31 July 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

The short report format we sent home at the end of last term was another significant step in our journey to make learning visible and ensure feedback is received in a timely manner. This move to a termly cycle of reporting was accompanied by a targeted caregiver/learner/teacher meeting that was well supported by our community. Building upon this theme of working together, I am pleased to announce that we will be launching the Daymap caregiver portal next week. Whilst this is only part of a gradual rollout we believe that Daymap Connect will help you stay informed about school matters and your child’s progress. Caregivers will receive an email next week with login details and a guide to installing the app on your mobile device. Please ensure that your email details are up to date and contact the school if you require further assistance.

We have welcomed a number of new learners to our school and are looking forward to working with them and their families to explore the learning opportunities we offer. We have also welcomed Mike Unger back from his leave and he has returned to his duties as a teacher librarian/primary school teacher.

The upgrades to our site continue and we are delighted with the recent development work in our outdoor learning spaces. I would like to express my thanks to Sharon Taylor for her vision and perseverance in making the sandpit area the focal point of the junior playground. Her work has been truly appreciated by our younger learners and it has created a benchmark for all future projects.

Andrew Gilsenan-Reed

Middle School Report

Welcome back to what proves to be another very busy and rewarding term for our Middle School students. It has been fantastic to see classes continuing their engagement with the learning programs after the holiday break.

Middle School Camp – Woodhouse Activity Centre

Middle School students and staff are very much looking forward to the camp which will occur in Week 8 of this term. Thank you to the students who have returned their consent forms. Could I please remind families that payment for the camp is now due and you can make your payments with Michelle Baker in the Finance Office.

In the coming weeks, staff and students will gather together to finalise groups and activities for the camp. We are looking forward to involving the students as much as possible regarding choices that are available as part of the camp. Below is a list of just a few exciting and engaging activities on offer for our students:

Team Building

Team Building is a whole group activity designed to set the mood for the duration of the camp by creating a sense of belonging & comradely amongst the students and teachers alike.

Team Challenges

Team Challenges are a series of various challenges, designed to teach students the importance of working together to achieve a common goal.

Disk Golf

See our all new Disc Golf Park, the first of its kind in Adelaide!!

Played much like traditional golf, participants throw their Frisbee into a series of baskets on an our outdoor course, the object being to complete the course using the fewest possible throws!

Scats and Tracks

Learn about the local wildlife who have made their homes here at Woodhouse. Find out how to identify and track different species, their importance and roles within our habitat and get a hands-on look at some interesting creature tid-bits!!

Laser Skirmish

A great alternative to paintball, Laser Skirmish offers an experience that will not soon be forgotten! All the thrill and excitement of paintball without the pain & mess!!

Challenge Hill

Our huge outdoor obstacle course is a test of physical fitness and mental agility, perfect for building personal resilience and promoting team building within groups.

Geocaching

Groups will use GPS’s and basic map reading skills to navigate their way around the property in search of caches containing questions to answer!! A real life treasure hunt!!

Orienteering

Participants will learn basic map reading and navigational skills to navigate their way around the property in search of designated checkpoints.

Photo Hunt

Participants will be given a set of photographs and will use basic map reading and navigational skills to navigate their way around the property to match the photos with the correct checkpoints.

Education Changemakers

During Week 1, Brad Forkert and I were lucky enough to attend an innovative and exciting two day training through an organisation called ‘Education Changemakers’. This is five day program that we will both aim to complete by the end of this year.

EC is an education organisation focused on unleashing teacher led innovation, with a refreshing and unique approach to professional development. EC provides world class innovation and leadership training for educators (from educators).

Workshop one involved a two day learning experience with a focus on giving us the tools needed to identify problems and missed opportunities, and create powerful solutions to them. We engaged with concepts related to strategy, innovation, prototyping, leadership, impact assessment and change theory.

The program last week was highly action focused and all participants will aim to launch a change project to meet an identified challenge in their unique education setting. The workshop certainly inspired and enabled both of us to walk away ready to launch a real change initiative in our school. Brad and I have both chosen a focus for our ‘change project’ and we look forward to working with a number of stakeholders throughout the year to make this successful.

Student-Parent- Teacher Interviews

It was a great opportunity to meet with both students and parents regarding your child’s learning progress and attitudes towards learning last week. If you were unable to make a time to meet with your child/ren’s teachers, please make contact with them to organise another time. It is important to note that if at any time you have concerns about your child’s learning, please make contact with the necessary teachers to follow up on these concerns.

Middle School – University of South Australia – Student Teacher Placement

We welcome Jed Woolford who will be working as a student teacher at QAS for a four week placement beginning in Week 5 this term. Jed is from the University of SA and is a recipient of a scholarship through Regional and Professional Experience, which is offered through Uni SA. He is in his final year and completing his final placement.

