Volume 6 - 12th May 2023

From Our Principal

Educational achievement of our students is at the core of everything we do at Leichhardt State School. We believe in every child’s ability to learn and achieve great outcomes in a supportive environment and with differentiated support.

This week, our teachers participated in professional development sessions, which provided an opportunity to collaboratively discuss evidence of student learning, identify areas for academic improvement and plan the next steps to ensure every student gets the support they need to achieve their best.

The Parent-Teacher Interviews on Wednesday 7 June will give parents and carers an opportunity to discuss their child’s learning progress in Semester 1, including their effort and behaviour in class. If you are unable to attend the interviews on this day, you are welcome to contact your child’s teachers to organise a different time for a meeting or a phone conversation.

We have worked hard on improving communication across different media to share key updates and celebrate our students’ learning. As we continue to work on the improvements in this area, I invite you to share your feedback with us. I encourage you to email me directly with any ideas for things you would like to see more of in our communication with you.

As you would have noticed, over the last couple of weekends, the painting work on the external areas of A Block has started and the building is already looking fresher and more modern. The investment in the maintenance of our facilities is continuing to ensure our students and staff enjoy teaching and learning in our beautiful surroundings. The Outdoor Learning Area is also getting a refresh with new paint on the timber climbing equipment and playground area.

Australian wide anxiety treatment study for 7 – 12 year olds

This treatment study is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and is being conducted by Griffith University, Queensland. This study will determine if a computer delivered treatment designed to help children control their attention improves and reduces children’s anxiety compared to another computer-delivered treatment based on cognitive-behavioural therapy. Anxiety is defined as feelings of nervousness, worry and fear that is usually brought on by seeing or experiencing certain triggers or events, and/or by the expectation that this is too frightening or difficult to cope with. Anxiety can be helpful when dealing with new challenges and novel situations. However, if it occurs too often or too strongly, it can lead to children not coping in many situations. For many children and their parents, anxiety can be highly disruptive and prevent children from doing things that other children their age can do. This project will examine two treatment conditions and determine if they are as effective as each other in alleviating children’s anxiety disorders. 

For more information about our study and our team, or if you would like your child to participate, please contact us: (07) 3735 3351 or cadrp@griffith.edu.au

From Our Deputy Principal - School Culture

Why is it important to be at school, on time, everyday?

School attendance is of great importance for several reasons. Here are some key reasons why regular school attendance is crucial:

1. Academic achievement: Regular attendance in school is strongly correlated with academic success. When students attend school consistently, they have more opportunities to engage with the curriculum, participate in class discussions, ask questions, and receive direct instruction from teachers. Missing school can result in gaps in knowledge and skills, making it difficult for students to keep up with the pace of instruction and hindering their academic progress.
2. Continuity of learning: School attendance ensures continuity of learning. Each day in school builds upon the previous day's lessons and activities. When students miss school, they may miss out on important concepts, discussions, or hands-on experiences that cannot be easily replicated. Regular attendance helps students stay on track with the curriculum, understand the progression of topics, and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the subjects they are studying.
3. Social and emotional development: School provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop social and emotional skills. By attending school regularly, students interact with peers, build friendships, engage in group activities, and develop teamwork and collaboration skills. Regular school attendance fosters a sense of belonging and community, helping students develop social skills, empathy, and emotional resilience.
4. Routine and discipline: Regular attendance in school establishes a routine and instills discipline in students. It teaches them the importance of punctuality, responsibility, and commitment. These skills and habits are transferable to other aspects of life, such as future employment or personal responsibilities. Regular school attendance helps students develop a strong work ethic and the ability to meet deadlines and obligations.
5. Opportunities for support: School attendance ensures that students have access to various support services. Teachers, counselors, and other school staff are available to provide academic assistance, guidance, and emotional support. By attending school regularly, students can seek help when needed, receive individualized instruction or interventions, and benefit from the resources and services provided by the school.
6. Building a strong educational foundation: School attendance lays the foundation for lifelong learning. It helps students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a thirst for knowledge. Regular attendance enables students to explore different subjects, discover their interests, and develop a love for learning. It sets them on a path towards higher education and future career opportunities.
7. Legal requirements: In many jurisdictions, there are laws and regulations mandating compulsory education. Regular school attendance ensures compliance with these legal requirements, preventing any legal consequences for students and their families.

Overall, school attendance is vital for academic success, social and emotional development, and the acquisition of essential life skills. It provides a structured and supportive environment where students can learn, grow, and prepare for their future endeavours.

