Week 11 Alternative Program - (Monday 9th December to Friday 13th December 2024).
Note: School times will change for Week 11 ONLY to be 8:30am to 2:30pm (Monday 9th December to Friday 13th December 2024).
Due to the school year, this year, comprising of 41 weeks (rather than the usual 40 weeks), state schools across Queensland are engaging in the opportunity to implement an enhanced focus on student engagement, cultural and wellbeing activities through alternative programs in week 11 (9th December to 13th December).
School times will change for Week 11 ONLY to be 8:30am to 2:30pm (Monday 9th December to Friday 13th December 2024).
Additional information for parents and Carers:
· Supervision of students before school in the morning would commence from 8am as usual; Before school each day from 8am to 8:30am, students will be asked to go to the following areas:
o Prep students to go to the PC undercover area
o Years 1 and 2 students to go to the J Block under croft area
o Years 3 and 4 to go to the Year 3 under covered area
o Years 5 and 6 to go to the Emblem covered area
- In week 10 students will take home all their resources from their classroom. During week 11 students attending, will be asked to bring to school their pencil case, lunches, water bottle and a hat;
- Students will still have age-appropriate lunch break times and separate play times for the senior school and junior school;
- Each day their regular/ familiar teacher will meet students and mark rolls, and will farewell students at the end of the day as a check in;
- Kiss and Ride supervision will start from 2:30pm and will conclude at 3pm, with parents collecting their children by 3pm during week 11- only.
- If parents are unable to collect their child by 3pm, students would be brought to a limited supervised location in the school grounds until parents are able to collect their child as soon after 3pm. Please note this would not extend past 3:30pm as per normal collection times.
- Students who catch the bus to and from school will be accommodated during this week, to ensure supervision while they are waiting for the bus as per normal.
- McDowall OSHC will communicate further information with parents about their supervision for week 11.
- If you know your child will be absent during week 11, please add your child's absence to Qparents.
Some of the focuses for the week 11 alternative program activities will include:
- Building a growth mindset to support positive thinking and healthy wellbeing. Learning the right techniques to deal with new or unexpected situations; growing a positive mental health;
- Understanding relationships; Getting along – making new friends and the importance of feeling confident to being placed in new situations and having the social strategies to adjust;
- Communicating effectively; identifying and using communication skills that enhance relationships for particular groups and purposes in a variety of situations.
- Building on empathy, empathetic thinking and understanding the perspective of others;
- Being confident, resilient and adaptable; students will evaluate, rethink and refine approaches to tasks to take account of unexpected or difficult situations.
- Working collaboratively; cooperation in play and group activities;
- Developing leadership skills; discussing the concept of leadership and identifying situations where it is appropriate to adopt this role.
- The Learning Pit – adapting and flexible thinking.
These social skills are from the Personal and Social Capabilities of the Australian Curriculum. More information can be found at:
https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/personal-and-social-capability?element=0&sub-element=PSCSEAA