PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

Let’s Celebrate School Support Staff Together

August 26 to 30 is School Support Staff

Recognition Week. School Support Staff are

Essential. Support staff facilitate teaching and

learning. Without administrative staff, schools

officers, teacher aides and business managers,

education would not happen.

School communities need expert, dedicated and

skilled school support staff. This week it’s time to

celebrate these unsung heroes of state schooling!

Thanks to these staff students have safe, engaging

and appropriate learning environments. Everyone

in the school is supported by these staff. It’s time

that they were recognised and rewarded in their

roles.

Thanks to all of the great support staff, we have

at Normanton State School for everything you

do to make great education happen.

Staff Training

Last week our school hosted training for our staff,

and staff from nearby schools, on the Poverty

Framework training. This training enables staff to

understand how communities work, how they can

support all students and families, and the

importance of not bringing their own values to the

classroom.

Last Friday we had a fantastic performance by Opera Queensland. The production was a collaboration with shake & stir theatre co in an interpretation of Humperdink's classic, Hansel & Gretel. Throughout the performance, students were encouraged to use thinking skills to analyse the themes relating to their own context and world. The characters were Hansel, Gretel, their father and the wicked witch. Live performance enhances learning for students, from storytelling, narrative structure, use of song, bullying, loyalty, and overcoming fear – it's all covered. Ask your children about the performance and what they enjoyed the most today. Next week our Prep to Year 6 students will be going to the hall to watch another production called Spinderella. What great and interesting opportunities the students at Normanton State School are being offered.

CYBERSAFETY AWARENESS FOR

STUDENTS

The Cyber safety & Reputation Management Team

will be visiting our school to speak with students in

Years 4 – 10 on Tuesday, September 3. The team

will cover topics such as:

Understanding digital footprints and responsible

digital citizenship

How to protect personal information when

creating online accounts

Cyberbullying and standing up for friends online

Account privacy and how to create a strong

password

Responding to negative online content

How to handle yourself if you're having a

difficult time online. You can read more about the department’s cyber safety program and resources on their Facebook

Normanton State School Newsletter

“Normanton State School is a Great School”

Phone 47697222 Fax 47451322

the.principal@normantonss.eq.edu.au No. 25 28/08/2019

28/08/19

page: https://www.facebook.com/QEDCybersafetyAdvice/

Staff will also be participating in training with the Cyber safety Team to gain skills and information to support students with Cyber safety.

Tonia Smerdon, Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

Riding Bus

As part of road safety week, we will be doing a

riding bus. Miss Tash, our adopt-a-cop and I will

be riding around town to collect students on

Friday 30th August, who will then complete the

journey to school on their own bike. The aim will

be around road safety and how important this is on

a bike. I am sure other teachers and community

members will join us for the ride also.

STUDENTS MUST WEAR A HELMET.

ROUTE FOR COLLECTION Friday:

1. We will start at the police station at 7:30

2. Down Ellis Street from 7:35am

3. Matilda Street at the front train station at

7:40am

4. Down Landsborough Street, past GYM, to

the corner of Noel Street 7:45am

5. Up Noel Street towards the TAFE (Green

Street) 7:50am

6. Down Green Street to Philp street then to

the corner of Thompson 7:55am

7. Thompson Street to School around 8am.

Please get students to meet us in one of the

following locations just before the allocated time

and wait for collection. If they miss us, they will

need to make their own way to school.

Monster Hamper

Students have tomorrow to bring in goods for the

Monster Hamper. For every new non-perishable

food, household or toiletry item they bring in they

will receive 1 ticket into the draw to win a brand

new scooter. Tickets to win the hamper will be

available at the fete for $2. We have so far filled 3

baskets of goodies. Thank you to all of the students

and families who have donated.

Cinderella Spinderella

This Friday 30th August students from Prep to Yr.

6 will be attending a production by Jally

Entertainment. Titled Cinderella Spinderella, the

production is centred about the importance of not

talking to strangers. Students will be walked from

the School at 9.40 to attend the 10am performance.

If you would not like your child to attend please

contact the office. If you would like to join us

please meet us at the hall the production starts at

10am.

Hockey Training

It has been a great commitment by those involved

so far with Hockey and we will continue to train

for the next 3 weeks on Wednesday afternoons

from 2:30 until 4pm. Mr McMillan will be sending

forms home in the coming weeks with information

and pricing for the carnival at Karumba.

Year 4/5/6 Camp

In Week 5 next term students will be attending

camp at Daradgee near Innisfail. Students’

attendance for the year (above 85%) will be

considered as well as their behaviour over the 10

weeks prior to camp (starting this week). At this

stage, the approximate cost for camp will be $180

with more precise amounts to be released, as they

become known. If you think your student/s will be

eligible for camp you may be able to start saving to

ensure the fees are able to be paid. I look forward

to seeing students that deserve this reward given

the opportunity to attend.

Students Downtown at Lunch Breaks

A number of our upper school students have

permission to go down town at lunch breaks, but it

seems that they are not always making good

choices with their food. Last week I collected more

than 10 different types of lollies from students in

the 4-10 cohort. We ask that students wait until

after school to purchase these items and eat them in

their free time not before returning to class. If your

child/ren has permission to go down town please

speak to them about healthy choices and making

sure, they are spending their money on food that

will sustain them for a day of learning.

Rebecca Bates, Deputy Principal

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT NEWS

Over the last couple of days, I have been doing

walk-throughs in our Junior Secondary classes. It

has been great to hear the teachers utilising

cognitive verbs in their instruction and on their

learning walls. Having and understanding of the

cognitive verbs (skills) will assist in the transition

of senior schooling and the new SATE/QCE

system. Using the high order language of cognitive

verbs in instruction is encouraging our students to

think more in-depth about the topic/s.

I have been in contact with our Co-ordinator from

Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre regarding

28/08/19

our Junior Secondary camp, which will be held

in Term 4 – November 11 – 15. An exciting and

action packed camp is being organised. In order to

attend, students need to meet the 85% attendance

requirement, fit within the 10-week suspension rule

and return all forms and payments by the due date.

The expected cost of camp will be around $200.

In Week 9 (10th - 13th of September), our students

will be participating in the NAPLAN online

School Readiness Test. The SRT is designed to

familiarise students with the type of questions and

structure of NAPLAN online; test the school’s

network and prepare the staff for administering the

test. As of 2020, NAPLAN will be completed

online - moving away from the paper version.

Before the actual NAPLAN online, students will

do another practice test to better accommodate the

transition.

If you have a new mobile number, postal address

or residential address, please update your details at

the office.

Feel free to contact me at school to make an

appointment to discuss any of the topics

mentioned.

Mark Quadrio, /Head of Department

HAPPY VOUCHERS

Lekeisha Owens – I am a Learner

Mareece Edwards – I am Responsible

Javica Bynoe – I am Responsible

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

Prep – Mason Delacoeur for showing

improvement in his whole body listening during

class

Yr 1/2 – Tyson George for always putting his

hand up to answer questions

Yr 4/5 – Ciarne Basham for great work graphing

your Science data

Yr 7/8 – Clifford Bowtell for being a great help to

teachers in class

Yr 9/10- Nykia Casey for a great effort in class

DATE CLAIMER

Aug 30 – FETE Sept 16-18 – Karumba Festival of Sport

Sept 23– Oct 7 – School Holidays

Oct 21 – Student Free Day

Nov 27 – Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Nov 28 – Year 10 Graduation

Nov 29 – Last day for Year 10 students

Dec 2 – Awards Night

Dec 6 – School finishes