Jed will undertake 2 days of initial visits in the lead up to his placement and will be on site this Monday and Tuesday (Week 2) to undertake an induction and get to know the students by observing in classrooms. Jed will be working with two mentor teachers throughout his placement – Sarah Bury and Travis McDonald. Jed's main focus area is Design and Technology and his minor is Health and PE.

During the placement, Jed will be responsible for teaching various lessons in his subject areas, and he will gain a sense of context for his planning during his observation days. Jed has already expressed his eagerness to get to know the staff and students at QAS and is very much looking forward to his placement. Likewise, I am also excited to introduce Jed to all of the wonderful things that are happening within our school and the engaging learning programs that we have on offer.

AUSKICK

Three of our enthusiastic Year 10 students have been busy organising and running a series of AFL AUSKICK lessons on a Monday afternoon on the oval at QAS. As part of their Personal Learning Plan, the boys chose to offer a 10 week program for younger students through the AUSKICK program. Each session runs for an hour and began in Term 2 and will conclude half way through Term 3.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the boys for their organisation and efforts with their initiative. I have heard nothing but positive remarks from families and students who have been a part of this program. The boys have ensured that they are planned and prepared for each session, incorporating a focus area to work on. Congratulations to Jack Hancock, Codin Mason and Ely Rabig for allowing our younger students this opportunity. We are so lucky to have enthusiastic students who are eager to make a difference in their community.

Learner Disposition

As part of our Visible Learning journey at QAS, we are working through a process of choosing learner dispositions to focus on. Below are 12 learner dispositions that have been selected. We are seeking the opinion of parents/community members on which of the learning dispositions that are seen as relevant and of highest importance at QAS.

The term 'Learner Dispositions' refers to the way in which learners engage in and relate to the learning process. Learning dispositions affect how students approach learning activities and, potentially, the outcomes of learning.

It is widely acknowledged that developing these dispositions is just as important as learning subject-specific content and competencies if students are to succeed in a 'rapidly changing world'.

We would really appreciate your opinion as it is important for this to be a school-community partnership decision.

Please fill in the attached survey at your earliest convenience.

Sarah Bury
Middle School Coordinator

Primary School Report

Nature Play

On Thursday 21st June, Glen Wagland a Nature Play specialist from Mobile Junk Yard, visited the school offering our Primary Students an opportunity re-engage with nature.

The idea of learning through nature is that engagement with nature will help multidisciplinary learning.

Playing in mud will help students understand volume (Maths), particle density (Science), soil types (Geology) and mud properties and how they were used over time by society (Aboriginal studies, HASS).

Creating structures from sticks will promote understanding of geometry (Maths), structural integrity (Technology and Design), and housing construction throughout the world (Geography). Observing patterns in pine cones, shells and trees will develop understandings of concepts such as the Fibonacci sequence (Maths). We have the opportunity to develop our Junior Primary Playground and with this experience, we hope to recreate many more learning opportunities for our students through explorations in nature.

Term 2 – 100% Attendance & Class Award Winners

100 Days Smarter

On Monday 2nd July, QAS Reception students celebrated 100 Days of school. The students invited their parents along to the celebration and participated in ‘100 themed’ literacy and numeracy activities. Check out all the action below.

Positive Parenting Program

Do you sometimes find you have questions about your child’s behaviour and development and not quite sure where to turn?

The first of three sessions will be held on both Monday 27th August (6pm - 8pm) & Tuesday 28th August (9.30am - 11.30am) for those who can’t make the evening session.

Light snacks and refreshments will be available.

Browse the link below for more details

Picture Plates

For a functional keepsake, a melamine Pictureclock or MDF Small Clock can be mounted on the wall to keep your child’s precious artworks permanently on display. An order form was sent home for those in Grades F-6. If you are interested in participating please send back your money to receive a template.

Check out some of the fantastic designs so far.

Please remember to place your order by Week 5 (24th August)

Morning Coffee

Just a reminder about the Parents & Friends FACEBOOK page, if you are not already a member, please do so in order to keep up to date with the different initiatives that the group is organizing this year.

Aspiring to Inspire

Monique Carcuro
Primary School Coordinator

Teacher Placement

Hi, my name is Penny Finlay. I live in Quorn and I am a Preservice Teacher with Charles Darwin University, studying Bachelor of Education Early Childhood Teaching. I will be undertaking my final Professional Experience in the Year 3/4 class with Mrs Reed from the 23rd July to 3rd September (Week 1 - 6). I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know the children, staff and families at Quorn Area School.

Parents and Friends

Miscellaneous Reports

TAFESA Training Course

The following training is being delivered at the TAFESA Port Augusta campus. Please click on the link for further information and to register.

Licence to operate a forklift truck (TLILIC2001)

Dates: 21 – 23 August 2018
Cost: $200.00

Parents in Education