Tartan Times McDowall State School An Independent Public School since 2013

Achieving better outcomes for all students

School Administration (Office)

Open Mon to Fri, 8.00am – 4.00pm

Payment days: Tue & Thur: 8am – 11am

Recess Times

Prep – Year 2: 10.30am – 11.10am

12.45pm – 1.25pm

Years 3 – 6: 11.00am – 11.40am

1.15pm – 1.55pm

School Assemblies

Mon: 8:55 – 9:30am (Years 3–6)

Wed: 8.30 – 9:00am (Prep–Yr 2)

Tartan Tuckerbox (Tuckshop)

Monday: 1st break only

Open Tuesday to Friday

Flexischools orders avail. Mon-Fri

To volunteer: click here

Uniform Shop

Open Mon & Thu, 7.45am to 9.30am

Standard Uniform (Mon – Thu)

Tartan or red polo shirt

Bottle green pants shorts / skorts

Bottle green socks & black shoes (Tartan)

White socks & black shoes (red polo shirt)

Red bucket (for Prep Year) or Bottle green reversible broad-brimmed hat

Winter: bottle green jacket, jumper and track pants

Friday (Sports)

House shirt or red polo shirt if playing inter-school sports

Bottle green pants shorts / skorts

White socks

School hat

EDITION: 5 June 2020

N E

W S

L E

T T

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Office 3872 5333

Absence 3872 5366

Tuckshop 3872 5304

Fax 3872 5300

Email admin@mcdowallss.eq.edu.au

Website www.mcdowallss.eq.edu.au

Please direct ALL OSH enquiries to the following

number - 3353 5755

2 Principal’s Post

4 Year 5 News

4 Defence News

5 Library News

5 Music News

Music In The Square!

Tartan Times 5 June – 2020 Page 2

Principal’s Post

School Council Meeting

The McDowall State School Council will meet

on Monday, 8th June, 2020 from 7pm-8pm in

the School Administration Staffroom. Each

member will sit at their own small desk

suitably distant from other members.

It was noted during the School Council

Meeting on 9th March, 2020 that both

Education Act and EQ Policy changes are

occurring with view that the School Council assumes an

increasing strategic oversight of various school policy

statements. The existing Responsible Behaviour Plan for

Students is due to be phased out at the end of 2020. All State

Schools are to draft a new Student Code of Conduct with

School Council to authorise and P&C Association to be used as

the consultative forum. Policy inclusions will require discussion

and a clear established position on a number of issues.

The School Council decided that the following questions are to

be discussed on Monday, 8th June, 2020.

Should students be permitted to bring mobile phones

into McDowall State School?

Should students be permitted to wear on-line capable

wrist watches at McDowall State School?

How should such matters be monitored, enforced

and/or intervention occur should a breach exist?

Which Year Levels should be permitted to engage within

the BYOD Initiative? (Currently Years 5-6)

School Council Minutes are publicly available from

www.mcdowallss.eq.edu.au

Parents & Citizens Association Meeting

The McDowall State School Parents’ & Citizens’ Association will

reconvene on Monday, 22nd June, 2020 from 7pm in K Block

(OSHC) or via Zoom. Attending parents will be suitably seated

apart from one another during the meeting. The current P&C

Association Executive have continued to productively maintain

Association business interests and operations during recent

months. They have indicated that they will make themselves

available to membership for endorsement to continue in their

duties through until February, 2021. Should members agree,

this needs to be validated during an Annual General Meeting.

As P&C Association activities recommence, there is a list of

volunteer positions that need to be filled for 2020. Please give

this your due consideration. Following the formality of an

Annual General Meeting, a General Meeting will follow from

8pm. It is anticipated that all reports for the period February-

June will be electronically issued prior to the meeting so that

time will efficiently focus on questions and decision-making.

All P&C Association memberships will lapse at the Annual

General Meeting. Parents are requested to complete a P&C

Association Membership 2020 Form and either leave it at

School Administration, at McDowall OSHC or send it to:

secretary@mcdowallsspc.org.au . A P&C Association

Membership 2020 Form may be downloaded from the P&C

Association website. Once the Annual General Meeting has

been held, parents are required to attend a P&C Association

General Meeting to have their application for membership

accepted. P&C Association Membership 2020 Forms must be

fully completed on both sides.

