Thursday's Tidings - 23 February 2023
TERM 1 2023 |
|
| Friday 24 February | Instrumental Music payment due |
| Monday 6 - Friday 24 March | Parent/Teacher Interviews |
| Friday 10 March | Badge Presentation Parade |
| Friday 10 March | Year 5/6 Camp full payment due |
| Tuesday 14 March | P&C Meeting at 5pm |
| Wednesday 15 - Monday 27 March | NAPLAN |
| Wednesday 22 - Friday 24 March | Year 5/6 Camp |
| Thursday 30 March | Cross Country 9-11am |
| Friday 31 March | Easter Bonnet Parade |
| Friday 31 March | Mary St Walk |
| Friday 31 March | Final day of Term 1 |
Term 1 - Week 5
Dear families,
Student leadership and badge presentation
Students from Year 3-6 classes have finalised the process of electing sports captains and Student Council members. The students elected into positions will be presented their badges at the 9am parade on Friday 10 March.
Priorities in 2023
Targeted Student Feedback and School-community engagement supporting transitions
Gympie Central is continuing its focus on providing students effective, targeted feedback. We do this by helping students understand the assessment task requirements, then checking in on their progress work during the term and providing specific feedback to improved particular areas of their work. These successful practices have been in place for the past couple of years and we will continue this journey.
School-community engagement supporting transitions
The school will increase its visibility in the community by taking part in and hosting community events. We will continue working with community organisations plus secondary and early education providers to promote successful transitions into primary and secondary school.
Free Prep vision screening - Monday 13 March
The Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program will be screening at Gympie Central State School commencing on Monday 13 March 2023. We are a Queensland Government service that offers Free Vision Screening to all children enrolled in Prep. If your child is in Prep and you would like their vision screened, you will need to complete a consent form. If you have already completed the consent online or returned the paper consent form, there is no further action to take.
The following video explains the benefits of having your Prep child’s vision screened- “What is Prep Vision Screening?”
Please click on the following link to access the Online Consent Form and Parent Information Letter:
https://visionscreening.health.qld.gov.au/ParentalConsent/01025NaP
School Attendance Matters
The new school year is a great time to establish good routines in arriving at school on time. Students who arrive late often miss vital information given at the start of the day. They often feel anxious about entering the classroom as they are unsure of the work being done or what they should be doing. Our first bell rings at 8:40am and learning begins at 8:50am. It is important that students arrive prior to this so they are able to greet their classmates and teacher as get ready for learning.
Children do better when they go to school all day, every day. Please notify the school if your child is sick or can’t go to school.
Every day counts…
- because children achieve better when they attend school all day, every day;
- because going to school means getting a better chance at life;
- because school helps children build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience;
- because going to school is a legal requirement.
Are you up for the Kokoda Challenge?
On the first weekend in Term 2 (22 and 23 April), Kenilworth SCC is hosting the Sunshine Coast Kokoda Challenge. Click on the link below if you’re keen to challenge yourself!
https://www.facebook.com/TheKokodaChallenge/photos/5537203209710660/
Gympie Central will participate in a School Review in Term 2
Gympie Central State School will take part in a School Review in Term 2 of this year. The information below comes straight off the parent/ career information sheet. Click on the link below to read more about what’s involved in a school review.
NAPLAN - This year it’s in Term 1!
Education ministers have agreed to move NAPLAN to Term 1, 2023 - this will allow access to results earlier in the year to inform teaching and learning. NAPLAN 2023 will commence in Term 1, Week 8 from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March.
NAPLAN stands for National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy and has been in place since 2008. All students in Years 3 and 5 participate in the program and the school treats it like any other school day. The only practice beforehand is around navigating the online assessment platform. There is no practice of the content as NAPLAN assesses the Australian Curriculum - the curriculum all State Schools follow.
If you have questions around NAPLAN, please contact the school on admin@gympiecentralss.eq.edu.au
Remember, we are here to help
Like always, if there is something that you want our support with, or if your child is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher for support. If it is not a matter for the teacher, please call the front office and arrange to meet with a member of the leadership team, so we can work through things together. It takes a village to raise a child, so let’s work together.
Warm regards,
Glenn Cafferky
2023 Voluntary Financial Contribution - $20 per student
Each year, the Gympie Central State School P & C Association endorse a voluntary financial contribution of $20 per student, which equates to $0.50 per week for the entire school year. This money is a vital part of Gympie Central P&C’s commitment and helps to fund reading books, classroom resources, photocopying paper and tissues. 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.
Payment Options
We have a variety of payment options available here at Gympie Central. Our most preferred method of payment is the Qkr! app. Qkr! is a cashless payment app, which means you can make payments on your mobile phone, rather coming into the school. The Gympie Central P&C also use this app, so not only can you pay for camps and excursions, but you can also order school uniforms and tuckshop with the app.
Instructions on how to download and use the app are shown in the link below.
Other payment options that we provide are:
1. BPOINT - (for invoiced activities) Pay online or by phone using credit/debit card: https://www.bpoint.com.au/payments/dete or phone 1300 631 073
2. CENTREPAY - (for invoiced activities) We now offer Centrepay as a payment method for instrumental music and school camps. Use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can start, change or stop using Centrepay whenever you like. If you would like to set up a Centrepay payment, or know more information about this payment method, please contact the school office.
3. EFTPOS - We accept Mastercard, Visa and all Australian bank, building society and credit union cards.
4. CASH - Cash payments are still accepted. However, the school no longer has the ability to give out change, so only cash payments of the correct denomination will be accepted.
Student Absence Notification System
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.
Crossing Supervisor
Please remember that the yellow lines near the school crossing are there to remind drivers NOT to park over them. When cars park on these yellow lines, it obstructs our Crossing Supervisor's vision of oncoming traffic. Please use the carparks provided and help keep our kids safe!
