Weir State School Newsletter

Welcome to this edition – Another big week has passed by and it is hard to imagine that we only have a little over a week left until school holidays. The students have continued with great enthusiasm and are working hard to complete their work by terms end. Please encourage your child to continue setting high personal expectations with behaviour and classroom learning as we move toward then end of term.  It’s a busy time in our school at the moment and our staff will be putting in extra effortS to ensure the term ends well and report cards are completed and sent home on time.

Term 3 update – Last week the department asked me to stay on for Term 3 and I have accepted their request. I will be working with the department this week to ensure Mr Coey continues his tenure as Deputy Principal to help steer the school with Mr Cavanagh and I. I would personally like to thank the Weir State School community for being so welcoming and supportive of the changes within our school throughout the first half of the year. It has been great to see the kids meeting expectations and displaying a new sense of pride within their school……Our mantra of WEIR STRONG ….WEIR SMART is definitely driving a renewed culture within our school.

Road safety – Unfortunately over the past week we have had children and adults not follow road rules and put their lives at risk by crossing the road without abiding by road rules and using the designated crossings. Could I please ask families take the safest route to school following road rules and encourage their children to be safe.  If the unsafe behaviour continues to happen it is only a matter of time before someone is hurt or worse…..please be safe on our roads.

School absences – Please ensure that if your children are away you notify our office.  If you are aware your child will be away for an extended period an ‘exemption of education’ form must be approved and signed off by the Deputy Principal or the Principal. Other than that, please ensure you push to have your children come to school every day. Attendance is everything and without your children being at school they can’t possibly learn. EVERY DAY COUNTS!!!!!

Report Cards  - Our teachers are busy finishing off report cards and they will be sent home in the final week of this term. Please remember to check your child/ children’s bag for reports. Just a reminder that a ‘C’ achievement is the expected standard for a student within a key learning area. If you have any queries please contact our administration.

READING AT HOME - Reading is an important skill which is developed through experiences with a wide variety of texts. This includes reading books and magazines, posters and charts, pamphlets and packets, letters and postcards. It also includes viewing multimedia texts such as movies and documentaries.

Children make progress at their own pace; some pick up new skills quickly and some need more time for learning and practising the new skill. All children need to be ready to learn and to have the best conditions for learning new skills. At school, teachers create safe, happy and stimulating environments where children are encouraged and praised for ‘having a go’.

You can create a similar learning environment at home with the following ideas:

• Make a regular time to read together and don’t stop reading TO your child when they can read themselves; they love listening to a competent reader.
• When you introduce a new book to your child, discuss what it could be about, talk about the pictures or text and then read it to each other. With older children you can encourage them to make predictions and pause occasionally to confirm or reject their original thoughts.
• Read and follow directions together such as a recipe when cooking, following instructions when playing a game or assembling a new piece of furniture or a toy.
• Read magazines and newspapers together and talk about the pictures as well as the text.
• Listen to audio books or story tapes and watch movies together. Once you’ve seen the movie, discuss it and then read the original book together.

Most importantly…..make sure your children see you enjoying reading.

THIS WEEKS PROVERB – “Hard work never did anyone any harm !”

Have a great week and ‘ GO THE COWBOYS ! ‘

MR B  - Principal

The Arts Program at Weir State School offers a rich and varied program of classroom and extra-curricular activities. All students from Prep to Year 6 engage in an hourly lesson covering Music, Dance and Drama. Lessons are provided each Term in 5 week blocks, alternating with PE/Health. An Instrumental Music program is offered to students from year 3 upward. The Choral Program is also available to students from Year 3 -6.

The Arts is based on the principle that all young Australians are entitled to engage fully in all the major art forms and to be given a balanced and substantial foundation in the special knowledge and skills base of each.

For most people, the arts is an integral part of life. We believe all students can derive considerable fulfilment and enjoyment from an arts education – not only those who show a particular talent. The skills and concepts students acquire, as a result of their arts education should be of benefit to them not only in their schooling but also in the years beyond formal education.

