Goondi SS Newsletter 28th April 2021

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Term 2.  We have a busy term ahead of us and I look forward to seeing our students succeed with their efforts in all of our fantastic classes.  This term we are all very keen to get back to normal as we put the effects brought on by last term’s vandalism behind us.  I would like to thank our community again for all of the support our school received throughout what was an extremely challenging term for everyone.

As we begin the term, the focus for our Year 3 and 5 teachers is clearly on NAPLAN testing which will occur in mid-May. Over the next three weeks in the lead up to the tests, teachers will be concentrating on consolidating core skills and providing opportunities for students to become ‘test ready’.  This ensures that all students are comfortable with the actual format and look of the NAPLAN tests, especially our Year 3 students as this is a new experience for them.

Our Spell-a-thon also takes place this term and all students in P-6 participate. Spelling lists and sponsorship envelopes will be sent home after NAPLAN testing.  As you may already be aware, this is our P&C’s best fundraiser for the year.  Last year, due to COVID, the Spell-a-thon did not take place and we look forward to the successful return of this event in 2021.  Please support our P&C as they work hard to ensure Goondi continues to thrive. 

This term we will see our athletics carnival take place.  We are hopeful that the weather will soon clear so that training can begin at full speed for this event.

Finally, the term concludes with assessment and reporting for Semester One.  At the end of the term, student report cards will be sent home.  In the mean-time, please contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.  The sooner a problem is highlighted, the easier it is to find a solution. 

The term is set to be busy but there is already a sense of purpose and commitment that can be felt as we move around the school.  

Regards,

Peter Begemann

Principal

Other School News

TERM 2 CALENDAR

School Events

Mon 3^rd May - May Day Public Holiday

Tue-Thurs 11^th-13^th May – NAPLAN Testing

Tue May 18^th – Beginner Band Workshop at ISC

Mon 17^th May, Mon 21^st Jun – P&C Meetings at 5:30pm

Sport Events

Fri 7^th May – District Cross Country at Warrina Lakes

Wed 16^th Jun – Inter-House 200m, 800m, shotput

Fri 18^th Jun – Inter-House Athletics Carnival

DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY

The District Cross-Country will be held on Friday 7^th May at Warrina Lakes commencing at 9:00am. Selected 10, 11 and 12 year old students from our school will compete for places in the Innisfail district team to contest the Peninsula Championships later in the term.

Goodluck!

ROAD SAFETY

A reminder to all our parents and carers to remain aware of road safety at school drop off and pick up times.  It is essential that we teach and model safe conduct around road traffic, by always using the school crossing and never allowing children to walk between parked cars at these busy times of the day.  I thank you all for your cooperation and help as we place the safety of our students as top priority. 

ANZAC COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONY

Last Friday Goondi held its school ANZAC Ceremony.  The ceremony was co-ordinated and run by our Year 6 students under the guidance of Mrs Cunningham and the Year 6 team.  The ceremony was both moving and respectful and we are thankful to our students and guests for their participation.  Our students are to be congratulated for their exemplary conduct.  The Year 6 student council did a fantastic job in running the ceremony and spoke incredibly well.

We were joined by Ron Henderson from Innisfail RSL who delivered the Anzac Day address. In his address, Mr Henderson spoke of the ANZAC spirit and recognised the service and commitment of the troops who landed at Gallipoli 106 years ago and also in the wars, conflicts and peace keeping missions since.   

ANZAC DAY MARCH

On Sunday, Goondi attended a very wet ANZAC day march through Innisfail.  While the weather, driveway ceremonies and long weekend kept attendance somewhat lower this year, Goondi was still represented by over 60 students and many staff.  I would like thank our students, staff, parents and carers for coming to pay their respects and represent our school on the day.

NAPLAN TESTING

In mid-May all schools throughout Australia will participate in NAPLAN testing. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit a number of literacy and numeracy tests over a three day period. These tests will occur on the 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th of May. The timetable below outlines the test areas, dates and test durations.

NAPLAN tests assess the literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning through our school curriculum and which they need to progress through school and life.  In the lead up to NAPLAN testing, our teachers will ensure that students are familiar with the test formats and have the appropriate support and guidance. As parents and carers you can assist by reassuring your child that NAPLAN tests are just one part of their school program, and to urge them to simply do the best they can.

NAPLAN testing is aligned to the Australian Curriculum.

Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN testing by their parent/carer. This is a matter for consideration by individual parents/carers in consultation with the school.  Please contact your class teacher for details.

If you have any queries or concerns regarding NAPLAN testing, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or the school administration.

