Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to our final newsletter for 2020. A year that we’d all like to put behind us. Ironically, it delivered its last blow through the cancellation of the Junior Carnival on Tuesday. We had COVID beaten but couldn’t prevent the high school having to deliver the bad news to us before school, that the pool wasn’t able to be used that day. This was due to the need for them to urgently investigate a significant issue. Cruelly, it is up and running today but alas the end of year schedule will now push this event into early Term 1, 2021.

SENIOR SWIMMING CARNIVAL

The Senior Swimming Carnival went ahead successfully on Monday and I would like to thank the students, staff and parents for making it such a great day. A highlight was the individual and team performances of the children.  Special congratulations to our Age Champions: 

Congratulations to all team members of Webster House who narrowly won the carnival by 5 points with Maundrell House snapping at their heels.  Hamilton House trailed then by just one point.  

The children always love the staff race and Charlie (our volunteer starter) was the first to touch the wall. However, Jay (Grounds/Facilities Officer) is still desperately trying to cling to victory stating that “Charlie isn’t a staff member so he can’t win the staff race and that he got out the pool too early before the race is completed.”  Lol.  This event has turned into the staff Olympics!

PREP MEET AND GREET

Last week we welcomed our new Preps for 2021. There are over 90 children coming to join us for Prep next year which is very exciting news. The children met their teachers and classmates whilst their parents met our P and C staff and volunteers.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

A sincere thanks to Mrs Stockill for putting together our online Christmas Concert. It was epic and took even more time and effort than what a "live" concert does and we so appreciate it. The children's faces when "real Santa" ran around the classrooms in a frenzy just like he had jumped out of the screen, was a sight to see. If you haven't seen the concert, make sure you find the link in the email we sent home last week. 

SCHOOL LEADERS 2021 (will receive their badges in Week 3, Term 1)

Congratulations to the following students who have gained Captain positions for 2021. These students have had to submit a written statement, received written recommendations from staff, attend an interview and be voted into their positions by their peers.

School Captains:  Charlize and Jeswin

Vice-Captains:      Karees and Noah (as above)

House Captains:

Maundrell:Sibonna and Deborah

Webster: Cooper and Taylah

Hamilton: Cyrine and Jeremy

 
Music Captains: Josie, Vaoloka, Lexer and Jacob

Tech Crew will be announced on FaceBook next week as they are still undergoing their trial.

PROBATIONARY SENIOR LEADERS

(Candidates will receive their badges in Week 8, Term 1 after their  successful probationary period)

Leen, Demetri, Lylah, Reesha, Troy, Ivy, Magsen, Riya, Ashleen, Joshua, Fianna, Joanna, Kelsy, Ehblu, Aldin, Sarah, Christa, Hayden T, Reshvanth, Arshveer, Will, Brendan and Jess L.

This probationary period provides the opportunity for these students to demonstrate their commitment to the behaviours and responsibilities required of a leader in our school.

We had a large contingent of Year 5 students who applied for these roles. A number of these who did not attain a probationary senior leader period,  will be re-considered at the beginning of Term 2 based on their learning and engagement in the classroom, playground and at external school activities in Term 1.

If your child is going into Year 5 in 2021 and is keen to put their hand up to nominate at the end of 2021 for a 2022 leadership position, they need to start Year 5 with the end in mind. At Craigslea, we have high standards for our leaders as they are role-models to their peers and younger students. Therefore, some goal setting from the start of Year 5 increases their likelihood of success.

GRADUATIONS

6J and 6K

We have had two of our three graduations this week. Thanks to our parent organising committee for making the hall look so beautiful and all the other jobs which assisted in making the night go so smoothly. Our parents who made speeches on behalf of the parent body and the Year 6 teachers who put in an enormous effort to prepare for these important nights. However, a massive gold star goes to Libby Blom who has spent countless hours for the last three years putting together our Year 6 Year Book. In the previous two years, Libby didn’t even have a child in Year 6. Such is her generosity of spirit. Thanks so much Libby, we will miss you and the rest of the Bloms. Consider this an ad for any parents who are graphic designers out there WE NEED YOU IN 2021!!!!

REPORT CARDS AND CLASS ALLOCATIONS

These will be emailed early next week, as having two graduations and a swimming carnival this week has really impacted on our timelines. These two important pieces of information will be emailed separately.

A reminder that parents were alerted in three newsletters if they wished to tell us something about their child to assist in their class allocation and this was due on the third Sunday in October. We have done our best to use this information to assist placement, where it was possible. Therefore, once we have sent these class allocations out, we are working towards getting the school organised for 2021. Please refrain from calling or emailing on this topic next week, as it is impossible to place 600 students based on the individual wishes of parents or students. It is a complex task that takes a lot of time and thought.  We appreciate your support and trust that we have the best interests of your child in mind, within the context of over 80 to 100 students in each year level. Thinking back to our own years of primary school, you didn't get to choose your teachers and neither did your parents. Much like the workplace, real life requires you to work with people of all abilities and personalities.