During an Annual General Meeting, all roles within the

McDowall SS P&C Association are declared vacant and are

made available for nominations. Parents interested in filling

any P&C Association role for 2020 are welcome to contact a

current P&C Association Executive Member or speak with the

Principal.

Due to COVID-19 and physical distancing requirements,

attendance through Zoom is strongly encouraged. A link to the

on-line meeting will be distributed to all P&C Association

Membership 2020 applicants.

Executive Roles

President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Non-Executive Roles

WH&S Co-Ordinator, Tartan Network Co-ordinator, Fundraising

Co-ordinator #, Community Event Co-ordinator #,

Communications Co-ordinator #, Traffic & Safe ST Co-

ordinator, School Banking Co-ordinator, Book Club Co-

ordinator, Grants Co-ordinator #.

# indicates a role for which no nominations have been

received to date.

B. T. Fogarty

Principal.

School Uniform Standards

The McDowall State School Student

Dress Code is well known by parents

and students. The full code is

available from the school website. A

summary is located fortnightly on the

front page of the Tartan Times.

Parents are expected to ensure that

their child has the correct school

uniform to wear to school daily. The

majority of McDowall State School

students do so. Shoes and jackets

tend to be the greatest non-

compliance issue. The word ‘uniform’ means having the one or

same appearance. School pride, personal pride, self-respect,

collective belonging and pride in upholding school standards

are all inherent within the daily wearing of the school uniform.

The McDowall State School student uniform not only highlights

that student as attending this school but it reflects the

aspirations that parents have for their child’s future. The

wearing of the correct green JACKET / JUMPER (during Winter)

and BLACK SHOES is a daily requirement of wearing school

uniform, unless sports shoes are required for a special event.

Most students daily wear black sports shoes. (Refer

photograph)

Tartan Times 5 June – 2020 Page 3

COVID-19 School Access Restrictions Remain In Place

COVID-19 restrictions remain in

place at McDowall State School.

School-based procedures align

with Department of Education

Term 2, 2020 Operating

Guidelines as effective from 25th

May, 2020. Over time, the

Queensland Government is

gradually relaxing some societal

restrictions. Our focus remains on the delivery of a quality,

effective primary education to all our students within a safe,

virus / flu-free environment. Current adult access restrictions

ensure that as best that we may, neither staff nor students are

coming into regular or sustained contact with a broad array of

adults not directly associated with school operations and

immediate family. Physical distancing applies for staff and

adults. School gates continue to be monitored. Personal

distancing is taught and encouraged from all students. Both

staff and students are expected to remain at home should flu-

like symptoms become evident.

McDowall State School Access

Main (Rode Rd) School Gate is used by independent

P-6 student access; and adult visitors accessing only

School Administration. Adult access to Teaching Blocks

and associated areas remains prohibited.

Metro Street (pedestrian) Gate will open for:

P-6 students between 7.50am-8.20am.

P-6 students between 2.40pm-3.10pm.

This gate is also used by students for access to Keona

Road via the walkway.

Kiss-and-Ride Facility is used by:

P-2 students between 7.50am-8.15am.

Yrs 3-6 students between 8.15am-8.45am.

Kiss-and-Ride Facility is used by:

P-2 students between 2.35pm-2.55pm.

Yrs 3-6 students between 3.05pm-3.30pm.

Kiss-and-Ride Facility (Parking) is used by parents &

adult visitors accessing only School Administration.

Adult access to Teaching Blocks and associated areas

remains prohibited.

P-2 students are now capable of independent walking from the

Kiss-and-Ride Facility to their before school waiting area.

Student leaders may continue to provide support should it be

required. P-2 students will be walked to the Kiss-and-Ride

Facility arriving by 2.40pm.

Kiss and Ride Facility seating is for students. This is a staff

supervised area.

It is expected that P-6 students will independently daily access

and depart the school.

