26 September 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal's Report

We welcomed Mr Winther back to school last week and are all glad to see his health has improved and he is fighting fit.

Friday Week 8 saw the senior secondary students head over to the MNSEC formal in Jamestown. It was a fabulous night which was enjoyed by all. The QAS students and their partners looked like they had just stepped out of a magazine and represented our school with maturity and enthusiasm. Some informal photos were taken outside of our school before we headed on to the bus and more formal photos were taken by Clive Palmer on the night.

Classes are busy preparing for the 'QAS Open Night' this Thursday. Remember that school will not commence until 11am on Thursday and students are expected to attend the evening with their parents. We look forward to showcasing the exciting things that students at QAS have been participating in. We are aware that it is difficult for some families to provide care for their children on this morning, so there will be some staff here at the usual time to accommodate for these families. An alternative program will be scheduled.

Well done to the choir students and Vennessa James and Sharon Taylor for supporting them in the Primary School Music Festival last week. Our students performed amazingly on stage and represented our school beautifully. Thanks to the parents involved for providing transport and organisation.

Could parents of students undertaking Year 11 and 12 in 2017 please return their signed subject selections to Mrs Bury as soon as possible please so that the busy process of staffing and timetabling can begin for 2017.

The Kindy transition students are joining together for a BBQ with Mrs Reed's F/1/2 class on Wednesday at the Park. This is a great initiative and will allow the opportunity for the students to mingle with others who will be in their class when they begin their transition to school in Term 4.

The Blue Light disco was a hit last Friday night and a huge thank you to SAPOL for running the event which was held at the Town Hall. Thanks also to the SRC and Miss Carcuro for their support in the organisation and running of the event.

Please come along on Friday to celebrate the end of Term 3 at our whole school assembly. This will be held in the school gymnasium at 1:20pm for a 1:30pm start. End of term class awards and other acknowledgments will be made at the assembly. School will then be dismissed on Friday at 2:10pm at the conclusion of the assembly. We hope you have a happy and safe break and look forward to seeing you all next term.

Please remember that Term 4 will require everybody to wear a broad brimmed hat as stated in our Sun Smart School Policy.

Primary Report

Reed's Ramblings

Everyone has been very busy preparing for the Quorn Show and our school Open Night. There are a huge amount of displays being organised which take a lot of time and preparation to put together.

Question: Why are frogs always happy?
Answer: Because they eat whatever bugs them!

The Choir had 2 very successful nights performing in Port Augusta, thanks to the hard work and commitment of the students, Mrs Taylor and Miss James. Everyone involved should be very proud. Quorn Area School has many talented people!

Question: What's a frog's favourite game?
Answer: Hopscotch

Our class has spent some time down at our school Billabong lately. We have been learning all sorts of interesting things, particularly about our special inhabitants.

We brainstormed a list of adjectives and words that made us think about our Billabong.

Next we changed the words of the song 'Teddy Bears Picnic'.

'Green Frogs Picnic'

Written By Riley, Ebonie, Ethan, Sam, Katrina, Tallara, Eva, Noah, Axel and Tricia Lehmann (SSO)

If you go out to the Billabong today
You're sure of a big surprise
If you go out to the Billabong today
You might see some butterflies.

For every frog that ever there was
Will jump for certain there because
Today's the day the frogs will lay their egg babies

Egg time for green and brown frogs
The little green frogs are sunning themselves today
Amongst the slippery wet slime
Playing chasey with lizard friends
Brown lizards hiding in the rocks
They love to croak and swim
And never have any cares.
At six o'clock they all rush home
Near the lillies in the Billabong
To watch over their tadpoles

Question: What kind of frog do you find on a farm?
Answer: A bull frog!

Week 8 Assembly Awards winners

Jeremy and Sasha from Mr Baker's class
Isabella, Rosslyn, Hannah and Richard from Mrs Ikiua-Brooks class
Riley and Aneesha from Mrs Reed's class

Sasha also won the School Values Award from the Primary draw

Question: What happens if a frog parks at a bus stop?
Answer: He gets toad away!

