glc newsletter december 2011

Gateway Learning Communityc/o Balmoral State High SchoolThynne Road, Morningside, Qld 4170P.O.Box 120, Morningside, Qld 4170Phone & Fax: 07 3399 6821

GLC website: www.learningplace.com.au/sc/gbr/glc

Letting the QCATs out of the bagEnsuring consistency in teacher judgements about students’ standard of workis important, so it is worthwhile for teachers to take the time to compare theirstandards with other teachers in other classes. Even better if they can comparewith teachers in other schools.

For this reason Education Queensland introduced annual, state-wide QCATs. TheQCATs are a series of short common tasks in English, Mathematics and Sciencethat students complete during Term 3. Task booklets are marked at each schoolaccording to certain criteria and then five samples from each graded level are

gathered together, anonymously,with the same number of samplesfrom other schools.

Representative teachers from eachof the schools then come togetherover a day to check, compare,discuss, adjust- ‘moderate’- thesamples.

The GLC is an efficient school‘cluster’ for Yr 4 and Yr 6 QCATs,with the involved schools all nearby

and already having well developed collaborative processes to assist their administration.

Thankyou Norman Park SS Principal, Andrew Walker, and Deputy Principal, Teresa Raciti, for hostingwhat was a very successful GLC 2011 QCATs Moderation Day on 17 October.

Working in partnership with The Smith Family, 6 studentreaders and 6 student mentors from Bulimba and NormanPark SSs have recently completed the ‘Student2student’reading program.

The Smith Family is a national organisation which offersprograms to help children realise their potential. The ‘Student2student’ program assists hundreds of studentsAustralia-wide to improve their reading by being paired witholder student peers in an over-the-phone, reading program. Atleast twice a week, from May to September, the studentsread together over the phone. Thementors make allthe arrangementswith their readers

and are trained in techniques of reading support to encourageand coach. At the beginning and end of the program thereaders are tested, but another measure of progress is in theconfidence in reading that the younger students gain bybeing encouraged by their older mentors. The mentors likewise benefit from the leadership skills they develop throughtaking on the considerable responsibility. Feedback from a parent this year summed this up by saying that her son lovedthe program and looked forward to the calls. “He is nowmuch more motivated to read at home on his own.”

We would like to thank The Smith Family’s Team Leader, Rebecca Gilmore, for facilitating Student2studentand also the GLC staff who supervised and tested the students- Yvette O’Connor from Norman ParkSS, and Helen Heinen and Denise Zale from Bulimba SS.

In 2011 some eight networks of GLC teachers,parents and support staff met regularly in personand/or communicated regularly via phone andemail. They ranged right across the spectrum ofschool roles from the GLC Governance Group ofPrincipals who meet to manage GLC businessto GLC Business Services Managers who havederived immense mutual support from eachother this year as each school changed over tothe new ‘One school’ Operating System.

As well, we have the GLC P&Cs Network, theGLC Culture of Thinking Champions, the GLCGroundsmen's Network, the GLC Gifted and

Talented Network, the GLC Early Phase of Learning Network and the GLC Science Sparks Network. Indeed,several projects initiated by these networks are celebrated in the pages of this newsletter.

The GLC encourages and fosters theses sorts of networkingopportunities across the seven schools for the commonpurposes of improving the quality and efficiency of the educational services we offer our students and building asense of community between the seven separate campuses.

To those members of 2011’s networks, our wider GLCschool community say thankyou.

901 Wynnum Rd, Cannon Hill, Qld, 4170

Phone: (07) 3399 9492Fax: (07) 3399 6457Facebook: Di Farmer MpTwitter: @ Di Farmer MpEmail: [email protected]

Member for Bulimba

Kevin Rudd MPFederal Member for Griffith

630 Wynnum Rd Morningside PO Box 476 Morningside Q 4170Phone:3899 4031 Fax: 3899 5755Email: [email protected]: @KRuddMP Facebook: kevinruddmp

Above - Brenden Molloy from NormanPark SS and Jayne Aguiar from CannonHill SS moderate QCAT samples.

GLC NEWSLETTEREditor: Cherry Van RytEmail: [email protected]/Fax: 3399 6821or 0407 972 242

Advertisement

Authorised by J.Shepley, 52 Belgrave Street, Balmoral Q 4171

Authorised By Scott McGregor, 630 Wynnum Road, Morningside QLD 4170

STANDING UP FOR THE SOUTHSIDE

Advertisement

Picturesque expanses of Bulimba Creek are gradually being uncovered by the Cannon Hill Bushcare Group, as this diligent teamof volunteers clears choking weeds from the creek’s banks, to replacethem with carefully positioned native seedlings, clearings, accesspaths, seating and signposting, reinvigorating this important localbush corridor for both our native wildlife and for bush walkers andpicnickers to enjoy.

The aptly named Cannon Hill Bushland Reserve, located on a 12hectare site bordering Wynnum Rd and Bulimba Creek at Cannon Hill,is now a parkland space the whole community can use with pride.It began in 2004 when a group of volunteer residents from the adjacent Monte Carlo Caravan Park banded together to establishthe Cannon Hill Bushcare Group. Supported by a number of community and government organizations they got to work and are still going strong to this day!

Each year since then around 140 Gateway Learning Community Yr 4primary school students have visited the Cannon Hill Bushland Reservefor a day of environmental activities and most importantly, the plantingof native seedlings in a designated area specially prepared for the day.

Students visiting the site in 2011 were able to easily see just howwell the student plantings over the previous six years have grown.

