16 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

What a scorcher of a week! With this extreme heat, we always review our calendar and ensure that we are keeping our students as cool and as safe as possible. Hydration is incredibly important and it’s great to see all of our students bringing in their water bottles. Don’t forget to label these clearly (and check on the label), as we do find many items left around the school.

Parent Information Sessions

Thank you to all of the parents and carers who were able to attend the parent information sessions. We hope that you found this time valuable and that you are as equally excited about the learning ahead this year.

If you ever need to access more information, or have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher and arrange a meeting time, or even if it is simply email communication.

We very much value our parents as partners in learning, so your involvement is crucial here.

2018 Annual Improvement Plan

Each year schools are required to develop an Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) which provides the overarching guidance to what we are focussing on for that year.

This plan is developed in consultation with staff and by reviewing the previous year, the data, the previous AIP and aligning this all to the state wide agenda.

This year at Coomera Springs we have three priority areas of improvement. These are:

1. We are all improving our learning and performance
2. We are all visibly learning
3. We are all building a positive culture

Our plan then provides what the Focused Improvement Practice is within each of these priorities, what the Performance Strategies are and finally what the Success Critieria is.

I have attached the Annual Improvement Plan for you to read and become familiar with.

Emergency Management Plan

Every school in Education Queensland operates with an Emergency Management Plan and each term, as a precaution, as well as for practice, we have both a fire drill and lockdown.

Across each term we hold both a fire drill and lockdown, and these are held at different times, including lunch breaks. This ensures that all of our students know what to do, where to go and how to remain safe.

Our Wonderful Office Staff

If you have ever had to come into the office at the beginning or end of a school day, you would know first-hand just how busy it can be. We are very fortunate to have some wonderful office staff who keep the world of Coomera Springs moving along.

We have Mrs Robyn Anstey, who is the lady to greet you at the front counter. Robyn deals with hundreds of parents, students and phone calls during any given day. She is an integral part of our team and learns so much about our families.

Mrs Judy Anderson is also at our front counter, but also in our finance office. Judy works tirelessly in organising payments for every single area of our school, and most of you get to see Judy when you come up for a payment. Judy is always keen to help our families and does this with a massive smile every single day.

On a Monday and Friday we also have Mrs Ineke Willmann who also works at the front counter because that is how busy we are.

Mrs Jean Newall is our Business Manager. Jean has to oversee a lot of aspects of school life including the school budget, facilities and all of our non-teaching staff. Jean is always running around and always wanting to help people out.

Our office could not function without these wonderful ladies so please remember how big their jobs are and come in with your smile too.

Six Skill Sets to Help Children Succeed

Article by Michael Grose

When I was teaching, as I got to know the children at the start of the year, I was always on the lookout for factors other than academic ability. As a number of researchers have found, including Prof. Michael Bernard, author of the, You Can Do It Program, children need more than a penchant for learning to succeed at school.

There are a number of skill sets that contribute to children’s success over the long-term. They are skills that we neglect if we narrow our focus on numeracy, literacy, performing arts and other academic skill sets. They are also skill sets that can be taught, or at the very least drawn out, when we as adults know what to look for.

Following are six skill sets that contribute massively to overall student success and contentedness at school.

1. Friendship skills

The ability to get along with others is hugely important for children. How quickly children settle into a new school year will be determined as much by their ability to make new friends and fit into a peer group, as any other factor. Those children with a strong set of friendship skills have a definite set of skills that makes them easy to like, easy to relate to and easy to play with. These skills include the ability to win and lose well; how to approach others to join in a group and how to lead rather than boss. These are just three of 17 basic friendship skills that have been identified as being essential for making and keeping friends.

2. Organising skills

You can probably recall when you went to school a student who was really bright, but who let themselves down because they couldn’t organise themselves or others. The ability to organise your time, your space, your items and others is a massive plus for any student. Being organised extends beyond school, including at home and during leisure time. The best way to help children who are organisationally-challenged is to introduce them to systems and processes to help them organise themselves. These processes include the use of visual reminders; anchoring (i.e linking new behaviours to habitual behaviours) and mapping activities out.

