Goondi SS Newsletter 11.05.2022

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our students in Years 3 and 5 are this week and next, undertaking NAPLAN testing.  This is the first year that with the exception of Year 3 Writing, all tests are to be conducted on line.  The tests include Language Conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar), Writing, Reading and Numeracy.

Goondi students have been working hard in class as our fantastic teachers continue to deliver the Australian Curriculum.  In Years 3 & 5, our students have really lived up to our Goondi 5 key “Work Hard and Participate” as they undertake NAPLAN this week.  It has certainly been alive and well in Years 3 & 5!

In the weeks leading up to NAPLAN, teachers have been ensuring that students understand the concepts and have the necessary skills to successfully complete the tests. They also expose students to the different test formats so that they are not daunted by the tasks required of them.  With the testing being on line this year, our students have been given many opportunities for use of computers for NAPLAN readiness activities and for a number of curriculum work tasks and assessments. 

NAPLAN is not directly taught at our school because the concepts which the tests cover, are a part of the normal curriculum which is provided in every classroom, every day.  This means that the students have worked on all concepts they may be presented with in a NAPLAN test.

It remains important to remember that it is a “point in time test”, and that much of the school year remains (two and a half terms) for students to continue to learn and achieve year level expectations.   

Goondi will continue to use the NAPLAN results to monitor the effectiveness of our teaching programs and to gauge the distance travelled by cohorts of students, but it is only one part of our overall student assessment.  Our teachers are fully aware that all students learn and excel in different ways.  While the test data is valuable, some students may not thrive under ‘test conditions’.  This is why it remains so important to use a range of assessment formats and not to focus only on NAPLAN to make judgements on student capability.

I wish our students in Years 3 and 5 every success as they engage in the NAPLAN tests this week.

Later this term, we look forward to our 2022 Spell-a-thon fundraiser supported by our Goondi P&C and also the upcoming athletics carnival. 

The rest of this term will certainly be busy but also very rewarding.

Regards,

Peter Begemann

Principal

School Calendar

TERM 2 CALENDAR

School Events

10^th - 20^th May – NAPLAN Testing

Mon 16^th May, Mon 20^th Jun – P&C Meetings at 5:30pm

3rd Jun - Innisfail Young Performers

Sport Events

Wed 15^th Jun – Inter-House 200m, 800m, shotput

Fri 17^th Jun – Inter-House Athletics Carnival

Other School News

SPELL-A-THON

The school’s major fundraiser, Spell-a-thon word lists and sponsorship envelopes will be handed out to all students on Friday 27^th May.

Please help your child to participate by encouraging them to learn their words and gain sponsorship. It is an opportunity to improve your child’s spelling ability while at the same time supporting our school and P&C.  Of course, there are great prizes in the form of iPads to be won. 

All students who return sponsorship will be placed in a draw for an iPad. Two iPads will be drawn. The two highest fundraisers in P-2 will win an iPad each, as will the two highest fundraisers from Years 3-6.

All students who achieve 100% in their spelling test and participated in the Spell-a-thon, will be awarded a special Spell-a-thon medal.

There will also be a number of class awards. The class that has the highest percentage of students with a perfect score will receive a trophy to be displayed in their classroom throughout the remainder of the year. There are two categories; P-3 and Yrs 4-6.

The class that raises the most amount of sponsorship will be rewarded by the P&C with a pizza afternoon.

May we stress to parents and caregivers that the school and P&C do not encourage or recommend door knocking to gain sponsorship. Students should seek sponsorship from family and friends. If door knocking is to occur, a responsible adult must accompany students at all times.

WET WEATHER

At the time of writing, we are seeing exceptionally heavy rainfall in our area.  Many parents have collected their children from school to avoid floods and make it home safely.  We urge our Goondi community to keep safe during bad weather.  If a weather event is impacting or likely to impact the school day, we will communicate via SMS or facebook.  Please ensure your contact details are up to date.

PRE PREP PROGRAM

The year is already running away from us and we now begin to plan our Pre-Prep Program.  The Pre-Prep Program is run in Terms 3 and 4, the year before the child commences Prep. By attending the Pre-Prep program once a week, for a 2-hour session, the children gain new skills, make friends, become accustomed to the school routines and get to know the staff.

More details about the program will follow in coming newsletters.  So that we have an idea of numbers, we encourage parents to come into the office and complete an “Expression of Interest” form as soon as possible if their child will be 4 years of age by the 30^th June, 2022.

Is your child, or a child you know, eligible for Prep next year? We are taking enrolments from new students and for students who have brothers or sisters attending Goondi State School.  Siblings of existing students will automatically be offered a place in our 2023 Prep classes.  

We are also taking Expressions of Interest for children who live out-of-catchment and want to attend Goondi State School.  If there are vacancies, these students will also be offered a place in our 2023 Prep classes.  

Come to the office as soon as possible with your child’s details to complete an Expression of Interest form even if you are in-catchment. Our Pre-Prep program will begin in late August.

DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY

The district cross-country was on Friday 6^th May at Warrina Lakes.  Selected 10, 11 and 12 year old students from our school took part.

9 Goondi students won places in the Innisfail district team to contest the Peninsula Championships later in the term.

Congratulations to …..

Giacomo DeFaveri, Emily Westerhuis, Sienna Kleve, Logan Wells, Keean Greven, Addison Tanti, Taylah Wells, Noah Higgins and Charlise Bailey.

INTER-HOUSE ATHLETICS

Training for our Inter-House athletics carnival, to be held later this term, has already begun.  The dates this year are:

Wed 15^th June – 200m, 800m, shot put (9-12 years)

Fri 17^th June – Carnival – sprints, high and long jump, ball games, relays.

SAFETY AT PICK UP TIME

3pm and the 20 minutes afterwards is the busiest time of day for road traffic outside the school.  During wet weather or at any time, we urge all parents and carers to take extra care when driving or parking at the front of the school.  While we realise everyone is busy and wants to get to their final destination, may we please again ask that safety is top priority.  There are many parking spaces next to the northern oval along Maple Street that go unused every day.  These spaces are only a 2-minute walk from the pick-up areas. 

Please also consider the safety of students and families who are walking to the road crossing or along Maple Street.  We again respectfully ask that U-turns are NOT CONDUCTED in the entrance to the school car park.  This is an incredibly busy time for foot traffic and vehicles exiting the school.  U-turns can be carried out at the end of Maple Street.  We realise this may take an extra few moments but the safety of our students must be put first. 

Prep Capers

Preps have been busy this term learning how to write a recount of stories we have read. We are enjoying reading and retelling what happens first, next, then and after that in our stories. 

In Maths we are learning addition with Adam the Addition Ant. Students are using counters and unifix cubes to make numbers and add them together. We are also exploring ways of measuring length and weight.

Students have been exploring the weather in Science, although we haven't seen many changes in our daily weather watching. 

We have been learning about and sharing our fabulous families. Students have made some amazing posters about their families and shared the special people, places and events for their families with their classes.

Prep Team

Year 1 Capers

We are nearly at the half way point for Term 2 already!

In English, we are working on writing narratives that contain interesting adjectives and some similes.  We are also trying to make our verb choices better for example instead of using ‘ran’ we could use sprinted, dashed, zoomed.  During reading, we have been focusing on learning and retaining sight words.  Knowing more sight words promotes fluency when reading which then makes understanding the text much easier.  Students should all be practising learning these as part of their homework as well. 

During Maths this week we have been reading numbers in word form and writing them as a word and numeral.  We have also been learning about capacity and describing if a container is empty, half full and full.

During Science, we have been testing the strength of different types of materials and investigated whether they are good at holding objects.  These studies will help students decide what materials to make a boat from later on this term.

Thanks, Leigh, Hayley, Tayla and Fiona

Year 2 Capers

Week 4 already, and next week is halfway through our term. Time flies when you’re having fun! With the three public holidays in a row we lost a bit of time, which makes attendance and homework even more important at the moment.

In class we are writing our Information Reports on Australian animals for English, and learning lots of interesting facts.

In Science we have been looking at our natural resources, what they are used for, and how we can conserve them. This also meant making ice cream, to show that it doesn’t just come from the supermarket freezer (2A has done this, 2B will be doing it soon).

Maths continues to build knowledge in place value, as well as different strategies for addition and subtraction.

Don’t forget that homework is due back on Friday morning, and it’s important to practice spelling words with your student every night, as these get tested on Friday morning.

Nathan Worth, Robyn Scheiwe and Jeanette Spataro.

Year 3 Capers

Naplan week is here! With so much content revised, computer skills brushed up on, and new concepts covered, we are ready! We wish every student success as they participate in the National testing and we look forward to seeing their results, which will arrive later in the year.

Next week, we embark on a new literacy journey and investigate procedural texts. Our first independent piece will be ’How to make a milk shake.’ We take a closer look at parts of speech by exploring commanding verbs.

In Maths, we will strengthen our problem solving skills by applying the bar model strategy. It is pleasing to report that we are becoming quite proficient at this skill.

Our questioning skills are being tested in HASS as we pose 5 questions to events we either celebrate or commemorate. We are being exposed to snippets of our research task, which is coming up in the next few lessons.

Our Science unit is demonstrating how very small we are, along with how small Earth is compared to Sun. We are learning which direction Earth spins and how many rotations it does in a day.

Until next time,

Donna, Janelle, Paula and Lizette.

Year 4 Capers

Using their convict persona, students continue to practise writing their Historical Recounts about life on the streets of London in the late 1700s.  From becoming an orphan and living on the streets, to getting caught for their crime by the Bow Street Runners and taken to the Bow Street Courts to stand trial before the magistrate, students are developing an understanding of the hardships faced by convicts prior to sentencing and transportation to Australia on the First Fleet.

