MacGregor State School Newsletter 2024 - Edition 9
From the Principal
Dear Parents & Caregivers,
URGENT MESSAGE TO FAMILIES: BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL SAFETY
We are experiencing an unprecedented number of students at school far too early in the morning unsupervised. Students should not be dropped at school before 8am and they should wait sitting quietly in Harmony Place until the bell rings at 8.30am.
Parents who need to drop their children earlier than 8am should enrol their child at MOSHC or make other arrangements for their supervision and safety.
School finishes at 3.00pm and parents should endeavour to collect their children by 3.30pm unless they are participating in after school activities. Siblings of children participating in after school programs must not be left to wait for their brother or sister unsupervised at school.
Please ensure that you know when after school programs finish so your children are collected promptly.
A reminder that all playground equipment is OUT OF BOUNDS before and after school. No student is permitted on this equipment at this time regardless of whether parents are supervising or not.
These messages are in the interests of the safety of your children.
Yours in Equity & Excellence,
Mr. Lee Gerchow
Principal
Bus Safety: Stop Drop and Go Zone
At MacGregor State School we have numerous Sporting, Performing Arts and off-site learning experiences and excursion which contribute to our reputation as a school-of-choice in our community.
The means that the bus zone on McCullough St is frequently required for the safe transfer of students. Frequently this means we need to cordon off the bus drop-off area using orange witches hats.
You will also see members of the school leadership team and other staff members in Hi-Viz safety vests indicating this is what is happening and that a bus is due to arrive. Frequently this occurs close to the end of the school day when the area is already congested however this is unavoidable.
Please be alert to this occurring and behave in a safe and courteous manner when queueing for the stop drop n go area.
Please ensure you follow the directions of staff and observe the orange markers when transfer of students from buses is occurring.
Prep and Year One
Welcome to Week 8!
It is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of Semester 1. I am so proud of the progress and growth of each and every one of our young learners. I also feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by a team of educators who are truly committed to the success and wellbeing of our students, working tirelessly to ensure that every learner has the opportunity to reach their full potential and thrive in all aspects of their lives – academically, physically, socially and emotionally.
A couple of weeks ago, our teachers met together to discuss mid-term progress of our learners to inform the next steps in teaching and learning. They have analysed various student work samples (English Unit) to discuss the strengths and areas for improvements, to ensure differentiation was data driven and addressed the current needs of learners in each classroom. This activity also ensured that all teachers used a consistent judgment against the achievement standard, to assign an appropriate mark at the end of the unit of work.
The next three weeks are going to be very busy with assessments, report cards and end of term events. Please keep an eye on the school calendar to ensure you stay informed about upcoming events. If you are planning to take a holiday prior to the end of the term, please ensure you inform the office and the classroom teachers.
A reminder that I am going to be on Long Service Leave from Thursday, 6 June, until the end of Term 2. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the office. Miss Tyler Moore will be replacing me during my absence and will assist with all the queries.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a productive end of Term 2 and a safe and peaceful school break ahead. See you all in Term 3.
Learners in Prep and Year 1 sector had lots of fun during an Outdoor Classroom Day on 23 May.
Age-Appropriate Pedagogies
Age-Appropriate Pedagogies in Action
This week, during my regular classroom walkthroughs, I have witnessed some wonderful writing. As all Year 1 children are learning about informative texts, they were eager to showcase their work.
Clara and Alec came to visit me during the week to showcase their learning in Mathematics. They have been exploring different ways of showing addition, which they assembled in a form of a puzzle. Mr Davey, Ms Bailey and I had to put the puzzles back together and both learners could explain every step of the puzzle. Amazing work, Alec and Clara!
A reminder to our existing families to put an enrolment application in as soon as possible if you have a child who is eligible to commence Prep in 2025. This will assist us with planning (staffing and classes) in preparation for the 2025 intake.
For further information about the enrolment process, please visit our website or contact Ms Marcia Crichton, our Enrolments Officer, mcric14@eq.edu.au
Thank you to 1G and 1H learners and teachers for putting together a wonderful display of learning. Please take the time to stop by and admire the exciting work of our students.
Year Two and Three
Mr Davey has beeen absent from school this past week.
There will be a Year 2 -3 Update in our next newsletter.
Year Four and Five
We are having issues again with student using games and inappropriate emails or chat messages during their learning time. Next week I will be emailing home the original agreement parents and students signed when joining an eLearning program, please read through these with your children again to remind them of the protocols. After the holidays, sanctions such as loss of laptop for a week will imposed for repeat offenders to ensure students understand their laptops are a learning device not a toy.
Year 5 Camp and Leadership Parent session: In Term 3 Week 3 I will be holding an information session around our Year 5 camp in Term 4 (week 6) and the Leadership program for those students interested in taking on a Captains role in 2025. More information will come out in week 1.
Science – Forces 4G
This term we have been learning about Forces in Science. 4G took advantage of the warm sunshine to move our learning experience outside. We explored the different forces involved when using the playground equipment. This outdoors learning opportunity allowed us to learn to work together, share our ideas, listen to others, further our understanding of forces, all while having fun in the sun.
