On Friday, we acknowledged bullying no way day.

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) is an important day to mark Australian school communities standing together against bullying and violence. 

Facts for Children and Families About Bullying
Bullying is being mean to another child over and over again. Bullying often includes:

•Teasing
•Talking about hurting someone
•Spreading rumours
•Leaving kids out on purpose
•Attacking someone by hitting them or yelling at them

We all want Australian schools to be safe, supportive, and respectful teaching and learning communities that promote student wellbeing.  Parents and carers play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, there are several ways you can help. 

• Recognize the warning signs that your child is involved in bullying. They could be being bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying.  Although these signs could signal other issues, you should talk to your child if they display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes.  Many times, children won’t ask for help, so it is important to know what to look for.
• Learn what bullying is and what it is not.   Understanding what bullying is, it's the first step in forming a plan to prevent or respond to bullying with your child. Many behaviors that look like bullying may be just as serious but may require different response strategies.

For more information, the following websites have great information, support material and resources:

Bullying. No Way! website
Raisingchildren
kidshelpline

Today, we celebrate Harmony Day by wearing orange.  Created in 1999 to celebrate unity and diversity, Harmony Day was originally an Australian celebration but is now marked worldwide by conscientious citizens.

Harmony Day celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity.

It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.​

Thank you  to our book club volunteers , Lara P, Cilla G, Carissa M, Nicole R and Shelley W, who packaged up and delivered to classrooms the book club orders.

Principal / Parent Sessions
Another Principal / Parent session will be held on Tuesday 22 March,  6pm in the staffroom.

Tuesday 29 March 2.00pm in RPAC, I’d like to meet with parents of students with a disability to meet you and to listen to your feedback.

Parents as Learners – Inclusion and Disabilities
Intellectual Disability
The term 'intellectual disability' refers to a group of conditions caused by various genetic disorders and infections. Intellectual disability is usually identified during childhood, and has an ongoing impact on an individual’s development. Intellectual disability can be defined as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, learn new skills and to cope independently including social functioning. As with all disability groups, there are many types of intellectual disability with varying degrees of severity.  These include considerable differences in the nature and extent of the intellectual impairments and functional limitations, the causes of the disability, the personal background and social environment of the individual. Some people have genetic disorders that impact severely on their intellectual, social and other functional abilities. Others with mild intellectual impairment may develop adequate living skills and are able to lead relatively independent adult lives.  Approximately 75 per cent of people with intellectual disability are only mildly affected, with 25 per cent moderately, severely or profoundly affected.

Impact of intellectual disability
The characteristics and impact of a person’s intellectual disability will vary depending on the cause.  There are a number of common characteristics that may have a significant impact on an individual’s learning, including:

• difficulty understanding new information
• difficulties with communication and social skills
• slow cognitive processing time
• difficulty in the sequential processing of information
• difficulties comprehending abstract concepts.

Have a great week.
Melissa

As part of their current unit of inquiry, our year two students have been learning about and practising their social skills. The unit is underpinned by the central idea: Actions can influence emotions.  Throughout the unit, the children have been learning how to communicate more effectively with each other and their role and responsibility in social interactions. 

During the unit of inquiry, the year twos all participated in a ‘friendship fun festival’, an activity where the children were able to use the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the unit of inquiry; and apply a range of social skills in a fun afternoon of team activities and game play. 

Last Wednesday March 16, the students enjoyed a presentation from children’s entertainer Renata Jayne.  Through drama, song, dance, dress up and puppetry Renata spoke about the importance of ‘using your words’ to communicate your message effectively and how powerful words are: words can build someone up or pull someone down.  She discussed common childhood/playground disputes and used role play and puppetry to demonstrate how to respond appropriately in these situations, i.e. can we please take turns, may I share with you please, please stop it I don’t like it when you do that and I’m sorry.  Renata spoke about the importance of using manners, i.e. saying please and thank you and she also taught the children how to say please, thank you and sorry in sign language. 

Renata ended the show with a fun rap song that the children were all able to sing and dance along to.  This song aligned with our school’s ‘High 5’ strategy reinforcing the skills that the children have learnt since Prep at Rochedale. 

Enjoy the week ahead.
Jessica Rigby
Deputy Principal Year 2/3

As part of the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Programme (PYP), there are a set of strategies that teachers are encouraged to help their students develop. These are known as the Approaches to Learning (ATL): social skills, communication skills, thinking skills, research skills and self-management skills. The approaches to learning are designed so students can learn how to learn. This is an important part of the PYP process, as learning how to learn with enthusiasm and an inquisitive, interdisciplinary nature is key to IB education.

The approaches are designed to apply to all topics across the curriculum, so students can develop and work on a range of transferable skills. These skills are valuable, not only in the units of inquiry, but also for any teaching and learning that goes on within the classroom, and in life outside the school. The construction of meaning and of understanding is complemented by the students developing and applying a range of skills. These skills are best developed in the context of authentic situations, such as those offered through our units of inquiry across Prep to Year 6. This is the overarching aim of the IB – to help children develop as learners and people who can effectively function in society.

Have a great week.
Natasha Floyd
HOD- Curriculum

Due to staffing constraints and the impact on learning time, this year Rochedale State School will not be catering for the ICAS assessment on campus. Instead ICAS will be providing Queensland students with the option of participating in the online tests at one of their JEM sites, outside of Rochedale.

