IMPORTANT DATES

WEEK SIX EDITION

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Hi Everyone,

May

31st (Friday) – Student of the

Month awards given on Parade

31st (Friday) – Week 6

Newsletter Emailed

June

6th/7th (Thurs/Fri) – District

Athletics Carnival – more info

to come from Mr Lane

5th (Wednesday) – Chess

Competition – Avoca SS

14th (Friday) – DISCO in Hall

P-3 5pm-6:15pm; 4-6 6:15-

7:30pm

14th (Friday) – Week 8

Newsletter sent home

17th (Monday) – P&C Meeting

3pm-4pm in staff room at

school

17th (Monday) – Academic

Triathlon (Chess) at Agnes

Water State School

July

1st -14th – July Holidays

15th (Monday) – School

Returns for Term 3

Our Next Newsletter

Week 8 – Friday June 14

Our School Rules:

I am Respectful

I am Responsible

I am Safe

I am A Learner

Welcome to our week six newsletter. We have been very busy at our

wonderful school. Please see below for more information.

1770 Festival 2019

A huge thank you to Mrs Heenan, staff, parents/carers, students and

community members for your support towards our float in this year’s

1770 Float Parade. As you can see from the photos below, the students

looked amazing in their different costumes. The theme was centred on

HARMONY and values we can take to be more harmonious in life. To

make the day even better, we won the people’s choice trophy for best

float in the parade – GO AGNES WATER STATE SCHOOL!!

During 2019’s 1770 festival, I also had the great opportunity to be a

part of the Cook’s landing re-enactment. It was a blast to be a part of

and I thank all the cast and crew for their support during practice and

on the evening of the re-enactment.

Principal Messages Continued…

Buddy Bench

During week 5, we had a visit from Mr Stephen Bennett MP (State Member for Burnett) as well as the men

from the Bagara Men’s Shed to deliver a new ‘Buddy Bench’ for the school. The School Captains were on hand

to take a picture with Mr Bennett as well as be in a video (video shared on the school’s Facebook page). School

leaders will be monitoring the ‘buddy bench’ for any students feeling lonely or require support during playtime.

This is a great initiative and will help support all our wonderful students during times of need.

Wheel of Wellbeing + Student Wellbeing Framework

On Tuesday May 21, I attended a Wheel of Wellbeing workshop at Rosedale State School facilitated by our

own Keryn Heenan (1/2 Teacher). The Wheel of Wellbeing is a vehicle within a school’s wellbeing framework

to support students and staff to be able to learn sustainably with a healthy mind and a positive attitude. One

take-away from this workshop was that we must take time throughout the school day to ensure students are

settled and focused so that they are as successful as possible at the tasks ahead. I also enjoyed learning

about the Science of WOW and how participation in calming/focusing activities increases productivity

exponentially. We are also focused on ensuring staff’s wellbeing are at the forefront of our minds and we are

able to carry out our important jobs to our best potential. WoW is based on positive psychology and backed

by research that shows particular practices in daily living enhance personal wellbeing and resilience. WoW

focuses on six key themes of individual mental health and wellbeing: Body, Mind, Spirit, People, Place and Planet.

Newsletter Write-Ups Timetable

Due to the great success of class write-ups in term one, we have made this section bigger and better for term

two. Please see the timetable of when classes will have write-ups in the newsletter. Each class will have write-

ups twice this term. Science, LOTE and Music are in this week’s newsletter.

Week Class/Specialist Area

2 P/1DT, 2/3KL, 5/6LS

4 P/1HL, 1/2KH, 2/3MH, 5/6H, 4/5ML, 4RG

6 Science, LOTE, Music

8 P/1HL, 1/2KH, 2/3MH, 5/6H, 4/5ML, Student Council

10 P/1DT, 2/3KL, 5/6LS, 4RG

We are over half way through term two and I wish all students the very best as we start to get in to

assessments. Remember, tell us what you know, what you don’t know and try your very best. The purpose of

assessment is to work out our students’ next step for learning. Attendance is crucial during this time.

Thanks Everyone

Mr Tim Loughland – Principal

Head Of Curriculum – Leigh Tankey Updated Reporting Policy

We are always aiming to improve the processes in our school to ensure that maximum benefit for student learning is

gained. As a school, we are required to provide a written report to parents twice a year outlining student achievement

against relevant standards, effort and behaviour. Over the past months we have been working together using teacher

and parent input, Education Qld Policy and research articles to improve the reporting processes for the school. We

have presented our new Reporting Policy to our P&C and have received favourable feedback. While there are varying

personal opinions about the way report cards are written, it is overwhelmingly obvious that parents want the report

card to be easier to read, less jargon, more meaningful for the student and parent. In the survey that both teachers and

parents completed, it was encouraging to see that we all agree on the top most important aspects when reporting

student progress – effort, achievement, behaviour and the overall comment. We have used this feedback to create the

template for the report card that you will receive at the end of this semester.

