Principal’s Natter
I so clearly recall the beginning of last year. Arriving in a school coming off the tail end of a couple of years of many
changes in staff and school leaders and the broad range of procedures, routines and operations we were not familiar
with or understood while trying hard to amend (often on the run). It was a part of life we had to accept, live with and
work through. 2015, for me, was about the critical partnership with a new P&C, the staff, students and broader
community, listening about school history, current practices and future visions. Having our Quadrennial School Review
was a wonderful bonus, forging the way for critical reviews to establish promising futures.
Well here we are in 2016 and I could not be happier with the start of the year. The staff are excited about our future,
teachers are primed, confident and happy and the school is back to being a well organised centre for learning as it was
years ago. This doesn’t happen by accident. There have been many of our school staff that have given a lot of their
time over the holidays to get the school into this position and I thank them for that.
In particular, my deepest gratitude to Trina Moore for all the hours spent in the school over the holidays positioning
signage and to Jodie Dickens for the enormous preparatory hours prior to opening managing hundreds of stationary
packs.
EMPOWERING LIFELONG LEARNERS
I’m sure you are now seeing this everywhere. Our old vision was not much different – it stated ‘Learning for Life’. The
only difference is the word EMPOWERING. I will be spending time with students and teachers unpacking what this
change really means – but in a nutshell it drives an organisational commitment to culturing an assertiveness, purpose
and accountability around learning for life in our students by the time they leave Benowa State School. I am going to
be excited this year talking with students and staff this critical aspect of our vision.
Our mission that you see on all our signs is the filter.
We grow self-directed, disciplined and passionate learners with:
* curiosity and creativity
* integrity and authenticity
through
* collaborative partnerships
* consistent commitment to well being
In other words, our mission is the filter that all our educational decisions, strategic direction and policies are put
through. We have about four years to achieve this really well and have it engrained in our school culture. Visions and
Missions is about a way of thinking, talking and acting. While our programs and policies might seem to reflect this
direction, it will have a limited impact and fail to reach the intended destination if we don’t live and breathe each day
what we say.
Thanks for your support last year, your kind and generous words of encouragement for the start of this year and I look
forward to working closely with you all in 2016. Congratulations everybody on such a strong start.
2016 Staffing
Returning from leave for 2016 include:
Kym Sidic, Emma Crone
Permanent Staff on leave include:
Renae Jenkins, Krystelle Schneider, Stacey Higgins
New Classified Permanent Appointments
Narelle Best (Head of Curriculum)
Fraction Changes:
Pharan Akhtarkhavari – working 2 days per week while studying
Emily Williams – working 4 days per week
Working in acting positions at other sites:
Glenda Reckin – Business Services Manager Ormeau SS
Nicky Stone – Guidance Officer Shailer Park
Permanent Transfers in:
Emma Showell – Teaching Grade 3
Amanda Stocki – Teaching Grade 4
Maika Bailey – Teaching Grade 5
Tim Smith – PE Teacher
Shannon Stevens – Inclusion Teacher
Contract Teachers:
Melanie Smith – Prep
Karen Willis – Grade 1
Barbs Thomson – various roles
Melissa Heginbotham – Grade 2
Sarah Schofield – Grade 2
Rebecca Luchmund – Grade 3
Fiona Haddow – Grade 3
Tiffany Kassulke – Grade 5
Alan Melville – Grade 6
Jolene Battye – Grade 6
Adrian Anderson – Inclusion Teacher
Classified Acting Positions:
Kristi Williams – Business Services Officer
Class Design and Enrolments 2016
The predicted numbers for 2016 at this stage seem to be 885 giving us 36 classes. The breakdown of classes include:
6 x Prep classes
5 x Grade 1 classes
5 x Grade 2 classes
6 x Grade 3 classes
4 x Grade 4 classes
5 x Grade 5 classes
5 x Grade 6 classes
School Resource Scheme 2016
There are two components to resource provisioning for your child’s learning this year. One of those is in the form of
a stationary pack and the other is in the form of a School Resource Scheme. I have decided this year to itemise it
clearly so that you can see exactly what it provides for your child. Please ensure this is paid as soon as possible.
Communication
It is important that home and school work together to let each other know about details that are affecting your
child. This results in the building of a secure and happy learning environment for children.
It is both the school’s and parents’ responsibilities to communicate effectively. Forms of communication usually
include parent workshops, parent-teacher interviews, children’s written reports and regular newsletters. If you have
any concerns about your child please make an appointment with your child’s teacher to discuss.
