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Dear Parents/ Carers,
Thank you again for the continued positive communications I have with parents, carers and students of Bowen State School. I am thoroughly enjoying being out and about in the playground, spending time in classroom, talking to children before and after school. All of our students continue to show how respectful, friendly and engaging they are.
NAPLAN
We continually reflect back on past efforts of our students and consider the programs we have implemented to ensure we are focusing on every student succeeding on a daily basis. This week our Year 3 and Year 5 students participated in the Nationally implemented NAPLAN tests that focus on spelling, grammar and punctuation, writing, reading and numeracy. I am extremely proud of all of our students. It was wonderful to see how much effort all students put in, but it was even better seeing how confident our students were once they had complete the test. Year 3 and Year 5, you are all amazing.
These tests will provide us with the opportunity for a snapshot of data against students from like schools, from the State and also from the Nation. This year the NAPLAN tests are directly aligned to the Australian Curriculum which is exactly what it should be as this is the only way we can continually work with our students daily on improving literacy and numeracy to improve their outcomes. Context for learning is how students learn not in isolation. I commend the students and teachers for their efforts in learning and teaching.
Chappy Week
A big shout out to all Chaplains next week as we celebrate the great work Chaplains do in our schools. We particularly acknowledge our Chaplain, Chappy Adam, for his wonderful efforts in working with all in our community. His compassion and enthusiasm is well evident. Thank you Chappy Adam for all that you do in our community. I am excited for a fun week ahead next week.
Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing you all next week.
Pokémon Cards / Equipment
We have a number of students who are bringing a range of Pokémon cards / folders / equipment / cases to school in recent weeks. Students who have chosen to bring these to school have been made aware that they are able to ‘play’ with them at 1st break in the library. Pokémon cards are not to be used outside of these times or this area. Please ensure that you speak with your child if they are bringing these belongings to school and remind them that they are not to be bringing money to purchase cards off other students or playing with them outside of the designated time.
School Lunches
Children require healthy food throughout the day to have the stamina to learn and engage in the school day. We have noticed an increase in the number of students not having lunch at school and seeking additional food through the tuckshop or collecting lunch packs which have been generously donated by Girudala.
We have also noted some students are using money sent from home to purchase slushies and icy-cups from the tuckshop and also collecting a lunch pack.
We encourage all parents to speak with their children about their lunch, quantity of food and their tuckshop choices if applicable.
Reminder that you can pre-order tuckshop items using the Flexi School app to avoid your child not purchasing healthy lunches.
Kind Regards,
Mrs Elizabeth Mayo
PB
The students in Prep B are enjoying listening to and retelling stories this term. We usually work in small groups to practice our retelling. With our teacher, we read books and talk about the beginning, middle and end of the story. We write and draw about it. We have made wall stories from our retelling. Sometimes we use felt board characters or puppets to act out our retelling. What a lot of fun we have with the puppets! We plan to set up a theatre in the classroom so we can present our puppet plays and story retells to an audience. Our class has some great little actors and puppeteers so we will have a lot of fun learning about stories and retelling them!
1/2B
1/2B are looking at describing characters in stories this unit. Year 1 are looking at writing a description of a character from the end of the story. Year 2 are comparing 2 similar characters from fairytales. We need to know about the appearance, traits, thoughts and actions of characters. Year 1 read The Very Blue Thingamajig and then drew their own thingamajig and described it.
3B
3B have just completed a week of NAPLAN and what a great job they've done! I am so proud of how positive they have been throughout the whole process.
In English, we have been reading Charlotte's Web and are now beginning to write our letters to persuade city children to come and visit a farm, like us country folk are used to! For Monday afternoon sport, Mr Gulliver has put 3B through two intense fitness sessions. As you can tell by the attached picture, they must've worked extremely hard as this was the result at the end of it - bodies lying all over the ground!
4B
In 4B we have begun a visual arts unit called “Patterns in our playground”. We have been exploring the use of line and colour to represent patterns in our classroom and in our playground. On Thursday this week we went exploring through our school to find these patterns. We are looking forward to creating some collaborative pieces to display in our room.
5B
6B
Currently in 6B, students are learning about advertising in order to construct a multi-modal advertisement to persuade readers as to why Bowen is the ultimate holiday destination! Students are learning about the text structure of advertisements including the headline, sub-headline, copy text, logo, images, and slogan; as well as the language features used to persuade readers such as modality, repetition, emphasis, rhetorical questions, figurative language, and evaluative language.
Week 3
| PA | Elijah Maaka |
| Prep/1C | Felicity Gorham |
| 1A | Ryan Crook |
| 2C | Charlotte Atwood |
| 3A | Elliana Bath |
| 3B | Noah Murphy |
| 3C | Sienna Dickinson |
| 4A | Sophie brazil |
| 4B | Macey Todd |
| 4/5C | Serenity Pini |
| 5B | Billie Teale |
| 5/6C | Hector Dyer |
| 6A | Miah Matheson |
Week 4
| PA | Mia McCluand |
| PB | Tannacee Lea |
| Prep/1C | Jasper Bath |
| 1A | Kobi McPherson |
| 1/2B | Inndika Sanderson |
| 2A | Havana Power |
| 2C | Sonny Prichard |
| 3A | Glynnie Domingo |
| 3B | Hannah Farley |
| 3C | Mahalia Solomon |
| 4A | Tynan Anderson |
| 4B | Selena Archibald |
| 4/5C | Cody Horstman |
| 5A | Sage Dunkerton |
| 5B | Dylan Bath |
| 5/6C | Breeanna Jorgensen |
| 6A | Audette Paterson |
| 6B | Kauri Rerekura |
Guidance Officer
Last week Bowen State School celebrated Guidance Officers, my heart was full when the whole school roared three cheers and presented myself with a video of thanks and a cake. So what is a Guidance Officer and what do they do?
