Volume 15 - 27th October 2023

From Our Principal

Leichhardt’s Inaugural Arts Night was an absolute success! Our students’ talent shone through their Visual Art displays, singing and the live performance of the videoed Wakakirri dance they submitted in the competition earlier this year. Ms Curwen’s leadership of The Arts learning area, her passion and vision for the night was exceptional and greatly appreciated by the large number of parents in attendance. It was wonderful to see the pride and joy on the parents and carers faces as they viewed their students’ work.

Philosophy classes with our Guidance Officer, Ms Tenille, have started really well this term in Prep – Year 2 classes. This week, I had a privilege of observing two lessons, one with Prep and the other with Year 1 students. The students were so well engaged in their circle community discussing rules of philosophy and making statements about different occupations. Following that, they engaged in reflection on their learning and wrote their statements down. We are so proud of how our young students embrace learning and always try their best.

Last night, I was fortunate enough to accompany Mrs Finlay to the TEACHX Awards presented by Queensland College of Teachers at the Griffith University Conservatorium in South Bank. Mrs Finlay won The Dr John Dwyer Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award and was one of 31 recipients of TEACHX Awards this year. Mrs Finlay has been instrumental in supporting our teachers, students and the wider community to engage in reading through many innovative initiatives and strategies. Her passion for education is evident in everything she does at Leichhardt.

I am so proud of the achievement of one of our Year 6 students, Hayley, who has won a Student Speaker Award through AVID Australia. Hayley wrote a speech about what inspires her to learn and reflected on how grateful she is for the opportunities to learn in a supportive environment at Leichhardt State School. Hayley will be flying down to Melbourne to present her speech in late November and spending two days in beautiful Victoria. Congratulations, Hayley!!

From Our Deputy Principal - School Culture

We are learning to use the High 5 to solve problems

Remind your child at home about the High 5

Talk Friendly

• Use a calm voice.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Confident body language.
• Maintain relatively close body proximity.
• Use “I” statements – “I feel… when you… because…”
• “Please leave me alone.”

Talk Firmly

• As per Step 2 – Talk Friendly
• Use an assertive voice, slightly raised.
• Tell them to stop it.
• Re-state your “I” statement – “I said…”
• “I asked you to leave me alone.”

Ignore

• Pretend you didn’t hear it.
• Do not make eye contact.
• Maintain positive body posture – calm and confident.
• Think positive self-esteem statements.
• Count to five in your head slowly.
• Take deep breathes.

Walk Away

• Stand tall, head up high.
• Mouth closed.
• Look confident.
• Do not use eye contact.
• Walk somewhere, preferably towards a congested area or to a safety zone (a teacher).
• Do not look back. Walk confidently, but don’t run.

Report

• Walk away and tell a staff member.
• Go to a safety zone.
• Bystander – support and report.
• Report, report, report until somebody listens.

From Our Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Sight Word Success @ Leichhardt!

At Monday’s Week 4 Assembly, Zoe (1A) was congratulated for her success at reading the First 100 Magic Words with automaticity.  Well done, Zoe!

If your child is learning to read, please make contact with their teacher to find out how they are progressing with their sight words and what activities you can do at home to help them with their reading

English @ Leichhardt

At Monday’s Week 4 Assembly, Charles (5A) shared with the audience the Year 5 English task for this term and what Year 5 students need to demonstrate to achieve an A, B or C rating in this learning area.

When students understand the task and what the specific requirements are for each rating or grade, it provides clarity about what is expected of them.  This can also be motivating, as students know what it takes to earn a higher grade.  It also supports students with self-assessment as they can evaluate their own work and identify areas where they need improvement.

Please check in with your child as to what they are learning in English this term and what they need to do to demonstrate their learning.

Students in Year 5 are writing ‘I Am’ poetry and playing with figurative language devices and imagery to bring their writing to life.

Here are just some samples of students’ writing.

Tim (5B)

I am all those things like.

I am the police dog being over protective - bark, bark, bark!

I am an iPhone annoying my brother every morning with my alarm.

I am a pencil waiting to be used for writing.

I am the sun lighting up people’s day.

Daymon (5B)

I am all that I feel and taste.

I feel rain dripping down my skin,

I feel as if I’m having a shower.

I can taste the rain droplets in my mouth.

