Newsletter Term 1 Week 9

From the Principal

On Monday we celebrated Harmony Day. A strength of Runcorn is its diversity. Many students came dressed in their national clothes or in orange. Celebrating Harmony day extends to understanding and respecting differences of all kinds. It fosters inclusiveness, respect and the idea that people of all different cultures can make a valuable contribution to society. Our Student Code of Conduct and You Can Do It program supports the rights of each person as a valued member of our community. Each of us have the ability to ensure that our actions are safe, respectful and responsible. #everyonebelongs.

Community Meeting to elect an interim P & C Executive

Thank you, Runcorn State School Families! We have had parents and community members contact the school and offer their support for the new P&C executive. There are far more than the required two people we needed which is amazing. A community meeting is now being called so that we can fill these executive positions and progress the P&C to active status.

When: Monday March 25
Time: 4:00pm
Where: School Resource Centre

At this meeting we will elect the interim executives. Anyone that is interested in our next steps please come along to support our future P&C and the staff and students of Runcorn State School.

Please direct enquiries and RSVPs to pandc@runcornss.eq.edu.au.

Attendance

As we near the end of term it is timely to promote regular school attendance as we can’t take our foot off the peddle. Students whose yearly attendance is at 90% means that the student over the course of a year will miss 4 weeks of school.

Some further statistics:

85% Attendance = students miss 6 school weeks per year
80% Attendance = students miss 8 school weeks per year
70% Attendance = students miss 12 school weeks per year

If your child is going to be absent from school, you must let the school know why the absence has occurred. Establishing good routines around school can assist with regular school attendance.

These include:

• a set time to go to bed
• preparing the uniform and school bag the night before
• a set time for starting and finishing breakfast
• setting a regular time for daily homework activities
• speaking about school positively
• sending your child to school every school day, including their birthday

If you are experiencing difficulty in sending your child to school, contact the school for advice and support. Remember, every day counts at Runcorn!

Complaints Management

Every day at Runcorn, the staff work hard and make every effort to deliver the best education for the students academically, socially and emotionally. Decisions are made with the best interest of the child at the forefront. Occasionally, as parents or carers, these decisions might concern you. Often, incidents are reported to you by your child from one perspective. We can assure you that every complaint made is investigated. As per the Student Code of Conduct the first point of call is with the teacher. It is best that parents and the teacher meet to consider the concern. Most often concerns can be resolved right there at its early stages. However, if after trying this, the matter is still an issue, then please contact the Deputy Principal or Principal. Every problem has a solution.

Celebrations

Many faiths have celebrations at this time of the year, Naw Ruz, the festival of colour (Holi), Ramadan and Easter. Best wishes for all. This is the final newsletter for Term 1. We have continued to focus on the real work – teaching and learning and have achieved many milestones. Have a good rest and stay safe over the break.

Meg McClure

From the Head of Department - Curriculum

Assessment

As the school term starts to draw to a close many of our teachers are busily finalising assessment tasks. Teachers use assessment tasks that are consistent across each year level in order to make informed judgements about student progress in relation to the year level achievement standards.   In addition, common diagnostic assessment tools are used to monitor student progress across the entire year level cohort. Clear targets and standards are in place, especially for literacy and numeracy development. At Runcorn, assessment pieces are regularly moderated. This week, teachers met to moderate their Term 1 English assessment tasks to ensure consistency across the year level. Next term we will moderate with our cluster schools to ensure alignment with nearby schools.

Jillian Chittenden

Head of Department - Inclusion

Welcome Mrs Julie Schooth to the role of Head of Department Inclusion.

Mrs Schooth will be acting HODI for remainder of the Semester while Mrs Chittenden is acting Head of Department Curriculum. Mrs Schooth will continue to promote an inclusive culture within the school community and support teachers to develop high quality teaching practices differentiated to the individual needs of the children.

We have also been fortunate to welcome additional staff to our Support Team, Mrs Annelise Bowie (Teacher) and Mrs Jaylia O’Brien (Teacher Aide). The will work closely with Mrs Schooth to provide targeted support to some of our children.

Norman's News

Thank you so much to our beautiful community for your “suppawt” in coming together to organise two recent events to raise some funds for my personal indemnity and professional liability insurances which enable me to work at Runcorn. I felt so barking proud of the Student leaders, their families and our staff who gave up their time at the Election BBQ on Saturday 16^th March while our P&C is currently in caretaker mode. I am so grateful to all involved as they took the lead from the fundraising efforts and the support provided by our past P&C committee.