INCOMING AND OUTGOING STAFF

Tim Young is joining us as a classroom teacher from Zillmere State School.

Sam Hendle from Mount Tarampa State School

Sophie Morley (QUT Graduate backfilling Amanda Dossetto who is on leave for Term 1)

Amy Knight is returning from maternity leave.

Allira Crowley (Sandgate State High School) is backfilling Shelly Ahuja for 2021

Stacey Franklin from West End State School

We thank sincerely and farewell for the time being at least:

Mrs Sue Coleman (Teacher of Prep C)

Ms Courtney Jay (Teacher of 3J: Courtney is on leave for 2021 to have her first child)

Ms Angelika De Jager: (Part-time teacher of 3HD and 4HD: Retiring after 32 years. 20 of these years have been at Craigslea)

Ms Renee Sokac (Teacher of 5JS: Renee has been transferred to Manly State School)

SENSITIVITY UNIT CLOSURE

Attached is a letter to inform the community of Metropolitan Region’s decision to close the Metropolitan Inclusion Centre (formerly the Craigslea State School Sensitivity Unit) at the end of this year. This will not be easy news for some.  We acknowledge the wonderful work of this unit over 30 years and the thousands of lives it has touched. Additionally, the work of Sharlene Emmanuel and her band of volunteers since 2015 in co-ordinating the activities of the unit, has been outstanding. As such this work has led Sharlene to a permanent role within the Inclusion Unit of Metropolitan Region where she can conduct this work on a wider scale from the start of 2021.

FIRST WEEK BACK ARRANGEMENTS

We are currently working out a plan for parents/carers to be briefly on-site for the first week of school and on a trial rotational basis throughout Term 1. This plan will need to:

-Ensure adults do not congregate on school grounds,

-Ensure only the allowable number of parents ( 1 person to every 2 square metres) can be in a classroom at the same time as teachers and students,

-Ensure everyone stays distant whilst waiting their turn,

-Ensure the visits inside the classroom are strictly timed so everyone is in a position to support their child and to also ensure that the teachers and students can promptly get on with settling in.

The plan will be sent to parents by email and on FaceBook in the week before school starts.

School returns on Wednesday January 27. I would like to thank everyone for their support during this challenging year and we look forward to a 2021, where we can be together more often.

Have a lovely break from routine,

Kathy Canavan

Prep Meet the Teacher Sessions

We had a lovely day last Thursday when the students starting Prep next year came in to meet their teacher and classmates.  I know that the teachers and teacher aides were as excited as the children.  There were lovely stories shared around afterwards.

This week we organised for the small number of families who couldn’t make the day, to come in for a quick meet.  These families did the right thing by staying away due to illness.

While on the topic of illness, your willingness to abide by the COVID-safe plan was greatly appreciated.  While we have your understanding and cooperation in regards to restrictions on site, which are in place for next year, we can continue to provide opportunities for you to come into the school grounds.  Parents are a critical component of their child’s education and we want you to be ‘present’ in this.  Stay tuned for details around this at the start of 2021.

Peer Mediators

Sincere thanks to the peer mediators for their tireless work this year. 

IMPORTANT:  Letters will go home with Yr 6 students early in the new year in our quest to find our next team of Bridge Builders.

Congratulations to Gabriella and Saba who earned their Bridge Builder Badges last week.

Hear about Maddelyn’s connection to her culture at this link…

3J read a traditional story each day and created an artwork from the famous story 'How the birds got their colours'. 

In Year 6 we looked at Indigenous LAND RIGHTS post Federation as well as changes and continuities affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over time since before Federation in 1901.

3J and 3HD have been committed to Arbor Day since their poetry and planting efforts.  They have since adopted a jacaranda on the hill outside their classroom and enjoyed a Poetry Picnic on the top oval.  They have a developing passion for the importance of trees on earth.  The Earth’s future WILL be in good hands if these children become vocal citizens in years to come.

Wishing you a joyful and safe Christmas with your loved ones. I am looking forward to working with the children in 2021. 

A very special thanks to the beautiful messages I have received from parents as we come to the end of the year.  Your sense of humour is warmly received, bringing a smile to my face that stays the day.

Narelle

Understanding the Report Card 

Report Cards are a great summary of your child's work over the previous six months.  They contain a wealth of information but are sometimes challenging to understand.  All parents of children enrolled in a Queensland State School receive the same format of report card including the use of a more consistent 5 point-scale.  In Prep, this scale is: Applying, Making Connections, Working With, Exploring, Becoming Aware.  In Years 1 and 2, this scale is: Very High, High, Sound, Developing, Support Required.  In Years 3 to 6, this scale is: A, B, C, D, E. 

