Newsletter Term 3 Week 3

Principal's Pen

Newsletter – Term 3 Week 3 2023 – Principal’s Pen

Term 3 is off to a busy start at Bellevue Park State School. Continuing our 40^th Anniversary celebrations, we have our Bellevue Bash happening this Friday. This will be a fun event for all ages and we hope you can join us this Friday afternoon, 28^th July, from 4pm – 6:30pm. Following this event, we have our ‘Beat of the 80’s’ Performing Arts shows occurring in weeks 4 & 5. These will be our first live shows on school grounds in over 4 years and we can’t wait to show you what incredible performers our students are. They have been busy rehearsing for months now and these shows promised to be a toe-tapping good time. Make sure you have your ticket so you don’t miss out!

2024 School Opinion Survey

The annual suite of School Opinion Surveys are currently being conducted and will close on 18 August 2023. All families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11) are being invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well, and how we can improve. 

An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey was emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 17 July.  The invitation was from the Department of Education, not the school, and it will have the subject line School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2023.  Check your junk email folders if you can’t find it.  The survey can be completed as soon as the invitation is received and will take approximately 5 minutes using a computer, tablet or smart phone. 

Parents/caregivers who experience difficulties accessing the survey can request a new survey from the School Opinion Survey team via email schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au.

Kiss & Go

Please note that our ‘Kiss & Go Zone’ is now active. This means we now have a designated space you can drop students off and collect students from without the risk of being ticketed for stopping on a painted yellow line.

Some key points:

• This area is a quick, pick up and drop off zone – there will be a 2-minute limit before we ask you to cycle around again
• Do not park in the new ‘Kiss & Go’ loading zones - traffic should be moving through them at all times
• Kiss 'n’ Go Zone is the area where your car can pull up and your child leaves or enters the car on the passenger side only
• Please move your car as far forward as you can in the zone
• Do not leave your car if you stop in these zones – you may drop off or pick up your children, but the driver must remain with the car at all times. If you need to park your car, or buckle a student into a car seat, we ask that you park in the assigned parking bays
• Students will be supervised behind the school fence and will be released when you arrive at the front of the queue

There will be a process to register your family to use the Kiss & Go Zone. This will make it easier for staff to identify your family vehicle and release students smoothly. We will have staff on duty in the afternoons, asking drivers to circle around again if they pause for too long, and also asking people to move if they stop illegally in the yellow line area.

Please note in the image below:

• The red zone is all painted yellow line and cars are not allowed to stop in this area or you risk being ticketed
• The green zone is our Kiss & Go, where you can legally pause your vehicle to allow students in and out of your car
• The blue zone is the bus zone and no cars should stop or park in the area

If you have any further questions about our new Kiss & Go zone, please contact administration on (07) 5504-8222.

2023 NAPLAN results

2023 NAPLAN results have been released, and we are very proud to say our tradition of exceptional student results in these examinations has continued. Yet again, our high results mean we are one of the top State Primary Schools on the Gold Coast. Bellevue Park SS achieved above the State Mean in every test for both Year 3 & Year 5. Well done to all our teachers and students who contributed to these results. This is a credit to the ongoing work done in classrooms daily to ensure our students always achieve their best outcomes. It also reinforces we are on track with our 4 Year Strategic Plan and the key driver to ‘recognise the full potential of every student’.

Term 3 Parent-Teacher Interviews

This year we have decided to try something different for our parent-teacher interviews at Bellevue Park State School. Instead of meeting with just your child’s teacher, you will have the opportunity to meet with your child as well, as we believe that our students are all assessment capable learners who can share their work with you and tell you about their learning journey so far this year.

Your child will select some work samples, with the help of their teacher, to share with you and discuss their goals in English & writing.

Our Student-Led Conferences (Parent-Teacher Interviews) on Tuesday 12^th September, 2023 from 3:45 – 6:00pm (week 10, Term 3).

More information about how to book will be issued closer to the interviews.

Deputy Principal Prep-Year 2

Week 3 Term 3 2023

Prep 2024 Enrolments

Just a reminder to get your enrolment forms in, if your child was born between: 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019. Please see information below for our Prep 2024 Information Sessions.

Year 2: Marvellous Mathematicians!

Year 2 have been learning multiplication by grouping objects into equal sets, using repeated addition and drawing arrays.

