Newsletter 18 - 30 October 2024

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you to all families for your incredible support on Day for Daniel last Friday. We had a fantastic turnout for the walk from Hanlon Park, which highlighted the strength of our community in promoting awareness of child safety. Special thanks to Ludivine for her outstanding organisation of the day’s events and to Rock’n’roll Marketplace for their continued partnership and generous support in providing red fruits for our students. I would also like to acknowledge our wonderful staff for guiding students through the safety lessons, reinforcing these essential messages in meaningful ways.

This Friday, we look forward to the Budgie Cup Cricket—the final Budgie Cup instalment for 2024. Our thanks go out once again to our dedicated staff for their efforts in preparing students for all three Budgie Cup events. Students participating in Friday’s games should arrive at school by 8:15 am. Best of luck to all our players—go Buranda!

We’re thrilled to announce that Buranda State School will soon have its very own Facebook page! We’ll be doing a “soft launch” towards the end of 2024, with full implementation planned for 2025. This page will provide an additional way to stay connected with our school community, share updates and celebrate our students' achievements.

To ensure we respect all families’ privacy choices, media consent forms have been sent home for you to complete and return, whether you choose to consent or not. We’ll be sharing more details about the Facebook page in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned.

At assembly yesterday, I reminded our students about the importance of staying safe and showing kindness at school. We all encounter challenges, and it’s essential for our students to know how to respond to problems with others when they arise. We encourage the High 5 approach: Ignore, Talk Friendly, Walk Away, Talk Firmly, and Report. Whether using words or seeking adult assistance, we strive to ensure everyone feels supported and safe.

As we approach the end of the school year, we would like to inform you about our planned activities and clarify our schedule to support your planning. In Week 11, we will shift our focus to alternate programs including cultural and wellbeing activities. We will publish further details in our Newsletter on 13/11.

Our regular end-of-year activities will be held as planned in Week 10 (December 4-8), including:

• Year 6 Graduation – 6:30pm Tuesday 3/12
• Final Celebratory Assembly 1:30pm Wednesday 4/12
• Swimming Carnival- Prep-3 Tuesday 3/12- Year 4-6 Wednesday 4/12
• End-of-Year Concert- Thursday 5/12
• P&C- School Disco Friday 6/12

These celebrations are an important part of our Buranda tradition. We encourage parents to consult our “Important Dates” section for details on event locations, times, and any further requirements for student participation.

Please see the P&C section with the newsletter for the announcement of the theme for the end of term disco! There is a P&C meeting next Wednesday at 6:15pm too.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make the end of this school year memorable for all.

Kind regards

Simon Vaseo - Principal

Day for Daniel

Upcoming Excursions/Incursions

From Inclusion Teacher

Dyscalculia is described as a learning difficulty that impacts a person’s ability to do maths. Those diagnosed with dyscalculia find it much harder to understand maths in school. Maths is like a foreign language to them.

Dyscalculia is not only a bit ‘weird’ to say, but is also not well understood. Some experts however, believe it’s just as common as dyslexia, which would mean an estimated 5 to 10 percent of people might have dyscalculia.

People don’t outgrow dyscalculia. Kids who have a hard time with maths may continue to struggle with it as adults, as difficulty with maths happens at all levels. Those with Dyscalculia may find it hard to do everyday tasks, such as cooking, grocery shopping, and getting to places on time, as these all involve basic math skills. Dyscalculia can present in many different ways, but is ultimately known as a difficulty with number sense.

Like dyslexia, the dyscalculic brain is wired differently, and like dyslexia, this is what makes having dyscalculia a positive attribute like a superpower.

Superpowers of Dyscalculia Creatives

Creativity: Many individuals with dyscalculia possess exceptional artistic abilities and strong imaginative skills, which often shape their unique learning styles.

Strategic Thinking: Those with dyscalculia tend to see the big picture, allowing them to identify key elements in a situation rather than getting lost in minor details.

Practical Ability: With a hands-on approach, individuals with dyscalculia excel in practical tasks, a valuable skill in both educational and professional settings that can lead to exciting career opportunities.

Problem Solving: Quick thinkers, people with dyscalculia can often solve problems creatively by drawing on past experiences, providing them with unique insights and innovative solutions.

Love of Words: Many individuals with dyscalculia excel in reading, writing, and spelling, showcasing their linguistic talents.

Intuitive Thinking: Those with dyscalculia have a knack for interpreting their surroundings and processing information intuitively. As Albert Einstein, who faced learning challenges himself, noted, intuition played a significant role in his studies.

Celebrities with Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia may be newly recognized, but it affects more than just students. Many renowned figures exhibit the superpowers listed above. Notable celebrities with dyscalculia include:

Robbie Williams – Singer

Cher – Singer

Henry Winkler – Actor, Comedian, Director, and Producer

Mick Hucknall – Simply Red Singer

Mary Tyler Moore – Actress

Bill Gates – Philanthropist and Founder of Microsoft

Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father of the United States

These individuals exemplify how dyscalculia can manifest as remarkable strengths!

Katherine Austin - Inclusion teacher

Philosophy Corner

Booklists - Order now!

Remember to order your book packs for 2025! Parents have already been emailed the booklist details, but you you can also download and print a copy via our school website. Please click the link below to access:

https://burandass.eq.edu.au/support-and-resources/forms-and-documents/documents

Olympia have added a couple of additional features this year. 

• QR Code – located on the top right hand of front page of booklist– Scan to order
• Early Bird Ordering – Order by 20^th November and go in a draw to win your bookpack for FREE.
• Afterpay facility – Available in store now and online from 1^st October 2024.

Further details can be found on the booklists.

Update from the P&C

End-of-school disco theme

Last week the school assembly voted on the theme for the end-of-school disco to be held Friday 6 December 2024.

The winner is: Pyjamas!

Pyjamas was a solid winner with 81 votes over other contenders: Black & White (75), Beach Party (29) and Glitter & Glam (15).

Beth and the Gabba Dance team will be leading the fun at the disco. Make sure to put it in your diary.

Tuckshop

Tuckshop this Friday, 1 November, has beef ravioli, spinach and ricotta agnolotti options and lots of other yummy options.

Orders close on Qkr! at 8pm tonight.

School Garden Market

Please join us this Friday at 3pm, in the amphitheatre, to buys plants from our school garden. This month we will have basil, silverbeet, alyssum and more.... $1 small pot/ $2 big pot. (cash only)

P&C Meeting

We have a P&C meeting next, Wednesday 6 November 2024, in the school library, starting at 6.15pm.

If you can't make the meeting in person, please join us via this Microsoft Teams link

Warm regards, 

Chris McGrath - P&C President

E: president@burandasspandc.org.au

P&C website: https://www.burandasspandc.org.au/

P&C on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurandaPandC