State Education = great education

Sunday 24 October to Saturday 30 October 2021 is State Education Week. State Education Week is an annual event that showcases and celebrates Queensland state schools. The theme for 2021 is 'Strong communities, successful students'. This theme highlights how whole school communities have come together during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that student success is always at the forefront.

The Rochedale State School community partners strongly to create the best possible learning opportunities for all children. Thank you to all staff who work tirelessly for every child and thank you also to our parents for the respectful partnering and important part you play in helping our school be the best it can be. Dedicated teachers, committed and engaged students and supportive and involved parents are key elements in making Rochedale State School so successful.

It’s our school

Last week, while in the playground I was asked by a student if Rochedale was my school, reflecting his belief that the principal ‘owns’ the school. I corrected the student and explained that Rochedale is our school. In line with this year’s State Education Week theme, I went on to explain that I lead the school on behalf of the community. The government gives the bigger direction; however, the school principal is tasked with working with the community to deliver this direction within each local school context. Is everyone in the community always going to be happy with the decisions schools make? Of course not; it is hard enough to get two people to agree let alone a community of thousands. What is important is to develop a positive school culture where people’s opposing, passionate views can be discussed and raised within a culture of respect. At Rochedale State School we pride ourselves on our positive school culture and with everyone’s help we can make it even stronger. Everyone can play a part by speaking positively and respectfully and understanding that there may be times when compromises are necessary. No-one benefits from negative comments whether it is in person, in writing or on social media. Even if we can’t agree, please remember that we are all on the one team, working together for your child. We aim to do what is right by them, not only for today but preparing them for the future so that our students can take a positive and active role in life and be the next generation of leaders. We can do this best by all working together for our school.

A Teacher affects eternity, they can never tell where their influence stops – Henry Adams

World Teachers Day

This Friday is World Teacher’s Day and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of our dedicated staff and let them know how much I appreciate them and what a privilege it is to work with them each day. While this day is called Teachers Day, it isn’t just teachers who make up our valuable workforce. It takes many people to run a school and to provide a learning facility which children feel proud of and want to learn in. I would like to recognise and acknowledge all of our Rochedale staff, because each and every one plays a vital role in our team and helps educate our students. As society has changed over the years, education has become an increasingly demanding profession with ever growing complexities and expectations. The impacts of COVID over the past two years has added to the evolving role of education and we have seen the expectations of staff and schools rise tremendously as we navigate the pandemic. While Friday is World Teachers Day, it is not just the teachers who make up our valuable workforce and have worked magnificently throughout 2021. On World Teachers Day, I would like to recognise and acknowledge the entire Rochedale staff who are a passionate and dedicated team who keep giving their all, striving for ways to improve student outcomes. I am humbled at the way our teachers and support staff rise to every challenge, continue their pursuit of excellence, and am honoured to work with them. Our staff play a key role in making our school a wonderful place to work and learn. Thank you one and all.

Classes for 2022

This week is the final opportunity to provide in writing, to the office, any educational considerations you would like the school to be aware of when allocating your child’s placement for 2022. The deadline for this information is this Thursday. Please understand we cannot entertain late requests or requests that simply ask for specific teachers or particular friends to be in a child’s class. Classes must always be balanced in numbers and in educational dynamics. While your educational requests will be valued and considered, the final class construction is ultimately a school decision made in consultation with this year’s teachers. Please also remember that the final class make ups (for all state schools in QLD) will not be determined until staffing is finalised on day 8 of next year. I thank you for your understanding of this process.

Long weekend

Just a reminder that this Friday, 29 October is a public holiday in Brisbane due to the rescheduling of the Brisbane Show (Ekka) holiday and our school will not be open. Please enjoy the long weekend.

Learner Profile:  Attribute focus for the week – Communicators – Students demonstrate this by using their best manners, listening, appreciating other people’s point of view and showing respect to everyone within our school community at all times.

Kind regards
Keith Graham
Principal

The Zones of Regulation

Fostering Self-regulation and Emotional Control

(a framework written and created by Leah M. Kuypers, 2011)

What is self-regulation?

Self-regulation can go by many names, such as, self-control, self-management, ‘anger control’ and ‘impulse control”. In the school setting, we talk about self-regulation in terms of a student’s ability to adjust their level of alertness to regulate sensory needs, emotions, and impulses to meet the demands of the environment, to behave in a socially appropriate way and be ready to learn.

