20 July 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Address

Hello everyone,

Welcome to our first newsletter of Term 3. We are looking forward to an exciting and fun-filled term of learning. This term our teachers will have an extra focus on our Science curriculum as we work on making our teaching and learning programs engaging and tailored to meet our students’ needs. Most year levels will be working on a Biology (life and living) unit of work. We have high expectations of our students, which will be demonstrated through science learning walls in every classroom. Please come in to your child’s classroom and talk about the learning wall with them.

We were very pleased to finish Term 2 off on a high note with our NAIDOC Celebration on Wednesday 22nd June. The celebration was well attended by community members and supported by many local organisations. The students especially enjoyed the music and dancing and participated in many fun and interesting activities. Our thanks go to the school NAIDOC Committee who worked tirelessly to plan and run the event, along with the school staff and community organisations who helped with everything from delivering the sand for the dance circle to helping set up marquees and providing breakfast, fruit and water. The Kup Murri was a sell-out and the Art Gallery received rave reviews. It was also great to see a number of school and student leaders from other Cairns schools join us for the celebration.

Plans are under way for another community celebration at the end of Term 3. We look forward to engaging with the community again and will keep you up to date through this newsletter.

A number of activities and events are planned for this term, with RSAS, Clontarf and Mission Australia all providing more information through their articles and photos. Be sure to check them out.

Each month we present a special award on parade to a student who has displayed outstanding community spirit. Congratulations to the Aussie of the Month recipients so far this year:

Genevia Sands 6K - April

Jiri Ambrym 4I - May

Alfred Gray 6K - June

Garru nyundu wawal,
Nicole

Family Mindfulness Schedule

Mindfulness is being focused on the present moment. Below are a few mindfulness games to play with your child that can help them improve emotional awareness and reduce stress.

Waking Up

* Five Senses – With your child, take a few moments to explore the morning through your senses. Take turns naming things you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. Try to notice things you would normally tune out, like the distant buzz of a lawnmower, or the softness of a pillow.

Meals

* Mindful Eating -- Rather than rushing through a meal, eat slowly and mindfully. Ask your child to notice what the food looks like, how it smells, what it tastes like, and how it feels on their tongue. Take turns sharing different things you notice about the food, no matter how minor the observations might seem.

Travel

* The Alphabet Game – While driving or walking around, ask your child to look for words in their environment beginning with each letter of the alphabet, in order. For example, a billboard with the word “Advertise” would start the game.

Free Time

* Mindfulness Box – With your child, decorate a box large enough to hold several small objects. Fill the box with interesting items found around your home and/or garden (eg. Feathers, rocks, flowers). Encourage your child to explore their surroundings with more than just their sight. For example, notice the texture, weight, and smell of each item.

By Melissa White - Guidence Officer

Respect Bus Excursion

On the 13/7/22, Yarrabah State School students went on the respect bus to the aquarium for the day. Students were selected because they had come to school 80% of the semester and showed respect. On the day we went to the aquarium we saw sea animals and people were scuba diving in the tank. They were feeding the sea animals. After the aquarium we went to the park and ate pizza for lunch. We got to play games like skipping and football and we walked around the park.

By Shanna, Marlene and Khaleisi 5/6P

4I Aquarium and Lagoon Excursion

Last term, 4I went on an excursion to the Cairns Aquarium and Lagoon paid for by the class collecting and recycling containers through the Containers for Change program.

4I have written the following article, recounting their trip.

On the 21st of June, Grade 4I went on an excursion to the Cairns Aquarium. We met Mr Brent who was our tour guide that showed us around the Aquarium.

Before we got started, we had to abide by some of the rules and safety protocols of how to behave ourselves amongst the other groups/guest that where visiting as well.

First, we visited the fresh water section which includes insect/ cockroaches, green tree frogs, gecko, snakes, a cassowary, a freshwater croc, a freshwater tortoise, a blue tongue lizard and a goanna.

Then we went onto the saltwater section and saw stingrays, sharks, puffer fish, clown fish, sea horses, jelly fish, barramundi, eels, dog fish, angel fish, starfish, sea snakes, stone fish and cat fish.

We also went in the touch/ feel tank section. We got to touch some shark eggs, star fish, coral, sea weed, sea urchin, crab shell.

After our tour of the Aquarium, we went to have lunch and swim at the lagoon. We had a healthy meal of subway wraps, cookies and fresh fruits (Apple /Oranges). Washed down with a bottle of water, we enjoyed our great day out. Thank you to Mr Ian for driving the big bus, Mr Wade in RSAS Bus, Ms Melissa and Ms Corina

Student Services

Introductions:

Hello, Welcome back to Term 3 my name is Rebecca Slater. I have been in Yarrabah for the last 10 years in a variety of roles. For the past year I have been based at the Junior Secondary campus as Deputy Principal Student wellbeing and engagement. My main role is to oversee our behaviour, wellbeing, and engagement systems across the school as well as the day to day running of the Junior Secondary campus.

