2024 Term 2, Week 5 Newsletter

Principal's News

Children within the Pittsworth District, under the age of 8, are most welcome to attend our annual Under 8s Day to be held at Pittsworth State School on Wednesday 22 May, starting at 9.15am and concluding at 1.15pm.  Share this message with family & friends!

As usual, there are many FUN and INTERACTIVE child-friendly activities to enjoy including:

• Monty, the bird watching platypus!  Jason Rodgers, cartoonist & puppeteer. Thanks to Toowoomba Regional Council Libraries!
• Teddy Bear Hospital.  Thanks to Griffith Uni Australian Rural Medical Education for returning to play with us again!
• "Bowerbird Blues" with Mrs Hayes
• Bird watching, Art & Craft with Mrs Hafey
• Adventures in the Garden.  Thanks to Pittsworth Millmerran Landcare, Rebecca Kirby
• Every kid needs a Tractor!  Thanks to Mark from Lindenberg & Co.
• Parachute Play with Miss Will
• The return of AXLE!  Many thanks to QAS Chris Mills.
• Ten Pin Bowling.  Thanks to Sunset Superbowl.
• 11am - National Simultaneous Storytime and Lunch.  Reading of "Bowerbird Blues".

"Cool Nights Big Band" P&C Fundraiser Event

Connect, celebrate, showcase!

These are the words to summarise the successful PSHS & PSS P&C “Cool Nights Big Band” event fundraiser!  

Over 200 people were awed by the talents of our students, overwhelmed by the sophistication of the “Cool Nights Big Band” and impressed by the size & superiority of the PSHS new hall.

The intention was achieved to connect with our shared communities, showcase the talents of our instrumental music students and staff, promote the great learning opportunities for PSHS students such as the Cert II in Hospitality, acknowledge & celebrate the collective work of P&C members over the years evidenced through the fruition of the new Hall, all whilst enjoying the sensational music of the "Cool Nights Big Band"!

School on a Saturday? Music students willingly and enthusiastically attended school on Saturday afternoon to workshop with musical director, Gavin McKenzie, who also provided constructive feedback on their playing in preparation for the upcoming regional “Fanfare” competition.

Many people were involved in ensuring that our collaborative event ran successfully for which we are extremely grateful.

1. Firstly, thank you to Gavin & Renae McKenzie for considering the proposal for “Cool Nights Big Band” to host a performance in Pittsworth, and for all of your members who contributed to an outstanding show.
2. Secondly, thank you to the PSHS & PSS Principals and P&C Executives & members for taking a risk and saying ‘yes’ to the event: Dan Lindemayer, Dan Norris, Jaime Fing, Megan Smith, Christie Warburton.
3. Mr Luke Todd and the PSHS Instrumental Music Concert Band & Jazz Band students for their exceptional performances as a unique entity and as a combined band with “Cool Nights”.
4. Mr Scott McKenzie for the overall management of “Cool Nights” performance, sound, lighting etc, and for the PSHS students who assisted in setting up.
5. PSHS Admin, Facilities & Cleaning staff for assistance and management of the event & facilities.
6. PSS Admin & Schools Officer for assisting with preparation: Jason Beattie & Lindsey Lack for transporting the round tables, and to Michael Santsingh for trailer hire.
7. Toowoomba Regional Council for their gracious assistance and support with our requirements (Amee Hetherington).
8. Catering Team.
   1. PSHS Certificate II in Hospitality teacher, Pam Tandy, and her students for providing appetising and appealing cheese platters, and assisting with waiting tables and bar service. These young ladies are certainly well prepared & ready for the workforce!
   2. Michelle Macdonald who co-ordinated the sweets & savoury boxes with the help and generosity of Felicity Clapham, Dimitie Clapham, Leanne Mengel, Louise Kronk, Wendy Thornber, Katie Hegarty. Many others either donated food or money to assist with the catering for which we are grateful.
9. PSS P&C for co-ordinating the bar: thank you Megan Smith and Jess Briggs for ordering, supplying, delivering & serving refreshments (& to all of your mini helpers!)  Thanks to Karla Trott for ordering chips & choccies!
10. Pittsworth Metals for supplying “containers for change” bins, delivery & pick up.
11. PSS teachers for ‘front of house’ and facilitating the raffles: thank you Annie Murphy, Sharon Bendle, Tamara Attwood and Jess Briggs (and Hamish Clapham!)
12. Megan Smith for administrative tasks related to TryBooking App, & liquor licencing.
13. Table settings: Leanne Mengel for the gorgeous table decorations, and to her team of assistants:  Annika Peters, Felicity Clapham, Melody Apelt and Clapham Ag Enterprises for the donation of the cotton.  Thanks to those who answered the call for glass jars and provided enough to meet our needs.
14. Lance Peters for fixing the plumbing!
15. Pittsworth Sentinel for advertising and publishing.
16. …..in advance, to the PSHS & PSS P&C Treasurers who will have to crunch the figures for us, post event! Good luck Steve Hegarty & Danielle Sullivan!
17. To the many individuals and businesses who donated prizes to be raffled on the night raising $750 in ticket sales.
    1. Freedom Fuels
    2. Bottle Brush Café
    3. Yandilla Rose
    4. Pittsworth Confectionery
    5. Raffs Pittsworth
    6. McKinlay’s Nursery
    7. PSHS Tuckshop
    8. Andrew Coonan Builder
    9. Bunnings, Toowoomba West
    10. Party Hut Toowoomba
    11. QBD Toowoomba
    12. Sunset Superbowl Toowoomba
    13. Red Tractor Designs
    14. TradeMutt
    15. An additional and special acknowledgement and thanks to Brandon Boyce and the Pittsworth Pizza Hut team for providing 20 pizzas to the musos, keeping them well fed & happy! Thanks to Annie for organising!

