COVID 19 Vaccinations- changes to mandatory vaccinations in schools.

Toilet Renovations- not long to go and our Early Years Toilet Block will be ready!

2022 School Opinion Survey- emailed to parents for completion between 18 July- 12 August. Let's make sure everyone knows how GREAT Wondall is!

Communication – Wondall’s communication procedures.

Term 3 Reminders – Don’t forget to wear the correct uniform (including jumpers and hats) and bring a hat!

NAIDOC Celebrations – Wondall student’s have celebrated NAIDOC this week.

2023 Prep Open Morning – Thursday 14 July – 9:15-10:30am – come for a tour and chat with Admin.

2023 Prep Enrolments – Enrol now so you don’t miss out on our transition events that are by invite only!

Welcome to Term 3! We are now officially past the halfway point of the school year and Term 3 is set to be a busy and exciting one for our students. We hope that all families had a chance to recharge and catch up over holidays and extend a warm welcome to our new students and families.

COVID 19 VACCINATIONS

As you may be aware, the Premier has announced the amendment of the COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Workers in a high-risk setting Direction effective from 1am, 30 June 2022. COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Workers in a high-risk setting Direction

This means that after this date, workers will no longer be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to attend schools or early childhood education and care settings in Queensland. This applies to all workers at our school, including contractors, volunteers and service providers.

I would like to reassure you that while the Chief Health Officer has repealed this direction and deemed that schools are no longer a high-risk setting, the vast majority of staff in our school are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Our school continues to have a range of COVID-safe measures in place, including:

• maintaining good hygiene practices, including regular hand washing and use of hand sanitiser
• continuing enhanced cleaning, including sick rooms and student or child service areas
• encouraging all staff and students to stay home when sick, get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms, and follow Queensland Health advice for positive cases and close contacts
• providing rapid antigen tests (RATs) to students and staff who develop symptoms while at school, as well as priority access to RATs at Queensland Health testing clinics and provision of RATs for close contacts where available

If you have any questions or concerns, as always please feel free to contact the office.

TOILET RENOVATIONS     

The major renovation work is almost complete for our Early Years toilet block with the finishing products going in. The extended weather events have unfortunately delayed some of the progress with the works expected to be fully completed now in early August.

2022 SCHOOL OPINION SURVEY

Wondall is a GREAT school and now is your chance to make sure everyone knows it! Each year, parents, students (in nominated year levels) and staff are encouraged to complete the School Opinion Survey (SOS). This survey supports the continued improvement of our school and provides ‘next steps’ in a range of survey areas. We are proud of our school and the work that is done by our students, staff and families and look forward to these positive achievements, being reflected in the survey responses. The survey will be open from 18 July - 12 August.

All families, school staff and students in Years 5 & 6 are invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well, and how we can improve.

An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey will be emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 11 July.  The invitation will be sent from the Department of Education, not the school, and it will have the subject line School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2022.  Check your junk email folders if you can’t find it.  The survey can be completed as soon as the invitation is received and will take approximately 5 minutes using a computer, tablet or smart phone. 

Parents/caregivers who do not have access to the internet at home are welcome to complete their survey online at the school. School computers/tablets will be available.

COMMUNICATION

If you have a concern or query, please consult your child’s teacher in the first instance.  If you require clarification or need further assistance, please contact the school office and make an appointment with one of our administration team. Please note that our school operates on a 48-hour response time to parent contacts.

Parents are requested not to approach any student directly.  All concerns and issues must be reported to school staff, and will be managed following school processes.

It is important that the school has up-to-date contact details for parents / guardians, and for alternative emergency contacts in case you are unavailable.  If any of your details or circumstances change, please contact the school.

We also offer communication through:

• Wondall Heights State School Parent Handbook
• School website
• Facebook
• School emails
• Parent-Teacher Interviews (Term 1 and 3)
• Report Cards (Terms 2 and 4)

TERM 3 REMINDERS

Stationery Request Forms – At the beginning of the 2022 school year, families were advised that the book list was a ‘Starter List’ and that additional materials may need to be purchased throughout the year, should items be consumed or lost. If your child requires additional items, teachers will provide you with a Stationery Request Form so that you know which items need to be replaced.

