28th February 2017

St Helens News L e a r n i n g w i t h F r i e n d s

TERM CALENDAR

Friday 3rd March Inter-school sport Friday 3rd March Cookie dough money due Monday 6th March Tennis program to commence Monday 27th March Pick-up day for Cookie dough

_______________________________________________ Integrity – The Self Responsible Learner Being responsible is a learned behaviour. It is not an accident and it requires patience and effort. It is important for our students to realise that to be more responsible they need to practise the skills designed to encourage independence and self-regulation. The value of integrity encapsulates the principles behind self-responsibility and are taught on a daily basis to our students. As previously mentioned, continually rehearsing and revising a variety of skills can help to strengthen a student’s understanding of this vital value. Students should begin by practising these simple steps:

• Completing chores given to you by your parents • Listen and follow directions at school • Ask questions when you are confused or don’t understand • Write down your assignments and projects • Set a regular schedule to help you complete your school

work • Study regularly for tests • Ask for help from others (friends, parents, teachers) when

necessary • Accept that being a student is your job and plan to do it

well

Galaxy Award This week the Galaxy Award was handed out to the Yr6 class. A big congratulations needs to be given to our senior students who have demonstrated commitment, integrity and respect during transition times around the school. The year 6 students have displayed fantastic leadership and this commitment needed to be recognised. Well done to our leaders, keep working hard.

Mr Jones Late last week the department informed Mr Jones of the continuation of his acting position as Assistant Regional Director. Mr Jones will continue in this role until the end of term one and will return to St Helens on the 18th of April (first day of term two). St Helens would like to thank Mrs Sanderson for her continued effort with our year 4/5 class as Mr Hansen remains in his acting Head of Curriculum role.

Burrumbuttock Hay Run

A special message below from Andy Hamilton to thank our students: Absolutely beautiful effort from the whole school. I filmed it from our perspective and will post later. Please pass on how much their effort meant to all of our team.

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Year 3N writing samples Year 3N have been learning how to ‘Tighten the Tension’ in their writing, by activating their senses and using descriptive language in their sentences. Have a look at some of the sentences they created from this stimulus picture!

We hear the thunder, and see a lightning strike hit the water in the distance. Is that storm coming this way? Soon we hear a THUMP from under the boat. We didn’t know this moment was going to happen. Was this the end? A gargantuan wave hits the boat, causing it to tip over. They can taste the sea water that they’d drunk earlier in an attempt to quench their thirst. The children point at a broken ship in the distance. Maybe hope was not lost for them. I see fins from hideous creatures slowly circling our boat. Something is coming to us. Is it a rescue boat? We call out ‘Help!’ ST HELENS PE/SPORTS REPORT

Well done to all of our year 5 & 6 students who participated in inter-school last Friday. We had excellent feedback from all venues commenting on the outstanding sportsmanship displayed by our students. They are a great representation of St Helens SS.

UPCOMING EVENTS Maryborough Basketball Trials (10 & 12 Year olds) Wednesday 8th March (after school, 3:45pm-5:00pm, M’boro Assoc. Courts, Ariadne St) Notes will be given to interested students. Maryborough Touch Football Trials (10 & 12 Year olds) Wednesday 8th March (after school, 3:45pm-5:00pm, M’boro Touch Assoc. Fields, Sydney St) Notes will be given to interested students. Maryborough Zone Softball Trials Second Trial Day (10 & 12 Year olds) GIRLS ONLY Wednesday 1st March (after school, 3:45pm-5:00pm, M’boro Softball Assoc. Fields, Searle St) Notes will be given to interested students.

CONTINUING EVENTS St Helens Swimming Program. Starts Friday 3rd Feb (Year 2 students only) The program will continue for the rest of Term 1. Money must be paid to the office with signed forms prior to participating. Inter-School Sport (Year 5 & 6 students only) Starts Friday 24th Feb (continues for 5 weeks) Sports involved will be Football Soccer / Rugby League / Netball / Hockey / Oztag. St Helens will only send teams to sports that have a full team nominated. District Representatives Congratulations to the following students who were selected last week in Maryborough District AFL & Softball teams: AFL: Noah McCarthy & Tom Briese Softball: Jordyn Edwards, Chad Duggan & Lachlan Collishaw These students will now compete at the Wide Bay Trials next month. Sporting Schools – Tennis program Next week lessons will commence at first break on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Permission notes have gone home and if your child wishes to participate please return the forms to the office.

Book Club - Due Friday 10th March This week your child has been given Issue 2 of book club. The library benefits from book club as every order earns points which can be redeemed as books for the library. If you wish to order you now have several ways you can do this.

1. Cash 2. Cheque 3. Credit Card using LOOP. This basically means you can

order online or download the app for your iPhone or iPad and order there. Instructions for this are on your child’s order form.

Please drop any orders to the office. You do not need to drop anything off to the office if you have ordered and paid using the LOOP system. Orders are due in by Friday 10th March If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at the library. Mr Fraser Teacher Librarian P&C News The P&C will be having the AGM on Tuesday the 14th of March at 6pm in the library. It will be followed by the General meeting. Thanks to everyone who has been selling cookie dough and supporting our fundraiser!