Music, Dance and Drama Lessons

Learning in Music involves students having a range of experiences involving singing, movement, listening, musical games and playing instruments: untuned and tuned percussion in prep to year 2, Glockenspiels in Years 3 - 6. Skills in reading and writing music notation, composition and performance are developed and encouraged at all year levels.

Learning in Dance involves students exploring elements, skills and processes through the

integrated practices of choreography, performance and appreciation. The body is the instrument

of expression and uses combinations of the elements of dance (space, time, dynamics and

relationships) to communicate and express meaning through expressive and purposeful

movement.

Learning in Drama involves students making, performing, analysing and responding to drama,

drawing on human experience as a source of ideas. Students engage with the knowledge of drama, develop skills, techniques and processes, and use materials as they explore a range of forms, styles and contexts.

Instrumental Music

The instrumental music program provides tuition to students in the form of weekly lessons. Programs are offered in strings, brass, woodwind and percussion. Lessons are provided by instrumental music teachers who work across several schools, primary and high schools, in the Townsville district.

The strings program is available for students in years 3 to 6. The brass, woodwind and percussion programs are available for students in years 4 to 6. Students are able to loan their instrument through the school. Some students will be encouraged to buy their own instrument after several years in the program.

Instrumental Program Recruitment

Recruitment for the strings program occurs towards the end of year 2 for year 3, and for other instruments in year 4 or year 5.

Students are assessed according to:

• A standard musicality test
• General class attitude and performance
• Music class achievement  

We are able to loan instruments for 2 years. The larger expensive instruments (French horn, trombone, saxophone and Cello) are on loan for the duration of the student’s learning. In all other cases children are expected to purchase or hire their own instrument after two years. Students are invited to participate in the school concert bands, string orchestras and instrumental ensembles once they have reached an appropriate level of competence. Our ensembles perform at the local eisteddfod each year, and are given the opportunity to perform regularly at school assemblies and concerts. All instrumental music students are encouraged to participate in various instrumental music workshops offered throughout the year.

Instrumental Lessons

Students attend one lesson per week. These lessons are organised on a rotational basis to assist the children in not missing out on the same class lessons each week. Rehearsals and Band Practice are compulsory for those in the program.

Practice

Students in this program are expected to practice 4 X 20 minutes every week. This is vital to a successful experience in learning a given instrument. Practice is monitored by teachers with a practice sheet which we ask parents to monitor and sign. As students are taught in a group of approximately 5 it is important that they work together as a team and are up-to-date with the practice set by the teacher.

Attendance

It is compulsory for each student to attend timetabled lessons, instrumental group rehearsals and all performances. Students who are absent must present a note from their parents as soon as possible after that time. If a student continues to be absent without explanation, parents will be contacted and that student may be withdrawn from the program.

Information evening

During fourth term all music staff invite parents of children who are entering our program to an information evening. At this evening we outline the expectations, the running of the program and the costs of the program.

Choral program

Weir State School has a high participation rate in our Choral program. We currently have over 90 students enrolled. Students have the opportunity to participate in the Junior Choir in years 3 and 4 or in the Senior Choir in years 5 and 6. These groups rehearse weekly and enjoy their active involvement in both the school community and within the wider local community. All students are invited to join our Choirs.

The choirs perform regularly at our School Parades. Our Choirs have many opportunities to perform. The students also enjoy singing at the Eisteddfod, Under 8’s opening ceremony, 2 Naidoc Parades, Anzac Day Parade and Christmas Carols at the Masonic Village. A highlight of the Choral Program is the annual Townsville and District Choral Camp. This runs for 4 days in the last week of Term 2.

• Congratulations Clarvarn on your selection in the Northern Athletics Team.  The team will travel to Brisbane in August to compete at the State School Athletics Championships.

• Good luck to Jackson Francis who is representing Northern at the State School Hockey Championships in Townsville this week.  It’s exciting to be playing on the two new artificial surfaces that have just been completed after they were damaged by the floods earlier in the year.  Thank you to the Townsville Hockey Association for all their hard work in getting this venue ready for our Championships.