5 February 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Welcome to the 2021 school year at Coomera Springs.

I extend a warm thank you to all our families who have assisted in preparing students for a smooth start to the school year. Our students appear very happy being back with their friends and learning. They are settling into their classes, getting to know their teachers and new classmates as well as adapting to all that is new. We know from our experiences in 2020, that students adapt to change quickly and strive to be independent at school. Our students are also priding themselves with their kindness and gratitude for what they have.

Together, we have an eye on continuing to develop students during 2021 in exceptional ways as we navigate a new COVID-Normal way of life.

Creating Bright Futures Together

Our focus is on creating bright futures together. We can’t change a lot of things, but we can work around what is happening in a positive and strong way towards creating bright futures for our students. Our students were successful in so many ways during 2020 and were able to do most of the things that we hoped to do. Whatever we seek, we can create it. If we want students to learn independence, we need to provide them with an opportunity to grow. If we want students to be resilient, we need to support them to solve problems themselves in a safe way and not do everything for them.

Every student is important to us and we want them to be happy all of the time. We know that learning, growing and setting and achieving goals brings a sustained state of happiness. As Dr Judith Locke said, schools are…’not Disneyland with uniforms. If children are not taken out of their comfort zone they will never learn or grow.’ (Sunday Mail, 31 January 2021) This is a great article, if you get the chance to read it.

Students need to be challenged to grow, learn, and become confident and resilient in a supportive environment. In 2021, we work to create bright futures together.

Day 8 Process in Schools

At the beginning of the school year, we monitor and submit enrolment and attendance numbers. These numbers determine the allocation of teachers, resources and other staff we receive for the year. This is known as the Day 8 Process in Queensland. Day 8 is Friday 5th February and classes and staffing will be confirmed after this date.

COVID – School Responses in 2021

We have all lived with COVID-19 for twelve months now and part of the difficulty for school communities in 2020 was responding to changing circumstances in extremely short time frames. The Department of Education has established a pre-determined, tiered response for schools to follow in 2021. We follow a new COVID-normal way of doing things to help prevent any localised outbreak and protect our beautiful people and local community.

The Department has a series of tiered responses to manage any local area outbreaks. This will involve short sharp restrictions for hotspot areas in order to manage any outbreaks. Whilst being prepared for this, we hope that it will not be needed.

We are currently at Response Level 1 – COVID-Normal

COVID – Normal Classroom Arrangements

Parents/Carers welcome for Back to School and Stationery Drop Off
Parents/Carers recorded on OneSchool for contact tracing or signed in at office
Maximum room capacity is 26 adults (including all staff)
Do not enter if unwell, experiencing symptoms or returning from declared Hotspots
Physical distancing of 1.5m inside and outside classrooms
Limited drop off time in room – 5 minutes
1 out and 1 in
We encourage student responsibility for own belongings as much as possible to develop independence.

Student Use of OneNote

We need to support continuity of learning through preparing a quality ‘home-based learning’ platform which can be enacted within a short space of time, if required. In 2021, we are moving to the use of Classroom Notebook (Microsoft OneNote) as our digital learning/home learning platform. There are a number of reasons to move to Classroom OneNote. Every student already has an account as part of their Microsoft Office 365 subscription and OneNote is extensively used in business as well as secondary schools. The cost of a student OneNote subscription is already covered state-wide within the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. Most parents and carers are already familiar with the Microsoft Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and Microsoft apps are deployed to 1:1 iPads or can be used through a web address on any device. The final reason is that our department already has a well-established student safety and student privacy oversight of student accounts to protect students on-line within OneNote. Some Coomera Springs teachers were piloting Classroom OneNote in 2020, and in 2021 we can move to school-wide use of Classroom OneNote as our platform for digital and home-based learning, if required at any stage.

The video below may assist you in becoming more aware of the benefits of OneNote in schools.

2021 at Coomera Springs SS

We welcome our incoming Prep cohort

We were very excited to welcome our 2021 Prep students to school last Wednesday. These wonderful little people are really ready for their formal schooling to commence. We very much look forward to seeing these little faces about the school over the next seven years.

2021 Class Allocation

Thank you to all families for accessing the 2021 Class Allocation and School Map for the start of the school year. Many students knew exactly where to go to find their new class, and the transition to 2021 classes was very smooth.

Early Book Pack Student Drop Off

We brought forward our plans for Early Book Pack Drop Off as an option for 2021 to assist with our COVID–Normal arrangements. Thank you for your understanding of the late notice on this. Feedback received was very positive as it allowed for an even smoother first day of school. This is something that we wish to look at to support Back to School in future years.

2021 School Calendar

The 2021 School Calendar is now available here.

Vehicle Parking at the School

We have a number of options for parents to park at the school. In the interests of safety and consideration for all, please use the following as guidance:

• Please do not park across concrete pathways that students and parents with prams use
• Please do not park in designated carparks for C&K and Benevolent Society
• Please follow all signage for parking including in the front Council Carpark
• Park and support students crossing at the available pedestrian crossings

Cooler Greener Schools Program - Classroom Air-conditioning Update

Our school is fortunate to receive the installation of classroom air conditioning and we now have units installed in every classroom. Whilst the majority of these units are now operational, we have been made aware that an electrical upgrade is required before some units can be operated.

