Conondale State School eNewsletter

Key Priority 1 : Integrating effective pedagogical approaches to refine teacher monitoring of student learning and further strengthen instructional practices. These priorities will guide our professional development and classroom strategies to ensure the best outcomes for all students.

Key Priority 2: Integrating effective pedagogical approaches to refine teacher monitoring of student learning and further strengthen instructional practices. These priorities will guide our professional development and classroom strategies to ensure the best outcomes for all students.

Attendance Target: 92%

Actual Attendance: 96.4%

Welcome to Term 1 at Conondale SS

As we embark on another exciting term at CSS, I want to extend a warm welcome to all students, staff, and families. It has been fantastic to see everyone return with such enthusiasm, and I am particularly pleased to report that we have started the term with an outstanding attendance rate of 97.4%! Our goal for the year is 92%, and I encourage everyone to continue prioritising attendance to support student learning and engagement.

This year, we are focusing on two key priorities:

Priority One: Enhancing our understanding of the Australian Curriculum while strengthening the links between curriculum, teaching, learning, and student outcomes, with a particular focus on Mathematics.

Priority Two: Integrating effective pedagogical approaches to refine teacher monitoring of student learning and further strengthen instructional practices. These priorities will guide our professional development and classroom strategies to ensure the best outcomes for all students.

Staffing Updates

This term, Ms Jacinta will be on leave until the end of term, and we welcome Mrs. Harris as her replacement. Mr. Meneely will also be on leave for the first four weeks, and we are awaiting confirmation regarding his replacement. We appreciate your patience and support as we ensure continuity in student learning.

Parent Engagement

A big thank you to all families who attended the recent parent information afternoon. Your involvement in your child’s education is invaluable, and we truly appreciate your ongoing support. We also encourage all parents to consider joining the P&C (Parents and Citizens Association). The P&C plays a vital role in our school community, and your input and participation can make a real difference. If you're interested, please reach out for more details on how to get involved.

Student Wellbeing & Gratitude Journaling

This term, we are introducing daily gratitude journaling for students. This initiative aims to foster a positive mindset, improve wellbeing, and encourage reflection. We believe that taking a moment each day to acknowledge things we are grateful for will contribute to a more supportive and engaged learning environment.

Important Updates

Parade Time Change: School parade will now be held from 2:00 - 2:20 pm each week. Please make note of this new time.

Attendance Monitoring: Moving forward, we will no longer be offering a text message service for attendance. Instead, we will be calling parents directly for any unexplained absences. Regular attendance is essential for student success, so we appreciate your cooperation in ensuring students are at school every day.

As we move through the term, I look forward to seeing the wonderful progress our students make. Thank you for your continued support, and let’s work together to make this a fantastic term at Conondale SS

Warm regards,

Scott Willis

Principal, Conondale SS

Uniforms Online
Uniforms can now be ordered online and sent home with your children. Follow the link here https://conondale-state-school-uniform-shop.square.site/ to get your uniforms.

Tuckshop Online

Tuckshop can now be ordered online and is available to students Wednesday first break every week. Please ensure you have placed your order by 5:00pm Monday. The online order link is here https://conondale-state-school-pc-association.square.site/?location=11ec27ca0bf3a147b5f5ac1f6bbbd01e

Our whole school approach to literacy! WOW!

Welcome to Term 1. What a great week we've had in the P/1/2 room. It's always exciting starting the new year off and welcoming our new preps. Thanks for your continued support. A few things to note:

Fruit Break - this needs to be in a separate container, bag or whole piece of fruit. To save time and energy, we put these in a tub at the start of the day.

Diaries - These need to come back every day. If there's something you need to tell us, please put it in here as they are also checked every day.

Cushions - We'll be starting Mindfulness over the next couple of weeks, so please send in a small cushion to aid in this.

Gardening - We are starting Gardening tomorrow afternoon. If you can come in and help we'd love to have you from 1.45pm - 3pm.

Mobile Library - I will be sending membership forms home tomorrow after we visit the library. If you want your child to be a member, please return the form completed.

Homework - Everyone will get homework this week. The requirement is 10 mins of reading every night. It can be child reading or adult reading. Please also talk about the book. Characters, retell, favourite part, author, illustrator etc to help develop understanding. Preps will have some sound worksheets rather then books.

I look forward to another great fortnight. Please contact me via email with any non-urgent questions, lsand46@eq.edu.au

We have had a fantastic start to the year and I have to commend the Year 3/4/5/6 students for their fantastic efforts in the classroom. They are learning new routines and are transitioning well into our classroom and new roles at Conondale State School. Our whole school PBL expectation focus has been transitioning quietly and appropriately in all areas of our school.

Our aspiring Year 6 student leaders are working towards attaining leadership, with the first-round selection coming up at the end of this term. The selection process is comprised of an application, speech, consideration of personal attributes, commitment and reliability. At Conondale State School the leadership model is an integral component of our school environment, designed to support the leadership development of our students and prepare them for future responsibilities when they attend high school.

The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Program has kicked off and we’re cooking this term on Thursday mornings. As well as cooking delicious vegetarian dishes with produce grown in our beautiful ‘Garden of Promise’, students also develop their communication skills while they work collaboratively in groups reading recipes, gathering their cooking utensils, preparing the food, setting tables and kitchen clean up. This week students made pizzas with pita bread, zucchini and homemade pesto using basil from our garden. Volunteers are always welcome, so please contact our office if you would like to join us. Laura and students have been busy preparing our many garden beds for seedlings.

For parents/caregivers who were unable to come along to our parent information session, our school wide homework expectation is that students read a book they enjoy for at least 10 minutes every night. A sheet for parents to sign for each night of reading can be found in homework books, which are taken home Monday and are to be returned every Friday. Additional English and maths homework is available to those students and parents who would like to establish homework routines. I will begin to send homework in week 3.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with if you any questions or concerns: jxver1@eq.edu.au

Have a great week and remember that every day counts!

Miss Vergens

Well done to all our students who received 'Student of the Week' on Monday for week 1.

P/1/2 - Slater

3-6 - Armani

Japanese - Mahla

We are very pleased to be starting kitchen and garden this week. The 3-6 class did a wonderful job in the kitchen this morning and the P/1/2 class will be starting gardening tomorrow afternoon. If you would like to come and volunteer for either of these activities please dont hesitate to contact the school on 5435 1333. It is always so wonderful to have parents come and join us and help out.

Kitchen times are Thursdays 9.00 - 10.30am (3-6 class)

Garden times are Fridays 13.45 - 15.00pm (P/1/2 class)

We are looking forward to another great term of learning, creating and growing.

Ms Jenni and Ms Laura