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End of an amazing term
This week I would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts from staff to re-engage with the curriculum this term and take full advantage of our students being able to return to school. We have enjoyed the additional learning opportunities and I feel the “Science Week” activities and exploding watermelons were a highlight. This term we have continued to drive our schools explicit improvement agenda and strengthen the reading and mathematical problem solving work across the school. Students have been highly engaged in the learning. Explicit teaching and feedback have enabled clear steps for the individual learner along the way. Can I thank parents for your ongoing support and understanding with the limited options for coming into the school at this difficult time. We appreciate your patience. I hope that all families have a safe and relaxing holiday period and an opportunity to recharge the batteries. We are looking forward to an action packed term 4.
Term 4 focus
Next term we will continue to focus on ensuring all our students finish the year strong and are successful learners. We want to ensure our children to have a years’ worth of learning for a years’ worth of teaching. Maths problem solving and our whole school reading approach will remain a focus. The leadership team and teachers will be collecting evidence in term 4 of our successful practices this year and look at the data to determine the “Next Lift” for our school within 2021. We want to be clear and committed as a staff to the direction we feel will improve the learning outcomes for all the students at Bowen State School. The pulse survey that was conducted this term will provide feedback from families and an opportunity for consultation and input for the future. I am looking forward to sharing our thinking next term and the journey we travel.
World teacher’s day
Week one term 4 acknowledges World Teachers Day across the nation. Parents certainly have experienced first-hand during COVID lock down home learning the highly skilled and diverse role our teachers undertake every day. I thank all our teaching staff for their ongoing commitment and support for our students each and every day. Where would we be without you! We will be celebrating as a school with a shared lunch on the first Tuesday back to school.
Looking forward to sharing more amazing stories next term. Until then have a safe and happy holiday.
I believe in: Hard Work Honesty Transparency
Christien Payne
Principal
Student Attendance Affects Reading Achievement
Coming to school every day, really does count. A study conducted in 2016 shows a clear relationship between students’ attendance and students’ achievement in reading. This study conducted by ‘Progress in International; Reading Literacy Study’ (PIRLS) asked students about behaviours that could limit reading instruction. What was conclusive in the Australian data was that the fewer days a student is absent from school, the higher their average was in achievement for reading. Check out the data below to see how much student attendance really does effect reading.
Getting Back into Routine after the School Holidays
It’s always a bit tricky getting the kids to school once the school holidays have thrown them out of routine. Here’s a few hints from the experts on setting routines for school.
Keys for establishing a good routine for attending school
- have a set time to go to bed
- have a set time to get out of bed
- have uniform and school bag ready the night before
- have a set time for starting and finishing breakfast
- set a time for daily homework activities
- speak about school positively
- be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and the last day of term!
Enjoy your holidays and see you next term!
Jeremy Callaghan
Deputy Principal
Badge Recipients
We would like to congratulate are our newest Merit Badge recipients presented with their badges on Friday 18th September 2020. The purpose of a Merit Badge is to promote and recognise students that display outstanding behaviours at all times. Their exemplar behaviours reflect our School Wide Positive Behaviours. At Bowen State School we are Learners, Respectful, Responsible and Safe.
Prep Smiley Badge Recipients
Wiloe, Lilly, Rori, Lydia, Watuya, Thaikahnus, Charlotte, Blake, Dylan, Autumn & Eli
Year 1 Smiley Badge Recipient
Xavier & Natalie
Year 2 Smiley Badge Recipients
April, Darci & Brendan
Year 3 Smiley Badge Recipients
Year 4 Silver Badges
Year 5 Silver Badge Recipients
Vivian, Georgina, Dana, Jack, Layla & Emma
Year 5 Gold Badge Recipients
Lilly, Mark, Abby, Zycaal, Sophie, Cody, Bridie, Mia, Matilda, Edie, Emma & Franki
Year 6 Gold & Silver Badge Recipients
Gold Badges - Sienna & dakota
Silver Badge - Tai
2 D/G
This term, our class has read the Roald Dahl novel George’s Marvellous Medicine. In this book, George makes a disgusting medicine for his horrible grandma. 2D/G have had a lot of fun writing their own disgusting recipes (procedures) on laptops and presenting them to the class as a multimodal presentation. They learnt about the language features found in procedures and focused on writing extended noun groups as ingredients (e.g. five putrid slimy slugs) and included a variety of verbs at the beginning of each step in the method.