Connecting withour local bush


John CampbellCouncillor for DoboyDOBOY WARD OFFICEShop 5, 1181 Wynnum Road,Cannon Hill, Qld 4170

Ph 3407 8800Fax: 3407 8805Email: [email protected]

COUNCIL CONTACT CENTRE24HRS 7DAYS 3403 8888

Working for you in Doboy Ward

Improving reading overthe phone

Networkslink oursevenschools

Young minds grow in Bulimba SS’s gardens

While you are away your 4 legged family member holidays at our place from $30p/dayPayment in advance/bookings necessary

0402 242194Book now for holidayswww.fourleggedadventures.webs.com

Shayne SuttonCouncillor for MorningsideMORNINGSIDE WARD OFFICE63 Oxford Street, Bulimba, Q 4171Ph 3407 8200 Fax 3407 8205Email: [email protected]


Working for you in Morningside Ward

Advertisement

Authorised by S. Sutton, 63 Oxford Street, Bulimba Q 4171

For small dogs

OPEN Mon – Fri 7am to 8.30pm Sat 7am to 5pm - Sun 7am to 6pmPhone: 3395 8288 Fax: 3395 8502 Email: [email protected] www.feastonfruit.com.au

visit us at Shop 15 Morningside Central, 25 Junction Road(Cnr Wynnum and Junction Roads) Morningside (next to Woolworths)

A N D D E L I C A T E S S E N

Market fresh produce including organic fruit and vegetables brought in dailyLarge selection of cold continental freshly sliced meatsDelicious range of homemade salads and quality range frozen pizza and pastaFreshly baked breadOrganic milk productsWide selection of nuts, dried herbs and spices

For special occasions:Extensive gourmet deli lines, traditional and exotic olives, over 120 cheeses to choose from, platters for all occasions and speciality icecreams.

For the freshest seasonal produce

daily


daily

Left - It took four Norman Park SS studentsto bravely hold the huge python brought tothe Cannon Hill Bushland Activity Day byGeckoes Wildlife.

Below - Bulimba SS Yr 4 students with abox full of native seedlings ready to plantout next to Bulimba Creek.

Left - Alister and Louis from Cannon Hill SS water in anew plant in the area specially prepared for the GLC.

Above - Enthusiastic Yr 4 students fromMorningside SS and Anthony from CannonHill SS getting ready to plant seedlings.

Left - Yr 4 studentsfrom Seven Hills SSknow that wateringis essential to thesuccess of theplanting.

Left - Yr 5 students from Bulimba SS shared theirStephanie Alexander kitchen garden knowledge,wonderful hospitality and restaurant quality cooking skills at a Community Morning Tea on 2 November. The class is pictured here with Sara Breckenridge- kitchen garden specialist,Suzy Wilson- proprietor of Riverbend Books andLesleigh Kacin- Bulimba SS Yr 5 teacher.

Above - The sizable Bulimba SS contingent celebrates the school’s win at the 2011Showcase Awards for Excellence at the Brisbane Convention Centre on 21 October

The Gateway Learning Community is Balmoral State High School, Bulimba State School, Cannon Hill State School, Morningside State School, Murarrie State School, Norman Park State School and Seven Hills State School.

I SSUE 32 NOVEMBER 2011

When we think of summer in Brisbane we think of humid, hot, rainy days; vibrant hibiscus and fragrant frangipani flowers; and abundant local wildlife including geckoes, frogs, lorikeets and, of course, snakes. At a recent GLC event, the Bushland Activity Day,Yr 4 GLC students had the opportunity to meet and demystify one of Brisbane’s most commonly encountered and harmless snakes, the Green Tree Snake, pictured on this page.

This long, slender reptile with dark eyes, which shares our urban bushland habitat, for these students is now thankfully a little better understood and appreciated. This special event, like the other collaborative GLC events project and networks celebrated in this quarterly GLC newsletter, enhances educational opportunities for our students and staff, as well as building a strong sense of community identity in our schools and with our wider community.

This is the fourth and final edition of the GLC newsletter for 2011. Many thanks to GLC memberswho have written articles and provided photos for the newsletter this year; the wonderful GLC newsletter designers and publishers Jackie Cann and John Harrison from Make Art Work;and all the incredibly supportive local business sponsors that have advertised through the newsletter in 2011. We wish every member of the GLC a safe,relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. Many thanks to all those who have supported GLC endeavours during 2011, especially to those most important people of all, our students- have a fantastic, well deserved break and come back ready to embrace all that your Gateway Learning Community schools are planning for 2012.

The early areas are beginning to reach maturity, and to the casual eye look just like they occurred naturally. It hoped that through theexperience of planting at the site the students will feel an ongoingconnection to this bushland to ensure it is valued into the future.

Hosted by the Brisbane City Council in conjunction with the CannonHill Bush Care Group, this year students participated in hands-onactivities run by the Cannon Hill Police Beat officers, Downfall Creekand Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre Rangers, Brisbane CityCouncil Environmental Officers, Cannon Hill Bushcare Group volunteers and special guest, Geckoes Wildlife, who brought snakes,lizards, frogs, turtles and many other native animals along for thestudents to see and touch!

Thank you to both Ranger Craig Hardie and colleagues from Brisbane City Council who arranged the activities and providedlunch and refreshments for all attending, and to the wonderfulCannon Hill Bushcare Group volunteers Teresa Radburn, MattMcLachlan, Jenny Riches and Nata Preston. Your work is inspirational. If you would like to assist these volunteers in anyway their vital work please contact Teresa or Matt on (07) 3390 8727.

Three top accolades have been awarded to GLC member school, Bulimba State School, for their whole school sustainable approach to curriculum, governance, resource management and partnershipswith other schools and the community.

Education Queensland’s annual awards for state schools, theShowcase Awards for Excellence, are awarded each year to outstanding schools who have initiated innovative programs andpractices that demonstrate significant and continued improvement inthe learning outcomes of their students. Bulimba SS was a worthy2011 winner in the The RemServ Showcase Award for Excellencein Innovation category.