On the report card the other areas of interest are the grade for "Effort" and the grade given for "Behaviour" towards the end of the report. As a parent when I read my son's report card, his Effort and Behaviour grades are the first things I look at even before looking at his achievement results.  It tells me a lot about how he is applying himself to his studies and how he is behaving in his own class and specialist classes. The scale on which both Effort and Behaviour are marked reflects a five-point scale:

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Satisfactory 
• Needs Attention 
• Unacceptable

When deciding on a mark for effort a teacher usually considers the behaviours displayed by the students as they engage with each subject.  Some students have a preference for particular subjects and so find it easier to apply themselves to the learning opportunities and tasks provided.  Some children find difficulty with particular types of activities such as working in a group.  Behaviours which promote learning are developed over the years, just as children develop their content knowledge. Learning to listen and follow increasingly complex directions; choosing a positive attitude and staying focused on the job to be done; starting and finishing a task within a set time frame; being organised, being an active participant in discussion and group activities; asking for help or feedback and reflecting on one's work, are all skills which contribute to the "effort" grade a student receives. 

Have a fantastic holiday!

Sarah Abdy 

As we near the end of the year and we eagerly await our child’s report card, we can use this opportunity to celebrate our children’s successes and positively support them to take on teacher feedback to further improve their learning.

As Head of Inclusion, I thought this is a good time to share some of the inclusion strategies your child’s teacher uses in the classroom. Inclusive strategies enable all learners to participate in learning experiences on the same basis as their peers. This is achieved by making educational adjustments to the delivery or mode of assessment, without changing the way the assessment is judged or marked.

Adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment should not impact on judgments made about student achievement.

5 Inclusion Strategies Your Child’s Teacher Uses

Adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment can be grouped into five broad areas:

1. Timing — the amount of time allocated
2. Scheduling — when assessment occurs
3. Setting — where assessment is completed
4. Presentation — how an assessment appears or is communicated to a student
5. Response — how a student responds to the assessment.

Note: More than one inclusive strategy can be used.

I hope this has been helpful for you to gain an understanding of teaching and assessment in an inclusive environment.

Have a great holiday break and I look forward to seeing you all next year,

Christmas Wishes

Dee Giudice

Book Returns
Thank you to all families and students who have worked hard to find and return their Library books. I would love to have all of our books back in the Library by the end of the school year - please keep them coming!

Summer Reading
Even though our school Library is closed for the Christmas break, students can still access reading resources:

> Sora Digital Library - students in Year 4 and Year 5 will continue to have access to our Digital Library using the Sora app on their digital devices.

> Moreton Bay Library Summer Reading Club - Join online or at your local Library (you do not need to live in Moreton Bay region to be a Moreton Bay Library member). Be sure to mention Craigslea State School when you join to put us in the competition to win the Summer Reading Club trophy!

> Brisbane City Council Library - the Council's Summer Reading Program for Kids usually runs during the school holiday period. They have not yet updated their website but check back during the holidays to sign up.  

> Craigslea Facebook Page - check the Craigslea Facebook Page over the summer break for links to other reading resources. 

Have a relaxing and happy holiday - keep reading!
Tess Bryce

Well we made it !!! Congratulations. Online concerts, learning from home, hand washing, no sharing, 1.5 m away. Hopefully practises will go back to normal in 2021.

I hope you enjoyed our Christmas concert and weekly performances on assembly. It has been a learning experience for us all.

The music department wishes the Craigslea Community a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday.

See you next year,

Mrs Stockill

I would like to extend thanks to the parents who have helped with swimming throughout this term. You have volunteered, followed our Covid rules and given endless time to supporting our students. It has been a super swimming season and we could not have done this without you. 

Have a safe holidays and see you in the new year. 

Mr. H

What will you be doing between Christmas and New Year?

Why not try Orienteering?

Try the Santa 6 Days!
6 Orienteering Events in 6 Days at 6 Great Parks around Brisbane!

Use a map and the MapRun app to navigate - it’s like treasure hunt with a real map and all events are free!

• learn a new skill
• get some exercise outdoors
• have fun with family or friends
• for any age, fitness and challenge level
• run/jog/walk around the 3 or 5km courses.
• do it at any time

Six Selected Parks around Brisbane

#1 - Dec 26 - City Botanic Gardens                              https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10796
#2 - Dec 27 - Edwards Park, Carindale                    https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10797

#3 - Dec 28 - Anzac Park, Toowong                             https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10798

#4 - Dec 29 - Upper Kedron                                         https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10799
#5 - Dec 30 - Mercer Park, Wavell Heights           https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10800

#6 - Dec 31 - Seven Hills                                               https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/events/10801

Your challenge is to use the map and the MapRunF app to find each control.
You can try to complete the course in the fastest possible time or just enjoy the satisfaction of finishing the course and completing the challenge.  No need for prior registration for these events.

Orienteering is a competitive international sport that combines racing with navigation. Participants use very detailed maps to select routes and navigate through diverse and often unfamiliar terrain in the fastest time.
More information about orienteering in Queensland can be found at https://oq.orienteering.asn.au/  or by emailing admin@oq.asn.au.