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Welcome to Term 2 – Welcome back to our ACE students!
Leadership Update – Congratulations to Mrs Kondys who is currently filling an Acting Principal role at another school.
ANZAC Day March – Please join us for the Manly ANZAC March on Tuesday 25 April.
Systematic Synthetic Phonics – Learn more about how we are working in this space with staff and students.
Yarning Circle – Thanks to the P&C for the installation of our new yarning circle.
Friday Sports – Begins this Friday – please ensure permission slips have been returned.
School Photos – 23 and 24 May – look out for photo envelopes coming home soon.
2024 Prep Enrolment – Info Session for 2024 Preps – Tuesday 2 May - 5pm.
Public Holidays – Tuesday 25 April (ANZAC day) & Monday 1 May (Labour Day)
WELCOME TO TERM 2
Welcome to all of our returning and new students and their families. We hope that you had a relaxing break and are ready for the term ahead. This term we have many things occurring for our students including:
- Action packed curriculum learning
- Excursions, Interschool Sports, Year 5 & 6 camps
- Commencement of our student clubs- choirs, dance, drama, Japanese, gardening
Importantly, we will continue to build our ACE (Attending, Confident, Engaged) students and we need your help with this, by ensuring that your child is at school unless they are sick or there is some other significant reason.
LEADERSHIP TEAM UPDATE
We congratulate Mrs Pamela Kondys (Year 3-6 Deputy Principal) who is currently fulfilling an acting Principal position at Woodcrest State College. A recruitment process is being undertaken for this role, to commence next week.
ANZAC DAY MARCH
On Monday 24 April, staff and students will recognise ANZAC Day with a school parade.
On ANZAC Day, Tuesday 25 April, the Wondall Heights State School community has been invited to participate in the community march from Manly State School to Richard Russell Park.
Students are required to meet outside Manly State School, Earnest Street Manly at 7:45am for an 8am start. There will be a sign for Wondall, we are generally towards the back. Parents are welcome to march with their child. Wondall staff will also be in attendance. At the conclusion of the ceremony parents are to collect their child from a Wondall staff member.
Please ensure students are wearing their full school formal uniform and their school hat. Students are encouraged to bring a drink bottle.
SYSTEMATIC SYNTHETIC PHONICS
In 2024 Queensland State Schools will begin to implement Australian Curriculum Version 9 for English. One of the key changes in the revised curriculum is a strengthened emphasis on foundational reading and spelling skills including phonics, phonemic and phonological awareness and morphology from Prep to Year 6.
Evidence-based research demonstrates that a systematic (or structured) synthetic phonics approach is an effective way of teaching all students decoding (reading sounds and words) and encoding (spelling sounds and words).
What is systematic synthetic phonics?
Systematic synthetic phonics is a structured approach to teaching, where students learn about the relationships between sounds (phonemes) and letter symbols (graphemes) and apply these to reading and writing.
How is Wondall preparing for systematic synthetic phonics in 2023?
- All Prep, Year 1, Year 2 and Inclusion Teachers will attend a 4-day SOUNDS-WRITE professional learning course with SPELD QLD costing approximately $3000 per classroom teacher;
- Investment in new decodable readers over 2022/3 to a value of approximately $10000;
- Creating classroom kits to support teachers to begin implementation of SOUNDS-WRITE immediately following their training, approximately $1200; and
- Ongoing professional learning opportunities for all staff with our school’s Speech Language Pathologist on the role of synthetic phonics in the teaching of reading and spelling, presented during lunchbreaks, staff meetings and student free days.
What about our Years 3-6 Teachers in 2023?
The Department of Education is developing a series of training modules to build teacher capability in teaching reading aligned to the science of reading. We will be supporting our Years 3-6 teachers to engage in this professional learning as it becomes available throughout the year.
YARNING CIRCLE
We are excited to share that over the holidays, our school yarning circle has been installed. The yarning circle will be available for classes and students to use throughout the day. Thanks to our P&C who paid for this installation. We will be having an official opening of this space, so keep an eye out for this invitation to attend.
FRIDAY SPORTS
Years 4-6 Interschool Sports commences this Friday. Students will be participating in soccer, rugby league or netball. Students will travel to and from the venue. They will not be released from the venue unless prior authorisation has been received via the office. All permission forms need to be returned if they haven’t yet been, or students will not be allowed to leave the school.
At this point in time, we still have approximately 100 students who have not yet paid. Invoices have been resent. If payment isn’t received your child may not be able to participate. If you need a payment plan, make immediate contact with the office.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School photos will be in Week 6, Term 2 – 23 and 24 May. Envelopes will be sent home shortly and will need to be returned on your child’s photo day.
PREP ENROLMENTS 2024
Notice of Intention to Attend Wondall Heights State School in 2024
We are currently looking at Wondall Heights State School’s planning needs for the 2024 school year. Part of this planning is considering the number of students we will have enrolled in the school. If your child is of Prep age for the 2024 school year and you are considering enrolment at Wondall Heights State School, please let us know your intentions by contacting the school. This is not binding and the catchment area and enrolment requirements still apply. The enrolment process will begin in Term 3 and will be communicated shortly. This intention to enrol information, is to assist us with forward planning to make 2024 as successful as possible for all our students.
Enrolment Process
In catchment students can currently enrol at the office during office opening hours.
