1. education
2. school

Anthony Street
Ascot QLD 4007
Website: http://www.ascotss.eq.edu.au/
Email: admin@ascotss.eq.edu.au
Phone: (07) 3326 9333
Fax: (07) 3326 9300
Subscribe to Online Newsletter! http://ascotss.schoolzinenewsletters.com/subscribe
Issue 14 – Wednesday 13 May 2015
Friends of Music
FROM GAYLE COLEMAN: PRINCIPAL
This week we congratulate the cross country team and Mrs
Graham for their efforts last week in the District Cross Country.
The effort that was put in to training and preparation paid
off with the team success last Tuesday. Well done to all
participants and our fantastic, Mrs Graham.
The last two weeks we have been blessed by the musicianship
of Mrs Margaret Howard and the Senior Band. As we no longer
have the Year 7 students in the band the membership and
expertise has dwindled but the high standards still prevail.
Thank you for using our Senior Assemblies as an opportunity
to showcase your talents. This Friday 15 May the Friends of
Music are holding the Year 3 Disco and these events are major
fundraisers for this committee. We hope you can join them.
NAPLAN testing time again
Staffing Changes
With NAPLAN underway this week it is important that we
remember how fortunate we are at Ascot State School to have
a focus on Student Success and Wellbeing. A key feature
of this program is Academic Tenacity. Why is it that some
students with the same level of academic abilities can respond
in remarkably different ways to frustration, with one relishing
the opportunity to learn and the other becoming demoralised
and giving up? Research shows that non-cognitive factors are
critical for ongoing academic success. These factors include
students’ beliefs about themselves, their goals in school, their
feelings of social belonging and their self-regulatory skills. (C
Dwek, G Walton and G Cohen 2014)
Next week Mrs Donna Gurren will be on leave until term three.
She will be replaced by Mrs Selina Taylor who is an experienced
teacher and Selina has worked on many contracts at Ascot
State School. Please make her welcome.
Student Successes
As a school we have a strong focus on the social and emotional
well-being of our students through praising and acknowledging
students’ efforts rather than their results. Academic tenacity
is about working hard, working smart and looking beyond
short-term concerns to longer term goals. So as we commence
our NAPLAN tests this week I know our students will be putting
in their best effort.
Our Years 3 and 5 students are participating in the annual
National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN) tests to assess their skills and understanding in the
areas of reading, writing, language conventions (spelling,
grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. If your child is ill and
misses one of the tests, we do catch-up tests on Friday 15
May.
An individual NAPLAN report for each child will be sent home
later this year. Results provide additional feedback for parents,
carers and teachers on how students are progressing in key
curriculum areas. Further NAPLAN information for parents and
carers is available online. http://www.nap.edu.au/
Bell Times Update
I am writing to advise the parent community that the staff ballot
on suggested changes to the school start and finish times was
conducted last Monday. The overwhelming response was in
favour of maintaining the current bell times. I fully support our
professional teaching staff who value the time before school
to prepare, attend case or curriculum meetings, hold parent
interviews or work alongside their colleagues on planning and
assessment tasks. I also acknowledge that as a school
community your parental support is highly valued and I see
evidence of positive parental engagement on a daily basis
across the school. Our students are also very fortunate to be
offered a range of extracurricular activities both before and after
school. I appreciate the opportunity for open conversations
with any parents regarding other initiatives you may like to
recommend so please feel free to email gcole12@eq.edu.au or
call me on 33269333.
Regards
Gayle Coleman
Principal
THANK YOU!!!
Please
email
me
with
your
pandcpresident@ascotss.eq.edu.au .
questions
Sarah Comiskey, President
Thank you to our many wonderful volunteers for all that
you do for the betterment of our School and enrichment of
our students’ primary school years!
Volunteer Week celebrated across the nation from 11-17
May
BOUQUETS
Beautiful bouquets to our FoVAD Convenor, Katrina Murphy,
and her dedicated sub-committee, Beck, Belinda, Jane, Kylie,
Karen and Carla, for the wonderful and hugely successful Art
Week last week. The students across all year levels were
engaged, creative and, more importantly, having fun. Thank
you!!
FROM YOUR P&C
Without volunteers there would be no P&C, so with Volunteer
Week celebrated across the nation from 11-17 May, this is the
week that I’d like to take the opportunity to say “thank you”
to the parents and friends of Ascot State School who help out
in our school every single day. Your contributions undoubtedly
make a big difference to our school.
