Staff Shortages - over the course of the year we are finding it increasingly difficult to replace sick staff - teachers, teacher aides, deputy principals, groundsmen and cleaners, and staff who are on leave, This is impacting on school operations.

This has impacted our ability to provide supervision for the Green Zone from 8am, for this reason supervision will now be provided from 8.15 - 8.40am.  If you require supervision for your child/ren prior to 8.15am please contact ROSCHA to book before school care.

At times, some replacement Teachers have difficulty arriving at school at 8.30am to open classrooms. To ensure we have adequate supervision for all students, classrooms will now open at 8.40am.

Thank you for your understanding. These changes will take effect from week 9, Monday 13 June.

Reminders:

• students are not permitted to bring toys to school e.g. bey blades. Toys cause issues at lunch time with students arguing over toys or upset when they lose them.  Keep toys at home.
• No running around or games in the Green Zone before school.

Last week was a great week with two performances. The senior choir performed on parade, it was impressive.  It’s wonderful to give students the opportunity to perform so they can see the payoff for all of their hours of practice.

We also had a celebration of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, Duanwu Jie.  Chinese Lion Dancers performed, it was a wonderful community event.

Teaching and Learning

School Improvement Agenda for 2022 will continue to focus on improving student outcomes:

• Reading
• Writing
• Differentiation

During 2022, Rochedale State School will receive $292,086 in Investing for Success (I4S) funding to improve student outcomes:

• Increase the percentage of students across the school achieving an A-B in English from 42.3% to 50%.
• Increase the percentage of students across the school achieving an A-C in English from 85.5% to 90%.
• Increase the quality of our relationships with local Early Childhood Education Centres to strengthen knowledge and practices to support successful transitions from pre prep providers to primary school.

The following strategic initiatives are in place for the 2022 Investing for Success (I4S) funding agreement:

• Engage all teaching staff in professional learning to deepen their understanding of the Australian Curriculum, marking guides and inclusive teaching practices.
• Use school-based and systemic data to identify students requiring extension / intervention.
• Engage teachers in analysis and discussion of data and develop learning pathways suited to student needs.
• Monitor progress of marker students and track progress in reading and writing.
• Provide release time to year levels to work collaboratively and develop rigorous Units of Inquiry aligned to the Australian Curriculum.

Please click here to download the 2022 I4S agreement

Moderation, each year level will meet with the Leadership Team over the next week and a half to moderate term 2 assessment. Our moderation process aligns curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and reporting.  Each year level moderation provides consistency of delivery of the curriculum and assessment and A-E achievement.

Moderation is also an opportunity for Teachers and the Leadership Team to celebrate the success of student learning and to reflect on our teaching practices.

Report Cards will be emailed home on Tuesday 21 June.  Please ensure your email address on our system is correct.

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

Science Extension Program (Rochedale State High School)

We are fortunate to have our Science excursion rescheduled for Tuesday June 21.  During this extension program students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops focussing on Flaming Metals and Electric Circuits.

Year 6 Exhibition

Recently our Year 6 parents and families joined us for an information session focussing on the upcoming Exhibition. 

What is the Exhibition?

• It is an inquiry project conducted over 8 weeks into a topic of the student’s choice within the Transdisciplinary theme, ‘How the World Works.’
• It provides an opportunity for each student to take their learning beyond the classroom.
• Students can demonstrate a deep level of thinking and are able to engage in higher order thinking skills.
• Students have an opportunity to celebrate and showcase their learning with the community.

We are all looking forward to this journey with provocations beginning in week 9 of this term.

Natasha Ritchie
Acting Deputy Principal Years 5/6

Chinese Cultural Performance

Thank you to the community for braving that icy cold weather and attending the Lion Dance performance on Thursday morning. It was a colourful and energetic dance that the audience thoroughly enjoyed. It was great to see so many students, teachers and parents at our outside stage to share in this culturally significant event. 

Thank you to Mrs Wang for organising a fantastic performance.

Natasha Floyd
HOD- Curriculum

Parent information session – International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP)

A reminder - if you are intending to attend the parent information session regarding the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP). The details are as follows,

Date:               Tuesday June 7, 2022

Time:               1:50 pm to 2:50 pm

Location:         RPAC

The purpose of the information session is to inform you of how we implement the International Baccalaureate (PYP) framework as the means for delivering the Australian Curriculum.  By using this international accredited, pedagogical framework we offer our students a global perspective on learning which we believe connects our students to the real world and helps produce outstanding citizens for the future.

Looking forward to seeing you there.
Natasha Ritchie

2023 Prep Enrolments are now open!

Enrolments for Prep 2023 are now open for children born between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018. Children must be five (5) by 30 June in the year they enrol. Applications for enrolment will only be accepted for students within the school catchment area (or siblings of a current 2022 student). Unfortunately, we won’t be offering any out of catchment places for 2023. For further information, please contact our school Enrolments Officer, Mrs Amanda Ross on PH: 3340 8333 or E: enrolments@rochedalss.eq.edu.au

Drama Auditions- 2022 RPAK Showcase             

Preparations for the 2022 RPAK Showcase are well underway. This year’s theme is ‘musicals’ and will be showcased in Term 3, Week 10.

We are inviting now all students in Year 5 or Year 6 that would like to audition for a drama part to come forward!

These drama auditions will be held during second break on Wednesday 8 June.  If successful, this small group of students will rehearse twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday at lunchtime in Term 3. They need to be able to commit to all rehearsals as well as the purchase of a base costume:

• Girls: plain black camisole top, plain black ¾ leggings
• Boys: plain black singlet, plain black shorts/pants (more information provided closer to time in regards to this). 

We look forward to seeing the talent of our students on Wednesday- we are sure it will be a hard decision choosing our Actors/Actresses for the showcase!

Jessica Rigby
Deputy Principal Year 2/3
RPAK Coordinator 2022

If you require us to provide a report for a medical or allied health person, please note that we require a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice to prepare such. This allows our teachers to consult with the team teachers, GO and DP (as needed) to provide a comprehensive report for your child. We are not able to produce any letters or reports under this minimum timeframe.

Despite the change in our Under 8’s Day plans it was a huge success! Our students enjoyed a range of activities across the classrooms.  

Rusty with his handler Rob have been continuing to do some amazing work this Term, reading with our students. The students are enjoying being able to read to Rusty. We are grateful to Rob and his reading dogs, Rusty and Kippa. 

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.

Please find attached a works notice in relation to the Rochedale Road and Priestdale Road intersection upgrade.  

If you have questions, please contact the project team on 1800 669 416 or email cityprojects@brisbane.qld.gov.au. For information outside of business hours please call Council’s 24-hour Contact Centre on 3403 8888.

Kind regards
City Projects Team | BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL