MacGregor State School Newsletter 2023 Edition 6
From the Principal
Dear parents & caregivers,
Term three is drawing to a close and now is a great time for us to reflect on our progress and success as a truly great state school.
I would like to thank our wonderful staff and leadership team members who have worked tirelessly this term supporting all of our students to realise their potential.
As always, Term 4 is going to be super-busy with end of year assessments happening alongside numerous important events which punctuate the term leading up to the Summer Vacation. May I take this opportunity to wish each and every member of our school community a happy and safe school holidays. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Term 4 on Tuesday 3rd October.
Date Claimers for Term 4
Week 1 King’s Birthday Public Holiday 2nd October (school closed) – Term 4 commences on Tuesday 3rd October
Week 3 Musical ‘Alladin Jr.’ Thursday 19th October - Saturday 7th October
Week 3 P&C Meeting at MOSHC 6.30pm Tuesday 3rd October
Week 4 Year 5 Camp Monday- Wednesday 23-25th October
Week 4 School Council Meeting Wednesday 25th October
Week 5 Music-Excellence (MEX) Recital Thursday 2nd November
Week 6 Music Galas Thursday 9th November
Week 7 P&C Volunteers Thank-you function Monday 13th November
Week 8 Dance and Speech Gala Friday 24th November
Week 10 Year 6 Graduation Tuesday 9th November
Week 10 Report Cards emailed home Wednesday 6th December
I will be taking a week’s Long Service Leave in Week 3 (16th- 20th October) to spend time with my family. Mrs. Diana Ghusn will be OIC during my absence.
Yours in equity & excellence,
Lee Gerchow
Prep and Year One
I cannot believe that we are in the last week of Term 3! Time really flies, doesn’t it?
I am immensely grateful to all the families for their unwavering support throughout this term. Your continued dedication played a vital role in the attainment of students’ academic progress and overall wellbeing.
As we approach the final week of Term 3, I would like to extend my sincere wishes to all the learners and their families for a relaxing and safe school break. I hope you find the time to rest and recharge in preparation for a busy Term 4. Please note that Term 4 starts on Tuesday, 3 October.
THE POWER OF NATURE PLAY AND IMAGINATION
…We created a dream forest in the sandpit. We worked in two teams, one team made the lake and the other team made the land. We found sticks, leaves, wood, flowers, rocks and some wool in the Junior Adventure Playground to use in our dream forest. We worked together and used our imagination!
The Year 1 girls’ experience with nature play truly emphasises the incredible power and impact it has on overall wellbeing and growth. By embracing the gifts and wonders of nature, Chloe, Robyn, Emily and Carina were able to tap into their innate creativity, imagination and connect with their senses during their lunch break. In addition, research has shown that spending time in nature reduces stress, anxiety and depression, while increasing feeling of happiness and relaxation. What a wonderful way to spend the break!
Year Four and Five
As the end of the term approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our families a happy and relaxing break. As we know at MacGregor, Term 4 is busy, busy, busy!
Some reminders coming back to Term 4:
- Lollies and soft drinks are not healthy choices for our students to have at break times so we would appreciate these not coming to school
- Uniform:
- Shirts need to be tucked in
- Our school shoes are plain black
- Green Hat/White Hat: Students who are in Inter-School sport are allowed to wear their white sports hat for Sports coaching sessions and at Friday sport. All other break times students must wear the green school hat
News from Year 4
As part of their Semester Two learning, Year 4 have to construct a Pinball machine. 4A have been busy planning, designing and constructing their machines and their finished products are extremely creative.
News from Year 5
On Wednesday 13th September Year5 finished off their Smart moves Dance with their performances. All students looked amazing in their outfits and worked very hard over the term to coordinate the class dance performances.
Year 5 Camp Update
Payments and medical/dietary forms are needing to be finalised. If you are yet to make payment please contact the Finance Team or myself to ensure we allocate a space for your child. Medical and dietary forms need to be finalised by Friday.
Year Six
What a term we have had in Year 6 and the best is yet to come!
As our final school wide communication this term, thank you for keeping up to date with school happenings.
As I head towards my one-year anniversary at MacGregor State School, I have been reflecting upon, what three key messages would I share with families of our Year 6 students at this time of the year?
