Oonoonba State School Newsletter Address: Fairfield Waters Drive, Idalia Q 4811 / PO Box 1077, Oonoonba Q 4811

Phone: 4799 8333 / Fax: 4799 8300 / Student Absence Line: 4799 8366

Email: admin@oonoonbass.eq.edu.au

Website: www.oonoonbass.eq.edu.au

Principal: Anne-Marie Day Deputy Principal: Trevor Milton

Acting HOSES Inclusion: Donna Mildren Business Manager: Michelle Rick

Term 2 Week 5 - Wednesday May 20 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Yesterday you should have received a letter via email about the Years 2-6 students returning to school from Monday May 25. We

are all very excited that this is happening for a few reasons. Firstly, we get to see the students again and get back to some

“normality” and secondly, it means that the virus is currently not threatening in Townsville, which is great news.

Attached with the Letter to Parents yesterday was an attendance survey for next week. Could you please complete that by visiting:

https://survey.qed.qld.gov.au/anon/3939.aspx

Welcome back but remember and respect the new “normal”.

“New Normal”

The important health advice is still clear during this time where COVID-19 restrictions are in place:

Drop your child at the gate and allow him/her to make their way to the Covered Play Area if between 8.00-8.30am or, if

dropped off from 8.30am they can go straight to the classroom. In the afternoon young children will be assisted to get to the

gate for pick up.

We will have staff moving backwards and forwards from the main parent car park where the drop off and pick up zone is to assist

younger children

Adults must socially/physically distance themselves by being 1.5 m apart.

Parents/Carers must not congregate outside the classrooms or in car parks. (this is why we would prefer you to drop off and

pick up outside the gate).

Parents/Carers must not enter the classrooms. If you have something important ask the teacher to step outside (if at a

suitable time) or make contact via phone or email.

Parents/Carers must keep children home if they are sick. If they come to school we have the support from health authorities

to send sick kids home.

Parents/Carers must keep children off the play equipment before and after school. The equipment is being cleaned each day.

If we find that adults are not adhering to the important COVID-19 Health Advice, unfortunately more restrictive decisions will need

to be made to keep everyone safe.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not permitted to hold events with large numbers. Hence many events this term

have been cancelled or postponed.

However, parades will continue for students in a new format via video link to each classroom. Once parade has finished on a

Monday morning we will upload the video to face book and our website so that parents/carers who wish to view it or keep in touch,

can do so.

The first week will be the welcome back and in the following weeks we will add student of the week and other regular information.

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions please refer to the link below.

https://qed.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/novel-coronavirus/frequently-asked-questions-for-parents

National Volunteer Week

Next week, 18 – 24 May, is National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our

nation’s volunteers.

Our Vision……‘CONNECTING AND ENGAGING THROUGH

LEARNING’

Our Belief………..“Our Students are worth whatever it takes”.

Whilst we are unable to celebrate this in any event, Oonoonba SS would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge all

volunteers. This year’s theme is ‘Changing lives. Changing communities’.

We know that volunteers give selflessly of their time and efforts to attend school to support students and we know that they can

change the lives of those with whom they work.

Following the flood in 2019 we had many volunteers who helped to make our lives easier.

Commemorate National Sorry Day

Each year on 26 May National Sorry Day is observed in Australia. This is an important day to give

people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen

Generations, their families and communities. Stolen generations refer to Indigenous Australians

who were forcibly removed form their families and communities.

TUCKSHOP

Oonoonba SS P&C in conjunction with recent advice from P&C Queensland and QAST have made the difficult decision to reduce

opening days. The Tuckshop will now open on WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, and FRIDAYS FIRST BREAK ONLY. Following the floods,

with fewer enrolments it was not profitable for them to operate a five day a week service. A new menu will be sent out tomorrow.

Let’s get behind our P&C and support the tuckshop on these days.

When tuckshop reopens we welcome back Melissa Close

Why not join the P&C and help make the job easier for everyone and enjoy some fun along the way? Come along to our next

meeting scheduled for next Thursday 28 May at 6.30-8.30pm in the Staff Lounge.

REPORTING

Due to COVID-19 and home based learning, a decision by the Department of Education has been made that reporting will be

modified for Semester 1. As you can appreciate our teaching, learning and assessment cycle was thrown into chaos when we

had to implement student free days in the last week of Term 1 and with the home based learning period, when some assessments

would have been completed. Hence assessment for Term 2 and reporting for Semester 1 will be adjusted to reflect the modified

nature of learning over this time.

