UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH/APRIL DATE EVENT THURSDAY 19TH North District Sport Soccer boys/girls 12&U FRIDAY 20TH Aspley Open Day SATURDAY 21ST BBQ Fundraiser Bunnings MONDAY 23RD Assembly- Go-Sports Harmony Day North District Sport Tennis boys/girls 12&U TUESDAY 24TH "125" Committee Meeting THURSDAY 26TH North District Sport Rugby League boys 11/12&U FRIDAY 27TH Yr 3-6 Cross Country MONDAY 30TH - WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL Year 4 Parent Teacher Interviews WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL 96.5FM Broadcasting LIVE from 6am Assembly- Active School Travel Cheer Squad Whole School Fundraising Activity PAYMENTS DUE ACTIVITY ACTION REQUIRED Year 6 Graduation Shirts Payment Due 20th March ICAS Competitions Payment Due 20th March "125" Sponsorship Forms- Obstacle Course Money Due 20th March FROM THE PRINCIPAL RETIREMENTS It is with very mixed emotions that I advise you of the retirement of Mr George Pentis and Ms Lynette Harrington. Mr Pentis and Ms Harrington have announced to me their intention to retire at the end of this term. Both of these staff members will be greatly missed by all of our school community. To celebrate the distinguished careers of Mr Pentis and Ms Harrington we will be holding a very special assembly on 30 March 2015. We welcome the school community to come along to our school hall for this assembly commencing at 8:45am. I have advertised for teachers on the Qld Government Smart Jobs Website. After we have completed the recruitment process I will be able to advise you of who will be taking 5P and 2H for the remainder of 2015. I’m sure you will join with me in congratulating Mr Pentis and Ms Harrington on their retirement. GLAD TO BE BACK I am very glad to be back on deck after what can only be described as a frustrating couple of weeks. Despite being poked and prodded, scanned and analysed by a number of specialists there was no clear medical reason for my recent blackout. The upside of that of course is that there is nothing really bad to be concerned about. I am so grateful and humbled by the support from our school community. Mrs Platts saw me walking home from one of my scans and picked me up. My lovely wife taken numerous periods off work to take me into town and I have received many cards and well wishes from our beautiful kids. Once again I am reminded that I work with such a wonderful and dedicated team of professionals who ensured that everything kept on track over the past four weeks. They didn’t drop the ball and kept juggling the enormous amount of agendas we continue to manage in our great school. Thanks to Brendan and Christine for their wonderful leadership and focus in the office during my absence. They are amazing professionals whom I have huge respect for. They did an amazing job in maintaining all the agendas we are currently running. QPARENTS QParents is live and available for Aspley Parents. The uptake from our parents has been great. Parents of over 100 of our students are now able to view and print previous report cards, pay school invoices, provide absence data and view contact information. They can even make changes to this at their convenience. Never before have parents had 24/7 access to this information and Aspley State School is one of the first schools in the state to offer this to parents. I would encourage all parents to take advantage of the convenience of being able to access your child’s information when you need it. Especially those who will soon be seeking admission to high schools and need to provide previous report cards. How convenient will it be to access your child's information and get your application in early without having to wait for the office to re-print old reports. This week we will be sending home paper invitations to those who have not yet registered. I cannot stress to you enough how convenient having this access will be for you as a parent. Especially paying for excursions and other school activities. You will be able to choose the invoice you wish to pay and pay it directly through QParents at your convenience. No more lost invoices mixed up with the rotting apple at the bottom of the school bag. If you have any questions or need help registering please contact Annie Duffy or email [email protected] P&C AGM It was great to see many new faces at the P&C AGM last night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the 2014 P&C Association for the hard work, dedication and support for our school. 2014 was again a wonderful year with the P&C providing over $84,000 in financial support to our school. Thanks to this support we were able to continue our technology program, complete projects like the new tiered seating on the oval, adding internal steps to the sound and lighting box at the hall, air-condition another 9 classrooms as well as construct the trophy cabinet inside the hall, just to name a few. A very special thank you to Anthony Jones (2014 President) and Alan Smith (2014 Secretary) for their many years of service to our school in executive positions with the P&C. Both gentlemen have concluded their involvement with the school due to their children completing their education at Aspley. Both Anthony and Alan have worked tirelessly in their executive positions to maintain a brilliant and supportive P&C organisation that turns over in excess of a quarter of a million dollars annually. Your legacy will be long felt and enjoyed by the students and staff at Aspley State School. Congratulations and thank you to the incoming P&C executive for 2015: President – Mrs Victoria Edwards Vice President – Mr BrendenMcClennan Secretary – Mrs Alice Long Treasurer – Mr Danny Power STRATEGIC PLAN 2016-2019 Aspley State Primary School has embarked on a strategic planning process with a view to preparing a comprehensive 2016 – 2019 year plan to guide the future direction of the School. The School has engaged Strategy1st, a Brisbane-based consulting firm, to assist us with this task. Essential to the success of this project, will be the inclusion of the school community in the development of this plan. We intend to include parents, staff and students in the process as well as giving consideration to inviting education and government representatives and business partners of the School. Grant O'Hara of Strategy1st will facilitate the project which formally commences in March 2015 and should conclude by October this year. The process will include one-on-one interviews, plus parent, staff and student forums and major and miniworkshops with key leaders within our School. Suffice to say the process will be comprehensive and I invite everyone’s involvement. Please be advised that a ‘community strategic plan survey’ will also form an essential element of the process. Additionally, invitations to the first forum will be sent to parents this week. If you would really like to be involved please contact Annie Duffy. This is a critical project for the School and one which will clearly set our ‘vision’ and ‘future direction.’ This ultimately will place us in the best position to offer optimum opportunities for our students. If you have any queries on the process, I invite you to give me a call on 38639111. DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S NEWS Sunshine Classics Online In the last issue of the newsletter, we outlined the Sunshine Classics Online initiative. A reminder for those students invited to participate that we require your permission forms and payment to be returned to the office to secure your place. We have extended the closing date to Monday 23 March. HARMONY DAY Harmony Day is celebrated on the 21 March each year. As this falls on a weekend, our school will be celebrating Harmony Day on Monday 23 March at a special assembly. On this day Australians celebrates our cultural diversity. Harmony Day is focussed on inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for all Australians. At Aspley State School, amongst our students and staff, we celebrate 55 different cultures . Active School Travel - Interclass competition As discussed in the last newsletter, we have started an interclass competition for Active Travel where the winner each week is presented with the AST star trophy on assembly. The class award for week 6 was 4B. The winning teacher award went to Mr Grove. The week 7 award went to 4F and the teacher award went to Mr Pentis. It is great to see the lift in the number of students travelling actively to school over the past few weeks and the competition is a close race each week. One student can make all the difference! Aspley 125 Obstacle Course fundraiser The Aspley State School P&C Association will be conducting a major Fundraiser for this Semester, the Aspley 125 Obstacle Course on Wednesday 1 April 2015. This event will include a Fundraising Obstacle Course for Years Prep – Year 6 during school time on the day, following the 96.5FM Breakfast Team’s outside broadcast from 6am to 9am. All funds raised by the Aspley 125 Obstacle Course will provide the P&C (and in turn, the school) with additional financial resources to expand the air conditioning of classrooms, so we are seeking your support of this initiative. Students have received a Sponsorship Form with a selection of over 70 prizes to choose from such as Sony, iPod Shuffles, Wahu, Razor, Nerf and more. The list of prizes can be viewed in the attached Sponsorship Form. We ask you to seek donations to support your student/s participation in the Obstacle Course which in turn supports the school’s aims of air conditioning additional classrooms. Due to the costs involved with the third party online fundraising, it has been decided that all fundraising will be completed offline and sent to the office by the due date. Students who raise as little as $10 in donations will be entitled to a prize of their choice (refer to the Sponsorship Form for more information). The more donations you receive, the more prizes you can choose from. You can even mix and match your prizes inside each prize category! Date claimer: Please return your completed Sponsorship Form and funds collected to the School Office no later than Friday 20 March 2015. Please be sure to fill out your prize request. The individual prizes will be delivered to the School during Term 2. We also welcome parents and family members to attend the Aspley 125 Obstacle Course to help cheer on their students, noting that at the completion of their participation all students will return to their classrooms to continue their learning. We acknowledge the wonderful support of Holt Fitness and the Holt Bolt Kids in the staging of this event. Thank you in advance of your participation. Happy fundraising! Obstacle Course Timetable * Please note the Oval is closed during both breaks on Wednesday 1 April 2015 * 11.40am Year 6 12.00pm Year 5 12.20pm Year 4 12.40pm Year 3 1.50pm Year 2 2.10pm Year 1 2.30pm Prep Year - It would be appreciated if Year Levels could be on the Oval steps approx. 10 minutes before their designated time, so that students have a full 15 minutes on the course. - Students are required to wear their Sports House colours on the day of this event. Colours for each house are Mitchell (Blue), Oxley (Red) and Kennedy (Yellow). - Parents are most welcome to attend to support their students participate . QPARENTS IS HERE Have You Registered? Our school now has QParents. Parents should have received an invitation email or letter by now and it’s great to see that so many parents have registered already. For those who have yet to sign up, remember that for a chance to win an iPhone 6, you must register by 19 April. If you have not received an invitation, please advise us immediately. Over time, QParents will become an integral part of how we communicate with parents. Get on board now to enjoy the ease and convenience that QParents offers. Refund Guidelines For Excursions, Camps And Activities At Aspley State School, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students, staff and volunteers. This commitment includes the health and safety of staff and students when conducting curriculum activities in the school or in other locations. School excursions and camps enhance a student’s learning by providing opportunities for the student to participate in activities, both curriculum-related and recreational, outside the normal school routine. All planned school excursions are approved by the Principal and endorsed by the Parents and Citizens Association. State schools are able to charge a fee for: 1. An educational service including materials and consumables not defined as instruction, administration and facilities for the education of the student; 2. An education service purchased from a provider other than the school where the provider charges the school; and 3. A specialised educational program. A school fee is directed to the purpose for which it is charged. School fees for excursions and camps are calculated on a cost recovery only basis, according to the number of students who have indicated their attendance. Participation of students in an excursion or camp is indicated through payment of the excursion or camp fee and provision of a permission form completed by the parent/carer. As the school budget cannot meet any shortfalls in funding for an excursion or camp due to the subsequent non-participation of a student who had previously indicated attendance of the activity, fees already paid for an excursion or school camp may be refunded in full or in part or not at all, having regard to the associated expenses incurred and the circumstances of the nonparticipation. If a parent/carer wishes to apply for a refund due to their child’s non-participation in an excursion or camp activity, they may do so by completing a Request for Refund form available from the school office. Where possible, the request should include the receipt relating to the payment for which a refund is being sought. It is preferred that refunds be made as a credit against the student’s account at the school, and