Year Six
Welcome to Week 8 of Term 2
This fortnight, I would like to share with our families, from all year levels, the ongoing messages we share with you on the topic of online safety and correct use of digital devices.
Our messaging in newsletters is intentional and purposeful – whilst we are very fortunate to have digital devices embedded into our teaching and learning at MacGregor State School, they are precisely that. Used for teaching and learning.
We continue to see our learners needing significant guidance and support in understanding the purpose of having a device at school and for some learners, despite redirection and warnings, continue to engage in behaviour that does not reflect the agreement parents and students have signed to be part of e-learning and/ or accessing school provided devices.
MacGregor State School is further demonstrating it’s commitment to a shared role between home and school by highlighting the e-Safety Commissioners website on our school website landing page.
This is decision is to support parents and children on how to begin and continue conversations about online safety and use of digital devices. You will find a link to his nationally endorsed website via the Quick Links at https://macgregorss.eq.edu.au/
Finally, we ask you to regularly revisit the MacGregor State School E-learning (Laptop) Rules and Expectations with your child/ children. Parents can expect to have a copy emailed to them within the next 1-3 business days.
It is easy to think that our kids will be ok – we continue to urge you to open up the conversation of online safety for any school-aged child for both learning and personal reasons.
Parent Learning Forum – Supporting High Ability Learners Part 1 of 2
I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the just over 30 parents across two sessions who joined our fifth Parent Learning Forum on high ability learners. This session included interactive engagement with our participants as we addressed myths and misconceptions of gifts and talents, unpacked Gagne’s Model of Differentiated Giftedness + Talent, and shared the journey MacGregor SS is on as enhance identification practices to support all learners. And, our parents provided fantastic feedback that will contribute to the planning of our next session.
Part 2 of this session will be held in Term 4!
ICAS Maths at Macgregor State School 2024
*NOW OPEN*
26th to 30th August 2024
MacGregor State School will be offering parents the opportunity for their child from Year 3 to Year 6 to participate in ICAS Mathematics. This will be the only assessment offered on the school site due to the significant logistics involved in administering three assessments across five different year levels.
Payment and registration for Maths will again be facilitated directly with ICAS – parents of students from Year 3 to Year 6 are invited to register their child any time from now.
Follow these simple instructions:
- Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas:
(shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps)
- Enter our school’s access code –FJQ505
- Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, then proceed to payment. Please note: we are ONLY offering Maths in 2024.
After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records.
Parents of our Year 2 students have been emailed information specific to their year level.
Parents are welcome to access the link below should they wish to liaise directly with ICAS for their child to sit assessments at an ICAS nominated testing centre, one of which is located in Brisbane:
https://www.icasassessments.com/contact-directory/
Please note that places are limited and you are advised to contact ICAS as soon as possible to secure your place.
For any questions relating to ICAS, parents are asked to contact ICAS directly on 1800 931 775
Parents can contact Ms Bailey for any ICAS Maths support – jbail154@eq.edu.au
*APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN*
https://macgregorss.eq.edu.au/our-community/the-paula-davoren-bursary
In conjunction with MacGregor State High School and the Lion’s Club of Brisbane (MacGregor), one student in Year 6 will be the recipient of the Paula Davoren Bursary. Please visit learn more about the application process – the bursary is open to any student who will be enrolling at MacGregor State High School for Year 7 in 2025.
Inclusion Team Update
This Semester Macgregor State School students have been involved in playing Boccia as an interschool sport with our local special schools on Friday afternoons. The culmination of the Championships was held in week 6 with the following results:
1st - Logan City Special School
2nd - Macgregor State School
3rd - Calamvale Special School
4th - Sunnybank Special School
Congratulations to Logan City Special School for their well deserved win and to all the students that participated in this inclusive championship.
On Monday 27th of May, at Big Lunch we will be joining with MOSCH under the jacaranda tree weather permitting to complete some of the below activities.
RECONCILIATION WEEK 2024 AT MAGREGOR STATE SCHOOL
‘NOW MORE THAN EVER’
Week 7 saw Macgregor acknowledge National Reconciliation Week 2024. National Reconciliation Week, is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
Reconciliation Week ran from 27th May to 3rd June. The Theme this year was 'Now More Than Ever'. Macgregor State School participated in various events through out the week, with MOSHC opening the week with a Purple Hibiscus making activity on Monday 27th of May on the oval where students and staff gathered to create the flowers which have been approved by the National Stolen Generations Alliance as the official symbol of ‘Sorry Day’. The week then culminated with the creation of a ‘Sea of Hearts’ Display at the hall where classes created a heart each depicting through words, phrases, symbols and drawings what National Reconciliation week means to them. Prep E were also engaged in creating two large wooden hearts to share with a local Kindergarten, Rosie’s Early Learning at Daisy Hill to spread the word of Reconciliation amongst the community.
