Newsletter 2022 Term 4 Week 3
From the Principal's Desk
I would like to welcome you all back to what will be another exciting and busy term at Amamoor State School. I would also like to extend a special welcome to our new families who have just started with us. Term 4 is 'action packed,' with wonderful learning experiences happening both in and out of the classrooms.
Our swimming programme has recommenced, with our carnival now booked in for Friday of Week 6. It would be great to see as many parents as possible in attendance, cheering along our students! Also this term, commencing in Week 7, is our Surf Skills programme at Noosa Main Beach. This programme will run each Friday until the end of term and see students learn all about being safe at the beach (especially in the surf) and having lots of fun while they are at it! More information later in the Newsletter.
We have our Prep Open Day this Tuesday, with Mrs Meredith and Mrs Story busily preparing, while at the other end of their primary journeys, our Year 6 students begin their transitions into high schools. Information about these sessions can also be found later in the Newsletter.
It is with much sadness that our Chappy has decided to leave education and head off to pursue other interests. Caitlin has been with our school for the last eight years and given so much to our school community. She will be greatly missed and we all wish her every success with her future endeavours! Thank you Chappy and good luck!
Amamoor State School senior students will now be participating in interschool sport. Our first outing will see our students heading off to Monkland State School, to put their new softball skills to the test. There will be a reciprocal visit by Monkland to Amamoor shortly after and it is hoped that we can develop more sporting opportunities with other schools in the district.
This coming week is 'State Education Week' and culminates in 'World Teacher's Day' on Friday. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of our teachers at Amamoor State School. They all dedicate themselves to our school and go 'over and above' what is expected of them. We are certainly very fortunate indeed to have such wonderful educators with us.
Congratulations to those senior students who have been selected to attend the Writers and Illustrators Camp this year. This camp is a four-day experience for selected students in the region and has visiting artists and authors in attendance. It is held at the Barambah Environmental Education Centre and hopefully, will be an annual event for interested students. Also this term, our Year 4 students will be heading off with Ms Broome for their two-day camp to Brisbane. This overnight camp looks to be a wonderful experience for our upcoming seniors, with many exciting visits and shows already booked!
Last week saw a variety of activites at Amamoor. Our Year 3-6 students headed off to Gympie for a bike safety excursion, Aunty Christine presented an ochre workshop on traditional designs, while our junior school had an excursion to Yandina Ginger Farm and visited a restaurant in Cooroy for lunch! Thank you to all involved for organising these wonderful experiences.
With the end of year rapidly approaching, planning has also commenced for our Year 6 graduation, School Concert and End of Year Seniors Day Out. With so much going on, students need to ensure that they are attending school every day and being self-managed learners at all times. Parents should have received class 'Term Overviews' by now, but if you have not, please contact your child's teacher. This time of year is an incredibly important one for students, with final examinations and reporting just around the corner.
There has, and will continue to be, quite a few notes going home to parents this term. Please ensure you are staying up to date with what is happening at the school - remember to check the 'Upcoming Events' page on the Newsletter and to check your child's bag for any notes.
Hopefully, the weather will begin to be a little kinder to us soon!
Stay safe, stay dry and I look forward to seeing you around the school.
Kind regards,
Tony Benzie
Junior School Excursion
2/3 Class news
Library Update!
Chappy's News
Hi Everyone,
Welcome back to Term 4! It has been wonderful to see everyone’s smiling faces back at school, despite the weather.
This weekend, I am running a Trivia Night, to raise funds for Chaplaincy here at Amamoor. This will be held at Kandanga Hall from 6pm on the 22nd of October, and families are more than welcome to attend the night. We have some fantastic raffle prizes available on the night including family passes to Amaze World, Aussie World, and Australia Zoo. Tickets are $15 per person, and are also available for cash purchase on the night. I really hope that everyone can attend, it should be an amazing night.
On another matter...
It is with great sadness that I write this. Next Wednesday, the 26th of October will be my last day here at Amamoor. After eight years, I am changing jobs and leaving my role here at Amamoor. I have been truly blessed to be the Chappy here for the last eight years and have thoroughly enjoyed my time. Our students are the greatest, our staff are amazing, and our school community is so welcoming and wonderful to all who join.
