DUNDULA STATE SCHOOL

Page 1 1 Main Street, Bakers Creek, Mackay, QLD 4740 ∙ Phone 07 4952 8333 ∙ Fax 07 4952 8300

Mobile 0408 820 025 ∙ Email [email protected] ∙ Web www.dundulass.eq.edu.au ∙ Facebook Dundula State School

DUNDULA STATE SCHOOL Est 1922

Friday the 19th of February 2021 – Issue 3

Dundula State School acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and pay our

respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the

traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across

the state.

Important Dates

THURSDAY 25TH FEBUARY Student Code of Conduct Meeting

WEDNESDAY 3RD MARCH P & C Meeting - AGM

THURSDAY 4TH MARCH State Principals’ Meeting

WEDNESDAY 31ST APRIL Easter Bonnet Parade

WEDNESDAY 31ST APRIL A+ Day

THURSDAY 01ST APRIL Cluster School Cross Country

SATURDAY 24TH APRIL Anzac Mini Debutante Ball

Home Bake

25TH FEBUARY TRUDY DOBBIN DOUEL EVANS

04TH MARCH RONELL GARZOTTO GLEADHILL HENDERSON

11TH MARCH IRENE HONICKE JENKINS JIANG



FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:

So today marks the end of Week 4. The term is moving so quickly. Homework schedules

will now be in place. Remember, each night your child will need to do their spelling sort,

number facts, home reading and some work in their well-being diary, in addition to any

other homework set by the class teacher. Our preppies will be completing their sight

words, reading, phonics and preparing their ‘show & share’ when they are rostered on

for this.

Current Covid-19 restrictions still in place:

Just a reminder, we welcome all parents onto the school grounds each morning for drop-

off. Strict social distancing must be adhered too at all times for parents whilst on the school

grounds. Afternoon pick-ups remain the same, with parents collecting their children from

one of the three school gates. Parents are also invited to attend our weekly parade on a

Friday afternoon at 2:30pm.

Pick-Up Protocols

This is a reminder about the pick-up policy at Dundula SS and the duty of care we have

for your child / children leaving the school grounds.

If you have anyone, other than the primary caregiver/s meeting us at the gate and

picking up your child/children after school, the parent / primary caregiver needs to

message on school mobile to inform the principal of these arrangements This includes

aunty, uncle, nan, pop, cousin, best friend, neighbour etc.

Just because a relative is named as a contact in our school records, this does not mean

that person has permission to collect your child from school unless you inform the school,

via the school mobile, of a specific arrangement for a specific day.

Our duty of care is to get your child home to you safely every day. There have been a few instances where arrangements have

been made at home and the school/teachers have not been made aware. It is not okay for the other person to inform us at the gate,

nor to call you on the mobile so that you can talk to us on the phone about these arrangements at pick up time. These

arrangements need to be made before pick-up time and must be communicated through the school mobile communication

platform. This will alleviate undue stress for both staff and students at the pick-up gate.

If the pick-up arrangements for your child/children are more permanent, please write something in your child’s KIT book (preps)

and/or send a note with your child to the teacher as well as communicating to the principal on the school mobile, via text. Your

teachers are simply exercising their duty of care to your children. Please remember, your teachers care about the well-being of

your child/children and your teachers worry about your children well after the final bell has rung!

OUR SCHOOL MOBILE NUMBER IS: 040 88 200 25

Thank you for helping us keep all our Dundula children safe and families happy 😊

Reading Club / Numeracy Club:

Thank you to the families who are bringing their child/children in at 8:30 am Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to engage in our

reading club and numeracy club activities in the library. We encourage all children to attend these sessions as the sessions

provide additional learning in literacy and numeracy.

Note: All staff are attending a staff meeting/curriculum meeting each Wednesday morning from 8am. Please ensure your drop-off

time on a Wednesday morning is 8:45am.

Home Bake:

Our weekly Homebake occurs on Thursday at 2nd Break so please remember to check the Homebake roster each week. Each

week a staff member and three families are rostered to bring in some Homebake (slice, patty cakes, biscuits etc) which are sold to

the children. The money raised goes towards the last day of term (A+ Day) activities.

The roster for Week 5/6 is:

Enrolments:

If you know of any families who are thinking of changing schools or who are moving to our area, please encourage them to come

and check out our beautiful school to enrol their children.

Home Bake

25TH FEBUARY TRUDY DOBBIN DOUEL EVANS

04TH MARCH RONELL GARZOTTO GLEADHILL HENDERSON



Student Code of Conduct:

Reminder & change of date: All parents had been invited to attend a meeting about the new school ‘Student Code of Conduct’

on Friday, 26th February at 9am. The new date for this meeting is Thursday, 25th February at 9am. Please stay on after you drop-

off the kids that day. We will meet under B Block (parade area). The meeting should go for around 30 minutes. I appreciate your

time is precious, however, this is an important piece of work for all schools and families need to be aware of the changes made

regarding behaviour at school. I hope to see you all there Thursday, 25th February. Please adjust this new date in your calendars.

