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Issue 1, 30 January 2019
Page 1
Finvoy Street Ferny Grove QLD 4055 (07) 3550 5333
fernygrovess.eq.edu.au Student Absence
Start with a smile!
It was smiles all round on Tuesday morning as our Prep students started their primary school journey. What a great adventure they have begun. The parents put on their brave faces as well. We hope that everyone had a great day and a great start to 2019.
Year 5 & Year 6 Instrumental Lessons commence 8.50am Middle Years Assembly 6pm Years 1—3 Parent Information Evening—Classrooms & Library
8.50am—2.50pm Peer Mediator Training
8.50am Early Years Assembly 6pm Years 4-6 Parent
Information Evening—Classrooms & Library
8am Year 1 Morning Reading—Library
8am—3pm North West District
Swimming 10am Year 5 Maths Jam
7.15am Senior Band commences
8.45am —2.50pm Beginners
Music Camp (various locations)
7pm FAST Meeting—Library
8.45am Defence Parents Morning Tea—Staff Room
5.30pm—6.30pm SEP Parent
Information Evening—SEP 7pm IMPS Meeting—Library
Year 4 & Year 5 Instrumental Lessons commence
8.50am Early Years Assembly 11am New Students Welcome
& Games—Hall
7.15am String Ensemble commences
6pm SPAG BOL Parent
Information Evening—Library
8.50am—2.50pm SPAG BOL Retreat—Hall
9am Barista Training @ Coffee
Cart—free, all welcome
Events
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Welcome to the 2019 school year at Ferny Grove State School. A special welcome must go out to the many new families joining our school community for the first time. We look forward to working with you as we collectively educate the next generation of young people. As I enter my tenth year as Principal there are a few things I have learnt about how we make a large school such as this work so successfully. So here are the first ones.
Be on time. 9am is not considered on time for school. 8:40 is first bell so students should be here by no later than 8:45. Late arrivals have become a little too frequent for my liking and disadvantage our kids and their learning.
Stay informed. We have an electronic newsletter, Facebook and website. Trust them, read them and check them regularly along with communication from your class teacher.
Park safely at all times. Respect our neighbours by not blocking driveways and follow the council rules. No matter how many times we complain about not enough parking the facts remain the same. Most schools have only one street frontage whereas we have four so this is as good as it gets in many respects. Remember, kids say and do what they see us do and say.
Never park on the school grounds without a disability approval from me and I will only approve these permits for students with a disability that limits access to our school.
Avoid taking images or video of other people’s kids and definitely don’t post them on social media. Even 6 year olds have a right to privacy as do their parents.
Finally, the golden rule, which goes a little like this.
Believe half of what the kids say about us and we undertake to believe half of what they say about you. This is a partnership, we are educators and you are parents. Together we have created a welcoming, safe and inclusive school and we will always do our best. We are however not perfect just as you aren’t (I am making assumptions there).
If you really want to get a sense of what I believe about education then watch this little animation. If we could all manage to take down a few fences the world may just be a better place for all of us.
I look forward to seeing and meeting you over the coming weeks and months.
Brett Shackleton, Principal
Early Years news
Welcome to 2019
A big welcome to everyone, and an extra warm welcome to all of our new families. I have enjoyed seeing all of our new preppies in their uniforms and the excitement of starting school on their faces. Starting school is an exciting time of change for children and families. There are many things you can do to prepare for this change. Helping children to feel confident and positive about school will give them a great start.
I sympathized with all of our first time prep parents as this year myself I was a first time high school parent. It certainly is a time of mixed emotions and as parents we worry about how they will go, will they make friends? Will they be happy? Some children adapt very easily to school and others take a little more time. Please if you do have a child who is teary in the mornings when it is time to say goodbye, give a hug and a kiss and say ‘see you this afternoon, have a great day’ and then leave. If you drag this out they only become more upset. Our teachers and teacher aids are masters of distraction and I guarantee that children settle almost immediately after you have left. Please do not then come back to check them by looking through windows, this will only upset them again. It is
From the Principal
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Date Claimers
Early Years news continued
important that you do not display anxiety but talk about the excitement of school, without building this to an excessive level. As a parent reframe your questions about school from ‘what did you do today?’ to ‘tell me the best thing about your day?’ Sometimes I find with my own children that I don’t get information immediately when I ask but it comes later when they have had time to just settle from their day.