School Jumpers/Jackets - Please ensure your child is wearing the correct school jumper or jacket. These can be purchased at the uniform shop and we encourage them to be labelled for easy return if lost.

Hats - We are a Sun Smart school and require all students to wear a Wondall hat for PE and outdoor lessons, as well as for lunchtime play. Caps are not permitted. We have a No Hat – No Play rule.  

Naming Items – Please ensure all your child’s items are labelled clearly with their name. We have so many items in lost property which can’t be returned to their rightful owner, as items are unnamed. In the instance your child loses an item, please ask them to check the lost property bin which is located under the building near the tuckshop.

Prep transition events are important in setting your child up for success and are designed to introduce your child to the Prep environment to reduce anxiety in starting school. We recommend enrolling early and attending as many sessions as you can. The Prep transition sessions we are offering this year include:

Enrolment Sessions – via invite only - booking system for enrolled families only (paperwork needs to have been submitted and finalised through the school office)

Approximately 15 children attend these sessions at a time. The Enrolment Sessions are designed to create a sense of community for our enrolling children and families to meet and establish connections in preparation for 2023. Parents/carers will be provided with specific information on helping their children to become ready for Prep, whilst our staff get to know your children.

Orientation Sessions – via invite only - booking system for enrolled families only

Children are offered two sessions to attend to meet our current Prep teachers and students in order to help them transition and become comfortable with starting Prep in 2023. Parents/carers will be provided with information around Prep-readiness and Early Literacy and Numeracy development whilst their children are enjoying time in the classrooms. In the final week of school, children will be invited to an additional session to meet their 2023 teacher and visit their new classroom.

Please share our Wondall Heights SS 2023 Prep Brochure with family, friends and neighbours who have Prep aged children (born 1 July 2017 - 30 June 2018) who are interested in attending Wondall Heights SS next year!

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

This term, Wondall, along with all schools, will compile a data set that counts the number of students with disability receiving adjustments at school. This is known as the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data which is submitted annually and informs future planning to equip schools to better support students with disability. Please find attached the information explaining the nature and purpose of the NCCD or access their website at https://www.nccd.edu.au

PBL Focus Term 3 Weeks 1 and 2

Our PBL focus for Weeks 1 and 2 is, ‘Wondall Learners have a growth mindset.’ A growth mindset means that you see challenge as an opportunity for learning. At Wondall, students are encouraged to embrace challenges and mistakes as opportunities to grow and learn.

Some discussion points that will be covered during the fortnight are:

• What is a growth mindset and fixed mindset?
• How can we develop a growth mindset?
• Strategies to support a growth mindset.
• The power of ‘YET”. I haven’t made it, yet. I haven’t figured it out, yet.
• Growth mindset affirmations and statements.
  
  • I can do hard things.
  • I am a problem solver.
  • I grow my brain by learning hard things.
  • I learn from my mistakes.
  • I ask for help when I need it.
  • Learning from my mistakes helps me to grow my brain.

 At Wondall we reinforce challenges are part of life and they help us to learn and grow.

Let’s Get Physical

Physical activity is not only essential for children’s healthy growth and development, it’s also important to learning. Physical activity - whether it’s team sports, playground games, or actively travelling to school - has positive effects on the brain and on academic performance.

During and after exercise, the flow of oxygen to the brain is increased and the number of brain neurotransmitters increases, assisting the ability to concentrate, learn, remember and manage stress. Physical activity also enhances classroom attitudes and behaviours, both of which are important components of improved academic performance.

All of these benefits not only lead to improved academic performance, but also enhance social skills and higher levels of self-esteem.

Join us on Fridays and actively travel to school. Your body and brain will love it!

   TERM 3 ENROLMENTS ARE NOW OPEN

   Please see the Term 3 class schedule below.