- Please, please, please monitor your child’ access to social media. We urge families to regularly visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/ (more specifically, https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents ) where there are fantastic resources to support parents and our young people on how to interact safely and respectfully online – the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) is Australia’s independent regulator for online safety.
2. Keep communication open with your child as they move towards transitioning to secondary school. There are many pressures facing our young adults and here at school, we are identifying an increase in anxiety and feelings of uncertainty. We know that children will speak up when they feel free safe to do so.
3. If there is anything you believe we should know about your child that would support us here at school, please reach out to us. We are working to ensure ongoing positive relationships with our parents and this includes ensuring you know you can talk to us if you are concerned about your child’s routines, behaviours or conversations.
The school holiday break is a great time to re-connect with your child and ask them, ‘How are you going?’
Camp Mapleton and Australia Zoo
I would like to sincerely thank our families for their support of Year 6 Camp. All students exhibited courage, resilience and a great sense of fun on our three jam-packed days away in August. Your children were an absolute delight to take away. We received many compliments both at Mapleton and Australia Zoo on how fantastic such a big group of students were!
ICAS 2023 Done and Dusted!
This year, our participation in ICAS looked a little different to previous years. We opened up ICAS to any interested family/ parent for students from Year 2 through to Year 6. This resulted in over 900 assessments over three weeks! Most families registered their child for each of the three assessments of English, Maths + Science.
Through all the events that occurred over the past three weeks – free-dress days, Year 6 Camp, instrumental lessons, sports programs, incursions, public holidays and a staff professional development day, we rolled out just over 300 ICAS assessments each week!
From the Hall, to the classrooms, the Library and the Conference room, this level of participation can not be administered in isolation. We had a great team of staff who stepped to help during this very busy three weeks.
MacGregor State School will be reviewing ICAS for 2024. What we administered in 2023 is simply not viable for us so please keep up to date via our newsletters or make sure you attend our monthly P&C Meetings if you’d like your say.
SAVE THE DATE Year 6 2023 Graduation
I can confirm with our families that 2023 Graduation will be held at Nissan Arena on Tuesday 5th December. This will be an evening event held off-site for the first time in many years. To accommodate our families, this year there will be no limit to tickets per family however as shared earlier in the year, families will be asked to pre-purchase tickets via Ticketek. Please note that official invitations to our families will be distributed however to assist in your planning, ticket prices will be as follows:
Ticket Type | Cost |
Year 6 MacGregor SS graduating student | Free of charge |
Adults | $25 per person |
Concession | $20 per person |
Child | $10 per child |
If you are a Year 6 parent and are interested in being part of the Year 6 Graduation Committee, our first meeting will be held at MacGregor State School on Wednesday 4th October at 5pm in the Administration Conference Room.
Please RSVP to Ms Julia Bailey – jbail154@eq.edu.au
Congratulations to the Year 6 participants of Touch Football Celebration!
Monday morning was a glorious morning for the annual and much anticipated Year 6 touch football celebration.
Led by Mr Austen, this culminating activity allows the students to put to practice what they have been learning in Term 3 HPE. The students took ownership of team formation, team names and cheering each other on as they showed their skills and abilities in all things touch-footy.
The successful team on the day was, ‘In Last Place’ – sounds like they’ve learnt much about irony in their English studies!
Thank you to Mr Austen and all of the teachers who were flexible in their timetable to allow this student-focused event to go ahead.
And, well done to all students for showing the MacGregor Spirit through participation and outstanding sportsmanship.
H.O.D. Update
DRUM ROLL PLEASE…….
Thank you to everyone who entered our 2023 Book Week competitions.
The competition winners will all receive a Book Fair voucher and exclusive pre-sale access to the Book Fair in November. Best Dressed Classes will have ice blocks delivered to their rooms.
THE WINNERS ARE:
Best Dressed Class
Best Dressed Class P-1 1AB
Best Dressed Class 2-3 3B
Best Dressed Class 4,5-6 4C Mrs Telford and her Cat in a Hat Crew
Poster Competition
Meagan 3D
Jayden 3D
Emily 3D
Levi 5F
Reading in an unusual place:
Baron 4C
Ryan Prep E
Miss French 5C
A-Z Illustration Compétition
Ethan 5B
Ishaan 5B
Safwan 5B
Learning Engagement Team Update
Support Maia’s freedom for a Wheelchair Van
Maia is a current student at Macgregor State School. She dreams of travelling in her family car like her peers to exciting destinations. Maia is confined to an electronic wheelchair.
