Leichhardt State School eNewsletter

From The Principal

At the end of each semester, Leichhardt State School analyses students’ achievement data to identify the next steps on our improvement journey. Compared to Semester 1 2021, our student achievement in English increased by 8%, which means that additional 22 students are now passing the subject. This achievement comes despite low attendance numbers we had in the first half of the year.

The first two weeks of Term 3 saw us come back in stronger numbers. Our student attendance has increased in comparison to last semester, which is fantastic news. We expect our results at the end of the year to be even better. Thank you, parents and carers, for your partnership and support.

We look forward to celebrating this data with you at the parent-teacher interviews. Parent-teacher interviews will be held on Tuesday 2 August 2022 in the Hall. The interviews will start at 2:40pm and end at 5:30pm. Teachers will send a booking form home with your child, and you are encouraged to return the note to the teacher as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred spot.

On Wednesday 20 July 2022, our Deadly Dancers performed Acknowledgement of Country at Education House in Mary Street, Brisbane City. Aunty Marly, Miss Emma and I accompanied the students on the bus. The bus driver was so impressed with their behaviour and said that they were his favourite customers because of their impeccable manners and a positive attitude.

Today, we are celebrating NAIDOC! This morning’s ceremony was simply beautiful and enjoyed by all students, teachers and our special guests. Special thanks to Aunty Marly, Miss Emma and Joy Anforth for their efforts to make this year’s NAIDOC the best so far. Together, we can do anything!

I hope you and your family stay well, safe and strong!

Community Support Coordinator @ Leichhardt

Hi! I’m Trish Ferguson and I am currently working as the Community Support Coordinator at our school. Most students and parents know me as I have worked at Leichhardt for over 17 years and I have been in various roles during this time. Most recently in the classroom and the library and now in Student Admin. During my time at Leichhardt I have been able to support students and their families in their child’s learning.

I am excited to work in this new role and assist our families in accessing support through different community support networks.

If you need any assistance, you can contact me through the school office or my email at pferg18@eq.edu.au.

Attendance Matters!

Well, what a term we have had, starting the year with yet another COVID-19 concern, followed by a concerning weather event and back into term 3 with Covid concerns again!

As we learn to navigate life with COVID and return to a full school program, it is crucial to remind ourselves about the importance of attendance and being at school, on time, every day.

One of my goals as the Community Support Cooridnator, is to help all families achieve a minimum attendance rate of 85% and above.

Even having one day off per fortnight, adds up and can have an effect on your child’s schooling.

If you need assistance with managing your child’s attendance, please contact me through the school office or by email at pferg18@eq.edu.au.

Welcome back Mr WoodFord "Mr Woody"

After 9 months away from the school to look after my son Henry, it is fantastic to be back at Leichhardt State School. On my first day back, I received such an amazing welcome from all the students which made we feel right at home.

I will be working every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday teaching PE lessons to all the students from Prep to grade 6. This term the students will be learning and playing Indigenous Games in readiness for our Indigenous Games Carnival at the end of the term.

Prep Vision Screening @ Leichhardt

The school nurse will be visiting Leichhardt State School conducting vision screening for our Preps. Please ensure that you have returned your Prep’s consent form for the vision screen to the school office and that your Prep is at school on the day to have the testing completed.

If you have any questions regarding the Prep Vision Screening or require a consent form, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Head of Department – Reading) efinl9@eq.edu.au.

Prep A @ Leichhardt

In Science this term we are learning about the weather. Each morning and afternoon our class goes for a weather walk. On our walk we talk about the what the sky looks like- the sun, clouds and the wind. When we get back to the classroom we write and draw what the weather was like outside. We know that it is windy outside by looking at the trees. If the trees are moving or dancing we know the wind is blowing them.

Prep B @ Leichhardt

Last week Prep B attended the Computer Lab for the first time. Whilst we were there we engaged in maths games that help us learn the concepts of ordering from smallest to largest and identifying difference in collections. In order to do this we had to correctly identify numbers and count objects in collections. We also needed to control the mouse to make our selections. We engaged so quietly and completed them so confidently that the whole class was awarded 10 DoJo points! Well done Prep B!

Year 1 Reading @ Leichhardt

Last term, fourteen Year 1 students achieved Sight Word awards for reaching their personal sight word goals! Twelve of the Year 1s are pictured below: (from left to right, top to bottom) Chelsea, Karter, Nova, Christopher, Marcus, Kairen,Carmen, Lilith, Bison, Broda, Delilah-Rose and Ibreez. Well done, students!

A big ‘Thank you!’ to Sonja (Dominyk’s mum) for helping our Year 1B students run through their sight words each morning. This extra practise certainly makes a difference and certainly supports the old adage that, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Thank you again, Sonya!

If you would like to come to help our Prep to Year 2 students practise their sight words in the morning at drop off time, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Head of Department: Reading) efinl9@eq.edu.au or contact the school’s office on 3813 3222. The students would love to have your support.

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are reaching the exciting time of the year when we start planning for incoming preps. If you have a child born between the 1^st of July, 2017 and the 30^thof June, 2018, they are due to start Prep in 2023. Throughout Terms 3 and 4 we are holding our “Getting to Know You” meetings as well as three fun-filled Prep orientation days in Term 4. We strongly encourage prospective Prep families to contact the Office on 3813 3222 to begin the Prep enrolment process as soon as possible. It is wonderful to see that some families have already enquired about enrolments. We will be contacting you very soon to book your meeting time. We look forward to meeting our 2023 Preps and their families next term!