used for any cost in the future. Department of Education and Training policy references: Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 SCM-PR-002: School Excursions FNM-PR-019: State Education Fees MUSIC DEPARTMENT NEWS MUSIC NEWS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME A reminder to all Instrumental Music families that the 2015 Instrumental Music Student Resource Scheme payments were due by last Friday 13th March 2015. Outstanding payments are to be paid to the school office as soon as possible. The Instrumental Music Student Resource Scheme includes a payment of $40 per student per year (regardless of how many instruments learnt) and $80 per school loan instrument. Failure to make this payment will result in the withdrawal of your child from this program. We value your support and with it, we look forward to your student enjoying, and achieving success in the program. WICKED – WOW!! Mrs McIntyre and Ms Jabs had the wonderful opportunity to take 76 lucky Instrumental Music Students and Choralists to experience the amazing musical Wicked last Wednesday 11th March. We had a marvellous time & as music teachers, it was so special to see our children enjoying every moment, being inspired & giving the performers a standing ovation at the end of the performance! Congratulations to all on a wonderful excursion. Student’s reviewsMalachi Wrigley Seventy-six very lucky Aspley State School students, Mrs McIntyre, Miss Jabs, Mrs Boardman and Mrs Rossiter had the opportunity to see a very AWESOME musical called “WICKED” at the Lyric Theatre QPAC on the 11 th March 2015. There were lots of “Ooooohhh’s”, “Aaaaahhhh’s” throughout the whole production with a well-deserved standing ovation. You just couldn’t take your eyes away from the stage, every moment was wickedly amazing!!! The outfits were well made and bright in colour just as eye catching as Elphaba’s green skin. Elphaba known as the Wicked Witch of the West is one of the main characters and you can’t help but feel sorry for her as her story unfolds. However at the same time you really get to like her especially when she turns up to the ball and does her uncool weird dance. The other main characters is her frenemyGalinda the very laugh out loud funny, blonde, rich and popular roommate, who also becomes her best friend and the good witch. Everything from the singing, dancing, story and stage set was over the top wickedly awesome! Five star rating all around! It’s a must see experience!!! Elizabeth Buckle Wicked was totally wicked! There were lots of smoke and special affects at the lovey musical. My favourite part was when they played through their life time. It was really funny when Glender tried to show the Wicked Witch of the West how to be popular. She actually copied her. As other people say, she was being Glenderfied! I also liked the part where the dragon moved its head. Every time this happened the Wicked Witch was doing something. For example chanting a spell on a monkey making it grow wings!!! At the end we found out the Wicked Witch of the West was Glenda’s best friend. I really liked this!!!! ASPLEY CHORAL PROGRAM METROPOLITAN REGION HONOURS CHORAL HONOURS PROGRAM 2015 CONGRATULATIONS – MEHELIBASU & TAYLA DOOLEY Congratulations to MeheliBasu and Tayla Dooley upon their acceptance into the Metropolitian Region Honours Choral Music Program for 2015. This three day program, held next week, is designed to cater for advanced choral students in years 5, 6 and 7 and offers the opportunity for talented young musicians and choralists to participate in one of two different choirs under renowned choral directors Jenny Moon and Tim Sherlock, as well as a range of other musicians and accompanists. We wish these students the best of luck & we hope you have a wonderful time. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NEWS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Please note that there will be temporary changes to the Woodwind/Brass/Percussion timetable whilst Ms Jabs is currently on leave. All students received a copy of this temporary timetable on Monday 16 th March 2015 after assembly. Senior Concert Band rehearsal and Senior Instrumental Music Lessons will be changed for this week only from Wednesday 18th March 2015 to Friday 20th March 2015 with Mrs Van Gaalen. Instrumental Music Lesson Timetable – Mrs. Van Gaalen TEMPORARY MONDAY 16 Mar 23 Mar Monday 8.45am NCT NCT Monday 9.15am L K Monday 9.45am M L Monday 10.15am N M Monday 11.30am O N Monday 12pm P O Monday 12.30pm K P Monday 2pm A A Monday 2.30pm B B FRIDAY 20 Mar Wed 8 – 8.45am Snr. Band Wed 8.45am NCT Wed 9.15am F Wed 9.45am G Wed 10.15am H Wed 11.30am I Wed 12pm C Wed 12.30pm D Wed 2pm E th rd Monday 8 – 8.45am Wed 2.30 th Please note that ALL WOODWIND/BRASS/PERCUSSION LESSONS AND SENIOR CONCERT BAND WILL BE CANCELLED ON Wednesday 25 th March A reminder to all Instrumental Music Students (Woodwind/Brass/Percussion/Strings) that ALL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS WILL BE CANCELLED IN THE LAST WEEK OF THE SCHOOL TERM due to Ms Jabs and Ms Jerram attending the Craigslea State High School Music Camp. Happy Music Making The Aspley Music Team SPORTS DEPARTMENT NEWS Aspley State School Cross Country (Grades 3-6) Where: The park along Ben Lomond Street, Aspley When: Friday 27th of March 2015 Transport: Students will walk down to the park in their classes with their classroom teacher. Race Start Times 9 Years and Under 9.30am 10 Years 9.50am (2KM) 11 Years 10.10am (3KM) 12 Years 10.30am (3KM) (1KM) Children who finish in the top 6 (10yrs or older) will represent Aspley State School at the North District Cross Country on the 27th of April at Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine. If there are any parents that would be able to assist by helping as a course marshal for the cross country please contact Mr Schmidt by emailing [email protected]. Any help would be greatly appreciated. North District Sports Trials Any students that are turning 10 or older this year can request to attend a trial for a variety of sports. At the moment there are trials in these following sports Boys Touch Football - trial date 30th of April 2015 Boys / Girls Tennis - trial date 24th of March 2015 Boys/ Girls Soccer - trial date 19th of March 2015 If you would like your child to attend a trial please come and see Mr Schmidt to collect the required forms etc. LIBRARY NEWS Library Team We are very excited to announce our Library Team Captains, Julia Cavanough and Tara Denning. This is the first time we have had Library Captains and for myself, the two captains and any other team members this will be an exciting and challenging year. Reader’s Challenge We hope to have a few lunchtime activities related to reading, over the Year. The first of these is an Inter-Class Reader’s Challenge. Students will be able to nominate in Class Teams to read a small selection of books and compete against their own year level class teams to be the Premier team in that Year Level. We are running this for Year 4, 5 & 6. Watch for the Posters around the school. The nominations for most classes have been handed in, but it is not too late to get a class team together. Student teams will start reading this week. Friday there will be a meeting in the Library at morning tea, to distribute books and Team Booklets. Library Times and Days The Library is open every day, from 8.30am to approx. 3.15pm, for students and parents to come and borrow. Much of the teaching day I am on class, however students may borrow during their class lesson time or during Morning and Lunch Break times as well. Class Library Days (Currently) Monday 2C, 1/2M, 3C Tuesday 1LM, 1DM, PD, PN, 3A Wednesday 2B, 4F, PA, PS, 3F Thursday 4F, 4B, 1B, 1M, 3N Friday 2H, PM, 3O Please ensure that your child brings their library bag on those days as well as their book to return. Some Statistics: We have just purchased over $600 worth of book resources to support the Curriculum and also student recreational reading. These resources are currently being processed and will soon be available for borrowing. To date we have processed more than 6300 loans and renewals to the school community. (That is an awful lot of reshelving). Magazines and Graphic Novels. Recent purchases also include subscriptions to several children’s magazines. We have taken up the subscription again for Wacky But True, Historicool, RSPCAAnimazing and the LEGO magazine. Some we are still awaiting our first subscription issue. Graphic novels have also been on the purchase list with quite a few folktales and other well known books in this format. Library Staff: Hope Francis (Teacher-Librarian) KirstyMcClymont (Teacher Aide – Mondays) Rynel Evans, Bernice Thompson, Lynne Rossiter (Teacher-aides - Lunch duties) KaitlynEdser (Volunteer –Tuesdays) CHAPPY'S CORNER School Chaplain Needs You! School chaplains support young people in one of the most high pressure environments — the schoolyard.Today there are about 580 “chappies” in over 800 schoolyards around Queensland.These chappies provide a safe and supportive influence to our children. It’s always been tough being a kid...Today, it’s even tougher. Chappies are helping students deal with personal issues, like: • Self-image • Personal crises • Loneliness • Grief & loss WHAT CHAPLAINS DO • Build positive relationships with students Support at-risk students through behaviour management programs • Support staff and families from the wider school community • Provide spiritual support and direction to the school community • Run activities, school breakfasts and other programs for students FAST FACTS ABOUT CHAPLAINS • 800 Queensland schools have a chappy • 60% of primary schools and 87% of high schools have a chappy • 383,000 students have access to a chappy • Almost 78% of students have their own chappy ABOUT SUQLD • SUQLD is an interdenominational Christian organisation which has cared for children and youth around the state for over a hundred years. • SUQLD is the largest Christian youth and children’s not-for-profit organisation in Australia. • SUQLD aims to bring hope to a young generation through school chaplaincy, camps, at-risk youth programs and training youth workers. YOUR SUPPORT The Federal Government’s National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program has been a great help, but it only covers part of the funding needed to pay our chappies. Your support can help keep chappies in schools... and continue to bring hope to a young generation HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO 1. Give to your local school chaplaincy program at donate.to.suqld.org.au 2. Become a regular donor using the form below. 3. Get involved in a Chappy Week activity 4. Volunteer to help your school chaplain Chaplaincy Programs Boys & Bikes Boys and Bikes is a mentoring and nurturing program aimed at male children from Grade 3 to Grade 6, running from 3pm to 4pm Tuesday. The program uses a child centered approach to empower and equip children to manage their emotions and overcome the challenges they may face at school and in their personal lives. All the while learning practical skills on how to maintain and repair a push bike. Boys and Bikes provides a supportive, safe and non-judgmental environment in which children can work through their problems and learn to thrive. Foundational Concept Significance: ‘Body and Soul, I am Wonderfully made’ The focus is for each participant to understand for themselves that they are valuable, unique, one-of-a-kind and loved. Personal identity is formed through embracing who you are and realising the potential within. Funding and Resources: This Program is entirely community funded and supported. We are always in need of bikes (most conditions acceptable) and tools or funds to provide access theses resources. Additionally we are always on the look out for suitable mentor's. If you would like to help out please contact me through the school on a Tuesday or Wednesday or email me at [email protected]. Family Support iSEE CARE HAMPERS iSEE CARE is a non-profit organisation which operates locally within your school community. Each week iSEE CARE helps to support school communities by providing food assistance hampers to families. Several grocery bags of non-perishable food items and toiletries are delivered and distributed every week to your school during the term helping to supplement a family’s weekly groceries. iSEE CARE understands that sometimes we find ourselves in tough situations and we all from time to time need a helping hand. If you require one of these hampers please don't hesitate to contact Mr Kliendienst, Aspley SS Chaplain. For more information on iSEE CARE and the services we provide please email us at [email protected] Parenting From Michael Grose Ways to Promote Good Mental Health & Well-Being in Kids 1. Model Good Mental Health Habits. PROBLEM SOLVING AT WAVELL HIGH On Monday 9th March, twenty of our Year 5 and 6 students attended the Year 5-8 Problem Solving day at Wavell High. The theme was "French" problem solving. Students were given maths, science and building problems and asked to answer as many questions as possible in a given time frame. The final activity was to build a free-standing tower with paddle pop sticks and sticky tape. On completion, children placed the French flag on top. Points were received for correct answers and also for how high their tower was. One of the Year 6 teams was runner-up in their age division, which was a fantastic effort. Students reported that some of the questions were quite hard but they had a really good time. YEAR 1/2 AND YEAR 2 Year 1/2 and Year 2 students built and held "Bugs" at an incursion on Tuesday 10th March. They had a great time learning about bugs and then they were able to make their own. Here are a few recounts of their activities. Build- A- Bug On Tuesday the 10/3/2015 the whole class went to Build – A - Bug. We looked at dead bugs and we even saw a Rhinoceros Beetle. Then we got to hold a stick insect, it tickled! The teacher said it was trying to find a