Currently, Maia’s Mum, Tegan is having to transfer Maia from her wheelchair into and out of a car seat in her Honda CRV, which is getting increasingly difficult as Maia grows and due to the fact that Maia is unable to weight bare.
Tegan has started up a fundraiser to help assist in getting Maia’s dream van. This van will be equipped to get them around Queensland and beyond, and they are excited by what the future will bring them both with this transport option.
Please donate via the link below and share wide with friends and family. Tegan greatly appreciates any support to help them to reach their goal.
Sports Update
In our last newsletter we mentioned that Louis was at National Swimming Championships. Congratulations to Louis on finishing 2nd in the 100m Butterfly. What an amazing achievement!
Over the weekend our Touch Excellence teams competed in the Runcorn Blues Cup hosted by Runcorn High School. This was the first of three events that make up our program and an opportunity for the students to see how they going.
We are pleased to announce that all the teams have done an amazing job so far and performed to the best of their abilities. We now take our learnings from the event and look to improve in the lead up to our last two carnivals.
During the event the organisers selected boys and girls All Stars teams to recognise students that demonstrated outstanding skills and team work. Congratulations to the following students who got selected from MacGregor
Boys Team – Brandon
Girls Team – Markay and Chelsea
Inter and Intra school sport has been continuing for the students. They are having a great time and enjoying the opportunity to play and challenge themselves against other students and other schools.
Inter School Sport photos are this Friday 15th below is an approx. schedule of the day.
Time | Team | |
8:55 | AFL | |
9:15 | Boys Volleyball | |
9:20 | Snr Girls Volleyball | |
9:30 | Jnr Girls Volleyball | |
9:40 | Girls Basketball | |
10:05 | Boys Basketball | |
10:30 | Boys Touch | |
10:50 | Track and Field |
Students need to wear their green sports shorts and their inter school sport jersey. If students are in the Track and Field photo they will need their normal sports shirt
Message from The Guidance Officer
Dear Families,
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible success of R U OK Day, which took place on Thursday 14th September. This day was a shining example of how we can come together to support one another and make a positive impact in our community.
Breakfast Club
R U OK Day served as a beautiful reminder that each day presents us with an opportunity to brighten someone's day. It was heart-warming to see so many parents, students, and staff join us for the sausage sizzle. A massive thank you goes out to all of you who volunteered and contributed to the amazing turnout we had. Thank you, Mr T. for organising the breakfast!!
R U OK Day Learning
One of the highlights of the day was the R U OK Day lessons that many of our classes engaged in. The students learned the importance of asking if someone is okay through four simple steps:
- R U OK?
- Listen
- Encourage Action
- Check in
I had the pleasure of visiting a range of classes engaging in R U OK Day activities. I must say, Mrs Dawson’s class were nothing short of "listening legends"! It was truly heart-warming to witness our students embracing these principles and showing empathy towards their peers.
Cupcakes
Another delightful addition to the day was the yellow cupcakes baked by our Mac Snack Shack team. These cupcakes not only added a burst of colour to our day but also served as a sweet reminder that it's okay not to be okay sometimes, and that a simple question, "R U OK?" can make a world of difference.
Thank you for being a part of our R U OK Day celebrations. Your enthusiasm and participation made this day truly special.
Have a bucket filling school break. I look forward to seeing your children next term 😊
Hello from our Chappy Mr T.
Welcome to the last week of Term 3.
Today was R U OK Day and Breakfast Club celebrated with a free sausage sizzle. It was a big turnout and had to run to the nearby Woolies for extra bread and sausages.
Thanks to City Care for the sponsorship of the sausages for R U OK Day and the abundant student, parent and staff volunteers which made a great morning.
Stay safe and have a great holiday.