We have lots of exciting things happening this term which we look forward to sharing with you in the coming weeks.

Hi everyone and welcome to Term 3. My name is Tessa Cannon and I am the Acting HOD- Student services at the Primary Campus. I have been a part of Yarrabah State School since 2016. My role involves engaging students, staff and families in quality learning opportunities that meet the individual needs of students. I’m located in the primary office and available for a yarn if you wish to discuss the engagement and wellbeing of your child at school.

Hi everyone and welcome to Term 3. My name is Jay Sansness and I am the HOD- Student services based at the Junior Secondary Campus. I have been at Yarrabah State School for the past 14 years. My role involves working with students, families, and staff to provided support with behaviour, wellbeing, and engagement. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to come and have a chat.

Work Experience

JS behaviour Focus

Ngandji Dalbi-da Balngga Program

Ngandji Dalbil-da Balngga is Yarrabah State School’s Alternate Learning Program. We teach social skills, resilience, and help engage students back into the classroom. Our team works with students on the primary and secondary campus, and we promote engagement by taking students on country, teaching life skills, fostering teamwork, and connecting their identity to their family and culture. Our program is run by a RSAS team, consisting of Anna Garlick (Engagement Teacher) Leslie Bassani (Student Engagement Officer) and Kimberlee Yeatman (Student Engagement Officer). Students are in the program for 5 week rotations, and graduate once they complete their engagement goals

Anna Garlick

Vacancy- RSAS Team Leader- Health and Wellbeing

Yarrabah State School has a vacancy for the position of Team Leader- Health and Wellbeing.

The role is an AO3 level of position and includes activities including, but not limited to:

• Supervise School Engagement Officers (SEO) to deliver Semester Activity Plans actions and daily attendance activities
• Ensure that the health and wellbeing of student are supported and linked to programs throughout the community by local and external agencies.
• Produce reports against the Semester Action Plan of the RSAS program with a focus on student’s health and well-being
• Manage and support the implementation of students profiling to capture the whole child to identify any inhibiting factors or learning
• Actively participate in the coordination of care support of students and/or families dealing with complex issues

To apply for the position, please email a resume and cover letter to cpres107@eq.edu.au

Closing date: 2nd August, 2022
Salary range: $2496-$2770 per fortnight

For the full Position Description, please contact the YSS primary school office.

Curriculum News

Introducing our Curriculum Leadership Team:

• Tom (Deputy Principal)
• Taryn (Head of Department- Curriculum Year 7-10)
• Katie (Head of Department- Curriculum Prep-Year 6)

My name is Katie Clements. I have been the HOD-Curriculum at the primary school from Term 2 this year and before that I worked with the Yarrabah curriculum team from regional office since the beginning of 2021. I enjoyed coming out here so much that when the job came up, I jumped on it straight away! As the HOD-Curriculum it is my job to support the teachers to plan and teach our Yarrie kids across the 8 learning areas of the Australian Curriculum.

Curriculum Focus

This Semester we have a whole school focus on Science. The teachers have been working hard on writing Science units based on our Yarrie kids and the Australian Curriculum. We’ll be spending all our Collaboration time this term talking about, learning about and focusing on all things Science.

Ask your kids about their Science learning this term!

Prep- observing weather and reflecting on how it impacts living things.

Year 1- observing features of landscapes and skies and how they affect everyday life.

Year 2- examining how living things, including plants and animals, change as they grow.

Year 3- grouping living things based on observable features.

Year 4- investigating life cycles and sequence key stages in the life cycles of plants and animals and examining relationships between living things and their dependence on each other and on the environment.

Year 5- analysing the structural features and behavioural adaptations that assist living things to survive in their environment.

Year 6- exploring the environmental conditions that affect the growth and survival of living things.

Year 7- developing an understanding of how forces affect the motion of objects.

Year 8- classifying and investigate forms of energy.

Year 9- identifying human body systems and the ways in which they work together in balance to support life.

Year 10- exploring the development of the theories such as plate tectonics that have led to current day understanding of the structure of the Earth and geological processes.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

Clontarf

The Yarrabah Clontarf Academy had an eventful Term 2 with multiple camps, activities, carnivals and many inter-academy games and interactions. The highlight of the term was when 11 of our Year 9 & 10 members travelled to Townsville to participate in the annual (Northern) QLD Cup, where the boys played against multiple academies spanning from Mackay through to Weipa. Some of the boys even decided to step out of their comfort zones to try test their abilities in AFL. We had multiple students from our Primary academy play in an Auskick game at Cazalys stadium. Then a few of our Year 10 members played in a NQ Clontarf Game with academies from both Cairns and Townsville. Overall it was a great term with lots of engagement and we look forward to continue building the capacity of the boys in the programme.