Goondi SS Newsletter 25.05.2022
From the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
NAPLAN has now been completed and our Year 3 & 5 classes are working hard in their daily learning. This was the first time all Australian schools completed NAPLAN testing in the new online format. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate our students and teachers in Years 3 & 5 for their efforts.
NAPLAN testing provides us with very valuable data on student and cohort performance. At the school level, we drill down into the data to identify our strengths and areas that require further improvement or teaching.
Our aim is to ensure that our students have the best possible preparation and opportunities for skill development to give them every chance of achieving to their potential. ‘Teaching to the test’ does not happen at Goondi and all areas covered by NAPLAN are taught in class as our teachers deliver the Australian Curriculum.
A benefit of NAPLAN online is that the tests are adaptive and students will have questions more tailored to their ability levels. The tests went smoothly this year with no major issues affecting their delivery.
Class assessment tasks and testing are being conducted in the lead up to semester one reporting. Our teachers are working hard to assess students in order to make accurate judgements for student achievement. The grades issued on end of semester report cards are reflection of student learning over the semester, and not just on their performance in a final test or piece of assessment. Reports will come home in Week 10 of this term on Tuesday, June 21st.
I encourage parents to contact class teachers with any questions or concerns as soon as they come up. These may be related to school work, assessment or any other issue. Most issues can be resolved quickly and it is always best to deal with any worries as soon as they come up, so that our students are supported as well as can be.
Regards,
Peter Begemann
Principal
School Calendar
School Events
Mon 30th May - School Photos
Mon 21st Jun – P&C Meeting at 5:30pm
Sport Events
Wed 15th Jun – Inter-House 200, 800m, shot-put
Fri 17th Jun – Inter-House Athletics Carnival
Other School News
NGRT
* In Week 7 students in Year 3 – 6 will be participating in an online reading test NGRT (New Group reading Test) Please DOJO your class teacher is you wish to know more about the tests.
INTER-HOUSE ATHLETICS
At this time of the term, our students are training and preparing for the athletic season ahead. The first major event is our inter-house carnival. The carnival is run over two days so that all of the events can be included.
200m, 800m and Shot-put Events
The 200m, 800m and shot-put events for 9-12 year old students will be held on Wednesday 15th June. The morning will commence at 9:00 AM with the 9 year old 200m event and conclude with the 800m. Students are not to wear house colours on this day.
Athletics Carnival
Our Inter-House Carnival will be held on Friday 17th June. To ensure that no student misses an early event, we ask that parents deliver students to school no later than 8:30am if possible. The program for the day will be finalised very soon.
Students should wear house colours on the carnival day (Friday 17th June). House colours are as follows:
Geraldton – yellow
Palmerston – red
Johnstone – green
We would like to invite Parents to attend either or both days and cheer on our students.
Our Goondi P&C will be organising catering for the full day on Friday June 17th and will be sending out details of what food will be available and how to order.
Parents are reminded that Friday is a normal school day and all students are required to attend for the full day. If you need to take your child from school early, due to illness or other family commitments, the normal procedures apply and you will have to call in at the office and sign your child out.
Participation and Selection
Our Inter-House carnival is very much focused on “maximum participation”. The program is structured in such a way that all students have an opportunity to participate in most events. All students take part in sprints, field events and ball games. The aim of the day is participation and students score points for their house when they participate in an event.
We use results from our Inter-House carnival as a basis for selection for the district event, but in the case where a student who has athletic potential is absent from the carnival due to illness/injury or having to represent the school or district at another event, the school has a policy of conducting a trial or runoff at a later stage to determine if the student is eligible for selection.
SPELL-A-THON
Spell-a-thon word lists and sponsorship envelopes will be handed out to all students this Friday 27th May.
May we again 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.
INCLUSIVE PRACTICE AT GOONDI
No doubt you have heard the term inclusion used in conjunction with education in the media many times. What does this actually look like in our school? Below are just some of the great practices happening at Goondi State School as we continue with our aim to make school an inclusive place for all of our students and indeed our diverse community. We want our students to be able to learn and to be challenged at their level and to feel a valued part of the school.
