Carmel McGrath

Instrumental Gala Performance

Last Sunday’s Gala Performance was a quite different without our families as audience.  However, the students did a wonderful job performing together while Mr McIntyre conducted and Mr Fenton filmed the performance.  Congratulations to Mr McIntyre on another successful year with students. 

Junior Band https://youtu.be/XmhvAyHv9ek

Senior Band https://youtu.be/hx67eQNmcb4

2021 Enrolments

We have continued interviewing new students each week this term.  Our final prep numbers are 94, very similar to this year’s enrolments.  The main difference in predicting 2021 class numbers as compared with other years, is the lack of overseas enrolments and the very limited interstate enrolments to date. 

This Friday 4 December current students will visit their 2021 teacher and / or classroom.  We are fortunate that 2 of our incoming teachers are able to attend to meet their students.

Prep students will receive their teacher postcards in December and will have the opportunity to meet their teachers on Thursday 21 January when we hold an Open Classroom Session (8.00 – 8.45 a.m.)  All students and families are welcome for this visit and many find it useful in settling anxieties about the New Year and for delivering their book packs before day 1.

Year 6 Graduation Ceremony

Today we gathered to celebrate the Year 6 Graduation.  Thanks to some easing of restrictions, we were able to have a larger number of parents and carers at this significant milestone event.  Thank you to teachers Ms Zayn Al-Abidin, Mrs Baker and Mr Conde for ensuring the event was very well organized and a special thanks to Ms Burgess and Mr Ware for helping coordinate the venue and covid plan.  Congratulations to all students, we wish you all the best for secondary school.  Well done to special award recipients:

• The Trevor Evans Leadership Award
• Finn Morris
• Jackson Eustace

• The Margaret Suttie Memorial Academic Award

• Thalia Kovacevic
• Claudia Wallwork
• Mika Raeli

• The RSL Citizenship Award

• Sophie Larsen
• Frankie Litchfield-Straker

• The Music Award

• Claudia Wallwork

• The Grace Grace Cultural Achievement Award

• Olivia Basile
• Zachery Douglas-Savage

• The Vicki Howard Sports Achievement Award
• Ashley Blackman

• The Teacher’s Achievement Award
• 6B Rebecca Howard
• 6C Bella Odey
• 6Z Kitty Ali

• The New Farm State School Principal’s Award
• Daniel Redhead

Year 6 Final Roll Call

The last day of term 2020 is Wednesday 9 December.  As part of our Year 6 tradition, we hold a very special final roll call for our Year 6 Graduates.  Parents are welcome but please adhere to social distancing. 

• At 2:55 pm all classes assemble from A Block and around towards the Hawthorne Street exit. The students make a guard of honour for the Year 6 students. 
• Parents are welcome to join the event but ensure social distancing.
• Our Year 6 students line up on the A Block veranda.
• At 2:59 pm the school counts down from 10 to 1 and then the old school bell is rung.
• Then Year 6 students walk down the stairs and through a full school community guard of honour. The students receive high 5s and lots of applause as students, staff and parents celebrate their final departure from New Farm SS.

Important Dates and Events:

• Wed 02 Dec – Year Prep-3 Swim Carnival (children only no parents)
• Thursday 03 Dec – Year 4-6 Swim Carnival (children only no parents)
• Fri 04 Dec – Student visit 2021 class teachers
• Mon 07 Dec – Report Cards emailed home 
• Tues 08 Dec – Dance Showcase
• LAST DAY – Wednesday 09 December 3pm
• 2021 Open School Session Thursday 21 January 8-8:45am

Kay Bradley

 Class Allocations 2021

On Friday, our existing Prep- yr5 students will have an opportunity to meet their 2021 teacher and classmates and spend some time in their new classroom.  At this time students will receive a postcard to bring home and 2021 Prep students will have their postcards emailed to them.

If you have taken an early holiday and your student will not be returning until 2021, class lists will be displayed, outside the tuckshop on Thursday  21January.

Please encourage your child to view the change of classes, teacher and new classmates as a positive experience.  If they think they have no friends with them, remind them they can check, their nominated friend list, with their current teacher or myself.  We have tried very hard to find the best fit for every child and have considered multiple stakeholders in each placement.  After classes are set we only move students in exceptional circumstances.

• Open Classrooms - Thursday the 21st of January

Our classrooms will be open between 8 a.m. and 8.45 a.m. on Thursday  21January.  If it is convenient you may visit your student’s new classroom and drop off some of the heavy books etc. If not, we will look forward to seeing you on the first day of the school year; Wednesday 27January. Please be aware that teachers are fully timetabled for the rest of their student free days and this will be the only time classrooms will be open.

• Dance Showcase – Tuesday the 8December

With Covid restrictions easing, we are able to invite parents to watch students dance in a modified showcase, on Tuesday the 8 December.  As each audience will only watch that particular year level dance, these will be short performances of between 10 and 20 minutes each.

In order that we can socially distance our audience, we are able to accommodate one adult for each student, for the appropriate year level.  We have spaced out these performances, to allow time for parents signing in and the additional cleaning that will be required between each year level.