PBL News

"We are Kind, We are Safe, We are Learners" is a phrase often used in our school to promote positive behaviour and create a supportive learning environment. It represents a set of expectations for students. Here's a breakdown of what each term means:

1. Kind: "Kind" refers to treating others with compassion, empathy, and respect. Students are encouraged to be considerate and supportive of their classmates and teachers. Kindness involves being helpful, understanding, and inclusive, promoting a positive and harmonious classroom atmosphere.
2. Safe: "Safe" emphasizes the importance of physical and emotional safety within the school environment. Students should feel secure, both physically and emotionally, so they can fully engage in their learning. Safety encompasses respect for personal boundaries, responsible behaviour, and the absence of bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
3. Learner: "Learner" highlights the primary purpose of school, which is learning. It encourages students to embrace a growth mindset, be curious, and actively participate in their education. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning, be open to new ideas, and demonstrate a willingness to learn from both successes and failures.

By emphasizing "Kind, Safe, Learner" as a guiding principle, schools aim to create a positive and conducive learning environment where students feel respected, supported, and motivated to learn. This approach promotes social-emotional development, academic engagement, and the overall well-being of students. It also encourages the development of essential life skills and values that can extend beyond the classroom into students' interactions and experiences outside of school.

From Our Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Semester 1 Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held in the Leichhardt State School Hall on Wednesday 7 June from 2:15pm to 5:15pm.  A Parent-Teacher Interview Booking form will be sent home to parents/carers on Wednesday 24 May.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) efinl9@eq.edu.au

Prep Vision Screening @ Leichhardt

Prep Vision Screening will take place at Leichhardt State School on Wednesday, 19 July, 2023.  The testing will be conducted by the School Nurse as part of the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program.

In order for your Prep child to participate in this important screening program, please complete and return consent forms to school by Friday, 16 June, 2023. 

For further information regarding the screening program, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) efinl9@eq.edu.au.

Premier’s Reading Challenge is Back!

The 2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge commenced on Monday.  This is an annual event that encourages children to read more books and improve their literacy skills. 

To participate in this year’s challenge, your child must return the consent form that was sent home on Friday.   When your child returns their form, their teacher will provide them with a Reading Record Form to commence the challenge!

Participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge is a great way to motivate your child to read more books.  It is a fun and exciting event that encourages children to develop their reading skills, expand their vocabulary and explore new genres.

We look forward to seeing your child’s progress in the Premier’s Reading Challenge.  Remember to return the consent form as soon as possible to ensure that your child is registered for this exciting event!

If you have any questions regarding the Premier’s Reading Challenge, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) efinl9@eq.edu.au.

Celebration of Learning @ Leichhardt

Monday’s Week 4 Assembly celebrated students’ achievements in Reading and Maths with the April Reading Eggs, Mathseeds and Mathletics Awards being presented to proud recipients.  Pictured below are just some of the award winners.

Please encourage your child to engage daily with Reading Eggs and the online Maths programs.  These are excellent tools for helping your child develop strong reading and maths skills.  They are engaging, effective and tailored to your child’s individual learning needs.   If you do not have your child’s password for any of the online programs, please contact your child’s teacher. 

It was also wonderful to see Will (5A) and Maiana (4A) share what they are learning in English and their solid knowledge about what is required to achieve a C, B and an A for the learning area.  Please ask your child what they are in learning in class and encourage them to share how their learning is progressing.  If you have any concerns, please contact your child’s teacher. 

Faith Lutheran College Service Team Returns to Leichhardt

It was great to see the Faith Lutheran College (FLC) students return to Leichhardt on Wednesday of Week 2.  The ten high school students showed great enthusiasm and commitment as they completed reading and writing tasks with a number of Year 2 and 3 students.  The Year 2 and 3 students expressed their enjoyment and appreciation for the opportunity to read with the high school students.  This program has such a positive impact on the literacy skills and overall enjoyment of reading for our younger students.  We are very grateful to have such a supportive and engaged high school community who are committed to helping our younger students in this way.

From Our Head of Department - Teaching and Learning

I cannot believe another fortnight has come and gone! Our learners have been very busy understanding their learning goals and working to improve their knowledge. As I mentioned last week, we are continuing our focus on organisation of belongings and bookwork. STAR notetaking is a fantastic way for us to learn these bookwork organisation skills as well as develop lifelong learning skills. Our teachers continue to guide the students in discussions around taking notes and the appropriate graphic organisers for their required task. In the coming weeks I will be sharing the bookwork of students that take exceptional pride and use a notetaking strategy for their learning. In the meantime, please keep an eye on our parade celebration slides as well as our Leichhardt Facebook page to see the wonderful work that is happening in our classrooms.

From Our Community Support Coordinator

If you are doing it a bit tough at the moment or just need a little assistance Ipswich Assist have some help available. Ipswich Assist is diagonally opposite Coles in Ipswich at The Central Church Ipswich.

