Term 4 Week 6 Newsletter

From the Principal

At our school, we strive to create a safe, structured, and nurturing environment for all students. Part of this commitment includes ensuring that every child is safely supervised during school hours, including the critical time after the school day ends. For these reasons, picking your children up on time or, if needed, enrolling them in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) is essential.

Why Timeliness Matters

When school ends, our teachers and staff need to shift their focus to planning, meetings, and other responsibilities that prepare them to provide high-quality education. When students are not collected on time, this can impact the teachers' ability to complete their work and maintain the necessary structure for your child’s learning environment.

Moreover, children who are left waiting may feel anxious, especially if they see their peers leaving with their families. This can be an unsettling experience for them, and we want every child to end their school day on a positive note.

OSHC as a Solution

If your schedule or unexpected situations make it challenging to arrive by dismissal time 02.40pm, we highly encourage considering our OSHC program - Helping Hands. OSHC provides a safe, supervised space where children can enjoy engaging activities, receive homework help, and have opportunities for socialisation with peers.

Our OSHC staff are experienced, trained, and passionate about providing children with an enriching experience that complements their school day. This structured environment not only ensures their safety but also supports their social and emotional growth. 

To get in contact with Helping Hands, visit their website at https://www.helpinghandsnetwork.com.au/find-us/eight-mile-plains-state-school/ or call 0437 701 399. 

Supporting a Strong School Community

Punctual pick-ups and OSHC enrolment also contribute to the school’s overall atmosphere and operations. When pick-up routines are consistent, it allows all members of our community to maintain routines and strengthens our school culture of respect and responsibility.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us provide the best possible environment for our students.

From the Deputy Principal

Newsletter Term 4 Week 6

Leadership Opportunities for Year 5 Students

Year 5 students with an interest in leadership positions for 2024 have been actively working to prepare for their leadership journey. Students shortlisted from the written application phase will have their interviews in the coming weeks. This year, our students have embraced the process, demonstrating their skills and strengths and what they can offer to the student leader team. We are impressed by their commitment to leadership and personal growth.

Do you know what your child is viewing and doing online?

The internet is having an increasing influence on the social development of children. Social media, smart phones and other technologies provide children with wonderful opportunities to learn, be creative and socialise. However, just as with face-to-face interactions, sometimes behaviour between people is inappropriate. Online content can be posted instantaneously, which creates risks for children when they publish messages without thinking about future ramifications. Once it’s online, it can be extremely difficult to remove. Importantly, just like in the real world, not everyone is a friend. While people can use apps, websites, chat rooms and other online tools to send positive words, compliments and congratulatory messages, others can use the technology to send nasty and inappropriate messages or pretend to be someone else. As parents and carers, you play a key role in supporting your child to have a positive and safe online experience

Major social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch and Google, have age limits. Yet, we know that some students have these accounts or use their parent’s account. If your child has one of these accounts, do you know what they are viewing or doing online? What is your child being exposed to, or creating themselves? Every case of cyberbullying that has been reported to me over the years has not occurred during school time. As a school we discuss and teach our students about the appropriate use of online tools and platforms and about cyberbullying. We also monitor students’ use of technology for learning during school.

eSfatey Commissioner : The eSafety Guide – Do you want to know about the latest apps, games and social media that your child is using? The eSafety guide includes important advice about their safety features, including how to use the settings to report online abuse and protect personal information. https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Online safety in Queensland state schools The Department of Education (the department) supports every child and young person in Queensland state schools to learn and engage safely in the digital world. With the rise of technology and increasing access for young people, the Online Safety in Queensland State Schools document provides guidance on how the department responds and supports schools, students, parents and the community, in keeping young people safe online. https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/145756/online-safety-in-qld-ss.pdf 

This document covers the available resources created by the department, tailored to inform and educate students, parents, teacher and the community to address online safety issues. It identifies the important roles played by government and non-government educators, the broader school community, and families.

From Head of Department - Curriculum

Rochedale State High School Year 8 APEX Performance: Prep – Year 3

Last Thursday, the Year 8 APEX Drama students from Rochedale State High School presented a ‘Storytime’ performance for our EMP Prep – Year 3 students. The performance was created and developed by the Year 8 APEX students in class time, and included stories about friendship and The Three Little Pigs. There were colourful costumes, props, narration and song. The performance was enjoyed by all who attended.

Rochedale State High School Yr8 APEX Performance

Picnic Night – Save the Date

We would like to warmly invite all of our families and school community to attend the Eight Mile Plains State School Annual Picnic Night, held on the top oval of the school, on Tuesday 26th November, from 5:30pm until approximately 7:30pm.