Please do not enter the McDowall State School through the Staff Car Park. The School Oval Gate is currently closed. McDowall Out-of-School Hours Care

McDowall Out-of-School Hours Care is available both before

school and from 2.30pm. Childcare staff collect Preparatory

Year students from their classroom areas. From class

dismissal, Years 1-6 are expected to promptly attend K Block

(OSHC) for programme sign-in.

Parental access to Out-of-School Hours Care is through the

Kiss-and-Ride Facility and along the Central Covered Area

Walkway. Access is only permitted before /after school

operations. Adult access to Teaching Blocks and associated

areas remains prohibited.

Cross-Timetable Sibling Pick-Up 2.30pm-3pm Those few parents supervising P-2 children while awaiting Yrs 3-6 siblings must not enter the school building and associated facilities areas. They may though, wait under the two large covered areas beside the School Tennis Courts Area at the school oval edge. Please do not wait in the Kiss-and-Ride Facility. These P-2 students will arrive with their peers attending the Kiss-and-Ride Facility. Between 2.30pm-3pm these children are under the direct care and supervision of their parents. They are not permitted on school embankments nor away from the immediate direction and influence of their parent. Being within school grounds, parents, visitors and children must always comply with staff direction should it be provided.

Preparatory Year Pick-Up 2.40pm

It is strongly recommended that as many students as

possible, use the Kiss-and-Ride Facility. We seek to

reduce the number of vehicles requiring to be parked in the

Metro / Goldwyn / Mayer Street Circuit. PA1-2 Block and

Covered Area is temporarily closed for reroofing and gutter

replacement works.

Preparatory Year parents only, may enter the Metro

Street (pedestrian) Gate between 2.40pm-3pm to wait

on the bitumen between the boom gate and positioned

coloured markers. Preparatory Year students w ill be

walked from classroom areas to stand in their designated

‘Emergency Assembly Area’. Should they identify their parent,

the student will be dismissed to walk through the coloured

markers. It is expected that parent and child will then

immediately depart the school grounds, freeing up car parking

space on local streets.

Sick / Ill Students

It is essential that you keep your child home from school if

they are unwell. In accordance with Queensland Health

Directions parents or carers of any child showing signs of

illness will be asked to collect them immediately from the

school. The sick / ill student (or student displaying flu-like

symptoms) will be immediately empathetically isolated and

cared for away from their peers. The parent will be called to

collect their child with recommendation to take their child to a

GP or phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) if concerned.

Did You Know? The distance from the Kiss-and-Ride Facility to the McDowall OSHC door is 3m shorter than if you walked from the Metro Street Gate.

Tartan Times 5 June – 2020 Page 4

Principal’s Gallery

Year 5 News

Persuasive Unit Introductions: Advantages or

Disadvantages of Learning at Home

Why We should Work From School by Matthew

With a withered face, the young, exhausted boy stared out the

tinted window, wishing that he was at his massive school,

waiting to start a wonderful day. When you’re at school you

are always learning with your peers. You always have a break

to clear your mind and you can always ask the teacher

questions. Don’t you think school is better than learning at

home, wait, not home - jail?

Why We Shouldn’t Learn From Home by Chloris

The sun was shining luminously in the clear sky and the

elegant birds with colourful feathers fluttered around.

Longingly, the devastated children trying to work out tricky

questions, gazed at the teachers as they sauntered peacefully

whilst chatting with each other on the grassy school oval. They

played their instruments magnificently and laughed happily.

Wouldn’t you want to be able to talk with your friends, get help

on complicated problems and play beautifully with your

orchestra?

Disadvantages of Learning at Home by Zoey

Parents rushing to go to work, kids not knowing what to do, all

the stress of home schooling. There is some advantages of

home schooling like eating whenever you want and wearing

whatever you want but there is way more disadvantages.

Some people like home schooling but think about it. Wouldn’t

you want to see your friends, wouldn’t you struggle without a

teacher and wouldn’t you miss fun activities like PE and

dance???