Bulimba SS has also been announced as Keep Australia Beautiful’s2011 Greenest and Healthiest School in Queensland. Keep AustraliaBeautiful CEO, Rick Burnett said, “Bulimba State School has beensetting very high standards for many years, and this year has beenrewarded with the top prize. Bulimba SS illustrates the philosophythat if we all work together, we can make a difference”.

Further to these successes Bulimba SS has been awarded $50,000as a finalist in the Qld Government’s Healthy Queensland Awards,which provides funding to support programs that will improve thehealth of local communities.

Bulimba SS has built a reputation as leader in sustainable practices, education and outreach.

As the lead school for many years of our local GLC QESSI (QueenslandEnvironmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative) Hub and now as the QldDemonstration School for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Gardens Program, Bulimba SS has taken every opportunity to build an holistic learning environment instilling in studentsrespect for the environment and themselves, responsibility for their actions, the integrity of all life on earth, and the needto understand and include all people and perspectives.

Congratulations to the whole Bulimba SS school communityon this well deserved success!

Above - Representative parents from GLC schools have been meeting regularly as theGLC P&Cs Network since June 2003. The group shares ideas and information and actas a two-way communication link between each school’s P&C.

Pictured here at their Term 3 meeting are the GLC parents who had kindly volunteeredto act as GLC P&Cs Network reps this year. From left Catherine Raff- Seven Hills SS, Liz Heaton- Norman Park SS, Sarah Donnan- Bulimba SS, Sally Schmidt- Balmoral SHS,Rachel Jones (and Susan Trotter) - Cannon Hill SS, and Debbie Hunter (and Robert Stansfield) - Murarrie SS. The network is continuing in 2012. Any GLC parent is welcome to attend these relatively informal meetings. Contact your Parent Rep if youwould like to come along with them- contact details are on the GLC website under‘Other networks’.

Left - GLC Groundsmen are maximizing opportunities for sharing and collaborating since they have begun meeting regularly as the GLC Groundsmen’sNetwork since the beginning of 2010. Working alone on heavy or awkwardmaintenance tasks is made a lot easier if another pair of hands is there to assist. The GLC groundsmen willingly offer their help, equipment and expertiseto each other which they all appreciate greatly. Pictured here recently assistingMorningside SS groundsman Dennis Fitzgerald remove an old fence at theschool are from left fellow GLC Groundsmen Ross Stokes- Cannon Hill SS,Fred Collishaw- Bulimba SS, Pat Egan- Balmoral SHS and Phil Young- teacherfrom Bulimba SS.

Above - Rebecca Gilmore from The Smith Familythank Bulimba SS Student2student participants fortheir involvement in 2011.

Left - Habitat Brisbane Officer,Kate Flink, showsNorman Park SSstudents the correctway to handle a native seedling.

Left - Each area GLC students have planted withnatives since 2004 have been signposted.

Right - Students from Yr 4 at SevenHills SS play a native animal game tolearn about local bush habitats.

Above - Norman Park SS students receive their Certificates of Participation in the Student2student program from the Smith Family’sRebecca Gilmore

Please support thelocal businesses whosupport the GLC

GLC page1&4_- 21/11/11 1:25 PM

Teachers are interested in learning about what will work in their classrooms. They areinterested in seeing and hearing first hand what other teachers are doing in their classrooms that successfully engage students and extend the breadth and depth of theirlearning. They are interested in asking questions of and discussing with their peers about

the opportunities and challengesof classroom teaching. It’s allabout the conversation.

This was the precept that theGLC Culture of Thinking ProjectChampions observed to designan afternoon professional development session for onehundred GLC teachers on 31 October called InteractiveCofT’s.

The planning team hoped tosuccessfully build upon three

years of GLC collaborative learning, initially inspired by Harvard University GraduateSchool of Education experts Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church who visited Brisbane towork with GLC teachers in 2008 and 2009, in an ongoing process of refining teaching tomaking thinking valued, visible and actively promoted in GLC schools.

Twenty GLC teachers from Prep to Yr 7 shared their examples and experiencesof applying ‘Visible Thinking’ routines to their classroom teaching practice witheighty of their peers from five GLC primary schools. Additionally, sessions wereheld for those new to the GLC or new to learning about ‘Cultures of Thinking’,and for those interested in hearing about Cannon Hill and Norman Park SSs ownpresentations at the Third Biennial Cultures of Thinking Conference at ‘Bialik’College, Melbourne in mid-August 2011.

Congratulations to the Culture of Thinking Project Champions and all of the othercontributing teachers for staging this ’positive’ ‘purposeful’ and ‘professional’peer mentoring session.

All about the conversation

Westpac Morningside and Yr 6 students from NormanPark SS, have for the second year running learnedvaluable financial lessons by participating in a Financial Literacy Course staged and organised byAdele Derrett, Manager of Westpac Morningside.

Students were introduced to the feature of the course,a highly interactive on-line goal savings program, andalso got physically involved in the learning about concepts of money management by racing againsteach other to restack shelves of books, sort piles ofcoins and feed two silver piggy banks.

It is hoped that students will take this early lessonand build good savings habits throughout their lives.

Thanks you to Westpac Morningside for your commitment and work to run this program in 2011.

I would like to say a huge thank you to all staff, students and parents of Bulimbaand Norman Park SSs for all your support this year. It has been lots of fun; withsome challenging times, but overall a great year! I was lucky enough to attendmost camps with both schools. One highlight was going with Norman Park SS Yr 6 and 7 students on their Sydney/Canberra Trip.