The Primary classes were entertained by a performing storyteller. The show was called 'The Labyrinth' and was about a little boy who became trapped in a place where unread books go. A computer robot had found its way into this place and was eating all the stories. More and more story characters disappeared until the little boy worked out how to use stories to save the day.

It was very funny and kept our audience enthralled. The set design was very cleverly put together.

Question: What happens when two frogs catch the same fly?
Answer: They get tongue tied!

Mr Baker's class have been busy in Digital Technology, using a program called Scratch to design games.

Mrs Ikiua-Brooks' class have been busy planting tomatoes and cucumbers and using our garden produce to bake for their upcoming camp.

Counsellor News

2016 Parents in Education Week

On Thursday 15th September, a small group of parents attended the live webinar which was held in the school staff room. It was extremely informative and Andrew Fuller proved to be very engaging with his tips and tricks on how parents can support their children's learning and development at every age and stage.

Adelaide Psychologist – Kirriie Smout

There are many things parents find rewarding about living with teenagers. There can also be some challenges when young people test limits as they become more independent. On behalf of Parenting SA, Adelaide psychologist Kirrilie Smout gives parents and carers some tips and strategies for living with teenagers in the video clip below. She talks about ways to communicate and strengthen your relationship at this time of change.

Conflict between parents and teenagers is normal. It can happen because conflict happens between human beings anyway. Conflict can also occur because teens are going through lots of changes. Along with the physical changes, there are changes in the brain and in hormones as young people move into a new life stage. In this video clip psychologist Kirrilie Smout gives parents and carers some tips and strategies for managing conflict with teens while also setting appropriate limits and boundaries.

Andrew Fullers books

Toastie Thursday

You will still be able to order Toasties for lunch on Thursdays next term, for $3.00 and due to the warmer weather an ice block for $1.00. Thank you to the Peer Leaders who have worked in the canteen this term, you have done an amazing job.

Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI)

The survey includes 80 questions related to the 5 areas of development linked to wellbeing, health and academic achievement:

Social and emotional development // Connectedness // School experience // Physical health and wellbeing // Constructive use of after-school time

The middle years development instrument (MDI) is a survey for children aged 8 to 14 that collects information from students on non-academic factors relevant to learning and participation.

The MDI gives schools, the community and government an insight into what needs to occur to ensure children experience success and are provided with resources and opportunities to reach their full potential.

UNDERAGE RAGE

SAPOL's Blue Light Disco Gallery

The Blue Light Disco was a success and those who attended had fun dancing the night away. Big shout out to all the secondary students who danced the 'Nut Bush' in synchronicity…SAPOL were more than impressed. Lucky for those morning fitness classes. Another special mention to Dayne Hancock, Lachie Finlay and Austin Clancy, you stood up as Peer Leaders without even knowing and ran the entire primary disco. I was super proud, thank you.

Aspiring to Inspire

Monique Carcuro
School Counsellor

Subject Report

Choir

Austin Clancy, Alisha Medlam, Kathleen Medlam, Emily Millington, Emily Taylor and their families travelled to Adelaide for a performance at the Festival Theatre on Friday 16th September. These students were among around 400 others from across South Australia. It was an awe inspiring evening not only showcasing the choir but also individual and small group talent between choir songs.

Then, on Wednesday last week (21st September) all our choir students participated in their final rehearsal before a performance that night and the following night. It has become a tradition at rehearsals to enjoy a homemade cup-cake for recess and lunch and a play at the Lions Park.

After months of practise and anticipation, the evening concerts in Port Augusta came together beautifully. Ella Maison, Kathleen Medlam and Emily Taylor all performed solos at the Thursday night concert. Kathleen donned a lion costume to open the concert with the solo for Jungle Rhythm. Ella sang the solo parts on two occasions for A Healthy Home and A Healthy Home Reprise right in the middle of the concert, and fittingly, Emily T performed the solo for How can I keep from singing in the final stages of the evening.