Many of our prep children may have come from a setting where you get a full run down on all of the activities and events from the day. This will not happen at school, and trust me you do not need to know everything about their day. Teachers do an amazing job and they will let you know about the things that you need to know about. As a parent, here are a couple of things that you can do to help with the transition to school:
Start to establish regular sleep routines. Children need to be in bed at a reasonable time so that they wake refreshed. Do not have a television or technology in their rooms. This doesn’t allow for them to relax before bed time. Choose a book instead!
Establish packing away routines with toys etc to encourage your child to help with simple tasks at home. Trust me they are expected to do this at school.
Label all belongings – children can become upset when they misplace an item. If it is labelled it will find its way back to them.
Help your child to learn how to dress themselves in the school uniform (if they aren’t already)
Ensure your child can go to the toilet unassisted.
RELAX!! If you are stressed, your child will sense this and they will feel anxious too.
It is important for parents and teachers to work together and communicate effectively. Teachers are highly trained professionals who want to do the best for your child. It can help if you let the teacher know if there is something happening at home that may be affecting your child. Keep up to date with all of the school communication – children will become anxious if they are not ready for something that is happening within the class. Children do learn best at school when their parents and teachers work together to support them. Have a fabulous year and if ever you are unsure of anything please ask.
Jacki Schott, Deputy Principal [email protected]
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Hello everyone! Welcome back and an extra special welcome to all our new families. I hope all our newbies have settled in well and are learning the new routines of a different school. Each year is different for students regardless of how long they may have been in a school: new teacher, different classmates, new and exciting ways of learning and for our Year 4 students – a new Deputy! Please know that you can communicate with me any time.
With the new year and change, sometimes students can experience anxiety. Knowing the difference between first day jitters and something more serious can help to head anxiety off at the pass. As you know Michelle Mitchell is a valued and trusted educator who delivers our sexual health lessons in year 5 and 6. She also has a range of blogs with authoritative information regarding children’s issues. Over the holidays she sent around a link for an article which outlines how to identify anxiety and some helpful tips to try. It’s a large article so I’ve detailed some of it below. If you notice a recurrence of these in your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us or seek professional help through your GP.
https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-children-things-kids-say-that-could-mean-im-anxious/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
15 Things Kids or Teens Say That Could Mean ‘I’m Anxious’ – Where They Come From and How to Respond
When children are anxious, it can be difficult for them to articulate exactly what’s happening for them. It will be clear that something isn’t quite right, but it might not be as obvious that anxiety is behind it. Here are some of the things kids might say when they’re feeling anxious.
1. I feel sick, like I’m going to vomit. 2. I’m not hungry. 3. My tummy hurts. 4. I don’t want to go to school. 5. Anything angry. 6. I feel really sad and I don’t know why. (Or just tears. Lots of tears) 7. But what if …. What if … What if. 8. I need to pee … again. 9. I can’t sleep. 10. My legs hurt. My arms hurt. 11. But I don’t want to sit still. 12. But I can’t do it! 13. I want to stay with you. 14. I’m tired. 15. Nobody wants to play with me.
If you hear any of these, notice when they happen. If they happen regularly in the same environment, before the same thing, after the same thing, and with other symptoms of anxiety (such as racing heart, sick tummy, avoidance, clammy skin, tension, headache), anxiety might be behind it. The clues will be in the regularity, timing or intensity.
Katie Stubbings, Deputy Principal [email protected]
Middle Years news
Student Council news
The Student Council will once again be raising funds for the Leukaemia Foundation through the ‘World’s Greatest Shave’ initiative. The Fabulous Ferny team is already registered. The password is ‘ferny’ if you’d like to register to shave. So far we have four participants in the FabulousFerny team. I will provide details of all participants as they come to hand so that you may sponsor them online, should you wish to do so.
