Newsletter Edition: Term 4, Week 10

TERM ONE Calendar of Events

Last day of Term 4 2020 Wednesday 9 December Australia Day Public Holiday Tuesday 26 January 2021 First day of Term 1 2021 Wednesday 27 January 2021 P&C Annual General Meeting Wednesday 24 February 2021

R

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Principal’s Pen

2020 School Priority

Student and

Staff Wellbeing

Week 10

Schoolwide

Expectation

“I care for the school

environment &

resources”

We have had a fun filled final few days of Term 4 with students participating in

various end of year activities including the Inter House swimming carnival last

Friday, alternate program featuring Amazing Race, Year 6 Peer Skills Program on

Monday, and Year 6 Graduation celebration yesterday. We are looking forward to

the holidays and are thankful that we have been granted an extra two days.

Semester Two Student Reports, 2021 Prospectus, class stationery lists, permission

packs, student resource scheme and textbook hire forms will be mailed to each

family this week. Please take the time to read through student reports with your

children, and familiarise yourself with the 2021 requirements in preparation for

next year.

We are pleased to announce Taroom State School 2021 teaching staff as follows:

Miss Ash-Lee Lund Prep

Ms Michelle Peall Year 1

Miss Laura Reedman Year 2

Miss Gemma Harris Year 3

Miss Meg Reid Year 4

Mrs Mandy Hay Year 5/6

Ms Rosie Cranstoun Year 7 Form, Secondary Mathematics & Secondary Science

Mrs Karen Wolski (HoD) Visual Art and Primary Design Technology

Mrs Kelly Newton (HoC) Year 8 Form, Secondary Mathematics, Digital Technology & Business

Mrs Deane Hay Year 9/10 Form, Secondary English, History & Geography

Ms Stacey Tweed HPE and Food Technology

Mrs AJ Nowell Year 3 – 10 Design Technology

Mrs Pam Cahill Year 5 Math, Primary Health and Early Years Arts

Mrs Pam Jerrard Year 3, 4 and 5/6 Arts

Mrs Belinda Williams Secondary Ag Science and HaSS

Mrs Karen O’Farrell Early Years HaSS

We are very sad to be farewelling many dedicated Taroom State School staff, Mrs

Keryn Welsh, Ms Andrea Taylor, Ms Cath Ayres, Mrs Laura Boyce and Mrs Sarah

Crawford will be moving on to other schools, employment and motherhood. We

thank these dedicated staff members for their contribution to our students during

their time at Taroom State School. On the other hand we are looking forward to

Mrs Mandy Hay’s return to full time teaching, and welcome new primary school

teachers Meg Reid, Laura Reedman and Gemma Harris to our staff.

I would like to wish all students, parents and staff a happy and relaxing holiday,

and thank parents for their support throughout the unusual 2020 school year. We

look forward to seeing you all next year when school commences on Wednesday

27 January 2021.

Angela Heslin Principal

SQUAD SIX GRADUATION 2020

Gracie, Riley, Jake, Brontie, Lucinda, Maisie, Caitie, Caitlin, Cleo, Oli, Makayla, Jayden, Charlee, Jennifer,

Ryleigh, Isobel

Year 6 Reflection 2020

Seven years of primary school, seven years of fun, friendships and learning, seven years of listening to “what” we need to learn and “what” we need to think about. In Year 6 this year, we have invested time into ‘how’ to think. We have learnt how to think: analytically, positively, Outside the Box, faster, slower, before we speak, carefully, mindfully, kindly, strategically, independently, differently and critically.

Once we master the skill of ‘how’ to think, it makes everything else a lot easier to understand. Through accountable talk in our classroom discussions, we respected and valued each other and our opinions. Please take this skill with you next year and beyond. Being able to communicate actively and respectfully is paramount in learning.

Learning is often measured in how successful you are. Last week we acknowledged and congratulated those students in our class who received various awards for academic and sporting success. I’m going to share with you an insight into what everyday success looks, sounds and feels like in our Year 6 classroom. Following the awards ceremony, I walked back to school with a small group of Year 6 students who did not receive an award. Halfway up the hill, a student said to me ‘Mrs Welsh, my hands are so sore from clapping’. This is what success looks like - respectfully sitting, listening, applauding and congratulating your classmates. This same student stopped on his way out of the classroom at 3pm, turned and said ‘Thanks for teaching me today Mrs Welsh.’ This is what success sounds like – grateful, mindful and generous. Success in learning is also about feeling. Unless you feel successful…what was the point? Common phrases regularly heard in our classroom that reflect students feeling successful are: ‘Mrs Welsh, I’ve finished my homework! Mrs Welsh, you are going to be so proud of me! Mrs Welsh I just love assessment, it feels so good when you are finished!’ This is what success feels like – pride, confidence and growth.

