8 June 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks with our students participating in many different activities in and outside of school.

2018 Kokoda Challenge

Last Saturday morning, sixteen of our Year 6 students faced a tough physical and mental challenge with a gruelling 15km trek in the Brisbane Kokoda Challenge. Our morning started at the Brookfield Showgrounds and it was a very cold 6 degrees. We had four teams representing Coomera Springs and every student did an amazing job and all achieved more than they thought possible.

The team spirit, mateship and support that they showed each other was a privilege to watch. Every member made it over the finish line, and despite being tired from the trek, the smiles were huge and pride even more so.

Congratulations to each student for not only the event itself, but for the months of commitment and training that was needed to complete this challenge.

We had the support of our very dedicated teachers Miss Andrews, Miss McCreedy and Mrs Hodder who have been taking our students for before school training sessions each week. We are excited about continuing on this activity next year.

Pimpama State School Quiz Cup Challenge

Last week six of our students were selected to participate in the inaugural Pimpama State School Quiz Cup Challenge. There were 8 schools in this event and it was a 10 round challenge, with 15 questions in each round. Questions were given in a variety of methods such as visual, hearing and problem solving.

Teams had to work together to answer as many questions correctly as they could. This was a great opportunity for our students to meet other people from our local alliance of schools and to have a great day of healthy competition.

Again, our students represented Coomera Springs incredibly well and did everyone proud!

Before School Routines

As I have mentioned in many newsletters, if students arrive to school before the bell, and they are unaccompanied by a parent, they need to make their way to the tuckshop area. There is a member of staff on duty from 8.15am. For safety reasons, students are not able to sit around the courtyards during this time.

If students are with a parent, then you are able to take a seat elsewhere, however, the play equipment is not able to be used at this time.

School’s Responsible Behaviour Plan Review

As part of our school wide review of our School’s Responsible Behaviour Plan we have a very quick survey for parents to complete. If you click on the link below there are only 5 questions we would like you to respond to.

Reporting Term

Does the school have your correct email address? If not, let us know your contact details as it is report card term and all reports are emailed home to parents. This will be happening at the end of Term 2.

Developing Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence

Parent Article by Michael Grose

Everything old is new again.

Over 2,000 years ago Socrates reminded his Greek compatriots, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. “Socrates was talking about the development of what we now call emotional intelligence.

Current day muse Dr. Marc Brackett director of the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence is more expansive. He says, “Emotions matter as they drive learning, decision-making, creativity, relationships, and health.”

Emotions are messy. They can be loud. They can be hidden. They so often interrupt our well-organised schedules. “What do you mean you’re sad? We’re off to watch a movie. It’s a happy time!” Emotions are hard to control and difficult to see. Like slippery eels swimming in a dam, you know that they are down there somewhere but it’s hard to figure just what they are doing.

So where do we start exploring the alien landscape, the new frontier of parenting? Here are five ideas to help you explore the alien landscape of kids’ emotions, the new frontier of parenting:

1. View emotions through the pleasantness lens

We often place value judgements on emotions by saying some emotions are good or positive (happy, motivated, energised) while some are bad or negative (sad, worried, sullen). Avoid passing judgement in such ways. Recognise that emotions are pleasant or unpleasant and that all emotions are acceptable, whereas some behaviours (such as hurting someone when you are angry) are unacceptable.

2. Set your antennae to pick up emotion

Ever have a child come home from school and misbehave in a way that is out of character? If so, did you focus on the behaviour or did you try to detect the emotion behind the behaviour? The default mechanism for many adults is to respond to children’s behaviour rather than stand back and take notice of what may be going on beneath the surface. We respond to aggressive behaviour and sometimes fail to notice the anger seething below. Stop automatically reacting to behaviour and start noticing the emotion that may be driving the behaviour. You still need to manage poor behaviour but responding in this way may give you a valuable insight into your child’s inner world.

3. Validate kids’ emotions

Children and teenagers who are upset or experience extreme emotions require understanding and validation. You don’t necessarily have to fix the situation, but it is important that your child knows that you understand he is upset. Convey your empathy with statements such as, “Ahh, I see you’re upset that your brother….”, “Yes, it’s understandable to be annoyed……”, and “I can see that you are angry about this….”

