Marshall Road State School

Prep Handbook

2020

Contents School Details .................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Term Dates 2020 ............................................................................................................................................................... 3

Welcome to Marshall Road State School .......................................................................................................................... 4

Welcome! From the Prep Teaching Team ........................................................................................................................ 5

The Journey of the Prep Child ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Parents and Caregivers of Prep Students ......................................................................................................................... 5

Preparing your child for Prep ............................................................................................................................................ 6

Marshall Road State School - Early Years’ Philosophy ...................................................................................................... 6

Expectations for Starting Prep .......................................................................................................................................... 7

Daily Routine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Prep Teacher Aides ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

Specialist Lessons .............................................................................................................................................................. 7

Support Services ............................................................................................................................................................... 8

Arrival at School ................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Departure from School ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Lunch Breaks ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Uniform ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Lost Property ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Student Progress ............................................................................................................................................................... 8

Newsletter ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Homework ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Visiting the school ............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Treasures and Toys ........................................................................................................................................................... 9

P&C Association ................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Outside School Hours Care ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Emergency Contact Details ............................................................................................................................................... 9

General Information ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

School Details

Postal Address: Marshall Road State School

Kurts Street

Holland Park West QLD 4121

Email: admin@marshallroadss.eq.edu.au

Web: marshallroadss.eq.edu.au

Telephone: (07) 3422 8222

Absentee Line (07) 3422 8277

Term Dates 2020

Term 1 Tuesday 28 January – Friday 3 April 10 weeks

Term 2 Monday 20 April - Friday 26 June 10 weeks

Term 3 Monday 13 July - Friday 18 September 10 weeks

Term 4 Tuesday 6 October - Friday 11 December 10 weeks

Welcome to Marshall Road State School At Marshall Road State School, we aim to prepare our students to be safe, caring learners. Our school prides itself on

a strong tradition of connected community. We strive to make our school a supportive environment where each

student feels valued as an individual.

Marshall Road State School is situated on 3.4 hectares of land within the Brisbane Metropolitan area. It has catered

for the Holland Park West and surrounding community since 1960, offering unique, quality educational activities.

Our facilities include a PAC (Performing Arts Centre), Resource Centre, STEM lab, designated Art Studio space,

Computer Lab, 25 metre swimming pool and an OSHC (Out of School Hours Care). All classrooms are air-conditioned.

Effective implementation of curriculum is the core business and central focus of our school. Students participate in

specialised art, music, STEM, health and physical education and languages (Japanese Yr 4-6) lessons. Students have

the opportunity to participate in instrumental music, through a selection process, in strings and band. Students also

have the opportunity to participate in an interschool sporting competition in years 4-6.

At Marshall Road, we aim to prepare pupils to take their place as contributing community members. This is achieved

through our values:

A Chance to Shine: Students are provided with a holistic educational experience which values creativity,

academia, sport, innovation and inquiry. Our school caters for diversity through well-supported programs

organised within and beyond our school. Extra-curricular activities and clubs provide opportunities for

students to engage in a broad range of learning experiences. A number of special events occur throughout

the year, providing opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills and talents.

A School with Heart: Community connectedness and intergenerational relationships are strong within our

school. Fundraising events, charity days and projects designed to promote care of our environment and

community are encouraged and prioritised.

An Innovative Approach: Our staff are committed to adopting and applying a range of diverse strategies,

practices, and opportunities for students in accordance with our culture of continuous improvement.

Thinking, innovation and inquiry is placed at the forefront of teaching, learning and engagement.

An Engaging Education: Opportunities are provided for students to participate in a variety of the very best

educational experiences. Parents, community and school staff work together to create a learning

environment that is safe, supportive and promotes learning.

Building Futures and Success: Our facilities, including our pool, Resource Centre, Performing Arts Centre,

Computer Lab, Art and STEM rooms provide opportunities for students to explore their talents. School

grounds are well-maintained and renewed.

We look forward to working with you in the years to come to ensure our students enjoy a positive start to school and

continued success.

Nicole King

Principal

A Message from the Prep Teaching Team Dear Families, We are excited to welcome you and your child to Marshall Road State School! We understand that the transition from kindergarten, home, child care or family day care to school is a significant change and one that we want to make as smooth and easy as possible. You will no doubt have many questions and we aim to give you the information you will need through this handbook, our school website, transition days and, most importantly, through communication with our friendly staff. A sincere welcome is extended to you and we trust that your child’s learning experience in our school will be an exciting and positive one supported by all members of our school community. We look forward to sharing in your child’s learning journey and celebrating their successes together. Yours Sincerely,

The Marshall Road Prep Team

The Journey of the Prep Child To be a Prep student at Marshall Road State School, your child will turn 5 before the 30th of June in the year they enrol. Over the coming school year, your child will grow, develop and mature in many ways. The change from the first day of Prep in Term 1 to the last day of Prep in Term 4 is tremendous. Children of this age actively build on their knowledge. Your child's memory and powers of observation increase and their ability to learn is better now than it will ever be. They will explore, investigate, problem solve and predict as they engage in their learning. They will make many friends and learn to be tolerant and get along. Your child will try a wide range of new things and take risks in their learning. They will learn to be confident, resilient, persistent and organised. Your child will set their own learning goals and celebrate their achievements.

Parents and Caregivers of Prep Students Parents, caregivers and relatives play a vital and valued role in the education of each child. We appreciate your involvement in supporting students and encourage you to discuss with your child’s teacher the ways in which you may be able to provide assistance in the classroom. You can do this by:

Volunteering in the classroom and joining in with our learning experiences.

Reading noticeboards and school newsletters that are sent to your email.

Supporting excursions and special events.

Reading to your child, or your child reading to you, daily.

Supporting us by talking with your child about their day.

Supporting our rules and consequences.

Informing us of any concerns, ideas or suggestions that you have.

Parental roles and responsibilities:

Prep year is the first year of compulsory school enrolment. Education for your child is important and regular attendance at school is essential for them to achieve their educational best.

Ensure your child comes to school every day and on time to establish consistent school routines, positive interactions and full participation in learning activities. Students who consistently arrive late cause disruption to the class routine and their own learning.

Taking family holidays throughout the term is discouraged.

Read all the information available in order to be familiar with our policies, practices and events. Further information can be found on our school website or in our regular newsletter.

Clearly label ALL your child’s personal belongings NB: please do not label your child’s booklist items.

If you have any questions or queries in relation to your child’s experience at school, please make an appointment with the classroom teacher.

Notify the office staff of any changes related to address, email address, phone numbers, emergency contact and phone numbers.

Preparing your child for Prep Develop listening skills:

Play games that involve following instructions. Build communication confidence:

Encourage your child to retell what happened in stories, movies and events during the day.

Sing or be dramatic in front of family and friends.

Expect verbal responses to questions.

Discourage others from speaking for your child. Develop independence:

Encourage your child to do tasks on their own.

Give your your child chores and responsibilities.

Remember mistakes are a great learning tool.

Have set routines.

Talk about Prep and what drop off and pick up times will be like. Develop fine motor skills by:

Using pencils, scissors and crayons.

Manipulating clay or dough. Develop numeracy skills.

Counting steps.

Noticing numbers.

Talking about size and shape. Develop early literacy skills.

Reading to students.

Noticing signs and words.

Sounding out words

Encourage your child to experiment with writing

Marshall Road State School - Early Years’ Philosophy In Prep, your child will have opportunities to learn in many different ways. Prep teachers support student's learning by applying the Age Appropriate Pedagogies Framework within the parameters of the Australian Curriculum, keeping a range and balance between explicit and direct teaching, and play, event, inquiry and project learning. Students in Prep make decisions, solve problems, develop thinking skills, collaborate, communicate and develop a positive sense of self.

As a school community, we recognise our strengths are in our students, staff and families and our aim is to: • Build partnerships with parents, community and schools. • Provide a program that is both challenging and responsive to the diverse needs of our students. • Continue to foster appropriate early childhood practices in all that we do.