* Guidance officers are specialist teachers that work with staff (teachers, teacher aides, CEC, Chaplains); students; families; specialists or external support providers to improve outcomes for students.
* Support offered by guidance officers includes providing advice and counselling on educational, behavioural, vocational, personal, social, family, and mental health and wellbeing issues.
* Assessments to gather information on students learning profile to enhance positive educational outcomes.
* Guidance officers provide leadership, support and case management in responding to some of the most complex and challenging of circumstances including student protection matters, critical incidents, mental health issues, and suicide prevention and postvention support.
* Guidance officers require a diverse range of skills and knowledge and an ability to form strong and productive relationships with key stakeholders in order to develop and implement plans and programs that are responsive to the needs of students
If you need more information please stop and have a chat when you see me around.
Next week of celebrating all things Chaplaincy with heaps of fun and raising awareness of the Chaplaincy role Bowen State School.
Chappy Adam Goode is a key member of the school's Student Support Team and school community, his role is funded by the Federal Government for two days per week and State Government one day per week.
We are really lucky to have such a connected, fun, outgoing, professional, knowledgeable and approachable Chaplain that goes above and beyond for the Bowen State School Community.
What does our Chaplain do?
* Chappy provides pancakes breakfasts with Rainer Power CEC, the pancake mix is sponsored by the Bowen Baptist church.
* Chappy provides social, emotional and spiritual support to individual students through:
* Student check-ins and mentoring,
* Pastoral conversations
* Group work such as Boys Group (year 6 boys Wednesday afternoons)
* Alternative Learning In Various Environments (ALIVE) Thursday 2:30pm-4pm
* Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) rewards
* Lunch time connection with students
* Completes reports and attend P and C meetings
* Staff support
* Chef for sausage sizzles
* Chappy supports all whole school events
If you see Chappy Adam around please thank him for all his efforts to support students at our school.
Community Education Counsellor (CEC)
Week 6 Bowen State School celebrates ‘Reconciliation Week’. Reconciliation week to us is about all of us acknowledging the past and moving forward together whilst we all share and celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural, spiritual and educational practices.
- We will have an information board on the parade ground at Breakfast club Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
- Garreth Prior Sport and Recreation Officer based at Girudala will be on site for Indigenous games at lunch time.
- The school will be exploring the website https://www.reconciliation.org.au/ in class.
- Indigenous leaders and performance group will present at parade on Friday.
Rainer Power is our CEC, we a please to have him onsite Monday-Friday. We are one of few primary schools in the Northern Region to have a CEC. Here’s a run-down on what a CEC does:
* Supports engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
* Explain the education system and various policies that impact on students.
* Support parents during parent/teacher interviews.
* Identify and establish links with support services for Indigenous students.
* Facilitate links with Elders and key Indigenous community persons.
* Provides lunch packs to school community through Girudala education officer Paul White
* Encourage parent involvement/ engagement with the school.
* Facilitate home visits if required
* Tracks attendance
* Check ins, mentoring, group programs such as Boys Group and ALIVE, enrichment programs
* Supports whole school events
At Bowen State School we implement a whole school approach to the teaching of Number Facts. All students from year 1 to 6 are tested at the end of each term, to determine the strategies that they need to learn and practice during the next term.
Cross Country
Congratulations to all students who competed in Bowen District Cross Country Trials at Merinda last Tuesday. Special mention to the following students who made the Bowen District Cross Country Team:
10 Year old girls- Megan Daniel Anau, Hayley Kleinert, Edie Jackson
10 Year old boys- Lenny Lawrence, Denan Lavaring, Alex Thomas
11 Year old girls- Mackenzie Horstman, Rebecca Daniel, Sienna Sawdy
11 Year old boys- Samuel Adams, Jacob Logan
12 Year old girls- Alisa Thomas, Breanna Jorgensen
12 Year old boys- Zaine Mason, Darcy McLeod
These students will go on to complete at Scottville in the Whitsunday Cross Country Trials on May 20th. Good luck!!
Soccer
Congratulations to the following students for being successful in making the Whitsunday Soccer Team.
* Denan Lavaring
* Sienna Sawdy
* Tyler Cowen
* Shanae Murdock
NQ Trials will be held at the end of May in the Burdekin. Good luck guys!
The band is progressing on to new music this term and groups will be performing on parades before the end of term. We have a workshop that is for beginners and experienced players being held at BSHS Hall on June the 23rd. Students will have the opportunity to learn from, and work with members of the Qld Symphony Chamber Orchestra. The combined bands will then perform in a concert later in the afternoon. More information to come.
The mid year concert is going to be held on the second Friday of term 3 this year due to the many activities towards the end of term 2. It will be held at the high school but all of Mr. Osmans schools will be involved as well as the high school band so our students can see them perform as well.
