Week 4 Term 4 Newsletter

From the Principal – Maja Bogicevic

Following our first edition of the newsletter a couple of weeks ago, we received great feedback from parents and community members. I would like to thank you all for supporting our school as we try to improve communication channels and better connect with our families. I hope you enjoy reading today’s edition featuring articles from the Leadership Team, our teachers, support staff and students. I would like to make a special mention of our Year 6 students, Xavier and Olivia, who have chosen to share their learning in the FlexiSpace with the school community.

P&C Community Meetings

The kindness and strength of our parent community shone brightly over the last couple of weeks. In our community meetings, we discussed the facilities improvements, academic reporting, Year 6 Graduation and Student Resource Scheme for 2025. The 2024 Annual General Meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm on Thursday 31 October and will be held in our Administration building. All parents and carers are invited.  

Facilities Improvements

We are getting upgrades to Middle Amenities building to the value of $1.8million and we have been fortunate to receive a grant to upgrade the Tuckshop as well. This work should start in December holidays and is planned to be completed over the next six months.  As a result of the work on the Amenities Block, we will have to remove two trees that are potential risks as they are too close to the buildings. We are very grateful for our community’s support to move the project along. 

Academic Reporting

I presented a proposal to parents to change the way in which we report on students’ academic achievement. The proposal has been accepted by our parents and staff. The changes include:

• Removal of Comments section from the report cards. The information from the Comments section will be sent in a separate email to parents at the start and end of term.
• Reporting on student achievement four times a year (i.e. reports sent at end of Term 1 Term 2, Term 3 and Term 4), instead of two times (i.e. reports sent at end of Semester 1 and Semester 2).

The new reporting process means that parents will have the report cards to refer to during Term 2 and 3 Parent-Teacher interviews. This will enable a more targeted conversation with the teacher about their students. Each subject will show student’s Effort and Behaviour mark, as well as an Overall Behaviour comment. The new version of the report card will be sent at the end of the year. If you have any questions about the process or require clarification, please feel free to contact me.

Year 6 Graduation

Year 6 Graduation is a special event for all our Year 6 students and their families, and it has been discussed many times at the P&C Community meetings over the past few weeks. Our parents are very keen to support in any way they can, and I would like to express our gratitude to Ian and Stella, who decided to set up a GoFundMe page and collect money for Graduation Bears. Thank you very much, Ian and Stella, for going above and beyond to support our students in Year 6.

The letters about this year’s graduation have been sent out to families and Peta Jackson, Deputy Principal, is your main point of contact regarding arrangements for the day. We look forward to celebrating our students and their achievements in primary school.

Prep - Year 2 Deputy Principal - Amber Canestrini

Our 2025 Preps had another wonderful morning of learning how to be a Kruger SS Prep student. It was great to see so many parents engage in our sessions with Nurse Amy, Nurse Aishah and Advising Visiting Teacher for Hearing, Donna.

Year 1s had some special visitors this week; the Queensland Fire Department came out to speak with them about fire safety. We even all had a turn on the hose!

Year 3 & 4 Deputy Principal - Katie Robinson

In year 3 and 4 students have been focusing on responding respectfully during various sporting activities. Across both year levels there is a lot of passion for sports such as basketball, handball, soccer and touch football. Students have been practising setting their shared rules of their sport before the game and how to solve problems with each other in a respectful way during the games.

Check your emails for the details of our End of Year Concert. The concert will take place on Friday 29 November starting at 12:40PM.

Kruger’s Got Talent is back again! Students were given the opportunity to nominate themselves to audition. 25 brave students have nominated so far. Those students will be given times to practise with Miss Harris in the Music Room next week. Auditions will take place on November 4, 6 and 8. The top three winners will perform at the End of Year Concert.

Year 5 & 6 Deputy Principal - Peta Jackson

Year 6 Graduation

Last week a letter went home about Year 6 Graduation, that contained information about the 2024 Graduation.  On Monday 2 December, from 1:00pm-2:30pm, we will present the Year 6 special awards to students as part of our end of year Awards Ceremony at the Kruger State School Hall. Parents of award winners will receive a special invitation to this ceremony.  Our full Year 6 Graduation ceremony will take place from 11:00am-1:00pm on Wednesday 4 December at the Victory Church, 192 Redbank Plains Rd, Bellbird Park. Students will not be required at school before the ceremony. You will arrive at the Victory Church as a family. Children are encouraged to dress up for the graduation ceremony. The back page of this letter does need to be completed and return to the school office by Wednesday 20 November.

Year 6 Enrolments and Transitions to High School

I would encourage all parents of Year 6 students to enrol their children in high school in the next couple of weeks. The orientation/transition days for many of the high schools occur in Week 9 and students can only attend these days if they are enrolled. These days are an important part of Year 6 students transition to high school, as it often answers a lot of their questions, they can become familiar with the new school and meet a number of teachers/staff that they may work with next year. If you require any support with the enrolment into high school, please contact the office and ask to speak with Miss Jackson.

End of Year Celebration – Wet N Wild

On Thursday 5 December we will be travelling to Wet N Wild with Year 6 students as part of their End of Year Celebrations. A note will go home in the next week outlining details.

