6 February 2019

Newsletter Articles

A new school year 2019

Welcome to the hidden gem of Maroochydore – Maroochydore State School

A very warm welcome to our 2019 prep students and to all of our new families. This year we currently have 257 enrolled students, in a very similar start to 2018, and thank you to everyone for such a productive and settled start to the year for all.

We are already into Week 2and we continue to note perfect uniform standards, an excellent attitude and an eagerness to quickly settle into a learning routine. This also included our newest learners in the prep classes and it was certainly exciting to see these students continue to leap into their activities!

Hats, hats, hats – a school hat is needed for all break time activities.

Thanks to our wonderful staff including the cleaners, groundsman, admin, teacher aides and teachers for all your efforts over the holidays and last week to ensure we were ready for the first day of school.

Class teachers are sending home a class newsletter to provide more detailed information regarding classroom matters. The mornings are a very busy time in the classroom as teachers are getting organised for the day and also assisting with reading and sight words. If you need to have a chat with your child’s teacher regarding a matter which may take longer than five or so minutes, please make arrangements with the teacher to meet at a suitable time. Thank you for your consideration.

Again, thank you very much to the wonderful efforts by all of our staff, the P&C volunteers and parents in having both the school and children so well prepared for the beginning of the new school year.

We’ve started the year with 11 classes from Prep to Year 6. Our teaching staff:

A special welcome to new staff members – Natalie McDonald, Megan Marret and Shane Turner

Reading

Reading is so important for us all and as Dr Seuss says ““The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Our class teachers are reading aloud daily to your children. Mrs Pool, Mrs Edwards, Mrs Fadzen and Mr Maish are also supporting teachers by reading aloud to students across the week as we too, model reading, and promote the joys and benefits of reading.

Currently we are reading to our students:

PMM and P/1LB – I Went Walking
1LS – The Hungry Caterpillar
1/2LS – Do Not Open This Book
2CV – George’s Marvellous Medicine
3MS – Grimm’s Fairy Tales
3/4LM – Weirdo Messy Weird and the Twits
4CH – Stories for Daring Girls and Boys, The Twits
5SB – Robinson Crusoe
5/6AL – Short Stories by Morris Gleitzman
6EB – Akarnae
Learning Support – The Jolly Postman, Thelma the Unicorn
Admin – Max Remy Super Spy and Travels of Herman

Students are also given an opportunity to read for their own enjoyment too and it is encouraging to see the students beginning to settle in some good self-reading practices.

You might also note that when the students are reading, their teachers are also reading and modelling good reading practices.

How far ahead then can our students go if parents are reading aloud to their child at home and teachers are reading aloud to their class at school?

Parent/Teacher Meetings

All class teachers invite their parent group to an information parent/teacher afternoon in Week 3. Come along and meet your child’s teacher and hear a little about what is going in on your child’s classroom. You will be amazed to hear about our iPad program and see some wonderful examples of work and the programmes being used to enhance learning for our digitally aware students.

Wednesday February 13 for the following classes from 2:45pm in your child’s classroom.

Prep Mrs Marret, P/1 Mrs Blanch, Year 1 Mrs Stolberg, Year 5 Miss Bassett, Year 5/6 Mr Leis and Year 6 Miss Burnett.

Thursday February 14 for the following classes from 2:45pm in your child’s classroom.

Year 1/2 Miss Sinclair, Year 2 Mrs Vestergaard, Year 3 Mrs Skehan, Year 3/4 Miss Moyle and Year 4 Mrs Hill

As always, if you are unable to make this time, please contact your child’s teacher and arrange another mutually convenient time to catch up.

PE News

Welcome to all new and returning families. We hope you are feeling well rested and excited for the school year ahead. This new letter is a quick introduction of myself as your new physical education (PE) teacher and overview of the current PE semester. My name is Shane Turner and I am looking forward to meeting you all this year. You will see me on Thursdays and Fridays. I am very passionate about PE have been a PE teacher for over 10 years working in schools from Woorabinda, Emerald and Maleny.

I am very excited to be joining the Maroochydore State School team and for our busy year ahead.

MAROOCHYDORE STATE SCHOOL NEWS

Cross-Country

Starting in week 3, a before-school running club will commence for any students who are interested in getting ready for the upcoming cross-country. Students of all abilities are welcome to attend and look forward to seeing as many people there as possible. This will be held on Thursdays at 7:50am (from Thurs 14th Feb) until school starts at 8:30am.

Please contact Mr Turner for any other additional information.

Thank you in advance for your support and participation in the MSS PE Program. Any parental assistance at our carnivals whether it be setting up, timekeeping or attending the day to support the school and your child, will be much appreciated. You can expect more information regarding each sporting event, closer to the date. If your child is involved in a sporting team or is interested in competing in any district sports, please contact me ASAP to make sure they do not miss out on any trial dates. Please direct any questions or concerns about any of our PE programs to me on 07 5475 1555 or by email sturn171@eq.edu.au.

Mr Shane Turner PE Teacher

District Sport

Does your son or daughter play in a team on the weekend in AFL or Basketball or is an identified Softball player? Are they in either of the following age groups?

12 years (YOB 2007) this year or turning 11 years (YOB 2008).

The Nambour District Rep team is holding trials next week – for further information and forms students or parents are to see Mr Turner on Thursday.

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

Our 4 School Rules are:

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.

We are encouraging all students to actively play and socialise during first break this year and as such the Library is closed during this time.

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.

Remember classrooms at open at 8:20am at the latest 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.

School Absence and Text Messaging Service

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

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.

The Sky Above

The Planets:

Mercury is visible after sunset low in the western sky.
Mars is also in the western sky after sunset.
Venus is nice and bright in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Jupiter is also visible in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Saturn is also rising early in the morning.
A special look out for Venus and Saturn between Feb 16 and Feb 21. They are close in the morning sky.
Jupiter meets a waning crescent Moon on Feb 28.

P&C News

Monday February 11 is the P&C’s first meeting of the year. All parents are welcome to come along from 8:45am and join in supporting your child’s school. We are meeting in the staffroom in the Administration Block.

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. * Please note the food delivery has not arrived at the time of finalising this newsletter so it may not happen this Thursday.

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.

School Dates 2019

Term 1 Dates

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 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.

This week’s rules of the week is – We have 4 school rules. Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful and Be a Learner.