- Our teachers examine student achievement data to ensure we can make learning adjustments that cater for both groups of students and individuals
- Each term our teachers work with our Head of Curriculum and plan units of work. Differentiation for all students is designed at these meetings
- Extension and support is considered at every planning opportunity
- We intentionally place support staff where the need is, in all year levels
- We run ‘Fast Track’ lesson programs for identified students in Literacy and Numeracy with specialist teachers
- We moderate student work to ensure continuity in teacher judgement at all year levels
- Our Special Education Provision teachers and teacher aides work closely with class teachers to support students both in-class and in small group situations
- We are planning events such as Harmony Day to invite all members of our school community to recognise and value the diverse range of backgrounds that are part of Goondi
- We work with Indigenous community organisations in support of our indigenous students and in community events such as NAIDOC and our Under-8’s day
- We have improved our communication with families through the introduction of Class Dojo, Schoolzine and Facebook
Our intention is to work with our community to provide our students with the support that they need and will benefit from. Support looks different for everyone and there cannot be a one size fits all approach to inclusive practice.
Prep Capers
Preps are working hard on retelling narratives. We have retold Humpty Dumpty, Mrs Wishy Washy and Jack and Jill so far this term. Students are learning to sequence their retell using first, next, then and after that. We have been enjoying practicing spelling getting ready for the upcoming Spell-a-thon.
In Maths we have been busy learning different ways to measure including long and short, heavy and light and the days of the week. We are learning all about addition as well this term and revisiting our numbers 1-10 to show different representations in number of the day.
HASS and Science have been busy exploring our families and the weather. We have had students share their fabulous family posters with us and they have enjoyed learning more about their friends and the activities they enjoy doing and foods they enjoy with their family.
In Science we have been looking at how the weather affects what we wear and activities we do. We have been recording the weather every day this term, sadly there has been little change in the weather most days.
Prep Team
Year 1 Capers
Week 6 already! Where has the term gone!
This Friday the 2022 Spell-a-thon list will be sent home with the Year 1 students. Your child will need to practice these words every night by using the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check method. This is the set homework for the next 2 weeks. Please help your child to learn the words by asking them to spell them, focus on the words they find difficult, highlighting the diagraphs in words, playing games with them etc.
Writing assessment will begin next week and all other forms of assessment will begin the following week. Please make sure your child gets to bed early and has a nutritional breakfast to help them get through the day.
In Science we have begun the assessment task which is to plan, design and construct a boat that will float and hold more than 5 marbles.
We have also begun our assessment task in Geography in which the students must design a park/playground that caters for all ages and includes natural, built and managed features. Have a great week,
Leigh, Hayley, Tayla and Fiona
Year 2 Capers
Week 6 already! It’s getting very close to assessment time, and that means we’re busy consolidating things we have learned this term. We have been looking at natural resources and the importance of conserving water in Science, and exploring places in HaSS, such as how a letter can get to you, why places are named what they are, and even why people live where they do.
Maths sees us continue our growth with different concepts, such as 3D shapes, and telling time to quarter past and quarter to. Our confidence in writing Information Reports independently is steadily improving, with students developing writing skills and their bank of knowledge about a variety of Australian animals to write their reports on.
Our talented Year 2’s have been practising diligently in readiness for their not-to-be missed performance at Young Performers at the Shire Hall on Friday, 3rd June. A permission slip has been sent home that must be returned this week for students to attend. We hope that parents are able to come and view their performance.
Nathan Worth, Robyn Scheiwe and Jeanette Spataro.
Year 3 Capers
The term continues to roll on as does the list of things to do! The next two weeks are extremely important for our students as we will be assessing. The majority of our assessment will be in Week 7. You will see our speaking task appear in students’ homework folders. They are to learn, off by heart, the stanza that is highlighted, from the poem ‘In Flanders Field’. This poem complements our HASS unit and will be due Monday, 6th June.
In Literacy, we are writing procedural texts and will write ‘How to make a Fruit Kebab’ on Thursday.
Maths is filled with consolidation and warm-ups to reinforce concepts needed for the tests. Our next multiplication fact focus is the 6s. Students have been thinking about their goal for this term and some would like to improve their multiplication so practising at home will help.
In HASS we are researching the event of our choice and will present this information in a powerpoint. Our Science lessons require some sunshine to do an experiment with shadows. Hopefully it comes soon.
Don’t forget next Friday we compete in the Young Performers Competition at the Shire Hall. You are welcome to come and watch us perform. Admission is $5 per adult and children are free.
Until next time,
Donna, Janelle, Paula and Lizette.
Year 4 Capers
Linking our HASS unit, Australia before, during and after European settlement with our Speaking Task, students were asked to complete a family tree and research an interesting relative for homework during Week 5. Congratulations to the many students who have returned their speech to school. We would like all spoken presentations by this Friday, so students can start rehearsing their speech. Speaking tasks will be presented to the class in Week 9.
