2024 Term 1 Week 2
Principal Report
Welcome back to school everyone! It has been a tremendously busy start to our first term and it is lovely to again see all of our students in full school uniform, arriving on time and eager to learn!
I hope you had a lovely summer break with your families, with much fun and excitement. After my extended travels in Europe, it is wonderful to be back amongst our small, supportive community. Thank you to all of our staff who ensured Amamoor State School continued to provide excellent learning opporutnities and support to our students while I was away.
Getting back to business, we have welcomed eight new Prep students to our school, all of whom have settled in quickly to their new environs. Ms Broome and Mrs Story are providing a wonderful learning environment for our Prep/1 class, which also doubles as our Playgroup Centre every Friday morning from 9:20 - 11:00am. Our Facebook page will be regularly updated regarding any Playgroup-specific issues.
Our other classes this year provide for small numbers of student/teacher ratios, with Mrs Meredith on the 1/2 class, Mrs Hughes and Mrs Wilson on the 3/4 class, while myself and Mrs Butler look after the 5/6 class. Specialist teachers in Japanese, HPE and Music remain the same this year, with Mrs Smith, Mr Boyd and Ms Valamis respectively. Instrumental Music commences tomorrow, with Mrs Jiminez visiting the school.
On arrival each morning at school, students practising their sight words will contine to have their words heard by Mrs Alford and Mrs Story, while students on spelling words will practise their words with their classroom teachers. Please assist your child's progress by listening to them practise each night and to hear them read. Our Homework Centre also recommenced last week, providing support for parents with after-school supervision. The Centre is open daily from 3 - 4:30pm and also provides supported opportunity for homework, supervised play and a healthy snack. As capacity is limited, please see either Mrs Alford or Mrs Story, or contact Amanda in the School Office.
Kitchen / Garden, Choir and Chappy programmes have already commenced, with all students timetabled to participate throughout the year. Due to Ms Broome commencing on Prep/1 this year, Running Club will not start until Term 2. Swimming classes have successfully begun, with these sessions running over the next six weeks at Southside. Rachael has commenced Brekky Club on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 8:20 - 8:45am. If you would be interested in helping, please see Amanda in the Office. Unfortunately, Tuckshop will not commence for a couple of weeks, until P&C have had time to organise, after their next meeting. If you would be interested in helping out, please contact the P&C (or see Amanda).
Our Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association is due to meet this Wednesday at 3:30pm for the first meeting of the year, due to the postponement of last week's meeting because of flooding. Our P&C meet at least twice per term and if you would like to attend and help this dedicated group of parents, we would love to see you there. There are always many fundraising events being discussed to help your children and we warmly welcome any new ideas and assistance.
Our Year 6 students begin their leadership training in a few weeks time at the Barambah Environmental Education Centre. This three-day camp will see our students participate in many activities including mountain biking, orienteering, low ropes and team challenges. Students will also prepare their leadership applications and speeches for the upcoming investiture parade later in the term.
This year, with the help of many organisations, Amamoor State School will be providing fresh fruit to every classroom daily. This delivery of sliced fresh fruit is designed to supplement your child's healthy food options and to ensure that no child is missing out. If you would like to assist in the provision of any fresh fruit, please see Amanda in the Office. Our school continues to provide a 'Pay it Forward Pantry' for any school community members who are experiencing cost of living pressures. If you need any assistance or know of anyone who does, please contact the School Office.
The absolute priority for all staff at Amamoor is to ensure student safety. Last week, once our 'Preppies' had settled in, we conducted both a practice fire drill and a lock down drill. Students were reminded of the sound of the alarms and what to do in case of any emergency. Everyone did a brilliant job and both were conducted very quickly! Well done. Still on the issue of safety, please remember that teachers will not release students to individually walk across the carpark during pick up times. Ensure you exit your vehicle and cross the carpark or road to collect your child. If you have organised another person to collect your child, ensure that you have advised either your child's teacher or the Office: we will not release a child into another adult's care unless express permission has been granted by the parent.
With Covid restrictions continuing to disappear, we would love to see more parents active in the school. If you would like to assist at Amamoor, please contact your child's teacher to discuss. Alternatively, if you would like to help in the school garden, please see Amanda in the Office.
Again, welcome back to Amamoor State School, and I look forward to working with you all again this year.
Regards,
Tony Benzie
From the Office
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 8 am - 3 pm.
If you require any assitance, I am happy to help out. Pop in or call.
Amanda Tombs - Small Schools Business Manager.
Payments
At Amamoor State School you can pay for invoices in a various ways (see below).
If you would like to go on a payment plan, Please see Amanda in the office.
QKR
Is a cashless payment app. You can make payments on your mobile phone. P&C also use this app for uniform ordering and payments.
You can also order and pay for tuckshop using the app. Reminder orders need to be in by 3pm on Monday's for Tuesday Tuckshop. Late orders will unforunately miss out.
BPOINT- INVOICES
Pay online by using credit/debit card, information on the bottom of invoices.
EFTPOS
We accept Mastercard, Visa and all Australian bank, building society and credit union cards.
CASH
Cash is accepted; however, as the school does not keep cash on the premises, it is difficult to provide change. Correct cash payments are preferred.
Student absentee/Late/Early Arrivals:
Absence Notification Process:
Please remember to call the school on 07 54011333 or email at admin@amamoorss.eq.edu.au early in the morning if your child is going to be away or late for school so your child's absence can be recorded correctly.
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 with a simple SMS answer.
You can report a student absence by phoning 07 54011 333 to leave a messge.
If you are late arriving in the morning please let the office know to avoid a SMS text message. Please let office know if collecting early so your child is signed out for the day.