The ‘Shave’ will take place on Friday, 15 March. Also on this day we will under take our ‘Spray for a Cure’. Any donations of coloured hair spray for this initiative would be greatly appreciated. All donations can be dropped off to the 6R classroom.
Thanks for your ongoing support of all our Student Council activities.
Leanne Reid, Student Council Coordinator
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Defence news
Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you had a wonderful holiday and the children are feeling well rested and have returned to school full of optimism and enthusiasm. 2019 will no doubt be full of excitement and learning opportunities for our students, with a whole lot of fun to be had. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new Defence families joining us this year. I hope you’ve had a smooth transition to Brisbane and have settled into your new homes. I am looking forward to getting to know all new students and families as the year gets underway.
Posting to a new location can be an equally daunting and exciting experience and for Defence families this process can takes place quite often. I will be organising a number of events throughout the school term and throughout the year to ensure all new students and families settle into our school community quickly and are able to get on with the important business of learning and enjoying their school experience. New students will be invited to a welcome games session on Wednesday 6th February where they will have the opportunity to meet other new students. Defence parents are invited to a morning tea on Tuesday 5th February. This is a great opportunity to make connections with other Defence parents and to learn more about the Defence School Mentor Program.
For everyone new to Ferny Grove SS, I am at school Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 3:30pm. The Defence room is located in F block and is accessible via the stairs facing the school hall. Please feel free to drop in for a chat or email me with any queries or to organise a catch up at [email protected] . I also share information with Defence families via the Ferny Grove SS Defence community Facebook group. This is a closed group and a great forum for sharing information about events taking place at school, sharing photos of students learning and having fun, as well as services and events offered by the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) and other agencies that provide support for Defence families. I will be sending invitations to join the group throughout the week. If you do not receive an invitation or email from me, please email me to let me know or search the group and ask to join.
We’ve Got Mail!! Letters From Iraq
Last year, as part of Remembrance Day commemorations our students made poppies and sent messages of support to serving members on deployment in Iraq. Over 500 poppies and messages were sent overseas with parents from our school. The poppies have reached their new home and have made a very positive impact. Many soldiers have replied to our students’ letters and have sent cards and messages in return. The messages will be displayed in the library from next week, so please encourage your child to come along to the library to see if there is a card or letter written for them.
Thank you to everyone who assisted and participated in this activity. It has not only given students a chance to show care, compassion and respect for the work of others, but has also given students a real and purposeful writing experience.
Jessica De la Jara, Defence School Mentor [email protected]
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Defence news
Parking news
Brisbane City Council has changed some of the zones around the school, so please make sure you check carefully as it is likely that there will be parking enforcement around schools in the next few weeks. The map below outlines the existing zones. The major changes include no parking on McGinn Rd near the Uniform Store (now 2 min Loading Zone) and the Bus Zone has moved from Finvoy to the top of Archdale (only Bus Zone on Friday between 12 and 4 to accommodate sport buses). This allows another 2 min Loading Zone on Finvoy.
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Chappy Chat
Welcome to everyone at the start of the new year. There are many wonderful and interesting things that take place here. Your child has entered such an exciting creative zone where they will learn and grow. Chaplaincy is a service that is offered at the school for support in social, emotional and spiritual areas. My role is to come alongside and support students, staff and parents and help refer, direct and assist in areas which for all kinds of reasons arise in any given year. My aim is to always get to know as many students as I can by name and build relationships and connection. It is about building community and looking out for each other.
If you need to speak with me, I can be contacted via the school on 3550 5333 or email [email protected]. Please feel free to contact me between Monday through Thursday during school hours. On Thursday mornings I help out with the coffee cart so pop down and introduce yourself and have a coffee as well.
Being grateful is an important part of what I speak about with the students. Below is one way of remembering to be grateful when it's challenging with the parenting process.