Two-way communication is essential to providing the best possible education for our students.
SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
The Benowa State School newsletter is ‘Benowa News’. It is produced every second Friday and issued to each family
electronically. Benowa News contains important information with regards to school matters and is the major means
of communication between the school and home. Each edition is consecutively numbered. Please make sure the
school has your current email address.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
General information and the school newsletters can be accessed on the website. www.benowass.eq.edu.au.
QSchools APP
Benowa State School QSchool app is now ready to use. You will be able to access school information, newsletters
and automatically receive important updates and push notifications. From 2016 this will be our form of
communication instead of the SMS system currently used. This can be downloaded on to any ANDROID, APPLE &
WINDOWS 8 DEVICES.
It is free to use. This can be downloaded directly from our school website www.benowass.eq.edu.au
To download follow the attached instructions or scan QR code below
FACEBOOK & TWITTER
Benowa has a Facebook account which can be accessed https://www.facebook.com/pages/Benowa-StateSchool/107215303301. Twitter account is Twitter@BenowaSS.
STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME 2016
Benowa State School has a Student Resource Scheme for students. The purpose of the scheme is to provide
parents/caregivers with a cost effective means to purchase key products necessary for student learning. Below is
a table itemising exactly what we require students to have and the associated costs.
Participating in this scheme is a convenient way to ensure all resources are available for your child at the
commencement of the school year.
Payment process:
Currently payments can only be made online using the details provided below. From 27th
January 2016 – payments can also be made by EFTPOS, Cash or Credit Card on payment
mornings from 8am-9.30am.
Total Student Resource Scheme payable to the school varies across each year level.
Bank A/C Name: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ashmore Branch
BSB: 064 450
Account Number: 00900039
Account Name: Benowa State School General Account
Reference: 2016SRS – Year level & student/family name, eg 2016SRS3JohnSmith
Student Resource Scheme Includes:
Item
Pat M and Pat R Diagnostics
Mathletics and Reading Eggs
Art and craft supplies
LOTE - Language Perfect
Problem Solving Think Board
Total for each year level
Prep
$0.00
$20.00
$16.00
$0.00
$0.00
$36.00
Year 1
$0.00
$20.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5.00
$25.00
Year 2
$0.00
$20.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5.00
$25.00
Year 3
$5.00
$20.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5.00
$30.00
Year 4
$5.00
$20.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5.00
$30.00
Year 5
$5.00
$20.00
$0.00
$15.00
$5.00
$45.00
Year 6
$5.00
$20.00
$0.00
$15.00
$5.00
$45.00
To assist us in providing the best possible resources for your child, we encourage you to participate in the Student
Resource Scheme for 2016. Please contact the office for the paperwork you need to complete to have a payment
instalment plan.
Life Education
In Week’s 5 and 6 of this term, all of the students at Benowa State School will be participating in the Life Education
program. This program is in conjunction with the Health and Physical Education component of the Australian
Curriculum. Students will be looking at topics such as health, eating and exercise, how to keep safe in various
situations and recognising unsafe situations.
The Year 5 and 6 students participate in a “Talk About It” program which focuses on the physical and emotional
changes of puberty and being a teen. The Year 5 program focus on valuing diversity and puberty by examining the
social, emotional and physical changes associated with puberty. In Year 6 students will also examining puberty and
will talk about issues such as changes in body, intercourse, changes in emotions. They will also look at healthy
relationships and discuss factors that influence how people interact.
Information letters and invoices have already gone home to families. The cost of the program is $9 for Prep to Year
4 and $10 for Years 5 and 6. Due to the nature of the topics covered in Years 5 and 6 program, a signed permission
note is also required. This will be forwarded home separately to the information letter and invoice.
Senior School News-Lucinda Lambert
Welcome back to another wonderful year of learning, innovation, creativity and empowering learners. Our teachers
have been working extremely hard to plan and deliver a contemporary curriculum.
Student Wellbeing
This year we have introduced a Wellbeing Program called The Learning Curve. It is extremely important your child has
a school diary as this supplements the program. If you ordered the book pack your child will have one of the diaries
otherwise they can be purchased from the Uniform Shop for $9.35. The advantages of this program are that it
promotes resilience and wellbeing by addressing the elements listed here.






