November

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Ponderings

Welcome to hump week of Term Four.

Yes it is full speed ahead for the middle week of the term and therefore the downhill run to the end of the year.

Fabulous fun filled Minischools are over, Holidays are around the corner…only five weeks!

So much to do, so little time!

As we plan for next year the following staffing changes are in place:

Staffing:

It is exciting that the following people have received the following placements:

Deb to Gympie and Julene to Wooloowin State School

At this time we have no names of those taking their places.

Kate Lofthouse is heading off to NSW to her new home and taking leave while she settles in. The Deputy Principal’s position has been advertised state wide as an Expression of Interest for the temporary position, as the job is Kate’s if she wishes to return.

Also leaving is Carmel Beresford who has been the Teacher Aide in the Secondary Learning Centre in Thargomindah. The teacher aide position is also advertised and open for those who would like to work with our students in Thargomindah.

School Opinion Survey responses for 2016

I am excited that:

100% of parents are satisfied that:

• Their child likes being at this school,
• Their child feels safe at this school,
• Teachers expect their child to do his or her best
• This school is well maintained
• Their child is getting a good education at this school
• Their child’s Mathematics skills are being developed
• Student behaviour is well managed in this school
• This is a good school

Over 95% parents feel that:

• Their child is making good progress at this school,
• Their child's learning needs are being met at this school,
• Teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work.
• Teachers treat students fairly
• The school looks for ways to improve
• Their child’s English skills are being developed at this school
• They understand how their child is being assessed at this school
• That they understand how computers and other technologies are used in this school to enhance student learning
• That teachers are interested in their child’s wellbeing
• They feel staff are approachable, responsive to their enquiries,
• The school encourages them to take an active role in their child’s education and to participate in school activities
• The school is environmentally friendly
• The school has a strong sense of community
• They would recommend this school to others

Over 90% of parents feel that:

• Teachers motivate their child to learn
• They can talk to teachers about their concerns
• The school works with them to support student learning
• The school takes parents opinions seriously
• The school gives their child the opportunity to do interesting things
• The school keeps them well informed, provides useful feedback about their child’s progress and is well organised

Over 85% of parents feel that:

• The school asks for their input
• The school provides useful information and the school celebrates student achievement.

There were no responses below these satisfaction rates and there is so much to celebrate in these results! Congratulations and thank you for the amazing work that you do.

Student’s responses

I am excited that:

100% of students are satisfied that:

• They like being at this school
• They feel safe at this school
• Their teachers provide useful feedback about their school work
• The school looks for ways to improve
• The school is well maintained
• They are getting a good education at this school
• Their English skills are being developed
• They understand how they are being assessed at this school
• They use computers and technology for their learning
• They feel accepted by other students at this school
• Their school work challenges them to think
• Their teachers encourage them to do their best
• Their teachers clearly explain what is requite=red in their work
• Their teachers help when they need it
• Their teachers care about them
• This is a good school

95% of students are satisfied that:

• They are motivated to learn,
• Students are treated fairly,
• They can talk about their concerns,
• The school takes their concerns seriously,
• Behaviour is well managed,
• Their Maths skills are being developed,
• They can access computers for their learning,
• They enjoy using technologies for learning,
• The teachers are challenging them to think,
• The teachers use a variety of resources to help them learn and
• They would recommend this school to others.

And 90% student are satisfied that:

• Teachers expect them to do their best
• The school gives them opportunities to do interesting things
• They are encouraged to use computers and other technologies in school for learning
• The school encourages them to participate in school activities
• The school encourages them to be a good community member
• The school celebrates students success

Staff responses will be shared in the next Newsletter. These responses are discussed and used as feedback for celebration of the strengths of our school and to inform further planning and support for our students and school improvement.

World Teachers’ Day 2016

Every day, Queensland teachers are making a difference educating and inspiring young people across our state.

World Teachers' Day is an opportunity to acknowledge our teachers and say thanks for the significant contributions they make in our classrooms and communities.

