21 March 2025

Important Dates

Principal’s Report

Dear East Ayr State School

Welcome to Week 8. Congratulations to all of our Year 3 and Year 5 students who have completed their NAPLAN tests. This important check in features twice in Primary School and twice in Secondary School. The tests give us information on the quality of our programs, the achievement of our students and the progress made from test to test. We use this information to improve our offerings and programs.

It takes a big effort to prepare for and execute the testing window. I’d like to acknowledge the work of our classroom teachers who prepare our students each and every year of their schooling journey, our NAPLAN Coordinators who organise the testing sessions, ready the computer labs, apply the support provisions and supervise the tests, our Teacher Aides for their support to settle the children’s nerves and our wonderful P&C Association for rewarding the children for their efforts following the event. It’s goodbye to NAPLAN for another year and time to get back to our regular school routine.

Reading is one of our important school priorities

This is our first year of implementing Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum. In this version of the curriculum, our students are required to carry a greater independent reading load. Independent reading means that our students are able to decode all the words and draw the intended meaning from the text. This has triggered some changes to the way we are working with the kids- if they are expected to carry a greater reading load than we need to explicitly teach and practice this work often in each and every classroom. I was able to capture some outstanding Year 3 reading work this week that demonstrates our little people are in safe hands. The following pictures show our kids with an authentic text in hand working hard on their reading fluency. Reading fluency is the combination of our reading accuracy, speed and expression. Well done Mr. Knight and 3B for working on the right things at the right time- this is how you make healthy and confident people.

P&C AGM- 24 March 2025

Our Parents and Citizens Association supports our school with events and fundraising. We have completed lots of important projects around the place and we have fun doing it. Many of our current committee members are coming to the end of their Primary School journey. It’s a natural time of renewal so we are looking for the next dedicated crew of caring committee members. We have lots of different roles to match varying levels of commitment and time allocation. Come to our meeting on Monday night at 7PM in the Library to find out more information about how you can get involved.

Have a great week.
Chris Wicks- Principal

P & C News

Thank you to everyone that helped at our first disco for the year, it was very successful and such a great event for our little people, we made an awesome profit of $2100.

Lasts year's raffle also saw a great profit of $3457. Thank you again to all involved! 

Over the next two years we have multiple P&C executive and general committee members who will be ‘aging out’ as it will be their child’s last year/s at East Ayr. Without a committee we will have no P&C.

We need your help!!

We are approaching the parents of Year 3 – 5 students to take on a role within the P&C as the commitment to the committee would only be 2 or 3 years. The role could be either a general or executive position. The P&C is an integral part of our school community. We provide a parent voice, financial support and social opportunities as well the important services of the tuckshop and uniform for the school. Over the past few years, we have been integral in bringing the uniform shop back to our school; creating the ‘Prep Precinct’ including a new covered outdoor learning and eating area and a sandpit; the installation of the LED screen at the stage and the construction of a shaded pick-up waiting space on Davenport Street. This year the P&C are purchasing and installing 2 new sets of cold-water bubblers. All these projects have had a positive impact on our school, and are all heavily funded by the P&C.

We need your help!

We ask you to strongly consider joining the P&C team, it is a great way to meet new people and it really isn’t as scary as it appears. You will get to know our great school administration team and become familiar with some of the ins and outs of running our amazing school.

I would like to invite you to our next P&C meeting on Monday 24 March, 7pm in the school library. Bring a buddy and come along to see what we are all about.

We look forward to seeing you! 

General News

School Photographs – Save the Date

School photos will take place on Friday 21 May. Students will require a blue formal shirt for the photographs. Ordering envelopes will be sent home soon. Parents are able to order photographs online or via the envelope. Details of online ordering are included with the envelope.

East Ayr Easter Eggstravaganza! 

As part of our end of term celebrations, the students in Prep, Years 1 and 2 will be involved in an Easter Hat Parade. The parade will take place on Friday 4 April.  Parents and friends are invited to assemble by 9:10am so that the students can parade their hats and present a song or poem beginning at 9:15am.

Last week a note was sent home via SMS with information about this event. We are looking forward to this day and hope you can join us in the celebrations.