Parents and carers often ask how they can assist their children to ensure they perform well in the tests. There is no real studying for the tests as most of the concepts and skills tested have been taught and consolidated a number of times. Parents can help however by ensuring the following 3 steps are followed.

1.     A Good Night’s Sleep – It is important that students get a good night’s sleep before each of        the tests. Research recommends a minimum of 9 hours a night for children’s brains to develop properly. Students need to be well rested so that they are alert and ready at the commencement of the day.

2.     A Healthy Breakfast and Lunch – The most important meal of the day is even more crucial on testing days. Ensure that students have a substantial breakfast and healthy lunch so that they have sufficient energy to carry them through the testing periods. Avoid those processed foods that are high in sugar and result in spikes in blood sugar levels, followed by a drop in energy.

3.     Reassurance – Reassure your child that there is nothing new in the tests.  All the questions are based around work covered in class at some point.  All we ask is that they give it their very best shot.

Prep News

Prep A, B and C have settled well into Term 2.  We are learning digraphs at the end of words with Letterland, new sight words, reading groups have started and we are learning more about shapes and addition.  We have introduced Science which is learning about the weather, HASS which is history, learning about My Family and Geography which is learning about maps and location. Lots of fun and learning this term.

From the Prep Team, Miss Perham, Mrs McSwan, Mrs Bird, Mrs Pike, Miss Knight, Mrs Kleve and Mrs Tanti.

Year 1 News

Welcome back to what will be another busy term here in Grade 1.  Homework has begun this week again so please remember to test your child on their weekly spelling words, sign their home reading and help them learn their sight words.

In Maths, we have been focusing on reading and writing addition sentences, counting groups of 10c coins and revising teen numbers.  Students are also trying really hard to improve the speed and accuracy of their addition facts such as doubles and rainbow facts.  Ask your child some when you get free time.

In English ,this term the focus genre is narrative.  We have been busy writing character profiles for our main characters and learning how to write descriptive settings for an audience.  This week the students will write a narrative that has 'The Very Blue Thingamajig' as the main character.  Ask your child to describe the Very Blue Thingamajig for you. 

Have a great week.

Leigh, Hayley and Fiona

Year 2 News

Welcome back to Term 2.  We are looking forward to an exciting and interesting term!

Last week we were introduced to new units that we will be learning.  In English we have started on our Information Reports about Australian animals. We are writing about their habitats, description, classification and learning interesting facts.

In Maths we are focusing on simple transactions, grouping tens, and quarter and half turns. 

Our Science unit this term sees us exploring Earth’s natural resources and how they can be used in a variety of different ways.

We are looking forward to an exciting term.

All our best, Miss Mollenhagen, Mrs Hollywood and Mrs Spataro.

Year 3 News

Term 2 is already in full swing for Year 3 as we revise concepts ready for our Naplan test in Week 4. Until Naplan, English will consist of Narrative and Exposition genres, ensuring students understand and remember the structure for both. Spelling homework is important, in addition to applying the rules they learn from the Spelling Mastery lessons.

Fractions, Measurement, Location and Money are the topics covered first up in Mathematics. The focus times tables are the fours and nines, doubles and rainbow facts. We are squeezing in fun little mini lessons to consolidate our learning also.

Our Science unit this term is ‘The Sun, Earth and Moon’ where we discover the sizes of these three spheres and see how small we really are.

In Technology, we are getting closer at starting our own guessing game using coding.

HASS, is a special unit looking at important days and events that Australia and the World celebrate and commemorate. We started last week with Anzac Day.

Until next time,

Robyn, Janelle, Paula and Lizette.

Class 3/4 and 4A News

Welcome back! We trust families have had a safe and enjoyable break and are ready to get back into some normality this term.

Take a look at what we will be working on:

English: We are focussing on historical recount writing, in which students transport themselves back in time to the 1700’s and recount events that relate to the life of a convict. This is supported by our novel study this term ‘Tom Appleby Convict Boy’ written by Jackie French.

Maths: We are building on concepts and extending knowledge in the strands of number and algebra, measurement and geometry and chance and data.

Science: We are learning about the affects of both contact and non-contact forces, and will participate in an inquiry project in which students design and build a contraption used to protect an egg from breaking when dropped from an elevated platform.

HASS: We are learning about early European exploration, investigating the many explorers and reasons for exploration, with a focus on the lead up to the First Fleet arriving in Australia.

Many thanks, Kath Long and Lisa Paterson.

Year 5 News

Welcome to Term Two!

It’s great to see the students coming back from the holidays, ready to begin another busy term. This term in English, we are continuing to revise narrative and exposition in preparation for the NAPLAN test.

In Geography, the students will be learning about how people change the natural environment in Australia and other places around the world.