The insurances that our P&C have previously supported are vital for therapy dog teams as they protect us all in the case of an accident while we are working with staff and students. These insurances cost approximately $1000 per year, so putting on the bbq last weekend and planning a big birthday bbq on 22^nd March certainly make a difference to all of the costs associated with me being able to provide support to our students.

It will be great if you can come along to my 3^rd birthday celebrations – share a sausage (halal sausages will be available) or a drink, or even bring your own picnic and have a play on the playground with your friends after school. I’ll be there enjoying being another year older and will of course be looking forward to lots of pats, tummy rubs and if anyone has a ball in sight, eager for a game of catch!

Until next time, 

Big licks and tail wags,

Norman

Music Matters

Save the date:

String Family Afternoon Concert Term 1 Week 10 Tuesday 26 March
Anzac Day Ceremony Term 2 Week 2 24 April – Band and Choir
Karawatha Music Program Term 2 Week 5- 13-16 May – All Band and Strings students

Instrumental Music- Karawatha Music Workshop

FORMS FOR KARAWATHA ARE DUE BACK NEXT WEEK, WEEK TEN, MONDAY 25^th MARCH. Please ensure these are back in time.

Choir and IM- Formal Uniform

For all Music performances, students in Band, Strings and Choir are required to wear their Formal uniform. Band and Choir have their first performance for Anzac Day on April 24. Please ensure that students involved in these groups have the correct uniform to perform in. These are available from the uniform shop.

String Family Afternoon Concert

There will be a concert for families of Strings students on Tuesday 26^th March in Girrawheen Place starting at 3:20pm. Year 3s and Junior Strings will perform along with Senior Strings. Students will meet Mr Biedermann and Ms Hopper after school at 3pm. We look forward to seeing families there!

Classroom Music

Year 1 have been learning the song Peas Porridge Hot. They have been singing it, clapping and notating the rhythm, singing and hand signing it in solfa (Do Re Mi), and playing it on the chime bars. They have impressed Ms Hopper with how musical and in time their chime bar playing is. Well done Year 1!

Year 6 have been looking at the characteristics of Torres Strait Islander Music. They are developing group performances which they will perform early next term. They are making decisions around the instruments they’re using, the form or structure of the performance and how to keep true to the characteristics within Torres Strait Islander Music.

Ms Mariel Hopper (mxhop2@eq.edu.au)

Sports News

Welcome to my last newsletter of the term.

I would like to say next term won’t be as busy but with the school athletics carnival and multiple Eastern Taipans trials, I am excited to see which of our students will excel in another busy term. 

Please keep an eye out for the Term 2 list of sports that students are available to trial for.  I will be sending that out next week. 

On that note, congratulations to Erving who successfully made the Easter Taipans rugby league term.   He will now be competing at the regional trials shortly for a place in the Met West team.

Secondly, I contacted parents this week regarding next term’s district cross country carnival.  If your son/daughter were born in 2012 to 2014 and finished top 6, please check your email. 

Details of the carnival are below:

Date: Wednesday 24^th April, 2024 – Week 2 of Term 2

Location: CJ Greenfields Sports Complex, Richlands

Cost: $6*

Time: 9:10am to 1:30pm

Participants: students born in 2012 to 2014.

Finally, I would just like to say thank you for your support this term.  I know the way I run events may be a little different to how it has been done in the past but I appreciate your support.

I wish you and your family a happy Easter and a safe, relaxing holiday. 

As always, any questions please email me (lbrad101@eq.edu.au) and I’ll do my best to reply within 24 hours.

Have a great day!

Mr Brady

Health Happenings

Health Happenings…

Our assembly awards focus this fortnight are the Confidence Key and the Thinker Learning Asset.

Confidence at Runcorn State School looks like:

• Students striving to do their best  
• Students not feeling afraid to make mistakes 
• Students willing to try new things
• Students actively communicating their feelings, thoughts and ideas in and out of the classroom
• Students showing independence in different activities 
• Students taking pride in themselves, their learning, and products of their learning

Effective Thinkers at Runcorn State School are:

• Open minded
• Flexible
• Persistent

Congratulations to all students who have been acknowledged for demonstrating the above skills and have received tickets and/or awards from staff. Our Principal Ms McClure is eagerly anticipating the upcoming Principal’s Afternoon Tea in week 10. 

