19 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

As we enter Week 4, we look towards normality. We begin this week transitioning from our flexible learning options, which were provided for those learning from home, to in school face-to-face learning. We strongly encourage learners to return to school to ensure continuity of learning for the remainder of the term.

Learning Conversations

During Week 2 & 3 we held Learning Conversations with Parent/Caregivers over the phone. We are thankful for your flexibility during this time and hope that we can invite you back into the classrooms again soon. For those who may have missed the booking window, please feel free to contact the school to arrange a time to discuss your child’s learning.

Moderation

While it’s difficult to network across sites with other colleagues at this point in time, we have developed a plan to continue our focus on Moderation at a site level. Collaborative moderation has been identified in current research as a significant practice in driving intentional, responsive learning and assessment design. Although this is one strategy that we can embed to ensure we build our professional and organisational capacity, we are also focusing on measuring the impact we have on our learners. In order to measure this, staff will be conducting small Impact Cycles on their current practice and as a result, assessing their impact and making adjustments to their instructional decision-making.

Principal Position

At this point in time, my contract was due to cease on Friday of Week 6. Given the situation, I am excited to continue in the role and support the school in moving forward during this period.

Please see correspondence from Rob Harkin, our Educational Director:

“Dear Parents and Caregivers

I would like to advise that Andrew Gilsenan-Reed has agreed to an extension of his re-assignment as Acting Principal at Le Fevre Primary School in Adelaide, until the end of this term. Consequently, I have arranged for Monique’s contract as acting Principal at Quorn to be extended for the same period. I have discussed this with your Governing Council Chai rand of course with Monique.

Kind regards
Rob Harkin
Education Director Port Augusta Portfolio”

Aspiring To Inspire
Monique Griffiths

Learner Engagement and Wellbeing

Mother’s Day Stall

Thanks to all of the families who supported our Mother’s Day stall. We hope that all the mums had a wonderful and relaxing day. Thanks to all the secondary students who gave up their time to wrap gifts and receive money on the day.

Dolly’s Dream

Our Prefects are currently planning a day to acknowledge and raise some funds for the Dolly Everett Foundation ‘DOLLY’S DREAM’. At this stage, we are looking at Friday the 5th of June as a day to raise awareness in our community and school about the serious issue of bullying and its devastating effects. Please watch this space for more information to come.

Online Workshops Available for Parents this Week

Parenting in the Digital World has been designed to provide parents and carers with information on the latest online trends, risks and research for young people. With a strong focus on social media platforms, you will walk away from this workshop with a better understanding of what your kids are doing online, and how you can support them.

We will be running these workshops from Monday 18 May to Friday 22 May at 10am, midday and 8pm. Our midday sessions are 45 minutes long, to allow you time to take part in your lunch break. All other sessions are one hour long.

Simply select Register and choose a time that suits you. You will then receive a confirmation email with a link to your online workshop.

Supported by Dolly’s Dream and Facebook, these online workshops are available at no cost to parents and supporters of Dolly’s Dream.

Attendance

At QAS, we strive to follow up on all attendance to achieve an accurate record as required by the Department for Education.

As the online flexible learning option is no longer available we will begin to re-apply our Attendance procedure for unexplained attendances.

Please contact the school to support us in minimising ‘unexplained’ attendance across our site. As per our attendance policy, if your child is absent for two days (unexplained), we will contact you by phone. If on the third day they are still absent, then you will receive a written letter which will inform you to make contact with the school regarding the absences. The Attendance and Engagement Officer will then become involved and a home visit will be conducted as the next step.

Please advise the school if your child needs to leave the site throughout the day. This will save some time when your child is signing out and us having to make phone calls to verify their departure.

We thank you for your support and effort in ensuring our records remain up to date.

National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers. At this uncertain time we feel that it is more important than ever to recognise and acknowledge Australia’s volunteers.