So thank you to those parents and carers who give up their
time for free to help with the following activities that make Ascot
such a fantastic school:
• Class Reading and other class activities
NEXT P&C MEETING: WEDNESDAY 20
MAY AT 7.30PM (STAFF ROOM - C
BLOCK)
Agenda:
Welcome
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Matters Arising from the Minutes
Correspondence
Matters arising from the Correspondence
Principal’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Sub-committee Reports
General Business
New Memberships.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday 14/5/
15
8.15-9.30am: Uniform Shop open
NAPLAN: Years 3 & 5 Numeracy
1.15pm: Thinkers’ Club (Art Room)
1.00-1.15pm: s.t.e.m Meeting (6C)
Friday 15/5/15
NAPLAN Tests: Catch-up Session
6.00-7.30pm: Year 3 Disco (Hall)
Monday 18/5/
15
8.15-9.30am: Uniform Shop open
9.00am: 6A Assembly (Hall)
• Tuckshop and Home Bake
10.30am: 1B Assembly
• Discos, Movie Nights and Musical Evenings
MN Golf
• Art Classes, Art Week and Art Evenings
• Swim Club and parents who oversee swimming
lessons during class
Tuesday 19/5/
15
ICAS Digital Technologies Competition
(Years 3-6)
1.00pm: Year 5 Debating (4A)
Prep A & Prep B Trevena Glen Farm
Excursion
• Uniform Shop fittings and service
• Welcoming new families
• Overseeing building projects at the school
• Assisting with Physical Education classes and other
sporting days
• Class Parent Representatives
• P&C Executive team and members.
And also a special thanks to those teachers who also go “above
and beyond” by giving up their lunch hours to coach Debating,
Chess, Robotics, EarlyAct, Cross Country training, Friends
Program, Opti-Minds and, of course, Band and Choir practices.
So this week, if you are up at the school, please make a point of
saying “thank you” to someone you know who helps out. If you
don’t get up to the classroom, send them an email or there is so
much to be said for receiving a handwritten note. And please,
feel free to send me an email singing their praises. There is so
much to be said for the simple acknowledgement of a “thank
you”.
2
Wednesday 20/
5/15
7.45am: Year 6 Debating (6/5)
8.15-9.30am: Uniform Shop open
9.00am: Student Banking
9.15am: Welcome Group
9.30am: Hands on Maths Workshop
(Staff Room)
Prep C/D/E Trevena Glen Farm
Excursion
Years 5 & 6 SPAQ-ed Science
Workshop
1.45-3.15pm: High Achievers Talent
Program
Senior Girls’ Choir to Choral Fanfare at
KSHS
7.30-8.30pm P&C Meeting (Staff Room)
at
FROM MRS HADDEN: MIDDLE SCHOOL
YEARS 3-6
I hope all the mums had a wonderful day on
Sunday.
A BIG THANK YOU to the amazing mums who
helped with our Mother's Day stall last week. It
was great to see the children carefully choosing gifts with the
help of those very patient ladies.
3B
Pascal K
5A
Isla R
3C
Eliza M
Zac R
5B
Aiden R
3D
Lucy D
Art Week - WOW!
Shuri T
5C
4/3
NAPLAN
4B
The Years 3 and 5 children have been confidently completing
the NAPLAN tests this week. We wish them well and
congratulate them on their efforts to prepare for the tests.
Emily C
6/5
Olivia M
6A
6B
Freya B
Josh G
6C
Rahul K
4C
Maddie B
Jack M
David B
Sam H
Marielle S
Lou Lou W
Lucy W
4A
Jake S
Jessica H
Liliana H
What a fantastic week provided for our lucky students by
FoVAD and our parent volunteers. Thank you so much to all
those who contributed to make this event the special occasion
it is and we all know the work that has gone into it well before it
even starts. Thank you!!
Georgia P
Toby E
Fergus P
3E
Skye M
Sofia B
Isabel M
Sienna A
Lachlan W
Lace up for Walk Safely to School Day
Parents and children are encouraged to lace up their shoes and
take part in Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 22 May.
An initiative of the Pedestrian Council of Australia, the annual,
national event encourages parents and children to build regular
walking into their daily routine. We’re asking our parents and
students to get up early … or earlier, on Walk Safely to School
Day and join thousands of other Australians walking all or part
of the way to school. For those who live too far to walk, why not
try parking the car a few blocks away and walking the rest of
the way with your child?
Now in its fifteenth year, Walk Safely to School Day promotes
the important message that Active Kids are Healthy Kids.
Regular walking makes you feel better, is good for the
environment and reduces traffic congestion around the school.
Have a great week.
Sharyn Hadden, Deputy Principal
FROM MRS PROVOST-BOYLE: EARLY
YEARS
PREP-YEAR 2
I hope all mothers were spoilt for Mother’s Day! Thank you to
Kylie Timms for organising the Mother’s Day stall and to the
fabulous mothers who volunteered their time to sell gifts. The
children really enjoyed picking something special for their very
special mothers.