Staff Absences

I will be off-site Thursday, 04th March at a State Principal’s Meeting at Sarina SHS. Another staff member will be teacher-in-

charge on that day.

P&C News

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) followed by a short general meeting will be held on Wednesday, 3rd March at 7pm in the

Conference Room at school. We hope to see as many new families as possible at our AGM. We need more parents of children

attending the school to become members of our P&C.

You don’t have to take on an executive role to be a member, just turn up at the meetings once per month and contribute to the

discussion around how the P&C can support the teaching and learning at the school.

Last week, parents were given an opportunity to become members of the P&C and to fill out a membership form. Thank you to

those parents who have done this. If you missed out on a form, please text the school mobile and I’ll arrange for one to be sent

home to you. Filling in the form, means these can be presented at the AGM and should you wish to attend the AGM, you will

have voting rights at that meeting. You will also to be able to nominate should you wish to take on one of the executive positions

of president, secretary and/or treasurer. We genuinely welcome and encourage any new family member who wishes to take on

an executive position to definitely come along to the AGM and put your name forward.

The P&C is there to support your child at school. The P&C provides vital teaching and learning resources and supports your

students through the subsidising of school events and resources. Please come along to our AGM on Wednesday, 3rd March. We

would love to see some new faces at the meeting and some new members join for 2021.

Remember, it takes a village to raise a child.

Cross Country

The Sandy Creek Cluster schools (Dundula SS, Chelona SS, Homebush SS, Oakenden SS) will participate in the annual Cross

Country Carnival, which will be held on the last day of school in term one, Thursday, 01st April at Oakenden SS. For those

families new to the school, our entire school participates in this event from Prep to Year 6. All staff and all students will attend

this carnival so there will be no staff at the school site on this day.

It is a fun family day. All families are welcome to attend. Food is available for sale on site and/or you may bring your own picnic

lunch. A separate note will go home to families, closer to the date, giving a more detailed explanation of the day and travel

arrangements etc

Easter Bonnet Parade

We will be holding our annual Easter Bonnet Parade on Wednesday morning, 31st March from 9 to 10am. For new families to

Dundula, this involves each child creating their own Easter Bonnet for the parade. Hats are to be constructed at home and brought

along on the day. There are prizes for each year level for the best Easter Bonnet and each class parades their hats for the rest of the

school to see. It is followed by some fun Easter games. A separate note will go home about this, closer to the time, however, your

child may like to start thinking about how they are going to construct their Easter Bonnet, hence the early advice.

A+ Day

A+ Day will also be held on Wednesday, 31st March, 2nd last day of school. A+ activities are for those students who have

demonstrated exemplary behaviour throughout the term. Money from the sale of home bake goes towards activities for this event.

Please remember my office door is always open to you. Schools function beautifully when families and staff work together for the

common good of the children. Please don’t hesitate to call the school office or school mobile to make an appointment if there is

something you would like to discuss with me.

Let’s all work together to continue to make Dundula School the best little country school in town.

Stay Safe and Happy,

Trudy



WE ARE NO LONGER LOOKING FOR TUCKSHOP HELPERS FOR

2021 SEMESTER 1

Notification of Appreciation to all Dundula State School Families

We at Dundula State School have received an outstanding number of applicants for Tuckshop Volunteering

and would like to make our appreciation known. Please be advised that we will be taking applications for

Semester 2 when the specified time comes.

SCHOOL UNIFORM SAVINGS CLUB:



SCHOOL ABSENCES It is the responsibility of the parent/carer of a student to advise the school when a student will be absent and for what reason. At Dundula State School you may advise of an absence by:

phoning the office on 4952 8333

talking with the student’s teacher in

person

sending an SMS to the school mobile

on 0408 820 025

We encourage you to notify the school prior to the start of the school day if the student will be absent from school. Also if a student leaves early due to illness and then is away for further days after this, you must still advise the school of subsequent absences. The school does not and cannot assume the student is still ill. From the beginning of 2017, it is mandated that state schools contact parents/carers in the morning if a student has not arrived at school and we have not been notified of an absence. Please respond to any MSM messages you receive regarding your child’s absence.

Homework Homework is a priority. It helps your child develop a sense of responsibility, pride in a job well done, and a work ethic that will benefit them well beyond the classroom.

STARTING TIME Lessons start at 9am sharp with a reminder bell

ringing at 8.50am. On Mondays, Tuesdays and

Thursdays, we start at 8:30am with Reading

Club. Class rolls will be marked promptly at 9am

in line with Departmental Policy. Students

arriving after 9am will be marked late. If a

student is running late, it is a requirement that

you sign them into school at the office. If the

office is unattended, please make your way to

the classroom and inform the teacher of the

reasons for the lateness. The class roll is also

taken after 2nd lunch break.