3. Optimism skills

It may seem strange to see optimism as a skill set, but as leading psychologist Prof. Martin Seligman discovered through his research, optimism can be taught. Seligman found that while some children are more inclined by nature to see a glass as half empty than half full, all children are capable of developing an optimistic explanatory style through exposure and direct teaching. The skills of optimism include being aware of self-talk, reframing negative events into positive effects and the practice of perspective-taking.

4. Coping skills

Kids will generally face a number of challenges during the course of their school lives including overcoming disappointment of missing being picked in a team; working their way through difficult learning situations and meeting with rejection. How stressful these situations are will depend on their own spirit, the support they receive and their coping skills. The good news is that coping skills can be taught, or at the very least, encouraged, if adults know what to focus on. Coping strategies include parking problems for a while; normalising a situation and accepting and moving on. Some kids will use coping strategies quite naturally, while others need parental input to help them cope with seemingly minor challenges.

5. Relaxation skills

The ability to relax and get away from it all is vital for the maintenance of mental health, which in turn, impacts on a student’s ability to perform. Many of today’s kids live with pressure. That pressure needs to be released through relaxation and play, otherwise it just continues to build and it shows itself through anxiety and other mental illnesses. The ability to relax and unwind is paramount to your child’s school success. Ways to unwind include getting lost in a hobby; learning how to meditate and enjoying creative pursuits.

6. Relationship skills

Children at school are involved in hundreds of social interactions every day ranging from working cooperatively with a peer in class through to asking a teacher for help. Most of the interactions go well, but there are times when there will be conflict and tension. This is when children with a solid set of communication and relationship skills honed through a myriad of sibling interactions come to the fore. They don’t become flummoxed when a child won’t give them what they want, or a child tells tales to the teacher about them. Children that come from very small families (two children or less) often don’t have experiences of conflict to draw on so they need to be taught how to give way graciously; to stand up for themselves assertively rather than angrily and to see two sides to a story rather than take things personally. There are many skills we can teach our kids to help them maintain healthy relationships at school, as well as in their families.

These skill sets are part developmental and part environmental. That is, kids will naturally develop many skills as they mature. But also many of the skills need to be nurtured environmentally - that is, they need to be recognised, encouraged, taught and modelled by adults that children and teenagers respect and admire, if children are to acquire them. That makes parents Very Important People in the acquisition process of these skill sets in children and young people.

Have a wonderful week ahead and let’s hope for some cooler days.

Kind Regards
Martine Gill
Principal

Student Leadership Induction Ceremony

Join us on Thursday 22nd February at 1:40pm in the Hall to acknowledge and celebrate our 2018 Student Leadership Team. During the ceremony students will be welcomed to their position and presented their Leadership Badge.

iPad Tips for Parents

Digital safety is of the utmost importance. Intentional, frequent discussions with your child of any age, are necessary and allow you to be proactive in protecting your child and further educating him/her. Experts warn that children are most vulnerable to online dangers while at home.

Filtering Content

The iPad has very basic Internet Content Filtering built-in (see the iPad Restrictions page for information on how to turn it on). While many potential dangers are filtered and blocked on the school’s network, children often have complete, unrestricted access to inappropriate sites at home. Experts strongly suggest installing software to filter and block inappropriate content on your home network. OpenDNS (free version available) is a product that can provide parental controls that automatically protect every Internet-connected device in your home (not just the iPad).

Monitor & Limit Screen Time

Experts suggest having children surf the Internet in a central place at home, such as the kitchen or family room, rather than away from adult supervision or behind a closed door. Know what your child is doing with technology and how his or her time is being spent. Technology can be a great tool and resource, but also has the potential to be a big distractor. Help your child learn to focus on completing tasks or assignments prior to engaging in other Internet activities. Teaching today’s children how to manage multiple sources of information and potential distractions is a critical life skill, one best learned before heading off to college or the workplace.

Enable Restrictions

The iPad has some Restriction Settings that you can take advantage of to limit access to applications and services, such as Safari (web browsing), content filtering, and access to Twitter and Facebook. You can also lock the iPad to a single application, such as iBooks, so they can read books, but not surf the web or play games for example.

