Filter Content
Welcome – Welcome to Mrs Amy Cocciolone who is joining us as Year 3-6 Deputy Principal.
Parent-Teacher Partnerships for Success – importance of working as a team to support our children.
Parent-Teacher Communication – teachers are your first port of call!
Playgrounds- no students to use before/after school.
Stop, Drop & Go – please review procedure and expectations for this facility.
Welcome
Congratulations to Mrs Pamela Kondys who has been appointed Acting Head of School – Primary at Woodcrest State College this term!
Welcome to Mrs Amy Cocciolone who has joined Wondall as our Year 3-6 Deputy Principal. She can be contacted via email on acocc2@eq.edu.au . Please make her feel welcome at our wonderful school.
Guidance Officer Week
Thanks to our Guidance Officers Sherry Bell and Ashleigh Granzin for your amazing work supporting Wondall and our community. Happy 75 years of doing Guidance work!
Parent-Teacher Partnerships for success
Parent-Teacher partnerships are very important at Wondall Heights State School. A strong relationship between parents and staff leads to positive outcomes for our children.
Staff will be in contact if they have concerns over a student’s learning, engagement or wellbeing. Although it may feel confronting, contact is not aimed to make a parent /carer feel bad or guilty, rather to establish a positive connection to work collaboratively to support the child and ensure there are mutual plans in place to help the child experience success at school.
At times, there may be barriers to a student’s learning, engagement or wellbeing that require further support networks. At this time, teachers will suggest that a larger stakeholder meeting is needed to access the wider school support network and/or external support providers. The ultimate aim is to work in partnership to ensure success for the child.
Parent-Teacher Communication
If you have a concern or query, please consult your child’s teacher in the first instance. Teachers at Wondall Heights State School are always willing to discuss student progress with parents. In order to ensure that the teacher can provide optimal attention to the discussion, please ensure that you make an appointment by contacting the teacher for a mutually suitable time.
We ask that in line with our Parent and Community Code of Conduct, communication is to remain positive, polite, collaborative and respectful in nature. Staff will not disclose details of other students due to privacy and confidentially and parents can be assured that any behavioural incidents will be followed up appropriately, in line with the Student Code of Conduct (found on our school website).
It should be noted that parents should always discuss educational matters with the relevant classroom teacher or specialist teacher before an appointment with the Principal or Deputy Principal.
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 (business days) 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.
School Playgrounds
Before and after school, students are not to use the playgrounds unless they are attending WOSHC. We ask that parents support us with this. Outside of school times, the playgrounds are part of the WOSHC hire agreement.
Students arriving early for school, should wait outside the office and then move to the Arena area when instructed by staff.
Stop, Drop & Go
The STOP, DROP & GO facility is offered by the school to support the movement and flow of students into parental care after 3pm. The use of this facility is at the discretion of parents, with the understanding that students must be confident and independent in following the STOP, DROP & GO procedures and expectations, as listed below.
Procedure:
- Parents are to abide by Brisbane City Council signage in the STOP, DROP & GO area.
- One staff member facilitates vehicle flow and movement through the Stop, Drop & Go area. This staff member is not there to ‘police’ the area, rather to support the safe movement of children into cars.
- A second staff member supervises students in the seated area within the school grounds, whilst children wait for their name to be called.
- Each day, different children access Stop, Drop & Go and it is important to know that the school does not keep a record of the students who use the facility. Students are responsible for knowing whether they need to access the STOP, DROP & GO on any given day and are expected to follow the procedures and expectations.
- Prep Students only - a staff member collects students from the Prep classrooms and delivers them to the drop off area at 3pm. The staff member who manages the movement from the class to the waiting area then leaves. Prep parents/carers must inform the class teacher in advance, for this pickup to occur. Prep students using this facility need to be independent and confident in doing so.
Expectations:
- Students who use the facility need to come straight from class and sit on the seats in a safe, respectful and responsible manner.
- Students are encouraged to wait until their name is verbally called by the supervising staff member- this indicates that they can then move to the front of the pickup line and then load into their car when directed.
- Students are not to leave the designated waiting area, if their parental arrangement is to use the STOP, DROP & GO facility.
- If students are not using the STOP, DROP & GO facility safely, respectfully or responsibly, parents may be asked to consider other pickup arrangements.
Tips & Tricks:
- Child’s SURNAME on front passenger visor – this is a quick visual which will help staff to identify cars and call students to the front of the pickup line more quickly and efficiently. EG: SMITH
- Bag Tags – this is a simple idea that helps your child and our staff know the pickup arrangements (e.g. classroom pickup, Stop, Drop & Go, WOSHC), especially if there is confusion at the end of the day. The tag can be as simple as you writing S,D,G on a piece of paper and connecting it like a bracelet at the top of your child’s bag so it is visual. Please see an example sheet of tags, attached.
School photos will be in Week 6, Term 2 - 24 and 25 May. Envelopes will be sent home this week and will need to be returned on your child's photo day.
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, can you 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. Early forward planning will help 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!
PBL Focus Weeks 3 and 4 – Wondall Learners are SAFE when interacting at school
Students are learning that rules at home can be different to rules at school. This means we may need to interact differently with others at school.
They will discuss:
- Rules at home promote the well-being and happiness of the family members, and they often reflect the values and beliefs of the family.
- Rules at school are designed to ensure that students can learn and interact with each other in a safe and productive way.