The September holidays were awesome. Through Scripture Union we ran LoopCamp-Transformers up in the mountains at Camp Tambourine. Everyone whocame enjoyed a great week. In Term 4 I started a SUPA Club at Bulimba SS duringlunchtimes. SUPA Club is like a ‘youth group’ with lots of games, fun and chattingabout what the bible says about life.

Enjoy your holidays and Merry Christmas!Melissa Gregory - Bulimba SS and Norman Park SS Chaplain

Making gooddeci$ion$

He explained how teachers can work with their students to select and study a local study site and a control site; set insect traps and collect specimens for collecting, preserving and labelling; and use a key to identify insectspecies and make conclusions about the biodiversity of the two sites using the available data and their scientific knowledge.

With fascinating specimens and a wealthof other valuable resources availablethrough our city neighbour the Queensland Museum, the childhood hobby of collecting and studying insects is about to be taken to a whole new levelin the GLC!

This fourth Science Sparks workshop for2011 is building capacity within the primary schools in the teaching of Sciencewhilst establishing links to the BalmoralSHS Science Department for curriculumsupport, equipment borrowing and practical advice.

It’s been an active and fulfilling year for all involved in GLC Chaplaincy.Here our two GLC Chaplains, Gary Cazzulino at Balmoral SHS and MelissaGregory shared between Bulimba and Norman Park SSs recount some of

the highlights of the work they have been doing to support GLC student welfare.

It’s been a big year for Chaplaincy at Balmoral! Term 1 saw us take a group of students to the Gap SHS’s Leadership Training Centre for some indoor rock climbing and aphysical challenge or two. Term 2 saw the Chaplaincy High Tea at Bulimba SS and a groupfrom Balmoral SHS school attending World Vision’s Global Leadership Convention to be motivated to take action againstworld hunger.

Term 3 was the 40 Hour Famine itself.We doubled our donations this yearthanks to the many students involved. The September holidays were all about Outbreak camp, an annual high schoolcluster camp in the area, which was just great! (Check out the tubing photo)This year we’ve established Breaky Club at the school two days a week. Manythanks to the volunteers who’ve tirelessly helped out throughout the year; toFoodbank for their School Breakfasts program; and to local Our Haus Café fortheir donation of breakfast supplies. It has also been my pleasure this year to deliver a Certificate II course in Active Volunteering run by Volunteering Queensland. This course gives students both the theory behind being an effective volunteer and

also supervised hours within a volunteer involving organization, which can include our very own school. Two

Yr 12 students, Steve Dellow and Hayden Brown have both completed this certificate this year. Steve has

put in many hours volunteering in the School Tuckshop. Hayden, whilst doing some Tuckshop hours, has

primarily been responsible for keeping the Balmoral After School Enterprises (BASE) afternoon tea food

stocked and set out each week. Steve and Hayden’s help will be sorely missed. On behalf of the school

thanks guys for all your help. Have a great Christmas everyone!Gary Cazzulino Balmoral SHS Chaplain

The experience and thrill of being on the road is a dream of many youngmusos, and the length of time or distance travelled doesn’t really matterwhen you are actually out there, laying it all on the line!

And so it was for the five 2011 Rock Da House bandsas they ‘gigged’ over a three day tour of their own GLCschools - Balmoral SHS, Bulimba SS, Cannon Hill SS,

Seven Hills SS, Bulimba SS and Norman Park SS. Each performancebegan with a theatrical tribute to the history of rock music, warmingup the large student and staff audience at each school, setting themood for a forty minute ‘set’ of current and classic rock tunesplayed by 25 the very talented GLC student musicians.

The bands incorporated vocals, lead and bass guitars, keyboards,drums as well as string and brass sections, all mikedand amplified recreating really quite close-to-originalsounding versions of the songs. The students werefantastic, their confidence and presence buildingwith each performance. The overwhelming audience

response was admiration of the skills of these budding artists and sheer enjoyment as they warmed to theperformances and got involved clappingand cheering their classmates on.

Rock Da House was a GLC Gifted andTalented Network initiative which originated from discussions betweensome musically inclined GLC teacherswho recognised through their daily contact with students that there werea lot of talented guitarists, drummers and vocalists in our schools.

Students with an interest in performing in a rock band were invited to audition for andonce selected were linked with their new band members, first online at the Education

Queensland’s Learning Place website, and then face toface in four rehearsal sessions after school to polishtheir performances in readiness for the tour.

The GLC and the students involved especially thankProject Manager and Seven Hills SS Principal, MichelleMorrissey; Project Coordinators teachers Glenn Brucefrom Seven Hills SS and Melissa Goldie from BalmoralSHS; music teachers Alison Harvey and Kathleen Lamont from Balmoral SHS.; and the school managersfrom each GLC school.

GLC Chaplaincy

Then there was ROCK!GLC students who participated in the successful Common Thread Theatre project in Semesterone this year were recently invited, on the recommendation of the Queensland TheatreCompany Education Officer Katie Stewart, to participate in a drama workshop for theproduction of a short DVD to promote Queensland's Child Protection Week during the weekof September 4 to September 10.

Supporting the theme for 2011, Together We Care, Drama and Film professionals werebrought in by the Queensland Theatre Company (QTC) to work with the 35 students fromthe GLC to use drama to focus attention on the issues of child abuse and neglect.

The students were involved in a process drama and forum theatre to explore choices,awareness and protection. The afternoon session, held on 5 September allowed studentsto explore different perspectives, situations and the choices they can make with the possible outcomes for these.

As stated by an involved Balmoral SHS Yr12 student, "It is one thing to be told by adults, but it is another level of awareness to explore the issue with fellow peers in a safe environment.”