4. Help your kids recognise, then regulate emotions

Kids, like adults, need to recognise their feelings before they can regulate their emotional state. Emotional recognition is a complex process that takes practice. Learning to recognise your feelings is a continuous process that’s best started when young, before the ups and downs of adolescence becomes a reality. Cue kids to their emotions by reflecting back to them how they may be feeling, rather than shutting them down or ignoring them. Eg “It seems that you’re pretty angry right now. Could I be right?”

5. Build your child’s vocabulary of feeling words

Emotionally smart kids generally have a wide vocabulary, which means they are better placed to shift their moods when required. Reflect back as accurately as possible how your child or young person may be feeling. The differences between emotions such as anxious, tense, nervous, worried and overwrought may be small but they are important in terms of giving kids some wiggle room to shift their feelings.

Emotional intelligence is best learned when it becomes part of your family’s culture, or way of doing things. Impacting on family culture is the best way of creating inter-generational change. You’ll know you’ve had generational impact when your children as adults identify you as the person who trained them in the skills of emotional intelligence. How cool would that be!

Kind Regards
Martine Gill
Principal

Upper Coomera State College’s Signature Programs

Upper Coomera State College’s Signature Programs are open for application for Year 6 students entering Year 7 in 2019.

Be one of a select few, to be accepted into these exclusive Academies:

• STEM Academy
• Creative Arts Academy
• Sports Academy

Get in quick. Applications close soon! For more information and to download an application form, please go to:

Alternatively, come and see us at Upper Coomera State College to grab an application pack.

Pimpama State Secondary College 2019 Principal’s Tour & Enrolment Information Night

HoSES News

Hear to Learn Hearing Screen

Hear and Say Paediatric Hearing Services will be visiting our school on Thursday, 26 July and Friday, 27 July 2018 to conduct hearing screeners with some of our students at Coomera Springs State School.

If your child received a consent form for this service, please return the form to the school office as soon as possible to ensure your child does not miss out on this opportunity.

National Consistent Collection of Data - 2018 Update

Collecting data on school students with disability helps teachers, principals and education authorities support the participation of students with disability in schooling on the same basis as students without disability.

All Australian State Governments have agreed to work together on the annual collection of data on school students with disability.

All Australian schools participate in this annual data collection every August. You may recall this taking place last year at Coomera Springs State School.

The data provided to the Australian Federal Government is aggregated data only (no student details are provided). Please be reassured that the Department will not provide to another organisation any data that can identify an individual student. The only data being collected at school level and to be reported nationally is the:

• number of students in the school who are provided with an adjustment to address a disability.
• level of adjustments we provide for those students.
• broad category of disability.

While only data that cannot identify your child will be submitted outside of the Department, if you do not wish for your child’s details to be included, please let me know prior to 20 July, 2018.

Information and fact sheets are available to help you make a decision from the Department’s website:

Australian Government Department of Education website:

Alternatively, if you have any queries about the collection or use of this data I encourage you to contact me directly via email at cmcle38@eq.edu.au

Connie McLean
Head of Special Education Services

PE Department News

Athletics Carnivals – 12th, 13th, 14th June

South Coast Cross Country

Congratulations to Honey, Jordee and Jacob for their outstanding effort at the South Coast Cross Country Carnival on Tuesday 5th June. Over 112 schools from around the Gold Coast Region participated at this level of competition. It’s a great honour to qualify for these school representative carnivals and we are very proud of these students.

Mrs Hodder
PE Teacher and Sports Coordinator

Music Department News

Fanfare Results

We would like to congratulate our Senior Band and Senior Strings on their performances at the FANFARE competition at Upper Coomera State College on Wednesday 30th May. The students performed extremely well under pressure, represented our school with pride, looked great in their uniforms and demonstrated respectful behaviour throughout the day. Our Instrumental Music Teachers, Stephanie Williams (Strings), Alana Russell (Band) and Tony Rea (replacing Alana Russell with the Band for the past fortnight) are also to be congratulated for their hard work in preparing these performing groups.

Congratulations Senior Band – BRONZE AWARD and Senior Strings – SILVER AWARD! Outstanding!

