2024 Term 3, Week 4 Newsletter

Principal's News

!  TUCKSHOP CHANGE - Friday 02 August

Teachers will be undertaking professional learning this Friday.  Timetable changes will occur.  
This Friday 02 August, students will only have a one hour break from 11.30am – 12.30pm.
Tuckshop will be open for the full hour. Ice-blocks will be available from 12pm.
No second lunch ordering. Qkr! will be closed for second lunch orders. 

Parent Teacher Interviews 

The 12 minute interviews will be conducted on Monday 02 September in Bottle Tree Hall for all parents/students in Prep to Year 6, as per the times listed below.

Click on the link to place your booking.  https://pittsworthss.schoolzineplus.com/ParentTeacherInterviewsTerm32024

2024 School Opinion Survey

Thank you to all of those who have already completed the Parent/Caregiver Survey.  If you have not had a chance to complete the survey yet, please note that the online surveys will remain open until Friday, 16 August 2024.

This is your opportunity to provide feedback about what our school does well and how we can improve.

To have your say, check your email for an invitation from the Department of Education titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2024. Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.

RELIEF POSITIONS AVAILABLE

It is critical that our school has a pool of "relief" or "casual" employees available to call upon in times of need.  At times, permanent staff are required to take emergent leave, become unwell, are unable to complete a shift, or require extra assistance to undertake larger projects.  This is when we need to call upon relief staff.

Relief, or casual, staff are employed for a minimum period of two (2) hours, and at times may be called upon with minimal notice, especially if an employee is on sick leave.  At other times, especially with projects, relief staff can be contacted and a suitable work day and time negotiated.

Below is listed a require position at our school.  As with all positions in the school, a "Working with children" blue card is mandatory, and a criminal history check will be undertaken.  Mandatory All Staff Training (online) will need to be undertaken.

Interested persons are asked to contact the Business Manager, Mrs Kylie Ladner, on 46198333 Tuesday - Thursday, for further information, or email your name, contact details, relevant experience and the name of one referee to bsm@pittsworthss.eq.edu.au 

RELIEF CLEANER

A typical working week is Monday to Friday, 5am - 8am, and 3pm - 6pm.   For more information, click here.

BREAKFAST CLUB VOLUNTEERS

Our school has the privilege of being supported by the YMCA for the supply of donated food to the school, free of charge, for the purpose of a breakfast program.  Breakfast club is available free of charge to any student enrolled at the school, and also for emergency lunches if required.  Our school ‘Breakfast Program Volunteers’ means the School Personnel, who are involved in the Breakfast Program without payment and who act under the direction and supervision of the School.

We would love to get our Breakfast Club started however we need VOLUNTEERS.  Are you available from 8am - 9am each Wednesday, Thursday and/or Friday? (any day that you could be available).   A "Working with children" blue card is mandatory for people who are not a parent of a PSS student.

Please contact Carol, Kylie or Leah at the school if you are able to assist, thank you.

"PICK OF THE CROP" VOLUNTEER

Do you love gardening, especially growing vegetables?  We would LOVE to have volunteers to help in our Kitchen Garden.  Could you spare some time each week to help out?  A "Working with children" blue card is mandatory for people who are not a parent of a PSS student.  Please contact Carol at the school if you are able to help.  Thank you!

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- MONDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

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 on MONDAY 9 SEPTEMBER.  Phone 1300 379 558.

Curriculum

Year 3/4 Excursion to Cobb and Co

On Monday 29 July, 73 students and staff from the Year 3/4 classes braved the cold to attend the Cobb and Co Museum. Everyone celebrated the history and culture of the First Australians with storytelling, boomerang and spear throwing, weaving, rock painting and learning about bush tucker, bush medicines and hands on artefacts. A great day was had by all.

"The Twits" Live Show in Bottle Tree Hall

Years 3-6 are invited to watch "The Twits" Live Show in BTH on Tuesday 10 September.

Information has been forwarded to all parents & carers. Consent and $8.90 payment due by 2/9/24.

Darling Downs Zoo Excursion 12C, 12H, 12HJ

Years 12C, 12H, 12HJ are invited to go to the Darling Downs Zoo on Wednesday 11 September.

Information has been forwarded to all parents & carers.  Consent and payment of $27.00 is due by 02/09/2024.

