6 February 2020

Newsletter Articles

A new school year - 2020

Welcome to the hidden gem of Maroochydore – Maroochydore State School

A very warm welcome to our 2020 prep students and, to all of our new families to our school community and thank you to everyone for such a productive and settled start to the year for all.

We are already into Week 2 and we continue to note perfect uniform standards, an excellent attitude and an eagerness to quickly settle into a learning routine.

These routines include from Monday to Wednesday morning at 8:30am a walk/run around the oval for two laps. We are already noting the keen runners who are doing three and more laps. What a great start to the day and this will help have our students fit and healthy and promote those active minds we like to see everyone having. Look carefully and you shall see our staff joining in too. Our classes also have two reading opportunities across the day - after first break every student reads a book of their own choice whilst after second break teachers read aloud to their class. What a delightful promotion of reading by having time to self-read and explore and be read to.

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.”

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?

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

Parent – Teacher Meet and Greet in your child’s classroom

Next Tuesday, February 11

2:30pm – P/1 and 1/2 class teachers welcome parents to their child’s classroom to meet and for the teacher’s to share the upcoming learning and class routines. 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.

2:45pm – Year 2/3, Year 3 and Year 3/4 class teachers welcome parents to their child’s classroom to meet and for the teacher’s to share the upcoming learning and class routines. 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.

3:00pm – Year 5/6 class teachers welcome parents to their child’s classroom to meet and for the teacher’s to share the upcoming learning and class routines. 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.

We’ve started the year with 10 classes from Prep to Year 6. Our teaching staff:

ECDP Teachers – Melane Bellamy & Anne McCulloch
Prep/1 MM – Megan Marret
Prep/Year 1 KC – Kadee Clelland
Year 1/Year 2 LS – Louise Sinclair
Year 2/Year 3EM – Kathryn Edwards & Lorraine Moyle
Year 2/Year 3CV – Charisa Vestergaard
Year 3MS – Maree Skehan
Year 3/ Year 4MS – Cat Hill
Year 5/6AL – Ashley Leis
Year 5/ 6 LS – Linda Stolberg
Year 5/6EB – Emily Burnett
Student Support – Kim McFadzen, Belinda Huxley & Brett Walker
Music – Cherie Emerson
LOTE – Natalie McDonald
The Arts - Liz Blackburn
Physical Education – Shane Turner
Guidance Officer – Annette Te Aho (Monday) and Fallon Cappler (every second Friday)
A special welcome our new staff members – Belinda Huxley and Fallon Cappler

PE News

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Welcome to all new and returning families. We hope you are feeling well rested and excited for the school year ahead. This newsletter is a quick introduction of myself as your 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.

Please note dates may vary!

MAROOCHYDORE STATE SCHOOL CARNIVAL DATES

Maroochydore State School Cross Country 3rd April
Maroochydore Track & Field 18-19th June

FINAL WORD

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 turning 11 or 12 years of age and 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 see me on the Oval on a Thursday or Friday morning.

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 Fitness 8:30am sharp parents are welcome to come along.

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 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.

Our 3 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.

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.

The Sky Above

Planets to look for

Venus remains an easy target in the evening sky, holding at a steady height above the evening twilight, but have you noticed it starting to slowly drift northwards? It will continue to do this as the weeks go on, and the Sun also seems to head north along the horizon as well. If you turn a telescope towards it the view may be disappointing, as its thick clouds reflect so much light back towards us, but as the weeks go by and Venus moves towards us we should notice it getting larger and presenting more of a crescent shape towards us. Mercury is also on the evening side of the Sun, but quite close to the Sun and difficult to see. It will change over to the morning side of the Sun in March.

The other three planets are hours away on the morning side of the sky. Mars rises around 1 am, starting February and next month it will catch up with Jupiter. Saturn is an hour later again and waning crescent Moon will pass by them one by one in late February; Look for the crescent Moon under Mars on the morning of the 19th, next to Jupiter on the morning of the 20th, and under Saturn on the morning of the 21st.

Thanks

P&C News

The P&C would like to welcome all families new and old to the 2020 school year.

Our first meeting of the year will be held in the office on Monday 10th February at 8:45 am in the school office. We welcome and encourage all to attend.

Who is the P&C?

Parents and Carers volunteering in the school.

What does the P&C do?

We fundraise for extra resources for every child in the school. The fun run with colour and the Christmas raffle were two of our major fundraisers last year. We also:

• Run the uniform shop
• Run the tuckshop
• Run the Mother's and Father's Day Stalls
• Run the Scholastic bookclub

To do these things, we need volunteers. So please consider giving a helping hand throughout the year.

Some things the P&C have helped fund in recent years:

• We fund incursions each term like the science show
• We helped fund part of the new senior playground
• We helped fund iPad purchases
• We helped fund new books for the library

Our current major fundraising commitment is for a new junior playground under the mango trees (next to the year one block).

5 reasons to lend a helping hand at school

1. Your kids love seeing you at school
2. Meet new people and make new friends
3. Learn new skills or build on the ones you have
4. Find out what's going on at school
5. Science says community participation makes you happier!

Tuckshop News

The tuckshop is reopens on Friday 7th February for first break only. You can find a link to the menu below. You can also find the menu on the website and on Facebook or you can pick up a copy at the tuckshop.

How to order at the tuckshop

Orders can be placed at the tuckshop counter between 8 am and 8:50 am on Friday mornings.

On a paper bag, include your child’s name, class and their order. Please note that the tuckshop is cash only and is only open for first break orders.

Orders go out to the kids during first break. If kids have ordered drinks or ice blocks, they will need to bring their bag back to the counter to pick up cold items. (Prep children will have drinks and ice blocks delivered to their eating area.)

During first break, the tuckshop is also open for over-the-counter sales of drinks, snacks and ice blocks if your child Year 1-6 would like to purchase directly.

Volunteering in the tuckshop

Would you like to help out at the tuckshop? We’d love to have you!

Come and say hello to Bronny at the tuckshop counter on Friday mornings.

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop is open Monday mornings from 8 am to 8:45 am.

The uniform shop sells the polo shirt and bucket hat with the school logo. Plain bottle green shorts, skirts jumpers, dresses etc. can be purchased at Best and Less, Target, Kmart, Big W and School Locker.

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 a Breakfast Club.

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.

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 Be Respectful – be nice, smile, say hello and welcome your friends each morning to school.

We have 3 school rules. Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be a Learner.