Sports Update
Applications are open for the 2025 Volleyball Development Program at MacG! Develop excellence in Volleyball through timetabled Volleyball classes, extra-curricular training sessions, strength and conditioning programs, tournaments, games, excursions, and camps.
Students of all skill levels are welcome to complete the Expression of Interest form to attend a trial.
Applications close: 3 pm, Friday 12 July 2024. Visit www.macg.link/vdp for more information.
Performing Arts
MacGregor’s Got Talent
Students from Prep to Year 6 are invited to audition for this year’s talent show – MacGregor’s Got Talent!
Students can submit entries showcasing any talent – music, dance, magic, gymnastics, comedy – the more exciting the better! The expert judging team will assess each entry on their technical skill, creativity, stage presence and overall quality of performance.
Auditions will be held via video submissions and are due by Monday 10 June (Arts Week). Finalists in both the Junior (Prep-Year 2) and Senior (Year 3-6) categories will be announced in week 9 and the Grand Final will be held in week 10.
How to enter:
- Record your best take of your video audition. Videos must be a maximum of 3 minutes long.
- Save the file as a .mov or .mp4 file with ‘MacGregor’s Got Talent’, ‘Name’ and ‘Class’ in the filename (eg: MacGregor’s Got Talent_Eloise McIntyre_6A).
- Share your file via Onedrive to Eloise McIntyre (emmci0@eq.edu.au) or email if the file is small enough.
Message from The Guidance Officer
Dear Parents,
We are thrilled to introduce Tia, our new social worker, who will be with us every Wednesday and Thursday while Sylvie is on maternity leave. You can find Tia in the Learning Hub on these days.
Hi, my name is Tia, and I'm excited to join the MacGregor State community as your new social worker. I hold a Master of Social Work, which I completed in 2018, and I have been practising ever since.
My approach is grounded in strength-based, recovery-oriented, and attachment frameworks. I utilise counselling, art therapy, sand therapy, play therapy, and case management to support the social and emotional well-being of students and families.
In my free time, I enjoy designing and sewing my own outfits. I look forward to working with you and your children.
Finance
The Finance Payment Window is open on Tuesday mornings from 8.00am - 9.45am. Cash and eftpos facilities available.
Payment plans are available. Please contact our Finance Officer to discuss.
Hello from our Chappy Mr T.
Winter Uniform Donations
Hope you all had a good week as we head into the winter season.
As we are in the first few days of winter, this is a callout for donations of any winter uniforms that you may have in the closet unused. All winter uniforms welcomed- both tops and bottoms, especially the large sizes. We have some kids in school who grow faster than others 🙂
Please hand them to the school office. We greatly appreciate your contribution.
Mac Shack News
Volunteers Needed
The Mac Snack Shack needs your help to keep our tuckshop running smoothly and efficiently. We are looking for volunteers who can spare a few hours a week to assist in the tuckshop. No experience necessary, just a friendly smile and a willingness to learn. Please follow this link to sign up – https://msspc.org.au/tuck-shop/
Online Ordering
Flexischools continues to be the fastest and easiest way to place orders. You can sign up online at https://flexischools.com.au/parents or download the Flexischools app. Orders must be placed before 8.30am for same day orders. Alternatively, you can order up to a month in advance.
Term Two Menu 2024
There is a new menu for term 2 2024. The tuckshop will continue to make our most popular daily specials. New daily specials are available, as well as new items added to our regular menu. Take a look at the new menu here https://msspc.org.au/tuck-shop/
Uniform Shop
Want to help out in the Uniform Shop? If you can spare just an hour of your time between 08:00-09:00am on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday then please get in touch with the Uniform Shop Convenor at uniformshop@msspc.org.au.
Year 6 Senior Shirts are on order again for those who either missed out the first time or would like additional shirts. Orders can be placed by either visiting the Uniform Shop during opening hours or on My Student Account.
If you have any unwanted paper/plastic bags, please consider donating them to the Uniform Shop.
Uniform Shop is open Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 8am to 9am
Student Achievements
11 teams represented MacGregor State School at the Brisbane Primary Logan Term 2 Inter-School Chess tournament.
Team 1 Austin, Emma, Martin and Queena won the 3rd place in Division A.
Team 4, Gabriel, Oliver, Johnny and Eugene won the 2nd place in Division B.
Team 6 Avyukt, Clyde, Harshaan and Aaron got 3rd place in Division B.
Austin C also won the individual 2nd place in Division A.
Well done and congratulations to all the teams!
P& C News
We're excited to announce our upcoming Vacation Care Program for the June/July holiday period, designed specifically around your children's interests. With a variety of engaging activities to keep them entertained, it's the perfect way for them to enjoy their break. This program is exclusively for MacGregor State School students, and spots are limited. Follow this link to secure your spot today!
https://macgregoroutsideschoolhourscare.snapforms.com.au/form/junejuly-vacation-care-2024
If you have any queries please email the team on macgregoroshc@gmail.com.
