5 August 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Exceptional achievement by Coomera Springs students

Coomera Springs students have achieved remarkable achievements across a variety of fields so far this term. We celebrate with them and share with pride these achievements. This is also highlighted through the slideshow below.

• Beenleigh Eisteddfod – 4 firsts and 2 second places
• Kokoda Challenge – all finished and 3rd place
• Touch Rugby League – First and second team places
• Invitational netball – Second, third and player of the match
• St Stephen’s Spelling Bee – First and Third places

Western Accessible Rampway and Stairs- Active School Travel

We have a new entry point for the school close to completion. The walkway is an accessible and direct link between the Tuckshop Undercover to the Western Car Park and drop off area. This is an option away from the congestion at the front of the school and will provide a shorter walk into the school.

Our totem poles are in place. These recognise our First Nations people with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander poles along with poles for the four school sports houses.

The accessible rampway plus stairs under construction at the western end of the tuckshop are currently expected to be completed by next week.

We see this accessway to enable safe and active school travel from the western side of the school directly to the centre of the school at the tuckshop undercover. The pathway will connect to existing infrastructure to the western car park and further to the Coomera Springs estate where around 35% of our students reside.

We celebrate successfully receiving approval to join Active School Travel with the GCCC from next year. The vision is to enable more students to be able to safely use active school travel to school each day, via drop off, walking, cycling or scootering from the Coomera Springs estate.

Dates to Note

As we enter Term 3, we have some special dates to note:

Gold Coast Show public holiday - Friday 26 August (School and Camp Australia closed)
State-wide Student Free Day - Friday 2 September (School closed with Camp Australia operating)
End of Term 3 - Friday 16 September
Spring Vacation - 17 September to 3 October 2022
Queen's Birthday public holiday - Monday 3 October (School and Camp Australia closed)

Students continuing learning during the cold and flu season

We thank our school families for keeping their students away from school with symptoms. This is keeping our COVID rate down which is vitally important at this time. If your child has mild symptoms and is capable of completing learning tasks, we would like them to continue their learning until they can return to school. Students may be able to complete work on OneNote or via learning that can be emailed home.

These are exceptional times, but we would like to see all students continue their learning wherever possible.

Health authorities and governments strongly encourage the wearing of face masks by adults and students at school during this current surge in cases. While this is not mandated, it is supported at the school.

Current COVID Measures – COVID Normal

Please see the following most up-to-date guidelines:

• The vaccination mandate for staff, contractors and volunteers was rescinded at the end of June
• Face masks not required but strongly encouraged indoors and supported
• Mass gatherings and events can resume
• Restrictions on parents, carers and visitors eased
• All assemblies, incursions, camps and excursions can recommence
• We continue our day cleaner to continually sanitise high touch areas during school hours
• Students who choose to wear face masks will continue to be supported
• We maintain a supply of face masks to support staff and students who request
• Anyone who is unwell or with symptoms to isolate away from school and get tested
• We maintain a supply or RATs for unwell staff and unwell students to take home
• Close contact rules changed as of 6pm on Thursday 28 April - provided close contacts test negative and wear face masks may leave home.

Our community keeping everyone safe

We are all very aware that coronavirus has been and is circulating within our broader community. We acknowledge and thank many families doing the right thing in getting tested and isolating if positive. The school has a supply of RATs to be sent home with students who are referred to sick bay with symptoms. Coomera Springs families experiencing symptoms at home can access testing through HAAN Respiratory Centre (100m south of the school) or any testing centre or RAT supplier. Testing and isolating if positive is helping to reduce the spread of the virus at school.

Confirmed cases of COVID are occurring within our school community on a daily basis. Vigilance in keeping students with symptoms at home and getting tested is still the best way to contain the spread at this time. Thank you for testing and isolating if positive or close contact. This is important at this time.

Celebrate Success

We are really impressed with the achievements of our students across a range of fields.

We celebrate the great achievements so far this term in our slideshow in this newsletter.

Kind regards,

Chris McMillan
Principal

Notice of Upcoming School Closure Dates

Gold Coast Show public holiday - Friday 26 August (School and Camp Australia closed)

State-wide Student Free Day - Friday 2 September (School closed with Camp Australia operating)

The school operates as normal during the Brisbane Ekka week.

Prep 2023 Enrolments Now Open

2023 Prep Enrolments are now open!

Little ones born between 1 July, 2017 & 30 June, 2018 are eligible to start Prep in 2023!

Download an enrolment pack from our website or pop in and see Vicky and Janine in the office.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures:

Explicit teaching begins at 8.40am and finishes at 3.00pm. Consistently arriving after 8.40am or departing before 3.00pm, may mean your child is missing quality learning time.

Arriving late, often means the class teacher has to stop the lesson, welcome your child, explain what they have missed and then return his/her attention back to the class who is trying to wait patiently.

Departing early, also means the class teacher has to stop the lesson, answer the call from the office, support your child to pack up belongings, and then return attention to the rest of the class who, again is waiting.

We believe that all of our students can achieve success at our school with our dedicated teaching staff, their expertise and research-based pedagogy but this can only happen if our students are at school, on time, learning every day.

