ATTENDANCE
Our Attendance Rate currently sits at 93.72%. This is below the 96% target that was set at the start of Term 1.
Every day off in a small school is magnified, due to such small enrolment numbers. Every day that one student
is away, our daily attendance falls to 80%. This doesn’t include sick days with a doctor’s certificate provided to
the school.
Every day that our students are at school, is another day that our students are learning and improving. We
appreciate your support in our endeavour to achieve improved attendance in 2017.
BEHAVIOUR
Behaviour this Term has been great. Students have not only received their First Diamond for 100 stamps, they
have received a Second or Third Diamond for getting more than 100 stamps. Well done to all students on
their behaviour this term! Our Behaviour Party will be in Week 1 of Term 2 to celebrate their behaviour.
Parents are encouraged to view their student’s diary daily and sign at the end of the week.
Positive behaviour systems work well when all stakeholders work together.
IMPORTANCE OF READING
Children develop vocabulary, understanding of grammar, underlying meanings and social skills from
reading. It is an avenue to increase the different situations students may face or help students to
visualize unfamiliar topics. Reading is paramount to a child's development. We have seen the
students improve with their reading this term,
and we cannot wait to see what Term 2 will
bring. Thank you for taking the time out to
read with your children when you can.
IMPORTANCE OF WRITING
Reading also leads to supporting students with their writing. Reading
opens up a world of Vocabulary and Imagination for students to then
transfer over to their writing.
This term we have seen students start to engage in writing more, and
using a range of vocabulary derived from books and conversation
both in and out of school. This is great to see. Writing helps students
to think outside of the box and use their imagination.
Birdsville State School
Whole School Target Attendance Rate for 2017
96%
Be SAFE
Be RESPECTFUL
P&C
AGM TBA
Be RESPONSIBLE
The Pelican Brief
Issue 2
Thursday 30th March 2017
In this issue:

End of Term 1

Attendance

Behaviour

Importance of reading

Importance of writing
Date Claimers:
April
4-13 April
Broadband Upgrade
16th April
Easter Sunday
17th April
Easter Monday – Public Holiday
18th April
School Resumes Term 2
20th April
Miss Wickstead flies out
25th April
ANZAC Day – Public Holiday
29th April
Miss Wicktead flies in
May
1st May
Labour Day – Public Holiday
3rd May
School Photos
Added Kindy Day
4th May
Miss Wickstead Flies out.
11th May
Bob Perry Visit about remote kindy
pilot
12th May
Miss Wickstead flies in
13th - 17th May
Miss Wickstead, Miss Warner and
Miss Dean away
18th May
Miss Wickstead flies out
26th May
Miss Wickstead flies in.
June
1st June.
Miss Wickstead flies out.
5th June
The Storey Players Visit.
Added Kindy Day
9th June
Miss Wickstead flies in.
15th June
Miss Wickstead flies out.
19th -23rd June
Windorah Sports Camp
Last day of Term 2
Birdsville State School
End of Term 1
Wow!! Term 1 over already! How fast is this year going? This Term we have been
working hard across all aspects of the Curriculum. We have worked the students really
hard this term to complete everything we needed. We have been impressed with their
efforts.
At the start of this week we travelled to Ilfracombe to work alongside the multitude of
teachers and principals within our Outback Advantage cluster. The week was very
successful with the staff endeavouring to understand the curriculum demands of the
2017 school year, with students across 4 year levels and varying abilities, this is a major
component that ensures we are meeting the needs of all students when teaching. Sarah
and I look forward to implementing the strategies we learnt into the classroom, to help
the students learn.
Kindy
Kindy this Term as been successful, and we have started to incorporate Kindy into the
classroom. Term 2 will we will have our Kindy Program running on alternate weeks again.
The first week the Kindy students will be at school 2 days a week, and then the following
week, 3 days. We are looking forward to having them on these days!
Term 2 will see the Kindy coming into the classroom and working with the other
students on a permanent basis.
In week 3 – 3rd May we ask that Kindy Kids please come to school on the Wednesday as
well as the normal Thursday for School Photos – in Kindy Uniform. We also ask that
Kindy Students come to school on Monday the 5th June for the Storey Players Visit.
Curriculum
This term (10 Weeks) students will be working on Persuasive texts in English.
In Mathematics student will be working across all 6 strands – Number and Place Value,
Measurement and Geometry, Chance and Data.
Student can also look forward to the other Key Learning Areas (KLA’s) tasks being aligned
to ensure greater fluidity. Science Earth and Space/Solids and Liquids and Technology is
called Pinball (creating games). Art we will be learning a dance to perform at sports
camp. Geography is about Caring for Special Places. Health and Physical Education will
align together and we will be doing ‘Jump Rope For Heart’ and imbedding their Healthy
Eating Unit into it also. Term 2 will see both Mrs Warner and Miss Wickstead working
together to deliver the learning content over the weeks.
No Homework for week 1 or week 10.
Mr Brendan Smith (Assistant Regional Director) will be visiting us in week 2, date to be
advised. We will also have our western cluster of schools visit us for instructional rounds
on the 23rd of May to provide feedback on our classroom practices.
Mrs Warner, Miss Wickstead and Miss Dean will travel to the Gold Coast from the 13th to
the 17th May to participate in some Professional Development called “Seven Steps to
Writing”. This will aide us in helping students to write and engage in writing.
From the 19th to the 23rd June we will travel to Windorah to participate in their Sports
Camp. We are looking forward to this trip.