The Early Years Team @ Leichhardt

Learning through Play

Children learn and develop when they are immersed, engaged and active in a responsive learning environment.

A play-based approach to learning is an essential element in the early years curriculum to build the foundations for children’s future success.

In Prep at Leichhardt we incorporate play into our lessons every day in a number of different ways. Here are just some of the fun activities our Preps engage in each day:

Reading Eggs, a fun online reading resource, to practise phonics and reading skills.
Hands-on games and experiences to support English lessons.
A variety of Maths games and experiences to develop numeracy skills.
Hands-on experiments during Science.

If you would like to learn more about helping your child learn through play please contact to your child’s teacher.

Book Week @ Leichhardt

It’s ‘Book Week’ term! The theme of this year’s Book Week is ‘Dreaming with eyes open’. This theme acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People and their rich story-based culture.

We have lots of fun ‘Book Week’ activities, not just in the official ‘Book Week’, but all throughout the term.

Every week teachers will be sharing with their students short-listed Children’s Book Council Award books and activities will be available in the library.

In Week 4 two authors, Tim Harris and Andrew Mc Donald, will be visiting to run an author workshop with the students.

In Week 6, the Stig, who does the voiceovers for ‘The Treehouse’ books, will be visiting.

In Week 7, there is the annual ‘Book Week’ Parade and another author visit. Jennifer Horn, author of ‘The Precious Plum’ will be visiting.

In Week 10, there is yet another author visit! Author, Trevor Fourmile will be visiting, to celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day.

It is certainly going to be an exciting term!

If you have any questions regarding any of the above activities, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Head of Department – Reading) efinl9@eq.edu.au.

‘Spell-Off’ @ Leichhardt

Due to popular demand, the ‘Spell-Off’ is back!

Teachers have provided words for the ‘Spell-Off’ lists so that words being practised are words students are reading and writing about in their learning areas.

If you would like a list of the ‘spell-off’ words so that you can practise them with your child at home, please contact your child’s teacher.

Premier's Reading Challenge @ Leichhardt

It is wonderful to see students completing the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Shaunak (3A) has read 140 books so far for the challenge! Well done, Shaunak!

Please encourage your child to complete the challenge. Students have until August, 26 to complete the challenge. Below are the targets:

Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books.
Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books.
Years 5 and 6 must read at least 15 books.

If students do not have access to many books at home, please remember the Reading Eggs library is very extensive with books from a range of genres.

If you would like to complete the challenge at home with your child, please contact Mrs Finlay (HOD-Reading) at efinl9@eq.edu.au for a Premier’s Reading Challenge record form.

Reading @ Leichhardt

Term 3 was off to an exciting start with the June Reading Eggs awards being given out first week back at school!

It was wonderful to celebrate the reading achievements of the students. Below are just some of the students who received awards. Well done, students!

Bailey (5B), Trezell (5A), Jozenna (Prep A), Hayley (5A), Chelsea and Bison (Year 1B), Carmen and Karter (Year 1A), Dylan (Year 6B), Marcus (Year 1A), Annabellah, Zavier and Cooper (Year 2B)

Ms Simonds earned the Teacher Engagement award for the fourth time in a row! Well done, Ms Simonds!

Ms Ebert (5B and 6B English/HASS teacher) earned the Reading Eggspress Teacher Engagement award. Well done, Ms Ebert!
The July Reading Eggs Awards will be celebrated soon! Please encourage your child to engage daily with Reading Eggs or the Reading Eggs library!
If you do not have your child’s Reading Eggs login details, please contact your child’s class teacher.

From Ms Helen

These 'rad' boys came into the Office to say "Hi" to Ms Helen! Happy NAIDOC Day everyone!

Teaching and Learning @ Leichhardt

It has been wonderful to see students enjoying the start of the term and resetting their learning goals. Teachers have been working with their classes to revisit classroom expectations as they begin their new topics for the term. The senior students are continuing to set up their learning with bookwork expectations and we are looking forward to sharing the amazing work they have been doing with you throughout the term.

Year 6 Math @ Leichhardt

Year 6 have had a great start to their new math topics for the term. They have been working hard on understanding decimal numbers and calculating percentage discounts. We have pretended to shop several sales to practice our new skills! The photos show the students enjoying taking their learning outside in the OLA.

Reading With The Kindy Kids @ Leichhardt

This term, during the Wednesday afternoon elective, a group of Year 5 students will be visiting the Day Care across the road and reading with the Kindergarten students. The Year 5 students did a wonderful job reading to the Kindergarten children. They also introduced the children to the letter ‘s’ and showed them how to write this letter with playdoh. The activity ended with a fun sing along of nursery rhymes. Here are some photos of the Wednesday afternoon session.

NAIDOC @ Leichhardt

This week is NAIDOC Week at Leichhardt State School. I interviewed Aunty Marly and she shared that NAIDOC is a celebration where everyone comes together and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is shared. It is about having fun and an opportunity to share culture within our school and community.

The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is ‘Get Up. Stand Up. Show Up’

Aunty Marly has organised lots of wonderful activities for Friday’s NAIDOC celebrations at school. There is: