From the Principal

Welcome to February

Hello 2022 school year!  Let's hope the unusual start is the COVID highlight.

Staff have been working very hard getting ready for students to come back & look at all the wonderful things we are going to do to support teaching & learning that I'm sure they are sick of me saying this extra time is a gift for us to dig deep into research and prepare for the year.  I'm also pretty sure that they would rather have your children here & teaching them than listen to me!

We welcome new staff members to our school this year, I know they are looking forward to getting to know you and your children.

Mrs Jodi Stafford - Jodi returns from a stint teaching in Dubai, she has also been a teacher at Forest Hill State School before that.  Jodi is teaching 3/4 A this year.

Mrs Katie Couch - Katie has been teaching for a couple of years, and joins us from Greenbank SS.  Katie is teaching 3/4C and running the iPad class this year.

Ms Ahrani Vaheesan is our Speechie this year, she is a graduate and excited to be working with us on Tuesdays

Mrs Jessica Logan returns as our instrumental teacher on Friday mornings.

Mr Jason Stafford returns as our School's officer 5 days a week.  Jason has also been working in Dubai over the last few years, but is excited to be back with us and looking forward to working on projects with staff & students.

This month we are also saying goodbye to a long serving staff member.  Ms Cheryl Jensen our business manager is retiring after 16 years working at Glenore Grove SS she has made a difficult decision that it is her time to relax and have new adventures. Cheryl has been the face of the school, she always has a story to share and is a great wealth of knowledge.  (I've told her she needs to write everything down before she goes!). Cheryl finishes up on the 18th February and I am going to miss her & her support very much.  Once we have found her replacement I will let the community know.  In the meantime I am sure you all have stories and memories and are grateful to her work at our school also.

Mrs Sarah Donaldson is on leave this term managing some health issues, when she is able to return to school I will let you know.  This year her focus is on supporting our Preps to Yr 2 student & teachers & our Positive Behaviour for Learning coach.  Sarah is working on documents and support where she can from home.  We wish her a super speedy recovery and miss her greatly.

Back to school

We welcome back all students on site from 7 February.   Please find attached our Back to School Plan. The PDF contain hyperlinks for your reference.

Things to particularly note from this plan.

If your child is sick or feeling unwell, please keep them at home. 

If you are sick/symptomatic 

• To keep our school communities COVID-19 safe, students and staff must not attend school if they are sick or showing symptoms of COVID-19.
• Staff and students should attend their local Queensland Health testing clinics where they will be prioritised to receive a free rapid antigen test (RAT).
• If the test result is negative and the staff member or student is well, they can return to school. If the test is positive, the staff member or student will need to follow Queensland Health quarantine and isolation requirements. 

If you become symptomatic at school 

• If a student becomes symptomatic at school, they will be immediately isolated in a safe place, and their parents/carer will be contacted to collect their child.
• When the student is collected the parent/carer will receive a RAT to administer at home.
• If a staff member becomes symptomatic at school, they will immediately leave the school and be provided with a RAT to administer at home.
• If the test result is negative and the student or staff member is well, they can return to school. If the test is positive, they will need to follow Queensland Health quarantine and isolation requirements. 

In addition to the COVID safe measures currently in our school, the following will also be in place from 7 February to 4 March 2022:

*all students in Years 3 to 6 will be provided with masks and strongly encouraged to wear them when physical distancing is not possible.

* limiting visitors on site, with exceptions for parents and carers of students experiencing vulnerability and of students attending Early Childhood Development Programs, Kindy, Prep or Year 1. (If your child is experiencing vulnerability you may enter to support your child’s start to school. Schools will contact parents about what this means for them and their child).

* school camps, excursions, assemblies and large gatherings have been suspended and limits have been placed on external contractors, face-to-face staff meetings and professional development, and parent–teacher interviews.

These are in addition to the range of measures we already have in place. To keep our school communities COVID-19 safe, students and staff must not attend school if they are sick or showing symptoms of COVID-19.

I will continue to keep you informed as the situation changes.  Please play close attention to Class Dojo & FaceBook.

School payments

Invoices will come home for Resource Scheme, instrumental and swimming where applicable.  

Swimming

Swimming is on this term on a Monday for students in Years 3-6.  Permission forms and information will come home during the first week back.  This will commence on the 14th February at Gatton University Pool.

Students in Prep - Yr 2 will swim during term 4.

Homework Centre is Back

I am excited to inform you that our Homework Centre will be continuing this year. 

We know that finding the time to get homework done can be a challenge for busy families. 

To help ease the burden, students can complete their homework in a supervised learning environment before they go home from school. 

Our school’s Homework Centre will be supervised by teacher aides in the administration building and will be open: 

Monday, 2:45 – 3:45

Tuesday, 2:45 – 3:45

Thursday, 2:45 – 3:45 

The sessions are free, and a healthy snack will be provided. The sessions will be commencing 2nd week back, 14th February 2022.  Each session can cater to a maximum of 24 students.  You may register for any number of sessions that suit your family but depending on interest they may not be able to attend all nominated sessions. If the centres become full, we will start a waiting list.

If you are interested in registering your child, please complete the registration form and return it to the office. 

More information about Homework Centres can be found in the attached fact sheet or online at www.qld.gov.au/homeworkcentres