21 March 2022

Newsletter Articles

MESSAGES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM

School Leaders

School Leaders were presented with their badges at a recent parade, with many thanks to John Robb from Wythes Real Estate. John was on hand to welcome the students to their new roles for 2022 and watch on as they made their pledge to be role models, support teachers, represent Pomona State School in our local community and always display the 4C’s of our school.

Wythes Real Estate is a great supporter of our school, and will also sponsor our Wythes Awards held in Week 10. One learner from each class is selected by their teacher for showing outstanding effort, persistence and dedication to their learning. The Wythes Awards are held in very high regard, and we look forward to recognising diligent and focused students from each class.

Student Council

The student Council has had its first meeting and elected their leaders. Aaron of 6CL is the President, Lola and Jedd from 5NR are sharing the Secretary’s role and Eli of 6PT is the group’s Treasurer. Their first job is to help the P & C with the Easter Raffle and they will be available with our school leaders to sell tickets before school in the Undercover area. At subsequent meetings they will choose their Local, National and International projects to support for this year so stay tuned for more information as the year progresses.

To support the P & C Easter raffle, you can purchase tickets online using the Qkr! App, or here at school. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

SRS

After a busy and hectic term, we trust you have all found your invoices for this year’s SRS payment. The SRS scheme contributes to the use of high-quality teaching and learning programs and resources. This includes subscriptions to online programs such as Mathletics, Reading Eggs and Mathseeds. These fees are now due.

H Team

The H Team performance was a very welcome part of our week and involved the whole school. The performers put on a show that explored a wide range of topics all linked to maintaining healthy bodies and minds. Calming self-talk, eating healthy foods, safety on social media, the pitfalls of advertising and keeping a positive mindset were all part of the storyline. Children got to cheer, dance and sing as they joined in with the performance.

Harmony Day

Our Harmony Day celebrations on Monday, March 21st are part of Harmony Week, a National celebration of diversity and inclusion. Classes will have the chance to explore cultural diversity, kindness, friendship skills and inclusion and discuss what Harmony Week means for them.

School Wellbeing Update

This week, teachers will be completing a wellbeing needs assessment survey put together by our region that links in with the Department of Education’s Wellbeing Framework. It will ask a range of questions linked in with the 5 areas of wellbeing the Department addresses in its framework: physical, financial, occupational, psychological, and social and community engagement. We will use our collective results to continue to map an on-ward journey to boost, bolster and support the wellbeing of our staff here at Pomona State School.

Later in the year, our students will have the chance to let us know about aspects of their wellbeing using the Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing Tool. This tool is designed for our upper primary learners and will ensure we use an evidence-based approach to support the development of our learner’s wellbeing. It will be a unique opportunity to have a collective student voice on issues such as engagement, motivation and resilience. More information on this will follow next term, with FAQ’s and details about information collection, storage and use.

Parent Library Book Selection

This book selection grabbed my attention with its title: ‘Raising Real People: Creating a Resilient Family’. The author Andrew Fuller has written this book for parents of adolescents, however the topics he covers hold gems for all of us. Sooner or later, we will have teenagers in our houses, so this book really has something for all of us. I’ve scanned the contents and found things like Know how to argue, Getting your teenager out of bed, and Parenting practices that usually don’t work. But it’s the section on ‘How to shrug and say what’ that’s got me hooked! I’ll speed read this one and have it ready in the Parent Library for you as this goes to print!

Do you have a book about parenting, families, or even a great cook book that you and your family love? Let me know and I’ll share it with everyone in this spot. It takes a village to raise a child, and a library of great books and resources too!

Up-Cycle Corner

We love to offer your children exciting and engaging activities each week, and would love some help to do this. Each fortnight, we will mention a few small items we could really use here at school. If you’re able to help supply us with some of these we would be ever so grateful. Teachers very rarely say no to anything offered and we can find a use for anything! Please get in touch if you have anything at home you think we might be able to put to good use. This week’s special requests are:

• Old newspapers for 2MC (we are going to try paper mache!)
• Any very fine wire – the Art Club will be looking at wire sculptures next term. Any fine wire that can be cut with scissors would be greatly appreciated!

Art Club

After a late start, Art Club is up and running this term for Years 3 and 4. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at second break and we have started drawing using pastels and looked at one of the most interesting flowering plants we have here at school. We focused on line, shape and colour and then started some works.

