SCHOOL OPINION DATA RESULTS

We have received our School Opinion Survey results. This week I have published our Parent/Carer Survey results from our ‘Highlight’ report. This report shows the three most positive items and the three least positive items.

Out of a possible 414 families that could have responded to our School Opinion Survey, only 109 families responded. That equates to 26% of families responding to the survey. As a school community we will work together to unpack this data over the coming months. We will do this in alignment with our current practices and processes and seek further feedback about next steps. 

PARADE – SOUND SYSTEM

As you will be aware, we have been having some issues with our sound system in the Hall. We were due to have the specialist technicians visit us in Term 3 to do some troubleshooting; however, due to COVID, they did not make it to our school. They are visiting this week and hopefully (fingers crossed) we have much better luck with projecting sound to the audience in the weeks to come!

COMMUNICATING ISSUES

If you would like to talk through an issue that you or your child is having at school, please ensure that you contact the classroom teacher as your first point of call. If you need further support after talking to the classroom teacher, please do not hesitate to organise a time, through the Administration Team in the office, to meet with a Deputy Principal (Raelene Norris P-3 and Bec Crapp Years 4-6).

SCOOTERS AND BIKES

We have had some issue with students riding their scooters and bikes through the Stop, Drop and Go area. This is unsafe behaviour as there are adults and children as well as the movement of cars in close proximity to them. Please talk to your children if they ride bikes or scooters and remind them how to walk safely in this area. Our staff will also be speaking to them when they see these unsafe behaviours.

CALLIOPE STATE HIGH SCHOOL YEAR 7 ENROLMENT INTERVIEWS

Enrolment interview bookings are now available – Tuesday, November 2, & Wednesday, November 3, 2021. https://eq.sobs.com.au/pt3/parent.php?schoolid=70631

Please drop off your completed enrolment packs prior to your interview or bring them with you to the interview.

CALLIOPE STATE HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION DAYS

All Year 6 students wishing to attend Orientation Days, (November 29 and 30) will need to have returned enrolment packs and attended an enrolment interview – we don’t want to see anyone miss out!

CALLIOPE CHRISTMAS CAROLS 2021 – DATE CLAIMER

The Calliope Carols are back on this year, after a break due to COVID restrictions. They will be held on Friday November 26 (Week 8). As in previous years, each year level is learning a song, which they will perform on stage as part of the concert.

It has been noted that the date also coincides with the return of the Year 6 students from their camp. We understand that this will be the end of a big week for these students but we hope that as many as possible will still attend the carols event and perform, as this will be their last carols event before they go to high school.

We hope to see everyone there!

MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

Last week the staff and students are celebrated Mental Health Week. They participated in a variety of activities before school and during the breaks to support them with strategies to improve their mental wellbeing. I have to say a huge thank you to Mrs Ind, one of our Wellbeing Committee Members, who put a huge amount of time and effort in planning and preparing for each of the activities and her team that supported her throughout the week. THANK YOU!

PREP ENROLEMENTS

Enrol now for 2022

We are currently enrolling students for Prep 2022. We ask that all families wishing to enrol at Calliope State School in Prep for 2022 complete an enrolment package and book in for an interview.

For an enrolment package and information for enrolling in all year levels for 2022, please visit or call our office on 4975 8333 or email admin@calliopess.eq.edu.au to start the enrolment process.

Regards

Coralie Ditchmen

Acting Principal

This term in 3C we are exploring poetry and how poetic devices are used to create engaging poems. In mathematics we are working with fractions and continuing with learning multiplication using the 200’s charts and Bingo. To keep our brains engaged we have regular movement breaks.

Congratulations to Year 3D who had an amazing attendance rate for Week 2. Their attendance rate was 99% for the week!

Also congratulations to the 11 classes which were at or above our school attendance target of 94% for Week 2.

Remember, every day you are away is a learning day lost.

Welcome to Week 3 Term 4. 

This week's PBL focus is: Talk, Walk & Squawk. Ask your children about this week’s PBL lesson and the link between this strategy and the ‘Candle under a glass cup’ experiment.

FFF ‘Super Science’ is happening this week. These activities are being run in cohorts and on different days, for student's who have filled up their stamp chart and received an invitation. Please see the following table for this information:

Congratulations to all students involved!

Have a wonderful Week 3!

Hi Guys!

We had a great week last week handing out chocolates for random acts of kindness day and teaching grade 3B & 3D about our brand-new BRAVE BOX located in my office. The new Brave Box initiative is to help kids prevent mental health issues by teaching them to think about what they are thinking about. Instead of storing all of those thoughts in their mind (which can weigh us down) we are encouraging kids to write them down and put them in the BRAVE Box. This helps kids to begin to recognise their own thoughts and what could be getting in the way of concentrating in the classroom.

WHAT IS A CHAPPY AND WHAT DOES A CHAPPY DO?

I have had a lot of questions recently asking what do I do? A Chaplain plays the role of a support worker. This means depending upon your family’s needs I can support you emotionally, physically or spiritually to help your child receive the best education possible. Currently I am involved in one on one sessions with kids who just need a listening ear and a word of encouragement, I am also helping to build successful relationships through friendship groups and this term I am beginning a program called Seasons for Growth to help kids navigate significant loss or change in their lives. At lunchtime you will see me playing handball or hanging out in my office with kids who love to come to the green zone for lunchtime activities. If there is anyway I can support your family please reach out and I will endeavour to be of assistance.  I am here on Monday’s, Tuesdays and Fridays this term and you can contact me via email sjarm17@eq.edu.au.