In Maths, students have been reading and recording dollars and cents, representing amounts in different ways as well as rounding and calculating change. They have also been identifying shape properties with tangrams, calculating perimeter and measuring area using square units.
For Science, students have been investigating non-contact forces – magnetism and gravity by conducting experiments and recording observations.
In Technology, students judged the most aesthetically pleasing bridge won by Mason Z and tested the bridge that would bare the most weight won by Harper.
Spell-a-thon words will be taken home this Friday. Please help your child practise the words and raise funds. There are many great prizes up for grabs.
Until next time, Kath and Kathy
Year 4/5 & 5 Capers
We have been busy getting back into our routines after a busy start to the term. NAPLAN testing was finalised last week and students should be commended on their positive attitudes and commitment to learning.
Students have been busy investigating space and have been writing informative paragraphs about Earth’s atmosphere. We are focusing on using formal tones and showing expertise by our choice of scientific vocabulary.
During HASS lessons, we have continued to explore different biomes, landmarks and continents, making connections between population density and the environment.
CAMP: If you have not yet returned the Grade 5 camp paperwork, please do so as soon as possible. We are looking forward to seeing you this Thursday at 5:30pm in J Block for the information session (again – huge apologies for missing last week!).
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 two weeks for our Year 6 students. We are working hard to get ready for assessments in all subjects and are busy revising any concepts students are finding tricky.
In HASS we continued our exploration into how Australia became a nation based on the inquiry-based teaching pedagogy.
In Science we’ve been looking at feral animals and the effects they have on their environment and other animals, and have been investigating extreme environments and the animals who thrive in them.
This week also saw our Year 6 students go to Innisfail State College to get a feel for what high school is all about. Based on the feedback we received, they are really looking forward to next year. We also have students taking part in the HOTSHOTS program at the high school where selected students participate in extension classes in various subjects.
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.
Sports News
We are all in full training for our Inter House Athletics days on Wed 15 June and Fri 17th June. Wednesday will be all the 9-12y.o. doing their 200m, Shotput and 800m finals. All remaining events, including 5y.o.—12y.o. sprints will be on the Friday.
Well Done to all of our students who have represented our school at Peninsula Trials recently, and congratulations to Addison Tanti (football) and Logan Wells (Cross Country) who earned a place in their respective Peninsula Teams. We wish them luck at the State Titles.
Tiffanie Bulstrode
Health and Physical Education Teacher
LOTE News
Years 5 and 6 students at Goondi State School are building on their knowledge of Italian by speaking, writing, listening to new words, phrases, sentences and questions in Italian. Students are doing this individually and in a whole class setting. Well done students!
Year 5 students are learning how to respond if they do not have a pet. Year 6 students are learning about La mia giornata (My day) and furthering their knowledge of Italian nouns, verbs and adjectives. They are working on understanding the concept of parts of the day to understand when activities occur in a day. 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
Music News
INNISFAIL YOUNG PERFORMERS’ CHOIR DAY
FRIDAY 3 JUNE 2022 @ SHIRE HALL
ENTRY FEE – Adults $5 / Children free
*The Year 1, 2 & 3 Junior Choirs will perform in the ‘Junior Choir over 20 voices’ section, which will start at approximately 9:20am. There are 6 choirs in this section.
*The Senior Choir’s first section will begin at approx. 10:15am following the Junior Choir sections. The Senior Choir are competing in 4 sections – Unison, Part Singing, Folk and Sacred Chorus.
*All students will travel to and from the Shire Hall by bus departing the school at 8:45am.
*The Young Performers’ Competition is run by a small band of dedicated volunteers so please be respectful to them if attending the Choir Day. Without their effort Innisfail could lose a wonderful opportunity for our students to perform.
*We apologise for the delay in informing parents as we have been waiting for the program to be released. We thank you for your patience.
*The students have been rehearsing very hard in preparation for the competition, and we encourage parents and members of the public to attend on Choir Day to help support them.
The Arts News
This term’s focus for students in Dance is about learning the skills of performing. As a performer the aim is to engage the audience and to communicate the choreographic ideas and meaning of a dance. Students are studying the technical and expressive skills that assist in doing this. The technical skills that students are being assessed include Body control, Accuracy, Strength, Alignment, Balance and Coordination. The expressive skills include Focus, Projection, Confidence, Musicality, Facial expression and Clarity of movement. The Indian Bhangra is a wonderfully energetic cultural dance that Year 5 and 6 have been learning this term, which provides diversity in movement and coordination and enables students the opportunity to refine technical and expressive skills. Check out some of the great photos of them performing the Bhangra below!