Celebrated in more than 100 countries world-wide, World Teachers' Day was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1994 to recognise the role of teachers in society.

World Teachers' Day is held internationally on 5 October. As the day usually falls during school holidays, Queensland celebrates on the last Friday of October each year.

This year, we celebrated World Teachers' Day in Queensland on Friday 28th October.

Congratulations to all of you who are teaching our children.

I am looking forward to catching up with those of you who can attend the Speech and Awards, Swim Muster and the Year 6 and 10 celebrations.

Have a wonderful term,

Yours in education
Jenny

From the Deputy's Desk

Well we seem to be creeping ever closer to the end of yet another year. Tuesday 25 October saw me attend my last ever Minischool in Thargomindah. Thanks to everyone there for the lovely card and messages, I will certainly miss you all.

While I was there though I have come to realise that the Charleville grape vine may not be quite as active as I have always assumed. For those that haven’t yet heard, Tony and I have bought ourselves a little place in Cowra (NSW). So I will be taking a mix of long service leave and unpaid leave next year. Hopefully I will then be able to pick up a job in one of the many schools that seem to be in the area.

Minischools

Thanks to all students, parents and home tutors who were able to attend the last three weeks of minischools. Thanks also of course to the teachers! I saw some wonderful learning and fun taking place at all three of the venues. This was also an excellent opportunity for Helen, Zoe and I to catch up with most of the parents and home tutors to discuss your thoughts around our future planning for the school. All of your input has been brought back to the school and will be shared and considered. I am sure that Jenny will update everyone further on this, please remember though that if you have anything further to share on your thoughts around:

1. A sharp and narrow focus
2. Our pedagogical framework (how we teach our students)
3. use of our experts to support home tutors and teachers

Or anything else that you are able to either contact your management committee rep; contact Zoe, Helen or I or that you can use the online padlets that were sent out via email to all earlier in the term.

Upcoming field events

With the end of the year so near we do still have a few major events to attend.

Swim muster will take place on Monday 14 November – commencing at 12.30pm and concluding at 3.00pm. Graduation for year 6 and 10 students is on Monday evening from 6.00pm at the school.

Speech and Awards day will also take place at the school from 8.15am on Tuesday 15 November. This will be followed by morning tea provided for all by the staff. I hope that I will have the opportunity to catch up with many of you then.

Cheers,
Kate

Curriculum Corner

Prep Review

During week 1 of this term, I spent some time with some very experienced Prep teachers reviewing our Prep curriculum and considering ways to enhance it so that it is the best product available for our students. A proposal has been put together and is currently in the hands of the principals to consider a way forward. Whilst we unfortunately won’t have anything ready for 2017, all going to plan, we hope to have something new in place ready for 2018 implementation.

Unit Schedules

2017 Unit Schedules have now been finalised. Most will be very similar to this year with as many learning areas being aligned as much as possible. These will however include the eTeach materials for The Arts and HPE and some Digital and Design Technologies. In most cases, these will be implemented later in the year but some year levels will see units in Semester 1. More information will be shared either during KSC and/or Home Tutor sessions next year to ensure a smooth transition.

As with this year, the Unit Schedules are a guide but might be changed based on teacher knowledge of students, field events and so on. If concerned about changes to units including removal of lessons or swapping around of units, please communicate with your class teacher and he/she will be able to put your mind at ease. These changes should also be communicated through HT sessions.

Consolidated Units

There has been a review of the curriculum and a result, C2C have recommended which English and Maths units can be consolidated/removed as well as which lessons can be removed to reduce the heavy load of content. This will take effect from 2017 with teachers using this as the basis of their planning and reductions.

Thanks
Zoe Farrer
Head of Department – Teaching and Learning

PLO Prattle

Term 4 started with a bang with Minischools. It has been wonderful to catch up again with students, parents and Home Tutors. Lots of good conversation at each venue. The end of the year is fast approaching; I hope you have all booked your accommodation for Swim Muster/Graduation and Speech & Awards. Also don’t forget your accommodation for Kick Start Conference 2017.