CAN YOU HELP?

Calliope State School Staff have worked so hard this year to educate and support our kids and as a community we would like to give back. On the last Friday of every month we will be organising a Gratitude Brunch to say Thank You to all staff. If you would like to contribute please email me at sjarm17@eq.edu.au to let me know what you would like to donate (gifts or food) and please bring it into the office before 10.30am on the following dates. Thank you for your consideration.

1. 29th October Friday – 11am – 11.45am
2. 26th November Friday – 11am – 11.45am

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR SEASONS FOR GROWTH!

This term I will be starting a program called Seasons for Growth. This program offers children and young people a safe space to come together, and share their experiences of change and loss. Children will learn that they are not alone in their experience and are able to build their communication, resilience, decision making and problem-solving skills within the context of a safe and supportive peer group learning environment. This program is suitable for children who have suffered change or loss from parents divorcing or separating, step families, foster care, loss of loved ones or other significant changes that have affected their ability to concentrate in a learning environment. If a child has recently lost a loved one this program is not recommended until 12 months after the loss has occurred. The program runs for 8 sessions and is about 30-45 minutes a session. If you think your child is experiencing difficulty concentrating at school due to a significant loss or change in their lives please email me to determine if they would be suitable for this program.

Have a great week!!

Chappy Sheree 

Disco – Thursday 28^th of October- Halloween Themed

Come dressed in your favourite Halloween costume to dance the night away with friends. Please ensure the costumes are practical for dancing in the hall safely. Hot food, snacks and drinks will be available on the night.

Prep – Year 2: 5:30pm  – 6:45pm

Year 3 – Year 6: 7pm – 8:30pm

If any parents are planning to hang around for the duration of the disco, we would love some help on the night. Some jobs on the night include:

• Setting up
• Getting kids through the doors at entry time
• Canteen sales
• Supervising as kids exit the disco
• Packing and cleaning up

There will be a section inside the hall where parents can wait for the disco to conclude. Unfortunately, we can’t have sibling inside the disco area for safety reasons. Thank you very much for your understanding around this. Please contact us on Facebook or via the email address below if you can help for the evening.

Bogan Bingo – 6^th of November

Get ready for a fun day, as our major fundraiser for the year. If you have anything to donate as prizes, please contact us ASAP.

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop operates both breaks, Tuesday to Friday each week. Order through the QKR! app.

WE NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE. Our tuckshop is looking for parents or community members to help prepare our kids meals each day. If you or someone you know can volunteer some time, please chat to Lisa in the Tuckshop, or email us at pandc@calliopess.eq.edu.au

Uniform Shop Update

All uniform items are to be ordered through the QKR! App. Please message our Facebook Page or email uniformshop.calliopess@gmail.com with any uniform shop enquiries.

Your uniform orders will be filled within 3 days of ordering by our volunteers. Thank you for your patience as we distribute your orders.

Next General Meeting: TONIGHT! (Tuesday October 19^th – 6pm) in the Conference Room at school. Please come to a meeting as we round up this year and prepare, plan and budget for 2022. We are always eager to see some new faces.

With half of our Executive team currently living outside of Calliope and others having works family and life commitments, we need all hands on deck to run meetings and organise events. Please contact us if you can lend a hand. Just an hour or two would be appreciated, especially with Disco and Bogan Bingo quickly approaching. Thanks.

Don’t forget everyone is welcome and you can become a P&C member at any meeting throughout the year. If you have any items to be discussed with us or the staff in attendance please email us so we can add it to the agenda.

Your P&C Team

Tenielle, Kate, Bec & Sian

Mental Health Week is part of a National Mental Health promotion campaign held in October each year, and incorporates World Mental Health Day, held globally on 10 October. The purpose of this awareness week is to engage communities in activities that promote mental health and wellbeing and increase understanding and reduce stigma about mental illness, and how it impacts on the lives of people in our community.

Mental Health Week in Queensland this year was held from 10 – 15 October. The theme for Mental Health Week this year was ‘Take Time’. Queenslanders are being encouraged to focus on the things that they can sustain and maintain their wellbeing.

“This year as we commemorate Queensland Mental Health Week, it is more important than ever for us to take time for our own mental health, learn the skills to build positive wellbeing, and to look out for those we know and love.

“A conversation can play a powerful role in connecting someone to the care they need. This can be as simple as asking, ‘how are you doing?’, ‘can I do anything for you’ or ‘are you okay?’ and showing people that you care.”

At Calliope State School the students took time to celebrate by participating in a Picnic lunch with their family members that could make it, followed by lots of fun to be had playing tug-a-war and Limbo on the front oval. They got to show their skills off with a before school fitness work out in the hall with Mrs Smith-Ashton, some mindfulness colouring, cricket match with the junior school, game of Edor on the back oval for the upper school and Friendship band making in the tuckshop area. All students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were very respectful and helpful with each activity offered on the day. 

For more information around Mental Health, please visit this link: https://www.qldmentalhealthweek.org.au/