More information regarding event details will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

We hope that you will be able to attend this end of year celebration.

2025 - Booklists

We are pleased to advise that we will using Jaybel Office Choice for the 2025 back to school packs this year. Jaybel is a 100% Australian family owned & operated school supplier. We’ve been working with Jaybel to make sure your child has an easy start to the new year.

We have selected the best products and quantity that we believe will last for your child’s needs for the full year.

Please ensure that your child has everything listed on the year level forms to start the 2025 school year.

Placing Orders · Ordering is fast, secure and convenient. Simply visit www.jaybel.com.au/booklists

· Enter your school code and password then follow the easy ordering steps.

· For Year 1 to Year 6, our School Code: BTSEM001 & Password: EM2025

· For Prep, our School Code: BTSEM002 & Password: EM2025

· If you prefer not to order online, please call our booklist team on 07 3423 5888. They will assist you with placing your order and taking payment over the phone.

· For assistance with the website, your order, delivery information, or a general enquiry, please email sales@jaybel.com.au or call 07 3423 5888.

Awards Ceremony

Each year, our school recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements of our high-performing students across the school. This year, the Eight Mile Plains State School Award Ceremony will be held on 2^nd December at 8:45am in the Under Cover Area.

Our school has recently reviewed and refined the criteria for the selection of the Academic Award, Citizenship Award and Academic Growth Award recipients.

There will now be two (2) types of Academic Awards, Gold and Silver, with the addition of an Instrumental Music Medallion.

The criteria for these awards are as follows:

Gold

Any student from Prep – Year 6 who achieves an average GPA across both Semester 1 and Semester 2 reporting period of 4.8+

No N ratings of achievement

Silver

Any student from Prep – Year 6 who achieves an average GPA across both Semester 1 and Semester 2 reporting period of 4.2 – 4.79

No N ratings of achievement

Instrumental Music Medallion - Awarded to a student who has demonstrated a high level of achievement and growth across both Semester 1 and Semester 3 reporting period.

Definitions:

Grade Point Average (GPA) – LoAs are converted to a number and averaged across all subjects each term (A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1).

GPA are expressed as a number between 0 and 5, to two decimal places

A rating of N indicates the student is Not Rated for that area.

Level of Achievement (LoA) – commonly referred to as grades, these are A-E ratings with A being the highest and E being the lowest.

The Citizenship Award is presented to one (1) student per class who has consistently demonstrated a very high level of respect and responsibility across the school community this year.

The following criteria are used to select this student:

Other criteria may include, but are not limited to:

• Deliberately takes the initiative to enhance the school’s social climate
• Willingly accepts leadership challenges and “Have a Go” attitude
• Actively contributes to the school’s positive tone through reliable, responsible and inclusive conduct
• Wears school uniform-overall pride in school and self

The Academic Growth Award is presented to one (1) student per class who has consistently demonstrated a personal responsibility to their academic growth across the curriculum this year.

The following criteria are used to select this student:

• Recognition of positive growth which has been apparent during the year
• Participation, effort and attitude towards daily work
• Displayed willingness to accept support/advice
• Demonstrated a deliberate effort to improve classroom performance and behaviour

The Sporting Age Champion Award is presented to one (1) male and female student for each year (10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old) who has performed as the top athlete across both the cross-country competition and the athletics carnival this year.

The following criteria are used to select this student:

Based on District, Regional, State Representation achieving high representative honours in 10 – 12 Years (age) School Sport

• Models excellent sportsmanship on and off the field
• Is committed to the team and training responsibilities
• Models leadership in sporting environments
• Assists in the development of fellow athletes and teams

G.A.T.E.Ways Workshop – Term 4

The Greek philosopher Plutarch once said that the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but rather a fire to be kindled. The G.A.T.E WAYS Mind: Blown! workshops scaffold students through processes of philosophical inquiry, ideation, design, and acquisition of sophisticated critical and creative problem-solving strategies and techniques. Cross-disciplinary links make this program accessible to students wielding a wide range of gifts, talents and passions. All it takes is one thought, one idea, to catch alight, and you’re on the way to being completely and utterly mind: blown!

Years 1-3      Friday 1 November (Week 5)

Years 4-6      Friday 8 November (Week 6)

If your child has been nominated, please remember to register them for our last workshop of the year.

2025 Uniform Shop Hours

3F News - Mrs Fisher

3F News

Maths Groups in 3F are always welcomed with enthusiasm and eagerness. This week, we are focusing on shape, location and symmetry.