Ditto Show

Last week, the students in years Prep – 2 had the opportunity to be part of the Ditto Show, whose aim is to promote personal safety. The Ditto show is a live, interactive 35-minute performance starring Bravehearts’ mascot ‘Ditto’. It includes song, dance, and easy-to-remember messages about personal safety. These songs and messages were written by Bravehearts’ professional educators and child psychologists and are developmentally appropriate for your child’s age group.

The show is underpinned by the following six principles of personal safety:

• Differentiating ‘yes’ and ‘no’ feelings
• Recognising the bodies ‘warning signs’
• Identifying ‘private parts’ and ‘privacy’
• Helping children identify language and feelings associated with secrets
• Reinforcing that there is no secret that children cannot tell someone
• What to do if you feel unsafe or unsure

If you would like to learn more about how to talk to your child regarding personal safety, use the following address to watch a short clip.

https://youtu.be/ba0UaBcy8zk

Under 8s Day

At the end of last term, all of our students from Prep to Year 2 enjoyed a day filled with fun, friendship and play to celebrate Under 8s Day. I’m afraid we couldn’t stop some of the teachers joining in the fun too! The students were beautifully behaved and had an absolute blast!

Blossom Possum’s Storytime!

Mrs Birch made a new friend when she visited Cairns in the holidays…a possum! They have been visiting classrooms together to read one of their favourite stories, ‘Blossom Possum’. The students loved hearing about Blossom’s adventures and joining in with the story telling. Reading is such a core element in our early years’ curriculum. We do everything we can to keep it engaging and ignite a life long passion. 

Here Comes the Sun!

Prep D have been inspired by the beautiful sunflowers growing in their garden. They have been creating representations in maths time, using patterning and collaging with geometric and organic shapes.

Learning Topics for Term 3

At the end of each term, the teachers from each year level come together to plan the next term’s work based on the curriculum and student needs. This means the teachers and students know exactly what they are working towards. See below for the core focus this term in English for each year level. When home and school work together towards the same learning goals, students are able to achieve a greater understanding.

Prep

The students will use their emerging reading and writing skills to learn more about information texts. The students will link their learning in science with English by writing about their favourite animal and their basic needs: food, water and shelter.

You could support your child by reading a story book or information text to them before bedtime as well as their decodable reader they bring home from school. Discussing different animals and their needs would give them some great background knowledge for their writing.

Year 1

The students will be using their developing reading and writing skills to create an information report in the form of a poster or booklet based on a chosen mini-beast. The students will be utilising their biological science topic to support their learning. The students will explore that all living things have a variety of external features and that their habitat is dependent on their needs.

You could support your child by reading a story book or information text to them before bedtime as well as their reader they bring home from school. Discussing different animals, their habitats and appearance would help them with their writing. Their goal is to use lovely descriptive writing, so chatting about adjectives would be sensational!

Year 2

The students will be creating a persuasive piece about why all kids should be active. They will be focusing on types of language that are more persuasive that others as well as learning how to structure an argument that can be justified.

You could support your child by reading a story book or information text to them before bedtime as well as their reader they bring home from school. Discussing with your child the advantages of being active would also provide them with some great background knowledge for their writing.

Deputy Principal Year 3-Year 6

Semester 1 Reporting to Parents

Semester 1 Report Cards were distributed to parents/guardians via the email registered with the school office. These were sent on the final day of Term 2. Please contact the school office if you did not receive your child’s Semester 1 report card. 

Chess Competition

A talented group of 13 BPSS students attended Emmanuel College to compete against other students in a Inter-school Chess Competition. This is the first time we have competed in this challenge and our students did exceptionally well, with every student winning at least one match.

Dax D (Year 6) came 1st in his division and Harry P (Year 6) came 2nd in his division. James X (Year 4) and Bobby P (Year 6) both received merit ribbons.

We also had a team win a division too by Dax D, Leroy S, Harry P and Bobby P! Well done Team BPSS and thank you to Ms Cannon for organising this opportunity.

Term 3 learning

The beginning of the term has seen our classes co constructing their Learning Walls to support the new learning content in English for this term. Students use the learning wall to identity their next step in learning (Learning goal) and is a visible representation of the skills and knowledge to help guide the student’s learning.

The information below provides an overview of what writing exemplars students have unpacked in their year level for this term.