Tennis FREE Come and Try Day

Home Hill Tennis is excited to announce that Junior Tennis Coaching is set to start up in Term 2 commencing on Tuesday 22^nd April with a FREE Come and Try Day for everyone. The program will run during the cooler weather for Term 2 and Term 3.

Kayla Accornero will return as Club Coach but as Next Point Coaching having started up her own business. Kayla hales from Ingham so is comfortable working with our regional players.

To sign up for coaching in Term 2 contact Kayla Accornero kaylajodie03@gmail.com or homehilltennis@gmail.com

Cost for lessons $108 ($12 /week when paying for the whole term)

Annual Coaching Membership to the club $20

Benefits aside from physical, social and emotional benefits include public liability insurance, free daytime court hire for kids, Hot Shots shirt and you get to use great facilities with new modern amenities.

Why not get the kids and you into a sport you can enjoy for life – TENNIS!.

With classes for children as young as 3 years, we really do have something for everyone.

Limited places for all classes. Please contact Kayla kayla.jodie03@gmail.com or phone 0408014066

East Ayr Stars!

Students of the Week

Class Awards

PE Awards

Science Awards

Wellbeing

It’s not your imagination that more kids are struggling to do things for themselves, solve simple problems, and expect constant direction. They aren’t self-directed or confident kids. We are in a culture where were are worried about our children getting hurt therefore, we treat them as fragile. The funny thing is, this makes them more fragile! Building independence at home will naturally make them better students at school while also reduce anxiety and boosting confidence. Some classrooms will be sending home ‘special’ homework projects in weeks 9 and 10 called “Let Grow Experience”. This encourages students to do something independently (i.e. without their parents!). This simple activity has been proven to reduce anxiety (see this article for proof - https://letgrow.org/independence-therapy-study/). If your class is not participating, that is not a problem, you can still ask your child to do something, on their own, that they have never done before. Follow this link for more help for parents/carers - https://letgrow.org/program/parents-and-families/

This video is an excellent summary and explanation of the importance of childhood independence - 

Responding to rumours/inappropriate stories

When our children hear rumours or inappropriate stories from other people, it is important that we provide them the skills to navigate these situations. The Daniel Morcombe Foundation encourages us to use the three R’s; Recognise, React and Report (see below poster).

• Recognise – our body clues will tell us that the information is not appropriate (e.g. funny tummy, hair stands on end, heart pounding, sweaty palms etc)
• React – encourage students to REACT to keep themselves safe. This may include telling the person to stop or walking away from the conversation
• Report – students should be able to name 5 SAFETY HELPERS they can report to. It is important that they tell an adult so we can help. If parents/carers have concerns, they are encouraged to reach out to the school

Our children deserve their childhood and this means NOT being exposed to inappropriate conversations. Our school is committed to following up any concerns and supporting families.

Chappy’s Chat

East Ayr 5

I love it at lunch times, when I’m walking around the school, having students frequently saying: ”Hello Chappy John, how are you today?”  It is so nice when people care for other people.

Does that happen to you all the time?  Are people always nice to you?  Is everyone always friendly?

The answers, sadly, often are: No, No and No.

This is why we have the East Ayr 5, which Mr Ricketts spoke about on Parade a few weeks ago, and which we made our goal for that week to follow by doing it.

The East Ayr 5 is all about how you respond to how someone else treats you:

1. Ignore – Whatever they said or did may have been not meant or was a mistake: Let it go.
   If they do it again:
2. Walk Away – Perhaps you can avoid a fight if you just move to somewhere else: The issue may then be forgotten.
   If they do it again:
3. Talk Nicely – “Please don’t say or do that – I do not like it.”
   If they do it again:
4. Talk Firmly – “Stop hurting me or I will tell a Teacher.”
   If they do it again:
5. Tell a Teacher – Talk to the Teacher on duty nearest you and do it now.
   Also when you get home, it may be a good idea to add a number 6:
6. Talk to Mum and Dad – They care about you and are often very wise in their ideas.

Sometimes our world is not a happy place, but we need to be careful we do not make unhappy events worse by getting angry or hitting back.  Be careful to not jump from 1 to 5.  You need to learn to solve your friendship problems yourself and not always get a Teacher to do it for you.  The East Ayr 5 is a good way to remember the best way to treat others when unhappy things happen.

Thank you for always being so friendly to me.  I like it!

Chappy John

Notices