What does this mean?

Students in Years 1-6

Parents/Carers will receive a report card for Semester 1 providing an achievement level/grade (A, B, C, D, E or N) for the areas of

learning in English, Maths, Science and Health and Physical Education.

Whilst curriculum content in other subjects has been taught due to the modified nature of learning, they may not have been

assessed and are therefore not required to be reported on this semester.

Students in Prep

Parents/Carers will receive a report card in English, Maths, Science and Health and Physical Education but prep students this

semester will not be awarded an achievement level/ grade.

All Year Level report cards will include the information on what was taught in Term 1 and the opportunities provided during the

learning at home period and on the return to school until the end of Term 2 in all four of the learning areas.

Students will not be awarded an effort rating, however, a behaviour comment will be included.

Teachers in all year levels will provide an overall comment on the strengths of the students’ work and the areas for improvement

in English and Maths, moving forward into Semester 2.

News from the Music Room………………..

We are all very excited about returning to school on Monday 25.

Instrumental Music will resume from Week 6 however their will be no

ensemble and bands for the rest of this term.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Yours in Music

Mrs Gough, Mr Temple, Mrs Jung

Triple P Parenting Resources for Everyone

See attached to this weeks newsletter a copy of Bertrand The Bored and the

Imagination Jar. Following the link for many useful tips for parents who are at home

with their children either home schooling or spending more time with them than

usual under the current circumstances.

http://campaign.triplep.net/app/crm/marketing/campaignlistener.nl?

Whilst the way of learning and the report cards have been modified, during the whole of Semester 1, including the COVID-19

disruption, the work provided by teachers has been in line with the curriculum and working towards the achievement standards.

Our aim is to utilise the whole of the next five weeks to continue teaching and to issue report cards early in Term 3.

This year we will be emailing report cards to families. It is important therefore, for the office to have your correct email address

to ensure that families receive the report cards.

Anne-Marie Day

Principal

For updated information over the

coming weeks please check our

Facebook page and our school

website:

www.oonoonbass.eq.edu.au

P & C News………………...

DATE: Thursday 28th May 2020

TIME: 6:30pm (Staff Common Room)

*At every Annual General Meeting (AGM) an executive committee – President, Vice president, Secretary and Treasurer must be

re-elected. No positions are held over from the previous year.

Dana Leviston — President Oonoonba State School P&C Association

We have an exciting new tuckshop menu.

We also have a Tuckshop page

www.facebook.com/OonoonbaTuckshop

FROM THE DEPUTY’S DESK

School Photos – Thursday 04 and Friday 05 June (Week 7)

We have started to work with MSP Photography (Richard Fraley) to arrange the logistics for the upcoming school photos in Week 7.

MSP Photography are following a range of protocols and their policies in relation to the current context and as a result, there will be no class group photos. Instead, the class group photos will include individual portraits of each student and teacher/s in the class. The venue for photos has changed to the resource centre meeting room with some new on the day protocols put in place.

Today, paper-based information about photos is being distributed to all Year 2 - Year 6 classes, so that students who are at school today can take the information home and pass on to parents/carers. Classroom teachers will also be receiving information.

The information is about everything that you will need to know, including how to order online and when to return the envelope to school. The online issue that was discovered last week has now been corrected.

For sibling photos, a specific envelope can be requested by parents/carers from the school office.

For those Year 2-6 students who are not at school today, and who will return next week on Monday 25 May, their photo envelope will be given to them on the day to then take home in the afternoon.

We are currently working on the logistics for forwarding envelopes to students who will not have returned to school by next Monday’s date. Keep an eye out for this information via newsletter, email or sms.

In the coming weeks we will release the timetable for classes as to when their school photos will be taken on the Thursday or Friday in Week 7.

Have a great week!

Trevor Milton

Deputy Principal

PCYC OSHC PCYC would like to let all families know that the June July vacation care is out and ready for families that are already enrolled with PCYC. All you have to do is go in to my family lounge app and place your casual bookings on the days that you would like to book your children in. For new families that wish to book vacation care please feel free to drop by the OSHC building (school hall) or send an email (oonoonbaoshc@pcyc.or.au) if you have any enquiries. We have a great program and are happy to email you a copy if you would like one.