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:

• 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
  

ICAS - Years 2-6

• English:  12 August, 9.30am
• Science:  19 August, 9.30am
• Spelling Bee:  20 August, 10.30am
• Mathematics:  26 August, 9.30am

Term 3 Important Dates

Sporting News

Track and Field Carnival Dates

• Inner Downs Athletics: Tuesday 13 August 
• Junior Carnival:  Thursday 29 August (5 -8 yrs born 2016-2019)
• see Program below

Pony Club Stockman’s Challenge & Kurrajong Pony Club Gymkhana

Congratulations to PSS students who competed in the recent horse events in town. What a talented group of horse riders we have!

Rylee P:

• placed 1^st in Utility Pattern
• placed 2^nd in Dry Work
• Won the Fastest U13 Utility Pattern
• Placed 1^st in Gymkhana 11yo
• Fastest in Stockhorse Race

Tilly D:

• 1^st place overall for 10yo
• 4^th place in Encouragement Stockman’s Challenge

Fletcher H:

• Champion 8 yo
• Highest points Kurrajong rider

Hayley C:

• Placed 2^nd in 9 yo

Emily J:

• Placed 3^rd in 8yo

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

SRC News/Eco Club News

Student Support Services

P&C Patch

TUCKSHOP

We are still looking for volunteers to help out in the tuckshop this term.  If you are able to spare a few hours on a Friday morning, please get in touch with Karla Trott or psssecretary@outlook.com.  Thank you to our regulars and new volunteers who have already popped their name down!

FUNDRAISING

There are lots of things happening in the month of August, so be sure to mark all these important dates on the calendar….

Club Pittsworth Raffles

Save yourself from cooking and head to Club Pittsworth for dinner on Friday 9^th August.  Friday night raffles will be supporting Pittsworth State School P&C.  Money raised will be donated to the Pittsworth State School Chaplaincy program.

Father’s Day
On Thursday 29th August we have a jammed packed day. Starting with a Father’s Day BBQ breakfast to celebrate our Dads, Grandads, uncles or significant male in your child’s life. The breakfast will run similar to last year. Ordering will be done on the Qrk! App or brown paper bag (which can be dropped in the office). Siblings for High School or younger are more than welcome to attend just make sure you order enough breakfast for everyone. Breakfast will start from 7am and we will be hosting the breakfast out at Bridgman Oval from the canteen. There will be games to play and things to do during this time. If there are any parents who would be able to help out on the morning please contact Louise Boyes or Jess Briggs.

Junior Carnival Canteen

If you have come for breakfast, how about having the whole day off and stay to watch your child participate in the Junior Athletics carnival?  The PnC will be running a canteen out on the oval for the day so volunteers would be greatly appreciated as well. There will be a menu put out closer to the day.

We will also be looking for homebake to sell in the canteen at the Junior Carnival.  If you could assist up by donating some homebaking, please email psssecretary@outlook.com

Pittsworth Sprints Volunteers

Start your engines and get yourself down to the industrial estate on Saturday 31st August. Pittsworth P&C have been asked to help set up and dismantle the temporary fencing for the sprints for a large monetary donation. As the saying goes many hands make light work and this activity is no exception. So bring your gloves and your muscles and give an hour or 2 of your time to help. A set up time will be known closer to the day but it is usually in the afternoon. Please let Louise or Jess know if you are able to help.

Join Our Committee!

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 the P&C! 

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 8 August 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

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is planned to take place for students in Term Four. Students in Year 4 or older are invited to participate. Providing we have enough students participating, the program will go ahead. Students must be baptized and can then go on to complete the Sacrament of Holy Communion and Confirmation the following year.

Students, and their parent/s, are expected to attend all four sessions after school as a group, attend and participate in Family Mass and be engaged throughout the whole process.

Once numbers are confirmed, an email will be sent to families to let them know if the program will go ahead and the dates and times of the sessions and Sacrament of Reconciliation.

If you would like your child to participate in the program, please contact Fiona Drew fiona.drew@twb.catholic.edu.au or the parish office.

St Stephen's Catholic Church

Cost of Living Support

Families and individuals are encouraged to check their eligibility for concessions and other support by visiting:

https://www.qld.gov.au/community/cost-of-living-support/concessions

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/