This project is fully funded by the government and managed externally to the school.

The latest update is as follows:

• Electrical load management assessment – 1st February 2021
• External electrical upgrade – 27th February 2021
• Internal electrical upgrade - TBC

Learning Excellence in 2021

Through the amazing support and cooperation of our entire school community, we have been able to ensure continued learning excellence at Coomera Springs during 2021.

A little while ago, we marked the 21st day of the 21st year in the 21st Century. The 21st Century is officially all grown up. Our staff worked together prior to school starting on a number of areas to further support students in their learning and engagement to create bright futures together.

As we go through 2021, we are working together on:

• World class teaching of the Australian Curriculum
• Evidence based strategies to support student engagement, wellbeing and learning
• 1:1 devices and school-wide use of Classroom Notebook
• Creative and critical thinking
• STEM, STEAM, digital technology
• The best of what works from whatever year (mix of traditional and innovative)
• Teachers working together in teams to support and improve learning for all students
• Traditional values with modern methods
• Bright futures for every student

We look forward to a wonderful 2021 school year.

Chris McMillan
Principal

How to Report a Student Absence at Coomera Springs

Just a reminder that all absences must be reported to Administration by any of the following methods:

• Leave a message on the school absence line Ph: 5519 5300 – dial 1
• Email Administration admin@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au
• Reply to the SMS message – please state your child’s name and reason for absence

You may also email your child’s class teacher, however Administration must be advised in order for your child’s absence to be recorded with the correct code.

Your assistance in following our absence procedure is greatly appreciated.

Library News

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to 2021! We are starting Book Club again this year, with Issue 1 being handed out to all classes.

For parents and carers new to Book Club, please follow the directions on the back of the order form and place your orders online with accompanying payment. It’s very easy. As they say the more you read, the more you learn.

Please place your order by Tuesday 9th February.

Once orders have been sent to the school, I will distribute to your child’s class for collection.

With all orders, we receive a percentage to order free books for the library for your child to borrow.

Please note: Do not send money to school. All orders are to be placed online.

Thank you for your support. If you have any problems, please see me in the Library or phone the school.

Happy Reading,

Sue Marriott
Teacher/Librarian

Classroom Music News

Welcome to our new and continuing students in Music at Coomera Springs! We have some great learning activities planned for our students and Music groups this year, but first let me introduce our teachers. For 2021 Mr Lewerissa will be teaching Classroom Music to Year 1, 2, 3 classes (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday). Mrs Murray will teach Prep, Year 4, 5, 6 and the Year 4 - 6 COE Music classes, and coordinate the Instrumental Music Program (Monday to Friday).

Sign ups for our Extra Curricular Music groups will be happening in Week 3, and all students are welcome (to check which groups are open to which year levels please see below):

Senior Choir/School Musical (Mrs Murray – HALL) – open to all students in Year 3 – 6.
In Term 1 the Choir and Musical rehearsals will be on TUESDAYS at 2ND BREAK

Junior Choir (Mrs Murray – HALL) – open to all students in Prep – Year 2.
Junior Choir will rehearse on THURSDAYS at 1ST BREAK

Drumline (Mr Lewerissa – N Block Music Room) – students in Year 4 - 6 are welcome to sign up for tryouts (limited places available).
Drumline will rehearse on THURSDAYS at 1ST BREAK.

Ukulele Band (Mrs Murray – M Block Music Room) – open to all students in Year 3 – 6.
Ukulele Band will rehearse on FRIDAYS at 2nd BREAK

If you have any questions about our Music groups please email Alison Murray amurr51@eq.edu.au – we are looking forward to seeing many of our students in Music groups this year!

Instrumental Music News

We welcome back our Strings Teacher Miss Stephanie Williams. Timetabled Lessons for all Strings students will begin in Week 3, with Year 3 lessons on MONDAYS and Year 4 – 6 lessons on WEDNESDAYS.

This year we will welcome a new Band Teacher as our previous teacher Ms Renee Levy has accepted a teaching position in Brisbane. We will advise all Band students and parents about the commencement date of Band lessons once our new teacher has been appointed by Regional Office.

School Musical 2021 – The Rocky Monster Show

We are very excited to announce our CSSS School Musical for 2021 – The Rocky Monster Show. Students in Years 3 to 6 are able to audition for roles in the Musical, which will be held towards the end of Term 3 (two night time performances – dates TBC). If your child in Year 3 – 6 would like to be in the musical, they will need to join the Senior Choir for Term 1, as we will be teaching all the audition songs and dances in the choir rehearsal time. Musical Auditions will be held towards the end of this term, after all interested students have learned the audition songs and dances. Please note that we will require all participants in the school musical to pay a MUSICAL PARTICIPATION LEVY of $50 (which will include the cost of the Musical Cast Shirt) – this levy will be due in Term 2.