Strengths and emotions – being in charge of your emotions through your strengths
Positive Engagement – Focusing your energies on the bright side of life
Sills and Achievement – Building you capabilities to strive, thrive and flourish
Relationship and Optimism – focusing positivity and believing you and others matter
Exercise and Healthy – Having a healthy body and healthy mind
Meaning and Purpose – having passion and a reason for doing what you do
School Leadership Development
Student Council Representatives
Year 3 – 6 students will have an opportunity in both Semester 1 and Semester 2 to win the position as a Student Council
Class Representative. Voting will occur in Week 4 of Term 1 and 3. Any student successful in receiving the Student
Council Class Representative position in Semester 1 will be ineligible for re-election in Semester 2.
1. Teacher discusses attributes, roles and responsibilities for Student Council Class Representative with class in
week 3.
2. Students discuss intention of nomination with teacher. Teacher must support the nomination and sign the
nomination form on the basis the student has displayed:
3.

Leadership within the school,

A high standard of behaviour and adherence to school rules and values

Wearing the full school uniform with pride

Pride and loyalty to our school

A friendly and helpful manner towards all members of our community,

A mature ability to interact with others,

Displaying an ongoing commitment to the Benowa Way.
Student completes the nomination form and a parent must sign the form. Student submits the form to the
class teacher on Monday of Week 4, 15 February.
4. Nominee addresses the class with a speech of how they would be the best person to represent the class and
why on Wednesday of Week 4, 17 February (maximum 3 minutes/student).
5. Private and confidential voting is conducted immediately after the speeches.
6. Teacher counts votes and submits name of Student Council Class Representative to the Senior Deputy Principal.
7. Student Council Class Representatives are announced at Assembly in Week 5, 26 February.
I’m looking forward to seeing you over the next few weeks at our Parent Information Sessions.
Junior School News – Detta Lange
What a terrific start to the 2016 educational journey!
A special thank you must go to everyone involved in preparing for the beginning of the new school year - to parents
for ensuring that their children were well prepared, with uniforms and materials, as well as a positive and happy
attitude, and to our teachers, education assistants and support staff for the inviting classrooms and enjoyable learning
experience being offered. It has been a pleasure to witness all the happy faces each day, both coming in and going
out of the gate!
Helping your child manage their return to school
Be prepared for tired children in the first weeks. All children find the first few weeks tiring as they become used to
the new routine, and with the hotter weather, and they will often come home ‘tired and cranky’. Consider how you
will continue to manage this with your child. It may be that they will need an earlier bed time for a while, or a ‘nap’
on the weekends or in the afternoons, or just some quiet time to process the day. Children usually settle into a routine
after the first few weeks.
Learn to be Safe with Emmy program – Year 1 students
We are very fortunate to be partnering with Act for Kids to help educate our Year 1 students in keeping themselves
safe at all times. This program forms part of the health curriculum at Benowa State School, and is provided free of
cost. Learn to be Safe with Emmy and Friends teaches children the knowledge and skills to help them identify and
respond to risky situations using interactive games, colourful resources and child-friendly language. Permission forms
have been sent home for both participation in the program, and in the research Griffith University is undertaking to
ensure the success of the program. Parents may choose to provide permission for either or both of these. It is
expected that all students will be given permission to participate in the learning activities involved in the program.
Parent information sessions
Parents are invited to attend these sessions, where class teachers and members of the school leadership team will be
sharing their expectations for the year ahead. The days and times are as follows for Prep – Year 2:
Prep
Thursday 18 February, 3.15 – 4.15pm in your child’s classroom
Year 1 Wednesday 17 February, 3.15 – 4.15pm in your child’s classroom
Year 2 Thursday 11 February, 4.15 – 5.15pm beginning all together in the iCentre (library).
Every day counts! Successful learners attend school very regularly
As we come to the end of Week 2, parent are reminded of the importance of sending children to school every day.
Being at school every day counts, with one day absent each week quickly adding up to 8 weeks (almost a term/quarter
of the year) of missed lessons in a year.
Unless your child is ill, it is expected that your child will be at school learning every day of the school year, as school
absenteeism can impact significantly on students’ learning and wellbeing. Research shows that higher student
attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement, and that attending school every day helps
children to build necessary skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.
Our hours are 8.55am – 2.55pm, and children arriving after 9am in the morning will be required to go to Reception
where they will have a late slip issued, and the late arrival recorded. Parents collecting their child early, before the
end of the day, must go to Reception and be issued an Exit slip to present to the child’s class teacher before they will
be released.
Further information for parents is available on the Every Day counts website, Department of Education and Training:
http://education.qld.gov.au/everydaycounts/parents-community/index.html
Book Packs and resources required for a successful year
It has come to my attention that not all children have all the school resources required for the year. These were
clearly outlined in the booklists distributed to all families, and it was expected that all children will come on the first
day with all the items on the list. If you have not already done so, please ensure that you have provided all of the
items by the beginning of next week.
Koala Joeys Family Program, From Bump to Big School, has recommenced at Benowa State School!
It is free of charge, with no bookings required, so come when you can! Our staff are looking forward to seeing you
there for lots of fun with your young ones.
It is a universal, free, interactive oral language program for families and their children under school age, using nursery
rhymes, songs, dance, movement and stories to promote early literacy and numeracy skills, as well as brain
development, and social and emotional development. Parents gain skills in a fun, interactive and supportive
environment.
When: 9am Every Wednesday for approximately 30 – 40 minutes during the school term
Where: ‘The Cottage’ (L Block building – at the back of the school between the hall and iCentre)
Further dates and activities:
Harmony Day
Monday 21 March
P-2 Easter Bonnet Parade
Wednesday 23 March
School Cross Country
Thursday 24 March
More details will be available in the near future regarding these events.
I Centre News
A big hello to our wonderful Benowa families from the I Centre staff.
LIBRARY BORROWING
We are pleased to announce that the library is in full operation and that library borrowing has begun for most
classes. It has been a pleasure witnessing the students arrive with enthusiasm, ready for their reading journey in
2016. Pleasingly, most students have had their library bags on hand for borrowing. Please ensure your child has this
with them each week for their weekly library borrowing session. Students in Years P - 3 have the opportunity to
borrow 4 home readers and 2 library books, whereas the student in Years 4 - 6 may choose to borrow up to 2 library
books.
OVERDUE BOOKS
Some families may have received an overdue notice from the I Centre in the past week. We have upgraded our
library borrowing system and trailing a system which we hope will keep families more informed of their child's
current library borrowing status. It is anticipated that overdue notices will be printed out weekly and given to the
students to take home, as a friendly reminder. If overdue books are not returned within a two week time frame, an
invoice will be generated from the office seeking payment for the book/s. All payments MUST be made directly to
the office. If you have any questions or concerns around overdue notices, please come and visit the friendly staff in
the I Centre. With the arrival of the new library borrowing system, families will soon have online access to the
current Benowa State School catalogue from their own personal devices. Keep your eye on this space.
Scholastic Book Club
Students have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first catalogue of 2016 for book club. Issue 2 is due to arrive
in Week 5, and once this arrives, distributed to the class teachers. I am pleased to see that Scholastic has now
created a SINGLE catalogue, showcasing all the books available for purchase from our younger students to the most
senior. As previously done, all purchasing is to be made ONLINE through the LOOP method ONLY. Details of how to
register for this can be found on their website www.scholastic.com.au and on the catalogue itself. Last year our
library received an enormous remuneration of FREE books, due to the rewards collected from every individual
purchase. So not only are your children expanding their personal library, the school is also expanding it's library,
providing all students with access to new, exciting and popular titles.
Happy Reading
Allison Rudd
P&C News
Position Available – P&C Operations Manager (Events Coordinator)
If you are interested in applying for the position of P&C Operations Manager (Events Coordinator) you will be required
to email the Principal an application pack on mjose8@eq.edu.au. Applications close FRIDAY 19th February 2016 by
5pm.
Thank you
The P&C’s results depend on the efforts put in by our community. There has been a lot of interest in a number of our
most recent initiatives. If you wish to influence these and contribute, the way to do that is by becoming an active
P&C member.
The signage initiative was a great one that I am sure everyone can appreciate. It is so much easier to navigate
through the school now and makes it far more welcoming to newcomers. We owe a very big thank you to Trina
Moore, Benowa Mum and Director of DIRECT FOCUS MARKETING & SKY HIGH BRANDING. Trina spent many hours
with Mike Josey and P&C member Rachael Smith to get the designs just right. Trina also arranged to have the signs
installed to keep our costs low.
Trina, they look fantastic and we really appreciate you going above and beyond to get our school looking smart. It is
generous businesses like yours that make a big difference to our school.
P&C VOLUNTARY LEVY 2016
AIRCON FOR OUR HOT KIDS
The P&C voluntary levy is requested of all parents/caregivers.
The purpose of the levy is to fund important building and infrastructure items for our school. Your participation in this
levy is the most effective way for us to fund big-ticket facility items that improve our school infrastructure. In 2016 we
would like to focus on Air Conditioning specific spaces. We have a target of approximately $60 000.00 and depending
on what level of funding we actually reach, the priority order of rooms include:



