MOSS Newsletter - Term 3 2023
- A Message from Mike Curtis - Principal
- Moss Release of QParents
- A Message from Chrissy Hamilton - Deputy Principal
- A Message from Sandra Schuptar - HOSES - ECDP
- A Message from Juliet Young - Education Program Officer (EPO)
- From G Hub
- From D/E Hub
- From A HUB
- From B/C Hub
- From H/I Hub
- From J Hub
- Fun things to do these School Holidays
- The Addams Family - A New Musical
- Free Saturday Sessions - Non-Verbal Drama
- Carer's Appreciation Day Event
- 2023 School Calendar
A Message from Mike Curtis - Principal
Dear Families
We are ending this term on a busy note! The new ICP and Personalised Learning planning period has finished. Staff should have met with families either in person or on the phone to continue on from previous goals or create new ones where applicable. New round of Extensive Plus applications are to be submitted by the end of this term for our 2024 indicative staffing allocation in November.
Teaching and Learning
Work has occurred with coaches across the school to build capacity to in turn support staff in the following:
• High Impact Teaching Strategies (‘part of the repertoire of effective strategies that teachers can apply to the wide variety of learning needs students present with each day’.)
• Sounds-Write (‘An expertly structured synthetic phonics programme based on the science of reading’).
Facilities
Latest on the building project - I spoke with Judith Cronk - DoE Project Officer. There was a hold up with procurement processes but she informed me that they are at the end of their hiring process for a Project Manager and an Architect. They should know by the end of this week who the personnel will be and final approval from Infrastructure. Start up meeting will be early in Term 4.
Other Infrastructure/Facilities
Upgrades to the G Block Space - Some upgrades to the G Block space have been approved through facilities. A type 1 Security Fence - 2100mm high, a garden shed on the grassed area and a locked storage area on the deck.
Demountables - 2 double rental demountables have been approved to be installed before the Christmas holidays. 4 classrooms and 2 toilet blocks (2 PWD toilets and 6 individual stalls). Classrooms have sink and some cabinetry including lockable cupboards and a deck. 2 blocks will face each other with covered deck in between. They will be situated outside of J block and be fully fenced and connected to J block via covered walkways.
Swimming Pool Works - A Rectification and Reinstatement (R and R) request was submitted by me to the DoE facilities and infrastructure team due to the longstanding issues we have had with the pool. This has been approved and they will begin work after the holidays. Unfortunately, this means the pool will be out of action all Term 4 but the end result should be that the pool serves us well long into the future!
Staffing
Chrissy Hamilton’s position as Acting Deputy Principal has been converted from temporary to permanent, so Chrissy is our new substantive Deputy Principal. Katie Bartholomaeus continues as Acting Deputy Principal backfilling Karen Walton who is on extended sick/family leave. Juliet Young has now been appointed our permanent Education Program Officer as Kerrie Reid secured a permanent position with QAS. The Head of Department - Curriculum position is now available to be filled. Recruiting for that position will commence early in Term 4.
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable school holiday period and we will see you back for a busy Term 4!
Kind Regards
Mike Curtis - Principal
Moss Release of QParents
A Message from Chrissy Hamilton - Deputy Principal
The Book Week theme “Read, Inspire, Grow” was a fantastic success. Our students and staff had fun dressing up, having hub reading parties and creating a book review. Teachers were given the opportunity to choose a text, that was of high interest for the students and also on the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia shortlist. Every class was asked to create a book review using a blank canvas - no rules allowed! We now have a wonderful book trail of unique and colourful artworks, that each tell a story.
Next time you are in admin, please walk down the corridor and have a look at the techniques, textures and artistry of our amazing students and staff. The artwork has been grouped by hubs. Juliet and I are in discussion with the Mount Ommaney Library, to potentially display the art works, when they next have availability.
A Message from Sandra Schuptar - HOSES - ECDP
Term 3 has been another busy term with our main focus for our families on TRANSITIONING for our children about to enter full time education in 2024.
This year we will have 55 children graduating from the ECDP and moving into full time education. The teaching team have spent many hours talking with families around the next education journey for their child.
In week 4 of this term, we held our 3rd Parent Information Session on how to ensure a POSITIVE AND SAFE TRANSITION into the next educational placement. These meetings are informative and provided each parent with practical tips on what to do that will support their child’s and the families transitioning into full time education. Each child graduating from the ECDP will have a detailed TRANSITION PLAN that identifies key strategies and adjustment for future teachers to implement in their classrooms.
Whilst this is all going on, our ECDP classes are growing. We now have 120 families registered at the Mount Ommaney ECDP. WOW 😊. We have had another 10 families join us this term.
During week 7 our ECDP was involved in BOOK WEEK celebrations. As per usual our staff became actively engaged in the dressing up process and our families were creative and clever at helping their children be active participants in the celebrations. Whilst we know that some children do not like these changes and may not be that thrilled at putting on a strange costume – our families came up with some very fun dress up ideas.