branch on our hand! I had a good time there. Tahlia Hicks 2C Build- A- Bug At a little place at the library, my class and I went to Build –A – Bug. We saw bugs and even held one! Then we built awesome bugs. Mine was an alien! Then we had to go back and on the way Angus and I played with them. I loved Build – A –Bug, I hope it is on next year. Dylan Hassell 2H Build- A- Bug On Tuesday March 10 our class went to Bug-Ed. Firstly Lani showed us bugs and how they protect themselves. Then we all had a bug in a brick thing. I got a butterfly. Then we saw real live bugs. I didn’t want to hold a stick insect. We also built a bug. It was really fun. I wish I could go again. MillianiRushe 2B BugsEd Visit by Max Molloy 1/2M Last Tuesday Dr Lani came to our classroom to talk about bug life cycles. First Dr Lani showed the whole class a slideshow about modern and primitive insects. After that Dr Lani showed the class her insect collection. She let us pat a Rhinoceros Beetle. Dr Lani showed the class a Praying Mantis and a Goliath Stick Insect. She showed us insects in resin and then we held a Titan Stick Insect. Finally Dr Lani gave us an activity book with a stick insect in a vial. She even gave us a magnifying glass and some forceps. When my stick insect hatches, I hope it will be a she and not a he because she will lay eggs and I will have more stick insects. I will be able to look at them when they hatch. BugsEd Visit by LilianZhao 1/2M Last Tuesday, Dr Lani came to our classroom to teach us about different kinds of insects. First Dr Lani showed us a slideshow. She told us that primitive insects have a simple life cycle and modern insects go through metamorphosis. After the slideshow she asked us some question After that Dr Lani showed us her insect collection. It was very cool. Then she let us pat a Rhinoceros Beetle. You can’t pat them hard or they will hiss at you. If they hiss it means that they are scared. When we had finished patting the Rhinoceros Beetle, she showed us a Praying Mantis and a Goliath Stick Insect. After that Dr Lani let us hold a Titan Stick Insect. It tickled a lot. Finally, Dr Lani gave us an insect activity book with a stick insect egg in a vial. There was also a magnifying glass to find bugs and forceps for picking up rocks, leaves or insects. You must be careful that you don’t squeeze the insects if you pick them up with the forceps. I loved when Dr Lani came to our classroom. I learnt lots about insects. Dr Lani told us that boy Rhinoceros beetles have a horn and girl Rhinoceros beetles don’t. I loved Dr Lani’s insect collection. I had never seen insects like those before. My favourite insect is the Christmas Beetle. Their wing covers are shiny and smooth and look beautiful. YEAR 3 MAGIC SHOW Imogen, "The Magnificent Mind Reader" is able to accurately name the coloured crayon that Mr Smith selects from the paper bag Year 3 magic show goes off with a bang! Last week, our Year 3 Thinking Skills Group, demonstrated their talents by performing a magic show for Mr Smith. The children had been studying a poem about the Great Alfonso called ABRACADABRA. Using Blooms Taxonomy’s levels of thinking, our resident magicians researched and performed their tricks with enthusiasm and confidence. We are now looking forward to creating our games for the “Balloon Olympics.” Jaye's Bottle Cap and Straw Trick, Elaine's impressive Amazing String Trick and Riley's magnificent Card Trick had us bewildered ASPLEY 125 REPORT DON\'T BE AN APRIL FOOL - Join us on the oval for the 96.5FM broadcast! There will be plenty of fun on the school oval on Wednesday 1st April when 96.5fm broadcast their breakfast show live from Aspley State School. And no, it’s not an April Fools’ prank! Join Liam, Robbie and Romeo the Radio Dog as they take their breakfast show on the road with the Family Show School Excursion. They’ll be broadcasting from 6am-9am and there will be lots of fun family activities including a jumping castle, Brisbane Heat skills and drills, first swing golf, St John’s display and a coffee cart for the parents and teachers! You can see the Seven News helicopter when it pops in for a visit! We will also have a fundraising breakfast BBQ at the school from 6am, so bring the entire family, your friends and neighbours and have breakfast before you head to school or work! We will be selling cooked breakfast fare and drinks: Sausage & Onion on Bread Roll - $2.50 Sausage with Bacon, Onion and Cheese on Bread Roll - $3.50 Juice Box/Poppers - $1 At 8.40am, the Channel 7 Chopper will be overhead, taking footage of our students in the formation of a big 125 on the oval. To assist with this shot, students are requested to wear their house colours to school on the day and be seated on the Oval Terrace seating by 8.30am to follow staff instructions for the photograph. And don’t forget to tune your radio in to 96.5fm and listen to the broadcast. From 11.30am, thefundraising 125 Obstacle Course will take place on the oval (see Deputy Principal's News for more information). Due to this event, please note that there may be a greater volume of traffic around the school. Please be patient and considerate to our neighbours. IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL PARENTS RE 96.5fm VISIT: Please be aware that as Channel 7 and 96.5fm are broadcasters they will be filming/recording during their visit. If you/your children attend this event, it is taken as agreement that any filming and broadcasting of any footage recorded of your children is permitted. Furthermore, 96.5fm will take photographs at the event which may be used on their website and other 96.5fm promotional materials. Please note also that children attending this event prior to 8.15am must do so under direct parental supervision. Camp Australia before school care attendance on April 1st If your children are attending before school care on this day, please check with Camp Australia for permission slips for supervised attendance. Please also note that breakfast can be purchased at the event (prices listed above). BBQs and Volunteers Thanks to all the parents and teachers who volunteered to help at our forthcoming BBQs – we have had an excellent response. Don’t forget, you can come and visit us at Bunnings (Carseldine) this Saturday 21st March and buy a sausage and a cold drink! Thanks also for the drinks’ donations. We are still seeking fruit juice box/popper donations for the 96.5fm BBQ on April 1st. Please drop to the tuckshop or the office. Ray White Colouring Competition P-2 One of our Aspley 125 major sponsors – Ray White Aspley – is holding a colouring competition for students from Prep – Grade 2. Prizes for each year level will be awarded by the Ray White Aspley Easter Bunny at the Easter Parade on Thursday nd 2 April. Watch out for the colouring competition flier in your child’s/children’s school bags this week, and make sure to return them to the school by Monday 30th March to be in with a chance to win a prize. Thank you for supporting our supporters! Reconnecting with our past students and teachers The reunion team is trying to reconnect with former students and teachers. The attached poster will be sent out to the local community in coming weeks. If you know someone who was a former student or a former teacher at Aspley State School, please ask them to reconnect (see flier below for details on how to reconnect). Chermside Library Historic Display The Aspley 125 Team has been busy putting together old photographs and memorabilia for an historic display at Chermside Library. The display will be in place from for the month of April. Make sure to visit the library and learn a little more about our school’s history. 