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Forms for the cookie dough orders are due Friday (March 3) at the office, or you can pay online at www.cookiedough.com.au by searching for '4650' and 'St Helens'. The online ordering has been extended to Sunday 5th March. All cash payments must still be in by Friday. Funds raised will contribute towards air-conditioning for the remaining classrooms, so we're grateful to the whole school community for supporting this very worthwhile project. School Banking We had some issues with the Commonwealth Bank setting up our new banking coordinator last week. The money has been deposited but will not show up in student bank accounts until later this week. We are looking for volunteers to help out on a Friday morning from 8-8.45am. Curriculum Corner Reading Strategies at St Helens Over the course of the year your child continues to build on their reading and comprehension skills. They do this by reading 1 on 1 with an adult, in a small group or as a whole class. I will highlight the strategies that are being developed in classrooms:

Activating Prior Knowledge We activate prior knowledge when we think about all the things we already know about a topic. This can include what we have experienced personally and what we have read about, seen on TV or at the movies, etc. Thinking about what we already know is useful because it gives us a base to build new knowledge and helps you to make connections with the text. This is a great strategy to use before you start a story with your child at home. Use the title & cover to activate prior knowledge.

Change of Details Please inform the school if you have changed any phone numbers or contact details. Also emergency contact details if you feel that they need to be updated. We need the correct details at all times as this assists us if an emergency arises.

Dinner Table Topics

Prep Possums & Wombats – Keep up the great work with Home Reading! Please remember to only write in one book per night. What sight words can your child recognise in their home readers? Year 1A & 1R – We are trying very hard to form our numbers and letters correctly, please keep helping them do this in their homework.

Year 2B – In Science students have been learning about different properties through investigations. They are examining different materials and identifying as many properties as possible. Look around your home and see how many different water resistant objects you can find.

Year 2C – We are learning about the states of Australia and the Continents of the world in Geography. This will be related to our previous work on geographical scale where States are defined as regional scale, countries are national scale and our world is global scale. Year 3F – Our focus for the coming weeks will be reading and understanding what we read. I would encourage you all to read every night with your child. These are ways in which you can help them to become better readers.

Year 3N– It is so exciting to see the writing that students in Year 3N have been producing lately! If your child hasn’t already been ‘tightening the tension’ by narrating their lives at home, ask them to show you! If they have… I apologise, and thank you for your patience! It is definitely helping them improve their writing!

Year 3/4H – We began our fair test in science last week and the students are now able to observe the growth of their bean plants. We changed one variable by providing our plants with different lighting. One plant receives direct sunlight, one receives filtered light and the other is in complete darkness. The plants are in the same type of soil and received the same amount of water. Ask your child about the second fair test we have begun. This time we changed the type of soil used.

Year 4S – It would be a helpful dinner table topic this week to quiz your child about their knowledge of fractions and their relationship to decimals. Being in the kitchen or garden and talking about halves, quarters etc will help children relate to fraction and decimal problems. Not enough children relate these numeracy aspects with daily life, so this would be a wonderful opportunity to help with your child’s progress.

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Year 4/5H - In science we are investigating adaptations that help animals survive in extreme environments. Students will look at different types of extreme environments and how animals cope with these hostile conditions. We are then researching the Polar Bear and its environment. For our assessment later in the term, students will require a USB stick for me to download the “Create a Creature” slideshow information. If you do not have a USB stick students will be creating and presenting their creatures on paper. Year 5H - As a part of our English assessment this term, your child will be drafting, proofreading, editing and publishing a fantasy narrative. We will be using PowerPoint to publish our narratives and require a USB to save our work on to. If your child doesn’t already have a USB at school, can you please send one to school in the next week. Year 6M – I’m very proud of the students for winning the Galaxy Award. Parent teacher notes will come home within the next week. Choir News – Senior Choir practice every Thursday at 11am. There will be a note and agreement form sent home this week outlining expectations, Class Dojo details and student commitment. Community news Tombola Saturday 18th March 2017 Maryborough Pensioners Hall, Adelaide Street Doors open 11:30am for a 1pm start 100’s of great prizes to be won including: Home baked goods, handicrafts, grocery items, fruit and veg and much more. Complimentary afternoon tea. Rainbow for Girls supporting Act for Kids, Maryborough Hay Runners and Rural Patient Support.

Kindy Trivia Night Granville Kindy Trivia Night is being held on Saturday 25th March at Aldridge State High School. Thanks to some very generous sponsors we are offering a $500 first prize and $200 second prize!!!!! There will also be round prizes and heaps of games, challenges and a silent auction with some fantastic prizes to be won! The cost is only $10 per person OR $8 per person if pre-paid at Kindy prior to the event. Tables of 4-8 people and drinks and food will be served on the night. Doors open at 5.30pm for a 6.30 pm start. Why not get a group of friends, family or work colleagues together and test your knowledge?! It will be lots of fun and the Granville Community Kindergarten will greatly appreciate your support. Call Kindy on 4122 3320 to book or table.

Star of the Week

Prep Possum

Ollie Collins For his commitment to doing his best in all classroom activities.

Prep Wombat

Kiarney Kernke For working hard to blend her phonemes to read words.

Year 1A Noah Schwarzrock For being a well-mannered and hardworking student.

Year 1R Cooper Jeffrey For always being an enthusiastic class member. You’re a Super Star!

Year 2B Sarah Whitaker For the exceptional way that you demonstrate manners in our school. You are a Super Star!

Year 2C Felicity Field For your enthusiasm and commitment and your considerate approach to all you meet.

Year 3F Amelia Lingard For amazing Sizzling Starts in your writing. Well done.

Year 3N Rick Long For being a committed and kind member of our class each day. You are amazing!

Year 3/4H Cooper Neilsen For his commitment towards his narrative plan.

Year 4S Koby Stevens For your quiet yet dedicated approach to your learning every day.

Year 4/5H Rosie Straker For always being a positive and helpful member of our classroom. Fantastic work!

Year 5H Cillian Scrase For outstanding integrity in and out of the classroom.

Year 6M Eli Daw For consistently putting in 100% effort. Your commitment to learning is exciting Eli!

Library Parx Bull (1R) For listening politely to this week’s story and answering questions correctly.