Assembly
Congratulation to our Year 4A/B children who creatively
presented an assembly where they showcased some fantastic
strategies for children to work and play in a positive way with
their peers. Well done 4A/B for an entertaining performance.
Teniola, Harvey and Ritika, from Prep B, were very proud of
the gifts they’d picked out for their mothers.
Student of the Week: Years 3-7
Next week’s assembly will be presented by
6A and the award will be for “Observing
Timeframes”. The need to observe and
commit to timeframes becomes more
relevant as learners mature. Those who can
learn to complete tasks within time limits
develop confidence in their own abilities and thrive when
opportunities to learn independently are presented.
Congratulations to the following students:
3A
Sophia S
Jack R
4D
Annaka M
Kirsten G
Last week, I attended a Mothers’ Morning in Prep A. Mothers
were treated to crazy hair, hand massages, storytelling, puzzles
3
and my personal favourite ... the nail bar. A special thank you
to Josh who gave me crazy hair with the purple and white pipe
cleaners and did a beautiful job painting my nails. We couldn’t
decide on one colour so we used four different colours!
Each of the Prep Classes did a wonderful job of making their
mothers feel very special. We had performances, Mrs Dore
played the guitar, afternoon tea and beautiful slide shows that
bought a tear to my eyes but at the same time made me laugh
out loud. I think we have some work to do on the children’s
number knowledge … some children thought their mothers
were as young as 14 and as old as 91! Mothers were described
as beautiful as a sentence, as beautiful as the world, space
and moon and, my favourite, “My mum is as beautiful as
Superman!”
Prep C
Fleur H
Year 2A
Lucas M
Luca F
Prep D
Madeleine J
Charlotte B
Year 2B
Alexander H
Alec B
Prep E
Claudia R
Oscar N
Year 2C
Edward E
Roman D
Year 1A
Ella H
Sami C
Year 2D
Ben M
Preet T
Year 1B
Zach N
Max S
Year 2E
Christian S
Madeleine P
Year 1C
Emelia B
Riley W
Thank you to Fiona Luhrs, Wendy Joyce, Sue Henschke,
Melissa Allen, Leanne Paxton, Sue Kann, Cathy Dore, Julie
Braithwaite, Sharon Herman and Nicole Anning for making our
Prep mothers feel so special.
Junior Assembly Schedule for Term 2
Art Week
Be sure to mark the dates in your calendar.
Thank you to Bec McWilliam, Katrina Murphy, Karen Kose,
Belinda Mellen, Jacqui Conias, Kylie Blundell, Marianne
Edmonds and Jane Morton for your wonderful artistic and
organisation skills. Thank you to the army of amazing volunteers
that work to make Art Week the success that it is. We couldn’t
do it without you. Thank you.
Ellyssa H
Date
Wellbeing Focus
Class
Assembly
Focus
18 May
Be Proactive
1B
Doing
Your Best
1C
Working
Well in
Groups
1D
Helpful
Behaviour
I choose my attitudes and
mood. Choose wisely and
have an amazing day!
25 May
Begin With the End in
Mind
I am an important part of
my class and contribute to
my school’s vision – which
is …
1 June
Begin With the End in
Mind
I look for ways to be a
good citizen. What can you
do this week in the
classroom, at P.E., at the
Tuckshop, in the Library?
8 June
Queen’s Birthday Holiday
15 June Begin With the End in
Mind
Mural painted by the Year 5 and 6 students.
Student of the Week: Prep-Year 2
Next week’s student of the week award is for
“Doing Your Best”.
Congratulations to:
Prep A
Christian K
Year 1D
Tyla H
Prep B
Sarah G
Jonathan A
4
Malia L
Sarah M
Year 1E
Riyadh A
Chae-Min Y
PC
Game
Skills
I set priorities and follow
my plans. I follow my
teachers’ morning routine
and prepare for the day.
22 June Begin With the End in
Mind
I spend time on things that
are important to me. Family
and holidays are important,
just like school.
Prep E Caring For
Others
2016 Prep Enrolment
If you are residing in the catchment area or have a sibling of
a Prep age child for 2015 and you wish to enrol them in Prep
2016, can you please call into the office to collect an enrolment
form.
Have a great week everyone.
Melissa Provost-Boyle, Deputy Principal
SPEAKING MATHEMATICALLY
Maths can be fun! Yes it can! Check out these
maths riddles – great jokes for the dinner table
this week!
What do mathematicians
eat on Halloween?