Throughout Australia, ICAS testing can be held through its division, Janison Exam Management (JEM). A JEM centre is a venue where students can sit the ICAS assessment outside of school hours. This year they will be opening a JEM centre in Queensland. Parents will be able to make bookings online to register their child at an examination facility for students who wish to participate in the annual ICAS Competitions and sit an ICAS test. The ICAS test will occur during a 2 week window in August.

After the JEM site has been confirmed they will send us a link. Then we will notify the Rochedale Community by putting in the newsletter for parents to register.

Important Event information:

There are many ways that you can keep informed of what is due and when.

• Emails will be sent on a regular basis, informing parents of upcoming events                                              (e.g. Excursions)
• A letter will also be sent home with information and a permission slip to be returned to the office
• Administration sends sms reminders regularly to parents as a courtesy, reminding parents of an important event
• Information in the weekly newsletter is up to date with current events and ‘how to guides’ for payments, older newsletters can be found on the school website

We ask parents to be vigilant when noting down these dates to avoid disappointment and note we are implementing a strict no pay/permission, no go policy.  Payments and permission slips need to be received by the cut-off day.  We are more than happy to organise a payment plan as long as communication is made prior to the event's cut-off date.

Tips – How to pay:  BPoint is the preferred method of payment via email or by phone payment via BPoint on      1300 631 073.  

BPoint instructions below

Student Resource Scheme: (SRS)

Your child will bring home a letter today explaining the Student Resource Scheme. Please note that the highlighted areas in the Annual Parent Information Letter has the return date and amount for payment.  These funds are strictly used to purchase Educational Resources for your child. 

Construction update:

The new building is moving along at lightning speed in spite of the recent rain.

Scaffolding will be erected on Monday in preparation for the second level of the building.  The scaffolding will be close to the tree line and artificial grass at the end of F Block so this area will be out of bounds until Wednesday. There will be an exclusion zone marked with orange bunting right along the green zone under the trees outside F Block. 

Parents and students will not be able to use the seating in this area before and after school and at break times. Parents will be asked to move further down towards D Block for drop off in the morning and collection of an afternoon and students will be required to sit closer to F Block during eating time.

Have a great week
Maleena Lange
Business Manager

If your child is currently in isolation or a close contact for COVID-19, they are unable to attend the school photo days.  We have arranged for make-up opportunities for portraits only at the Mansfield Studio on below days:

• Tuesday 5 April
• Wednesday 6 April

Parents are required to contact the Parent Enquiry Team by email, as this is the most effective way to book a time.

Please go to the website: www.advancedlife.com.au and click on the Enquiry tab.

Rochedale State School School Photography Date: 22/03/2022

School photography day is March 22-23. Group and portrait photographs can be purchased by following the link below.

NEWadvancedlife now offers Latitude Pay! To take advantage of LatitudePay and split the cost of your order into 10 small easy payments, simply order your school photos online as usual, set up a Latitude Pay account in just a few clicks and pay no interest or fees when you pay according to your payment schedule; it’s that easy.

2 easy ways to purchase:

1. LatitudePay – Click on the link below, set up an account during the online order process and split your payments across 10 weeks with no interest or fees, if you pay on time
2. Visa, MasterCard or PayPal

Or visit: www.advancedlife.com.au
And enter online order code: Q99 DBV 7BR

School photography information:

• Online orders - do not require an envelope returned to your school
• Late fees - a late fee will be applied to each package purchased after photo day due to the additional cost of producing these packages separately
• Package delivery - photographic packages will be returned to your school for distribution approximately six weeks after photos are taken
• Previous Years’ photos - Past years’ photographs including sports, co-curricular and representative groups are also available to order under the “previous years or group photo” tabs at your school’s advancedorder site when you click on the “Order School Photos Here” button above. You can also order past packages, portrait images and gifts from your child’s unique, individual and secure advancedyou image archive site using the unique 9 digit image code found on packages you have ordered in the past

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to Rochedale State School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience as fast as possible, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience please contact us at: www.advancedlife.com.au/contact

PLEASE NOTE LEGAL NAMES WILL BE USED ON ALL PHOTOS

The following invoices are due for payment as follows. 

PLEASE NOTE 

Due dates for incursions/excursions are final.  No late payments or permission forms will be accepted after the due date.  

Students who have not returned the permission or made payment by the due date, will not be able to particiapate in the activity.

If you have not received an invoice please contact the office. All payments are to be made by our preferred method of BPoint online.

Office Hours

The school office is open each day from 8am to 4pm. 

Student State School Consent

It is the school’s usual practice to take photographs or record images of students and occasionally to publish limited personal information and student materials for the purpose of celebrating student achievement and promoting the school and more broadly celebrating Queensland education. Consent to use your child's name, photograph, voice/video recording or year level is requested at time of enrolment via the "State School Consent Form". If you wish to make changes to consent for your child please request a new State School Consent Form from the school office. 

Facility Hirers

Please find attached the current list of the community groups that hire our school facilities.

ABSENCE LINE 3340 8388 or

text 0427 890 693 (24 hours)

*******IT IS NOW A REQUIREMENT THAT ALL STUDENT ABSENCES BE REPORTED ON THE DAY OF THE ABSENCE TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE*******

To report a student absence, please call the absence line on 3340 8388 or text our SMS line on 0427 890 693.  These lines are both open 24 hours a day.

When recording an absence on either our phone line or SMS line, please state the following:

1. Your name
2. Student's name
3. Student's class
4. Reason for absence

Please speak clearly and slowly and help us with spelling of names when calling the phone line.

See attached