In Science, we will consider Earth as a component within a solar system and use models for investigating systems at astronomical scales. Students will understand that Earth is part of a system of planets and other celestial bodies, orbiting around a star. 

We look forward to another enjoyable term at Goondi,

Emily Pilgrim, Rebecca Nolan and Kerry Cameron.

Year 6 News

Welcome to Term Two!

It’s great to see the students coming back from the holidays ready to begin another busy term. 

The school ANZAC ceremony certainly took on a new meaning for our Year 6 students this term, after exploring the realities of war for the ANZACs during English throughout the first term. Congratulations to all students who had active roles in the school ANZAC ceremony, and thank you to those students who spent time researching soldiers and medals to creative an impressive, informative display for the ceremony as well.

This term in English, our theme is "Survival". We have started reading the exciting story “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, and begun learning about the unique language features required to create a well-written, engaging and entertaining narrative.

In Maths, we have been revising numbers in the tenths, hundredths and thousandths places, have been studying timetables, and have continued problem solving using the Bar Model.

In HASS, students will be using their inquiry skills to learn about Diversity Across Asia this term, and will also learn some explicit skills such as finding absolute location using latitude and longitude.

In Science, Year Six has begun looking at “Life on Earth” by learning about mould. Can you think of any times that mould is beneficial and helpful? Ask your child if you can't think of any!  

We look forward to another enjoyable term at Goondi.  

Cheers for now, 

Marica Cunningham, Aaron Harbour, Melanie Worth and Janette McClelland. 

The Arts

This term The Arts is focused on the learning area of Drama.  All students will attend fortnightly lessons that combine guided performative play with active storytelling. Encouraging self-expression, imagination, confidence and creativity, each class will include group activities, with an emphasis on active participation and having fun. Drama will allow students to explore key dramatic elements such as conflict, tension, problems, and emotions, and are encouraged to use their voices, faces, and bodies to communicate and express themselves. Already we have started working together to explore skills and techniques including mime, improvisation, role-plays and narrating dramatic action to bring stories to life.  They have particularly enjoyed game-playing using characters that react and relate to each other in dramatic scenes and scenarios. I am looking forward to seeing the progression of our students’ confidence as more performative techniques are taught throughout the term.

Francesca Rosa

The Arts

ArtHUB has been buzzing with Art action already, with eighteen students enrolling for the term. Students participating will be exposed to a range of artmaking activities with particular emphasis on experimentation of materials. ArtHUB this term is focused on the theme of ‘Portraiture’. Every week students will demonstrate their skill in portraying a variety of portrait styles. This week they were exposed to the concept of ‘Automatic Drawing’ and were asked to draw an abstract linear portrait without looking at their paper or lifting their pencil. A challenging task - however some brilliant drawings were created! Well done ArtHUB!

Francesca Rosa | ArtHUB Coordinator

LOTE News

Bentornati (Welcome back).  The years 5 and 6 Italian classes at Goondi State School are focusing on furthering their knowledge of the Italian language by speaking, writing and listening to new words, phrases and sentences.

Year 5 students are learning how to answer the question Dove abiti? (Where do you live?) and how to talk about pets.  Year 6 students are learning about La mia giornata (My day) and furthering their knowledge of Italian nouns, verbs and adjectives.  They are describing their daily, school day routines.  Students are using phrases and/or sentences to do this.  All students are also learning songs to enhance their pronunciation.

The bookwork standard shown in their exercise books is pleasing.  Feedback and assistance is given to students regularly.  Continue encouraging your child to speak Italian with you and discuss what they are learning.

Arrivederci (Goodbye)

Signora Lazzarini

Library News

I am happy to announce we have a team of avid readers who will be representing the school at the FNQ Reader’s Cup regional final, which will take place in Cairns on the 10th of June. Congratulations go to Reyne, Norpreet, Tanveer and Sienna P for being chosen to take part in the challenge. The girls are all in Year 6 and have six novels to read for the challenge ahead of them.

I am in desperate need of help in the library with book covering.  If you are able to spare a few hours each week to assist with covering please come and speak with me in the library where I work every Thursday and Friday.  Alternatively you can ring the school office and leave a message and I will get back to you.  The children are always keen to read new books and any help will be greatly appreciated.

Keep on reading!

Ms Green

Community News

Well Women’s Clinic - Innisfail Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Monday 17^th May 2021

Service includes Cervical Screening Tests (Pap Smears), Sexual Health Screening, Breast Awareness, also info on Contraception, Continence, Menopause, Lifestyle Issues, Domestic Violence, etc.  All services are provided by a specially trained Women’s Health Nurse.

For appointments please phone 4016 1312 / 4016 1435

Community News