Weir State School Newsletter

Welcome to the final edition of term  – Wow what a tough  1st semester at our great school. First and foremost I would like to thank the staff of Weir State School for the outstanding resilience shown at the start of the year when our city went through the biggest floods in its history. Everyone had to stick together strongly to ensure our school stayed solid and was a positive place for our kids when things weren’t going so well. Things were unsteady for a while, however we all appear to be on the right track now with our great school motoring forward.  As we near the end of what has been a super term one can only marvel at the great accomplishments our students, teachers and community have achieved. We have lots to be proud of. I look forward to continuing to work hard with the Weir Team and continue our journey together as a solid school community in Term 3.  Our achievements for the 1st half of the year have been:

• New digital sign

New PBL signage
Front fence at arvo pick up area
School camera security system
Improved hall screen and audio system
Interactive learning screens for prep
4 lesson sequence reading system
$ 10 000 worth of new reading books
$ 60 000 spent on laptop computers
Continued focus on  curriculum direction and structure
Student disciplinary absence ( short and long suspensions) reduction throughout semester
New Positive Behaviour System implemented throughout the school and Gotcha Room rewards system
Weir Strong Youth Engagement program

Students attendance term 3 - Every day counts: Unfortunately, this term there has been too many unexplained absences. I would really like to see our term 3 focus on ensuring all students come to school each day and on time. Learning is paramount to smart kids. Remember unless sick – it’s not OK to be away.

Continued behaviour expectations – Please remember to remind your children on their return in term 3 of our high expectations. Keeping hands and feet to self and using appropriate language. Hit or swear and you go home – It’s that simple!!

School Watch over the break – If you happen to be walking, riding or driving past the school on the holidays please keep an eye out for any suspicious people that shouldn’t be on the premises. If you think there is a problem please contact the police immediately. Please contact 131788 if you see anything conspicuous when going past our school.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS -  Now that the holidays are approaching, it’s time to think about keeping the kids entertained . There are many activities you can do with your children which are inexpensive and good fun. You don’t need to entertain them every moment of every day, but if you plan a couple of special family activities with them, it helps to break the monotony as well as building relationships with them.

Have you taken the kids fishing lately or tried rollerblading or bike riding with them? What about yabbying or a picnic by the river, lake or beach? Had a barbecue in the bush recently? Take a picnic lunch to the local gardens and relax under the shady trees. Throw in the frisbee for some fun and games with them. Have you been out on a boat with them? Try canoeing or kayaking or just a swim. Or just lie on the banks of a river and watch the boats float by.

You can do some very simple activities with them on those rainy days when you are stuck inside. Consider these ideas: write or email a friend to come over and play; write a shopping list together; draw a map of the neighbourhood, your house or the way to Grandma’s; plant some seedlings; look at photo albums and tell stories about when you were a child; design, make and fly a kite; estimate, compare and count collections of things; visit the local library and borrow a book, or buy a new one to share; teach them to play hopscotch or a board game; ride a bike, throw a ball, kick the footy; cook some biscuits together or make a yummy fruit salad.

Most importantly…..TALK, TALK, TALK  with your children.

Have a great holiday and enjoy spending time with your children; they’re very special young people!

THIS EDITIONS PROVERB  - “ Hope is not a Strategy ”

Have a great mid year break, stay safe and GO THE COWBOYS

Mr B  - Acting 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.

Yesterday, our school community was treated to a terrific afternoon of musical pieces presented by our Junior and Senior Band, String Orchestra and the Junior and Senior Choirs. We had lots of families come along to watch and enjoy the student's performances. Ms Clarke-Flesser, Miss Mulligan and Mrs Wilson were very proud of them all. Marissa Lee came first in the Arties Music Competition, second went to Jessica Mathews and third to Dakota Jackson.  The girls will now go on to compete against other schools at Stockland Shopping Centre. Well done girls! Here are some photos of the afternoon.