Pumpkin Pi
Why did the maths book
look so sad?
Because it had so many
problems.
Why did the boy eat his
maths homework?
Because the teacher told him it
was piece of cake.
Have you heard the latest
statistics joke?
Probably.
What do you call an empty
parrot cage?
Poly – gon.
How can you make time
fly?
Throw a clock out the window!
Cakes are round, but Pi are square.
… and have fun with these interesting, special numbers:
If you are in Year 1 or Year 2, you are more than welcome
to meet me in the Spare Room next to Miss Gurren’s Year
3 Classroom (upstairs) on Thursdays from 1.15-1.40pm. Our
Club will begin on Thursday 21 May. You can find me in the
Resource Room or email me on adaws11@eq.edu.au . The first
15 students to contact me and let me know they want to join
will be in. Don’t miss out.
Year 3 and 4 Thinkers, we will have our last session this
Thursday.
Angela Dawson
OPTI-MINDS TRIALS FOR YEARS 4, 5 & 6
STUDENTS
Opti–Minds is an opportunity for students with a passion for
learning and problem solving to showcase their skills and
talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way. Teams are
required to work together on a Long Term Challenge for six
weeks without assistance from anyone outside the team.
Participants are encouraged to explore possibilities and
experiment with ideas as they endeavour to produce their best
possible solution.
Students present their Challenge solution to a panel of judges
and an audience on Challenge Day. They have ten minutes in
which to present and must do so in a 3 x 3 metre performance
area. Our students will present their challenge on 23rd August
2015 at Kedron State High School. Students must be
available all day.
Opti-Minds trials will be held on Wednesday 10 June (and the
following 2 Tuesdays if needed) in Mrs Clacher’s classroom
at 1:00pm. To try out for Opti-Minds the children need to
prepare a 2 minute dramatic presentation outlining why
they should be selected for the team. They should also
write up a short persuasive essay (no more than 200 words)
outlining why they will make an excellent team member.
We will meet one morning or afternoon a week and one lunch
time each week. It is a big commitment for the children and
there may be weekend practices required. There will be a small
cost for each student to participate in Opti-Minds.
For more information on Opti-Minds check out their website:
www.opti-minds.com
We welcome all interested students.
Lorraine Clacher, Angela Dawson, Rysia Sullivan and
Nick Marsh
DEBATING AT ASCOT
Monique Russell
ASCOT THINKERS’ CLUB: YEAR 1 AND
YEAR 2 STUDENTS
Do you enjoy solving tricky challenges? Do you love being
creative and having fun?
Do you enjoy exploring possibilities and experimenting with
ideas as you endeavour to produce the best possible solution?
Do you think outside the square?????
For the past nine years, Ascot students have competed in the
Queensland Debating Union’s Round Robin Competition for
upper primary school students. This competition has seen our
teams competing against a range of state and private schools
with great success. Debating at this level requires discipline,
confidence and commitment.
Congratulations to the following students on their team
selection:
Year 5: Rochelle Burton (Coach) rburt27@eq.edu.au
Mary C, Annabel L, Bridget T, Jessica T, Ned B
5
Year 6: Team 1 - Helen Doneley (Coach)
hdone3@eq.edu.au
Teneille A, Marielle S, Amelia W, Jorja M, Cyan P
Year 6: Team 2 - Lorraine Clacher (Coach)
lclac1@eq.edu.au
Hannah R, Mattea V, Zara C, Manuthi H, Olivia S.
Dates for Debating Rounds are: Thursday 18 June,
Thursday 30 July, Wednesday 2 September and
Wednesday 14 October.
Please note: I realise that Year 6 will be in Canberra on
Wednesday 2 September. When the draw comes out, I will
contact our opposing schools for that debate to re-schedule.
Draws and Venues are yet to be finalised. You will be advised
as soon as this information is available.
We would like to congratulate ALL STUDENTS who
auditioned. Our job was made very difficult by the high standard
of our students.
Looking forward to another great year of Debating at Ascot.
Lorraine Clacher
ASCOT WRITERS’ CLUB
I hope everyone enjoyed Matthew’s short story last week. This
week, I present for your reading pleasure, Greer’s story.
Lorraine Clacher
‘MAGIC’
BY GREER
My head bangs the old, leather armrest of the rusty car, as my
mother Wendy pulls the brake.
A little dazed, I look where she parked to find an answer I don’t
really want to know: 3 Gallows Street. A couple of months ago,
when Dad told us, that is, Mackenzie and I, we thought he
was joking; our family loved 16 Lily Pod Street. We never even
thought, or knew until then, that we were going to move far, far
away, from that amazing place.
