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Temporary Leadership Changes- Week 3 & 4
School Opinion Survey- 24 July-18 August – have your say about what our school does well, and how we can continue to improve!
NAPLAN Reports- sent home Friday.
NCCD- National Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability.
Flipped Lunches- The benefits of continued flipped lunches.
PBL- Wondall Learners are safe when participating during lunchtime activities.
PREP 2024- Enrol ASAP so you can be in the draw to win some awesome prizes and receive invites to special Prep Transition events.
Student Wellbeing- Wondall’s Results from Wellbeing Survey.
Temporary Leadership Changes
Please be advised of some temporary changes in our school leadership team, whilst Mr Wright is on leave for Weeks 3 and 4.
School Opinion Survey
Wondall Heights State School is an amazing school, with great students, staff, parents and community! We are proud of our school and the progress we continue to make in enriching the learning opportunities for our students, your children. As a means to collect feedback data on our school in a number of areas, each year, all families, school staff and students in Years 5&6 will be invited to participate in the annual suite of School Opinion Surveys. The surveys will be conducted in Term 3 and will close on 18 August 2023. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well, and how we can continue to improve.
An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey will be emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 17 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, 2023. 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.
NAPLAN Reports
Individual reports have arrived and will be sent home Friday with an information fact sheet that explains the report and new proficiency scales. Our staff will explore the NAPLAN data as part of our data analysis process to inform next steps for teaching and learning.
NCCD
Each year, all Australian schools engage in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD counts the number of students receiving adjustments due to disability and records the level of support they require. This may include students with learning difficulties like dyslexia and other disabilities which impact on schooling. The Australian Government provides funding for students with disability based on the NCCD.
We are currently collating our data to ensure we comprehensively capture the needs of all students who benefit from additional support to access and participate in school life at Wondall. For more information on the NCCD, please refer to the attached fact sheet. As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
Flipped Lunches
Due to overwhelmingly positive feedback from our staff and students, we have decided to keep our ‘flipped lunches’. Staff have reported:
- Students are enjoying playing first thing after learning time – they need to move and prefer this to sitting still to eat first.
- The eating areas are much calmer, as students have time to transition from play to eating, then to class. Less learning time is spent resolving playground disputes as eating time is used to reset for learning.
- Students are refuelling their bodies just before returning to class, and teachers are seeing students come in more focussed and ready for learning.
- The school is tidier as year levels are accountable for cleaning up their areas just after eating and before moving to class.
- Most students are reporting that they have nothing left in their lunchbox by the end of second break.
New bell times are as follows:
Please note:
- There is an additional 5 minutes of eating time at first lunch. This is to allow for tuckshop etc.
- Students are allowed to eat at any time during the two 40-minute breaks. Please reiterate this with your child if they feel they need longer to eat.
- Should you have any concerns about your child’s lunchtime activities, please don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher so we can support.
Student Wellbeing Survery
After Year 5 and 6 students completed the Wellbeing survey the school was emailed the results. Our Admin team and Guidance officer looked at some actions moving forward to support the wellbeing of students at Wondall. An area that scored low was lack of sleep that students reported they were getting. See information regarding how much sleep your child should be getting every night.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
Our focus for the next two weeks is, ’Wondall Learners are safe when participating in lunchtime activities’. The objectives of this focus is for students to understand the importance of being safe by selecting appropriate activities when playing at lunchtimes, as well as to develop students decision-making skills for responding appropriately to others.
In class, students will discuss:
- All play area options available, including lunchtime clubs;
- Other lunchtime options that students would like available to them;
- What safe play is;
- How to respond when I/others are no longer in the green zone.
Student’s will revise the focus from last term to reinforce safe interactions and students being accountable for their actions.
We will be hosting another Pop-Up Storytime and Play session for enrolled in-catchment 2024 Prep shortly. To receive your invite, make sure you are enrolled ASAP!
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 wait 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!
Book Week
This year we will be celebrating Book Week from 21-25 August. Students are encouraged to dress up to celebrate Book Week on Monday 21 August. They could come dressed as their favourite book character or in a costume inspired by this year’s book Week theme of Read, Grow, Inspire.
Premier's Reading Challenge
Last term, your child would have received a recording sheet and consent form from their classroom teacher for The Premier's Reading Challenge. If these have been misplaced, you can download new forms by clicking on the link below.
2023 Reading Challenge Record Form
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.
Every student who completes the challenge and returns their forms by Friday 25 August will receive a Certificate of Achievement, signed by the Premier.
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:
Wondall Heights State School is the proud winner of four bikes built by TRACTION and a new bike rack, all provided by Brisbane City Council as part of the Active School Travel program. We will put them to great use as part of our Active School Travel Program!
Upcoming AST Park’n’Stride events for Term 3:
- Friday 18 August – ‘Bullying No Way!’ National day against bullying walk (wear orange).
- Friday 8 September – ‘R U OK Day’ walk (wear yellow).
EVENT | DATE |
Life education Visit Yrs 4-6 | 26th July - 3rd August |
History in a Box 3B & 3C | 9th August |
History in a Box 3A & 3D | 10th August |
Oztag Gala Day | 10th August |
St Helena Stories 5B & 5C | 14th August |
St Helena Stories 5A & 5D | 15th August |
Public Holiday - Ekka Show Day | 16th August |
Active School Travel Walk | 18th August |
Book Week Dress Up | 21st August |
Go with the Flow 2A & 2B | 23rd August |
Go with the Flow 2C & 2D | 24th August |
First Contact 4C & 4D | 23rd August |
First Contact 4A & 4B | 30th August |
P & C Colour Run | 31st August |
Student Free Day | 1st September |
Learning Celebration | 6th September |
Life Education Yr 3 | 8th September |
Parent Teacher Interviews | 12th September |
Payments Due
EXCURSION | DUE DATE |
Yr 3- History in a Box | 4th August |
Yr 4 First Contact | 16th August |