I feel the hot sun BLAZING!

It feels as hot as one thousand campfires burning brightly.

The sun appears to be glaring down on us,

Getting HOTTER! and HOTTER! by the second.

Burning me to a crisp

Malakai (5A)

I am all those things like.

A phone calling to my owner.

A book begging to be read.

A USB pleading to be plugged in.

A laptop hoping to be turned on.

Isabella (5A)

I am all I think and dream.   

I dream about having my dream car.  

It will be as fast as a cheetah.        

 I dream about having my dream home.

It will be as big as a castle. 

I dream about having lots of money. 

I dream about having the new iPhone 15.  

Prep Open Morning – 25 October 2023

What a great morning the 2024 Preps and their families had at the first Prep Open Morning for 2023 at Leichhardt State School!  They met Mrs Rae (2024 Prep Teacher) and Miss Shania and Miss Lucinda (2024 Prep Teacher Aides).  They also met Aunty Marly and Miss Emma and enjoyed a story, ‘Spot Goes to School,’ with some very deadly ‘backpack’ art!

They met Mrs Bogicevic, the Principal, who shared drawings of the new Prep playground with the 2024 Preps and their families.  There was excited chatter among the future Preps as they listed all the play areas they planned to visit in the new playground.

2024 Preps and families also thoroughly enjoyed Miss Lisa’s Sing and Grow Music Session, a refreshing fruit platter morning tea and a play in the Outside Learning Area (OLA).

There are still two more Prep Open Mornings, 1 November and 8 November, with lots of fun activities planned to help our 2024 Preps and their families make a smooth transition into Leichhardt State School.

If you have a child starting Prep next year, please contact the School Office to book in to attend one or both of the remaining Prep Open Mornings for 2023.   

Celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Day @ Leichhardt 

From Our Head of Department - Teaching and Learning

Walking through classes this week it has been wonderful to see the pride that students are taking in their bookwork and excitement to show me their learning. We have a number of entries for the bookwork competition and look forward to celebrating exceptional bookwork awards in the coming weeks. 

Congratulations to Hayley in Year 6 who has won the 2023 AVID Australia Student Speaker Competition. After listening to me present & giving the Year 6 students an opportunity to develop their ideas to enter this competition Hayley mentioned how much she'd love to win. She worked hard emailing drafts and meeting with me to write her ideas as her entry and we are so proud to announce that she won resulting in the opportunity to share her speech at an AVID Conference in Melbourne. The organisers were delighted in reading Hayley’s account of how she is inspired by both teachers and her father and have stated that ‘Her entry is testament to the great work being done at Leichhardt State School and her individual determination’. Hayley is excited for the opportunity and continue to edit and practice her speech at school before she heads to Melbourne in November to deliver her speech at the AVID Australia Conference. 

From Our Teachers

Year 1

Year 1 continue to enjoy building social skills and learning to work cooperatively and respectfully with each other. It has been great to hear respectful conversations happening and our year ones resolving any conflict with the “high five” strategy. Well done, Year 1! 

Year 2

In maths 2A are learning about 3D objects. In Philosophy lessons with Ms Tenille, 2A are learning Eyes to eyes, knees to knees.

Year 5 Science

We have been working hard to develop our understanding of shadows this week! We used our knowledge of different types of materials and have been outside exploring the effect these have on light. Opaque objects are the best at making shadows as they block the light!

Day for Daniel

We were proud to have a number of Student Leaders attend the Day for Daniel Walk through Ipswich. It was great to hear from police officers and our Mayor about the significance of this event. Leichhardt students dressed in red and joined other local schools and community organisations in a walk through Ipswich.

We encourage you to continue conversations at home and talk to your children about the significance of Day for Daniel. 

Inaugural Arts Night @ Leichhardt 

It was wonderful to see so many families attend our very first Arts Night at Leichhardt. What an amazing display of artistic and musical talent! Thank you to all involved for such a wonderful event!

Out In The Community

Please note that the below workshops and programs are not affiliated with Leichhardt State School.

IMTC Juniors are a local non-profit theatre company in Ipswich which gives children the opportunity to perform on stage.

If you are looking for something to do in the school holidays, don't miss out on our latest show,  Disney’s Aladdin, with all your favourite songs 'Friend Like Me' and 'A Whole New World' to name a few.