• Buying PJ’s that depicted fireman or construction workers.
• One mum made her son a great outfit – t-shirt and pants that depicted books on a shelf. (Very clever)
• We had pirates, dinosaurs, fireman, fairies, superman, batman and the list goes on.
We are so grateful to our families who do all they can to ensure their child engages in the extra curricula activities offered in the ECDP.
The Father’s Day celebration was marked with a Father’s Day Raffle. Steve Kremer and his family sourced some great prizes for our special dads. There was 3 x $100 gift vouchers - one each from Dan Murphy, Bunnings, JB Hifi, and 2 x $50:00 vouchers from BCF. The raffle money raised was $667.00. These procedures will go towards purchasing resources for our centre.
Thank you, Steve, and thanks to all the families who worked hard to sell all the tickets.
And so……….Roll on term 4 😊
Sandra Schuptar - Head of Special Education Services (HOSES).
A Message from Juliet Young - Education Program Officer (EPO)
Visit by Betty, the Therapy Dog.
Students and staff were very excited recently to welcome Betty and her two handlers, Nicole and Gayle, to MOSS. Classes came along to one of two drop-in sessions in playgrounds and Betty behaved and engaged beautifully with all of our students. The smiles, the level of engagement and the sense of calm that Betty encouraged throughout all interactions were very special. A huge thanks to Centenary State High School and especially Betty’s handlers, Nicole and Gayle, both Guidance Officers at CSHS, for helping to make this possible. A further visit is planned for term 4.
Centenary State High School Student Visits
We are pleased to be able to start welcoming students from the local high school back for regular weekly visits. As part of their Student Enrichment Program, around 15 students from years 8/9 spend time in our classrooms reading, playing and engaging with our students. It’s been wonderful to watch them go from shy and uncertain in the early weeks to confident and enthusiastic to return as we approach the end of their time with us. A new cohort will visit us next term.
Parent Survey
A big THANK YOU to everyone who completed the recent parent survey. As we look towards more ways to effectively engage with our MOSS community, we will be assessing this feedback around how and what we communicate and also the timing of events.
Carer’s Appreciation Day and a new MOSS Family Fun Event
Planning is underway for both of these events for next term. Make sure to check your inbox for details. We look forward to welcoming you all to these special events to appreciate all that you do in caring for your student and also to provide a chance for you to catch up and connect with others in our community.
Christmas Wrapping
Mt Ommaney Special School Needs You! We are fortunate again to be offered the Christmas Wrapping Station at Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre. We will be recruiting volunteers over the next 4-6 weeks and appreciate any time that parents/carers can volunteer for this fun and worthwhile activity. Look out for the link to sign up.
From G Hub
For our young learners in G block Semester 2 usually means increased expectations in regards to their workload, provided that the routines and transitions needed for engagement have been focused on and mastered during the first half of the year. Also, we spent week 8 celebrating fathers by engaging in a range of reading, writing and art activities. We do hope that the presents the students created will find a spot in your home galleries.
Finally, Sports Day is always one of the highlights of Term 3. It’s been the tradition of Mt Ommaney Special School for more than a decade to have the Green and Yellow teams consisting of both staff and students. The Sports Day activities include ball games, cross country and an obstacle course.
From D/E Hub
DE Hub have been celebrating lots of events this term such as NAIDOC week, Book Week and the upcoming sports carnival. Students have been immersed in rhythmic texts such as ‘Frog on a Log’, ‘Hop on Pop’, ‘Fay and the Jay’ and ‘Macca the Alpaca’. Students have also been immersed in songs that use rhyming patterns. In Maths, students have been exploring patterns. Students have been encouraged to finish, continue and create their own patterns. Students have been exploring patterns they may see out in the community. In HPE, they have been enthusiastically preparing for the sports carnival and participating in games.
Students have been exploring ‘Looking out for others’. Students regularly check-in with how they are feeling. We have been exploring what emotions may look like on our peers. During our engaging Drama sessions, students have been engaging in Open Theatre. Students are engaged with the elements they are exploring. In DE Hub we have been practicing our social skills during requesting, turn taking and waiting. We are proud of the individual achievements that our students are making during a busy term.
DE Hub – Courtney Dean (D1), Jessica Tully (D2), Margaret Sharry (E1), Sharon Tay (E2).
From A HUB
Term 3 has flown by! It’s been an incredibly busy term with lots of fun activities going on throughout the school. The term started with a special drama week with visitors Mel and Richard from Open Theatre in the UK. They engaged the students in drama workshops throughout the first week of term and it was truly magical to watch how quickly they connected with the students. The students got so much out of the experience.
MOSS celebrated NAIDOC week during week 3. The students were able to engage in a number of activities in the MP hall and playground. Activities included making bracelets, experimenting with paint made from natural materials, playing music and sensory activities. The students also celebrated their grandparents in the context of the wider NAIDOC theme of ‘For Our Elders’.