Blessings, Chappy [email protected]
Library news
Library Monitors I am seeking a team of students to take on the role of library monitor to help out this year in the library.
Our Library Monitors assist with classroom borrowing as well as undertaking a lunchtime shift. They will be involved in planning activities, organising books, assisting other students and running lunch time and book week activities.
I am looking for students who are kind, respectful to other students, who can listen to and follow instructions and love helping out.
Each year we have a variety of students from years 4, 5 and 6 make up our team. Please encourage your student to apply ASAP if they are interested in taking on this role.
Application forms can be collected from classroom teachers or from the library.
Leane Dunn, Library Coordinator
Parent Information Evening news Parent Information Evenings will be held in week 3. Years 1—3 will be on Monday 11 Feb and Years 4—6 will be on Wednesday 13 Feb. There will be two sessions at 6pm and 7.15pm, in the classrooms with an Admin session in the Library in between from 6.50pm—7.10pm. Parent teacher conferences will occur later in the term.
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P & C news
Tuckshop news
Welcome to returning and new students!
Our online ordering system flexischools.com.au is now active!, Don't forget to update your students profile with their new class details.
Don't forget to add 'allergy alert' for medical purposes, this will give us signal for extra care in food preparations.
Orders can be placed in advance up to the end of each term. Our daily cut off of 9:00am still applies.
Please consider signing up to become a tuckshop volunteer, a small contribution (a couple of hours) from you will make a big difference to us and your children. We look forward to meeting some new faces. Our volunteer sign up link is below.
2019 Term 1 Tuckshop Volunteers sign up https://www.volunteersignup.org/MCREY
Liz Mu, Senior Managing Convenor Phone 3550 5361, [email protected]
Stationery & Uniform Store
Year 6 and SPAGBOL T-shirt orders must be received by the Uniform Store by 9am on the 8th of February, and payment must be received by 9am on Monday the 11th February. These deadlines are final as the supplier will not process late orders, and we do not keep any spare stock. Please note: if you order year 6 shirts on Flexischools, you still need to send through an order form specifying the correct spelling of your child’s name, as it should appear on the shirt.
2nd Hand Uniforms
Thank you for all of your 2nd hand uniform donations. Please note that the Uniform store will no longer be accepting the old formal uniform (striped shirts and blue dresses) for second hand sales.
January 2019 opening hours: Thursday 31 January 8-10am Friday 1 February 8-10am
Charyl Cowles, Stationery Convenor 3550 5359 (0431 265 068), [email protected]
Madonna Morton, Uniform Convenor 3550 5359 (0409 272 062), [email protected]
Coffee Cart—Merlo Training
FREE Barista Training, with professional Merlo trainer, Alexis Simpson
9am Friday 8th February
Come along and learn how to make a perfect coffee at our school coffee cart. New and continuing coffee cart volunteers are all welcome.
Important Dates
Page 6 Page 9
Community news
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Community news
Our newsletter is published fortnightly. Deadline for submissions is Monday, 12 Noon of the week
of publication. Enquiries for advertising may be made to [email protected].
HOST FAMILIES NEEDED
3 – 11 MARCH 2019
FERNY GROVE STATE HIGH SCHOOL will be hosting a group of Japanese students from JUMONJI GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL in a program organized by EdVenture Consulting.
EdVenture Consulting is currently seeking interested host families for this group of students. You can get involved by hosting a student and enjoy a great experience learning about a different culture whilst making new lifelong friends. If you have always wanted to try hosting, please take this opportunity and contact us.
TO BE A HOST FAMILY: Provide a room (with a
desk if possible)
────
Be willing to take stu-
dents to and from school
each day
────
Provide 3 meals a day
────
Welcome student into
your family and help
them with their English
────
Al persons over 18 in the
household require a valid
Blue Card for working
with children. EdVenture
Consulting can assist
with the application
process
────
A nightly rate is paid to
help cover expenses.
CONTACT: Jenny: 0405 639
058
OR
Janet: 0413 633 315.
Please say you are callling for Ferny
Grove SHS Group.