So, what’s different?

We have removed the Learning Area

comments, and placed the mark for

effort next to the achievement mark.

We have broadened what we include

in the overall comment to reflect

your child’s work habits, behaviour,

attitude to learning and a goal for

their reading. We have kept the

homework and extra-curricular

areas. There is an explanation on the

report card to show what each level

of achievement means – reinforcing

the fact that a C standard means that

your child is demonstrating the

aspects of the Achievement

Standard for their year level. If your

child is not demonstrating the

aspects of the Achievement

Standard for any of the Learning

Areas, your child’s teacher will be in

contact with you about this prior to

the report card going home to

discuss how we are supporting their

learning journey.

We have also adjusted the timing of

our Term 3 Parent Interviews to

allow teachers to explain and show

evidence for the Term 2 report card.

This will mean they will be held

earlier next term and we will invite

you to book a time. In week 1 of

term 3 we will hold a Parent

Information session on ‘How to read

your child’s report card’ and of course, you are always welcome to give us a call or send an email with any questions.

Thanks for your input into this extremely valuable process. Please keep the lines of communication open.

Enhancing Wellbeing…what are you grateful for?

Positive Psychology researcher Dr Barbara Fredrickson has compiled a top ten list of positive emotions, that, if

cultivated and nurtured can lead to many benefits. Small daily doses can enhance resilience, undo negative emotions

and more. These emotions are joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, love. Dr

Fredrickson defines Gratitude as ’when we appreciate something that has come our way. It is when we say “Thank

you” not out of obligation, but out of a sincere feeling of gratefulness. It is about feeling blessed and wanting to bless

others from a place of recognizing and appreciating the “good things” in our lives. We want to “pay it forward”,

simply because there is a wish to give back. It is about feeling lucky and fortunate.’

This is something that we can weave into our daily routine and is great to talk about when our children are feeling like

things aren’t going their way. It can quickly become a way of looking at the world that builds resilience and lets them

find something to appreciate daily.

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” Tom Peters

Each person on this team of educators brings an essential and important element that leads to creating a wonderful

place of learning for our children. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of Mrs Karen Hartley. Mrs Hartley has a unique

way of connecting with her learners through her sense of humour and love of learning. As one of our upper years

teachers she builds a great rapport with our senior students and is responsible for so many of the extra opportunities

that come their way – from organising the much anticipated Year 6 shirts, to the school camp, Art Show entry and

more. Thanks for going above and beyond Mrs Hartley, we appreciate you.

We would love to hear from you. What wonderful things do you see happening in our beautiful school? Send me an

email at ltank1@eq.edu.au

Mrs Leigh Tankey

Look at the wonderful Art Show

entry created by our 5/6 students,

supported by Mrs Hartley.

P.E. - Stuart Lane

Hello Everyone,

With District Athletics fast approaching, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the team once

again.

Next week Josie and Ayla are off to Maryborough to compete in the Bundaberg team for Cross Country.

They have attended a training session already and are ready to run next week. This event allows them the

chance for selection in the Wide Bay Team. Good luck girls!

Auskick is up and running and a good turnout is attending Friday afternoons. It’s not too late to sign up or

come along and see what it is all about.

I have completed the Athletics records that now include our 5 year olds for field events. In the following

years I will continue to add more records. We had a few records broken this year.

Josie Peters broke the 10 years girls long jump record from 2002 with a jump of 3.28m, she also broke the

10 years girls high jump record with a jump of 1.17m from 2010.

Sunni Rasmussen broke the 11 years girls 100m sprint record with a time of 15.31, the previous record was

from 2000.

2019 Agnes Water State School Athletics Team.

Fallon Harris Emilie Anderson

Marley Impey Oceane Lowcock

Shyla Wood June Martin

Josie Peters Ada Horwell

Jett Casalick Sunni Rasmussen

Charlotte Yantsch Tegan Percy-Hughes

Belle Impey Ayla Klicker

Annie McLean Savannah Taylor

Chelsea Wardlaw Mis Poustie

Zoe Rolach-Ward Tarnia Watts

Ella Walsh-Powell Param Shah

Sonny Kelly-Stainer Kaius Rasmussen

Jake Klicker Asher Mergard

Drew Poustie Mathew McDougal

Ryan Sevenson Edison Rodgers

Jacob Williams Levi Fraser

Malachi Pittman-Williams Willow Lee

Dion Smith Colby Halliday

Ari McCollum Maxi Wood

Riley Thompson Haiden Campbell

Bohdi Rasmussen Darval Robertson-Cipak

Science – Mr John Hancock

A fragile little sea horse found locally.