A short film was made from the workshop showing the students’ response to issues andparticipation in the workshop. Balmoral SHS Middle School leaders, Nathan Bowers andLilly Holland, then visited GLC schools showing the DVD and speaking about what theyhad learnt about Child Protection issues through the experience of the drama workshop.

Together we cared

Many thanks to Katie Stewart, Education Officer from QTC for organising the session; industry professionals Travis and Chris for leading the workshop; PixelFrame for the film work; and Balmoral SHS, Bulimba SS, Cannon Hill SS and Morningside SS staff involved in organising and supervising the students.

The Child Protection Week Committee and Queensland TheatreCompany appreciated the support teachers and students of theGLC have given to raise awareness of Child Protection Week intheir community.

If only the designers, owners and captain of thefateful Titanic had done their proportionalreasoning calculations, maybe history would have been written a lot differently.

They may have had the decency to provide enoughlifeboats for their passengers to save them fromdrowning in icy waters. They may have even realized their grand vessel was not unsinkable and avoided the consequences of that disastrousjourney completely. Of course, the sinking of theTitanic is now history*. But, in the fourth GLC Proportional Reasoning Project workshop for theyear for 40 GLC teachers, researchers Dr. GeoffHilton, Dr. Annette Hilton and Dr. Shelley Dohle from the University of Queensland have demonstrated how easy it is to bring history alive again.

The real Titanic sank in 1912 after it hit an iceberg. The iceberg cut through the Titanic below thewater line and water began to flood into the ship. It took several hours to sink, first listing to stern asthe water entered the hull, and then tipping vertically until eventually the front tip of the ship submergedand it sank to the bottom of the ocean.

By applying mathematical skills of proportional reasoning to a ‘model’ of the damaged Titanic it ispossible to calculate the changes in mass and volume of the ‘mighty vessel’, and by linking that datato historical documents and records, open up discussions of science, history, geography, sociology,and even psychology, right across the curriculum. GLC teachers participated in this practical examplethemselves putting themselves in the position of their students, with the aim of later trialling a varietyof proportional reasoning techniques and strategies, like the ‘Titanic’ example, with their classes.

Although this was the final workshop for 2011, participants are in the process of submitting sample diagnostic test data for collation by the researchers. The results will then inform the direction thisGLC project will take in 2012. The “Proportional Reasoning as a Key to Numeracy Across the Curriculum” is a three year ‘ARC Linkage Project’ funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC), inconjunction with Education Queensland and SA Department of Education and Children's Services.It aims to enhance student mastery of proportional reasoning through educational technology applications.

*2012 is the 100th anniversary of thesinking of the Titanic

How proportional reasoning could have saved the Titanic

Above - Playing at the finalshow venue, Seven Hills SS.

Above - GLC teachers aim to incorporate Information Technology todeliver Proportional Reasoning concepts in their classrooms.

Above - Getting the crowd going at the Rock Da House show at Norman Park SS.

Above - Tony Grant, Michelle Morrissey and Glenn Bruce from Seven Hills SS working on their ‘titanic struggle’.

Downtown Toyota will donate $100 to GLC Chaplaincy for each new or used car purchased from Downtown Toyota on presentation of a signed authorisation certificate at time of delivery. This offer is available to all parents and friends associated with the Gateway Learning Community (GLC).

This offer expires 31 December 2011. Certificates are available from GLC school offices.

Above - Rock Da House underway at Bulimba SS

Left- Great vocal harmonies at the Norman Park SS performance

Below - On stage atmospherics at Balmoral SHS

Below - Both orchestral and electronic instruments melded togetheras pictured here at the Morningside SS performance.

Right - Tubing, one of the many action basedactivities, at the Outbreak Camp in September.

Above - Balmoral SHS students Steve and Hayden both achieved aCertificate II in Active Volunteering partly due to their valuable workin the Balmoral SHS Tuckshop this year. They are pictured here withTuckshop Co-convenors Madge English and Jeanette Hoffman, andBalmoral SHS Chaplain Gary Cazzulino.

Ongoing links between Balmoral SHS and the six GLC primary schools happen aspart of the high school’s real commitment to the GLC since it’s inception.

Sports coaching, reading mentoring, early childhood face painting and soccer workshops,cheer leading demonstrations and workshops, ‘Common Thread’ theatre, Yr 7 instrumentalmusic extension and rock bands, and science mentoring are just some of the recentways the high school reaches out to neighbouring state primary schools.

So when Norman Park SS were looking forworkshop presenters for their week long2011 ‘Smart Stuff’ Festival, Balmoral SHSwas at the ready.

Taking the theme literally, Balmoral SHSDance teacher Shannon Bell presented aworkshop teaching dance movementsbased on the idea of being happy and smart and Balmoral SHS Science teachers Marcello Vega and Ian Jackson devised a‘Smarties’ based activity separating the dyes of lollies to see how the heavier colours are slower moving in a liquid thanthe lighter colours (apparently all due to thedifferent atoms in each of the dyes).

They also wowed the crowd with an exploding bottle experiment involving the rapid expansion of Dry Ice (frozen CO2) inside a soft drink bottle and the explosive consequences of this change of state (called sublimation by the way).

Then came physics with a ‘hair raising’ experiment with static electricity using a Van De Graff generator. Balmoral SHS teachers thoroughly enjoyed working withthe primary students, showing them something of what they can expect when they

transition into high school.

Balmoral shares their Smart Stuff

Above - Nathan Bowers and Lilly Holland, Balmoral SHS Middle SchoolCaptains, talk to Seven Hills SS students about Child Protection Week.

Above - The Qld Museum's 'Backyard Explorer' resource being introduced atthe GLC Science Sparks workshop.

Above - Students 'line up to get on a bus' at the QTC Drama workshop.