9 a.m.                  Yr 6

9.45 a.m.             Yr 5

10.30 a.m.          Yr 2

11.40 p.m.          Yr 3

12.30 p.m.          Yr 1

1.30 p.m.            Yr 4

2.15 p.m.             Prep

• Medication

A reminder that all medications will need to be collected from the first aid room before the end of term.  If you feel it is appropriate for your child to collect this and bring it home e.g. inhalers, notify the office at admin@newfarmss.eq.edu.au Otherwise, make arrangements to drop in and collect this medication before 3 p.m. on Wednesday  9  December

• Heal Street Pick up Zone

As our new build gets underway in Hawthorne Street, the first impact it will have, is the closing of the pick-up and drop off zone in Hawthorne Street.  This will mean that from day 1 of 2021, Heal Street will be our only pick up and drop off zone for the duration of the build.

The extra pressure on Heal Street, will mean this zone will have to run at peak efficiency.  Drivers should remain in the car and students will only be able to exit or enter the vehicle at designated bays. If your child is not waiting at the pick-up zone, you will be asked to drive around the block. We ask that you consider all other drivers, staff and students and use the zone correctly.  The increased pressure on this residential street will be difficult initially, but we are confident that with everyone’s cooperation it will run smoothly and safely.

If you feel that the tighter restrictions do not suit your family and that you would like to get out of the car to say goodbye and help with bags etc. please use one of the neighbouring streets. In 2021, Heal Street will have double the amount of cars and many parents will be waiting to use the zone.  

Lookout Registration

Library returns

Thank you to all families who have returned their library books to the library.

Please continue to bring back any overdue books to the library this week so we can stocktake and reorganise the library for next year.

Top Borrower of the Week

Our top Borrower for week 8 was Hazel in 5B.

Hazel has read most of the Baby Sitters Club series and enjoys reading graphic novels.  

Well done and congratulations Hazel for your huge enthusiasm for reading!

Library Monitor of the year

Lucas C in 2A received the library monitor of the year award for 2020!

Lucas has been helping in the library every day at lunch time for almost the entire year, which can be a very busy job! Well done Lucas and thanks for all your help.

Summer holiday library activities & reading

Students will have access to eBooks, audio books and read-along-books at the EQ Digital library until February 2021! Students only need their MIS ID and no password is required. You can access the eLibrary on your PC here or through the SORA app here.

State Library of Queensland SLQ will be running a Summer Reading Club until the 31 Jan.

“Join the Club! Join the Challenge!” encourages children to read something each day for the summer holidays, and meet the challenge activities you can complete online.

SLQ also have free activities for the whole family to enjoy, such as movie screenings, stories, songs and hands-on crafts. You can enjoy these activities in the library and online.

Brisbane City Council Libraries are open all summer for reading, activities and children’s events. See their website for more information.

Library - SLQ summer reading club.jpeg

Happy Reading!

Angela Lamb

Year 3 were lucky to have an Olympic swimmer come and talk to them about her sporting experiences. Sarah Hass swam for Australia in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She talked to the students about healthy life choices including nutrition, exercise and sleep routines. The students were encouraged to find their own personal goals and to remain resilient when things become tough. Thank you to Sarah for your time and energy in encouraging our students. 

Our BYO iPad program is moving into Phase Two in 2021. Students in Year 4 and 5 will have an opportunity to bring their iPads to school. A new participation agreement will go home will all current Year 3 and 4 students by the end of the week.

After much consultation a new Spark page has been developed with gives parents a much clearer picture of how to set up the iPads and download Apps for 2021.

https://spark.adobe.com/sp/design/page/urn:aaid:sc:AP:db40283c-b5db-4522-91d0-5fed204ad329

We have partnered with JB HiFi for parents to purchase iPads and accessories at cheaper prices. To access the New Farm portal, click the link below and enter the school code.

https://www.jbeducation.com.au/byod/  

 School Code (for parents): NEWFARMSTATE2021

 After looking through the set up guide, if you require any support please contact us at ict.services@newfarmss.eq.edu.au

Thank you to all teachers and parents who have supported the program this year. The high levels of engagement during lessons and the development of digital technology skills has been outstanding.

CONCERTS: Well done all senior and junior band students completing "virtual" concerts in the last week.

HIGH ACHIEVERS:  Congratulations to Mika, Jackson and Asher who attended the State Honours Ensemble Program over last weekend. What an achievement for these talented young musicians to be recognised at such a high level.

RECRUITING FOR 2021: Students applying for band next year should have received their notification letter by now. If we can't fit your child into the program here at school now please don't be discouraged (it comes down to numbers and does not mean your child would not succeed playing an instrument) and look for other avenues to learn school band instruments, or any other instrument. 

SEND OFFS: All the best wishes musically and otherwise to our graduating band students, keep the music alive!

Looking forward to 2021, Colin.

The Inclusion Pillar Committee has arranged the purchase of many lunchtime activities for students to access. You may have already heard about the concrete chalk, the ride ons, badminton and croquet sets, and large games. I’ve included some photos of the fun students are having. We need some parents to help with-

• Putting together 2 flat pack cubby houses
• Putting together an outdoor foosball table and installing suitable trolley wheels on its legs

If you have the time and skills to help us out, please email the Inclusion Coach, Judy Loudon at jloud6@eq.edu.au