1 May 2019

Newsletter Articles

Thank You

Many thanks to our students, supportive parents and staff who turned up for the Anzac Day March last Thursday at Cotton Tree. Our school leaders, India, Nate and Henry, placed our school wreath under the Cenotaph during the formal part of the ceremony and did a wonderful job representing us all. Many thanks to Mrs Skehan, Yr 3MS and each class for creating the wreath. It was again eye catching and well received.

Welcome back to Term 2

Currently all parents have been invited to catch up with their child’s class teacher across Week 2 and Week 3. One thing I am keen to hear back from teachers is your reflection as a parent, on where you think your child has shown improvement and growth in this year?

On the invite and timetable for the parent/ teacher meeting we put your child’s year level attendance average. We are aiming for 94% daily attendance and our best efforts have been in Year 4, 5 and 6. But we all are not close enough. We all know the importance of being at school every learning day and just having a day off is not a positive or productive learning experience for your child’s future.

Athletics Carnival

New dates were published on the school’s Facebook page late last week, and these later dates will also allow the children extra practice during PE times over the next few weeks. The rain has played havoc with earlier lessons as well as the line marking and having a dry fast oval!

Thursday May 23 – Prep to Year 2 Carnival. There is an emphasis here on participation, encouragement and trying your best.

The students shall compete in a sprint race, followed by the big 200m run, before field event rotations which includes the long jump, a high jump, a vortex throw and ball games. Some novelty relays will be conducted if there is time before second break.

Friday May 24 – Year 3 to Year 6 Carnival. We again have an emphasis on participation, encouragement and trying your best with a point score being kept for selection in the school athletics team for the 10 to 12 yo students who making qualifying standards.

The students complete 5 rotations – please note the first rotation is on Thursday May 23 from 1:45pm. The 2 sprints and the other field event rotations are on Friday May 24.

Students compete in 2 sprints – 100m and 200m and then high jump, long jump, shot put, ball games and relays.

School Photo Day

May 10 – a day not to be late, absent or in a messy uniform!

Envelopes and details have been sent home. Please contact the Office urgently if your has gone missing.

NAPLAN Year 3 Year 5 News

14 – 24 May

Urgent – parents of students in Year 3 and Year 5 please ensure your child has a set of headphones to successfully access the audio in the NAPLAN Online.

Again this year our Year 3 and Year 5 students will access the NAPLAN test online with the exception of the Year 3 writing test. We are also doing a first and having the students use their individual school provided iPad to access and complete the tests.

All students will need to have their own headphones to hear the instructions and access the test components.

Mother’s Day Morning Tea

Don’t forget to RSVP to the School Office.

All mums are invited to our annual Mother’s Day Morning Tea hosted by our Chappy, Sam. Please arrive at 10am at the School Hall to enjoy your morning tea before your children join you at 10.30am to continue the celebration where they will also be served a small morning tea.

Mother’s Day Stall

Again, this year the P&C will be holding a Mother’s Day Stall on Thursday May 9 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.

Book Fair

We are all into reading this year!

Catch the Reading Wave

Mrs Nugent has organised for the Book Fair to be at school from May 20 to May 24. We’d love to see you come along and purchase a book for your child to read at home and at school.

PE News

All the best this week to the following students competing in district trials - Kale (Yr 6) Rugby League, Elle (Yr 6) Cross Country, Morgan (Yr 5) Cross Country and Tayla (Yr 4) Cross Country.

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.

Bullying No Way

Maroochydore State School is participating in the annual Bullying, No Way programme this year.

We continually remind our students to speak nicely and respectfully at all times as we know that name calling and teasing is not positive or helpful in promoting a happy learning environment.

From time to time some children have disagreements with other children in the playground. Teachers are very present in the playground and can act immediately to assist students and guide them to a positive and supported outcome. Class teachers can then also assist by doing check ins with both the student and their parents in an ongoing approach.

