Thursday's Tidings - 11 March 2021
TERM 1 |
|
| Fridays 26th Feb - 19th March | Yrs 5 & 6 Interschool Sport Sessions |
| 8th March - 17th March | Senior Swimming Lessons commence |
| Wednesdays 10th - 31st March | True Relationships Sessions |
| Thursday 18th March | Enrichment Writing Workshop |
| Monday 29th March | Cross Country / Fun Run |
| Thursday 1st April | Easter Bonnet Parade |
| Friday 2nd April | Public Holiday |
Term 1 - Week 7
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Book Fair
Mrs Condon is coordinating Book Fair from today (11 March) until next Thursday 18 March. Book Fair is open to families from each Monday to Thursday from 8:15am-8:45am and again from 3.00pm-3.30pm. Every dollar spent supports the school to buy new books for our library.
ANZAC Day
ANZAC services will be happening around the state again in 2021. The school will hold its service on Friday 23 April. Parents and families are invited to attend and watch our school leaders host this special service.
This will be followed on the Sunday by the town’s ANZAC March - an important event for our returned service men and women and their families. Gympie Central State School always participates in this event and this year will be no different. Details are yet to be finalised but please keep the morning of Sunday 25 April in your calendar. This will be a full school uniform event and the staff would like to see as many students marching as possible.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Classroom teachers are currently offering one-on-one interviews for parents and caregivers. Teachers have distributed notes to make bookings over the coming weeks.
Cooler Weather - Navy Jumpers Are Our Uniform
As the weather cools in the coming weeks, students will start digging through the drawers for their jumpers. Navy blue jumpers are the school uniform and while the uniform shop has a small number of jumpers with logos for sale, families are encouraged to purchase a navy jumper for school use. A plain navy jumper from a retail store is ideal. The navy looks great with the blue uniform and wearing the correct colour jumper shows pride in the school and pride in the uniform. Thanks in advance for your support of the school uniform.
Author Visit – Dr Cameron Stelzer, The Story Doctor
On Thursday 18 March, we have a special visit from Author and Illustrator Dr Cameron Stelzer. Dr Cameron is visiting Gympie Central State School to run workshops with our enrichment writing students. Cameron will be engaging students in a full-day workshop exploring the important steps in producing a book. Students will explore both writing and illustration skills, and take a behind-the-scenes look at creating exciting narratives. Students and teachers are looking forward to a great day!
In conjunction with the Author Visit, Gympie Central State School families have a special opportunity to purchase signed and personalised copies of Cameron’s books. There is no obligation to purchase. Individual books are $15 each and there are also exclusive book sets available. Students can collect an order form prior to the workshop day from the office. Forms and payment can be returned to the Office before or on the morning of the visit, Thursday 18 March.
Bullying. NO WAY!
On Friday 19 March we are coming together with many schools across Australia for the National Day of Action against bullying and violence. Together we can make change. Everyone has a role to play in supporting our young people in dealing with bullying.
In support of this day we will wear orange. This can be an orange shirt or hair tie or socks etc. Our adopt-a-cop Tess Bell will speak at our assembly this week to begin our week of action and learning. On Friday morning our students can join Chappy Leanne for breakfast and they will be drawing on their creativity in designing a ‘Bullying NO WAY! Sea of hands.
Cross Country Date Change
Cross Country is postponed to Monday 29 March and will run from 9:00am-10:30am. Parents and caregivers are invited to come and cheer on the competitors.
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
The students should be proud of their start to the year. They can be commended on their behaviour and how well they are working and playing. Each week the school has a PBL focus for our students. For the start of the year, the school spent a fortnight on each school expectation:
- Be respectful
- Be safe
- Be a learner
This week and next week we will focus on being respectful and using the High 5 when dealing with challenges in the class and playground.
The High 5 helps build early problem solving skills, self-reliance and support wellbeing. The 5 steps are:
- Ignore the behaviour
- Speak nicely (it’s hard for others to be mean if someone is being really nice to them)
- Speak firmly
- Walk away
- Report to a staff member
P&C News
This week’s P&C AGM saw a new committee elected for 2021. Congratulations and thank you to these willing volunteers who have put up their hands to support our school community. The new committee is:
President: James Ollier
Vice-President: Kara Tebbit
Secretary: Charmaine Catlin
Treasurer: Yolander Bonnick
Fundraising: Kara Adam
We farewell Kate Catlin who was been president for 2020, but has been involved with Gympie Central’s P&C for the past 7 years. Even before Kate was president, she stepped up to the plate to help drive the 150th celebrations. On behalf of the school community, I’d like to thank Kate for her support of the school and its students.
Can’t make the meetings? Can you help in other ways?
The P&C fundraises through a number of avenues and is seeking volunteers to assist in 2021. Below are some of the opportunities to get in and help out:
- Tuckshop - It’ll run every Friday in Term 2 and operates from 8:30am-11:30am.
- Bunnings BBQ - The P&C will apply to have the BBQ at Bunnings on a Saturday morning, therefore they will be seeking volunteers to cook and sell the snags on bread.