Music Room
Science Room
iCentre LAB and Meeting Rooms
Payment process:
Payments can be made online using the details provided below.
Bank A/C Name: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ashmore Branch
BSB: 064214
Account Number: 10225865
Account Name: Benowa P&C Building Levy Account
Reference: 2016VL
Year level of oldest child & student/family name.
eg: 2016SRS3JohnSmith
Item
1 student
2 or more students
Air-con Levy
$80
$100
To assist us in providing the best possible care for your child, we encourage you to participate in this P&C Voluntary
Levy for 2016. Any donation of $2.00 or more is tax deductable. Therefore your contribution is a TAX DEDUCTABLE CONTRIBUTION
Yours sincerely
Brooke Patterson
P&C President
Date Claimers
Friday 4 Feb 9am
Jnr Assembly
Mon 8 Feb- Frid 19 Feb
Parent
Information Thurs 18 Feb
Sessions
Strategy Team Meeting
Fri 19 Feb
Yr 5 Drumbeat
Mon 22 Feb – Fri 4 March
Yr 6 Leaders PCYC
Thur 11 Feb
Fri 12 Feb- 9am
Mon 5 Feb – Thurs 8 Feb
Yr 6 Leaders PCYC
Wed 24 Feb
Senior Assembly
Wed 24 Feb
International
Chinese Thurs 25 Feb
Student Visit
P&C Meeting
Yr 5 Drumbeat
Yr 6 Leaders PCYC
Wed 17 Feb
Yr 5 Drumbeat
Snr Assembly
Wed 10 Feb
Wed 10 Feb
Wed 17 Feb
Fri 26 Feb
Student
Meeting
Council
Jnr Assembly
Prep – Year 4 Life
Education