18 April 2018

Newsletter Articles

Term 2

Welcome back to the new term, a term of 11 teaching and learning weeks.

I hope the Commonwealth Games has sparked further interest for your child in participating in a sport. I note many medallists interviewed reflected back to when they were 8 – 12 years old and began their training to get them to where they are now.

Importantly, they also thanked their parents for getting them interested in the sport as well as their parents’ commitment in driving them to and from training and competitions across a number of years.

This term:

• The P&C have a major fundraiser around the cross country fun run with an added touch of colour this year. Each term we have a performance group visit school and the funds raised by the P&C cover these costs so we encourage all families to again generously support the activities of our P&C. Have you created your Student profile Page yet?

Register for online fundraising and don’t forget to ask family and friends to help you reach your goal. *Please note, all donations need to be finalised on or before 3rd May 2018.

• we shall have our Athletics Carnival which this year shall have a P-2 day and a Yr 3 – Yr 6 day with students competing in their house team – Swans Vs Seagulls.
• Whole school class photographs.
• Mother’s Day stall.
• NAPLAN Online for our Year 3 to Year 5 students is upcoming in May.
• End of Semester reports will be emailed home in Week 11.
• Next week is Anzac Day and we invite all students to come along and join in the Maroochydore RSL Anzac Day with our school leaders and staff.
• Term 1 Whole School Student Attendance Rate – 90.6%. Our whole school target is 94%.
• Cross Country run sessions.

Anzac Day – Maroochydore RSL

All students are welcome to participate in the Maroochy RSL Anzac Day March on Wednesday April 25.

Students are asked to meet our Student Leaders, Mrs Pool and myself from 8:00am – 8:20am at the traffic lights in front of the Maroochy RSL with the March commencing at 8:30am.

All parents are then asked to meet our school group when we complete the march near the Cenotaph area in Cotton Tree Park. This then allows parents and their children to attend as a family group for the main part of the service.

All students need to wear their school uniform and to bring their hat.

Yarning Circle

Mrs White will send home information for our Indigenous students about an upcoming Yarning Circle. Please keep an eye out for these details.

Voluntary Financial Contribution

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

Easter Hat Parade

Thank you to all students who participated in the Easter Hat Parade and congratulations to the lucky winners, Layla, Indi and Lincoln of the ‘extra’ chocolate from Woolworths.

NAPLAN Online

The test are scheduled from Tuesday May 15 and across the following week for our Year 3 and Year 5 students.

Year 5 students will complete each test online – Writing, Reading, Language Conventions, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy.

Year 3 students will complete a paper version of the Writing test and then online for the Reading, Language Conventions, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy.

School Photos

Neat, tidy students!
Friday May 4, 2018

All parents please note:

Photograph envelopes were sent home Wednesday please check your child’s bag.

Each student must have her/his own envelope – please complete the details on the envelope.

Online Ordering – Option to pay online.

Once completed the website will give you a reference code which you will fill in on your child’s envelope and return this on the photo day.

Mother’s Day Stall

Again, this year the P&C will be holding a Mother’s Day Stall on Thursday May 10 outside the Chappy’s Room.

In class groups on the Wednesday, students will visit the stall to have a look at the gifts and become aware of the prices and come home with a special request for a few dollars.

A range of gifts will be available with a maximum price of $5.

On the Thursday, again in class groups the students will go to the Mother’s Day stall with their money and make their purchase.

P&C - School Run4Fun Colour Explosion

May 1 – All students are encouraged to bring a white shirt to wear for the splash of colour zone of the course.

Our Cross Country fun run is about participation and includes obstacles, a water jelly jump and this year, a splash of colour zone. The P&C has researched and suggested we add to our cross country fun run with a splash of colour - The colour powder used in our event has been sourced direct from India, the home of Holi Powder. It is made of high quality corn starch and permitted food colours. It’s non-toxic, biodegradable, skin safe and environmentally friendly.

Just for fun and a fundraiser for our P&C.

All children are encouraged to run or walk at their own pace and complete the obstacles as part of the course. All children have the option to ‘bypass’ an obstacle if they wish.

All students are asked to bring:

• a change of clothes including ‘dry’ shoes
• a towel
• a plain white shirt – “as the students might be covered in powder from head to toe”

Don’t forget to create your Student Profile Page.

Register for online fundraising and don’t forget to ask family and friends to help you reach your goal. *Please note, all donations need to be finalised on or before 3rd May 2018.

Weather permitting we are planning to run this event on May 1 from 1:10pm on the Maroochydore Rd School Oval – access via the footbridge in Primary School Court.

All parents are welcome to attend and even join in…..

Parent helpers – if you can spare the time to help out in the ‘zone of colour area’ could you please let Mr Maish know ASAP.

Cross Country/running training – for students and parents interested in some extra running/walking sessions please meet at 8:05am on the main school oval.

Routines and Expectations

Wearing the correct school uniform including a broad brimmed hat for play times.
All students should be dropped off at school from 8:20 to 8:30am.
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.

Hats – all students should have a green bucket hat for outside activities including both breaks. Parents please ensure your child’s hat is named.

Toys – all students are to leave their toys at home for play at home and to not disrupt the teaching and learning of the teacher and other students.

School Absence and Text Messaging Service

A reminder:

If your student is absent - Phone the Student Absence Line before 9:00am 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 clearly state 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.

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.

Chappy Sam

Chappy Sam is here on a Monday and Thursday again this year. All parents and students are invited to catch up with Chappy Sam in her room or to make an appointment please ring the Office 5475 1555

Breakfast Club – on a Monday and a Thursday with toast and a drink.

Students and families are welcome to come to the main forecourt area from 8:00am. and join in the Breakfast Club social start to the day.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Every day counts

Term 1 Whole School Student Attendance Rate – 90.6%

Our whole school target is 94%

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.

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.

This week’s rules of the week is – Be Respectful.

Be friendly and supportive of all in our school.

Term 2 Dates

Wednesday April 25 – Anzac Day

Monday May 1 – Cross country fun run
Friday May 4 – School Photographs
Monday May 7 – Labour Day
Tuesday May 15 – NAPLAN Online Testing begins

Athletics Days – TBC
TBC - Monday June 18 Prep to Year 2
TBC - Tuesday June 19 Year 3 to Year 6

Friday June 29 – end of term 2