What are the Zones of Regulation?

The Zones is a conceptual framework, designed by Occupational Therapist Leah M. Kuypers, used to teach students to self-regulate.  Several of our teachers are specifically implementing the Zones of Regulation within their classroom.  This may be for one or two students (as prescribed by an Occupational Therapist) or as a whole class, depending on the age and needs within the classroom.  

The Zones of Regulation categorises states of alertness and emotions into four coloured zones:

The Zones framework focuses on teaching students how to recognise and manage their ‘Zone’.

Triggers and Tools

The Zones of Regulation framework assists students to identify ‘triggers’ or things that happen which make students feel worried, upset or frustrated and put them in the Yellow or Red zone. It then gives them tools to use for the body, to move into the ‘green zone’ and into a ready state for learning.

The Zones tools menu includes: Carry a weighted item; Read; Jump (off ground or trampoline); Bounce; Run; Push; Pull; Swing; Hug (use of body sock); Listen to music; Walk; Star jumps; Deep breaths; Fidget ball squeeze (stress ball) and many more.  These tools are varied and adapted for a school setting and can also be adapted to suit the home setting.

All classroom teachers, from Prep to Year 6, put many adjustments into their programs throughout the day to ensure all students are given an opportunity to regulate their body to ensure a ‘ready state of learning’.  This includes regular movement in the classroom or specific movement activities that refocus students.  Movement programs such as, ‘School Moves’, ‘Move to Learn’ or ‘Go Noodle’ are also used in some classrooms. 

“Heavy work” based activities are also another way to achieve this regulation and are also used in many classrooms.  At school this could possibly be: popcorn push-ups on the student’s chair, giving the student a weighted item (e.g. a few books) to carry to a different location or wiping writing off the classroom whiteboard.  Each of these activities assist to regulate the body and reset into a ‘ready state for learning’. 

The Engine Room at Rochedale State School

Our Engine Room is a space in the school created to provide a safe place for students to access specialised equipment to use to “get their body ready for learning”.  It is referred to as the Engine Room in reference to an Occupational Therapy based program called the “the Alert Program” or “How does your Engine Run” a predecessor of “The Zones of Regulation program”.  Specialised equipment for the Engine Room has been purchased on advice given by an Education Queensland Occupational Therapist as well as individual students’ private Occupational Therapists. 

Aligning with our inclusion policy, the Engine Room is not a space regularly used during class time.  It is in use before school, and at end of morning tea and lunch, for identified students with a specific program.   If these students need to engage in self-regulation activities during class time, the majority of the time, classroom specific tools are used to ensure inclusivity.  

For more information about the Zones of Regulation- you can visit their website:

http://www.zonesofregulation.com/learn-more-about-the-zones.html

Any further questions about the Engine Room or Zones, please contact me. 

Jessica Rigby
Deputy Principal Year 2 / Head of Diverse Learning and Enrichment

Mindsets are the beliefs we hold about intelligence, effort, and challenges. It is important that we understand the concept of Growth and Fixed  Mindsets. A Growth Mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be improved with hard work and practice. A Fixed Mindset on the other hand believes they are either born with talent or not.

The term Growth Mindset describes how a child faces challenges and setbacks. Students with a Growth Mindset believe that their ability to do anything can improve with practice and effort over time. A Fixed Mindset sees failure as a result of lack of talent and intelligence. They see challenges as too hard and may give up.

Characteristics of a Growth Mindset

• Believe that their intelligence can be improved
• Have a desire to learn 
• Confront challenges head-on
• Persist in the face of setbacks 
• Believe that effort will lead to skills
• Accept and learn from feedback

Characteristics of a Fixed Mindset

• Believe that their intelligence is set and can’t improve
• Avoid challenges 
• Give up easily 
• Believe that effort and hard work don’t make a difference 
• Fail to accept and learn from feedback 

A very important message students need to know is the ‘POWER OF YET’.

• “I can’t do that yet.”
• “I’m not a great speller yet.”’
• “I am not good at multiplication yet.”

