31 January 2018

Newsletter Articles

LEADERSHIP TEAM REPORT

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to the 2018 school year. A special welcome to our new families who have joined us in prep and across the school. I am sure you will enjoy your time as part of the Jones Hill community.

This year we welcomed our largest prep cohort ever, with 73 students beginning their schooling journey with us. To say they have settled in well and got the school processes working well is an understatement! Congratulations to our prep families for a very successful first week. A special congratulations to our prep staff who also had a very big week!

In this newsletter you will read about some of our new teachers as they introduce themselves to our great community. Congratulations to them on integrating seamlessly into our school and the many great systems we have.

Throughout future newsletters each of our staff will add a short blurb so you know who the team are.

As you know, Mrs Grogan has begun her leave leading into retirement, she has already sent some pictures of her view of the beach! Mrs Seed is taking on the deputy role this semester and Mrs Levis is stepping up into the HOC role.

This year Jones Hill remains committed to our four improvement areas:

1. Writing & Reading
2. Numeracy
3. Teaching Quality, Explicit Teaching Model
4. Increase students in U2Bs

Our attendance target remains 95%, giving students the best opportunity to achieve their potential.

CHANGE TO NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION DAY

Our School Newsletters will now be published fortnightly on a Wednesday. You will also receive on the alternate Wednesdays a brief Newsflash.

SWIMMING

Swimming lessons commence next Monday for years 1B, 1Z, 1/2B, 2S, 2R, 3C and 3MD. Invoices and permission notes were sent home earlier this week. Permission forms must be returned before the first lesson on Monday February 5. Students who have not returned a signed permission note, will be unable to swim. Payment is due by February 9. Students will not be able to continue lessons until this payment is finalised or a payment plan is in place.

UNIFORMS

A reminder of the Uniform changes that were effective from 2017. Shoes should now be predominately black. Black fleecy lined pullover/zip jackets and black tracksuit pants are worn during winter, plain or with the school logo. These will be available from Lowes department store at Central Shopping Centre.

CANBERRA

The Canberra Trip is only five months away! The dates for the trip are Sunday 24 June to Friday 29 June. Right now we are fine tuning the itinerary which is also exciting. Once this is completed we will meet with parents and students to explain the trip. Pam Walsh from EducaTours will join us also with a PowerPoint to show you all later in the term. In the meantime the second last invoice, for $350, will be sent home this week. The last invoice will be forwarded after the fundraising has been accounted for. This should make that last invoice around the $100 (hopefully less). Paperwork for medical and media consent will be sent home over the next few weeks. It is important that you return those forms as soon as possible. We will also send home a ‘what to bring letter’ soon.

A huge thank you to all the parents who raised and are still raising funds for this trip. Your efforts have been amazing to say the least.

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

YEAR 6 LEADERSHIP HIGH ROPES

6C and 6G students will be attending the High Ropes Course at Gympie East as part of their Leadership program. 6C will be attending on Monday February 12 and 6G on Tuesday February 13. As some of you know we had to cancel this day last year. If we received payment for this excursion in 2017 this money has been held in your account to be used this year. All other students will receive an invoice later this week. We will also need a medical form and permission note for all students.

Kind Regards,
James Watt and Stacey Seed

EVENTS CALENDAR

PARADE

Our first parade for 2018 will be this Friday, February 2 at 9am in the Hall. Everyone Welcome.

P&C NEWS

Notice of Annual General Meeting - The P&C AGM will be held on Tuesday the 20th February 2017. Commencing at 7pm in the school library. Before the meeting starting at 6:00pm we will be holding a welcome B.B.Q.

Following acceptance of the minutes from the 2017 AGM and the tabling of the Audit Report for the year ended 31 December 2017, all current office bearer roles will be declared vacant and nominations called for the following positions:

• President
• Vice Presidents
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Assistant Treasurer
• Book Club.
• Uniform Liaison
• Fundraising

All current P&C members are encouraged to attend the AGM to vote and/or nominate for vacant positions on the executive committee.

The AGM is open to all parents and carers who wish to attend. Please come along and support your child’s school.

At the completion of the AGM the February general meeting will be held.

MEET OUR STAFF

Hello Jones Hill families! Wow, what a great start to the term. Over the past week or two I have been blown away with how friendly and welcoming staff, students and parents have been and I’m feeling very lucky to now be a part of the Jones Hill State School community.

I began my career as a teacher at Caboolture East State School six years ago. Over the past four years I have been living and teaching at Emerald North State School, in Central Queensland. I loved my time in country service, however it was time for my family and I to return to the North Coast Region so we could be closer to family again. I have also spent time working in before and after school care and volunteering in schools while completing my university studies and before that, I had a crack at hairdressing (unfortunately, it wasn’t for me)

I have had a range of experience in areas such as behaviour management and working with children with diverse learning needs. I am particularly interested in student welfare and wellbeing and hope to pursue this interest further as my career progresses.

I have a dog, two sons and a fiancé – we will be getting married in July this year. I enjoy reading, camping, spending time with my family, going to the beach and of course, my job as a teacher!

Looking forward to getting to know everyone, and having a great year ahead with my fabulous class, 2R!

Warm regards, Sally Rogers - 2R Classroom Teacher

Years teaching: 15

Places taught: Mackay, Charters Towers and now Gympie

Year levels taught: Years 3-7

Family: I am married with 3 step children.

We own one spoilt 3 year old Golden Retriever named Jack and have a puppy on the way who will be named George!

