20 July 2016

Newsletter Articles

Student Safety

A.) Pikki Street entrance. On Parade last week we spoke to the students about being safe around the development happening on the bordering block of land.

It was suggested that using the pathway at the Prep entrance would be a safer way to move to and from school and away from the construction site and traffic and not to climb any gates that are closed.

A reminder was given to use the pedestrian crossing correctly and with care.

Could I also ask parents to ensure that they very aware when driving in the car park area, to use the designated car parking areas and to be aware of student movement in the area? Also, all schools are aware that police do patrol school zones and enforce the laws to assist maintain the safety of the students and parents.

B). We are currently investigating the use of a SMS service for student absences, which hopefully will have a number of benefits for both parents and the school. Those who have students in high school will be already familiar with SMS messaging for student absences and alerts.

Envelope home to parents

This week we have sent home an envelope with a number of documents for parents. Please check your child’s bag!

a) Student Contact Details Update – to ensure we are able to accurately send SMS messages to parents around absences and any school alerts please complete the student contact details update form and return to the office. Could all parents do this as a matter of urgency?

b) Parent and Teacher Interview – beginning of Semester two – return the form to your child’s class teacher

c) School Opinion Survey – to complete online, or see Mrs Pool or Mr Maish to access a computer in the library before school one morning.

Semester One Report Cards & Parent Teacher Interviews

For the very first time at Maroochydore State School all student reports were emailed home during the first week of the holidays. We joined a number of schools in our region also doing this for the first time. Unfortunately, an IT issue with our template delayed our process by a day and again our apologies for this delay and I thank you for your understanding and patience.

This week your child should have come home with a note around our second parent and teacher interview for the 2016 school year. These interviews will be held across Week 3 and Week 4 and all parents are requested to attend, as it is an important time to share information on your child’s progress and the goals for the upcoming semester. Please return the form to your child’s teacher as soon as possible. Every effort is made to accommodate all requests for appointment times.

School Opinion Survey

The annual School opinion Survey is now open until July 29, 2016. All families, school staff and a random sample of students are invited to participate. We encourage you to take the time to reflective complete and the survey and have your say about what the school does well, and how this school can further improve.

Access details for the Parent/Caregiver Survey were sent home on Monday.

Over the last four years we have achieved a high overall positive tone as all staff strive to further develop all children in our supportive and encouraging school environment.

School Wide Positive Behaviour

Week 1 – Bee a Learner. I arrive on time and I am ready for learning.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Our focus over the first week of term will be:
Week 1 Be a Learner – I come to school every day, I arrive on time and I am ready to learn.

Every day counts

As we start a new of term, parents are reminded of the importance of sending children to school every day. Being at school every day is important, if with one day absent each week quickly adding up to two months of missed lessons in a year.

Unless your child is ill, it is expected that your child will be at school learning every day of the school year.

More information on the importance of regular school attendance is available via the link below. The videos associated with this link highlight issues often faced by parents and dispel some myths about absences form school and are worth a look.

By sending your child to school every day we are together developing good habits for success at primary school and beyond. When parents do not support developing a solid routine of attending school every day issues of truancy and poor work habits can emerge.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance please do not hesitate to contact the school for support.

Week 2 - Be a Learner – being organised for school and learning each day. Being prepared and ready for learning. Being on Time, not missing out on any learning.

Term 3

Some standard expectations for all students:

When students are at school, they are here to learn and improve their knowledge, skills and abilities.

Every day counts – attending every day enhances the learning for every student!

Minor fashions and trends are a distraction to student learning and our school uniform is to be worn.

We thank all parents for working with us to support your child to be focussed on their learning when at school.

Year 6 Students

For all Year 6 students enrolled at Maroochydore SHS for 2017 you are invited to attend the MSHS on Thursday 28th July for Project Extend. This is a transition day that runs from 8:45am until 2:30pm and has the students completing one of the following electives for the day.

• Photography, Film & Television ‘Movie Making’
• Toy Designs – Manual Arts
• PE Health ‘Fitness’
• Scientific Processes and Other Strange Things
• Music Experiences ‘I Write the Songs’ using Computers
• Home Economics ‘Treats You Can Eat’

Students will be transported by bus to and from the high school on this day. The bus is being provided by the high school at no cost to the students.

Parents are also asked to note you are invited to sessions at MSHS on August 10 and December 1.

LOTE - Japanese

On 28th August students from Maroochydore State School, years 4, 5 and 6 will be competing with all the other selected students from Sunshine Coast Schools that have been learning Japanese.

This is an annual event that gives students an opportunity to use their language speaking skills in a competitive forum. Contestants will receive a certificate and participation bag for their efforts.

Good luck to all the students who are practising and thankyou to parents, grandparents, friends and relations who are going to be encouraging them to practise!

Arigatoo gozaimasu, Sensei, Louise Vale.

2016 Premier’s Reading Challenge

All Maroochydore State School students have been registered for this year’s Premier’s reading challenge. Every student who completes the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier. These will be presented on parade in November.

For more information about the Premier’s Reading Challenge, please visit:

You can play a big part in your children’s future by encouraging them to be part of this positive initiative. We look forward to seeing as many of our students as possible embrace the 2016 Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Community Partnerships

We are currently discussing two exciting projects with the developers of the Sunshine Plaza. One is around some beautification works to happen in the front areas of the ECDP and Prep grounds and the other is a project that will continue to greatly enhance our school facilities and further improve the resources available to all children at our school.

Parents/Caregivers – are you an artist, graphic artist, or an artistic visionary? We have an idea that needs to grow! Please contact Mr Maish or Mrs Pool.

P&C News

Just a few things from the P&C…

Classroom Readers

The P&C is in the process of updating the classroom reading books the students bring home each week (you may have noticed some of them are a little bit dated!). If you know of any readers that your child enjoyed (maybe from the local library or a friend’s house), or have suggestions on topics/subjects that might be interesting for the students and keep them engaged in reading, please let us know! You can leave a note at the office for the P&C, or email me on doncobeth@gmail.com

Tuckshop

• Two Day/Week Trial

The tuckshop will remain open on Mondays and Fridays for another month, and we will decide in early August if we are able to keep the service available on two days/week. It will come down to how many families are making use of the tuckshop service on a Monday, so if you are enjoying not having to stress about school lunches on Mondays then please keep up your support!

• Ice Block and Hot Drink Orders at the Tuckshop

There seems to be some confusion over what happens when children order ice blocks and hot drinks on their tuckshop order bags.

If these items are ordered, we cannot send them down in the classroom tuckshop bags at breaktime, as the iceblocks would melt too quickly, and the hot chocolates would spill everywhere. They need to be collected from the tuckshop when it is time to eat.

Tuckshop volunteers will take the money from your child’s order bag in the morning, and circle the item(s) needing to be collected in a nice bright colour. Their bag will be sent down to the classroom as normal, along with any other items they have ordered in it. Your child needs to bring the order bag up to the tuckshop when they are ready to eat/drink, and we will give them the circled item then.

If you have any questions, please ask Bronny at the tuckshop!

• Tuckshop Volunteers

We also have our usual request for volunteers to help in the tuckshop. We cannot keep the tuckshop open without volunteer help, and we are desperate for people to help on a Friday. Anytime you can give is great, even if it is just an hour or two every now and then – we don’t need you to make a regular commitment. Morning tea is provided for volunteers, and there are a range of different things that need doing, so Bronny will be able to find something you feel confident doing (and most of the tasks are things we do daily at home anyway!) Please see her at the tuckshop, email me on doncobeth@gmail.com , or leave your name at the office and we can contact you back.