Welcome to Week 4! It has been an exciting and busy time in the school as our students settle into their new grades and learn our school and class routines.

Our numbers for the 2020 year have been confirmed with 669 enrolments!

2020 Leadership Presentation

Congratulations to our 2020 School Leaders who were presented with their leadership badges and certificate by Councillor Peter Masters last Friday. We wish all our leaders well in their roles.

Class Information Sessions

This week teachers will open their classrooms and conduct parent information sessions. I encourage you to attend this 30 minute session to meet your child’s teacher and hear about the classroom routines, whilst asking any questions you may have. It will also be the prime opportunity to offer any time you may have to assist in the classroom. Your child and all children in the classroom, will benefit from your engagement and support!

Year 5&6 Camp

Last week camp letters for Year 5 & 6 students were sent home. Please ensure that you read the letters in full, including the ‘Camp Expectations’ around behaviour and attendance. The due date for both camp deposits is 13 March. Payment plans can be arranged by contacting the office.

New Toilet Block

We are very excited to report our toilet block renovations are complete, with a full refurbishment of our main toilet block. The feedback from our students has been very positive including, “It’s amazing!” What more could you ask for?

School Dentist Van

The school dentist van has arrived today and will commence seeing students over the coming weeks. If you want your child to be reviewed whilst they are at our school site, please ensure you return the required permissions.

Feedback Welcome

Calliope State School is committed to ensuring that ‘everyone at Calliope State School is working together to ensure that every day, in every classroom, every student is learning and achieving’.

We want to know from our parents, carers and students, what we are doing well, and if there are any areas we can improve on or do differently.

You can give feedback at any time to a staff member, coming into the school office, or leaving a message in our Suggestion Box (in the office foyer).  Please be respectful when providing feedback.

1) Arrange a time to speak with the class teacher as the first point of call.

2) If your concern is regarding the classroom teacher or a staff member, contact the office to speak with a Deputy Principal responsible for your child’s sector.

• Miss Raelene Norris is the P-2 Deputy
• Mrs Rebecca Crapp is the 3-6 Deputy
• Mr Mark Wright is the Principal.

We ask that you refrain from using social media platforms to comment about issues or incidents involving our school.We have a great school with great students and staff and together we can continue to promote our school as a fantastic learning venue in our community. 

I hope everyone has a great week!

2A have had a fantastic start to 2020 with sensational behaviour.

In Science, we are learning about properties of materials. We will be starting our experiments this week testing the strength and water resistance of different materials. We will then start making our lunch boxes using recycled materials.

In Maths, we have been focusing on place value of 2-digit numbers and adding strings of numbers. We have also been working on number stories and representing these stories 4 different ways, using a think board. Next, we move onto collecting data and representing our findings using tally marks and picture graphs.

English this term we are learning about poetry. We are having fun exploring syllables, noun groups, rhyming words and alliteration in different poems. Students are doing a great job creating innovations of known poems. 

Congratulations to 3B and 5C who had an amazing attendance rate for Week 3. Their attendance rate was 100% for the week! Also congratulations to the 17 classes which were at or above our school attendance target of 94% for Week 3. Remember, every day you are away is a learning day lost.

The Positive Behaviour for Learning lesson for Week 4 is ‘Talk, Walk, Squawk.’ Children learn physical responses before they learn logical ones, which is how primary schools end up with Physical Misconducts being the most reported behaviour. It is for that reason that we have a strategy here at Calliope to help prevent this – known as Talk, Walk, Squawk.

• Talk – say, “Stop it! I don’t like it!”;
• Walk – walk away. This is the part most kids need reminding of, walk away immediately, without engaging
• Squawk – tell an adult straight away and they will help with the situation.

Please take a moment to go over this with your child/children.

Fantastic Fun Friday was on last week and the theme was ‘Technology.’ 

Enjoy your week.

Thanks.

Brian Rowe

Student Welfare Teacher

Welcome to Week 4, with learning in full swing so are our fundraising and events.

Thank you to everyone who attended our meeting last week, it was great to see some new faces. Our AGM will be held on Tuesday 10March, in the Admin building at 6pm. The P&C have organised Tina from Calliope Crafty Capers to be there to help with the kids (by booking only). All positions will be available for election, please note that you have to be a member to vote and becoming a member of the P&C is a great way to be involved in your Childs school. Want more information on how to become a member? Don’t hesitate to email us, send us a message on Facebook or simply fill out a form next to the P&C box in the office and we will contact you.

Fundraising and Events

Yesterday saw some very excited junior school students enjoy delicious pizza supplied by Pizza Place. Next Monday, 24February, it’s the senior schools turn, yes parents one less lunch to pack!

Thursday 19 March is our first school disco of the year, time to dust of those dancing shoes, deck yourself out in green and dance the night away like a leprechaun on St Paddy’s Day.

Chocolate, who doesn’t love chocolate? As we do every year, we will be holding an Easter raffle to be drawn on the end of term parade. For this raffle we ask our families to make a small donation of items towards our hampers. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates.

Tuckshop

Tuckshop is up and cooking! The kids are loving our new slushie machine with tasty juice-based flavours. Each week we have delicious home baked treats that can be ordered. This week’s delights are shortbread hearts and delicious ANZAC cookies.

As with all of our P&C events and operations, the tuckshop is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in socialising, having a cuppa and even helping Lisa out, please pop past the tuckshop or contact us via Facebook.

Uniform shop

Our uniform shop is open Tuesday mornings from 8.15 – 8.45am for all your uniform needs, or order on flexischools and orders will be sent to your child’s classroom. If you have any queries regarding orders, please contact our P&C via Facebook, email uniformshop.calliopess@gmail.com or phone/message Tenielle on 0406 218 312.

Have a great week

Your P&C team

Mel, Tenielle, Bec and Kate

Rotakids had their first meeting on Monday and the room was full of keen faces. RotaKids is attended by two elected students from each Year 3-6 class, as well as our school leaders. The class representatives were nominated and voted on in each classroom and these students will represent their class for all of Semester 1.

During the first meeting, the following positions were filled:

• President – Annabelle
• Vice President – Charlie
• Vice-Vice President – Kyden
• Secretary – Ryder
• Treasurer – Keira

Congratulations to all students who have been voted in as their class representative and to the students who secured a position yesterday. We look forward to a very productive semester. Our Rotakids badge ceremony will be held on parade this Friday 21 February at 9:15am.

Our Rotakids have also been invited to a Rotakids conference which will be on Sunday 26 July. More information will be released closer to the date.