Mackenzie opens the door and hops out before whining about
her ‘headache’ and how she shouldn’t have to bring in all her
luggage. Of course Mum has to agree, her ‘perfect little angel’
ALWAYS gets what she wants, but I guess she lost all of the
excitement of parenting, three years later, when I came.
I sigh and open my own car door to begin to head towards the
boot. Midway through my tired steps, I take in my surroundings,
including my rotten, new house. The front door is wood that
looks like it should be for floors, not doors and the house is the
ugliest colour if it IS even a colour, a greenish red. The windows’
curtains are ripped and the roof is missing about twelve bricks.
I don’t want to believe this is my new house, street, or even
neighbourhood! I want to believe this is a dream, a nightmare
all just seeming too real.
Mum interrupts my deep thoughts, pulling me the rest of the
way to the boot, and I drag my luggage to the front door. The
inside of the house is just as bad, or worse than the outside,
and the only words I can try to explain it are: disgusting,
depressing and ugly. Mum shows us where our rooms will be
and I almost gag at the sight of them, nothing even imaginable.
6
The moment my feet touch the dirty carpet, I pretty much leap
back off it. I’m really upset at Mum for choosing this house, for
whatever ridiculous reason, and when I tell her this, she says
it just needs some fixing up and, in a bit, we will love it just as
much as our old house.
I suggest to Mum and Dad that Mackenzie and I should go and
‘adventure’ through our new home just by ourselves, and oh,
how that was a mistake.
Meandering around the kitchen, bathroom and living room, I
dodge the strange red marks on the wood because who on
earth knows what they are and who they are from. My jaw
drops when I enter a door inside the spare room.
Inside that spare room, is a safe. As I start to run out the
door through which I entered, something catches my foot and
my chin hits the ground in a millisecond. I am determined
never EVER to let that happen again because Mackenzie has
recorded it on her phone and is laughing her head off.
I quickly shut the door on her and lift up the patterned carpet to
find a majestic looking key, a swirly old-fashioned one. My eyes
widen suddenly as I jump up and open the safe with the key,
and that’s when I black out.
When I awake, I expect I am in my squishy bed down at 16 Lily
Pod Street but I find I am still in that stinky, safe room. The door
to the safe is closed, though I remember that it was open when
I blacked out ... wasn’t it? When I stand up, all dizzy, the key is
neatly on top of it. Wait, I had it clutched in my hands when I fell
... I decide I don’t want to be in here anymore so I move into my
new bedroom, and start to inflate the plastic bed. After waking
up, yet again, Mum yells from the door that the pizza man is
here, and looking at my watch, it is way later then we used to
have dinner.
After a pepperoni pizza in my room, I head to Mackenzie’s to
tell her about that safe, but when I am in there, with her face
looking into mine, my throat is dry and I give up trying to tell her.
It’s all up to me now, I think to myself. I want, I NEED, to find
out what is in that safe! When I am in that room again, I unlock it
again and I am surprised to see a book, just a book. Not some
creepy doll or cursed puppet, a book!
When I wipe off some of the dust on it, I find it’s NOT just a
book. The front cover reads: magic. No! I have read so many
‘magic’ books and I am not willing to read yet another but
I can’t help myself from opening to the middle page. “Wait,
this isn’t a trick book, it seems like a CURSE BOOK!” I gasp,
then I scan a heading: ‘Death’, and under that word is some
sort of, I don’t even know! I think it reads:
’Igglegibbledithophsthevanahe’ ... I read it aloud then I hear a
little ‘whoosh’ sound. I look around and see a little lizard stop
and flip on its back, and then its eyes close. When I turn to the
next page, spooked out completely, I try the ‘raise the dead’
spell. Sure enough the ‘whoosh’ sound comes again and the
lizard flips on his scaly stomach, stands up and walks!
I am confused, angry, scared and happy all at the same time.
Oh, how this book can bring good... and bad too. I realize that
it still can’t do anything, like I was thinking a minute ago. It can’t
make Dad’s work rethink about where they go next, or no, it
can’t even bring my little sausage dog, Savvy back from the
pound, can it? Soon the scared, confused and happy feelings
are all gone, leaving only anger. Today’s been too much for me,
and even though I’ve already had about three sleeps, I’m ready
for another.
Waking up at 7pm, I tell Mum I am going for a walk around our
neighbourhood. But Instead, I actually get the book, and go into
my backyard, A.K.A the woods. I practise almost all the things
in the book to the animals and I have gotten the hang of getting
my tongue around the tricky phrases. I sigh, and now since I’m
pretty bored of this I decide to do the last phrase in the book to
an ant: enlarge.