OFFICE HOURS Please remember that Mrs Hodges, our Administrative Assistant, works in the office Monday to Thursday until 11am. If you have any inquiries/forms/payments to discuss, it would be appreciated if you can complete these tasks on these days. As the office is only attended during these times, there is not always someone here to answer the phone, so parents/carers are encouraged to contact the school during break times to ensure that any urgent messages are passed on to students. Alternatively, you can text the school mobile on 0408820025.

SIGN-IN/OUT OF SCHOOL If a student is taken out of school or arrives late due to an appointment or commitment, please sign the student in/out at the office. The signing book is on the main office counter.

COMMUNICATION IS THE

KEY! It is vital that the school is kept informed of any changes in contact details for parents/carers; such as a change in address, home phone, work phone or mobile and any alterations to your nominated emergency contacts. This is a vital part of our Emergency Management Plan at Dundula.

NO HAT, NO PLAY At Dundula, we have a no hat, no play rule. It is vital for sun safety. Please ensure that students have their hat with them each day at school. If for some reason it is taken home, please ensure that it is returned with them the next school day. Hats must be worn for any outdoor activities including PE and class sessions as

well as at breaks

ATTENDANCE A reminder that a sharp and narrow focus on attendance is still in force this year. Our school goal is to have all students attending >95% of the time. Lateness also matters. Education Queensland has very strict guidelines about lateness. The first bell rings at 8:50am. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, Reading Club begins at 8:30am. Reading Club is an excellent opportunity to improve student’s literacy skills and we don’t want them to miss out if they are late! Please ensure students are at school and ready for learning at the appropriate time each day. With your help we can reach our goal of having all students attend >95% of the time.

READING CLUB, NUMERACY

GAMES AND SMART MOVES All parents, carers and members of the community are welcome to join in with Reading Club, Numeracy Games and Smart Moves held every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning. Thank you to those adults who already do this on a regular basis. The staff and students are very grateful to you for giving up your time to do this. The more adults we have supporting our children, the

more beneficial it is for everyone.

STEP UP 2 PREP Wednesdays

from 9:00am to 11:00am

Every Friday, Dundula State School

facilitates a children’s play and learning

environment to assist in a smooth transition

to school. Our interactive program:

prepares children for school

familiarises children with our campus

nurtures their curiosity boosts pre-

math and literacy skills

develops motor skills

promotes social and emotional

development

Come and have some fun in the Arts

Room!!

CYBERBULLYING Give children the knowledge to stay cyber safe with the Meet the Creeps website and quiz! The website guides you and your children through online scams, social media pitfalls and cyberbullying. See www.creepquiz.eq.edu.au.

Please remember: Our 2021, school improvement agedna will

focus upon the following areas:

o numeracy

o reading

o attendance

o community engagement

o Quality teaching and Learning

o Wellbeing



Icy Cup Friday

Every Friday, after School, 60c will

buy a refreshing Icy Cup for the

arduous trek home.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is on Monday and

Friday Mornings from 8 am.

Dundula SS Tuckshop

Wednesdays only, children are able

to buy. A fulfilling tuckshop lunch

taking the hassle out of lunch

making.

Hot Dog Friday

Every Friday, students are able to

indulge in the Hot Dog meal along

with a flavoured milk of their

choosing.

TIM

E

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Breakfast Club with Chappie Nick

PE Lessons HOC Visiting with Dean

Malone

Tuckshop

HomeBake Music Lessons Library Lessons

Hot Dogs

8:30 Numeracy Reading Club 8am Staff Meeting Reading Club

8:50 Numeracy Numeracy Numeracy

9:00 Spelling

2 - 6 Spelling

2 - 6 Spelling

2 - 6 Spelling

2 - 6

11:45 Spelling Prep & 1

Spelling Prep & 1

Spelling Prep & 1

Spelling Prep & 1

2:30 Parade / Icy cups (after

school)

P&C – Come Help & Support! Please help support our little school

Elections for the 2021 Executive Committee Members and Additional P&C Members will commence on the Wednesday the 3rd of

March 2021 at 7 PM in the School Library. All members of the School Community are welcome to participate. We look forward

to seeing all of you there.

OUR SPONSORS - Please support the local businesses who support us



WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR DAUGHTER TO BE A MINI DEBUTANTE?

The Mackay Family Church of the Nazarene are holding an Anzac Mini Debutante Ball on Saturday 24th

April at the Bakers Creek Community Hall. Ages from 5 – 13 years.

Debutants will require a partner & will be taught the Gypsy Tap & Pride of Erin. Dress code is: Full length

white dress & white gloves for girls & Black suits, white shirt & black bow tie for the boys.

They will be presented to The Mayor, Greg Williamson & MP Stephen Andrew on the night.

Please contact Robyn Geiger – 0419664852 if you would like to register your child/children. Registration:

$20 per person (includes their certificate, Anzac pin, dance lessons & meal).

SPORTING FOR OUR LOCAL KIDS WHERE THEY CAN HAVE A

BLAST!

Documents

DUNDULA STATE SCHOOL