The dates for National Volunteer Week 2020 are Monday 18 May – Sunday 24 May 2020 with the theme “Changing Communities. Changing Lives”.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the volunteers that give up their valuable time to assist with a variety of activities and initiatives at QAS. From the learners, staff and community we thank you deeply.

Welcome Denise Wilton

I would like to introduce to you, our new ACEO – Aboriginal Community Education Officer - Denise Wilton. She has previously worked at QAS many years ago in a similar role. Currently Denise is working on Monday’s and Tuesday’s at QAS.

I have asked Denise to include some information about herself and her vision in her role as the ACEO, supporting Aboriginal learners and families at QAS.

My name is Denise Wilton and I am a strong Adnyamathanha woman from Nepabunna. I have lived in Quorn for 16 years, where I have worked in schools and other locations both in Quorn and Port Augusta.

I'm currently working here at QAS and this is my second week as the ACEO.

My strengths include involving Aboriginal families within the context of the school and strengthening relationships. I speak Adnyamathanha language.

I would like to start up a morning group with Aboriginal families as well as conduct some home visits.

I will also be focusing on student absences, planning activities for NAIDOC week, Pika Wiya health checks and general support of Aboriginal learners in the classrooms. I am looking forward to working with the QAS community and making a positive impact. Please feel free to come and say hello to me, where possible.

Sarah Bury
Wellbeing and Engagement Coordinator

Primary Report

Miss Tomney’s 2/3/4 Class

We have been busy in the classroom getting back into the swing of things. The Year 3/4 students have been learning about persuasive text and how they can make their writing better. They also have been learning how to up level their sentences to make them more exciting and detailed.

We have just begun a new topic in Numeracy and Maths, which for some of this term we will be focusing on Addition and Shape. Students have been completing different activities to show and extend their understanding of the topic in different context.

This term we are focusing on Visual Arts. Students have just completed their first Self Portrait. Students were very particular with their artwork, which turned out fantastic; they should be all very proud of their efforts! This week we will start a new type of Self Portrait before we move onto a different topic within Visual Arts.

Check out some of our Self Portraits below.

Amber Tomney
Y2/3/4 Class Teacher

Subject Report

Design and Technology – Materials Solutions

Students have continued to develop skills in using the Design Process while in Technology Studies. The Design Process is like a wheel, where we identify a problem, research how to solve it, develop an idea, build and test a project idea and question how well our idea works. As it is a like a wheel we would then improve the idea and perhaps redevelop the concept, this may mean that we start again and try a different idea making another project similar to the one before but with improvements.

Over the last Term, students in Year 7 to 11 have reviewed portable power tool safety, been introduced to machinery that is suitable to their year level for manufacturing project components and have been exposed to CAD (computer aided drawing). Students have also been looking at joining timber using butt joints, dowel joints and housing joints as well as some of the modern methods for assembling components. Students have also had the opportunity to develop skills in using the oxy-acetylene welding equipment developing sculptures, and phone holders, as well as Stick and Mig welding in the older years developing vices, bike stands, small tables and stools. Where possible, students have also been exposed to wood turning and machining metal on the lathe to specific diameters, facing off and making threads. Younger students have developed a toy for young children with moving parts while Year 9’s have developed skills in manufacturing small cabinets and framed furniture and small boxes with hidden compartments or drawers they have been introduced to using the radial arm saw and circular saw and looked at the safety requirements, housekeeping required and possible risks and hazards when using the machinery. Students in Year 10 and 11 have developed skills in cabinet design, static machine use, desk design, use of the lathe and welding equipment manufacturing vices, G clamps and continuing to develop skills in using welding equipment available.

T. McDonald
Design and Technology

Parents and Friends

Sustainability in our School

We have now received our stock of 4myearth wraps and sandwich pockets which you can purchase through the front office. Using them in your lunchbox is a great way to keep our school waste free. Come in and have a look at the different designs we have for the following products:

Curry Club

We are continuing with our sales of curry blends during Term 2. Come in and purchase yours today – it’s the perfect time of the year to be enjoying the warmth of a curry.