My parents live in Townsville. I have a twin sister and a younger sister and brother.

I have 2 nephews and 4 nieces.

Interests: Reading, gardening, travelling, fishing, dance and Golden Retrievers!

Future: We are currently building a house on acreage here. We look forward to exploring Gympie and the surrounding areas that we have chosen to call home.

Hi my name is Bruce Powell and I have arrived at Jones Hill State School from a two year teaching assignment in the northern-most section of the Torres Strait. The island where I was stationed is called Boigu and it is only 4 kilometres from New Guinea. The school is the most northerly in Australia and has only 62 students in attendance. The journey there would include three separate flights, so it was considered very remote. I consider myself very lucky to have been given that teaching position as well as another which allowed me the good fortune of living in Bali for two years whilst teaching at an international school near the capital, Denpasar. I have also taught in several schools on the Sunshine Coast as well as in Perth and Western Australia, where I completed my post-graduate qualifications in education.

 

Hi my name is Stacey Dodd and I have joined the Prep team this year at JHSS, teaching Prep D. My husband Jackson and I recently moved to Gympie from Maryborough where we have resided for the past 27 years. Jackson is currently Acting Principal at James Nash. Our two children, Harrison and Isabella, both live in Brisbane, working and studying. While teaching keeps me really busy, I love travelling and spending time with family and friends. In addition to this, I like to find time to maintain my sanity and well-being through walking, yoga and cycling. Oh those Gympie hills! This will be my first formal introduction to Prep but I have taught in the early years for most of my teaching career before moving up to Year 3 a few years ago. I am looking forward to meeting members of the Jones Hill community over the coming year and would like to thank all those who have made me feel so very welcome.

Hi and Welcome to Term 1 2018

For those of you who are new to our school, I’d love to introduce myself. I’m Chappy Caitlin and I am the School Chaplain here at Jones Hill. I work at Jones Hill School on Thursdays and Fridays, helping out in classrooms and around the school yard. I run a breakfast club on Thursday mornings from 8:00am to 8:45am for all students. I am always up for a chat, and love meeting people, so please don’t hesitate to come and say hi if you see me around the school.

Have a great week, Chappy Caitlin

BEFORE AND AFTERSCHOOL CARE

Camp Australia will be again running before and after school care in our hall. For more information please see our office staff.

HOT SHOTS TENNIS EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Gympie and District Tennis Association Coaches Brett Cottrill and Matt Watkins will commence Hot Shots Tennis program from Tuesday 6th February at Jones Hill State School. Groups will be held on Tuesday (yr. 5, 6), Wednesday (yr. 3, 4), Thursday (yr. 2) or Friday (Prep, yr. 1) lunchtimes from 11.00am to 11.40am for a MINIMUM BLOCK OF 7 WEEKS. Costs will be $80.00/pupil, $150.00 for 2 children or $200.00 for 3 children in the same family.

To register for the program please contact Brett Cottrill on 0417746795 or return the completed form back to the office by Tuesday 6th February

We accept the Get Started Sporting Vouchers.

Please make cash payment or cheques payable to Brett Cottrill.

Direct Deposit: B A COTTRILL. BSB 014585 ACCT 583359786 including students name as reference.

First Week Free trial for any students that return this form back to the office by the above date.

Junior Tennis sign-on start Thursday 25th Feb afternoon at The Reg English Memorial Tennis Centre on Cartwright Rd from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Every player that registers receives FREE Gympie Junior Tennis Membership and Tennis Australia Membership.

RUGBY SIGN ON

On Saturday February 3 and 10 Gympie Junior Rugby League Club will be holding their Sign On day from 9am to 2pm at the Jack Stokes Oval, Smith Street Monkland. New players will need to provide birth certificate. Under 7s, 9s, and 11s play Friday nights in Gympie. There will also be a Junior Joeys for 5 and 6 year olds on Fridays.

GYMPIE HAMMERS SEASON LAUNCH

Gympie Hammers will hold a Season Launch on February 17 at the Jack Stokes Oval.

• Coaching clinics for both seniors and juniors – sign on at 8:30am
• Qualified and highly experienced coaches
• Short games of 10’s and 7’s as part of the clinics from 12:30pm to 3pm.
• Full canteen facilities.

In association with the generous support from the University of Queensland (UQ) Rugby Football club, the Gympie Hammers invite you to celebrate the launch of our 2018 season. These coaching clinics are provided free of charge. There will also be a Reserve Grade trail match at 3pm.

Whilst bookings are not required, please feel free to contact us to secure a place. Should you need any further information please contact the Gympie Hammers: gympiehammers@gmail.com or Paul “Blacki” Blackburn 0418 804 455

GO MUMMA GYMPIE REGION

Low Cost Child Friendly Exercise sessions for Mums.

Gympie Regional council is running a series of low-cost exercise classes across the region for mums who want to get fit, meet friends and have fun! The Go Mumma program is designed for mums of all fitness levels who are keen to try something new and feel good. Classes run during school hours and include; yoga, water aerobics, dance fitness and low-impact core strength exercises, with sessions this term at Amamoor, Gympie, Kilkivan and Curra. Sessions are child-friendly, and a variety of child-minding arrangements are in place to help mums participate.

All classes are run by accredited fitness instructors trained to deliver activities suitable for pre and post-natal women. Most classes cost just $2 with each Go Mumma program running for a 10 week school term. Classes are tailored for mums with young children however women of all ages may participate if places are available. The Go Mumma program is supported by funding from the Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast PHN.