Teachers, Mrs Pool and I spend a lot of time listening to all sides of an incident, being reflective with students and then supporting all students in aiming to be safe, confident and reflective.

Woolworths Earn & Learn

We’d love your support. We are asking all families to collect as many stickers as they can when shopping at Woolworths during the promotion period from May 1 to June 25. These can be stuck on the sticker sheets for collation at school.

Pikki Street Building Construction

Shortly, work will commence on the vacant block of land next door to the school in Pikki Street. Around safety for students, parents and staff, the gate access and access road for the teacher’s carpark will be closed off during the construction period.

Students and parents will be asked to access the school via the access pathway into the Prep and ECDP and to follow the path up to the primary school building areas. The reverse procedure will occur in the afternoon with students and parents exiting the school at the Prep and ECDP access gate.

The playground will be closed, with safety for all in mind around the construction period.

Uniform Shop

Please note the changed operating times.

Monday c. 8:00am – c. 8:20am

Medication during school hours

Does your child require medication during school hours?

If your child requires medication while at school, please ensure you request an Administration of medication record sheet from your school’s office.

You will also need to provide the school with the prescription-labelled medication in the original packaging with clear directions for its use.

Maroochydore State High School

Parents of Year 6 students are asked to regularly check the dates at the end of this newsletter for key dates specifically for Year 6 students as we begin the transition programme with Maroochydore State High School.

You will be invited to parent information sessions, need to complete enrolment forms and or apply for excellence programmes and your child will attend transition days as your enrolment forms are confirmed by the high school.

P&C News

What is the P&C funding this year?

This year, the P&C is donating $8,000 to the school to purchase new books for the library.

The P&C also fund the incursions each term for the whole school.

This money comes from the fundraising efforts in previous years so THANK YOU for your support! It’s great to see the kids get these extra resources.

Upcoming Funding Commitments

The P&C has committed to help fund new playgrounds in the school. This is a big fundraising commitment for our small school, so if you have any fundraising ideas, we would love to hear them. But especially, we need helping hands to put those ideas into action.

The P&C email address is maroochydorestatepc@gmail.com , or you can catch one of us in the tuckshop or uniform shop or around the school.

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.

Jewellery – could all necklaces and bracelets/bangles stay safe at home?

Make-up is not necessary at primary school and all students are reminded not to wear to school.

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

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.

The Sky Above – Apollo Missions

Apollo was the NASA program that resulted in American astronauts’ making a total of 11 spaceflights and walking on the moon.

The first four flights tested the equipment to be used. Six of the other seven flights landed on the moon.

The first Apollo flight happened in 1968, with the first moon landing taking place in 1969. The last moon landing was in 1972.

Two types of rockets were used. The first flights used the smaller Saturn I (1) B rocket. It was about as tall as a 22-story building. This rocket had two stages. When the first part ran out of fuel, it dropped away from the other and burned up in Earth's atmosphere. The second part continued flying. The Saturn IB rocket was used to test the new Apollo capsule in Earth orbit.

The other flights used the more powerful Saturn V (5) rocket. This three-stage rocket sent the Apollo spacecraft to the moon. It was about as tall as a 36-story building.

The Apollo Command Module was a capsule with room for three astronauts. The astronauts rode in the Command Module on the way to the moon and back. The astronauts had room to move around inside the spacecraft. The crew area had about as much room as a car.

Another spacecraft, the Lunar Module, was used for landing on the moon. This spacecraft carried astronauts from orbit around the moon to the moon's surface, then back into orbit. It could carry two astronauts.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Every day counts

Term 1 Whole School Student Attendance Rate – 90.9%

Our whole school target is 94%

Best year level attendance: Prep and closely followed by Year 6.

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.

We have 4 school rules. Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful and Be a Learner.

Term 2 Dates

Year 6 Important Dates for Transition to High School

Term 2 Dates

Term 3 Dates

Term 4 Dates