Year 3F Learning

3N's Term 4 Learning

3N have been exploring how solids and liquids are influenced by temperature. Each week we have been placing our chosen specimens in different locations with different temperatures to discover if their state of matter changes.

We have also been using location and direction words to create our own island. Students were then asked to find grid coordinates for places in the key of a partner’s island.

Best of all, 3N have started their swimming program this term. Students were divided into 4 ability groups to practice safe entries, survival situations, rescue situations and stroke development.

3N Learning & Swimming!

4A News - Mrs Allen

The end of 2024 is fast approaching….

It is hard to believe that we are only five weeks away from the end of another school year. Year 4 is busy finalising learning and completing assessments ahead of report cards.

We are enjoying a refreshing change on Mondays as we embrace the opportunity for a cool dip during swimming lessons on Mondays.

Please take a look at a few photos of us working hard in the pool.

4A Swimmers

Students of the Week

Congratulations to the following students for receiving ‘Student of the Week’ certificates at Parade in Weeks 4 and 6.

                                                                                        Japnaam, Naya and Embrace

                                                                               Daniel, Ethan, Brayden and Daniel

October and November Birthdays

Happy Birthday and Best Wishes to Gureet, Naya and Ethan who have celebrated their birthdays since our last newsletter.

Happy Birthday!

News from 5G - Mr Gibson

Queensland Primary All Schools Touch Competition

Eight Mile Plains State School submitted an Open Boys team into the annual competition which happened to be the biggest one yet! The team travelled to Redlands Touch Association at Cleveland.

We played under the lights on Friday and Saturday night and it was fantastic to see our team win their first match 7 -3. They narrowly lost the second game in a tight contest. Their first 2 games showed strength in their rucking and flair in attack. The next 2 games on Saturday night were challenging yet we never gave up and tried our best.

Overall, there were 90 Open Boy teams and we were fortunate enough to make it into the top 60 teams. We made it into Sunday’s elimination round, however, went down narrowly in the dying minutes of the game losing 3-2.

I would like to thank parents for their commitment over the weekend with transport and support for our players. Congratulations to each player who trained and played for us on the weekend. Hope you all continue to play this wonderful game!

Year 5G

Swimming

Students are enjoying their swimming each week.  There are only a few weeks to go and students will be assessed in this subject.

Math

We are learning about graphs, symmetry and angles.  So far students have made creative art pieces showing translation, reflection and rotation.

Symmetry and Angles

HASS

We are learning about the importance of preparing, managing and responding to natural disasters.

Senior Shirts

Notes have been sent home regarding senior shirts for 2025.  Please order them before November 24, 2024.

News from 5S - Mrs Sipos

WOW! We are at the halfway mark of our final term in grade 5. We have been very busy in the classroom and at the swimming pool. After already completing some assessments, the students have shown a great ability to apply their knowledge to real life problem solving. We have just finished thinking about town planning and the importance of using different zones within a community. The children had fun creating their own towns, making sure they didn't put the sewage treatment plant near the residential zones!

Transformations have kept us busy in maths, and we have even been able to add some rotations, reflections and translations to our dance moves. Keep an eye out for these on our school picnic night (Tuesday 26th November). 

Swimming has been a lot of fun, and we have been lucky enough to have some beautiful warm weather. This week, the students were taught how to perform a safety jump, ensuring their head stays above water when the jump in. Some of us floated... some of us sank, but we all learnt a valuable lesson!As we near the end of the year, I remind parents that attendance is highly important. Every day counts and with so many of us being busy learners, it is difficult to catch up on school work once it has been missed. If you know your child is going to be away, please give the school plenty of notice so we can ensure all teaching requirements are met. Keep an eye out for end of year notices as we prepare to clebrate another great year of learning. 

An Update from 6H - Mrs Harrower

Our last term of Primary School has certainly seen us be very busy, active learners!

· We enjoyed the colour run in the first week of school.

· We have started swimming lessons every Monday where we are making great progress.

· Every day we are working hard to complete all our learning in all curriculum areas.

· We are seeking donations of recycled materials for our Design Technology Projects please send these if you have anything.

Reminders:

· We are busily learning our Picnic Night Performance. Picnic Night is on Tuesday 26th November.

· Rochedale High Transition Day is on Friday 29th November.

· Graduation is going to be held on Monday 2nd of December at Rochedale State High School. Keep your eye on your inbox for your formal invitation soon.

· Plantation is on Tuesday 3rd of December. We are looking forward to a wonderful day. Payment and consent is due by 26th November.