In Maths, students continue to investigate fractions using length, area and number line models.  They have been recording am and pm time on analogue and digital clocks as well as using number lines to complete simple time problems.  They have also been naming and describing the properties of common 2D shapes as well as practising joining and identifying combined shapes.

In Science, students have been investigating contact forces – push, pull and friction by conducting experiments and recording observations.

Technology resumed this week as students began to put the finishing touches to their bridges. 

Kathy Pike, Kath Long and Mel Lyons

Year 4/5 & 5 Capers

Our Grade 5s have been preparing for NAPLAN testing which will be completed in Week 4. This will be the first NAPLAN test for this cohort and with the tests completed online we have been busy improving our technological skills. We have been focusing on how to manage stress and anxiety as part of our preparations – please take some time to talk to your child about how they are feeling and ensure they are eating a healthy breakfast and getting enough sleep.

After NAPLAN, students will be focusing on informative writing and will be using formal tones, scientific vocabulary and statements in their writing. Students will be researching planets and the solar system (connected to Science lessons) and making links between different biomes (HASS) in order to create their own Information Report of a planet of their choice. 

CAMP: Thank you to those families who have already returned the camp paperwork. Could you please make sure all paperwork is filled in and returned promptly. A huge thank you to parents who have volunteered to join us on camp. Due to requirements we have selected two male volunteers (one from each class) to join us.    

Please do not hesitate to drop in or contact us if you have any questions. Thank you for your support. 

Cheers for now, Rebecca, Jessie & Janette.

Year 6 Capers

Hello Year 6 families!

It’s been a busy start to the term for Year 6.

In Maths, we are focussing on decimals, mental strategies to assist with addition and subtraction, and calculating time durations using 24 hour time, as well as revising any concepts students are finding tricky. In HASS we are working on the concept of democracy and how Australia became a nation. In Science we are looking at life on Earth. Both HASS and Science is done using the inquisitive model where students are given various topics to research.

This term in English, we are reading Hatchet, a story about survival which is also the topic of our term writing tasks.

Thank you to all students who have been focusing on getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and bringing a healthy lunch to school, to make sure they are fully equipped for learning and assessment each day.

Thank you for your support!

Tjaart Richards, Melanie Worth and Janette McClelland.

Music News

INNISFAIL YOUNG PERFORMERS’ COMPETITION CHOIR DAY

It is only 3 weeks to the IYPC Choir Day. All students from Years 1, 2 and 3 will perform in their respective Junior Choirs. The Senior Choir will also compete which will involve approximately 50 selected students from Years 4 to 6. All Choirs will have their first rehearsal with our talented pianist, Mrs Natasha De Faveri next week.

All parents will be able to attend the Choir Day at the Shire Hall on Friday 3 June. The program will be finalised soon and once we receive it, letters will be sent home for parents to sign. There will be a charge per student for bus fare and the school will pay for all the other entry fees and expenses.

The Choirs have been rehearsing well and are very much looking to performing their songs.

Kerry Macgillivray

Music Teacher

Instrumental Music News

On Thursday of Week 1, all students who are in their first year of learning a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument were invited to attend our annual Beginner Band Workshop, which is held at Innisfail State College. Students experienced a full day of music learning, and they met new friends from different schools across the cluster. Nervous at first, the students quickly immersed themselves in the activities and by the end of the day, the newly formed Beginner Band successfully followed the conductor to play several songs together. The students were joined by Innisfail State College musicians in the afternoon, and they were treated to a performance followed by a Q&A session.

Goondi State School students should be congratulated on their behaviour and hard work throughout the day. Learning a musical instrument in an ensemble setting has been shown to have a positive impact on social, emotional and academic development and we look forward to watching these students develop into well rounded musicians in the years to come. The beginner band will now rehearse every Tuesday afternoon for the rest of the year. They are working towards their first performance in the bi-annual Fanfare competition in Week 6. We wish them the best of luck for this exciting opportunity.

The Arts News

The Arts is alive with music and energy this term as we focus on the strand of Dance.  Completing fortnightly lessons once again, students so far have explored revised the concepts of locomotive and non-locomotive movements as essential elements of Dance. They have also been introduced to simple choreography techniques and have enthusiastically collaborated in groups of 3 to perform in unison for their classmates.  This term, Prep to Year 2 are performing and choreographing dance that represents a character; Year 3 and 4 are choreographing dance by representing stories about animals  and the environment; and Year 5 and 6 are responding to dance culturally by learning the Indian Bhangra. Already, many students have shown great potential, and I look forward to seeing their confidence and ability progress throughout the term!

Francesca Rosa

The Arts

LOTE News

By speaking, writing, listening to new words, phrases, sentences and questions in Italian, years 5 and 6 Italian classes at Goondi State School are furthering their knowledge of the Italian language.  Well done students!

Year 5 students are learning how to answer the question Qual’è il tuo animale domestico preferito? (What is your favourite pet?) and types of pets.  Year 6 students are learning about Le parti del giorno (The parts of the day) in Italian.  They are using images to help them understand how to describe the parts of the day, expanding their knowledge of nouns and verbs.  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

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