We opened our Keep the Quotes this year with:

‘Leadership isn’t about being in charge, it’s about taking care of people in your charge.’

Today I am sharing with you our closing quote:

‘Success is not in what you have, but the person you are.’

Therefore, if the 16 bright young minds I have in my charge leave Year 6 feeling cared for and successful, then my job is complete.

I have a gift for each of you that contains four symbols to help you remember your time in Year 6 at Taroom State School.

The first is a whistle, this is to remind you of our morning games, leadership and how much fun we had.

The second is a compass, this is to keep you heading in the right direction. Your paths will all be different and remember ‘you didn’t come this far to only come this far.’

The third is an NRL mini football, this is to remind you of our footy tipping competition,that maths really is important in everyday life and gambling is actually not a good idea!

The fourth symbol is a quote card, this is to remind you of the remarkable quotes we shared throughout the year, to keep exercising your growth mindset, believing in yourself and learning from your mistakes.

Thank you for the pleasure and privilege of being your Year 6 teacher – you will always hold a special place in my memory.

Mrs Welsh

Year 6 students recently participated in a two-day

Peer Skills Workshop. Peer Skills recognises that

young people already have the ability to support

their friends and peers and this workshop offers

the opportunity to enhance those skills.

During the workshop students explored:

Their own strengths

Issues that young people face

Values, attitudes and beliefs

Effective listening and responding

Problem solving

Taking care of their wellbeing

Accessing help

Junior School Captain Gracie thanked Guidance

Officer Annette McLean for facilitating the peer

skills program with Ms Groves-Pearce. She also

thanked Mrs McLean for her dedication to all

students at Taroom State School and wished her

the best of luck in her new schools. Thank you

Annette!

Our school ovals have had an upgrade with the addition of five advanced leopard trees. Thank you to our P&C for organising and planting the trees which were sponsored by Glencore - Wandoan Coal Project Community Investment Program. We thank Glencore for their continuted support of our school and congratulate our Taroom State School P&C Funding Association on their successful grant submission.

Students of the Week

Caitlin, Riley

Cash, Matilda

Absent: Sarah-Jane, Spencer

Thank you to the following people for your support at the swimming carnival:

Bill Hickey – Starter

Brian & Nat Argus – Donation of Ice

P & C – Canteen

Maisie Hay – Student Official

Parents & Past Students – Timekeeping & Officials

A huge thank you to this year’s Taroom State School Swimming Carnival Sponsors Wild Cattle Company

(Brian and Tara Lovett), Brian and Natalie Argus, Triple S Santas (The Bruggemann Family), Steve and Naomi

Roberts, Andrew and Gayle Bunker and Rich and Janie Hooper.

Thank you to Bob & Ann Foster for donating our new Inter-house Swimming Shield.

Darcy, Becky, Addyson and

Mia (absent)

AGE CHAMPIONS

AGE BOYS GIRLS

8 Years 1st Hunter

2nd Ryder

3rd Spencer

1st Daisy

2nd Kallie

3rd Sophia

9 Years

1st Ben E

2nd Ben W

2nd Lucas

1st Ella

2nd Mia

3rd Dakota

10 Years 1st Bradley

2nd Jaylan

3rd Kadyn

1st Willow

2nd Isabel AP

3rd Callie

11 Years 1st Jacob

2nd Murphy

1st Rihanna

2nd Marley

3rd Brydie

12 Years 1st Kobi

2nd Glenrowan

2nd Riley

1st Bianca

2nd Isabel A

3rd Ryleigh

13 Years 1st Oli

2nd Lachlan G

3rd Lachlan W

1st Gracie

2nd Emily

3rd Alice

14 Years 1st Archer

2nd Billy

3rd Henry

1st Haylee

2nd Maddison

3rd Bridie

15 Years 1st Bayden

2nd Mitchell

3rd William

1st Madisyn & Annabella

16 Years 1st Jackson

2nd Darcy

Congratulations

to all award

recipients!

P&C News