Prep provides the foundation for your child’s success at school by developing: • A positive approach to learning • Independence and confidence • Thinking and problem solving skills • Language skills • Early literacy, numeracy and ICT skills • Physical abilities, including gross and fine motor skills

Expectations for Starting Prep

Please be sure your child is well-rested, well-nourished and well-prepared to start their day.

Talk positively about school and discuss your new routines.

Encourage your child’s independence.

Ensure your child is confidently able to toilet themselves in a timely manner and know how to wash their hands after toileting.

Encourage your child to take responsibility at home. Being responsible for regular household tasks such as setting the table, wiping up, folding clothes and tidying their own toys away teaches confidence, reliability and responsibility.

Have your child practise eating lunch from their lunch box over the holidays. This way you can help your child learn to open packets,

• Unwrap glad wrap on food items or put straws into poppers.

Ensure your child knows how to blow their nose and wash their hands afterwards.

Daily Routine This is a general overview of the time structure of your child’s Prep day:

8:30 First bell rings. Students play on the oval or talk with friends near the buildings

8:45 Bell is rung to enter the classroom

8:50 Roll is marked and instruction begins

11:00 Eating time

11:10 Play time

11:40 Second session begins

1:10 Eating time

1:20 Play time

1:50 Third session begins

3:00 School finishes

Prep Teacher Aides Our full-time teacher aides in Prep are an integral part of our team. Our teacher aides are experienced with children and families and work closely with all members of our team.

Specialist Lessons Prep students attend Music, Art, STEM and Health and Physical Education lessons each week with specialist

teachers. Prep classes also visit the Library and access technology on a weekly basis for borrowing books and

developing ICT skills.

Support Services The classroom teacher is able to access a variety of support services within the school to help our students develop towards their full potential:

Guidance Officer

Speech and Language Therapist

Inclusion Mentor

Special Education Teacher

English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) Resources

Specialist Teacher Aides

Arrival at School

The classroom will always have the door open from 8.45am.

All students should arrive at school by 8:50 am to get ready for the day. If you arrive later than 9:00am, you MUST take your child to the office and sign them in. A Late Slip will be provided by the office staff and this must then be given to your child’s teacher on arrival at the classroom.

If you are volunteering in your child’s classroom, please sign in at the office.

Encourage your child to independently unpack their schoolbag and complete their morning tasks.

All playground areas are out of bounds for all children before and after school unless supervised by a teacher.

Departure from School

School finishes at 3:00pm.

Please notify the class teacher about how your child will be picked up in the afternoon - For example, Kidszone (Outside School Hours Care), older sibling, parent, carer etc.

If you need to pick your child up early for an appointment, please sign your child out at the office. Arrangements will be made for your child to be brought to the office.

Lunch Breaks Please pack lunch for first and second break. Food could include sandwiches, wraps, rolls, fruit, vegetables, cheese, and yoghurt. A bottle of water is also a necessity. Please monitor and adjust your child’s lunches as needed. Tuckshop is also available on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please note, we are a nut free school.

Uniform The Marshall Road State School uniform is available through flexi-schools or through our uniform shop. Prep students wear a yellow hat. Marshall Road State School is a Sun Smart school and has a “no hat, no play” policy. A more detailed Student Dress Code is available on our website. Our P&C continually strive to provide a quality and affordable school uniform for all families.

Lost Property Please label all items with your child’s name. In the event that something is lost, please check the lost property basket/racks near the uniform shop under A block.

Student Progress Please feel free to arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time to discuss your child’s development and progress. If there is something you are unsure of with our program, please ask. Parents will receive written reports in June and December. Student Progress Meetings occur early in Term 1 and Term 3.

Newsletter An electronic newsletter is sent via email every fortnight. A link will also be available on the school’s website: marshallroadss.eq.edu.au News, forthcoming events and matters of interest regarding school life are contained in these newsletters. Please make sure your family has provided the office with your most current email address to ensure you receive this newsletter. Bulletins with important information will be sent home via the students when required.

Homework Students will receive homework each week. The most important part of home learning is reading with your child and discussing the book afterwards. If you have any questions regarding homework, please see your teacher.

Visiting the school To support our security and safety initiatives, if you visit the school during school hours, you are required to come to the school office in order to be issued with a Visitor’s Pass for workplace health and safety reasons.

Treasures and Toys

Toys and other trinkets brought from home can get damaged or lost. Class teachers will arrange how special items

can be brought along for Show and Tell in the classroom.

P&C Association You are invited to join the Marshall Road State School P&C Association and take part in a variety of school activities such as: policy development; financial planning and budgeting; tuckshop management; fundraising activities; and school or classroom functions. Our P&C meets regularly at the school and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings. Meeting dates are advised in our school newsletter and on our P&C Facebook page.

Outside School Hours Care Our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Program is run by our P&C Association. The Program takes place at school. It

is well organised and offers a stimulating range of activities. The fully supervised Program is available to parents who

would like to have their students minded before and/or after school. It is also available for occasional and

emergency use. Special Programs are generally available through the school holidays. An Enrolment Form is available

from the school administration office.

Emergency Contact Details It is essential that parents keep their contact numbers and the numbers of nominated emergency contacts up-to-date at all times. Please inform the office immediately if there is a change to any of your contact numbers.

General Information

Sick Students

If your child is too unwell to attend school, please contact us via the absence line (07) 3422 8277.

Students with infectious diseases such as conjunctivitis or impetigo must be excluded from school for specified

times. If your child or a sibling contracts German measles, whooping cough or any other serious, contagious disease,

please inform us immediately. At any time we may have a number of students attending Marshall Road State School

with serious childhood illnesses and it is essential that their parents are informed of any contagious illnesses within

the school. If your child has had a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or is “off colour” 12 hours before coming to school,

please keep him/her at home. Running noses and bad coughs easily spread infection. Parents are asked to be

considerate of other families and staff by keeping their child at home until the infection clears. If the teacher

believes your child is unwell on arrival, or if there is a chance of cross infection, he/she may ask that your child be

taken home. When a child becomes ill during the school hours, they will be taken to our first aide room and their

parent or emergency contact person will be notified.

Hygiene

Viruses and bacteria spread very quickly and easily amongst children in close contact. To minimise cross infection:

Children are encouraged to wash hands before eating and after toileting.

Children will be sent home if they appear unwell.

Illness/Accidents

Parents will be advised at the end of the school day of a minor incident. If the accident is more serious in nature

(including any head injury) and/or requires further attention, parents will be contacted immediately. If necessary,

the ambulance will be called and an adult will go with the child to the hospital. An “incident” register is held at the

school to comply with Workplace Health and Safety Regulations.

Medication

Prescribed medicine can be administered by office staff, in accordance with doctor’s instructions, if it is supplied in

the original packaging with a pharmacy label and prescribed by a doctor. Teachers cannot give any medications.

Parents/caregivers must also complete our Administration of Medication form, available at the office, so that

medication can be administered. Medication must then be given directly to the office and is not to be left in bags.

Immunisation

The school supports the recommendations that all students be up-to-date with immunisations, which help prevent

serious diseases. Please review your child’s records before enrolling at school.

Head Lice

This issue can be a problem throughout the year. Head lice must be treated before students may return to school.

Please notify your teacher if your child has head lice, so that other parents can be prompted to check their children’s

hair. If your child has head lice, it will be dealt with using the utmost confidentiality. Keeping long hair tied back is

compulsory under our student dress code and helps reduce the chance of becoming infected.

Impetigo (school sores)

This is a fairly common childhood disease that is highly contagious. If your child should contract ‘school sores’ you must

exclude them from school until you have sought medical attention. The sores must be covered with a water tight dressing

when they return to school.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life threatening allergic reaction often triggered by insect stings or certain types of

foods including peanuts, tree nuts, seafood and/or egg and milk products. An anaphylactic shock episode is a medical

emergency and must be treated immediately. Reaction symptoms may include hives, vomiting, a drop in blood pressure,

difficulty breathing, disorientation and even unconsciousness. Where a student or staff member in your child’s sector of

the school has a potentially life threatening allergic reaction, the school will inform you of this situation and steps that

you can take to minimise the risks of exposure to allergens.