- Motorcross Club - The club is seeking volunteers to marshal at its Sunday practice days. They’ll donate $1000 per day to the P&C and will run between 4-7 practice days this year. Volunteers will be trained and be fed on the day and we need approximately 12 people to assist each day. Can you help on one of these days?
Even if you can help for one event on one day, it will be appreciated and help out these dedicated parents. Keep an eye out for the survey to come home shortly.
Containers for Change
Did you know our Student Council collects empty poppers and that they are worth 10c each? It’s an easy way to fundraise. If you have time to collect containers (cans, stubbies and plastic bottles) and are willing to donate to the Student Council, you can drop a bag of 10c containers to the depot (near Coates Hire opposite the mighty Gympie Cats) and leave the school’s Containers for Change ID number clearly marked on the bag, and the funds will go into the school’s account.
The Containers for Change ID for our school is C10144177.
Drakes Tags
If you shop at Drakes Supermarket, we have key tags available at the office with a special bar code which can be swiped at the register. A portion of each sale is then donated back to the school each year.
Year 5 & Year 6 Camps
Letters were forwarded home to all year 5 and 6 students earlier this week regarding the upcoming camps. Medical and Consent forms together with a deposit is due by 23 April.
Vision Screening Test for Prep Students
Reminder: Children’s Health Queensland (CHQ) is running a vision screening program for Prep children in all Queensland schools.
A registered nurse will visit Gympie Central State School to provide this free screening service for our Prep children. Good vision is important for children’s educational, physical and social development. The earlier a problem is picked up, the better the treatment outcomes.
A letter and consent form was forwarded home recently with all Prep students. Please return the completed consent form by tomorrow, Friday 12 March.
Have a great fortnight!
Warm regards,
Glenn Cafferky
Friday, 19 March
Sausage Sizzzle
Reminder: All Tuckshop orders will need to be placed via Qkr! only. Tuckshop will be available every second week during term 1. The P&C is seeking volunteers to assist in the tuckshop which will help share the load. Please contact the school if you can help out.
Student Absence Notification System
Reminder: If your child is absent from school without explanation you will receive a SMS text message that morning to your mobile phone asking to explain their absence. Please reply (on the same day) with a simple SMS answer eg sick; specialist appointment. Alternatively, you can call and leave a message on the Student Absence HOTLINE—Telephone 5480 2166 to report your child’s absence.
Please contact the office by phone if you have any concerns regarding the message you have received.
Voluntary Contribution - $20 per student
Reminder: Each year Gympie Central asks for a voluntary contribution from families. The contribution is used to purchase texts, paper and resources used in classroom learning. This year the payment can be made via the Qkr! App or in person at the office. Your support in paying the voluntary contribution is greatly appreciated.
Qkr Payments Are Here!!
Reminder: Qkr is the new cashless payment method available at Gympie Central State School which allows parents to pay for items without coming into the office. Qkr is a mobile phone app designed for Australian schools. It can be used to purchase school uniforms, pay for upcoming excursions and events as well as Tuckshop.
Instructions on how to download the app are shown in the link below.
Harmony Day celebration will be held at Nelson Reserve Gympie
on Friday 19th March from 4-8pm.
The event is being organised by Gympie Girl Guides and Gympie Community Action with support from Gympie Council.
We need lots of food stalls selling foods from as many different countries/cultures/regions as possible. CONFIRM ASAP
We need performers from all different backgrounds. CONFIRM ASAP
Home cooks without commercial kitchens or food safety qualifications will need to be available to prepare food under supervision of a qualified person in a commercial kitchen during the day.
All food sellers will need to provide their own equipment onsite such as shelter, storage, containers, $change, cash box, etc.
This will be a 'single use plastic free' event - plenty of other options available such as bamboo, paper, etc. Drink cans and bottles are allowed and will be collected by Gympie Girl Guides.
If you are able to help in any way please get in touch ASAP. Email leonora.cox@gmail.com
Hello!
We are past the halfway mark of Term 1 already well done! Easter break will be here before you know it ?
A big THANK YOU goes out to volunteers from Gympie Anglican Church, they cooked and prepared pancakes for students on the 18 & 19th of February and they were given out at Brekky Club.
Garden Club!
We have a few interested in regular gardening, so I am starting up a Garden Club on Tuesdays second break. We will do general tidying and would love to plant some plants into gardens wherever there is gaps. If you have hardy plants in your garden that need separating or grandparents who propagate and love gardening :) Please consider donating to the school garden club. We have successfully refurbished our vegie garden area, see photos on face book, our school leaders are watering regularly and we have only lost a few plants. 3/4D are kindly donating the seedlings they have been raising in the classroom ?
Please don’t hesitate to call me if you would like to discuss this program further or if I can assist in any other way on 5480 2111 or email me at leannew@chappy.org.au.
Enjoy your fortnight.
Chappy Leanne
Brekky Club is still going strong.
Tuesday and Thursday morning
as well as every 2nd Friday (off newsletter week)
We always welcome any donations of jams, margarine, vegemite and honey.