This event is a special occasion where lucky students have the opportunity to attend based on a draw that took place during Monday’s assembly. It's an enjoyable and rewarding experience for the selected students, as they'll have the chance to spend some quality time with our principal and engage in discussions and activities during the afternoon tea. This event recognises and rewards students for their achievements, efforts and positive behaviour. Fantastic effort Runcorn!

Sheridan Stirling

Environment Club News

The Environment Club and Mrs Jenni McNamara

jmcna155@eq.edu.au       

From the Administration Office

Student Resource Scheme

We would like to thank all of our families for supporting our Student Resource Scheme.  The monies raised helps purchase learning materials used in each of our classrooms and specialist lessons.  Your assistance enhances our student's learning outcomes.

Attendance

Runcorn State School's Admin team are available between 8.00am and 3.30pm each school day. You can contact us on 3323 8777 if you have any queries.   Student absence texts can be sent to 0429 928 611 or a voice message can be left on 3323 8777 and press option 1.

If students arrive to school from 9.00 am onwards they are to present to the office to collect a late slip.  This ensures that our rolls are marked correctly and prevents parents from receiving incorrect absence texts. 

First Aid Processes

If children are injured or become ill at school they will receive treatment within the classroom or in the Health Room. Parents/Carers will be contacted if necessary. Please note that staff must give Parents and Carers a courtesy contact home for all head related injuries (no matter how minor).   

When a student is considered too unwell to remain at school, parents will be contacted to collect in a timely manner.  If a student's condition deteriorates while waiting to be collected an ambulance may be called if deemed necessary. 

If a student presents to the health room with a suspected allergic reaction, parents/carers will be contacted.  As per Education Queensland policy, if a student requires an EpiPen to be administered parents will be notified.  An ambulance must be called and student will be transported to hospital for further treatment.   Children with known allergies will have their own school based EpiPen.  We also hold a school EpiPen for any unforseen emergencies. 

Medication must be prescribed by a doctor or dentist and may only be administered to students by school staff. The medication must be taken to the school office in its prescription container and administered according to the doctor’s instructions.

Non prescribed oral medication such as Panadol and cough mixtures can only be administered by school staff with a pharmacy label and medical aurthorisation. Education Queensland prohibits students from carrying their own medication to school and requires Parents/Carers to deliver the prescribed medication to the office and collect after school or before weekends as needed. A school register of all medicines administered is kept.

Incursion/Excursion/Camp Payments

Runcorn State School is now a cashless school.  Thank you for continuing to pay for your children's incursions/excursions/camp payments via our preferred methods:-  BPoint and EFTPOS.  If you require any assistance paying via BPoint, please contact the school office.  Unfortunately we are unable to accept payments over the phone.

DID YOU KNOW?..... that using BPoint is a convenient and secure way to pay for your child's school invoices. BPoint is a user-friendly online payment platform that enables you to pay your school invoices quickly and easily, without having to worry about sending cash or cheques through the mail or visiting the school in person. It can also be done by phoning the school on 3323 8777, choosing Option 2 which will redirect you to the BPoint payment platform.

By using BPoint, you can make payments from the comfort of your home or office at any time, day or night. You can also track your payment history and receive email receipts for each transaction, making it easier to keep track of your expenses.

BPoint offers a secure and reliable payment system, ensuring that your personal and financial information is protected. It also helps reduce administrative costs for the school, which ultimately benefits the entire school community.

We strongly recommend giving BPoint a try for your next school invoice payment. It's an efficient and hassle-free way to pay your school fees.

We have also included some easy to follow instructions. If you still require further assistance with the process please contact our friendly Admin team!

Newsletters

Don't forget that you can always collect a hard copy of the current newsletter from the office.  You can also view/download it from our website: https://runcornss.schoolzineplus.com/enews?nid=23  You can also download the Schoolzine App from your App Store.  Once downloaded, search for Runcorn State School and use password 4109, when prompted.  Happy reading.

Community News

Jabiru offers before and after school care and vacation care at Runcorn State School. Our team includes a range of friendly people who are into craft, sport and outdoor exploration, so there’s something for everyone at Jabiru Runcorn.

Bush Kindy is back

Tailored for young adventurers, kids can experience nature first-hand at Bush Kindy sessions at our 3 environment centres. Each session is crafted to immerse kids in the wonders of the natural world, foster new friendships, and ignite their curiosity.

Sessions begin at 10am during school terms and promise 30-45 minutes of nature-based fun.

https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/whats-on-and-events/search?parent=7155&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Council-school-programs-and-resources-Feb-2024&utm_content=Find+events&utm_source=enews.mailer.brisbane.qld.gov.au