The program for KSC 2017 will be finalized so that we can get pamphlets out by Speech & Awards week.

Once again some tips from Michael Grose – Parenting ideas.

Here are 3 practical strategies kids can use to shift their moods:

1. “Take a breathe…take a few actually”
   Perhaps the simplest way for child to feel better, whether it’s too settle some nerves before a talk or reduce anxiousness before meeting new friends, is to take three or four deep breaths.
2. “Picture yourself…”
   Encourage your kids to carry a picture of a favourite thing – person, pet or holiday – to help them move them to a happier place when needed. Pictures and photos can impact at a deep emotional level. Anyone who carries a picture of a loved one with them will know how powerful a visual reminder can be.
3. “DO something…”
   Boys are action-oriented and tend to act out their feelings more than girls. When they are happy they dance and gig around and when they are mad many become aggressive or just more active. Boys also can use action to dissipate emotion or shift their mood to a better place. If they are angry then insist they play an active game or sport to get the energy out. Lethargy, boredom and other passive emotional states too can be shifted through physical activity.

If your child or young person uses ineffective strategies such as rumination and worry, acting out, or self-blame then help them choose more effective strategies to regulate their emotions.

See you all in a few weeks.

Cheers
Helen Cook
Parent Liaison Officer

Digital Discoveries

NEWS FLASH: Switch to Blackboard Collaborate happening on
16th November

The new Blackboard Collaborate is now ready and as a school we will be switching to the new system on 16th November. All families will be required to download and install the new version of the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher (Version 1.6.4) in order to be ready for the switch. Please check that you have the correct version, especially if you were prepared earlier in the year. All Home Tutors and students are invited to attend a session on 9th and/or 10th November at 2pm to learn how to use the system and check that it is working on their computers. If you would like the launcher on a CD (47MB) rather than downloading it please contact our school technician, Luke Ferguson.

For full instructions on how to access the new Web Conferencing using the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher please view the appropriate documentation below:

iPad App of the Month: Green Screen

Green Screen allows students to create videos and photos with a difference. Turn two ordinary images into wonderful creations and false memories. You can pretend you are on a mountain or in space, take a selfie with a hero or pretend you are back in history. This app is great for giving an edge to your video presentations for English, History, Science or Geography. You don’t even need a green screen for the background – just any plain colour will work.

For more information see the link below to download the app:

Student Work Celebrations: Robotics in Action

The Year 8, 9 and 10 students had the opportunity to put our Ozobots to the test at Multischool recently. Students were required to code the Ozobots using combinations of coloured lines that the robots read and follow. There was lots of trial and error and problem solving of why some bots worked and others didn’t.

Check out the latest blog posts:

From the Technician’s Table: Clearing Cache

Your browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome or Edge) has a folder in which certain items that have been downloaded are stored for future use. Graphic images, photos and even entire webpages are examples of items which are saved or cached. When visiting a webpage your browser checks if a copy of the files on the page is in its cache already. Is so, it will save the visitor some downloading and make webpages load faster.

There are times though when the cache stores too much information and prevents pages from loading correctly. Even refreshing the page isn’t sufficient as the page just reloads from the cache and continues not to work. When this happens you can refresh or clear the cache.

Choose your browser below to learn how to clear the cache:

Teaching and Learning Library

Getting past negativity bias in order to hardwire positive experiences…

Coming to the end of the year we are tired and looking forward to the holidays. It is with this tiredness that we can sometimes become more negative than we may be normally. So, what can we do to shift this negativity bias towards more positive experiences?

Ten Strategies for Overcoming the Negativity Bian and Increasing your Quality of Life

by Marelis Fabrega

Negativity bias is the name given by psychologists to the human tendency to be much more likely to be influenced by and to recall negative experiences, instead of neutral or positive experiences.