Most importantly, thank you to all those who attended and showed your support for the P&Cs, students & schools. 

Anzac Day Book Donations

We would like to thank the following community groups and businesses for their kind donation of books for the Library:

QFES, Pittsworth Tennis Club, St Ursula's College, Garth Hamilton MP, St Stephen's Catholic School, Pittsworth Uniting Church, Pittsworth Panthers Amateur Basketball Club, Wildcats Netball Club, Pittsworth Lions Club, Pittsworth Community U3A, Chenyl's Academy of Dance, Black Inc.

Pittsworth Senior Citizens - Donation for Breakfast Club

U3A - Chaplaincy donation

Keeping Our Kids Healthy

If your child is unwell, please keep them at home until they are well enough to return.  Even if the illness is not contagious, please keep them at home until they are well.  

Some medical conditions require exclusion from schoool, childcare centres and other settings to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among staff and children.  Timeout Poster.

Carbal Hearing Tests

To give our children the best start in life, it is important that they have good hearing and healthy ears!

Carbal Medical Services offers hearing health checks for students at PSS.  Doing so is your best chance of preventing Ear Disease; which can lead to loss of hearing forever if left unchecked.  

Register your child today to receive a hearing test in early Term 3.  Phone 1300 379 558.

Curriculum

Year 6 Sunshine Coast Camp

Year 6 students are invited to attend the Year 6 Sunshine Coast Camp from Wednesday 4 September to Friday 6 September 2024 (inclusive). Camp Information Pack and Consent Form has been emailed home.

Important Due Dates:

• Consent is due by Friday 24 May (An invoice will then be generated)
• Payment of $435 is due by Monday 12 August (Payment Plans are available, please contact the office)
• Student Medical Form is due by Monday 12 August

Upcoming Year 6 Excursions

PSHS School Musical "Grease" Matinee: Show: Friday 24 May. Consent due by 17 May. No cost.

PCYC Cycle Safety Courses for Years 3 & 4 classes

3/4BR – Wednesday, 15 & Thursday, 16 May 2024

3/4PD – Wednesday, 22 & Thursday, 23 May 2024

Consent has been sent home via QParents and emailed to non-QParents.

Consent and $20 payment was due on 1 May 2024

Term 2 Important Dates

Sporting News

Track and Field Carnival Dates

• Senior Carnival:  Friday 7 June (9 – 12 yrs born 2012-2015)
  
• Gore Highway Athletics:  Wednesday 12 June
• Inner Downs Athletics: Tuesday 13 August 
• Junior Carnival:  Thursday 29 August (5 -8 yrs born 2016-2019)

200m and 800m heats for Seniors will be run prior to carnival. Dates to be confirmed.

Inner Downs Trial Fees

As the IDZ Trials are currently underway, we would like to bring to your attention a matter of utmost importance regarding the nomination fee. The IDZ Sports Contact has advised some students are attending trials without having paid their nomination fee. They wish to emphasize the critical nature of timely payment to ensure the smooth conduct of the trials and maintain fairness in the process.