Above - Teachers attended small group sessions withfellow teachers to discuss teaching techniques.

Below - The Balmoral SHS Cheerleading Squad performs often forschools and at public functions. Here they perform their routine forBulimba SS at a recent assembly.

Left - Mr. Marcello Vega, Science Teacher from Balmoral SHS, pictured here with budding Norman Park SS scientists, Charlotte Yr 7 and Oliver Yr 3, during the school’s ‘Smart Stuff’ week.

Above - Sonya Walker, teacher from Bulimba SS, used charts and examples todemonstrate how she has implemented visible thinking routines in her classroom.

Above - Karen Renz, teacher from Bulimba SS shares a visible thinking routine with GLC colleagues.

Above - Enjoying role playing and exploring issues at the QTC workshop.

Left - Education Officer Allan Morrison withinsect specimens from the Qld Museum

Sparking an interest in invertebratesMost of us remember a time in our childhood when we caught an insect or two in ourbackyard and set them up in a glass jar filled with grass and sticks, covered with apaper lid punctured with air holes and secured with an elastic band. If we were reallysophisticated, or had a nearby birthday, we used a purpose built plastic, “scientificallyventilated” Bug Catcher which promised to allow the insects “to live for a long timewhile you examine and learn their behaviour”. We were entrancedby the little creatures and loved to watch them close-up.

Exploring the biodiversity of our backyards through the world ofinsects has thus proven to be a great way to trigger an interestin biological science in children.

The Queensland Museum seeing this potential has developed a resource for schools called ‘Queensland Museum Back Yard Explorer’. There is even a dedicated website with information,recording tools and videos to get students started in their investigations at www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/wild/index.asp

At the Balmoral SHS hosted Science Sparks Professional Development Workshop for GLC teachers held on 13 October, Allan Morrison, Education Officer from the Queensland Museum introduced teachers to the ‘Back Yard Explorer’ and provided guidance for teachers on conducting biodiversity assessments with their students.

The GLC wishes to acknowledge and thank local business park Metroplex On Gateway which has come on board as a sponsor of the GLC Proportional Reasoning Project in 2012. Metroplex on Gateway has been a long time supporterof GLC initiatives than enhance student literacy and learning, as a major sponsor for each of the GLC's six 'Wildwords' Festivals, and in 2010 sponsoring GLC student attendance at the 'Seeds of Change' Environment Conference.

Above - Norman Park SS students ‘racing’ to become financially literate

GLCpage2&3_- 21/11/11 9:21 AM Page 1

Gateway Learning Communityc/o Balmoral State High SchoolThynne Road, Morningside, Qld 4170P.O.Box 120, Morningside, Qld 4170Phone & Fax: 07 3399 6821


Letting the QCATs out of the bagEnsuring consistency in teacher judgements about students’ standard of workis important, so it is worthwhile for teachers to take the time to compare theirstandards with other teachers in other classes. Even better if they can comparewith teachers in other schools.

For this reason Education Queensland introduced annual, state-wide QCATs. TheQCATs are a series of short common tasks in English, Mathematics and Sciencethat students complete during Term 3. Task booklets are marked at each schoolaccording to certain criteria and then five samples from each graded level are

gathered together, anonymously,with the same number of samplesfrom other schools.

Representative teachers from eachof the schools then come togetherover a day to check, compare,discuss, adjust- ‘moderate’- thesamples.

The GLC is an efficient school‘cluster’ for Yr 4 and Yr 6 QCATs,with the involved schools all nearby

and already having well developed collaborative processes to assist their administration.

Thankyou Norman Park SS Principal, Andrew Walker, and Deputy Principal, Teresa Raciti, for hostingwhat was a very successful GLC 2011 QCATs Moderation Day on 17 October.

Working in partnership with The Smith Family, 6 studentreaders and 6 student mentors from Bulimba and NormanPark SSs have recently completed the ‘Student2student’reading program.

The Smith Family is a national organisation which offersprograms to help children realise their potential. The ‘Student2student’ program assists hundreds of studentsAustralia-wide to improve their reading by being paired witholder student peers in an over-the-phone, reading program. Atleast twice a week, from May to September, the studentsread together over the phone. Thementors make allthe arrangementswith their readers

and are trained in techniques of reading support to encourageand coach. At the beginning and end of the program thereaders are tested, but another measure of progress is in theconfidence in reading that the younger students gain bybeing encouraged by their older mentors. The mentors likewise benefit from the leadership skills they develop throughtaking on the considerable responsibility. Feedback from a parent this year summed this up by saying that her son lovedthe program and looked forward to the calls. “He is nowmuch more motivated to read at home on his own.”

We would like to thank The Smith Family’s Team Leader, Rebecca Gilmore, for facilitating Student2studentand also the GLC staff who supervised and tested the students- Yvette O’Connor from Norman ParkSS, and Helen Heinen and Denise Zale from Bulimba SS.

In 2011 some eight networks of GLC teachers,parents and support staff met regularly in personand/or communicated regularly via phone andemail. They ranged right across the spectrum ofschool roles from the GLC Governance Group ofPrincipals who meet to manage GLC businessto GLC Business Services Managers who havederived immense mutual support from eachother this year as each school changed over tothe new ‘One school’ Operating System.

As well, we have the GLC P&Cs Network, theGLC Culture of Thinking Champions, the GLCGroundsmen's Network, the GLC Gifted and

Talented Network, the GLC Early Phase of Learning Network and the GLC Science Sparks Network. Indeed,several projects initiated by these networks are celebrated in the pages of this newsletter.

The GLC encourages and fosters theses sorts of networkingopportunities across the seven schools for the commonpurposes of improving the quality and efficiency of the educational services we offer our students and building asense of community between the seven separate campuses.