I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for the way that you have supported me and my role here, and for the welcoming and encouraging words you have all had for me during the conversations we have had over the past eight years. It is extremely hard to say goodbye to this community, but the time has come.
I hope that the next Chappy feels just as welcome as I did all those years ago and that you all enjoy the end of this year.
Notes from the P&C...
Melbourne Cup
Last week, the senior students from Amamoor State School were invited to travel to Kandanga to view the Melbourne Cup, as it finishes its tour prior to returning to Melbourne in time for the big race!
Indigenous Artist Workshop...
Wunya! This week, Aunty Christine, an elder from the Gubbi Gubbi nation, visited our school to continue with our students' learning of indigenous culture. The focus of this visit especially centred around ochre painting, which all of our students got to try. After the student designs were finalised, Aunty Christine framed them for us to put up at the school.
Our Pre-Service Teachers commence...
This term, Amamoor State School is hosting two pre-service teachers, who are completing their university placements with us as part of their degree requirements. Mrs Mary White is currently working with our Prep/1 students, while Mr Nathan Horan is working with the 4/5/6 class. Both have kindly agreed to share a little about themselves with us...
Hi All,
My name is Nathan Horan and I am currently undertaking my placement at Amamoor State School. I attend USC and I am at the start of my 3rd year. I have been placed with Ms Broome and the 4, 5 and 6's for the next three weeks. I'm really hoping to bring energy, excitement and enthusiasm to everything that I do. I have really enjoyed my time so far at the school and I look forward to meeting every student.
Thanks,
Nathan
I'm Mary and a lot of you already know me from having two children, Roisin and Veronica, in Mrs. Hughes' class. For the month of October I am completing my first school placement in the Prep/1 class for a Master of Teaching (Primary) degree. It has been wonderful getting to know all these delightful little learners and finally put some of my own learning into practice. Thank you to the whole school community for making me feel welcome. A particular thanks to Mrs. Meredith and Mrs. Story for helping me hone my teaching activities with their wealth of experience and their wonderful relationships with the class. I look forward to a fun excursion and getting to know you and your children better in the final weeks of my prac. Cheers,Mary.
Swimming...
Weather permitting, Term 4 has seen our students once again returning to Kandanga Pool to continue with their swimming lessons. Our programme commences each year in Term 1 and runs until mid-way through Term 4. In Week 6, Amamoor State School students will be participating in the Small Schools Swimming Carnival against Dagun and Kandanga (information about this sent out to parents shortly).
Following on from this, each Friday, from Week 7 to Week 10, Amamoor State School students will be participating in a Surf Skills programme at Noosa Main Beach. Students will depart Amamoor early each Friday and travel to Noosa by bus, spending most of the day learning beach safety. The lessons are facilitated by Surf Life Saving Queensland, with the Noosa Heads Club running the sessions. Students will learn about rips, sweeps, wave types and have lots of fun while practising being safe in the surf. We all enjoy going and swimming at the beach, but it is important that all of our students understand, recognise and know what to do if they experience difficulties in the surf.
With the school and the P&C financially contributing towards this important experience, there will only be a small cost to parents for students to attend. A note and invoice will be sent home to parents this week.
Mary Valley State College Year 6-7 Transition
Students currenly in Year 6 at Amamoor State School have been invited to attend the Mary Valley State College (MVSC) information afternoon this coming Tuesday, 25 October. If you are thinking of attending MVSC, please see the information below...
PREP OPEN DAY
A reminder that the 2023 Prep Open Day will be held next Tuesday, 25 October, from 9:30 to 11:00am. If you know of anyone who is considering where to enrol their child next year, please encourage them to come along and see what a wonderful school Amamoor is and the programmes we have to offer!
Scarecrow Festival
Finally, well done to all involved at Amamoor State School in support of the Mary Valley Scarecrow Festival. Our entry placed second...a tremendous result!