Having a Growth Mindset can empower students to see failure and mistakes as opportunities for learning. They listen to feedback from teachers, coaches, parents, and learn from it. This attitude helps develop resilience and ultimately makes students more likely to succeed in their future.

We can develop a Growth Mindset. Remind your child, they can’t do it YET! 

Natasha Floyd
HOD- Curriculum

BOOK FAIR Arrives Tomorrow!!!  (Tues 26 October - Mon 1 November)

Classes will be coming through the fair at allotted times to complete their "Wish Lists" to bring home. Students that are wanting to purchase items will have access to the Fair before school, at big lunch and after school. 

Parents will be welcomed to the Fair on Thursday 28 October before or after school.

For times and more infomation please see BOOK FAIR announcement in the newsletter.

Captain Read It

Congratulations to our Captain Read It Winners from Week 3 of Term 4

Prep K        Jensen L
1S               Nathan O
2H               Danielle L
3A               Izzy K
4E               Madisson P
5R               Jessica R
6L                Ruby J

Have a great week!
Jackie and Lorraine

Book Fair is opening Tuesday 26 October (Tuesday Week 4).

Students will be provided with an opportunity to purchase from Book Fair at the following times…

Tuesday …before school, little lunch, lunchtime and after school…

Wednesday …before school, little lunch, lunchtime and after school…

Thursday … little lunch, lunchtime… (parent access will be before and after school on Thursday – no students)

Friday ... PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Monday … before school, little lunch, lunchtime and after school…

Students will also have an opportunity to purchase in their allocated classroom Book Fair time.

Students are encouraged to pay for their items using cash. However, parents may pay online and record their receipt details on the back of their child’s wish list. Students may then return the wish list with these details recorded as payment to the fair and collect their items. Can we ask parents to please instruct their child/children to hand their money to the classroom teacher when they get to school. This prevents money sitting in school bags and stops the likelihood of anything getting lost.It is also recommended that students hand their purchases to the classroom teacher to again prevent it being misplaced.

Again, thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you at this year’s Book Fair!

Dear Rochedale State School community,

This week is a short one for those working and attending school in the Brisbane area. As sad as it was for the Brisbane EKKA to be called off in August, we still get blessed with a public holiday, so for that I am thankful. 

Working for SU Australia as a school chaplain we get the privilege to attend all different camps throughout the year and this long weekend I will be heading to Coochiemudlo Island to support the RSSS chaplain Cassie on a mother and daughter camp for year 5 - year 9 students. 

I will be sharing with the Mums what worked and didn’t work during the teenage years for us. Hannah is now 23yrs and Samuel is 20yrs. Apart from the basics of parenting - love, provision, respect, and boundaries, below are our top 5 that worked well for our family.

1.Included them in family decisions

2.Prioritised quality time based on their interests and personality

3.Made space daily to share how their day went and talked through any challenges

4.Gave them opportunities to grow and exercise independence

5.Role modelled our beliefs and were real, honest, and transparent

We all make mistakes and if we are harsh in our judgments of others, our teenagers see that and are less likely to share what is really going on in their world, in case we as their parents judge them. They want to please, even though at times it may not seem like they care, they do, they love their parents, and they need you now more than ever, just in a more mature way. So, grow with them through their teenage years, don’t get easily offended and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. 

Happy parenting!
Kind regards,
Chappy Sue
Rochedale State School Chaplain

This is the FINAL week to order through the Honey drive fundraiser being run by the RSS Chaplaincy Committee. All profits raised will go to our school’s Chaplaincy program and we ask for your support. 

The order form and correct money must be returned by Thursday 28 October, to the box in the office. 

Orders are expected to be ready in week 6, likely on Tues 9 November (collection details TBC depending on covid restrictions at the time).

Please see the attached flyer for the range of products available for purchase through this fundraiser.

If you’d like to further support the Chaplaincy Program at Rochedale, we have teamed up with the chaplains from other local schools, to hold a gala fundraising lunch on Monday 22 November, and would love for you to join us. Please see the attached flyer for more details if you would like to attend, or please contact me if you would like information about how your business can sponsor or support the event.

For more information about Chaplaincy at Rochedale or if you have questions about either of these fundraisers, please contact me – a.eames@optusnet.com.au

Andie Eames
(RSS Chaplaincy Committee Chairperson)