We have received confirmation that an encrypted USB with the 2024 school photographs has been sent to the school. We will keep you informed with further information as it becomes available.
Kind regards,
Fiona Kropp
K-2 Deputy's News
Attendance
We have really hit the ground running with Term 3. Our P-2 attendance is currently sitting slightly down from last term at 89%. Remember every day counts and valuable teaching and learning is occurring in every classroom every day. Give your child the best chance of success in the classroom and into their future by ensuring they attend school every day! Don’t forget, if your child is away, let your classroom teacher know, use the absentee line or reply to the text message you receive on your mobile so that we can keep to our target of 0 unexplained absences.
Spotlighting Barkly Highway State School
This week we have had a number of teachers come through our school to view the amazing work happening in our Prep – Year 2 classrooms. Some of these teachers came all the way from the east coast! Our visitors were impressed by the creative, interactive learning spaces in our classrooms, the evidence of student interests highlighted within the classroom spaces, the high standard of student work and the approachable and welcoming demeanour of our staff and students alike. A big thank you to our Prep – Year 2 teachers for opening their classrooms and being so generous with their time to support these visiting teachers. Well done Barkly Highway!
Kind regards,
Yvette Wehlow
Mrs Roberts Report
Rodeo Fever
Wear your best Rodeo outfit to school next Tuesday, 6 August - we will have a whole school parade at 10:00. Rodeo Ambassadors, Tonka and Aimee Sewell will bring along 'Blondie' and 'Chainsaw' for some rodeo fun. Students will parade their outfits and the Rodeo Crew will choose best dressed from the junior and senior school.
Is your child able to participate in the street festival? We would love to have them join our staff in the 100 years MIM Isa Street Festival on Wednesday 7 August, flyer attached. We have asked students to meet near Splashez Aquatic Centre between 5:30-5:45, look for our school banner. Please return permission forms to the office.
Have you seen our foyer display? This year we wanted to get fun and creative and join in on the spirit of Rodeo season! We have entered in the, 2024 Elders Best Dressed Premises. I would like to thank all the staff who helped me get our entry ready. Judging day is tomorrow!
STARLAB Education
Starlab Education provides an inspiring astronomy and earth science program aligned with the Australian Curriculum. Last week we hosted a Cosmodome Science Theatre in The Arts classroom. The Cosmodome is an igloo-shaped dome that the students enter, inside presenters use lasers to guide the students through a range of day and night sky demonstrations discovering planets, the moon, stars and constellations. Starlab was funded by the Rural Remote Education Access Program (REAP) a cluster fund between Mount Isa state primary schools.
Library News
Book Week & Book Week Parade
What is Book Week?
Each year, schools and public libraries across Australia spend a week celebrating books and in particular Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading. This year’s theme is “Reading is Magic”.
Book Week Parade
On Friday, 23 August 2024, students have the opportunity to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. At 8:30, everyone will gather in the Undercover Area for our Book Week parade. The best dressed student from each class will win a prize. Over the years students made and displayed wonderful and resourceful costumes of an amazing variety of Book Characters. We can’t wait to see all of the fantastic costumes and the students of Barkly Highway State School transform into their favourite book characters.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries you may have.
Kind regards,
Svenja Spitzner-Lewis
NWSS Soccer State Championships
This week 6 students from Barkly Highway SS have travelled over to Townsville after being selected in the North West School Sport team competing at the Soccer State Championships. We wish them all the best of luck over the next couple of days.
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