Put the iPad to Bed, But Not in the Bedroom

Parenting experts suggest parking all technology devices, from cell phones to iPads, in a common family room overnight to discourage late night, unmonitored use and sleep disruption. Don’t allow your child to sleep with the iPad. You may also want to consider installing the iPad's charger in your bedroom instead of a room that your child has access to.

Focus on Connection

The attachment relationship between you and your child is the foundation for all future relationships. Connection builds inner security and a healthy sense of self – the best preventative medicine for addiction there is!

• Make time for connection with your child as soon as you arrive home – there is nothing more deflating and damaging to a child’s sense of self than parents checking out online as soon as they walk in the door
• Use the iPad to build relationship by using apps together, rather than using the iPad as a babysitter
• Sally Hunt – clinical psychologist, 123 parenting coach and mother of two – recommends lots of parental involvement including looking at the internet and apps together and taking time to answer any questions your child may have. This not only enhances connection but it also develops the child’s research skills. She also recommends playing the games together – just for fun.

Model Healthy iPad Use

How you use your iPad or other device will provide a model for how your child uses it:

• Put your phone down – wherever you are – and direct your attention to your child. Again, there is nothing more deflating and damaging to a child’s sense of self than a disconnected, absent parent (the result can be narcissistic wounding, which is common in adults with addiction!)
• Drive mindfully and value lives by keeping your car, device free. If you cannot drive from A to B without checking your screen, it is time to check in with an addiction specialist!

School App Lists

We have had significant interest from parents who have chosen not to opt into the 1:1 Student iPad Program but want to add the apps to existing home devices for their child/ren to engage with at home. Families that are participating in the 1:1 Student iPad Program have the Year level app lists sent to their devices by the school device management solution.

Please note - only devices enrolled in the 1:1 Student iPad Program and managed by the school IT Department, are to be used at school.

ATTENDANCE – EVERY DAY COUNTS

Did you know that research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement? Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life and your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day. They will learn better, make friends, be happier and have a brighter future.

DOES ATTENDANCE REALLY MATTER?

1 or 2 days a week doesn’t seem much but…..

IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT SCHOOL, THEN YES ATTENDANCE DOES MATTER!

EVERY DAY COUNTS!!!

PE News

On Tuesday the 6th of February, Coomera Springs was lucky enough to be a part of the Gold Coast Suns Community Club Day. Players from the team, including Sean Lemmens, Brayden Fiorini, Nick Holman and Darcy Macpherson, joined in on our PE classes for the day. The players and their AFL Queensland Rep took the students through some kicking and handballing drills before hosting a Question and Answer Session.

Staying Hydrated

Drinking water is the best way to quench your thirst. Even better, it doesn’t come with all the sugar and energy (kilojoules) found in fruit juice drinks, soft drinks, sports drinks and flavored mineral waters. Drinking water instead of sweetened drinks also prevents dental problems.

Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school everyday to ensure they stay hydrated.

School Cross Country Carnival – 14th March

Our annual Cross Country Carnival will be held on Wednesday 14th March.
Students can come to school dressed in their house colours –

Ballun (Blue), Kaban (Green), Tharagum (Yellow) and Tugai (Red).

If you are unsure which house your child is in, please contact your classroom teacher. Families and friends are invited to come along and cheer! Don’t forget to bring your chairs.

Prep – Year 3 students will be running between 9:00am - 10:30am
Years 4 - 6 will be running between 11:15am – 12:45pm.
These times are approximate.

P&C Colour Run

Our wonderful P&C along with the PE Department will be hosting the school Colour Run on Friday 23rd March from 1.30 pm.

Permission notes are to be returned to classroom teachers and sponsorship forms/money to be returned to the tuckshop.

Please note – Friday 23rd March will be a free dress day.

Gold Coast Suns

Music News

Junior Choir Prep – Year 2

Sign-up Day for our Junior Choir was held on Thursday 8th February, and so far we have 75 children from Prep – Year 2 wanting to be in our 2018 Junior Choir, which is absolutely wonderful! Parents whose children have already signed up should have received an email this week, with information about our planned performances for the year. Some students may not have heard about the Choir before the Sign-up Day, but it is not too late for them to join! If your child would like to be a part of the choir and you did not receive an email, please email Mrs Alison Murray amurr51@eq.edu.au so your child can be added to the list, and so you can receive the information email.