To those members of 2011’s networks, our wider GLCschool community say thankyou.

901 Wynnum Rd, Cannon Hill, Qld, 4170

Phone: (07) 3399 9492Fax: (07) 3399 6457Facebook: Di Farmer MpTwitter: @ Di Farmer MpEmail: [email protected]

Member for Bulimba

Kevin Rudd MPFederal Member for Griffith

630 Wynnum Rd Morningside PO Box 476 Morningside Q 4170Phone:3899 4031 Fax: 3899 5755Email: [email protected]: @KRuddMP Facebook: kevinruddmp

Above - Brenden Molloy from NormanPark SS and Jayne Aguiar from CannonHill SS moderate QCAT samples.

GLC NEWSLETTEREditor: Cherry Van RytEmail: [email protected]/Fax: 3399 6821or 0407 972 242

Advertisement

Authorised by J.Shepley, 52 Belgrave Street, Balmoral Q 4171

Authorised By Scott McGregor, 630 Wynnum Road, Morningside QLD 4170

STANDING UP FOR THE SOUTHSIDE

Advertisement

Picturesque expanses of Bulimba Creek are gradually being uncovered by the Cannon Hill Bushcare Group, as this diligent teamof volunteers clears choking weeds from the creek’s banks, to replacethem with carefully positioned native seedlings, clearings, accesspaths, seating and signposting, reinvigorating this important localbush corridor for both our native wildlife and for bush walkers andpicnickers to enjoy.

The aptly named Cannon Hill Bushland Reserve, located on a 12hectare site bordering Wynnum Rd and Bulimba Creek at Cannon Hill,is now a parkland space the whole community can use with pride.It began in 2004 when a group of volunteer residents from the adjacent Monte Carlo Caravan Park banded together to establishthe Cannon Hill Bushcare Group. Supported by a number of community and government organizations they got to work and are still going strong to this day!

Each year since then around 140 Gateway Learning Community Yr 4primary school students have visited the Cannon Hill Bushland Reservefor a day of environmental activities and most importantly, the plantingof native seedlings in a designated area specially prepared for the day.

Students visiting the site in 2011 were able to easily see just howwell the student plantings over the previous six years have grown.

Connecting withour local bush


John CampbellCouncillor for DoboyDOBOY WARD OFFICEShop 5, 1181 Wynnum Road,Cannon Hill, Qld 4170

Ph 3407 8800Fax: 3407 8805Email: [email protected]


Working for you in Doboy Ward

Improving reading overthe phone

Networkslink oursevenschools

Young minds grow in Bulimba SS’s gardens

While you are away your 4 legged family member holidays at our place from $30p/dayPayment in advance/bookings necessary

0402 242194Book now for holidayswww.fourleggedadventures.webs.com

Shayne SuttonCouncillor for MorningsideMORNINGSIDE WARD OFFICE63 Oxford Street, Bulimba, Q 4171Ph 3407 8200 Fax 3407 8205Email: [email protected]


Working for you in Morningside Ward

Advertisement

Authorised by S. Sutton, 63 Oxford Street, Bulimba Q 4171

For small dogs

OPEN Mon – Fri 7am to 8.30pm Sat 7am to 5pm - Sun 7am to 6pmPhone: 3395 8288 Fax: 3395 8502 Email: [email protected] www.feastonfruit.com.au

visit us at Shop 15 Morningside Central, 25 Junction Road(Cnr Wynnum and Junction Roads) Morningside (next to Woolworths)

A N D D E L I C A T E S S E N

Market fresh produce including organic fruit and vegetables brought in dailyLarge selection of cold continental freshly sliced meatsDelicious range of homemade salads and quality range frozen pizza and pastaFreshly baked breadOrganic milk productsWide selection of nuts, dried herbs and spices

For special occasions:Extensive gourmet deli lines, traditional and exotic olives, over 120 cheeses to choose from, platters for all occasions and speciality icecreams.


daily


daily

Left - It took four Norman Park SS studentsto bravely hold the huge python brought tothe Cannon Hill Bushland Activity Day byGeckoes Wildlife.

Below - Bulimba SS Yr 4 students with abox full of native seedlings ready to plantout next to Bulimba Creek.

Left - Alister and Louis from Cannon Hill SS water in anew plant in the area specially prepared for the GLC.

Above - Enthusiastic Yr 4 students fromMorningside SS and Anthony from CannonHill SS getting ready to plant seedlings.

Left - Yr 4 studentsfrom Seven Hills SSknow that wateringis essential to thesuccess of theplanting.

Left - Yr 5 students from Bulimba SS shared theirStephanie Alexander kitchen garden knowledge,wonderful hospitality and restaurant quality cooking skills at a Community Morning Tea on 2 November. The class is pictured here with Sara Breckenridge- kitchen garden specialist,Suzy Wilson- proprietor of Riverbend Books andLesleigh Kacin- Bulimba SS Yr 5 teacher.

Above - The sizable Bulimba SS contingent celebrates the school’s win at the 2011Showcase Awards for Excellence at the Brisbane Convention Centre on 21 October

The Gateway Learning Community is Balmoral State High School, Bulimba State School, Cannon Hill State School, Morningside State School, Murarrie State School, Norman Park State School and Seven Hills State School.

I SSUE 32 NOVEMBER 2011

When we think of summer in Brisbane we think of humid, hot, rainy days; vibrant hibiscus and fragrant frangipani flowers; and abundant local wildlife including geckoes, frogs, lorikeets and, of course, snakes. At a recent GLC event, the Bushland Activity Day,Yr 4 GLC students had the opportunity to meet and demystify one of Brisbane’s most commonly encountered and harmless snakes, the Green Tree Snake, pictured on this page.