UNIFORMS 2024
If you are requiring uniforms for 2024 please order on the QKR App for pick up or alternatively pop into the office. Uniforms available during office hours Monday - Friday, 8 - 3 pm.
Thanking You
Amanda Tombs
Uniform Co-Ordinator.
Prep/1 Classroom
1/2 Classroom
The Year One/Two children have settled into the class extremely well. They have coped very well with the extreme weather that has greeted us since we came back to school. We have all enjoyed the cooler weather the last few days. All of the children have expressed what their favourite parts of school are so we thought we would share them with you.
Happy Reading,
Sally
Ollie – I love playing soccer, working on the computer and playing with my friends.
Mathew – I love swimming, homework, working on the computer and playing with my friends.
Hartley – I love hanging out with Mathew.
Finnik – Finnik was away but his friends are sure he would’ve said – I love playing with my friends and working on the computer.
Ronan – I love tuckshop and working on the computer.
Marshall – I love Brekky Club, Wheelie Day and Pirate Day.
Hunter – Everything!
Kye – I love tuckshop, soccer and hanging out with Hunter.
Makayla – I love playing with my friends and hanging out with them.
Bella – I love playing with Makayla and Maya.
Maya – I love playing with my friends, swimming and tuckshop.
Sophia – I love swimming and playing with my friends.
Emily – I am excited about going to Deep Blue. I love doing things with Lucy.
Lucy – I am excited about going to Deep Blue with Emily. I love playing with her.
Adysen – I love Kitchen Garden, swimming, tuckshop and playing with my friends.
Miranda – I love tuckshop, working on the computer, art and trying my best.
Annabelle – I’m going to love going on the bus and going swimming. I love playing with Bella, Maya and Makayla.
Olive – I love playing with Annabelle and Emily and going on iPads.
3/4 Classroom
Welcome to 2024! It’s been a very busy start to the year. The students have shared some of their thoughts on their first two weeks of school:
“I like seeing my friends. I like being back in Mrs Hughes’ class. I like doing math and art.” (Eve)
“We had a lock down and fire drill on Thursday” (Grant)
“I love doing Number Facts, Lexile tests and Handwriting.” (Flynn)
“The Fuzzy jar is nearly full. I love doing PE and being in Mrs Hughes’ class.” (Jakob)
“I’m back at school in Year 4. I love doing PE and Tech, and I’m super happy seeing my friends.” (Jaxon)
“I like when we had a lock down and fire drill. I like school so I can see my friends. I am excited to go swimming at Deep Blue. I like school, because I get excited when the Fuzzy jar is so full.” (Gabby)
“The things I like about school the best are English, Math, Art and Handwriting. It’s been fun, and the best thing is being with my friends and seeing the teachers. The Fuzzy jar is nearly full.” (Ava)
“I am happy to be back at school, so I can see my friends. I’m excited to go to swimming.” (Ryder)
“I like free time. I like playing soccer. I like being with my friends.” (Blaze)
“We had a fire drill and a lock down. We have Mrs Hughes back this year. She is the best teacher ever. We are going to Deep Blue. We have diaries to send home with messages.” (Delilah)
“I liked it when we were doing the landscape picture with watercolours. I like being able to see my friends. I like to do Music.” (Elizabeth)
“I like doing reading every day. I like doing art. Year 4 is the best! I like doing Math. I get to see my friends again. I am looking forward to going swimming again.” (Felicity)
“It’s nice to be back with everyone, and I’m happy that I’m in grade 3. I’m just so happy to be at school. I love playing with my friends.” (Shari)
“We have done some work on symmetry. We had to draw the other side of our faces. I like school.” (Jett)
“I like being back at school, because I can see my friends.” (Max)
“I love the computers. I love playing soccer. I love PE.” (Darcy)
“We have made a picture of a sunburnt country. We have done a fire drill and lock down. We have had PE with Mr Boyd. I am so excited about swimming at Deep Blue.” (William)
We painted some landscapes after discussing the poem, “My Country”, by Dorothea MacKellar.
5/6 Classroom
The students in 5/6 have quickly settled in to new routines and are working hard. Our Year 6 leaders have 'stepped up' to their new responsibilities as well as keeping up with their academic learning. This class is proving to be a lovely group of role models for our younger students.
Apart from their normal curriculum subjects, an extra slot has been added to an already busy schedule - that of 'Prep/1 Buddies.' The senior students visit once a week and help our younger students with their reading and writing. After meeting their buddies last week, our seniors are busy writing letters about themselves to be delivered next week!
This week, we went down to the P/1 classroom to do some reading with our buddies that we got paired with. Our buddies picked up a book for us to read together, then we sat down together to read. Afterwards, we asked our buddies a few questions about them and then we had to present those facts to the class!
Mrs Story kindly took a few photos of all of us at work...
Maddie Anderson, Year 6
Buddy Reading
Chappy Chat
Hi everyone it’s so good to be back at school. This year has got off to a great start in chaplaincy. Term 1 is shaping up to be quite busy.
At times, it can be rather challenging to find the good in situations when life starts to get difficult. And so, for Year 4 and 5 students, I’m discussing the topic of Gratitude / thankfulness. Even when things don’t go our way, there may still be some good that comes from it. Maybe not in all situations, but certainly in some. It can be surprising how sometimes a negative can turn into a positive.
I’m also working with the Year 6 students discussing leadership with them, as they step into the role of student leaders. In addition to these activities, I am also providing some in-class support, along with Chappy Club for students in Years 4 - 6, as well as table tennis during the lunch breaks.
If parents / carers would like to speak with me, I am at school every Friday and on alternate Wednesdays (on the odd weeks). A time can be arranged by contacting the School Office. Have a great week.
Chappy Mark
P&C News
Next P&C Meeting 7 FEBRUARY at 3.30 pm