NB: Children who were in the Junior Choir last year will need to sign up again if they still want to be included, as the Choir lists do not “roll over” from year to year.

Performance Groups for Years 3 – 6

We have some fantastic performance opportunities for our older students this year.

Senior Showcase Choir (Thursday 2nd break) Year 3 - 6 - a singing, dancing choir which will be lots of fun and big on the entertainment factor

Ukulele Band (Friday 1st break) Year 4 – 6 learn to play popular songs on the ukulele

Drumline (Friday 2nd break) Year 5 & 6 BY AUDITION – sign up to audition for the drumline next week Friday 23rd February.

If you have children in Years 3 – 6 encourage them to come along and get involved! Email Mrs Murray amurr51@eq.edu.au for more information on any of these performance groups.

Instrumental Music News

By now all students have had their first Instrumental Lessons, and should have returned their Instrumental Music paperwork. Please check your timetables for lesson and Band/String Ensemble rehearsal times and remind your children to bring the necessary equipment for their lessons.

Music Shirts

Our performing ensembles look amazing in their Music Shirts. If your child is in Band, Strings or Junior Choir now is the time to order your Music Shirt for 2018 – available from the uniform shop for $28. Music Shirts can be worn to school on Thursdays in 2018.

UNIFORM SHOP

The Uniform Shop is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8.15am – 9.00am. Payment methods accepted include Eftpos and Credit Card.

Once your child is enrolled, orders can be placed via FlexiSchools.

TUCKSHOP

We are opened from 7.30am until 3:00pm for all your breakfast and lunch needs. Our home meal orders have now commenced. We cannot wait for you to taste some of our delicious fresh home made meals and for the price of $15 to feed a family of 4 we think it’s a great bargain.

Keep an eye out for more information!

FRANKIE’S TUCKSHOP MENU

The tuckshop is open Monday - Friday and offers a range of healthy choice options, please refer to our Tuckshop Menu for more information.

Orders can be placed at the tuckshop between 8.15am -8.40am or online via FlexiSchools.

BINGO! – 23RD FEBRUARY

Ready to Bingo! Book a table of 8 to get a free platter. $1000 and $500 Jackpot up for grabs. A huge thank you to LJ Hooker Coomera City for the $1000 jackpot sponsorship. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

These tables book out fast so make sure you get in quick!
For bookings contact the ladies at the Tuckshop or email Sharon Sharp coomeraspringspresident@gmail.com

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

SCHOOL TERMS 2018

School Terms for 2018 are as follows;

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COMMUNITY NOTICES

UC PHYSIO

UC Physio offers physiotherapy services including musculoskeletal, paediatric

(Babies and children often require specialised assessment and treatment that can’t be effectively assessed unless the clinic is specially set up to look at these i.e. developmental delay, movement disorders and neuromuscular conditions), women’s health (pre & post-natal), neurological, pre and operative rehabilitation and respiratory conditions. We are able to offer a range of exercise programs that improve and maintain physical strength and function.

Level 1, 21 Coomera Grand Drive, Upper Coomera QLD 4209
Phone: 55 618 111 Fax: 55 618 344
Email: admin@ucphysio.physio

GOLD COAST HEALTH ORAL HEALTH (DENTAL) SERVICES

Please note: The dental van is no longer at CSSS, you will need to phone the Oral Health Client Service Centre # 1300 300 850 to make a time to receive a free dental check-up & any follow up treatment required.

To arrange an appointment for your child telephone:

The Oral Health Client Service Centre

Number: 1300 300 850 Monday – Friday 8.00 am – 4.30 pm (Excluding Public Holidays)

Child Dental Benefit Schedule Vouchers are accepted. When your child’s $1000 cap is reached, there will be no out-of-pocket expenses provided your child meets *eligibility criteria.

* Eligibility – All Queensland resident children aged four years or older who have not completed year 10 of secondary school and must be eligible to receive Medicare benefits.

Further information on public funded oral health services can be accessed via the link below.

The Mobile Dental Clinic will be returning to Coomera Springs State School the week commencing 4 June 2018, please refer to the attached Oral Health Service Provision Schedule for further details

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