15 March 2017

Newsletter Articles

Reading

Isn’t this helpful, informative and powerful to enhance your child’s success with their learning?

Encouraging our students to read at both home and at school, what a difference can be made!

School Leaders 2017

On Monday’s parade our 2017 School Leaders were presented their badges. This year Mr Ken Ernst (Deputy Principal MSHS) and Constable Greg Newman (School Based Policeman, Adopt a Cop) were the invited guests and I heard the students say that is was pretty good to receive their badge from a policeman.

Congratulations from our whole school community to:

School Leaders – Natasha and Lilyan
Sports Captains – Yaghie (Swans) and Zane (Seagulls)
Student Council – Angel and Ayden, Anna, Tyler and Rylan

P&C Bunnings BBQ

This Saturday (March 18) at our local Bunnings store the P&C is hosting the weekly BBQ. Could you spare an hour and support the P&C? Please contact the Office 5475 1555 for details and time availability.

Your support at this event assists the fundraising effort of the P&C in enhancing the resources that are available to all students in the school.

Thank you to the parents who have already added their name to the list to help out. Wonderful!

AGM and March P&C Meeting

Please note that the AGM and next P&C Meeting is on Wednesday March 22.

All parents are welcome to come along from 6pm and join in supporting your child’s school. We are meeting in the staffroom in the Administration Block.

Harmony Day

Once again it is time to celebrate Harmony Day in Australia. This year Maroochydore State School will be celebrating Harmony Day with a special assembly on Monday afternoon. The students have all been learning a new song to sing especially for the occasion. All our family and friends are invited to be at our special assembly. Then on Tuesday, everyone is asked to wear something orange, the colour of Harmony Day. If they choose, they can wear an item of clothing from the country of their heritage.

The families and the students of Maroochydore SS can trace their heritage to our original Australians as well as more than 20 other countries. The students of Maroochydore State School are a wonderful example of how we can all get along together. Harmony Day celebrates that everyone is welcome and that everyone belongs, and isn’t that something worth celebrating?

The following list adds another unique characteristic to our school. Some countries our families have come from are:

England, Ireland, India and Iran,
Sweden, Lithuania and Uzbekistan,
Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey,
China, Hong Kong, and Korea
Japan and Vietnam
Nigeria, Nepal and New Zealand,
Rotuma, Russia and the Philippines

and … Australia. If we have missed your country of origin could you please let the Office know. Thank you.

On Tuesday 21/03/2017 we encourage all students to come in the national dress of their or one of their parent’s or ancestor’s national dress or the team colours of one of that country’s national sporting teams. Please ensure that shoulders, midriffs and feet are covered and that nothing precious or irreplaceable is worn or brought to school. Students and staff will receive a ribbon, sticker, or bookmark to mark the day.

Crazy Hair, Crazy Sock day

Thank you to all students who joined in last Friday with our Crazy Sock and Crazy Hair day. We are able to donate $266.30 to the Cancer Foundation as a result of your gold coin donations. There was a wonderful array of colour and hair styles topped off by all sorts of socks, even odd socks!

School Absence and Text Messaging Service

We currently have IT technicians working on a fault in the student absence messaging service to parents and hope to have it rectified by Friday.

A reminder:

If your student is absent - Phone the Student Absence Line before 8:59am to advise of any/all occasions when your child/ren will be away from school. This is a 24hr recorded service, you can call it anytime (convenient if your child is up ill during the night!). The Maroochydore State School Student Absence Line number is 07 5475 1555 – then dial 2 and leave your child’s name class and a reason for your child’s absence.

If your student is late and the class teacher has marked the rolls - Children who arrive after the roll has closed will be required to go to the office WITH THEIR PARENT to collect a LATE SLIP for presentation to their teacher. Legally a child’s explanation for their lateness is not acceptable and is recorded as an UNEXPLAINED ABSENCE.

If/when you receive an SMS message, reply to the SMS with the reason for your child’s absence and their name immediately OR if you believe your child/ren is/should be at school contact the school office immediately to notify us.

School Photo day

Please highlight May 5 in your calendar for the annual school photo day. The P&C will forward more information closer to the date around ordering class, individual and family photos.

Year 6 Information from MSHS

All parents of Year 6 – a reminder that on March 21, Tuesday evening, at 6:30 the MSHS has an important information evening for you to attend.

Being informed, being ready is a proven strategy for a successful transition too high school.

Voluntary Financial Contribution

Thank you to the large number of parents who have already paid this year’s voluntary financial contribution. As mentioned in the letter sent home these funds enhance and add to the resources available in each classroom including the art and craft supplies and keeping our IT at the forefront. Could all parents please consider contributing the $70 ASAP.

Routines and Expectations

Wearing the correct school uniform including a broad brimmed hat for play times.

School learning starts at 8:30am sharp.

There are high expectations around student work, personal achievements and behaviour.

For any student absence please call the school before 8:30am on the day of the absence. 5475 1555

All student mobile phones are to be taken to the School Office for safe keeping during the school day. Students collect them at the end of the school teaching and learning day at 2:30pm.

School Learning Times

As it is the start of a new year it is also a good time to remind everyone about being prepared for the school learning day.

Classrooms at open at 8:20am every school day. This allows time for students to unpack their bags, come in and get their learning space organised.

This ensures all students are organised and ready to start learning at 8:30am every school day.

Please note after 8:45am, if students and parents are running a little bit late you BOTH must come to the Office for a late slip as ONLY the parent is required to give a reason for the lateness.

Playground Use

It is great to see students and families enjoy the wonderful facilities and playgrounds straight after school. However, I need all of the community to please support this practice in the following way.

If students are to use the playground after school, their parent must be actively supervising their child from right next to the playground.

I appreciate everyone’s support with this.

Term 1 Dates

Parent/Teacher Interviews – Week 10 March 27-31
End of Term – Friday March 31

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Every day counts

Parents are reminded of the importance of sending children to school every day. Being at school every day is important, 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.

Facebook Updates – keeping up-to-date

Mrs Pool regularly updates the School’s Facebook page to share information you might like to check in and follow the school page.