First term the classes looked at Biological Science and now this term at Physical Science but the interest in

all things science is encouraged all year so it is great to see all manner of general interest science items

being brought to the room. Display space is fairly tight but we try to have a spot for things that come in.

Students are being encouraged to work on the standard of the work they do in their journals, even when it is

notes while doing hands on – Scientists need to report and publish their findings and it is not much use if

no-one can read it!

Thanks to the parents who are so supportive of their children bringing things in – I think sometimes it can

be a challenge to find the right container!!

I never know what is coming in. “Ya gotta

love that!” (Aussie teacher speak!)

The Great Debate – Is the black molly pregnant??

Ask a Yr 5/6 student for an opinion!

Monday morning – 27/05. Harry found this

on Sunday and now it has a web cocoon.

Paper clip for size reference. Curiosity and

interest.

“Of course I know how to reassemble it- honest!”

Year 6 girls looking at the ‘works’ of a computer.

LOTE - Peta Swan

In Indonesian this semester, students are

having fun enriching their language and

cultural knowledge with a series of hands on

activities, exploring the diversity of

Indonesia through stories, shared reading,

traditional costumes and songs.

As for assessment, the lower primary

students will demonstrate their language

skills through the use of mini-stories,

rhymes, songs, games and Wayang Kulit

shadow puppet plays. The upper primary

students will demonstrate their language

skills through the use of traditional stories,

Wayang Kulit shadow puppet plays and

composing a short book titled ‘Tentang Saya,

Tentang Teman Saya (About Me, About My

Friends). It certainly is a busy semester.

Music – Mrs Vicki Ladlow

Music & Drama Term 2!

This term our littles in the prep/1 and 1/2 classes have started

exploring the world of drama by journeying through imaginary worlds

they listen to and create. Improvising scenes from storybooks and

creating frozen statues of different have provided lots of fun and

learning!

Our year 2/3 classes have been learning to read

music – yes! Real music! Their little fingers have

been busy holding recorders and their breath

creating the sounds of such favourites as Hot

Cross Buns.

The 4,5 and 6 students have also been learning to read music – they have been making good use of our

colourful ukuleles, picking out some old and new favourite tunes.

Miming is such a challenging form of drama – how DO we get our message across without

words?! This is what the year 2-6 classes have been exploring this term, and learning how

important it is to use our facial expressions and body language to portray a story.

Turkeys on the rampage!

Agnes Water State School Girls Do Our Community Proud

An excited squad of twenty-nine Year 4, 5 and 6 students from Agnes Water State School

travelled to St Luke’s Anglican School in Bundaberg on Tuesday 21st May to compete in the

annual AFL Schools Cup. The girls had trained hard at lunch times in readiness for the big

day of Australian Rules football. The squad was broken up into two teams, with Team 1

playing for a chance to represent the Bundaberg region at the Sunshine Coast

championships and a development team testing out their skills against the best in the region

(Team 2). First up, Team 1 played St Luke’s Anglican School and it was obvious from the first

bounce that the Turkeys were not here just to scratch around! They let fly with a barrage

of goals, running out winners by 25 points. Next up was the highly fancied Moore Park State

School. This was a hard fought battle with plenty of tackling pressure and the girls won by 7

points. The next game proved a difficult proposition, with a very skilful Walkervale State

School defeating our girls by a heavy margin. It all came down to the last game for a spot in

the semi-final. We were drawn to play Burnett Heads State School and the girls went down

by the slimmest of margins. The girls were disappointed, however they gave their all and

we were very proud of their achievements.

Team 2 were punching above their weight in Pool B with some fine individual and team

efforts. The tackling pressure applied to the opposition was inspirational. Despite their best

efforts against older and more experienced opposition, Team 2 did not register a win.

However, this experience will hold them in good stead for the future, as the team was

mostly comprised of Year 4s. They gave the coaches and parent supporters plenty to cheer

about during the course of the day. Go Bush Turkeys!

Richard Gourlay Class Teacher Agnes Water State School

Go Bush Turkeys!

TEAM 1 TEAM 2

Matilda McMillan applies defensive pressure to try

to stop the St Luke’s power forward from kicking a

goal.

Great tap out by Ella Campbell at the centre bounce.

Handshakes all round at the end of

the battle.