4 August 2016

Newsletter Articles

Student Safety

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. Have you returned your updated contact details form?

Wings Around the World

A local 18 year old, Lachlan Smart, is currently attempting to become the youngest person to fly solo around the world. Lachlan departed Maroochydore Airport on July 5 and is flying in an easterly direction around the world. He is currently IN England having already flying over icons like the Grand Canyon, the Mississippi River and Niagara Falls, through island paradises’ including Fiji, Pago Pago and Santa Maria.

I am delighted to share some exciting news around Lachlan’s trip. He has conducted a competition and one of our Year 6 students has been a successful entrant and wins a flight with Lachlan when he returns to Australia. Congratulations to Vaughn B on this outstanding news and I can’t wait to hear of your flight experience over the Sunshine Coast with a world record holder! Many staff are envious and delighted with this news Vaughn.

Tuckshop Volunteers – Friday

We are in need of volunteer helpers for the tuckshop. Can you help out for a few hours?

We don’t want to, but we may have to close the tuckshop on one of the days it is currently open on. Can you help out for a few hours? Please contact Bronny urgently on Friday in the tuckshop if you can help. In anticipation, many thanks for volunteering a few hours.

Nationally Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

Collecting data on school students with disability helps teachers, principals and education authorities support the participation of students with disability in schooling on the same basis as students without disability.

All Australian Governments have agreed to work together on the annual collection of data on school students with disability.

In 2013, 10% of Queensland state schools participated in the first year of implementation. In 2014, two thirds of Queensland schools participated and all schools had data collected last year. Again this year our school is involved in the nationally consistent collection of data.

Please be reassured that the Department will not provide on to another organisation any data that can identify an individual student. The only data being collected at the school level to be reported nationally is the:

• number of students in the school who are provided with an adjustment to address a disability;
• level of adjustments we provide for those students; and
• broad category of disability.

Consultation with parents is important not only for the data collection but also to ensure you aware of the adjustments being provided to support your child.

While only data that cannot identify your child will be submitted outside of the Department, if you do not wish for your child’s details to be included, please let Mrs McFadzen, Mrs Pool or myself know.

Information and fact sheets are available to help you make a decision from the:

• Department’s website: http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/disability-data-collection.html
• Australian Government Department of Education website: http://education.gov.au/nationally-consistent-collection-data-school-students-disability

Alternatively, if you have any queries about the collection or use of this data I encourage you to contact Mrs McFadzen, Mrs Pool or myself.

Naplan – Year 3 and Year 5

Parents please check your child’s bag. There should be a large envelope with your child’s NAPLAN achievement indicators for their performance in the tested Literacy and Numeracy areas.

Prep Enrolments

Now is the time all parents need to complete enrolment forms for any new students wishing to commence Prep at Maroochydore SS in 2017.

Students eligible for Prep are those born between the 1July 2011 and the 30 June 2012.

Planning is well underway and so please ensure if you or any of your friends have a 2017 Prep enrolment that you collect the enrolment forms from the office and return asap so that you get all of the information about upcoming open days and transition sessions.

News from the Writing Coach

Each week when I visit the classrooms I am always amazed to see how many students are engaged in writing. What is even more impressive is the amount of time students spend at home taking on their own writing tasks.

Recently Jasmine Thomsen and Kahlan Robinson, both in Year 6, have written and edited a short story for a Literary Competition sponsored by James Cook University, the Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory Branch, the English Teachers Association of Queensland and Penguin Random House Australia. I commend them for their diligence and efforts throughout the process. Jasmine and Kahlan have already achieved great success learning so much about the writing process.

Parents, do you know when you hear teachers talk about the Gradual Release of Responsibility, they are ensuring your child is receiving explicit instruction particularly in reading and writing. The Gradual Release of Responsibility breaks the lesson given into three parts. The first part is the I Do section where the teacher models to the whole class with the students listening. The second part is the We Do. In this section the teacher and students jointly construct what it is they are learning together. In the final section, You Do, the students have a go at completing the given task independently. At the end of the lesson all students share and celebrate their success as a whole class. Ask your child to tell you about the Gradual Release of Responsibility. See if they can show you how to do something using the strategy!

Jenny Sharp

NAPLAN Online Trial School

Helping Hands – Before & After School Care

Hi Parents/Carers it’s Aaron from Helping Hands, we are happy to announce that Blazing Billy Karts will be starting up on Tuesday 9th of August, your kids can take part in the design and construction of their own Billy Karts to take home, this activity will run for 5 weeks.

For further details there are pamphlets in the School Office also you can contact our mobile on 0427080638 between 6:30am – 8:30am and 2:00pm – 6:00pm.

Homework Club has begun at our centre and runs for half an hour each day and your child will have access to a staff member for any assistance, if you would like your child to join please let our staff know, thanks.

Also a big congrats to Jett Mitchell, Lani Schindler, Lilyan Hillman and Hunter Brown on joining the our leadership program the Helpful Huskies, thanks for being a great role model for our other students.

School Wide Positive Behaviour

Week 4

Positive Behaviour for Learning

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 at 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.

Triple P Parenting Programme

Three Seminars - Tuesday August 9, Tuesday August 23 and Tuesday September 6

The power of positive learning, raising resilient children, raising confident capable kids.

It’s free – no cost! In the School Library 8:30am – 10:30am

RSVP the School Office – 5475 1555

Our Chaplain Sam is a trained presenter and has recently conducted these sessions at another school with over 30 mums and dads. Thank you to the number of parents that have already booked in.

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.

P&C News

Just a few things from the P&C…

• 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.