Term 3 also saw celebrations for Book Week and Ekka. We celebrated a book called Market Day by Carrie Gallasch and Hannah Sommerville for Book Week, with the celebrations culminating in a hub artwork based on the book, featuring all of the students. We celebrated Ekka on the same day with our own hub activities. Students participated in a range of activities including a petting zoo, horse races and a strawberry sundae stall. They all had a wonderful time.
Week 9 saw the annual sports day take place. The students started the morning with the cross-country race, and then participated in an obstacle course. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm from the students.
Finally, in an already busy Week 9, MOSS welcomed Betty, a therapy dog. There is extensive research supporting animal therapy for children’s wellbeing and MOSS is very lucky to be part of this program. The students thoroughly enjoyed meeting Betty.
From B/C Hub
Another ten weeks have come and gone. We in the B and C Hub had laughed, worked, and ran our way through yet another term. “What have we been up to?”, you may have asked. We had acted and explored our imagination through drama. We huffed, puffed and sweated through numerous cross-country trainings. We looked at how patterns exist all around us, and how it may be represented in many different ways.
We celebrated our love for books and reading through Book Week – where many of us dressed as our favourite characters. Laughter filled our classrooms, imaginations blossomed in the playground, and the sound of busy footsteps come and go around the school.
For some of us, get ready to start packing! We’re going on school camp! Thank you for another wonderful term, and all the support you had given us. Enjoy a restful holiday and come back refreshed for the last term of the year.
From H/I Hub
As we moved into the second half of the year, staff have been able to build on the relationships they developed with students during Semester 1. This has supported us to understand how each student learns and communicates most effectively. By identifying their individual strengths, learning styles and preferences, we have been able to provide personalized, meaningful, developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
Our curriculum focus in Mathematics is on patterns. Our students have enjoyed finding patterns in the world around them and we have focused on exploring any they found engaging. For example; leaves moving in the wind, the tempo, rhythm and tones in music, bouncing balls, moving our bodies and cause and effect games/toys. Patterns help children understand change and that things happen over time. Patterns are things that repeat in a logical way, like vertical stripes on a sweater. We have also explored patterns using colours, shapes, numbers, images and objects.
We have also continued to develop skills and knowledge relating to each student’s personalised learning goals. We have observed progress in gross motor skills e.g., walking and standing, fine motor skills, communication and engagement in learning.
From J Hub
It’s been a busy and exciting term in J hub with students busy participating in different programs and activities. Community-based learning has been extended this term with new programs being offered as well as continuing to undertake exciting programs at school. Come and see what J hub have been up to!
Community-based programs have given students the opportunity to sample and participate in a wide range of programs linking to student’s individual personalised learning goals and PATH Plans. Here are a few of the programs undertaken this term: dancing at All Abilities Australia, working in the community garden, leisure activities at Rocks Riverside Park, visiting Mount Ommaney Public library and joining Focal Community Services.
The focal group has visited the Mt Ommaney Library as well as joining the local Focal group for a BBQ in the park. Many sausages were consumed and the morning was a big hit with everyone! The Community gardens groups has been busy visiting Rocks Riverside Park every Tuesday. We have been exploring the different flora and fauna of the park as well as beginning to collect items for a nature book. Some students have also been accessing a dance program this term, having a lot of fun with participants who are alumni from MOSS! This is a part of our soon to be graduates getting a taste of what is on offer when they finish school.
Back at school students have had the opportunity to sample different enterprise and leisure programs such as pottery, dog biscuits and working in Curlew Café!
Curlew Cafe. Students have been working hard in the café, serving up drinks and yummy treats to the staff each week! Crushing biscuits for cheesecakes, and taking orders for coffees and lunches. Charlotte likes to help with the coffee making by putting cups on the bench!
Pottery. This semester, students have been enthusiastically delving into the world of clay, balancing exploration and creativity. As they've had fun working with this medium, they've also gained valuable insights into the art of clay sculpting and molding.
Dog Biscuits Enterprises. This term a new crew started working in the dog biscuit program and they all worked super hard! Reading visual recipes, mixing dough, baking dog biscuits and then packaging them all up ready to deliver. Our wonderful yummy dog treats sell for $4.00 a bag. If you would like to buy any please email Louise at lxmck4@eq.edu.au and we can organise this for you!
We wish everyone a restful and safe holiday, ready for more fun and adventures in Term 4!
J Hub Clay Sculpting and Moulding Gallery
Fun things to do these School Holidays
Lord Mayor's Children's Program - Circus Mixtape
Brisbane City Council proudly presents a special Lord Mayor's Children's Program for Brisbane Festival.
Circus Mixtape is a compilation of spectacular circus celebrating the skills of some of Queensland’s most exciting young performers.
Featuring young artists from Flipside's Performance Troupe aged 10 to 18, Circus Mixtape is a fun-filled circus show for the whole family. It combines amazing circus skills and infectious energy to take audiences on a whirlwind tour of circus with our most exciting young performers.
This Lord Mayor's Children's Program is produced by Brisbane Festival.
Bookings
Bookings required, visit Eventbrite