5S
Have been working on their narrative story writing. Working with a poem 'A Boy Names Sue' from a Johnny Cash song, they wrote some amazing stories.
A Boy Named Sue
By Edie Jackson
Drip Drop! Water harshly trickled off the roof and on to a muscular teenaged boy’s muddy runners as he quickly stormed out of his old, rusty house. He wore his favourite midnight black cap that he had turned around backwards to look cool. His blood red, checked shirt flapped gently in the howling wind. He looked behind him to see his heart broken mother, wipe away tears as she slowly waved goodbye. He noticed that she was usually sad but didn’t know why. He wondered if it was because she hated his unusual name, Sue. He didn’t think so. Whoosh! A large mossy green rock flung past him, almost grazing his scabbed face. Sue squinted only a little to see three bullies, slowly thudding towards him. He quickly pegged his nose for he knew they reeked of rotting garlic in a mouldy mouth.
‘’Aww!’’ Hissed an ugly voice. ‘’ Where’s your daddy SUE?” He sassed. Another mouldy brown rock flew past Sue’s muddy jeans. The filthy, cement path seemed to last forever. He heard another mean voice from beside him.
‘’Come on, tell us!’’ he roared with anger.
‘’Aint seen him since I was three.’’ Sue snarled. His heart swelled with a lonely sea of tears.
‘’Aww don’t cry!’’ the bullies teased.
Sue scoffed and stumbled ahead of them. A glimpse of sapphire blue sky appeared. Sue looked up but mumbled ‘’ It won’t last for long.’’
He was right, it disappeared not long after. Sue came up to one of the main intersections of the town. He hid like a snail in its shell.
‘’Ha ha hi Sue!’’ some people would laugh.
‘’Love the name buddy, NOT!’’ Others would hiss. Sue just put his head down and walked past them with embarrassment. Crash! Sue fell to the soft, muddy ground, grunting continuously in pain. He felt as stupid as someone looking for a needle in a hay bale. His shoes were torn pieces of paper, hanging off his big feet.
Below is another piece from 5S, this time for a writing competition
Dungeons
By Ilean Cookson
The sleek, midnight black dragon dragged her spiked tail across the emerald lush green grass to curl around her twitching talons as she calmly gazed up at the gleaming moon and twinkling stars.
“Nightgazer!” barked a furious voice from the shadowy cover of the towering trees. Nightgazer’s head whipped around, searching the trees for the outline of the dragon.
“I told you to stay in the cover of the trees, not standing in an open clearing where anyone can see you!” growled the voice as an enormous, gruffly, ebony black dragon with deadly spikes splintered down his tough spine stalked out through tangles of vines.
“I know Ebony I just wanted to see the night sky,’’ sighed Nightgazer, as she strode back into the shadow forest, casting a last longing look at the moon, then turning to follow Ebony.
“Why do you insist on me staying under cover?” Nightgazer asked Ebony curiously, catching up with him. “Why do you ask so many questions?” he answered wrily, bounding ahead of Nightgazer. She let out an irritated sigh and sat down on the leaf covered, muddy forest floor....
Lots of fun was had yesterday at our annual Colour Splash and Dash Event - What a great way to end the term! A big thank you to Bowen Police, Bowen Fire Station and Girudala for helping out on the day as well.
Just a reminder fundraising money is due online or back in the office by Friday 16th October - We are hoping to raise $7,000 for new shade tents for school events and carnivals.
