Hello Gympie, East parents, carers and community,

Last year, it was brought up in our Independent Public School (IPS) meeting to update our school logo to incorporate all of the values that represent Gympie East State School while not losing our history. In 2024, a survey was sent out to our school community requesting thoughts on which values mean the most to us.

The values highlighted in the survey results were learning, nature/outdoor learning and community. We engaged an artist with the design brief to modernise our logo while incorporating our school values. Then after much discussion and back and forth, we settled on the design below. We hope it encompasses our love of nature, outdoor learning and community while not losing our roots of green and gold.

I was able to share the new logo with our P&C committee last week and they liked the logo and felt it represented us. I hope the school community feel the same way. We will now send this logo to our uniform designers, so that an order can be arranged which can have up to a four month turn around. Students will be able to wear a school shirt/hat with the old or new logo on it.

PBL

Our focus for this week has been ‘Give Privacy - one at a time’. This week we have discussed going to the bathroom one at a time and giving those nearby privacy. We have also been discussing, especially with our older students, to ensure they go at break times so learning isn't disturbed during class times. Our PBL focus for Week 5 will be ‘Eat brain food to aid concentration’. We know that when students have a well-balanced diet and a good breakfast their brains are able to focus for longer and handle the concentration needed to learn in class.

STEM Room

Our STEM Room is finally finished, with installation of air conditioning completed today. We won't have an official opening as we have already been diving in and using it but parents are welcome to come by and have a look at any time. We would love to show off how fantastic it is!!

I have uploaded a short video onto our school Facebook site to document the journey and thank some of the key contributors. First on the list is our P&C. The STEM Room was a vision before I began as Principal of Gympie East and the P&C have been working diligently to find funds to support the school in making it a reality ever since.

The Department of Education came to the party in a huge way and funded the construction meaning that the P&C and school could use our funds on immediately purchasing technology items for use once built. We bought 12 brand new Lego Spike Prime robotics kits in addition to our existing robots, two 3D printers and a gigantic 86" Promethean panel with sound bar and camera. The P&C also secured funding for furniture through the RSL. We bought whiteboard tables that allow students to brainstorm directly onto the table with whiteboard markers, the tables can also be folded up and stored against a wall to allow for extra floor space when needed. We also bought bright green chairs to give the room a splash of colour. Thankyou to the RSL, you are an amazing community group and do so much good for Gympie.

We engaged Saw Kitchens to solve our storage problem by installing cupboards and benches where items can be not stored but also allow for students to work at. The finished product is exceptional.

We would also like to thank those that made donations. Nolan Meats, the George family and the Wyllie family made generous donations to help fund this project.

Introducing loose parts play

This term we are very excited to be introducing loose parts play. ‘Loose parts’ are things like cardboard boxes, tyres, crates, tarpaulins, wooden planks, plastic guttering and pretty much anything else that can be moved and interacted with by children. Loose parts let children play in many different ways – anything from making a pirate ship, an imaginative cubby or constructing spaces to just be creative.

Educational and child development research strongly supports giving children more opportunities to learn through play and this resource enables more children of all ages to enrich their lives by imaginative, outdoor free play.

Loose parts are about ‘real world’ learning for all children and young people. The process of introducing loose parts and of playing with them involves collaboration, sharing thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.

The impact of embedding loose parts play is a positive cycle of improved health and wellbeing that impacts on academic, social, emotional and behavioural aspects of a child’s day. It fits beautifully with our Gympie East philosophy of looking at the whole child.

Loose parts play offers children the opportunity to explore and experience a different kind of play. It enables children to investigate their imagination and ideas, learn about risk (within a managed situation), build physical and social skills, and produce a piece of work which is interactive, autonomous and of their own making.

Loose parts tend to be free from gender, social and cognitive bias. Anyone of any age, ability and background can pick up a stick or piece of ‘junk’ and use it in their play, in their own way.

‘Real life’ resources enable children to make connections to their family interests, local culture, natural heritage and the world of work. Playing with loose parts provides children with experiences which cannot be replicated indoors. Alongside this comes the opportunity to enjoy challenging experiences and develop a range of skills which prepare children for life.

What are the benefits of risk and challenge in play?

• the chance to learn how to assess and manage risks for yourself

• fun and excitement

• making choices for yourself

• self-confidence

• learning through experience

• learning through trial and error

• resilience and learning ways of coping

• perseverance

• friendship

• teamwork

• getting to know yourself

Loose parts play will happen in and out of class time, with our initial focus being on incorporating this zone into our playground in play times. It will be a chance for children to:

• play freely with friends • investigate • discover • explore • create

On days when the Loose Parts Zone is operating, students may come home a little dirtier than usual. If you are concerned, you could pack a spare uniform in their bag in case they get too dirty/wet.

Parents and carers

Do you have loose parts to donate? We will need a supply of loose parts to keep things interesting.

Unexpected and unusual donations stimulate play in new and exciting ways.

If you have a donation, please contact Mr Elson or the school office to arrange a delivery time or let us know when you will be bringing it in so we can arrange storage.

Examples of some donations we could use – no glass or sharp edges on metal and plastic

• Wooden disks/timber pavers

• small logs of different heights and widths

• A variety of lengths of wood (not treated timber)

• Bamboo

• Stones, pebbles, shells.

• Whisky barrel planters for mixing and collecting

• Pieces of decking.

* Small hard plastic pool

* Gardening hand tools

* Shower curtains

• Tarpaulins (various sizes, types and colours)

• Milk and bread crates

• Wooden pallets – hardwood or plastic ones in good condition

• Tough buckets

• Cable drums or reels

• Tubes, guttering and funnels, hosepipe, bore pipes

and other pipes

• Ramps and lengths of plastics and other materials

such as corrugated transparent plastic in good condition

* Small plastic slippery slide

• Nets

• Tyres – bicycle, motorbike, go-kart and car tyres

• Large shallow tray

• Trolley to aid tidying up

• Wheelbarrow (small)

• Old suitcases or wheeled shopping bags

• Baskets for collecting and transporting. Plastic tubs with lids for storage.

• Steering wheels

• Computer keyboards

• Portable seats and things to sit on: camping mats and gardening mats.

• Straw bales

• Cardboard boxes and tubes – various sizes and shapes

• Air drying modelling clay

• Plastic bottles and containers.

More temporary

• Velcro straps

• Fence clamps and hooks

• String, paracord and high visibility guy ropes

• Karabiners (from climbing or camping shops)

• Pegs of different sorts, including tent pegs

• Duct tape and masking tape

Useful little bits

• Baskets

• Pots and pans

• Wooden spoons and kitchen utensils

• Curtain rings, jar lids

Thanks

Mr Matt Elson

Community News