4 May 2016

Newsletter Articles

Mother’s Day Stall

The P&C will be holding a Mothers’ Day stall on Thursday the 5th May.

Gifts ranging in price from 50 cents to five dollars will be available, and children will be taken in their class groups to purchase items on Thursday.

It is a great chance for students to pick out something special for their mum (and we have a few gifts for grandmas as well!).

(If students can bring a plastic bag with them to put the gifts in to take home it would be great.)

Each class will see the Mother’s Day stall items on a walk through on Wednesday.

The Mothers’ Day stall is a fundraiser for the school’s chaplain, so all profits go towards supporting the valuable programs our chaplain runs and purchasing the resources she needs.

NAPLAN Testing – Year 3 and Year 5 students

Research shows – children who get a good early night’s sleep outperform those who stay up late.

Research shows children who have a wholesome breakfast outperform those who do not.

Being on time for school is important. Children are more settled and prepared.

Thus, to help your child achieve the best possible results in these tests please ensure they have a good night of sleep and are coming to school with a healthy breakfast under their belt. They start the day with a full attention span and well prepared for their best effort.

Tuesday May 10 – 2 tests. Language Conventions and Writing
Wednesday May 11 – 1 test. Reading
Thursday May 12 – 1 test. Numeracy

Mother’s Day Morning Tea

We’ve had a wonderful response again this year and Chappy Sam is looking forward to welcoming you all on Thursday from 10:30am in the Main School Hall. Your child/children shall meet you in the Hall after the 10:30am drums go

Anzac Day March

A big thank you to all the students, and the large number of staff, who marched in Maroochydore RSL Anzac Day March and for the support of their parents.

Cross Country

Monday May 23 - Some exciting news around our cross country this year with a new course under development which will include some oval running, dashing through small water jumps, running through sand, going under cargo nets, swerving through agility poles, crossing high jump mats and over a few mulch dunes.

We will be using the large school ovals over the main road and students are advised to bring an extra set of socks and shoes for this activity.

This will also be a P&C fundraising activity with sponsorship details coming home shortly from the P&C.

Exciting Tuckshop News

Due to popular demand, the Tuckshop will be trialling new hours!

As of Monday 9th May, the Tuckshop will be open for two days per week, on Mondays and Fridays. However, we will be open for 1st break only each day. Hot food orders and over-the-counter sales will be available on those days for first break. Should you require extra food for your child at lunch, you can still submit an order for second break. These will be sent to the class room with the 1st break orders. Children can put the food ordered for second break into their school bags to be eaten later.

Please note: For second break, no perishable/hot foods or ice blocks can be ordered and there will also be no over-the-counter sales. See following page for more details of what is available at each break.

The change in hours for the Tuckshop will allow us to offer this service to parents and students for two days per week instead of one. It will also make it possible for us to do more of our own baking so that cookies, muffins and slices are regularly available. These are not listed on our menu as we offer different items each week (what is currently available will be displayed outside the tuckshop). Muffins and slice are $1 each or cookies are 50 cents.

Along with our regular menu we are also offering a $5 meal deal each week, which will be advertised in the school newsletter, on the school facebook page, and outside the tuckshop. This will be available for the Friday and following Monday. These offers change weekly but will always include a main food item, seasonal fruit and a 100% juice box or a bottle of water.

With winter on its way, we are introducing a number of winter specials, including raisin toast, hot chocolate and milo (see next page for details).

We are very excited about our extended hours trial, and hope that parents and students will take full advantage of the increased service. Please note this is a trial, and we need as much parent support as possible (both in volunteers and in sales) if the extended hours are to be continued into term three and for the remainder of the year.

We hope to see you at the tuckshop!

Changes to Tuckshop Service as of Monday 9th May:

The tuckshop will be open: Mondays and Fridays from before school until end of first break

What is Available?