Out-of-catchment students can join the waiting list, please contact the office.
A decision will be made for out-of-catchment enrolments in Term 3, you will be invited to attend the Prep Enrolment Sessions in September if you are successful in securing a place at Wondall Heights State School.
Prep Enrolment Sessions will consist of a group interview where parents will be presented information and asked to fill in questionnaires whilst their children interact with our teachers, in a group setting. From there, enrolled 2024 Prep children will be invited to multiple orientation days where they will meet our Prep staff, use our Prep spaces and begin to become familiar with each other. This Prep transition process is vital in preparing your child for a great start to school!
Please share this information with family and friends living in the catchment area!
Save the Date – Prep 2024 Information Session 1
PBL Focus Weeks 1 and 2 – Wondall Learners are RESILIENT when they bounce back
Students are revisiting resilience by learning that challenges and setbacks happen to all of us.
They will discuss:
- Being a resilient person means to rebound, to come back to a positive position and recover your strength.
- Resilience means that you spring back and don’t let unhappy experiences keep you down.
- Challenges are part of life.
They will identify:
- Things they find challenging.
- Strategies to bounce back from challenge.
- Helper words to say when they feel challenged e.g., “Push yourself to the limit and you will be surprised at how tough you are.”
A reminder for all road users to exercise caution and park appropriately in our school community. Our school has been identified for increased patrols this term, with council conducting checks. The attached factsheet has information.
Remember to:
- Park in designed and appropriately signed areas
- Watch for increased pedestrian traffic
- Slow down in school zones
- Be patient
- Follow all Stop, Drop and Go procedures and staff directions
- Delay by 5 to avoid the peak times!
Together we can keep our students, your children safe!
All Years 4 – 6 students commence their interschool sport competitions this Friday.
Venues (from 12.15 – 2.30) for sports are as follows:
Rugby League: Kitchener Park, Stradbroke Avenue, Wynnum
Netball: Gumdale State School, Tilley Road, Gumdale
Boys Soccer: Bayside United FC, Andrew St, Lota
Girls Soccer: Wondall Heights State School Oval
All sport participants must bring lunch, hat water bottle and wear full school sports uniform to and from school on Fridays. They must not wear jewellery, watches, bands (unless medical). Please remove these items from your child if they need assistance prior to school on Friday. Taping of jewellery is not acceptable. Rugby league participants must wear a mouthguard to play. Soccer participants must wear shin pads and long socks. Boots are optional but not mandatory. Students change at morning tea at school if required and boots are put on and taken off at venues.
There are still outstanding permission forms to be returned and payments to be received or payment plans to be arranged. These were due at the end of Term 1. If you have paid but not sent your receipt through to admin please do so prior to Friday as well as any outstanding forms. No form, no arranged payment = no attendance.
OVERALL CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS
ROMANS 1st VIKINGS 2nd TROJANS 3rd SPARTANS 4th
First to third runners will receive forms this week in regards to Bayside District Cross Country Carnival and Trainings.
Age Champs
12yrs Girls: Willow M 12yrs Boys: George O
11yrs Girls: Peyton D 11yrs Boys: Eyssa S
10yrs Girls: Sienna H 10yrs Boys: Elijah C
9yrs Girls: Bella V 9yrs Boys: Levi H
Y3 Girls: Maeve O Y3 Boys: Toby F
Y2 Girls: Milla E Y2 Boys: Chase M
Y1 Girls: Bailey T Y1 Boys: Sam G
Prep Girls: Harlow E Prep Boys: Roczen C
In Term 2, students in Years four to six will be asked to take part in the Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing (QEW) Survey.
We know that wellbeing and engagement are important parts of your child’s life at school. The QEW Survey is designed to measure how students view their wellbeing and engagement across different topics. The information we get from the survey helps us better understand and support our students.
An information letter will be sent out to parents and carers closer to the time. If you have any questions, please contact the school. More information, including FAQs, can be found on the Education website:
| EVENT | DATE |
| ANZAC Day Assembly 2pm | 24 April |
| ANZAC Day Public Holiday | 25 April |
| Labour Day Public Holiday | 1 May |
| Yr 2 Step into History Incursion | 3 May |
| WAMM Mini Workshop - Yr 4 Instrumental Music | 11 May |
| Active School Travel walk | 12 May |
| Mothers Day Stall | 12 May |
| Yr 4 Mangroves & the Environment Excursion (2 Classes) | 16 May |
| Yr 4 Mangroves & the Environment Excursion (2 Classes) | 22 May |
| School Photos | 23 & 24 May |
| Yr 1 Connect with Heritage Incursion (2 classes per day) | 7 & 8 June |
| Toko Ton Taiko Drumming Performance | 12 June |
| Learning Celebration | 14 June |
| Yr 5 Camp - Currumbin Valley (2 classes) | 19 - 21 June |
| Yr 5 Camp - Currumbin Valley (2 classes) | 21 - 23 June |
| Yr 6 Camp - Maranatha | 20 - 23 June |
Payments Due
| EXCURSION | DUE DATE |
| Interschool Sport/Gala Days Yrs 4-6 | Overdue |
| Yr 2 Step Into History | 26 April |
| Yr 4 Mangroves | 09 May |
| Yr 5 Camp - Currumbin Valley | 19 May |