In a second, it’s bigger than me and its mandibles [the teeth
like things] are open and its spit is hanging down about to plop
on my hair. I hide behind a bush and I try the magic to make
it smaller but my teeth and tongue just aren’t co-operating. At
the ‘slths’ I’m doing ‘pphhs’ so it’s not quite working. I quickly
run inside and get the ant spray; thank goodness we even have
it! Soon I am right in front of the massive ant and I spray it
for about 15 seconds. The ant’s legs buckle and I watch it,
even though it’s dead for a while. Once my mouth is not feeling
numb, I try the phrase to make it smaller. It works! The ant is still
in the same position but 30 times smaller. After raising it back
to life, I put the book back and lock the safe. I throw the key in
the living room fire. RELIEF at last!
their experiments. They will need to be collating and collecting
data, recording results, predicting and then finally preparing a
presentation for the forum. A balance of time commitments at
school, being organised and available with not too many other
extra-curricular activities out of school to commit to the project
is strongly advised for students to complete it as best they can.
We welcome all interested students.
Lachlan Sayer and Matt Kosack
P.E. NEWS
City District Cross Country
2015 KIDS S.T.E.M. CONVENTION
This year is the ninth year for the 2015 S.T.E.M. (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Kids’ Conference
Initiative. The aim of S.T.E.M. is to enrich and enhance the
learning experiences of upper school students displaying
distinct aptitude in the subject areas.
If you are in Year 6 and are interested in applying yourself to
an 8 week project and commitment in these areas you more
than welcome to meet Mr. Kosack and myself in the 6C class
room, around the corner from the Computer Lab, at Thursday
lunch 1:00 to 1:15. We will be discussing everything about the
S.T.E.M project and its requirements to interested students.
A little bit about the 8 week project and phases: Students
present their Challenge solution to a panel of judges and fellow
S.T.E.M students at a forum on Thursday 19th September
from 4:00pm – 6:30pm. An initial conference day on Friday
17th July at the University of Queensland which runs from
8.30am–2.30pm sets the students up and inspires them with
talks from well-respected scientists and other professionals in
the area. An 8 week school based phase is then undertaken by
the students at school, and at homes if necessary, with teacher
guided support.
Students interested will need to complete an expression
of interest page and only 6 students can be selected. The
cost per child is $40 if selected. Students to be selected
will need to write up a short paragraph expressing their
personal interest in S.T.E.M and dot points to outline that
they wish to gain from the experience. This will be handed
to the students at the Thursday meeting. If students are
absent they can approach me for a form when they return.
PLEASE NOTE: The project does require a BIG commitment
from the students over an 8 week phase and the students will
need to work in groups of 3 and be self-sufficient in completing
Last Tuesday, 29 Ascot students competed at the City District
Cross Country trials. Unfortunately we didn’t have our full
contingent due to excursions and sickness but that didn’t stop
our team from claiming great results. The behaviour, effort and
achievements of all of our students was inspiring and they gave
us much to be proud of. All the performances combined added
up to Ascot winning the overall points trophy from a total of 25
schools. This is a major feat when you consider Wilston has had
a stronghold on this trophy for the last eight years.
Congratulations to Isabella H (1st), Charlotte A (3rd), Sienna
T (6th), Tom LM (8th), Nick P (5th), Robert ES (6th), Joshua
F (7th) and Gus D (7th), who have all made it into the City
District team in their respective age groups. Ryan C (3rd) and
Grace T (4th) also ran really well, however 9 year olds don’t
move onto the next level. Four other students, Mary C (9th),
Marcus D (11th), Tim H (12th) and Chloe Z (12th) all gave brave
performances only just missing out. Amazing performances
when you consider most races fielded at least 90 students.
Without the performances of all of our students, however, Ascot
would not have claimed the points needed to win the overall
trophy. Congratulations also go to Annaka M, Ryan L, Ned
B, Rudy D, Ethan M, Chayse S, Kioa P, Annabel F, Zara C,
Elizabeth ES, Sofia B, Jack M, Lachlan H, Maddie B and Cara
S. We know Lucy H and Max B, who trained hard, would have
done well if they were well enough to attend.
Also thanks to Mrs. Braithwaite who stood in the hot sun as
our team marshal and the parents for your enthusiasm and
encouragement in helping children train. Hard work pays off.
Term 2 City District Trials
Trials coming up this term are listed below. If you are skilled
in these sports please let Mrs Graham/Mr Harris know of your
interest to trial.
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Met. North Golf – Monday May 18
Rugby Union – Thursday May 28
Girls Softball – Thursday June 18
Girls (10-12) who would be interested in doing some
training to develop softball skills before the trial can meet
me on the oval on Thursday at second break
(1:10–1:40pm).