Our parent community is overflowing with artistic and creative talent. Are you someone with a creative talent who would like to collaborate with us this year? Do you have some ideas, time or energy you would like to offer to do something exciting with our children and classes this year? If you would like to chat or explore some ideas further, please get in touch with Mel Clare mclar415@eq.edu.au

PROCEDURES FOR………..

UPDATING PARENT/CARER CONTACT DETAILS

Please ensure our office have your correct contact details – telephone numbers (for us to contact you – particularly important in the case of an emergency with your child), and email address (for invoices, newsletter, etc). Please also ensure that your child/ren’s emergency contacts are up to date.

ADMINSTERING MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

If your child requires staff to administer medication at school, please contact the school office in the first instance to discuss your child’s requirements.

Please note, school staff will only administer medication that:

• has been prescribed by a qualified health practitioner (e.g. doctor, dentist)
• is in its original container
• has an attached pharmacy label. Pharmacy label must show prescribing doctor’s name.

Office staff will ask you to complete and sign Section 1 of the Administration of medication at school record sheet.

School staff are bound by these regulations and we hope that all parents will acknowledge and cooperate with these rules.

HEAD LICE

The presence of head lice is a very common childhood occurrence in the community. The primary responsibility for the management and treatment of head lice in students belongs with parents.

As a school we notify parents via a letter if a parent has reported to the school that their child has head lice. This letter is sent to all the students in the class.

Students who are suspected of having head lice or eggs present in their hair are not excluded from class or school. However, if notified by the school, a parent may choose to remove their child from school to administer immediate treatment to their child.

REGULAR ATTENDANCE

EVERY DAY COUNTS – the message is the same in 2020. The simple fact is, the more regularly your child attends school, the more they learn. Aside from illness and bereavement, for example, attendance is expected every day. Keep an eye out on Facebook for regular videos from Education Queensland. If for any reason your child will be absent from school, please ring our 24/7 absentee line on 54 808 260 prior to 8.45am.

STAFF MEETING DAY - TUESDAY

Parents, please be advised that on Tuesday afternoon I request that all teaching staff attend a meeting which starts at 3:00pm. Staff will leave their rooms quickly once the bell rings to signal the end of the day. If you have anything urgent to discuss with your child’s teacher please leave a message at the office for that teacher

UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS

Clothing. Clothing should fit neatly and be sun safe. It must be suitable for full participation in all curriculum areas and the playground. It should not be inappropriate.

Hair. Hair should be clean, tidy (brushed or combed) with no extreme colours (natural colours) and tied back if below the collar. Fringes must not interfere with a student’s vision at any time.

Jewellery. Students may wear one set of stud or sleeper earrings and a watch. All other jewellery is considered to be a danger to the child’s safety and must be left at home. Students will be reminded to remove unauthorised jewellery worn to school.

Uniforms are available for purchase from the Tuckshop.

DATE CLAIMERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

3/4MW ARTWORK

Our class have created self-portraits (and one Spiderman) using soft pastels on black paper. We used a smudging technique and black outlines.

3JA

Time is certainly flying by for 3JA. We have successfully navigated the crazy start to the year and have managed to find our groove. I can confidently say the 3JA team are ready for their 2022 learning adventure. Harry and Ginger have shared their thoughts on the joys of year 3.

Ginger- This year I am in grade 3. My class has been working on our swimming in PE with Mr Byrne and we have a new music teacher called Mr Martin. Our teacher is Ms Askew, she has been teaching us about erosion in Science and in English we have been reading Matilda by Roald Dahl. We are now working on a new chapter to add to Matilda.

Harry- This year I have been making friends, learning about erosion, swimming, doing pastel art and becoming a master at spelling.

1LS AND THE POUT POUT FISH

This week, 1LS had a great time reading The Pout Pout Fish.

We painted Pout Pout and we even made a cookie with Pout Pout’s face on it! It was yummy! To make the colours for Pout Pout, we learnt about mixing colours, making shades with white and other colours like lilac and aqua.

POMONA IN THE PARK USB

A massive thank you to Cape Tiene for all your time, effort and energy put in to filming and editing our PitP 2021 USBs. To all those people Georgia has phoned, your USBs are in the office awaiting collection. All profit from these sales go directly to the next year’s PitP for our students/your children.