Head of Special Education Services - Regina Birchley

Welcome to Week 4!

Last week we were fortunate to have Mrs Donna Carlow-Hounslow (Advisory Visiting Teacher – Hearing Impaired) visit Kruger State School to visit students and teachers regarding hearing health and impairments in the classroom.

Hearing loss, which can be due to recurrent ear infections (otitis Media) and fluid build-up may affect childhood development – including speech, language and cognitive development. Long term developmental and learning problems due to a hearing loss impacts on school readiness and communication skills. It can affect a child’s family relationships, social skills and contribute to perceptions of behavioural problems. This can have social and economic consequences because they influence the trajectory of children’s lives towards adolescence and adulthood.

If you have any concerns for your child/ren, please contact your local health centre or GP ask for their ears to be checked by a doctor, nurse or health worker. Additionally, make sure your child removes mucous from their nose by blowing their nose and washing their hands afterwards.

Head of Department - Curriculum - Chloe Curry

As we dive into week 5 of term 4, our teachers are hard at work preparing for the Version 9 Curriculum in Maths and English for 2025. This new framework is designed to enhance our students’ learning experiences and ensure they are equipped with essential skills for the future.

What’s New in Version 9?

The Version 9 Curriculum introduces a range of updates aimed at fostering critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills. Here are some highlights:

• Focus on Core Skills: The curriculum emphasizes foundational skills in Maths and English, ensuring that students develop a strong understanding before moving on to more complex concepts.
• Integrated Learning: Teachers will incorporate interdisciplinary approaches, linking Maths and English with other subjects to make learning more engaging and relevant.
• Personalised Learning: Version 9 encourages tailored learning experiences, allowing teachers to better address the unique needs and interests of each student.
• Use of Technology: The updated curriculum includes the integration of digital tools and resources, helping students to enhance their learning through interactive and engaging methods.

Our teachers have been participating in professional development sessions to familiarise themselves with the new curriculum guidelines. This learning will empower them to create innovative lesson plans that align with Version 9, ensuring that every child benefits from the latest teaching strategies.

Guidance Officer - Allen Weynberg

“We all need a little help and support from time to time.  When life happens, it is good to know who you can call on.  These handy fold out leaflets give contact details for community services in our area.  They are available in my office, at the front office or in the Community Hub. 

Business Manager - Melissa Henderson

It is my pleasure to introduce the amazing Office administration team who support and engage with Kruger SS families, students, staff and visitors daily.  They are: 

• Nikki Fechner (Mon – Fri)
• Sandra Panzram (Mon – Fri)
• Ana Ioane (Wed – Fri)
• Subria Proud (Mon – Fri)
• Anna Berghauser (Mon – Fri)

A few reminders from the Office:

• Office hours are 8am to 3:30pm
• Email is the school’s preferred method of distributing important notes and letters to parents.  Please remember to check your emails regularly to keep informed and up to date.

Positive Behaviour Learning

At Kruger State School, our recent PBL focus has been exploring how to ‘respond respectfully’ in different situations. Students have been explicitly taught and positively reinforced for displaying respectful behaviour such as responding with a “good morning” when greeted by staff before school. At home you can help your child by encouraging respectful communication and modelling positive interactions such as saying “please” and “thank you” or calmly expressing your feelings during discussions. At Kruger State School, every child has the right to feel safe, secure and supported and by ‘responding respectfully’ they contribute to a positive and inclusive school environment where everyone feels valued.

Celebrating Our Teachers

Congratulations Ms Bankhead on winning a World Teacher's Day Award! Only 5 winners from 885 nominations across Queensland. We are so proud of you - thank you for all you do for our families.

• Website - https://tuh.com.au/world-teachers-day
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TUHhealthfund/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tuhhealthfund/

Teaching and Learning

Prep

Last week was very exciting for our preps as it was the first week of swimming! Not only are they learning some water skills, but they are also developing their independence in getting themselves changed and looking after their belongings. It's a bit of a learning curve! If you think it's hard getting your kids ready at home, think of us poor prep teachers trying to get 20 of them ready! Huge thanks to everyone who has been allowing their children to practise changing at home as well.

Year 1

This week, the Year 1 cohort had their Fire Education visit, where they learned essential fire safety tips for home emergencies: get down low and go, don’t hide, scream and shout, and remember to stop, drop, and roll. The students explored the different parts of the fire truck, discovering tools like the jaws of life and the breathing apparatus. The highlight of the visit was getting a chance to fire the hose, which thrilled everyone!

Year 2

Year 2 cohort have been having a great time this term with some exciting activities.  In Science children having been learning about how Living Things Grow and Change.  They have been growing a bean plant and also looking at the growth of Sea Monkeys.  They will then compare the life cycles of the sea monkey and the bean plant in a Venn Diagram. 

We have also been having a fantastic time swimming.  They have been displaying Kruger values of being safe, respectful and honest learners on the bus and at the pool. We are very proud of the way they are representing our school.

Year 6

Year six have been spending their last term at primary school analysing and creating advertisements, designing sustainable packaging, conducting science experiments and solving problems within the local community. Graduation is just around the corner, and we have many exciting end of year events to look forward to.

What's coming up at Kruger!