Year 3

Information report

Students are learning to write an information report on an Australian animal.

Year 4

Information report

Students are learning to create an information report on the planet Mars

Year 5

Information text

Students are learning to analyse a text as both a novel and film and compare how they depict the characters, setting and lot to justify a preference. compare and contrast the Hatchet novel.

Year 6

Informative text

Students are learning to create an informative text which explains a scientific phenomenon and present relevant facts in a logical order using topic specific vocabulary.

High School Enrolments

Preparing for high school is a transition that families are encouraged to consider 12 months prior to their child entering their final year in Primary School (Year 6). This is because High Schools commence their applications for Excellence Programs early in the new year and close by mid-year.

Our Bellevue Park specialist teachers are a wealth of information and can support your child with information to prepare. This term our BPSS newsletters will include information each edition to outline the Excellence programs on offer, so that our Year 5 students can start to think about what pathway they wish to pursue.

Excellence program on offer range from:

- Performing Arts Excellence

- Academic Excellence

- Sports Excellence

Our specialist team will be available to meet with parents later this term as part of our Parent Teacher Conference evening.

This edition focuses on sharing information on Performing

High School Performing Arts Excellence Programs

Helpful tips when preparing for Performing Arts Excellence applications and auditions:

What excellence programmes are offered?

Music, Drama, Dance, Triple Threat (music theatre excellence) and Visual Arts?

What is the process in applying?

• Is there an application and audition?  What is required for the excellence programme?  Solo dance audition?  A visual arts portfolio?
• Check if the application is online
• Check audition requirements (in person or video).  How long does the audition need to be?  2 minutes?
• Key dates – Most applications and auditions occur when your child is in Year 6 in Term 1 – application due and audition
• Check school website and school Facebook page for information sessions and date claimers
• Like the school Facebook page

Keep an eye out for information on Excellence Programs in the area of academic and sporting. 

Year 5 Camp

Our Year 5’s departed for their 3-day 2-night camp experience to Camp Laurence out at Moogerah Dam.

Their days were packed with survivor like activities fishing, enjoying a milk crate climb and sugar gliding amongst various other team building activities.

The students represented our school very well and we can be proud of them. A special thanks to our Year5 teaching team: Miss Murray, Mr Sterritt. Mrs Murphy and Mrs Harding for taking time away from their own families and routines to support this memorable experience for our students. 

Finance

*2023 Student Resource Scheme

The final payment for the 2023 Student Resource Scheme was due in February.

To avoid delay in the distribution of resources supplied under the 2023 Student Resource Scheme to your child, please ensure the payment has been made. Thank you to all families who have already finalised the payment.

Our preferred method of payment is BPoint. Please click on the BPoint link on the bottom left of the invoice you receive via email and follow the prompts to process a secure card payment.  Please see the example below:

To secure your child’s participation in an activity, please ensure that the permission notes are completed and returned to the classroom teacher and payment is received by the due dates.

Statements have been issued this week.  If this is invoice is unpaid it will still show on this statement.  If your account is showing a negative balance (eg -$40) this is a credit. Please contact 1925_office@eq.edu.au requesting any credits to be allocated to an outstanding invoice as this does not happen automatically without your authorisation.

If you are experiencing any financial difficulties please contact our Business Manager Kim Minter at kmint4@eq.edu.au to discuss payment options.

Guidance Officer

Chappy Em

Performing Arts News

Sports News

Jack from 3/4E has been selected to represent Australia to play in the 1OU World Series Baseball over in the USA.

Best of luck to Jack!

Sofia Lee of 3C took part in the Queensland Karate State championship in Brisbane and won Gold in individual U150 Kata. She was up against kids in her division from all over Queensland. 

She is so happy as she was up against competitors from higher belt division.

Terrific work Sofia!!

During the holidays 6-8th July, the QLD Touch Junior State Cup took place at Rockhampton.

Bellevue had a number of students playing. Estelle S and Jared in Yr 5 were U10 Championship winners.
Estelle S played in Gold Coast Touch Association U10A Girls team and Jared played in the Palm Beach Touch Association U10A Boys team. Their teams both won their age Championship medals. So they came 1st for their age group in the State! 
Other Bellevue students also played in the U10 Girls Development competition and their team finished third.

Congratulations to all of the students at Bellevue Park State School that were involved!

Library News

Community News