Perceptual Motor Program (Prep/Year 1) - Adult
Helpers Required Please
The perceptual motor program started last week for the Preps
and this week for Year 1 and it continues until Week 8. For
the motor program students are split into groups to rotate
around different activities. To ensure students get the most
out of each activity and stay on task it is preferable to have
adult supervision. This could include parents, grandparents or
another trusted adult. If possible it would be great to have three
adults at each lesson. Year 1 PMP will be on Tuesdays and
Prep PMP will be on Thursdays. Times for each class are
detailed below. If you are able to assist can you please fill in the
parent roster at your child’s classroom.
YEAR
ONE
9:00
-9:30
9:30-10
10-10:30
10:30-11
11:30-12
1A
1E
1C
1B
1D
Prep B
Prep C
Prep D
Prep E
PREPS Prep
A
The first Disco for the year will be the Year 3 Disco this Friday,
15th May from 6-7.30pm in the hall. The second Disco for the
Year 5/6 children will be held on 29th May from 6-8pm.
A date claimer for next term will be Sunday, 2nd August for
all the choirs who have been invited to sing in the Australian
National Choral Association’s Celebration of Choirs day. Please
mark this date in your diaries.
Parents: please help your children to remember their rehearsal
timetable and look forward to seeing you all at Music on
Sunday.
Debbie Daley & Margaret Howard
KEDRON SHS EXPO: 21 MAY
STAR PARTY: QLD. ACADEMY TOWONG – 22
MAY
SCHOOL COMMUNITY LIAISON
OFFICER’S NEWS
Gala Sports Days (Years 4–6)
Gala Sports Days for Years 4, 5 and 6 students start next week
on Friday May 22 and continue on May 29 and June 5.
Students will be transported by bus from 8.45 to various venues
to play fixtures between 9.30am-2.30pm and return to school
by approximately 3.00pm. All students must take food, water,
hats and sunscreen with them to the venues. Permission slips
need to be returned to class teachers by Monday May 18.
Alayne Graham ( agrah27@eq.edu.au )
Mondays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays
Paul Harris ( pharr17@eq.edu.au )
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
MUSIC NEWS
The Music Department is in full swing with all groups rehearsing
for the Music on Sunday concert to be held in the school hall
on Sunday, 21st June commencing at 3.00pm. The groups
that are performing include the Junior, Boy’s Don’t Sing and
Senior Choirs, the Intermediate and Senior Bands, the Brass,
Woodwind and String Ensembles. There will also be a special
performance by the Prep children who are preparing a surprise
for their parents. Information about this performance will be
emailed to the Prep families.
The Senior Choir will be singing at Choral Fanfare on 20th May
at Kedron High School Hall from 9 to 11.30am. Parents are
welcome to attend.
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A very happy Mother's Day was enjoyed in my home ... and
I hope yours was full of proud little faces offering up their well
chosen gifts. I adore mine! Thank you Kylie T and the many
mothers who manned the stall on Friday morning.
To the FoVAD volunteers - well done! Awesome art abounded;
beauty and creativity was in abundance. Special thanks to
Katrina M and her team.
Ascot’s Big Day Out: the P&C are hard at work creating our
next big event. Please contact them if you have products or
sponsorship that you feel will align with this special event on 12
September.
Thursday 21 May is the Michael Calder Memorial Golf Day.
The Year 3 Lunch at Ruggers in Albion is on Friday 22 May
11.30am-2.45pm. RSVP via flexischools by Monday 18 May.
The Year 3 Disco is this Friday 15 May 6.00-7.30pm in the Hall.
FoM create a brilliant place for social interaction in a safe forum
for our Year 3 students. Thank you to the parent volunteers
along with our school Music Seniors who work tirelessly to
make the evening a fabulous and fun night.
Thank you again for your continued support.
Leanne Buckle, SCLO, 0403 576 688,
leannebuckle11@gmail.com
FROM THE TUCKSHOP
Dads Day Out Sausage Sizzle: Wednesday 3
June
The Dads Day Out Sausage Sizzle will be on Wednesday 3
June. So far we have one Parent who has volunteered to help
out on the day; we will require at least three more Dads to
ensure that this day is a success. If you are available to help out
please give Kathryn or Yolanda a call on 3326 9326 or email
them at Tuckshop@ascotss.equ.edu.au .
You will be able to pre-order on line from late next week and
the cut off for orders will be Monday 1 June at 9.30am.
There will be no other online services for lunch on this
day.