Footsteps to Fame

Our biennial school talent competition, Footsteps to Fame was launched on assembly today! Students will be signing up for individual or group performances in three categories – Singing, Dancing, and Mix it Up (which can include instruments, comedy, juggling, hula hooping, poetry and more).

There are prizes to be won in each category for Junior (Prep – Year 3) and Senior (Year 4-6) divisions. Nominations will be taken from now until the end of this term (class teachers will be taking nominations in year level groups starting on Monday 11th June), with Round 1 heats commencing in early Term 3. If your child has a talent please encourage them to get involved - we can’t wait to see the talent on show. Grand Final winners will have the honour of performing at our School Fair in October!

Music Showcase Evening

The CSSS Music Showcase Evening will be held on Wednesday 1st August at 5:30pm in our school hall. This will be a very exciting evening of music and entertainment. All of our Instrumental Music ensembles will be performing, as well as our Junior Choir, Ukulele Band, Drumline and Music Centre of Excellence Classes! This is a great opportunity for parents of potential Instrumental Music students to come along and see what the program has to offer. Our whole school community is invited to come along and enjoy some wonderful entertainment – gold coin entry with light refreshments provided!

Term 3 Eisteddfod Performances - Date Claimers

We have just received the dates and times for our Term 3 group performances at the Beenleigh Eisteddfod (Senior Strings) and the Gold Coast Eisteddfod (all other groups). Please note the times below are either section start times or the time we have been asked to arrive by – it is impossible to predict exactly how long the sections will go or what time our students will be on stage. Students will receive permission notes in the coming weeks with full information including their meeting time at school (which will be much earlier than the times below):-

Wednesday 25th July – Senior Strings at Logan Entertainment Centre (arrive by 11am)
Tuesday 7th August – Junior Choir at HOTA (10am start time)
Thursday 9th August – Senior Showcase Choir at HOTA (10.30am start time)
Tuesday 14th August – Intermediate Strings at HOTA (9am start time)
Monday 20th August – Junior Band at HOTA (9am start time)
Tuesday 21st August – Drumline at HOTA (2.30pm start time)
Thursday 23rd August – Senior Band at HOTA (6pm start time)

Music Shirts

Our performing ensembles look amazing in their Music Shirts. If your child is in Band, Strings or Choir now is the time to order your Music Shirt for 2018 – available from the uniform shop for $30. Music Shirts can be worn to school on Thursdays in 2018. Prep parents please be advised that the Music Shirts are available from Size 4 upwards.

PLEASE NOTE: All students performing in the Music Showcase Concert on Wednesday 1st August will require a Music Shirt for this performance.

Alison Murray
Music Coordinator

P&C News

P&C Meeting

Our next P&C meeting will be held on Wednesday 13th June at 3:15pm in the resource centre next to the library.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sharon Sharp
P&C President

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop is now open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8.15am – 9.00am. We would like to continue to operate on a Friday but need volunteers for this to happen. If you are available to help for an hour every Friday please email Ange at csssuniforms@gmail.com

Tuckshop

We are open from 7.30am until 3:00pm for all your breakfast and lunch needs.

Frankie’s Tuckerbox Menu

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

School Terms for 2018

School Directory

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Do you see it off the website, emailed from the school or our Facebook or twitter accounts?

Would you like to get it emailed to you as soon as it is released…?

Please click on the link below to receive it via email as soon as it is released!

Further into the sign-up process is the option for you to choose your association with the school (e.g. Staff, Parent, and Student).

Community Notices

Gold Coast Health Oral Health (Dental) Services

The Mobile Dental Clinic will be servicing Coomera Springs State School from the 7th June until the 4th October. Please refer to the attached Oral Health Service Provision Schedule for further details.

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.

For children to be eligible for free public oral health services they must:

• Be Queensland residents or attend a Queensland school; and,
• Be eligible for Medicare*; and,
• Meet at least one of the following criteria:

- be aged four years or older and have not completed Year 10; or,
- be eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule; or,
- hold, or be listed as a dependent on, a valid Centrelink concession card

* Eligibility for Medicare includes holders of green or blue Medicare cards but excludes yellow Medicare cards which are issued to visitors from countries with reciprocal health card agreements.

Further information on public funded oral health services can be accessed via URL:

Grandparents Support Group

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