Dear Parents/Carers.

PREP AND YEAR ONE PLAYGROUNDS

At present we are still waiting on the supply of sand and bark to replenish our playgrounds. We have not been able to use either of our forts since the storm. This is due to the availability of materials and the fact that contractors are stretched across a huge number of jobs at present. Thankyou to those that provided feedback on the Prep and Year 1 Playground designs. The main trends of this feedback included:

• More shade
• A larger variety of games and zones
• More nature play elements and climbing equipmeng for gross motor development.
• Like monkey bars
• Like sandpits

We have provided feedback to the playground designers and we will await their revised designs before moving both playgrounds to tender.

P AND C ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

On Monday March 14, the Craigslea State School held our P and C Meeting. We have a strong and vibrant P and C and this group of people contribute greatly to our school. I would like to thank those who put their hand up for the executive and sub-committees (many of them again!) 

Elizabeth Lynch: President (returning)

Sarah Hands:     Vice-President (returning)

Joel Miller:         Vice-President (even helped us mow the Prep grass last week 

                         before he went to work so off to a good start-lol!)

Paul Madey:       Treasurer (returning)

Position Vacant:  Secretary (We need to urgently fill this position. Thanks to Brad

                         Scott for taking minutes at the last meeting)

Position Vacant:  Grants officer. There are some large grants available that would 

                         be great if we could access so we need to fill this position with 

                         some urgency.

SCHOOL COUNCIL NOMINEES

At the P and C Meeting there is not a lot of time to discuss and plan for the big picture strategic issues for our school. Holding a School Council Meeting once per term helps to shape the long term improvement of the school. These council members will serve for a period not exceeding three years. Please read the profiles of the nominees attached and next Monday the school community will receive an opportunity to vote via email to register their vote. The three nominees with the largest number of votes as at Thursday March 31, will receive a seat on the school council for the next three years.

The nominees (in alphabetical order) are: 

Sara Gollschewski
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: With two children at the school I have a vested interested in the school's strategic direction. I have committee experience, both through my work and professional associations (Public Health Association QLD Branch - Past President, Secretary and committee member). In my job, I am responsible for developing and implementing strategic research goals. I believe I can make a positive contribution to the School Council.

Kiara Hartley
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: I have a background in property management and marketing and currently work in the vocational training sector, leading the admin and government handling of the traineeships and apprenticeships offered by 99 Bikes. I have experience with the needs of neurodiverse children and adults, being a parent/aunt/wife to family members that are neurodiverse. I also have experience in IT.

Nadia Hordern
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: I have been involved in our children's education over the last 14 years, this being our fifth child into the qld education system. I have previously had 4 other children attend two different primary schools and 3 different high schools, giving me a diverse insight into state and private education in Brisbane. I have been a member of the school council at another Brisbane state primary school a number of years ago. I am currently the president of a local community kindergarten.

Charmaine Manewell
Previous Experience: P&C Grants Officer, P&C Sustainability Subcommittee member, tuckshop volunteer, class book swap, parent swimming volunteer, PCR since 2019.
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: As someone with previous experience in developing education packages and strategic documents, I believe I have the necessary skill set to support the school with these functions. As a parent, I'm very interested to hear more about the school's strategic direction and the plans and policies the school wishes to implement over the next two years. I am excited to contribute in this meaningful way.

Jonathan Pelly
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: I work in manufacturing management and have experience in leadership, project management, and strategy.

Liz Ryan
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: As an educator myself I feel that I could contribute to discussions and decisions with my experience. I am a passionate educator who believes that school should be about developing 'the whole child' not just their ability to regurgitate curriculum knowledge.  Craigslea SS is such a great school, I'd love to help it be even better by being on the council.

Emi Scott
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: As a teacher, I know what is happening at other schools and can bring ideas. As a mum, I have the parent point of view.

Chelsea van Riet
Previous Experience: P&C
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: As an advocacy manager I have significant strategic business, research, and marketing expertise to share for the school's benefit.

Kyron Williams
Previous Experience: Assisted with the last school fete; assisted with 2021 graduation; nominated for active school travel committee; father of 2021 school captain. 
How you believe you could contribute to the School Council: I believe I can contribute strongly to the school Council through my 20 years experience in managing and consulting for non for profit organisations and sporting clubs, with a particular focus on strategic planning, corporate governance, financial management and grant applications and acquittals. I am currently the manager of the community leasing team at Brisbane City Council managing over 600 community facilities throughout Brisbane, through this role I can bring strong contract management, policy writing and review, understanding of relevant legislation and procurement processes.

