Victoria Park State School Newsletter - Week 10, Term 4, 2024

Principal's Report

In this, the last newsletter for 2024, we reflect upon what has been a great year of learning at Victoria Park State School. We'll also provide information about Week 11, flag some date claimers for 2025, note our staff changes and re-issue instructions for transitioning from schoolstream to SZApp in 2025. 

Week 11

Term 4, 2024 contains an unusual 11-week long school term. State Schools remain open for students until the end of the school year, including week 41. 

Some families have already expressed to us that their child will not be in attendance during Week 11. We ask that families communicate student absences for Week 11 using our usual school processes. 

Families should note that as staff aim to complete curriculum planning for 2025, undertake specialised health training and other professional development and ready our school for the arrival of our next new building over the holidays, the week may look different to a usual week for our students. Students may not be working in their usual class groups or with their usual teachers. If you have any questions, direct them to your child's teacher or phase leader (details are at the end of our newsletter)

Building Happenings

If you attended our Awards Ceremonies last week, you might have noticed new temporary fencing has appeared near the hall. All going to plan, we are expecting our new temporary admin building to arrive in the first week of holidays. Due to ongoing works, the entire school site will be strictly off limits to all over the holidays. 

Schoolstream to Schoolzine

Now is the time (if you haven't already) to ensure you're on top of our transition to using Schoolzine as our key communication platform from the beginning of 2025. This term we have continued to use schoolstream in addition to the schoolzine app to assist parents with the transition with notices posted on both until the end of the year. From the beginning of next year however, we recommend downloading the Schoolzine App (SZapp) by downloading in the App Store for Apple or on Android's Play Store, searching for Victoria Park State School and using the code 1855 to register. Further instructions for installing the app can be found here. We will cease to use Schoolstream from the beginning of 2025. 

Search: SZApp

Select: Victoria Park State School

Code: 1855

We are very committed to strengthening communication with our families. We understand that there is a learning curve attached to transitioning our communication platforms. If you run into any problems or have any questions about the transition, please don't hesitate to contact our team so that we may assist; admin@victoriaparkss.eq.edu.au 

Staffing Changes

As usual, as we near the end of the school year, we will be farewelling a number of staff. 

We wish all the best to our Deputy Principal Ms Sally-Anne Rolfe and to our long-term Inclusion teacher Mrs Alana Hunt as they approach retirement. Additionally, from our teaching staff, we farewell Mr James Stanley, Mrs Catherine Cousen and Ms Nicole Pasquale and wish them all the best in their next adventures. 

From our non-teaching staff, we farewell Mrs Kath Daly, Ms Chantal Brodie and Mr Gonz and thank them for everything they have done for Vic Park. Additionally, we farewell Mrs Amy Dyson who transitions to Mackay State High School next year. Families are invited to join us for our staff farewell parade at 2pm on Thursday afternoon. 

We are excited to introduce you to a host of new staff who we have already confirmed will be joining us in 2025 but will leave most of our introductions for the new year. I can however inform you that after an extensive and competitive statewide recruitment and selection process, our new Deputy Principal, replacing Ms Rolfe from the beginning of 2025, will be Mrs Kristi Elworthy.  

Save the Date - Book Drop

Whilst there's a long way to go until the start of our 2025 school year, we'd like to flag that we've arranged an opportunity for families to visit classrooms the week before school starts in order to reconnect with their new teacher and drop off any books they'd like to distribute. We've scheduled our Book Drop for 2pm-3pm on Thursday January 23, 2025. The 2025 school year begins on Tuesday January 28, 2025. You can find the Department of Education's 2025 calendar (inclusive of all school terms and holidays) here.

Sarah Mutton,
Principal

Celebrating Success

So many successful events occurred this week in which we were able to celebrate the incredible successes of many of our students. This week I've included a highlights reel of some of the great school events that have occurred in 2024.  

2024 Highlight Reel

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Date Claimers

Don't forget that you can find key dates in our live calendar linked below in addition to our weekly 'what's happening' card on SZapp and Schoolstream. 

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

Below you'll find links to videos that illustrate our two PBL goals for this fortnight;

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
  

PBL Goals of the Week

School Improvement

Our Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026

Our 2023-2026 strategic plan challenges us to R.I.S.E. to the challenge;

R – Responsive Curriculum. We want to ensure that our curriculum is relevant to our local kids, is responsive to modern educational trends and is interesting for our students.

I – Innovative Instruction. We want to capitalise on being Mackay’s first school with laptop classes to ensure that through the use of engaging teaching approaches and clever use of digital technology, every lesson is exciting and engaging for our students.

S – Strengthened Systems. Our 2022 school review revealed that there are strong systems in place with regards to how we operate at VPSS. In deference to the great work that has come before, we want to ensure that we strengthen these to continue our great progress.

E – Expert Educators. We want to ensure that our kids at Victoria Park are learning from the very best educators and have committed to facilitating this.

Report Cards

Semester 2 Report cards were emailed our last week. If you've not been able to find your child's report card, be sure to check your junk email folder. If you're still having trouble locating it, contact the office on 4951 6333. 

Students of the Week

Week 9

From the P&C

Victoria Park State School is lucky to have an incredible Parents and Citizens Association. Here you can find out all about what our committee is up to. We very much encourage anyone and everyone to get involved - many hands make light work! 

Contact Us

Phase Leaders

To ensure we get to know each and every one of our students, each member of our school leadership team oversees a cohort of students. 'Phase Leaders' are the next step to resolving an issue after the classroom teacher has been contacted. 

ECDP Phase Leader: Ms Roanna Capone - ecapo4@eq.edu.au 

Prep Phase Leader: Mrs Kristi Elworthy - kelwo2@eq.edu.au 

Year 1 Phase Leader: Ms Sally-Anne Rolfe - srolf6@eq.edu.au 

Year 2 Phase Leader: Ms Sally-Anne Rolfe - srolf6@eq.edu.au 

Year 3 Phase Leader: Mrs Jenny Whittington - jwhit211@eq.edu.au 

Year 4 Phase Leader: Mrs Sarah Mutton - samut0@eq.edu.au 

Year 5 Phase Leader: Mrs Sarah Mutton - samut0@eq.edu.au 

Year 6 Phase Leader: Mrs Jenny Whittington - jwhit211@eq.edu.au 

Phone conversations or appointments to speak to Phase Leaders can be made by calling the office (4951 6333). 

Staff List

Email addresses for all teaching staff can be found below. We ask that parents respect teachers' right to disconnect outside of work hours and be reminded that emails may not always be answered immediately - especially during the day when teachers are teaching. Urgent messages should instead be communicated to the office via a phone call (4951 6333).

Victoria Park Community Noticeboard