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 2021 – available from the uniform shop with ordering via Flexischools. Music Shirts can be worn to school as a uniform option on Thursdays this year.

P&C News

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome back to school! We hope that all the families and friends of the CSSS community are doing well and everyone had a safe and happy holiday. We are looking forward to a great year ahead.

Goals

All going well, this year will see some return to ‘normal’ and I have advised the P&C Executive Committee and the school of our three priorities for 2021:

1. Earn back the respect and trust of the school community in the CSSS P&C.
2. Gain and maintain compliance of management, governance and operations in accordance with regulations, policies and procedures.
3. Provide services to our school and community in a healthy and safe manner.

One of the roles of the P&C is, of course, to support the school and the community though fundraising activities and via the services provided by the Tuckshop, however, we cannot achieve anything without taking action on all three goals listed above. These goals are all intertwined, and one cannot be achieved without the other. I make no apology for taking a fairly forthright and serious approach when I talk about these, but this is what is required; especially earning back the trust of the school community. If you have any questions or concerns please contact myself or the Vice President directly on the contact email below.

Tuckshop

The Tuckshop was the stalwart of the P&C’s earning capacity in 2020 and we can’t thank the community enough for their ongoing support. It makes such a difference to the ‘bottom line’ when fundraising opportunities have been limited, and we remain hopeful of a good outcome this year, despite what it may bring. If you would like to help out in any way, please contact Angela, Vivienne, or the school. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Fundraising

Over the next few weeks, and at the upcoming P&C Meeting on Wednesday, 10th February, we will ‘table’ and discuss possible fundraising activities for 2021. If you have any ideas, please let us know in advance via the email address on the CSSS Website or at: CSSS_PandC@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au. We will keep you posted as soon as possible and we thank you for your support.

As mentioned last year, we are aiming to help the school with an undercover walkway from the Main Hall to the other covered pedestrian areas. This will be great to provide protection from the elements for our kids and school staff. If you have any other ideas, please let us know.

Communication

Clear communication is critical in alleviating any doubts for parents and carers about what is happening in our school and our community. The P&C are committed to being open and honest about everything we do. We have asked for feedback and to be honest, it hasn’t exactly been forthcoming – not through formal channels anyway. It is our duty to make sure the community is heard and all matters raised are actioned in a timely manner, so please let us know via the email addresses available on the school website or as below:

• P&C Executive Committee members which also includes the school Principal, at our shared email: CSSS_PandC@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au.
• P&C President directly via email: PandCPresident@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au, or daker12@eq.edu.au
• Tuckshop staff are available at: cstuckshop@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au.

Meetings

The next P&C monthly meeting will be held at 3:30 pm, Wednesday 10th February at the school Resource Centre, unless otherwise advised. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held Wednesday 10th March 2021 at 3:30 pm also at the Resource Centre. All are welcome to attend.

We wish all our school students, parents, carers, and staff all the best for the new year at CSSS.

Sincerely,

Darren (President)
On behalf of the CSSS P&C Executive Committee

Uniform Shop

Click the link below to be taken to The School Locker Website

School Terms for 2021

School Calendar 2021

School Directory

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Community Notices

A message from Parentline …

Sometimes you just need someone to talk to. Parentline can help!

We know anything can affect the functioning of a family. Whether your concerns feel big or small, we are here to support your family needs.

Parentline is a confidential phone and webchat counselling and information service. We offer FREE counselling and support for parents and carers in Queensland. If all counsellors are busy on calls parents are given the option to leave a voice message and a counsellor will call back.

How can Parentline help?

Parentline works with you to:

• Help you work through what is worrying you
• Identify and strengthen ways to increase family wellbeing
• Find other services and information to help you

What are some of the things that can be talked about?

Anything! Including:

• All things parenting
• Relationships in your family
• Family breakups
• Mental and emotional wellbeing

So, call Parentline for a chat.

Parentline is open 8am-10pm, 7 days a week. 1300 30 1300 or parentline.com.au.

Parentline also offers FREE online cyberbullying information for parents.

Supporting children through experiences of cyberbullying and online harm is mostly about managing emotions; your child's and your own.

Sometimes, in order to support our young ones, we need support and information ourselves. Visit the link below.

St Mary’s Catholic Parish, Upper Coomera – Sacramental Program

Due to COViD-19 our Sacramental Program was suspended for 2020. Due to this suspension we will be running two Sacramental Programs in 2021.

Please note that our first Sacramental Program is for children who SHOULD HAVE received the Sacraments in 2020.

Date of registration:

Thursday, 11th February at 7pm & Saturday, 13th February at 7pm.
Please bring Baptism certificate for each child.
The full schedule will be given at the registration meeting.

There will be a second registration night (mid July 2021) for children who are scheduled to receive the Sacraments in 2021. These children must be in Year 4 in 2021.

Further information may be obtained from:

Helena McKenna
Parish Secretary
St. Mary’s Catholic Parish
185 Billinghurst Crescent, Upper Coomera

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