Teaching and Learning
NAPLAN Online finished on Wednesday 18 May for students in Years 3 and 5. 

NAPLAN is a National assessment and all students are expected to participate. NAPLAN is primarily an assessment of learning, so the test environment must be tightly controlled to maintain test integrity.

These tests cover reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. These tests are designed to provide feedback on students to schools and parents, based on comparisons with schools throughout Australia.

We’re proud of our students and how they applied themselves to do their best. Many students enjoyed the online format.

Thank you to our dedicated staff, teachers and teacher aides, for supporting students during NAPLAN online. 

Our students have been prepared for NAPLAN from Prep.  The focus at Rochedale State School remains on quality teaching and learning in every classroom, every day. The journey of a student’s education is the collective work of all teachers supporting their learning and development as they progress through school.

As part of the Australian Curriculum, Digital Technologies,  schools are required to teach students about security and privacy.  Today, we had a Senior Advisor from Education Queensland’s Cybersafety and Reputation Management Information and Technologies branch run cybersafety sessions for students in Year 4 to 6.

To support parents and guardians in monitoring and reviewing your child’s social media accounts the table below outlines some key guidelines linked to these type of social media sites and applications.

More information can be found at the Office of the Children’s E Safety Commissioner at; https://www.esafety.gov.au/
You may be interested in accessing the links below on Cybersafety: 
http://behaviour.education.qld.gov.au/cybersafety/
https://www.esafety.gov.au/
https://www.facebook.com/DETCybersafetyAdvice/

Parents should follow the following tips:

1. Know which social media your child uses.
2. Discuss with your child who their online friends and followers are. Only be friends with people online who you know in the real world.
3. Take a proactive approach and establish clear and agreed rules for your child’s internet use.

Rochedale State School does not endorse or support students under the age of 13 accessing Social Media, in the words of Dr Michael Carr ‘they do not have the neurological maturity to manage their digital footprint’.

As documented in our Student Code of Conduct, students are not permitted to take photos or videos at school and upload these to social media.

Student Safety - Pick up and Drop off

We are seeking your assistance to effectively manage the drop off zone and to improve efficiency.  Can you please write your child’s surname in large clear writing on paper and attach to your sun visor on the passenger side of the car. If needed, cut paper is available from the office.

Drop off / pick up zone  please note the following guidelines when using the zone:

• The drop off zone is strictly no parking.
• Parents dropping their children off in the morning are asked to drop their children at the drop off zone and move on.

If you’re using the pickup zone in the afternoon, we ask you to do the following:

• Stay in your car.
• Have the car unlocked.
• Teach your child/ren how to do up their seat belts
• If possible, move baby capsules to the right hand side of the car so we can enter children safely in the left hand side.  Children are not to walk out onto the road to enter the car on the right hand side.
• Have your child’s surname name clearly written on paper, on your sun visor, to assist us to call children.
• We’ll put school bag’s on the left hand side front seat, please have the window open.  Do not get out of the car to put bags in the boot.

 Please share these guidelines with carers or grandparents who may be collecting your children.

Thursday 26 May National Sorry Day is an important event to discuss with your children. 

The first National Sorry Day was held on May 26, 1998, which was one year after the tabling of a report about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The report, known as Bringing Them Home, acknowledged that Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and communities since the early days of European occupation in Australia. Governments and missionaries were responsible for this forced separation.

Systematic removal practices were implemented through various assimilation and “protection” policies by the late 19th century. Many Indigenous children were forcibly taken away from their families in the name of assimilation during the 1950s and 1960s. These children are known as the “Stolen Generations”. They were brought up in institutions or fostered to non-Indigenous families. This removal was official government policy in Australia until 1969.

By the 1980s, by welfare and community groups spoke out that governments' social welfare practices were discriminatory against Indigenous people. This forced a reappraisal of removal and placement practice during the 1980s. In 1980 the family tracing and reunion agency Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation was established. Similar services now exist throughout Australia.

Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tabled a motion in parliament on February 13, 2008, apologizing to Australia’s Indigenous people, particularly the Stolen Generations and their families and communities, for the laws and policies that inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss. The apology included a proposal for a policy commission to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in matters such as life expectancy, educational achievement, and economic opportunity. This event is seen by many as a step forward in reconciliation.

Symbols

The Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag are often seen on National Sorry Day. The Aboriginal flag is horizontally divided into two equal halves of black (top) and red (bottom) with a yellow circle in the centre. The black symbolizes Australia’s Aboriginal people and the yellow circle represents the sun. The red represents the earth and people’s relationship with the land. It also represents ochre, which is used in Aboriginal ceremonies in Australia. Harold Joseph Thomas designed the flag, which was first flown at Victoria Square in Adelaide on July 12, 1971.

The Torres Strait Islander flag stands for Torres Strait Islanders’ unity and identity. It features three horizontal stripes, with green at the top and bottom of the flag and blue in between, divided by thin black lines. A white dharri or deri (a type of headdress) sits in the centre, with a five-point star underneath it. The color green represents the land. The dharri symbolizes all Torres Strait Islanders. The black represents the people and the blue represents the sea. The five-point star symbolizes the island groups. The star is white, which symbolizes peace in this case. Bernard Namok designed the flag.

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/national-sorry-day 

Parents as Learners – Inclusion and Disabilities

The following information supports schools to improve outcomes for all students, with a focus on providing a high-quality education for all children and students, and responding to the different strengths and barriers to learning that exist for each child and student.

Inclusion encompasses the following areas:

• Students with mental health needs
• Students in out-of-home care
• Refugee students
• Culturally and linguistically diverse students
• Students with a disability
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• Rural and remote
• Gifted and Talented students
• LGBTIQ+

All schools are governed by:

• Human Rights Act 2019 (QLD)
• Anti-discrimination Act 1991 (QLD)
• Multicultural Recognition Act 2016
• Disability Standards for Education 2005
• Inclusive Education policy

This week, Team Teachers will work with the Regional Inclusion Capability Manager to review our inclusive practices and to identify next steps.

The Inclusion Capability Manager will also present at our staff meeting to look at what are inclusive practices.

Report Card preparation

Report Cards will be emailed home on Tuesday 21 June.  Emailing report cards has a significant impact on the environmental footprint of the school by reducing printing and paper usage.

Report cards will not be distributed prior to 21 June.

To ensure that parents/carers receive their child’s report card we need to update family contact details. If your contact details have changed please contact the school office. Where students reside in two homes, it is important that all family members have the correct information listed with the school, so both parents/carers will receive a report card via email.

To ensure you receive your child’s report card please add the following email to your safe senders list so the report card email isn’t sent to the junk folder.

Application. ONESCHOOL@dete.qld.gov.au 

Have a great week.
Melissa

This weeks Learner Profile Attribute is, ‘Open Minded’. Being open minded is a willingness to consider new ideas; unprejudiced. It is an important attribute as it is a life skill that can be used both learning at school and outside school. Some examples of how students can demonstrate this learning attribute at school are:

PROVOCATION: What would the world be like if we didn’t welcome new ideas, arguments, and information that you typically do not align with?

6 keys to be open minded:

• Fight the urge to react in anger when you hear differing opinions.
• Avoid closing yourself off.
• Place yourself out of your comfort zone.
• Stay social and make new friends.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions.
• Avoid speculation.

Have a great week
Stacey Lloyd

In Term 1, due to restrictions, we had to cancel the Chinese performance that was scheduled for Chinese New Year. There is another culturally significant day coming up in China. Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Jie (‘Start-of the-Fifth-Solar-Month Festival’), is a traditional festival which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. Dragon boat racing has a rich history of ancient ceremonial traditions. During this festive season, the traditional food shared is ZongZi - rice and variety of fillings wrapped in leaves of bamboo and reed forming a pyramid shape. Another festival activity is to stand an egg on its end, or egg balancing, at noon on the day. It is said that the gravitational and electromagnetic forces on this day makes it much easier for eggs to stand upright. As it is the starting of a warmer season when insects become more active, colourful pouches filled with spices and herbs are worn to repel insects and ward off disease and promote good health. In 2022, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 3rd.