125 Commemorative Book Our 125th Anniversary Commemorative Book is taking shape. It will be printed in full colour and celebrates both the school’s history and present day activities that capture the fun and spirit of Aspley State School. We are still seeking photos of the school and surrounding district as well as informal photographs of school events, excursions, sports days, dress up days and other special occasions. So if you know someone who is a former student or teacher – ask them to check their photo albums and hard drives, and email high quality scans and you best photos to [email protected] contact the 125 Team if you would like some help with this. Original materials will be returned. Also, if your parents or grandparents have great stories about their school days at Aspley State School, please ask if they would like to share them with us. 125 Sponsorship Opportunities We are delighted to announce another PLATINUM sponsor. Thanks to Edenstone Masonry – your local manufacturer of quality outdoor paving and pool coping. Please support the businesses that support us! Remember, if you or someone you know has a local business who might like to help support our Aspley 125 program of events, please refer them to our sponsorship proposal on the web site. NEWS@125 The April issue of News@125 will go home with students before the Easter holidays. STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS LOLLY BAGS At the end of this week, children in Years 3 - 6 will receive a letter and order form for lolly bags. As the letter explains, all children who order a lolly bag will receive these at the eating break after they have completed the cross country race. The lolly bags will be taken to the classrooms by the Senior Leaders early in the day. I would recommend ordering only one lolly bag for your child however if they have younger siblings who are not participating in the cross country event and you would like a lolly bag for them, then that will be fine. In addition to this being a fundraiser for the Canberra trip, it is a good way to re-energise the children after their race. CANBERRA EASTER RAFFLE All children going to Canberra will receive a raffle book of 10 tickets to sell this week. All tickets and money must be returned to Mrs Nelma Wright, no later than Wednesday, the 1st April, so that the raffle can be drawn on Thursday morning. There will be numerous prizes of Cadbury Creation Family blocks. Any parents are welcome to buy tickets in this raffle even if your child is not going to Canberra this year. Extra books will be available at the School Office by this Friday, the 20th March. Thank you for your support. Nelma Wright (Canberra Trip Co-ordinator) SCHOOL COUNCIL SURVEY Over the last 5 years, our enrolment numbers have continued to increase, which is very pleasing. Our enrolment information shows that in excess of 60% of our children are living out of the catchment area, which indicates that many parents are choosing Aspley State School rather than their nearest school. To gain greater insight into why you chose Aspley State School for your child/children, it would be greatly appreciated if all parents, especially those out of Aspley's catchment area, could assist us by completing a very brief survey which is linked below. It should only take a couple of minutes to complete. When all the data from the survey has been collated I will be happy to report to the Aspley community our findings. Thank you for your assistance. Nelma Wright - Aspley State School Council Chairperson BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE WORKING BEES Dust off your gardening gloves and help improve our grounds here at Aspley. Please put the following dates in your calendar. More details to follow from Craig Spink, head of the Building and Maintenance subcommittee. Saturday 2nd May- 3pm Sunday 3rd May- 8am Saturday 18th July- 3pm Sunday 19th July- 8am Saturday 12th September - 3pm Sunday 13th September- 8am Saturday 28th November - 3pm Sunday 29th November - 8am ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL AT ASPLEY Brisbane City Councils Active School Travel Program aims to change travel behaviour to and from school. Families are encouraged to walk, cycle, scooter, car pool or use public transport and even use our Outside School Hours Care (before and after school care) to reduce traffic congestion around schools. A DAY TO REMEMBER Tuesday is our selected Active School Travel day for Aspley State School. This is the day we collect travel statistics for council. Every Tuesday will now be known as Tackle Traffic Tuesday. NO DIRT Aspley State School's hip-hop dance program 'NO DIRT just dance' commences the 2nd week of each school term. It is a 9 week dance program using clean, fun, energetic, age appropriate Hip Hop dance moves and music to motivate young dancers for years Prep - 6 and, we encourage parents & younger siblings to come, watch, or even join in the fun. (younger siblings must have parental supervision). Only $50 for the Term (prepaid) or pay weekly at $7 per session, permission forms at the office. For enquiries please contact Una Baldwin at [email protected] facebook.com/nodirtjustdance or 0408 748 768 NEW ACTIVITIES TO COME THIS YEAR !!!!! NO DIRT CHEER ANYONE!!!!! SPORT TEAM TOKEN This year we are going to do it a little differently. The challenge this year is to participate for your sports team,Kennedy,Oxley and Mitchell. Everyone who Actively Travels to School can participate by grabbing a token and placing it in the boxes provided. The Sports Captains will be encouraging you the whole year. We still have lots of rewards to hand out and we will let you know further in the terms how to obtain these for your team, class and individually. HOW TO ACTIVELY TRAVEL TO SCHOOL We know that everyone is different, so there are lots of ways you can actively travel to school. How will you actively travel to school? WALK: Leave the car at home and walk your kids to school. If you live too far away, drive part of the way and walk the rest. We call that “Park and Stride”. Join a P&S group of parents and children and walk together. Don’t forget a Water bottle, Hat, Sunscreen, walking shoes are best and umbrella in case of rain. See Park and Stride Flyer for more details on the website. PLEASE NOTE : YOU ONLY HAVE TO WALK TWO STREET BLOCKS TO MAKE IT COUNT RIDE: Bike or Scooter to school, Ride with your children to school. It’s legal to ride on the footpath and there is a footpath in all directs to the school. Remember to always have your helmet secured on your head. Bikes can be secured near E block and there is a Scooter park near the entrance of the Library. CARPOOL: Find a friend and carpool to school. It’s an easy way to save money and time. Talk to other parents in your child’s class or at music or sport to see who is going your way, who lives near you, or put a note through your Spirit Committee leader or Facebook Groups if you want to assist other parents or need assistance getting to school. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Public transport is easy once you know how. For bus timetables, visit www.translink.com.au, phone 13 12 30 or visit the Transport Information Centre located on the corner of Ann and Roma Streets. Try catching the bus, it can be Carpool, Buspool, Walkpool, or even Bikepool with your friends to and from Connect with the Facebook Groups or your Spirit Committee leader for your class and organise some groups. fun. school. DROP OFF ZONE While dropping your children through the drop off zone it is not considered Active Travel (unless you carpool), we do encourage those families without prep children to use the 2 Minute Drop Zone rather than trying to park at the school where parking is a premium. We have 2 Minute Drop Off and Pick Up Zones at the Hall (Horn Rd) and on MaundrellTce. A “How to Use the Zone” flyer can be found on the Schools Website, and will also be distributed in the next few weeks. Things to remember and to discuss with your children: 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Children must sit and wait for pick up; No running to Cars; NO Parking in the Drop & Go Zone and designated areas between 8-9am or 2-4pm; Make pickup time after 3:05pm to give time for children to arrive; Display Surname on the left hand visor ; Only drop off and pick up on the green line; Pull forward as far as you can; and above all, Follow ALL Road Rules around the school. DATES TO BE ACTIVE nd Tuesday 22 of May – Walk Safely to School Day 100% Day th Friday 26 June Fancy Sock Day (Last Day of Term) WALK /RIDE/ CARPOOL) th Tuesday 4 August – Winter Scarf, Snood and Beanie Day th nd Friday 18 Sept CAR FREE DAY (official day is 22 September). 100%Day th Tuesday 4 November - Melbourne Cup Day – great day to race your friends to school NOTIFICATIONS OF EVENTS TO BE SENT OUT TO STUDENTS CLOSER TO THE EVENT DATE CAMP AUSTRALIA NEWS Shade Sail Great news!! The Cancer Council Queensland has given us a small grant to assist with putting up a shade sail adjacent to the back concrete area. This will give the children more shade when having afternoon tea and playing the sacred game of handball. The parents who stand in the sun peering into the glare while waiting for their children to come off the oval will also be relieved. Thankyou to Angela Spink and the school for information and assistance with the application. We are about to put in a grant application to put in a native bush tucker garden outside our room. Hopefully it is as successful. Program To celebrate Australian Heritage Week this week the students created two gorgeous dioramas depicting the Great Barrier Reef. Allison Butler and TamekaWaldon also chose some Aboriginal Design sea creature and bird colouring ins which are very popular and are being put up around the room. Holidays It is that time again already. Only 11 days of school before the Easter Holidays. We have a HERO theme which is proving popular with the boys. Alex Eliopoulos and Jayce Bullock have already handed in their list of games and activities for Top Secret Day and Rockstars Day. We have copies of the program on the parent desk for you to take. To book simply go to the web site and choose the days you want. Medicare Numbers A reminder that we still require Medicare numbers for some students. Please bring in your Medicare cards or text the number to our work phone (0412 203004). Unfortunately we cannot receive photos on our phone. Frances and Team Program Details To find out more about our program, view fees and to register visit www.campaustralia.com.au "WEP" VOLUNTEER HOST FAMILIES Enrichment, Education, Excitement - Become a Volunteer Host Family! World Education Program (WEP) is inviting you to experience another culture in your own home by becoming a volunteer host family to an international student arriving in July 2015. Our students from Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Italy, Belgium, the USA, and France are looking forward to experiencing life in Australia, making new friends and becoming a member of an Australian family soon. "Wonderful - joyous - heartfelt. An absolutely wonderful idea and so beneficial for all involved, from family to school friends. We truly feel Enrico is another member of our family." - Marie - host mother of Enrico (Italy) Hosting Is Fun! Find Out more! Getting to know your student before he or she arrives brings fun and joy to everyone involved. To help you make this important decision, contact WEP today to receive a full information pack for your family. Sylvia Kelly Manager – Inbound Exchange Programs Phone: 1300 884 733 Email: [email protected] Online: http://www.wep.org.au OTHER AVAILABLE STUDENT ACTIVITIES/SERVICES ASPLEY SPARROWS GIRLS SOCCER CLINIC NEWS CONGRATULATIONS! SPARROWS SELECTED FOR EAGLES CHALLENGE CUP Selections have been announced for Aspley State School’s two inaugural representative teams contesting the Aspley Eagles Challenge Cup soccer carnival at Aspley State High School on Thursday, 2 April 2015. Congratulations go to our 22-member squad comprising the following grades 5 and 6 girls: Alexandra Hassall, 5F Madison Tinney, 5M Alyssa Corbett, 6MV Maia Morris-Arkell (Arkell), 5P Amber Everett-Jones, 5P MakaritaKururangi, 5P Caitlin Lawrence, 6H Makayla Brown, 5F Charlotte Vine, 6WS MillieaCoonz, 5P Emma Ross, 6H Olivia Mulcahy, 5R Fiona Chu, 6H Poppy Hayes, 5P Grace Deller, 5P Rachel Fitzgerald, 5R Imogen Russell, 6H Rebecca Lawry, 5F JanikaLapworth, 5F Sarah Leonard, 5P Lily Revie, 5F Sophie Osborne, 6WS In extending the community reach of their Soccer Enrichment Program, Aspley State High School will host the 6thAspley Eagles Challenge Cup on their oval as a day-long, round-robin soccer tournament between senior primary school students (grades 5 and 6) in the local area. The carnival format consists of modified games of soccer, with finals at the end of the day. The event provides an opportunity for schools to win top honours, with Taigum State School currently in possession of the Hart Sport Aspley Eagles Challenge Cup Trophy. However, our focus for the day is participation, gaining experience, and most of all, having fun! Mr Farrow wishes to impress upon the girls that they should feel very proud! This is an exciting opportunity to represent Aspley State School for the first time ever in this coveted local tournament. PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL COACHES ADD “KICK” TO SPARROWS The Aspley Sparrows Girls Soccer Clinic is poised to go ahead in leaps and bounds with the announcement that North Star Football Club professional coaches will be leading Monday morning training drills for the next three weeks. Generously boosting the Sparrows’ skill development at no cost to families, certified and blue-carded coaches will work with the girls every Monday from 8am sharp beginning March 16th. Grade 3’s Miss Oliver will also continue as Monday’s teacherlead. As part of their commitment to the North Brisbane community, North Star Football Association Inc., based at O'Callaghan Park Zillmere, has added Aspley State School to their school development program roster. With a 40-year history, North Star FC is one of Brisbane’s most successful premier league soccer clubs, encouraging playing opportunities for male and female participants of all ages from under 6 to open age groups. Kicking off the Sparrows’ weekly training schedule on March 16th, 23rd and 30th, Aspley State School’s rookies and experienced players will benefit from Monday’s fun, inclusive and enjoyable football guidance based on North Star’s strategic soccer development expertise. As recommended by Football Federation of Australia, their coaches will work with our Sparrows on the “4 core skills”: first touch; running with the ball; 1-v-1; and striking the ball (passing/shooting). Professional coaching is a massive boon for the growing Sparrows Girls Soccer program, Aspley State School itself, and of course our grade 4, 5 and 6 girls who wish to try this increasingly popular female sport in Australia. Nonetheless, Sparrows Girls Soccer Clinic is only made possible with teacher and parental support. Thank you to the staff and families who volunteer their time to see girls’ football take off at Aspley! THURSDAY TRAINING REPLACES WEDNESDAYS Wednesday morning girls’ soccer training will move to Thursdays from March 19 th due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologise for any inconvenience to your routine and look forward to seeing as many Sparrows as possible at our Monday, Thursday and Friday 8am training sessions. Futsal remains at first break on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Soccer skills training with Aspley Sparrows is entirely flexible. Players can train as much or as little as they want. However, selection for competitive teams (eg Gala Day or “Aspley Eagles Challenge Cup”) will depend on a number of factors including (but not limited to) on-field performance, demonstrated team spirit, and commitment to attend training. Further information Mr Kym Farrow, year 4 teacher & Sparrows Coordinator [email protected] | 07 3863 9111 Mrs CarolynneHassall, parent & Sparrows communication/administration support [email protected] | 0404 883 462 TRIPLE \\\'P\\\' DIABETIC RESEARCH PROGRAM Are you a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes? Every day, thousands of Australian children suffer the effects of type 1 diabetes and families struggle with illness management and children’s behavioural and emotional adjustment. Positive Parenting for Healthy Living is an adaptation of the successful Triple P- Positive Parenting Program offering practical ideas and support for parents of children with type 1 diabetes. This innovative group program is designed to help parents manage their child’s illness, assist children in coping with their illness and emotions, and prevent and manage difficult child behaviour. Over the next few months and for a limited time only, parents of 2-10 year old children with type 1 diabetes are able to access Positive Parenting for Healthy Living Triple P as part of a University of Queensland research project. Parents will be able to attend the program free of charge, and will be asked to complete 2 sets of assessment measures (questionnaire and family observation) over a 6 month period, as part of the study. ContactAditiLohan on (07) 3346 7689 or email [email protected], or visit https://exp.psy.uq.edu.au/t1diabetesfor more information. ASPLEY SWIMMING CLUB NEWS Aspley State School Amateur Swimming Club is now in its 48th year and meets every Friday night during terms 1 and 4. Racing commences at 6.30pm and is finished by 8.30pm. At these meets children compete against other children in a family friendly atmosphere where the emphasis is on improving their swimming times. The continuing aims of the Swimming Club are to: 8. encourage water confidence and fitness 9. promote good sporstmanship 10. promote swimming as a competitive sport Swimming for term 1 recommences Friday, 30 January 2015. For further information about joining our wonderful Club please e-mail [email protected]. COMMUNITY NEWS ZILLMERE COMMUNITY CENTRE HOLT FITNESS HOLT FITNESS "ABT" CLASS!!! Holt Fitness has an ABT (abs,butts,thighs) class every Monday night in the Aspley School Hall, 6.00 - 7.00pm, for just $15 per person! All are welcome - you don't have to be a member of the Gym to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!!! Richard and Ashley BUBBLE DOME TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS Bubble Dome will be holding technology workshops in robotics and coding over the school holidays at Craigslea State High School and The University of Queensland. The exciting range of workshops on offer include Architecture, Design and Model Making and Minecraft Inventions and Challenges. The courses are designed for students as young as 5 years of age through to 14 and up. Download the brochure below for more information. Book early before March 20 to receive $25 off. Simply enter the promo code 'MARCH' at the online checkout. Tel: 1800 11 55 62 Email: [email protected] Book Online: www.bubbledome.com QUEENSLAND ACADEMIES OPEN DAY THE SCHOOL OF ST JUDE OPEN DAY ALL ABOUT KIDS - Speech Language Pathology All About Kidsis a private practice with speech pathologists, occupational therapists and psychologists specialised in supporting children. In 2015 All About Kidsare offering a special screening assessment for Prep and Year 1 students at Aspley State School. This assessment will screen the student's speech production and literacy skills and will cost $25 per student. If you or your child's teacher have concerns about their speech production or their readiness for literacy learning, then this screening assessment is a great opportunity to get some speech pathology support. To make an appointment or to find out more information: 11. 12. 13. Phone: 07 3262 6009 Email: [email protected] Web: www.allaboutkids.com.au Learn more about how a speech pathologist can help your child by downloading the All About Kids Newsletter - Issue One below. T20 GIRLS CRICKET SENSORY MOVIE DAY Sensory Movie Day is an inclusive event for families with special needs. Lighting is on Dim, Sound lowered, Volunteers monitoring Fire exit doors. Please find attached the upcoming dates. NORTHSIDE FAMILY DAY CARE TWILIGHT MARKETS CAREER KEYS COURSES
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