Performing Arts
Play in a Day
Selected students from Dance Excellence and the musical cast attended an excited Arts collaboration with Mac High and some other local primary schools where they rehearsed and performed a “play in a Day”. Thank you to Mrs Richard-Preston for assisting on the day and congratulations to all students involved on an outstanding job representing MacGregor. Some words from Ms Bec Meale, the Arts Head of Department from MacGregor High after the day:
At the start of the day, we spoke to the students about the attributes of being an effective dancer/actor. They were tested throughout the day and even during the performance were faced with moments where they had to be adaptable and agile – they passed with flying colours. The narrators effortlessly improvised when a prop was missing from the stage, through to the ensemble maintaining their focus and character while acting and while reacting. We were very impressed with how amazing all of your students were! They blow us away every time.
Strings Workshop
It was wonderful to see the students from Junior Strings join together with Warrigal Road for a workshop day last Friday 8th September. Students tackled lots of new and difficult music throughout the day and finished with a wonderful display of their hard work in a concert for parents.
Performing Arts Success:
Congratulations to:
- Annabelle Y for receiving an A+ in her grade 3 AMEB singing exam
Instrumental Music Recruitment for 2024
Information regarding recruitment for the Instrumental Music program for 2024 has been mailed home to all families of Year 2 and 3 students. If you did not receive the email, please check your junk box and then contact the following teachers for more information:
Strings: For current Year 2 students (Year 3 in 2024) – Mr Ken Koido kxkoi0@eq.edu.au
Band: For current Year 3 students (Year 4 in 2024) – Mrs Robyn Rosewarne rrose42@eq.edu.au
The information night for instrumental music is being held on Thursday 5th October at 6pm in the Hall (Week 1, Term 4). It is essential that you and your child attends this meeting, to understand how the program operates, the selection criteria and opportunities playing music can bring.
Finance Update
We are excited to introduce the latest enhancement to our QParents platform - the Consent Management module. This update aims to simplify the process of granting permissions for various school activities such as camps, incursions, and excursions.
**Why does this matter to you?**
Going forward, managing permissions for your child's participation in activities will be seamlessly integrated into the QParent App. You can conveniently provide consent online.
**How does it work?**
Once you log into the QParent App, simply follow these steps:
- Click on the menu button.
- Select "Consent Requests" from the drop-down menu.
- This will lead you to the Consent Form that needs to be completed.
**What's next?**
Once you've filled out the Consent Form, you will receive an Invoice. This invoice covers the cost of your child's participation in the chosen activity. Please ensure that the invoice is paid by the indicated due date to secure your child's spot.
**Important Note on Access:**
Both parents will have access to the Consent Management module. When one parent completes the consent process, the information will be visible within the app. However, only one parent will receive the emailed invoice and have access to it. The parent designated as the 100% fee owner will received this.
**Have questions or need assistance?**
Should you require any further information or have queries about this new module, feel free to email myself at mefth3@eq.edu.au.
For invitation and registration assistance with QParents, please contact Marcia Crichton at mcric14@eq.edu.au.
We appreciate your support in adopting this new process as we aim to streamline and enhance the way we manage permissions for our school activities.
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.
Summer Menu
The summer menu runs for term 4 2023 and term 1 2024. The tuckshop will continue to make our most popular daily specials, Pasta and our Bento Box. New daily specials will be available, as well as some new items added to our regular menu. Check out the new menu here https://msspc.org.au/tuck-shop/
Uniform Shop
UNIFORM SHOP NEWS
Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00 am to 9:00 am
SWIMMING
Swimming re-commences in Term 4. The Uniform Shop has stock of swimming caps and swim bags to help you get organised for classes.
ONLINE ORDERING
Online ordering using My Student Account is available at the Uniform Shop.
Orders for uniform and stationery requirements can be placed and delivered to your child's classroom.
https://macgregorss.mystudentaccount.com
Contact us: uniformshop@msspc.org.au
P&C website: https://msspc.org.au/
Student Achievements
Congratulations to Ethan K (Year 6) who won gold medal for QLD taekwondo championships selection and will represent QLD in the coming national championships.
Congratulations to Candice’s who competed in the Talent Tribe Dance competition in Gold Coast last weekend, she won 3nd place in Solo Jazz Year 8 and under.
School Chess Program
Reminders
REPORTING ABSENCES:
A reminder that if your student is unable to attend school on any given day, their absence needs to be reported with the student's name, class, expected duration and reason for absence via one of the following:
- Phone the absent line on (07) 3323 4366
- Email - absent@macgregorss.eq.edu.au
- QParents