We have rescheduled the Chinese Lion Dance for Thursday 2^nd June at 8:10am (week 7) to coincide with this celebration. We will be holding this event outdoors, weather permitting. It will be colourful, loud, and by holding it outdoors, everyone is welcome to leave the Green Zone and join the celebration. There will be an area marked off for the performance stage, students to sit and parents and teachers to stand.

Venue: Grassy area between Admin Office and the Gym
Date: June 2
Time: 8:10am  

 Have a great week
Natasha Floyd HOD/C

For many years, Rochedale State School has had a Parent Prayer Group. With the disruption of the last few years, this group has met sporadically, however I am happy to let you know that we are going to be meeting regularly again! 

If you are a RSS parent, interested in meeting with others to pray for our school community, we will meet on Fridays 8:30-8:50am, in the Library Teaching Room (direct entry through courtyard door).

For more information or if you’d like to join us, please contact Andie Eames – a.eames@optusnet.com.au

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.

VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY REQUIRED - SNACK SHACK & UNIFORM SHOP

UNIFORM SHOP NEWS: Uniform shop (eq.edu.au)

URGENTLY NEEDED! Our convener, Kate, will shortly be going on maternity leave and we will need to have someone come in to learn the ropes to cover while Kate is away. This is a paid position, 2 days a week, 8am-4pm. Email office@rochedalesspandc.com.au to register your expression of interest. We are open for over-the-counter sales every Monday & Wednesday from 8.15am-9.15 & 2.15pm-3.15pm. The Uniform Shop Convener, Kate, is only onsite on these days. Emails will be answered during off duty hours but please understand this may not mean immediately. Please note: We are no longer able to deliver Qkr orders direct to the classrooms. All Qkr orders are now delivered to the teacher's pigeonholes for the teacher to collect and then distribute to your child. This will happen on Mondays & Wednesdays. Or if you prefer you can pick up on the day in the afternoon, but please let us know by email so that we can hold on to it for you. Please speak with your teacher in the first instance if you do not receive your order. We appreciate your patience during this adjustment. Every effort is made to ensure the orders are delivered directly to the teacher for distribution to your child. Winter stock has now arrived and is ready for you to order. Any questions or concerns can be sent to uniform@rochedalesspandc.com.au

P&C NEWS: P&C (eq.edu.au)

Our next General Meeting - Tuesday May 24, 7pm. All are welcome. We will be saying goodbye to some of our Executives at the end of this year. Why not come along to a meeting, no need to join immediately. There are many benefits of volunteering. Volunteering provides you with a sense of purpose, a sense of community, it increases your social skills and allows you to make many new friends. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to pandc@rochedalss.eq.edu.au

SNACK SHACK NEWS: Tuckshop (eq.edu.au)

Thank you to our new volunteers. We still need more help if we are to avoid closing again. New Menu coming soon. It is, we promise! Qkr order cut-off is 8.45am for that day's delivery. Orders can be placed at any time during the day or night for the next day's delivery. Here at Rochedale State School Snack Shack, we are looking to support our fabulous staff for sticking with us while still providing us with our daily tuckshop needs. We are looking for a new Convener as well as new volunteers and casuals, so we can continue and improve our service to the children of our school, but we cannot do this without your help. Mums, Dads, and Grandparents make great volunteers, and your child will love seeing you there! See what we do and how we prepare all the lunches on site. If you can spare some time, even if it is only half an hour in the mornings (when you do school drop off), every little bit helps. Make new friends and have a laugh. We are creating a new volunteer schedule of the times when we will need help. Any concerns or questions you may have please email tuckshop@rochedalesspandc.com.au

Are you available to help during any of the times listed below?

Volunteering can be weekly, fortnightly, or Monthly. If you are available for any of these times, please email us.

Look forward to meeting you 
Team Snack Shack 

ROSHCA NEWS: ROSHCA (eq.edu.au)

All information regarding enrolling at ROSHCA can be found on the school's website or by emailing us at roshca@rochedalesspandc.com.au

Kind regards
Michelle Duncan
Admin Asst. RSS P&C
07-3340-8365