Students will compare:
- What play looks like at home to what play looks like at school.
- Sports we play at home to sports we play at school.
- Words we speak to others at home and at school.
- What rest looks like at home and school.
Systematic Synthetic Phonics Prep-Year 2
Next week, our first group of Prep-Year 2 teachers will be attending a four-day Sounds-Write training course and will begin implementing their new learning in their classrooms from the following week. As our teachers have been following a similar scope and sequence for spelling and phonemic awareness across these year levels, they will be able to begin implementing their new learning right after training, with support from our HOD-Curriculum and other members of staff who have been trained as Sounds-Write practitioners already. This is an exciting time for our Early Years Teachers who are all super keen to learn the latest research on teaching reading and embed it in their classrooms.
In Prep, students will continue learning the concept that one spelling represents one sound, and focus on blending, segmenting, and manipulating CVC words. For example, this fortnight the Preps are working on learning the sounds of the initial code spellings d, e, f and v. They will be learning to sound out words like dog, beg, fed, vet, and cod all comprised of letter/spelling code they have learned up until now and this fortnight’s learning, and to sound the spellings to write these words (e.g. /b/ /e/ /d/ spells bed).
In Year 1 and Year 2, the students will be working on extended code and learning to blend, segment and manipulate spellings that represent the sound /ow/ as in cow, out, clown, ground. They will begin to work with spellings where one sound is represented by two letters and applying these spellings to words with a CVC sound pattern, and in Year 2 they may begin exploring words with more than one syllable.
Premier's Reading Challenge
The Premier's Reading Challenge is not a competition but is a way to encourage students to develop a passion for reading.
Students are encouraged to select a range of fiction and non-fiction books suited to their reading ability and record books they’ve read during the reading period, between 8 May and 25 August.
To complete the challenge:
- Prep to Year 2 – must read or experience 20 books
- Year 3 and 4 – must read 20 books
- Year 5 and 6 – must read 15 books (less books than year 3 and 4 due to likelihood of being longer and more complex)
For suggested books, or for more information about the Premier’s Reading Challenge, please visit:
https://readingchallenge.education.qld.gov.au/
Every student who completes the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement, signed by the Premier. Your child should receive a record sheet and consent form this week from their classroom teacher. Completed record sheets with student’s full name and class on them.
Active School Travel Walk Safely to School on FRIDAY 19 May
Friday 19 May is National Walk Safely to School Day. Walk Safely to School Day is an annual event when all primary school children are encouraged to walk to school. It promotes road safety, healthy lifestyle, and a clean environment.
To celebrate Walk Safely to School Day, our school is having a Park’n’Stride event.
Being part of the Active School Travel program, we are already leading by example and encouraging our students to actively travel every week. Being part of a national day also demonstrates we are part of a much bigger, international movement encouraging healthier habits, greater physical and mental wellbeing, and a greener environment. Active School Travel is one of the easiest ways to incorporate physical activity into everyday life for all children. So join in the fun, be active and healthy, and walk to school with your child on Friday 19 May.
Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing Survey Information for parents and carers Years 5 & 6
Why is Wondall Heights State School doing the survey?
We know that wellbeing and engagement are important parts of your child’s life at school. The department and your school are looking at ways to collect information on these topics so we can support our students in the best way possible.
The Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing (QEW) Survey is designed to measure how state school students view their wellbeing and engagement.
Results from this survey will tell us about students’ levels of wellbeing and engagement. This information will allow us to better support our students and meet their needs.
When will the survey take place?
The QEW Survey is run in Weeks 1 to 4 of Term 2 each year.
What is the survey about?
The survey measures many aspects of students’ wellbeing, engagement, and experience at school.
What is involved in participation?
Teachers will arrange for students to take part in the Survey online during class time. It will take about 30 minutes to complete. If your child requires additional assistance, teachers and/or support people are able to help them.
Does your child have to participate?
Participation in the survey is voluntary. Choosing not to participate will not affect your child’s education in any way. Your child will also be asked if they would like to participate before starting the survey. They will be free to stop or withdraw at any time.
If you do not wish for your child to participate in the QEW Survey, please complete the attached withdrawal request at the bottom of this page and return it to your child’s teacher or the administration office.
Your child will still get a link to the survey in their email even if you opt out, but they won’t be able to get into the survey without the access code given only at the time of completing the survey.
How will your child’s information be kept confidential?
The information collected through the survey will be kept confidential. No personal information will be shared with anyone outside of the Queensland Department of Education. The Queensland Department of Education will store the data according to strict guidelines. The collection of information is in line with the Educational General Provisions Act (2006) and the Information Privacy Act (2009).
How will your child’s responses be reported?
Student’s answers will be de-identified. They will only be reported back to the school as part of their year levels’ results. No one at your child’s school will be able to see their individual responses.
Where can I get more information?
Qld Engagement and Wellbeing Survey information
You can contact the QEW Survey team by email: QEWSurvey@qed.qld.gov.au.
Payments Due
| EXCURSION | DUE DATE |
| Yr 4 Mangroves | 09 May |
| Yr 5 Camp - Currumbin Valley | 19 May |
| Yr 6 Camp - Maranatha | 19 May |
| EVENT | DATE |
| WAMM Mini Workshop - Yr 4 Instrumental Music | 11 May |
| Active School Travel walk | 19 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 |