There are many ways in which the negativity bias manifests itself. Here are some examples:

• We remember insults more than we remember praise.
• Negative experiences tend to be more memorable than positive ones.
• The brain has a tendency to be vigilant and wary.
• For positive experiences to resonate, they have to occur much more frequently than negative ones.
• The brain reacts more strongly to negative stimuli than to positive stimuli. Studies show that there’s a greater surge in electrical activity in the brain when we see a picture of something negative—like a dead cat—than we see a picture of something positive—like a great meal.
• If something good and something bad happen to you on the same day, you’ll react more strongly to the bad than to the good (even if both events are otherwise comparable).
• When your mind wanders it’s more likely to recall something that made you angry or upset, instead of recalling something that made you happy and filled you with pride.

Human beings developed a negativity bias—that is, they evolved to notice and respond more forcibly to the negative—since that helped our ancestors to stay alive. Thousands and thousands of years ago it was more important to escape negative situations than it was to approach opportunity.

After all, being killed by a tiger is final, while missing out on the opportunity to eat berries isn’t. By assuming the worst from the rustling in the bush and running away, your ancestor made sure to survive so that he could pass on his genes. He could eat berries another day.

In our modern world, having a negativity bias is no longer necessary for our survival. However, our brains are still wired to constantly be on the lookout for tigers; that is, they’re wired for negativity.

Left unchecked, the negativity bias can become a serious impediment to our happiness and quality of life. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with the negativity bias. Below you’ll discover five strategies for dealing with the negativity bias, so that you can immediately start improving your quality of life.

One. Simply recognizing that a problem exists is a good step toward solving it. Knowing that you have a negativity bias will help you to recognize when you’re dwelling on the negative aspects of a situation due to this bias.

Two. Rick Hanson, argues that our brains are like Velcro for negative experiences, and like Teflon for positive ones. Therefore, when something positive happens to you, you should make it a point to take a moment to savor the experience. Replay it in your mind a few times so that the memory of the positive experience gets archived in your long-term memory. In addition, Hansen recommends that you absorb the positive experience like gentle rain falling on your skin.

Three. Keep a ratio of 5 to 1 in your dealings with others. Because of the negativity bias, other people will be more affected by the negative things you say or do to them than the positive ones. If you scold your child, criticize an employee, or argue with your spouse, you need to say or do five positive things to maintain a healthy relationship with them.

Four. Scatter simple pleasures throughout your day. Although most people tend to hold out for the big events, a better strategy is to schedule lots of simple pleasures throughout your day. For example, have a cup of flavored coffee out in the balcony each morning; take fifteen minutes a day to read a trashy novel you find entertaining; buy fresh flowers for your desk; and spend some time in a green area each day.

These small doses of positivity throughout the day will help your brain counteract its natural negativity.

Five. Gretchen Rubin—owner of “The Happiness Project”–recommends that you create an “area of refuge” in your brain. That is, have a list of positive things ready—such as good memories, inspiring quotes, or lines from poems—that you can think of whenever you find your mind wandering to a negative memory.

There are 5 more strategies available on the website:

Conclusion

The negativity bias is the desire that we all have for detecting and dwelling on the negative. It’s a remnant from our caveman days when danger lurked behind every corner. Live your best life by overcoming the negativity bias and rewiring your brain to focus more on the good instead of the bad.

More information can be found here:

Thanks
Zoe Farrer
Head of Department – Teaching and Learning

Western Alliance

Alliance Iron-on Logos

Charleville SDE now has more iron-on Western Alliance Logos for secondary students to add to their blue Charleville SDE or Thargomindah Campus uniform shirts. This allows students to show off their dual identity of being part of our school as well as the Western Alliance.

Contact Mrs O if you would like logos sent to you to iron on. Logos go on the opposite side of Charleville SDE logo.

Western Alliance Multischool Term 4

After a long wait following the successful Multischool from Term 2, secondary students were excited to be boarding the bus and heading to Longreach for a week of learning, fun and adventure and to finally see their classmates and teachers again, face-to-face. It was fantastic to put many voices to new faces for the first time, and finally make the connection in person.

Students experienced what it is like to be in a High School setting, changing rooms and teachers for different subjects and catching up with classmates at break times. There was even afterschool activities including a Yr 7 Art Exhibition at the Qantas Museum, Swimming, CPR and Taekwondo. Evening activities included Team challenges, A Trivia Night, Survivor Challenge and the all-important disco! As tradition during the last Multischool event of the year, we also celebrated the Yr 10 students moving on to bigger and better things. Sadly we said goodbye to many great students, as well as teachers, whose faces and voices will be sorely missed next year. Best of luck to everyone.

Thanks to all the parents, staff and students who made the week one to remember!

Nellie-May takes the lead

Since August, Ms Usha Chand has been mentoring our Western Alliance Yr 10 girls in a Leadership program. Nellie-May Huth from Charleville SDE and Krysti Palmer from Longreach SODE took the opportunity to participate in the Country To Canberra leadership competition which was held in September.

Nellie-May’s 400 word entry was selected as one of the Top 40 winning entries nationwide (and one of six from Queensland). As a result, Nellie-May’s essay has been published on the countrytocanberra website as part of the campaign to give exposure to these winners on social media. See the link below for more information and check out Nellie-May’s entry.

Celebrating Learning

Weston Campbell – Young Scientist of the Year Finalist

During the September holidays Weston Campbell entered the Young Scientists of the Year Awards where students were asked to understake an experiment or investigation around the theme of ‘science in their lives’. As part of his submission, Weston completed a one page summary as well as a video explaining his process and findings.

Weston is a passionate and enthusastic scientist who is keen to strap his GoPro to his head and explore all things living in whatever environment he finds himself. His fishing videos can even be seen on YouTube!

Congratulations Weston on becoming a finalist in the awards. Keep up the passion and great work!

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to the students who participated in and completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year. The certificates have been received into the school and will be making their way to you shortly.

Pink Stumps Day

The CSDE staff dress up, eat up, donate some money and play a few overs of cricket for a great cause – October is Breast Cancer Awareness month! What a team!

P & C News

Swim Muster/Speech and Awards/Year 6 & 10 Graduation

What an exciting time we will have for the annual Swim Muster/ Speech and Awards/ Year 6 & 10 Graduation trip. Who else is curious to see the spread the staff put on for their part in the smoko challenge? Was the fabulous smoko at Sports muster enough to ensure the parents take home the prize this year?

Swim Muster is at the Charleville Pool from 12:30 on Monday 14th November. There are no snacks available at the pool, so please remember to bring some food along as the children always seem to get hungry when they are swimming.

For those of you with children in Grade 6 and 10, you will enjoy the Year 6 & 10 Graduation on Monday evening from 6pm. This is a special time for the Year 6 children to celebrate the end of their Primary Schooling (and for some the end of their time with Distance Ed) and for the Grade 10s, the end of their time with the school. A great time for all to reflect on their time with our school and to plan for the steps ahead.

Speech and Awards is at the school in the covered area near the library on Tuesday morning from 8.15am. This is a great way to celebrate the great things done in our school with presentations to students and staff.

Management Meeting

The morning before Swim Muster is the last Management meeting for the year. If you have anything that you would like to be discussed or questions to be answered, please email your Management Reps:

St George/ Cunnamulla – Christie Goddard deelamonschool@gmail.com
Roma – Anne-Marie Flynn gfcolamba@gmail.com
Charleville – Di Brand dibrand@antmail.com.au
Quilpie – Ann Worsnop beechal@skymesh.com.au

Battery Drive

The battery drive is continuous, so please ask your family and friends if they have any old batteries and contact Sally and Damian Campbell on abc_campbell@harboursat.com.au. A huge thanks to Sally and Damian for their tireless work with this successful money spinner.

Fundraising

The Crazy Camels Diary and Calendar forms and art work are due in this week so they can be sent off and be back in time for Christmas presents. A big thanks to Kimberley Rains for organising this.

P&C XMAS BOOK DRIVE

Order form are attached to notices and in your mailbags. Pick up one of 3 cookbooks for $18 each, pack of 3 volumes for $50 or Celebrating 50 Years of School of the Air & SDE Photobook full of funny stories and facts $40.