First break:

• The normal tuckshop menu for 2016 is available, along with over-the-counter sales.
• A $5.00 meal deal that will change weekly is also able to be ordered (includes hot food item, fruit and juice/cold water). See school facebook page or enquire at tuckshop what the current special is!
• All the winter specials are also available.

Raisin Toast ($1.00)
Hot Chocolate ($2.00 and order only)
Milo Poppers ($2.50)
Muffin/Slice ($1.00)
Cookies ($0.50)

Second Break:

Orders can still be placed for second break. These will be processed and sent to the classroom with the first break orders, allowing students to put it in their school bag to eat later.

*** Only the following items are available for second break orders ***

• Fruit ($1.00)
• Popcorn ($0.50)
• Cheese and Crackers ($1.00)
• Muffins/Slice ($1.00)
• Cookies ($0.50 each, minimum of two)
• Crisps ($1.50)
• Bottle of Cold Water ($1.50)
• Juice ($1.50)
• Flavoured Milk ($2.20)
  (Plain milk is not available for second break)
• Milo Poppers ($2.50)

**** There are no over-the-counter sales at second break. ***

School Photographs

School photographs will be taking place at school today Wednesday May 4. Oder forms went home two weeks ago and our last Newsletter also mentioned the photo day. Mrs Pool has also used Facebook to send out reminders.

Ordering and payment. All photographs can be ordered and paid for online. Or with cash, cheque, money order with the envelope to the school office.

Please note: all orders and payments are to be made by May 4.

Helping Hands

Kailah, the new Helping Hands director has an exciting new Super Spy Detective programme on offer. Details at the School Hall or from the brochures in the School Office.

Book Club

The P&C will be sending home the next book club edition in early May. Parents will be able to place their order directly online with Book Club.

School Facebook page

Mrs Pool updates the school Facebook frequently and we are hearing a more convenient way for parents today to get short bites of information.

Writing at MSS

It’s great to listen to and see fantastic creative writing from many of the students and this section of the newsletter will be shining the light on these successes. Take a look at this week’s highlight from year 4.

Year 4 have been working on different story endings for a book they have been listening to and discussing in class – The Twits. Here is a fantastic piece of work:

A Twit’s Pie by Erika

Today, Mr Twit was sad. Mrs Twit was too. Mrs Twit was bored sitting at home all day, so she decided to go to the park to be mean to small children. But, when Mrs Twit reached the park no one was there.

‘Where are those idiotic children?!’ Exclaimed Mrs Twit. She seated herself on the playground and started to swing. She went higher and higher. Suddenly, a blast of wind hit Mrs Twit and lifted her up swiftly into the clouds.

‘Ugh! Where am I?’ cried Mrs Twit. I can see a big house in the clouds. She raced to the house but invisible people pushed her off the clouds. Down she fell. Down to the bottom in a desert where she was eaten by eagles.

Meanwhile, Mr Twit was looking for Mrs Twit. He looked and looked but his wife was nowhere to be seen. He asked his neighbours and they said, ‘No.’ He then stopped for a rest in the woods and a lion came and ate him up.

Now Mr and Mrs Twit’s spirits are lurking around somewhere. Maybe in your classroom, maybe in the shopping centre, maybe even in your home!

Wow! What fantastic creativity Erika!

At the last staff meeting I introduced staff to the first step of the Seven Steps to Writing program – Planning for Success- Generating Ideas. The staff enjoyed the activities given and were able to produce 30 Ideas in 30 Seconds! These ideas range from melted chocolate, an Italian holiday, an evil fairy and double dipping in the ice cream!

Parents, did you know that thinking aloud – talking to yourself, is a great strategy for your child to use when writing? This means they say everything that occurs to them while they are writing. It’s useful in helping them to explain their actions and thoughts while they are proofreading their writing and making decisions about how to correct their work. (Alison Davis – Effective Writing Instruction 2013) It’s a fantastic strategy that I see the students using all the time to improve their writing.

Jenny Sharp
Writing Coach