Advantages of Learning from Home by Amy

The soothing sounds of the symphony of birds surrounds my

brilliant white desk and dusky pink chair - my home learning

space. There’s no mad panic here in the mornings, tumbling

out of bed, tousled hair and flannel pyjamas and email my

teacher the morning roll call. With parents who are working

from home, the house is a lot calmer, breakfast eaten at a

steady pace while I’m able to complete my maths work for the

day, dreaming about using my PE time to practise back flips on

the trampoline. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy this everyday?

Defence News

Welcome back to all McDowall

State School students! My name

is Mrs Brodie Osborn and I have

recently been posted as the new

Defence School Mentor. I have

been busy getting to know the school and students. I will

continue to touch base with all Defence students and

families in the coming weeks. At this stage I will be attending

McDowall SS on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am

to 2:30pm. If you have any queries or concerns, please feel

free to ring the school and ask for me within these hours or

email me any time at bburk45@eq.edu.au.

If you have a budding author at home then DCO Brisbane is

hosting an exciting Short-Story Writing Competition! This is

open to all Defence families in Brisbane, both adults and

children alike and has some great prizes. Please see the link

below for more information and if your child would like any

assistance I'd be happy to help at school. Looking forward to

seeing what inspiring stories everyone comes up with! https://

www.eventbrite.com.au/e/an-adf-families-event-short-story-

writing-competition-brisbane-tickets-104922566220

An ADF families event: Short-story writing competition,

Brisbane Tickets, from 13/05/2020 at 8:00am | Eventbrite.

NOTE: This competition is only open to current serving or ex-

serving Australian Defence Force members and their families.

ADF families in the Brisbane, Amberley and Darling Downs

regions, past and present, are invited to enter our ‘Short story

writing competition’. We’re asking you to share your story of

what it means to be a Defence family, partner, parent,

grandparent or ex-serving ...

www.eventbrite.com.au

CONTACT: Mrs Brodie Osborn, Defence School Mentor

w/c 8th June 3F3 Please enjoy a snapshot of art-

work featured from 1J6

w/c 15th June 3E1 w/c 22nd June 4G2 w/c 13th July 6C4

Tartan Times 5 June – 2020 Page 5

School Library News

The School Library is OPEN for borrowing! It has been

wonderful greeting all our students in the School Library.

National Simultaneous Story Time

McDowall State School went all out

on Wednesday 27th May to read

Chicken Divas by Lucinda Gifford as

part of National Simultaneous Story

Time. Our Year 6 Student Leaders

read the story to many in the junior

school. Teachers engaged with the

digital resources provided,

including Emma (the Yellow

Wiggle) and Denise Scott reading

the text with their inimitable

charm. The story features Whitney

and Britney, poultry who transform

into cabaret divas by night. It was

noted that we have our own brood

of budding divas here at school.

There were craft groups in the Library and classrooms and all

in all, there were feathers flying on campus! Someone even

reported seeing a Deputy donning a feather boa to join the

fun. Check out the accompanying photos and see if you can

spot the DP in feathers. We continue to grasp every

opportunity to celebrate reading at McDowall State School and

we used the National Simultaneous Story Time to bring our

school community together with just over 900 students joining

in the reading fun.

Book Club

Book Club brochures were sent home this week and orders are

due by Friday, 12th June 2020. All Book Orders are completed

online via LOOP. Thank you again for supporting our McDowall

State School readers.

CONTACT: Mrs Arlene Smethurst, Leading Literacy Coach

Music News

Due to the ongoing restrictions associated with the Covid-19

virus McDowall State School Instrumental Music Programme of

Excellence is unable to present the scheduled Celebration

Concert for Semester 1. But do not fear, if our community

cannot come to McDowall State School to see our students

perform then our very talented music students will come to

you!

Over the next few weeks, small group ensembles are

scheduled to perform in the Remembrance Square for their

fellow students. These lunch time performances are part of a

concert series called ‘Music in the Square’. Performances will

be video recorded. Each week an email will be sent out to our

school community with a link to the video recordings. This way

you can view the McDowall State School’s Instrumental Music

Immersion Programme of Excellence, ‘Music in the Square’

concert series from the comfort of your own home!

Please keep an eye out for the email which will clearly set out

the steps for accessing these videos.

CONTACT: Ms Vanessa Crowhurst, Head of Curriculum