Newsletter Term 2 Week 1 2024
Principal's Message
Welcome to Term 2
A warm welcome back to all our students for Term 2. I trust all our families had an enjoyable break from school over the past fortnight. It has been great seeing all our students settle quickly back into their school routines. I have visited most classrooms over the past few days and it has been great seeing so much quality teaching and learning taking place.
Semester 1 Report Cards
After consultation with our P&C and staff, this semester we are trialling a new process for our student report cards. Instead of report cards going home at the end of Term 2, they will be sent home early in Term 3. The purpose of this change is to maximise teaching and learning time and improve student achievement. Many schools across QLD have moved to this model and typically there has been an improvement in student achievement as a result of more time being available to complete semester 1 units of work.
We are also going to trial sending report cards home to families via email. This will ensure that all parents will receive their child’s report card in a timely way, and saves the school significant printing cost. An information letter will be sent out about this change to all families. Parents will still be able to request a paper report card if they prefer or don’t use email. We will also be reminding parents to update their email addresses if these have changed since they enrolled their child.
Masina Taule’alo
Principal
Junior Campus Deputy Principal
Welcome back to Term 2
Learning mathematics
In maths this term, the Preps are continuing to learn how to recognise and name numbers from 0 to 20. They are beginning to learn how to add and subtract small collections of objects and are learning to copy and continue simple patterns using colours, shapes, pictures, symbols, sounds and movements.
Year 1 mathematics learning will include recognising, representing and ordering numbers from 0 to 100, as well as partitioning (breaking into parts – e.g., tens and ones) numbers from 0 to 20 and using this strategy to calculate addition and subtraction problems.
Year 2 mathematics involves investigating number sequences and identifying number patterns. Students will count in 2s, 3s, and 5s and use this knowledge to find missing numbers in a number pattern or sequence. They will also build on their understanding of place value to partition (break into tens and ones) numbers up to 999, and use this knowledge to solve addition and subtraction problems.
Alexis Bell
Prep English learning in Term 2
This term in English, our Prep students are listening to a range of different story books and are learning how to retell these stories. They will respond to stories their teacher has read by answering questions like:
- Tell me about the characters in the story.
- Tell me something you like or don’t like about the story or a character from the story.
- Tell me why.
- Have you ever felt the same way as this character?
- Have you ever done something like this?
- What is the message the author is trying to give us? What does the story teach us?
Students will begin to use their knowledge of letters and sounds to write their responses to the stories they have shared.
Some of the stories the students will be listening to include:
Year 1 English learning in Term 2
Our Year 1 students are exploring stories, including stories from the Dreamtime in English this term. They will identify the beginning, middle and end of stories and discuss the problem that occurs in each story. Their writing will include retelling the stories they have shared, including details of the events and characters in each story.
Year 2 English learning in Term 2
In English this term, our Year 2 students are learning how to write an information report. They will learn about a range of different animals and be able to write a description of the animal, identify their habitat and diet and other interesting facts about the animal. They will present their findings in an information report using the iPad app Book Creator.
Middle Campus Deputy Principal
Welcome to Term 2!
We are so excited to see all of our year 5 and year 6 students back from holidays. We have started the term with lots of enthusiasm and excitement.
Winter uniform
As the weather gets colder please make sure your student has either a grey or maroon jumper, tracksuit pants or grey tights under skirt or shorts. No hoodies. We are also noticing more students coming to school without a hat so please ensure they have a hat to protect them from the sun.
Senior Shirts
We estimated delivery of Senior Shirts end of term, 1 however the company has informed us that they mistakenly delivered them to another address. We are following this up daily and will keep everyone up to date.
Golden Gotchas
Please make sure to ask your student if they have received any Golden Gotchas as this is such a valuable way to acknowledge the good choices they are making. We love acknowledging our students that are following the school expectations of Trust, Courage and Respect.
Sonya Wright
Attendance-Every Day Counts
Every day counts is a state-wide initiative that aims to assist in improving student attendance at school through a shared commitment by students, parents, caregivers, schools and the community.
“Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.“
Why it’s important
We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years of school. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. Each missed day is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading.
What we can do
The main reasons for absence are:
Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick, and that you notify the school when this occurs. Setting good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can have a positive impact in reducing absence caused by illness.
If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let the school know so we can work together to get your child to school every day. For more information and resources to help address attendance issues, visit: https://education.qld.gov.au/initiatives-and-strategies/initiatives/every-day-counts
Teaching and Learning at Mabel
How can you support your child’s learning at home?
This is a question we frequently get asked. The first answer I always give is to have a conversation with your child. Ask them questions that do not have a one-word answer. Ask them to give reasons why “they want something (“persuade me”). Talking with your children is so important to their learning.
My next response is always about reading. Have your child read to you or you read to them and then talk about what you have read. Ask each other questions about what you read together. You could be reading a social media post or watching a video. Discuss the information, discuss what it made you think about. Read signs when you are in the car. Talk about what the signs mean.
Maree Martin
Head of Department Curriculum
Here are some other ideas:
Cooking helps with:
- Reading – learn new words, practice sounding our words, sequencing
- Numeracy – numbers, fractions
- Social skills – communication, taking turns
Playing games together helps with:
- Reading – new words, use visuals to help understand
- Numeracy – number facts (+and -), problem solving
- Social skills – following instructions, how to be a good winner or loser, taking turns
Student Services at Mabel
What is school refusal?
Refusing to attend school out of fear or anxiety about attending is not the same as "wagging" or truancy. The antisocial behaviours that are normally associated with truancy—such as lying, stealing, or property destruction—are not commonly displayed by students who choose not to attend school. In contrast to truancy, absences are typically disclosed to family members. Families may have genuinely tried a variety of techniques to help the young person attend school by lowering their anxiety. Refusal may not be viewed as misbehaviour, but rather as an emotional issue.
What are the impacts?
Refusal to attend school is a severe problem that is best handled early. Children and young people who miss a lot of school miss out on a significant portion of the curriculum. By upsetting patterns, school rejection can also lead to conflict and damaged relationships among families. Income may also be impacted if family members choose to stay at home with the child or young person instead of going to work. According to research, skipping school can increase the risk of mental health problems, emotional and social problems, early school dropout, and difficulties finding a job later in life.
What are the signs?
It is common for students to have anxiety or worry before starting school. However, severe stress and anxiety can cause some adolescents to refuse to attend school. As a parent, you may see any of the following indicators of school refusal:
- frequent requests to stay home;
- tantrums, clinginess, dawdling, or running away upon arrival (children in primary school);
- frequent complaints of illness (such as stomach aches, headaches, dizziness, or fatigue);
- absences on specific days (such as sports day or days when assessment is due);
Other long-term medical disorders may also be the cause of these symptoms. To determine the underlying cause of school refusal, collaboration between the students teacher and other outside experts, such as a general practitioner, is crucial. If your child is experiencing school refusal, please let the HOD SS for that year level know so they can assist you with a plan to improve attendance and help the student come to school regularly and engage in learning.
Teresa Radicke, Sarah Williamson and Karen Gardyne
Head of Department Student Services
Are your contact details up to date?
In the event of an emergency or accident, the school MUST be able to contact you immediately by telephone, so we need to have the most up-to-date information on our system.
Please keep us updated with any new home address, telephone number and email addresses.