We can all be proud of the high standard that all our choir students upheld not only in the final concerts but right the way through. Renae, Ella, Geri, Max, Lara, Alisha, Emily M, Kathleen, Emily T and Austin were incredibly dedicated. They were always prepared and on time for their school practises and it was clear that they were putting in a great deal of practise time at home. When it came to the combined choir rehearsals in Port Augusta, our students were some of the first not to need to use their choir books. Having memorised their songs, their confidence grew exponentially.

If you missed the Port Augusta concerts you still have an opportunity to see our choir perform at our Open Night on Thursday. See you then!

Vennessa James and Sharon Taylor

Chappies Chatter

The spring school holidays are such a wonderful time as we reflect on the release from the cold winter days and explore once more all that is brand new. The season's cycles are a grand design that provides a platform for many of life's allegories. Many of history's greatest writers used allegories to frame their stories of adventure and purpose. A garden is such a wonderful space to reflect and glean allegories from. We've received higher than average rainfall this year to date and with this welcomed supply of hydration the annual weeds have once again soared onto great heights! But it needn't be a cause for alarm. The way we process 'undesired' growth in our gardens can be a positive if we look a little closer and are not overly concerned by the 'appearance' of these invaders and view them as a possible asset. After rain it is an easy task to return these green solar packages directly back into the soil from where they came. It may not look that fancy but the soil will thank you for giving back what it yielded, plus some.

In the same way our gardens do, our lives tend to 'sprout' undesirable thoughts, feelings and actions, amongst the beauty of all that is good and honest. Especially after receiving from the abundance of privilege we enjoy here in Australia. Things we often take for granted such as clean water, food, safety and education. When the undesirables show up, (and you can be sure they will) they can be viewed as a source of renewable energy if we first recognise them, pull them out and lay them down close. A source of strength rather than weakness. If undesirable traits are left to grow, they will draw strength from you. Attempting to remove and hide mistakes as though they never happened, does not allow us to redraw from the energy they hold and in turn deprives us of the value of honesty in experience.

So, as you pull any weeds these holidays, (of either variety) remember to look at them as an energy source that can be reused, not something to hide or destroy.

Blessings,
Sharon Taylor PCW

Library

ADVANCE NOTICE – The Library will be hosting the Scholastic Book Fair in Week 2, Term 4. A selection of books from Scholastic Publishers will be available for purchase.

BOOK REVIEWS – The Library is seeking students from Year 3-Year12 to write short (one or two paragraph) book reviews on novels or other books they have read. These will be displayed on cards next to the books. Similar in style to the ones you see on display at book stores. See Mr Unger if you are interested.

Miscellaneous Reports

2016 School Magazine

Place your orders before the 11th November
Magazine will be $25 printed in full colour

Pichi Richi Railway

University of South Australia

The University of South Australia is introducing a new Business program available for study from the Whyalla Campus. To help us inform your students and families of this new offering, we would appreciate it if you could include the following text along with our logo attached, in your next school newsletter.

The University of South Australia is pleased to announce a new Bachelor of Business (Whyalla) Program based at our Whyalla Campus commencing in March 2017. Offering a range of flexible study options with both online and on-campus study options, students can choose two of the following specialisations:

• Tourism and Events
• Sport and Recreation
• Logistics and Supply Chain
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Applications to the Bachelor of Business (Whyalla) program are administered through SATAC (South Australian Tertiary Admission Centre). SATAC code for this program is 464151.

For more information on how to apply visit the link below or contact our Future Student Enquiries on 08 8302 2376.

Vacswim

"SA Water VACSWIM, SA's most iconic aquatic safety program has opened for registrations with organisers encouraging all families to sign up early.

13,000 primary school aged children will take part at over 130 pool and beach locations from the 3rd - 11th January 2017, in line with the Christmas and New Year holidays.

VACSWIM is a Government of South Australia initiative providing children with opportunities to develop skills and positive experiences in the areas of water safety, confidence and competence in the water, personal survival activities and basic aquatic emergency procedures.

VACSWIM is described as the best value for money holiday program with individual enrolment starting at $30 per participant.

To register families can log onto