To facilitate the payment process, we kindly request all participants to utilize the Qkr! app. It is imperative that the nomination fee is settled by the designated date. Failure to adhere to this deadline will regrettably render students ineligible to partake in the trials. It is the parent's responsibility to ensure payment is made by the due date.

Please see the Guide below for detailed instructions on utilizing the Qkr! app. 

NO fee paid by due date = No trial for students

2024 Darling Downs School Sport

Parents/Carers please contact Ms Will for further information regarding these events. These events will be open to students that are interested and have experience in these sporting events. Nominations come out a few weeks prior to events so please let Ms Will know closer to the event if your child is interested.

Students will only be nominated for Cross Country and Track & Field if they have made qualifying times.

Ms Will’s email: bwill641@eq.edu.au or phone 4619 8333.

The Arts

Choir:  All students in year one to year six are invited to join the school choir.  Rehearsals for choir are held every Wednesday in Bottle Tree Hall, starting at 8.00am.   

Visual Arts:  Students in Prep to Year 6 have been experimenting with lines and patterns as well as coloured pencil – warm and cool colours and colour blending – during Visual Arts lessons this term.  Over the coming weeks, each student will be planning and creating their own artworks for assessment.

SINGFEST:  A group of talented choir students in year 3 – 6 will be participating in this year’s Singfest event on Friday 17 May, spending the day rehearsing with 90 singers from seven local schools. An evening con cert will feature our highly accomplished Pittsworth adult choir - the Singsationals – performing from 5.40pm. The Massed Choir concert begins at 6.00pm and will include high energy, polished performances of a variety of songs. The concert will be held in the Millmerran Cultural Centre and entry is by gold coin donation.

CGEN:  Rehearsals continue every Thursday from 7.30am to 8.30am in the Arts Space.  Our dedicated CGEN kids will also be attending a rehearsal at Mt Cotton State School on Wednesday 22 May. Many thanks to parents who have volunteered to transport their own and other students. 

School Musical:  Rehearsals for our School Musical, ‘Lost Paradise: The Garden that Time Forgot’ are going amazingly well!  Thank you to the wonderful teachers who have given up their own time to supervise scene rehearsals.  The cast members are very enthusiastic and keen to improve their acting skills.  The singing and dancing are already amazing and the Black Inc band is sounding so professional!

Please remember that parents are very welcome to join the Production Committee.  The next meeting will be held in the Pittsworth State School Arts Space on Thursday 16 May (8.30am – 9.30am).  We are in need of a volunteer builder or handyman/handywoman to co-ordinate the building of a wooden platform to support the featured garden onstage.  Please contact Beth Wheeldon ASAP (bwhee1@eq.edu.au) if you are able to assist.

Cast and crew rehearsals will be held in the Pittsworth Function Centre on Friday 24 May and Friday 31 May (1.15pm – 3.00pm).  

Details about school musical costumes, hair, make-up and props is on the attached information sheets. Special thanks to Ashleigh Smith for advice and suggestions about hair and make-up.

Please keep an eye on the newsletter for further updates!

Date Claimers:          

17 May – Singfest  

22 May – CGEN Mt Cotton Rehearsal

9 June – CGEN Chandler Rehearsal

19 June – School Musical Filming and Photo Day

17 – 20 July – CGEN Show Week                                                                                                                                                    

16 August – ‘Lost Paradise: The Garden that Time Forgot’ school musical performance

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Please note: there will be NO regular choir practice on Wednesday 22 May due to Mrs Wheeldon attending a Brisbane rehearsal with CGEN students.

There will be no school musical rehearsals on FRIDAY 17 MAY due to Mrs Wheeldon attending Singfest in Millmerran.

The Arts at Pittsworth SS

SRC News/Eco Club News

School Disco

The SRC and P&C are very excited to host a School Disco on Tuesday 18^th June (Week 10). 

At the P&C meeting held last week, the P&C decided to pay for a DJ to play music for students at the disco.

Prep to Year 2 will dance away from 2:00pm – 3:00pm.  Years 3 – 6 from 3:10pm to 4:30pm. 

The theme for our disco is “What you want to be when you grow up”.  A small canteen will be on offer to help with our SRC fundraising.   We look forward to seeing everyone at our disco.

Student Support Services

Does your child need winter clothing?  Through generous donations provided by community members, our Student Support Team, including our Chaplain, can support families with providing winter clothes, uniforms, and other necessities.

