Principal’s Report
WAYNE KENNEDY
The first week of the 2021 online NAPLAN testing has been a smooth and successful process.
The Year 3 students completed the one-and-only paper-based component of the testing with a confident display of full engagement throughout the scheduled 42-minute Writing task. The Year 5 Writing task was the first opportunity for the Leadership and Technical support team to see if all the behind-the-scenes NAPLAN Portal preparations would go according to plan – there was an element of underlying relief felt by supervising staff at the test’s completion.
This Issue
The Year 5 students were very comfortable with the familiarity of iMac lab and effortlessly engaged with the online format. The Year 7 & 9 cohort also appreciated the opportunity to use their keyboard skills rather than to hand write.
The Reading test across Years 3, 5, 7 & 9 proved quite instinctive for the students to competently accommodate the demands of the examination platform as well as the academic demands of the reading and comprehension tasks – I look forward to viewing the PBC’s NAPLAN results.
Thank you to the Teaching Team for the preparations made to ensure that our students had the necessary skills to navigate the new online NAPLAN platform. Fingers crossed that the Conventions of Language and the Numeracy components scheduled for next week run as efficiently.
Parent/Teacher Interviews
I would like to thank all the parents and carers that took time out of their busy schedules to attend the recent Parent/Teacher interviews held on the 4th & 5th of May.
The feedback I have received from both parents and teaching team has been extremely positive and rewarding with respect to ensuring our students remain on track to achieve their academic potential.
If parents were unable to attend, please contact administration or email teachers directly to arrange a convenient future meeting.
PIPS Fundraising Committee (P&F)
May I also thank the PIPS Fundraising Committee (P & F) for all the preparations undertaken to guarantee a very successful Mother’s Day Stall.
Please support the PIPS committee at next Wednesday’s Athletics Carnival (19th May 2021) sausage sizzle and cupcakes will be available.
The College is in the process of allocating some of the funds raised by the PIPS Fundraising Committee into new playground equipment. I look forward to sharing development in forthcoming Emu Chronicle editions.
Scholastic Book Orders
Scholastic Book Club Issue 3 for Kindy to Year 6 is now open for orders.
Parents please order online at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP app (orders cannot be paid through PBC office). If your child has not received a catalogue, please view the online version.
Your order will be electronically linked to the rest of our school’s order. You do not need to complete the order form.
Housekeeping
School Administration Housekeeping.
- The email address to use for all correspondence relating to student absences is admin@pbc.qld.edu.au, this email address is accessed by all administration staff. Please add admin@pbc.qld.edu.au to your address books so that our emails to you don’t go to your junk email folder.
You can also lodge an absence via the form on the website located here. - Don’t forget to order canteen through the My School Connect app – orders are to be placed no later than 9 am, this app will also be used for musical ticket sales later in the year.
- When signing students in late or signing them out early please ensure to put a reason in the text box for College records.
- Please ensure students are in their correct uniform, we are going to be checking to make sure that the uniform policy guidelines are being followed, this includes correct footwear with formal uniforms.
School Flags
Year 6 have the important job of putting out our flags each morning – here Mrs Hemmings is showing 6D how it’s done.
PIPS Fundraiser – BBQ and Cupcake Stall
Our PIPS group will be holding a BBQ and Cupcake Stall on Wednesday 19th of May to coincide with our Athletics Carnival.
The BBQ will be going all day to feed ravenous students and parents.
Pricing will be from $2 – $5 for items such as sausage, burger, cupcakes, water and poppers.
If you are able to help with sales on the day please let admin know.
Also we are chasing a couple of big eskies for the day if you have one we could use please let us know.
Poster design M and C Stinton (students)
WANTED
Small jars with matching lids for Year 9/10 Food Technology please.
Year 4
RACHEL PRESTON
Rock Hounds!
This term Year 4 are exploring an Earth and Space unit about Rocks and Soils. We started our unit rather appropriately on Earth Day by getting ‘hands-on’ and making some mini playdough Earth planets.
The most satisfying part was slicing the Earth in half and checking if we had our layers in the correct order!
Next, we decided to take on the role of Geologists and investigate our rock collections to see if we could sort them according to their properties of lustre, hardness, colour and texture.
It was also interesting to see if we could categorise the rocks into types such as igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
A message from Year 4, “We only have one Earth, let’s look after it!”
Year 5C
HEATH CAHALAN
Digging for Gold!
Last Tuesday, Year 5 attended the Gympie Gold Mine & Historical Museum. This was part of our History Unit for Term 2.
Students did a fantastic job representing the school and its values.
Year 6H
MRS S HEMMINGS & MR J McMILLEN
Digital Technologies
In Digital Technologies, the Year 6H class has been investigating various ‘information systems’ and why we need them. We looked at websites which collect data and information to try and solve a problem e.g., Koala Tracker.
The students were then asked if there was an issue needing attention within our world at school. The challenge of controlling litter in the playground, was a hot topic.
After a lot of discussion, we decided to collect data to decipher the areas which needed attention and more specifically what type of litter was the most prolific.
Each group was sent out to pick up litter for 10 minutes and gathered information about their given area. They made some sobering observations. The total number of pieces of litter collected (paper, plastics, organic etc) across all three areas was just short of 400 pieces, with soft plastic being the biggest problem.
The challenge now, is to respond to this issue and we are hoping that we can raise some possible appropriate solutions.
Art
LYNN BACK
ELOs – Card Games, Drama, Handicraft and Sport Club
Studio 4 Dance – Free trial classes
Calling all Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students – exciting new classes!
Studio 4 Dance is proud to present a full timetable of classes with a team of professional instructors at the PBC Dance Studio. Let us introduce you to Ruby Moore – she’s grown-up on stage, been cast in lead roles and travelled the world performing in musicals including “School of Rock”, “Strictly Ballroom”, & “Sound of Music”.
Starting next week, Ruby’s taking over Wednesday’s Mini’s Combo Class to share her expertise in Jazz and Tap – with a touch of Musical Theatre!
Join us after school for some of these fun-filled classes for 5-8yr olds:
- Monday 3.30-4.15pm Ballet & Lyrical Dance with Taliah
- Tuesday 3.00-3.30pm Yoga & Mindfulness with Robyne
- Wednesday 3.30-4.30pm Jazz, Tap & Musical Theatre Dance with Ruby
- Saturday 9.30-10.15am Acrobatic Arts with Lyvia
Book a Free Trial today info@studio4dance.com.au mb. 0412 268 278. There’s never been a better time to give it a go!
Classes also available for Tiny Tots, Intermediates, Teens and Adults. See full timetable and connect with social pages here.
Vaccinations
Ozcare will be administering vaccinations to students in Years 7 on the following dates.
| Year 7 | Thursday 14 October 2021 | #2 HPV vaccine | Second dose of HPV vaccine |