TRAFFIC AND NEIGHBOURS

The streets around Craigslea is a busy place. I am afraid I am at the age and stage where I hold onto even more tightly to the belief that good manners and courtesy grease the wheels of life. We rely on the goodwill of our neighbours and passing traffic so they don't phone and complain to Council, Police etc which if they do, will result in parking tickets and even more limited options for parking around our school. 

Recently, there have been incidents where our neighbours have been treated poorly through poor driving and parking decisions as well as our parents/carers walking through the middle of our neighbour's yards and losing the plot when they get challenged. Homes are our sanctuary particularly for those who have retired from work and want to maintain their grass without people tramping through the middle of it, when they can just walk a few extra steps and stick to the council-owned footpath.

I have been told by parents and staff that the behaviour in the parent carpark is becoming increasingly dangerous in the afternoons as there are multiple cars that come in, don't use a parking spot and then park in front of cars to wait for their children and then are moving forwards and backwards letting cars in and out.This is potentially dangerous behaviour with children walking to cars.  If such behaviours continue, as safety manager for the site, I will need to consider closing the carpark for a period. Consider parking a distance away and walking in or arriving a bit closer to 3.20pm, when the traffic eases.

I'd ask that our school community be considerate by thinking: Is your driving and parking safe and courteous? (reversing out or within the parent carpark isn't); not parking where it clearly states not to park, parking where you are going to impede other cars or traffic, parking in congested streets making it impossible for neighbours to access their driveways or to drive through the middle of cars parked opposite each other in a tight space. Walk a little further. Keeping our neighbours happy is good for us all, they will be a little village around your children when they are needed (we have needed them before and they have been there for us) and they won't complain about our cars (needlessly) resulting in further restrictions and fines.

Have a good week,

Kathy

TERM 1 - Teaching and Learning 

As disrupted as the teaching and learning has been this term, teachers and students are still getting lots of learning in and doing their best to keep calm and carry on. By now, the routines and systems are becoming embedded and the school is generally humming along.

Teachers have worked hard under the challenging circumstances of this term, to make accommodations for absences as well as the reduced time to interact with the curriculum as intended.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Next week is a time to celebrate the learning that has been occuring over the term at the Parent Teacher Interviews. We are looking forward to sharing with you the progress of your children's learning and discussing their next steps. 

Interviews are being held in classrooms. If you are unable to attend your scheduled interview for any reason, please contact the class teacher to let them know.

PBL & Social-Emotional Learning

Craigslea State School is a Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) school. PBL is a whole school approach for creating a positive, safe and supportive school environment in which students can learn and develop. This approach involves the school community working together.

PBL is implemented to improve the learning and well-being of all students in all school settings. The entire school, including the classrooms, tuckshop, oval, playgrounds, swimming pool and school grounds, are all considered part of the total learning environment.

In classrooms and at Assembly, we introduce the following fortnight’s behaviour focus for the whole school. During the next fortnight, students spend time in class discussing the expectation or doing an activity related to the expectation.

The focus for the fortnight is:

Be safe in all Environments - I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing before school.

It is important for all children to be safe whilst at school, this also includes before school.

Being in the right place means:

• Prep and Year 1 students stay with the teacher aide/s at the gate they enter through until 8:55am when they are then escorted to class. Or if parents bring them in to school they sit and wait with their parent in the Year 1 shed or just ourside their classroom.
  
  
• Year 2 and 3 students wait in the 2/3CPA and Year 4, 5 and 6 students wait in the 4/6CPA.
  
  

At the right time means:

• Our wonderful students do not need to be at school prior to 8:40am unless they are attending OSHC or a before school activity such as running club or band practice.
  
  
• There is a bell that rings at 8:50am, which is a signal to grab their bag and head off to their class, ready to begin their day.
  
  

Doing the right thing means:

• Prior to 8:40am waiting and sitting quietly in their CPA or for Prep/Year 1 with their parent. No play at this time.
  
  
• At 8:40am, when the bell rings, Year 2 and 3 children may get up and move about and play in the 2/3CPA. Year 4, 5 and 6 children may get up and move about and play in the 4/6CPA and cool courts. Preps and Year 1s can move about, as long as they stay close to their parent.
  
  
• All children can go to the hub or office to hand in notes etc.
  
  
• The area between and the Year 2 and Year 3 classrooms and the Kubbi is out of bounds.
  
  
• Running/chasing or tackling games are not appropriate play before school.
  
  
• At 8:50am, when the bell rings, we strongly encourage children to visit the bathroom and get a drink on the way to their class.
  
  
• Explicitly teaching children these expectations help us to create a safe environment for everyone before school and everyone understands that they need to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.

Active School Travel

Walking Wheeling Wednesday is coming!

Wednesdays at our school will never be the same. From Wednesday, 20 April we want everyone to think about how they travel to school as we launch Walking Wheeling Wednesday as part of our Active School Travel program.

Active School Travel is one of the easiest ways to incorporate physical activity into everyday life for all children. Research shows only 23% of Australian children are active for the recommended minimum of one hour every day.

We know that everyone is different, and there are many ways you can actively travel to school.  How will you actively travel?

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’.

Cycle

Ride with your children to school. It is legal to ride on the footpath and remember to always have your helmet secured.

Scooter

It’s fun to scooter to school. Just like cycling, stick to the footpath and remember your helmet.

Public Transport

Catching public transport is easy once you know how.  For bus, train and ferry timetables, visit www.translink.com.au

Car Pool

Find a friend and car pool to school. It is an easy way to save time in your day and money. Talk to other parents in your child’s class or at music and sport to see who is going your way.

 So get started on 20 April and remember that EVERY Wednesday is Walking Wheeling Wednesday!

NAPLAN ONLINE

Years 3 and 5 students will be undertaking NAPLAN Online in May this year. 

We will also be participating in a national practice test on April 20.  This is an excellent opportunity to fine tune any technical and logistical needs, and to ensure the students are comfortable and familiar with the online platform.

We encourage all parents/caregivers to visit the NAPLAN Public Demonstration website

This week, all years 3 and 5 parents/caregivers should have received a detailed email about NAPLAN from the school.  Please let Sarah Abdy (sabdy2@eq.edu.au) if you did not get this email.

The year 5 students will be using their personal or a school ipad to complete NAPLAN.  If your child is using their own ipad, please make sure the NAP Browser is downloaded from the APP store.

Ultimately the best preparation for NAPLAN is the support of family and school.  It is important that all students are reassured that while we all want success for our children, it is a 'point-in-time' test which is a measurement tool only. In many ways a good night's sleep and breakfast is the best preparation. 

Kind Regards

Sarah Abdy and Natalie Marhinin

2022 Captains, Senior Leaders, Student Councillors and Craigslea’s 50th Anniversary
Last week we acknowledged our 2022 Captains, Senior Leaders and Student Councillors. We began Craigslea’s 50th Anniversary celebrations with the presentation of our time capsule. This week and next week we are sharing the contents of the time capsule with every student in the school to get ready for our units of work. Next term, each year level will prepare their contributions to the time capsule that we will bury again in September. 

Year 1 Gardening
Year 1 are learning to care for a special place. They have starting designing and planting out their garden. Over the next few weeks they will learn how care for the living things and how to work as a team to make sure this place is looked after.

Middle School Problem Solving Challenge
On Wednesday the 23^rd of March, teams of students from around 14 different schools participated in the annual Middle School Problem Solving Challenge Day at Wavell State High School.  Each team, of mostly 4 students, worked together to solve mathematical, scientific and technology-based problems. Our Year 5s and 6s had a wonderful time being challenged and working together in teams.

“It was fun and challenging” (Mikaella)

 “The Wavell State High challenge allowed me to expand my skills when working in a group” (Lucas)

HARMONY DAY
We LOVE celebrating our diversity at Craigslea. Yesterday we celebrated Harmony Day and Say No to Bullying Day. We gathered on the top oval and watched the Pacific Islander Dancers from Craigslea State High School and marvelled at the skills of many of our ex-students who were part of the troupe; we heard information shared from our students from other cultures. Year 6 student Khatira from Afghanistan's story is particularly moving. Please Click here to read it.  We also watched the dragon dance and marvelled at everyone's costumes. Break time was fantastic with a range of activities in different areas around the school. Classrooms spent some time learning about being kind online. It was lovely to see parents/carers there to join us for this special whole school assembly.  Thanks to Mrs Wiles (Head of Curriculum) and her team for organising.

L.I.F.E Awardees

Principal’s Academic Award 

Excellence in Mathematics  

Criteria 

• Can recall required Maths Facts 
• Application in Maths lessons 
• Strong ability to apply mathematical knowledge to solve problems.