Please contact a member of the admin team, your child's teacher, principal or chaplain, if you need to access necessities for you and your family. 

eSafety

“Power up your Privacy” campaign through eSafey highlight ways you can help your child to stay in control of their personal information, online photos and social media identity. 

Sit down together and check privacy settings on social media accounts, apps and devices — ensure they have selected the highest privacy setting.

Play alongside them in online games to see what kinds of information they may be sharing. Get to know the apps and devices your child is using.

To learn more about parental controls, understanding how to adjust privacy settings or learn about individual apps, games or services explore The eSafety Guide.  https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/esafety-guide  

Chaplaincy

How time has flown. We are already half way through the second term.  As the school chaplain, among other responsibilities, I have a role in taking care of student’s social and emotional needs. Most of my time is spent in the various classrooms helping wherever I am needed.  Break times are spent in the playground in relationship building.  I am also involved in breaky club twice a week.

I have recently been involved in the PCYC bike education program. The program aims to educate years 3 - 4 on bike safety and road rules. Much to the amazement of the kids I passed both the practical and written aspects of the test with flying colours.

As part of my work as a chaplain I also had the pleasure of attending the Toowoomba Mayoral Prayer Breakfast.

Please remember I am here to serve the entire school community.  If I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me through the school office.

Chappy Steve

P&C Patch

TUCKSHOP

Tuckshop will continue to open on Wednesdays and Fridays this term.  Make sure your orders are placed via the Qkr App by 8.30am.

Senior Athletics Carnival is coming up on Friday 7 June.   The Tuckshop will only be open to JUNIOR students on this day.  Senior Students will be able to purchase food from the carnival canteen.  We will need parents/carers to volunteer to help in the canteen throughout the day. If you are able to assist at any stage during the day, even if just for an hour, please contact psssecretary@outlook.com or Karla Trott 0403 405 327.

FUNDRAISING

Mother’s Day Stall 2024

Students were able to purchase gifts for their mother’s and other special lady figures in their lives last Friday at our Mother’s Day stall.  Thank you to everyone that donated gifts/money for the stall.  The stall was a great success with funds raised contributing to our playground upgrade.  Thank you to Ally (and Rosie), Peta, Nardia, Nicole and Bec for volunteering at the stall.  An extra special thank you to Jess and Louise.  These ladies have put a huge amount of effort into organising this stall.  It takes hours for them to shop around and purchase the perfect array of gifts for the stall using the donated money and then another few hours to set up the stall.  We would not be able to run events such as this if it were not for our amazing volunteers.

Cool Nights

Congratulations and thank you to the volunteers from both Pittsworth SS P&C and Pittsworth SHS P&C.  What a fantastic night!  It was so wonderful to have both schools working together on this community event.

Club Pittsworth Raffle Tickets

The Pittsworth SS P&C will be selling raffle tickets at Club Pittsworth next Friday, 24 May.  Come along for dinner and help us raise extra funds for our playground upgrade.  Thank you Club Pittsworth for this opportunity.

Would you like to make a difference in our school?  Would you like to see more community/family events in our school?  Would you like to have a say in how P&C funds are spent? Then join our committee! 

Our P&C is currently being run by a very small group of busy mums.  They are very passionate about contributing to our school but need the support of more families to introduce more and bigger events.  Recent events such as Mother’s Day Stall/Father’s Day breakfast, Cool Nights and the Prep welcome morning tea and even our school tuckshop don’t happen without volunteers.  If you have ideas or have ever considered joining, whether your child is in Year 6 or just starting out in Prep, now is the time.  New members are always welcome!

Please contact psssecretary@outlook.com or submit a membership form to the office to be accepted.

VOLUNTEERS – MANDATORY TRAINING
There is a small amount of mandatory training that must be completed in order to volunteer at school.   It is quite quick to complete (10-15 minutes), you will find the link and instructions below.   Once completed it lasts for the calendar year.

P&C MEETING

Our next meeting will be Thursday 11 July in the Pittsworth Function Centre starting at 6:30pm.

Mandatory Volunteers Training 

P&C Bank Account Details

Have you downloaded the Qkr! App to order tuckshop?

Quick, easy, no more looking for cash!

Tuckshop open Wednesdays and Fridays

School Management

Headlice

We have had multiple cases of Headlice at the school recently. Please check your entire household for headlice TODAY & commence treatment if required to help prevent spreading.  Please see below information.

Community News