Our Programs:

Emergency Relief

Our emergency relief program provides year-round assistance to our community. Every emergency relief appointment is tailored to suit our clients’ needs, and includes a one-to-one chat with one of our compassionate volunteer intake workers, who aim to get to know each person on a personal level, in an effort to be as effective as possible in our assistance. 

Emergency relief appointments can include food hampers, assistance with utility bills, rent assistance, pharmacy vouchers, and local op-shop vouchers. 

On average, we provide support to more than 60 families each month through this program. 

Community Lunch

Our community lunch program runs every Wednesday and is based out of the hall at 6 Gordon Street, Ipswich, right next door to our office building. This lunch service is free of charge, and provides lunch, mateship and a sense of community for those experiencing social isolation, homelessness, loneliness or who are otherwise struggling to make ends meet. 

Every month, we provide a hot meal and listening ear to around 150 people through this program.

reSTORE

reSTORE is a small grocery store which offers an alternative, affordable shopping experience for those experiencing financial hardship and crisis, or who are otherwise on a tight budget. reSTORE is open every Thursday from 9:00am until 2:00pm, and stocks a wide variety of fruit and vegetable, meat, pantry staples, hygiene essentials, household cleaning products and baby products. 

reSTORE items are typically priced at around $1 each, however there are a number of items which are free!

From Our Teachers

Year 1 B

In Year 1 we are heavily focusing on our upper and lowercase letter formation and how we write on the lines. This includes using punctuation (Capital letter and full stops) as well as finger spaces. We strongly encourage Year 1 to practice their writing at home. This could be by writing the alphabet, sentences, shopping lists etc.

Year 2A & B 

Welcome to Week Five in Year Two! We are diving deep into our Mathematics units at the moment, engaging in Fractions, Use of Maps and Directions. Our students have shown a keen interest in fractions, especially when interactive pizza games are involved. In English we have been showing off our impressive writing skills by describing the features of the Very Cranky, Super, Brave, Itchy Bear, including his appearance, the way he acts and his feelings/emotions. The Year Two teaching cohort are loving the amazing writing our students are producing and want to keep bumping up our writing through active growth in our spelling goals. We have attached some SUPER important spelling words that our students will utilise at school, that we’d love to have reinforced at home. Please find these at the bottom of the Year Two section. In Science, this week 2A and 2B became daily scientists by doing an experiment on mixtures. Our students loved when the mixtures turned to bubbles and the oil separated from the detergent. We look forward to continuing all of our amazing and fun learning experiences.

Bear, Cranky, Itchy, Very, Super, Brave, Brown, Nose, Fur, Because

Year 5 Science 

Year 5 have had a great couple of weeks focusing in on the adaptations animals have to survive in their environment. They have completed many tasks that require them to not only think of the structural features, but also the behaviours of the animal and the justification and reasoning of the adaptation. To prepare our students for lifelong learning they are continuing to learn to use notetaking organisation in their lessons and have discussions around what notetaking tool (graphic organiser) would be best suited to their task. As you can see, 2 column notes are used here followed by an exit ticket, which in this case was to complete the given sentence frame. Well done, Year 5! 

From Our Tuckshop P&C

Important Information! 

A friendy reminder from our tuckshop - All orders MUST be placed by 9am! We are so lucky at Leichhardt to have three days of tuckshop service and ensuring your orders are in before 9am is a big help to the tuckshop ladies. Over the counter orders are accepted however it is highly recommend to place orders using the Flexischools App which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play.  

Bremer State High School News

Bremer Expo 23 (Open Day)

The annual Bremer Expo is back and scheduled for Wednesday, 17 May 2023, from 4:00pm. This open evening event is the perfect opportunity for families with students in Years 4, 5, and 6 to explore the facilities, learn about our Signature Programs in Science, Sport and Music, and connect with their dedicated staff and enthusiastic students. Families are encouraged to register for the event via our website. By doing this, the families will receive important emails regarding the event, enrolment timelines and scholarships/signature programs.

Enrolling at Bremer

Enrolments for Year 7 2024 are open. To start an in-catchment or out-of-catchment enrolment, prospective families are to submit a general enrolment enquiry via Bremer’s website. Once submitted, the families will receive an immediate response to their nominated email address regarding next steps. Families with students in Year 4 or 5 may also submit enquiries for 2025 and 2026.

Key enrolment dates for 2023:

• 17 May - Bremer Expo 2023
• 24 May - Enrolment Interviews Open
• 19 June - Round 1 Out-of-Catchment, Scholarship, Excellence and Signature Program Applications Due
• 24 July - Round 1 offers made to applicants
• 11 September - Round 2 Out-of-Catchment, Scholarship, Excellence and Signature Program Applications Due
• 16 October - Round 2 offers made to applicants
• 28 November - Last day to interview in 2023, late applicants may be required to enrol and interview in the new year
• 30 November - Orientation Day for enrolled students

Bremer Rugby League