2022 Newsletter Issue 6 - April 29th
Principal's Message
A very warm welcome to Term 2! I hope that families had the opportunity to rest and recharge a little over the Easter break.
The rates of positive COVID-19 tests has definitely increased across our community over the past month. This has impacted greatly on student and staff attendance at school and I thank everyone for following the requirements set out by Queensland Health.
This is the latest information that has come through from the Director-General of Education regarding COVID-19 and schools. I encourage you to read through this information.
COVID-19 Update
As you may be aware, Queensland Health have updated the requirements for anyone who is deemed a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Please note, when determining whether someone is a close contact, schools and early childhood services are not considered a household, or household-like accommodation or care facility.
New requirements for close contacts
From 6pm on Thursday 28 April 2022, close contacts who do not have COVID-19 symptoms no longer need to quarantine.
Students who are close contacts must notify their school that they are a close contact
For 7 days after becoming a close contact, students over the age of 12 must wear a face mask while outside of their home, including at school, and when outdoors if unable to physically distance. Queensland Health also recommends that children under the age of 12 wear a face mask when it is safe to do so.
It is recommended that students undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT) on the first day they leave home, and every second day (e.g. days 2, 4, and 6) until they are no longer a close contact.
Close contacts who develop COVID-19 symptoms must not attend school and should isolate until their symptoms resolve.
Rapid antigen tests (RATs)
Schools are not providing RATs to staff or students who are close contacts. You will need to source and administer your own tests. However, our school is continuing to provide RATs to staff and students who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school.
If you or your child tests positive to COVID-19
Queensland Health requirements for people who test positive to COVID-19 remain unchanged. You must follow the Queensland Health guidelines outlined in the first steps to take if you have COVID-19.
Face masks
As a gentle reminder, masks continue to be required in certain settings for anyone aged 12 years or older, such as when travelling on public transport. They are also recommended whenever you can't physically distance.
Anyone who chooses to wear a mask at school will be supported to do so.
I will continue to keep you informed of any changes to our response to COVID-19.
Cross Country
On Friday, Thargomindah State School had their Cross Country. It was great see such a goo turn out considering the challenges we are currently having with COVID-19. Thank you to the parents and staff who supported the event. All students displayed excellent sportsmanship and did their houses proud. Just a reminder, this Fridat Thargomindah State School will be hosting the Cunnamulla & District Cross Country. Students involved in this are born between 2010-2013. Younger students will still have the opportunity to watch and support this event.
Cunnamulla & District Cross Country Program | ||
Time | Event | Year Level |
9:30am | Walk track | All runners |
10:00am | 2km Track | Girls 2013 (9 years) |
2km Track | Boys 2013 (9 years) | |
10:20am | 2km Track | Girls 2012 (10 years) |
2km Track | Boys 2012 (10 years) | |
10:40am | 3km Track | Girls 2011 (11 years) |
3km Track | Boys 2011 (11 years) | |
11:05am
| 3km Track | Girls 2010 (12 years) |
3km Track | Boys 2010 (12 years) | |
11:30am | Presentations | |
11:40am | Lunch (sausage sizzle) | |
12:00pm | Finish | |
ANZAC Day
Thank you to the staff and students who marched and were part of the ANZAC day services last Monday. The students represented our school with pride and respect.
If you have any questions or need to catch up with me at any stage, please feel free to email jmcca133@eq.edu.au or call the school on (07) 4655 3132 to arrange an appointment.
Have a fantastic week!
Kind regards,
Joel
K-2 Report
Welcome back to school everyone! We have had another weird start to the term with our usual public holidays taking away the first three Mondays of the term. Other than this, the students in K-2 have been working like busy bees and have already made so much progress in their unit work. For the students who have been well enough to attend school this last fortnight, I am happy to say that they have taken a really good understanding to the English, mathematics, science and HaSS topics presented to them.
For English this term, the K-2 class is learning about ‘Traditional Tales’. This term they will learn how to sequence the events that happened in each story, retell it using acting, writing and speaking, and learn how to write their own traditional tale, then present it to the class. So far, the students have been captivated by just how many traditional tales there are and how many they already know – a very successful start to the unit!
In mathematics this term, students will be learning three concepts; number sense, chance, and time. So far, we have made links to the number sense unit work, but have had a large focus on time as this can be a tricky concept to grasp in the early years. In particular – understanding that time is linked to sixty-minute intervals rather than one-hundred, and how to recognise that the hour markers on an analogue clock also represent minutes within the hour... tricky stuff!
Science has taken an interesting start with the students learning about life cycles and what happens at the different stages of life. We already have a great knowledge of what the ‘baby’ name is for a lot of animals e.g. tadpole, chick, pup, kitten, joey etc. We now will jump into what purpose growing up serves for animals, why does their body change as they get older, do they have a mum and dad that look after them and more into inquiry-based learning for this unit.
Finally, for HaSS, students are learning about technology from the past and present. This has been really fun learning about technology as a start because we get to learn why it is important, what inspiration people take from to create new technology, and even what technology we have now rather than what was available in the past. For example – we learnt that in the past, people used brooms to clean their floors, then we created an electronic machine that would make sweeping easier by sucking the dirt up – the vacuum, now we have technology that will vacuum your house for you – robot vacuums. The students got a visit from ‘Randy the Robot’ to vacuum their classroom and they had an absolute ball watching Randy chase them as he cleaned. Who would’ve thought cleaning could be so fun?!
That’s all for this fortnight in the downstairs class, looking forward to another fortnight full of rich learning and excitement!
Miss T
Kindy Recap
Kindy has been short this fortnight as the public holidays have taken away two very important kindy days! Other than that – Miss M and the kindy children have been deep into their learning with a focus also on Traditional Tales, very closely linked to the learning that takes place with the year one and two curriculum. This fortnight in kindy, they have been working on retelling the story using toys and creation, acting it out and even living some of the story! Students got to try something a little different by boiling eggs and seeing what they taste like. The feedback was that the white part was tasty but the yolk, not so popular.
Looking forward to an almost normal next fortnight for kindy and all the fun and creation we have in store for them!
Miss T and Miss M
3-6 Report
Welcome back to a very busy Term 2. We have really had to hit the ground running to try to get as much learning as we can done given all of the interruptions that have happened and will happen this term.
This term in Science we are exploring the lifecycles of different animals and plants. Our assessment will include growing herbs, vegetables and flowers in our garden beds. We will explore the environmental impacts on these plants and discuss other ways that plants can be impacted by different environments.
In HASS this term we are investigating the process of Federation in Australia and the impacts that it had over time in our country and around the world. We will also be exploring the levels of government and what each level is responsible for and how their decisions impact us.
The completion of our Design Technologies unit this semester will result in students being mini engineers, designing different items for use by different wildlife in town. Students will need to consider using recyclable materials to create their design and will also reflect on the appropriateness of their design.
While we have a very busy term planned, it is also very important that students are looking after themselves and taking necessary precautions if they are not well. Absences will of course impact student learning, but it is more important that students are well.
Until next fortnight,
Ms Morgan
Anzac Day
Cross Country
Cross Country Winners :)