Kathryn, Yolanda and the Tuckshop Committee
TUCKSHOP ROSTERS
Tuckshop - Group 1
Monday
Home Bake - Group 1
Monday
18/5/15
Julie T, Kath
G
18/5/15
Andrea Y,
Julianne D
Tuesday
Nikki T
Tuesday
Leanne N
19/5/15
19/5/15
Wednesday Amanda B,
Skye McG
20/5/15
Wednesday Julia R, Alison
S
20/5/15
Thursday
Leigh C,
Natasha J
Thursday
Kristin H,
Cindy J
Friday
fitness program through Ascot Accelerators OR you can join the
Chess Club. Details for contact are below:
Ascot Accelerators (Running and fitness program):
www.AccelerationESP.com or
http://www.accelerationesp.com/ascot_state_school or Ph:
33903997
Chess lessons will be on Mondays 7.40-8.40am. Come and
try it out! Email for a trial lesson. These are classes for all abilities
from beginners to rated players. This term we hope to send a
team to the Brisbane inter-school competition.
Cross Country. It was Paul Kelly who sang “from little things,
big things grow …”. Whilst he wasn’t referring to sport, his
words can be applied to our Cross Country efforts this term.
Again a BIG CONGRATS to Alayne Graham and her staff at
their achievements and giving us something to defend next
year. Who knows, one of our runners could go onto doing big
things ….
Something cultural this weekend – how about the David Lynch
Exhibition – Between Two Worlds. Qld Art Gallery. The
exhibition finishes on May 24. Buy tickets online or phone 3840
7303.
Want to pull out the flares, crank it up and scream “Good Lord!”
Yep, Neil Diamond is touring and his show is on Nov 3, if you
can still get tickets.
Pat Gerry. Co-Ordinator, pandc@ascotss.eq.edu.au
21/5/15
Friday
22/5/15
21/5/15
22/5/15
Kristin H,
Louise K, Liz K
Louise M,
Janiece E
UNIFORM SHOP ROSTER
Group 2
Monday 20/4/15
Rachelle L
Wednesday 22/4/15 Karen K
Thursday 23/4/15
Paula W
NEWS FROM THE P&C HEALTH AND
WELLBEING COMMITTEE
Good luck to all of the kids giving it a go this weekend in the
Weetbix Tryathalon at Chandler. Have fun kids.
Queensland Running is holding its weekly Saturday Cross
Country events this weekend at 7th Brigade Park, Chermside
and on Saturday May 23 it is at Riverdal Park, Logan. For
more information and registration go to
www.queenslandrunning.com.au
Before School Activities: Start the week off for you children
with either a healthier heart or healthier head! There are
positions vacant for those wanting to join the running and
WELCOME GROUP
Have you recently enrolled your child at our school and would
like to meet other parents? You may be interested in joining our
school's Welcome Group. Our Welcome Group has been set
up primarily as an opportunity for new parents to our school to
meet other school families, although anyone who is interested
in making new friends is welcome to attend!
Our Welcome Group catch-ups are on Wednesdays at 9.15am
at White Jam Cafe in Hendra. Please get in touch with Peter if
you have any questions.
Peter, Welcome Group Co-ordinator
Email: welcome@ascotss.eq.edu.au
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Chess Program at Ascot State School: Mondays 7.40-8.40
and Thursdays 3.10-4.10pm. Come and try it out! Email for a
trial lesson. These are classes for all abilities from beginners
to rated players. This term we hope to send a team to the
Brisbane inter school competition. To register and pay for your
child/ren
please
go
to
the
secure
web
site
https://gardinerchess.com.au/registration/ and click on the
'Parents' icon. You will need to create an account and follow
the
instructions.
www.gardinerchess.com.au
,
info@gardinerchess.com.au.
Mercy Community Services: Interested in becoming a foster
carer? We would love to hear from you! If you are interested in
learning more about how you can help in your community, call
one of our friendly staff at our offices below, or visit us online
for more information. North Brisbane Office (07) 3267 9070;
9
Greater Ipswich Office (07) 3340 5600; South Brisbane & Logan
Office (07) 3280 8000; www.family.mercycs.org.au .
St. Agatha’s Parish Ball on 18 July at 7.00pm – all welcome.
Dear Parishioner, I would like to invite you to the 2015 St
Agatha’s Ball to be held at Moda Restaurant, Portside on the
18th of July at 7pm. For all details and to purchase tickets
go to our website, www.clayfieldparish.org.au . There will be
some raffles on the evening. For any parishioners interested in
donating a raffle prize, please contact Ainsley Crutcher on 0417
792 212. Tickets sold quickly last time so book in early to avoid
disappointment!! Looking forward to seeing you all!
10