This long, slender reptile with dark eyes, which shares our urban bushland habitat, for these students is now thankfully a little better understood and appreciated. This special event, like the other collaborative GLC events project and networks celebrated in this quarterly GLC newsletter, enhances educational opportunities for our students and staff, as well as building a strong sense of community identity in our schools and with our wider community.

This is the fourth and final edition of the GLC newsletter for 2011. Many thanks to GLC memberswho have written articles and provided photos for the newsletter this year; the wonderful GLC newsletter designers and publishers Jackie Cann and John Harrison from Make Art Work;and all the incredibly supportive local business sponsors that have advertised through the newsletter in 2011. We wish every member of the GLC a safe,relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. Many thanks to all those who have supported GLC endeavours during 2011, especially to those most important people of all, our students- have a fantastic, well deserved break and come back ready to embrace all that your Gateway Learning Community schools are planning for 2012.

The early areas are beginning to reach maturity, and to the casual eye look just like they occurred naturally. It hoped that through theexperience of planting at the site the students will feel an ongoingconnection to this bushland to ensure it is valued into the future.

Hosted by the Brisbane City Council in conjunction with the CannonHill Bush Care Group, this year students participated in hands-onactivities run by the Cannon Hill Police Beat officers, Downfall Creekand Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre Rangers, Brisbane CityCouncil Environmental Officers, Cannon Hill Bushcare Group volunteers and special guest, Geckoes Wildlife, who brought snakes,lizards, frogs, turtles and many other native animals along for thestudents to see and touch!

Thank you to both Ranger Craig Hardie and colleagues from Brisbane City Council who arranged the activities and providedlunch and refreshments for all attending, and to the wonderfulCannon Hill Bushcare Group volunteers Teresa Radburn, MattMcLachlan, Jenny Riches and Nata Preston. Your work is inspirational. If you would like to assist these volunteers in anyway their vital work please contact Teresa or Matt on (07) 3390 8727.

Three top accolades have been awarded to GLC member school, Bulimba State School, for their whole school sustainable approach to curriculum, governance, resource management and partnershipswith other schools and the community.

Education Queensland’s annual awards for state schools, theShowcase Awards for Excellence, are awarded each year to outstanding schools who have initiated innovative programs andpractices that demonstrate significant and continued improvement inthe learning outcomes of their students. Bulimba SS was a worthy2011 winner in the The RemServ Showcase Award for Excellencein Innovation category.

Bulimba SS has also been announced as Keep Australia Beautiful’s2011 Greenest and Healthiest School in Queensland. Keep AustraliaBeautiful CEO, Rick Burnett said, “Bulimba State School has beensetting very high standards for many years, and this year has beenrewarded with the top prize. Bulimba SS illustrates the philosophythat if we all work together, we can make a difference”.

Further to these successes Bulimba SS has been awarded $50,000as a finalist in the Qld Government’s Healthy Queensland Awards,which provides funding to support programs that will improve thehealth of local communities.

Bulimba SS has built a reputation as leader in sustainable practices, education and outreach.

As the lead school for many years of our local GLC QESSI (QueenslandEnvironmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative) Hub and now as the QldDemonstration School for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Gardens Program, Bulimba SS has taken every opportunity to build an holistic learning environment instilling in studentsrespect for the environment and themselves, responsibility for their actions, the integrity of all life on earth, and the needto understand and include all people and perspectives.

Congratulations to the whole Bulimba SS school communityon this well deserved success!

Above - Representative parents from GLC schools have been meeting regularly as theGLC P&Cs Network since June 2003. The group shares ideas and information and actas a two-way communication link between each school’s P&C.

Pictured here at their Term 3 meeting are the GLC parents who had kindly volunteeredto act as GLC P&Cs Network reps this year. From left Catherine Raff- Seven Hills SS, Liz Heaton- Norman Park SS, Sarah Donnan- Bulimba SS, Sally Schmidt- Balmoral SHS,Rachel Jones (and Susan Trotter) - Cannon Hill SS, and Debbie Hunter (and Robert Stansfield) - Murarrie SS. The network is continuing in 2012. Any GLC parent is welcome to attend these relatively informal meetings. Contact your Parent Rep if youwould like to come along with them- contact details are on the GLC website under‘Other networks’.

Left - GLC Groundsmen are maximizing opportunities for sharing and collaborating since they have begun meeting regularly as the GLC Groundsmen’sNetwork since the beginning of 2010. Working alone on heavy or awkwardmaintenance tasks is made a lot easier if another pair of hands is there to assist. The GLC groundsmen willingly offer their help, equipment and expertiseto each other which they all appreciate greatly. Pictured here recently assistingMorningside SS groundsman Dennis Fitzgerald remove an old fence at theschool are from left fellow GLC Groundsmen Ross Stokes- Cannon Hill SS,Fred Collishaw- Bulimba SS, Pat Egan- Balmoral SHS and Phil Young- teacherfrom Bulimba SS.

Above - Rebecca Gilmore from The Smith Familythank Bulimba SS Student2student participants fortheir involvement in 2011.

Left - Habitat Brisbane Officer,Kate Flink, showsNorman Park SSstudents the correctway to handle a native seedling.

Left - Each area GLC students have planted withnatives since 2004 have been signposted.

Right - Students from Yr 4 at SevenHills SS play a native animal game tolearn about local bush habitats.

Above - Norman Park SS students receive their Certificates of Participation in the Student2student program from the Smith Family’sRebecca Gilmore

Please support thelocal businesses whosupport the GLC

GLC page1&4_- 21/11/11 1:25 PM Page 1

glc newsletter december 2011

Documents

glc staff

networks of glc teachers

successful glc

glc website

student2studentreading

program thereaders

student2student program

representative teachers