We understand that some late arrivals and early departures are for legitimate reasons, but the effect remains the same.

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.

Life Education

The Life Education team are visiting Prep – Year 5 students from 9th August – 19th August 2022.

Life Education offers a range of age-appropriate primary school modules aligned to the Australian and state-based curriculum across the Health and Physical Education Learning Area and General Capabilities. Each module is designed to inspire and empower students, providing knowledge, skills and strategies around topics of physical health, safety and social and emotional wellbeing, all through interactive learning experiences.

These sessions are run by Life Education staff and students will be supervised by CSSS staff.

Module focus areas include:

• Ways to stay safe at home, at school and in the community
• How to build friendships and care for others
• Emotional literacy – identify how the body reacts in different situations
• Recognising how food choices impact energy levels and nutrition
• Strategies to manage peer pressure and friendship situations

Information and permission notes have been emailed home and paper copies are available from the office. Please ensure to return permission notes ASAP to class teachers.

School Council

All Independent Public Schools (IPS) are required to establish a school council. School councils enable greater involvement of the school community and other stakeholders, such as industry, in setting the strategic direction for the school. The school council must perform its role in accordance with legislation and in a way that achieves the best learning outcomes for the school's students.

The school council:

• monitors the school's strategic direction
• approves plans, policies and other strategic school documents including the annual estimate of revenue and expenditure
• monitors the implementation of the plans, policies and other strategic documents

Here at Coomera Springs State School we are looking for two parents to join our School Council. Should we receive more nominations, a ballot will be conducted.

Eligibility

To be eligible for election as an elected parent or elected staff member, a person must:

• not be the principal of the school or the Parents and Citizens’ association (P&C) president
• have not been convicted of an indictable offence, unless the Minister gives approval under the Act (s.93)
• attend a meeting called for the purpose of electing parent members or staff members
• be the parent of a student attending the school (for elected parent member) or be a member of staff at the school (for elected staff member), and
• submit a completed nomination on time.

Term of Office

The general term of office for elected parent members or elected staff members is two years, although a different term may be set by the school council to create uniformity in the end dates of members’ terms of office.

If you are interested in joining the school council, please contact Chris McMillan cmcmi7@eq.edu.au.

Spelling Bee

Four of our students competed in the Saint Stephen’s College Spelling Bee on 28 July. To compete at this competition the four finalists won their way through the rounds and finals within their year levels at our school.

Our CSSS students did a great job competing against students from other schools.

Congratulations to Bailey, Halle, Sasha and Ryo for proudly representing our school.

Results- Bailey came 1st place and Ryo & Halle came 3rd place in their age groups.

News from our PE Department

2022 Broadwater District Athletic Trials

During Term 2 we held our CSSS 3-6 Senior Athletics Carnival, from this carnival 14 students met the qualifying time, distance or height to compete at the Broadwater District Athletic Trials which were held on the 1st and 2nd of August.

CSSS would like to congratulate the following students who competed at the 2022 Broadwater District Athletic Trials for 10-12 Years of age.

Congratulations to all students on their outstanding effort and achievements. Finishing top four in their event the following students have qualified for the Broadwater District Athletic Team, which will now compete at the South Coast Regional Athletic Trials later this term.

2022 Indoor Netball Competition

On Thursday 21st July, Coomera Springs took two teams to compete in the Gold Coast Primary Schools Indoor Netball Competition. A big thank you to all the students for their participation and outstanding efforts during training sessions and at the competition. All students demonstrated commitment, teamwork skills and excellent sportsmanship throughout the competition.

The 5-6 mixed team finished second in their division and the 5-6 girls team finished third. A massive congratulations to all students involved and an extra congratulations to Mila who was named ‘Player of the Match’ in the mixed grand final.

Nigel Bailey
Sports Co-ordinator

News from our Music Department

Amazing Results at Eisteddfod!

Last week our Junior Band, Senior Band, Senior Strings, Drumline, Intermediate Choir and Senior Choir performed at the Quota Beenleigh City of Logan Eisteddfod. All six groups received very high scores and fantastic comments from the adjudicator.

Results from the Eisteddfod (in order of performance):

A huge congratulations to all students involved!

Our Music Staff Miss Williams, Mr Alloway, Mrs Eckford and Mrs Murray were stoked with the great results of our performing groups and want to acknowledge the extra effort of the students involved in the Eisteddfod. Our thanks also go to the volunteers of Quota Beenleigh for running the competition, and to our CSSS music parents who supervised extra practice at home and brought the students in bright and early to catch the bus on the day! It is great when hard work pays off, and we are especially grateful for an opportunity such as this for our students to perform and compete again after 2 years of pandemic cancellations. We can’t wait to do it all again in 2023!

Gold Coast EISTEDDFOD – Successful Soloists

Congratulations to the following students who have received awards for their music solos at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod:

Well done Rocky, Seraphina and Kaya!

If your child has also achieved a placing at the Eisteddfod for a solo performance, please let us know so we can include them in the next newsletter.

Footsteps to Fame 2022

There is just 1 week to go until Round 1 of Footsteps to Fame begins! Round 1 will be held in Week 5 & 6 of term (Monday 8th to Friday 19th August).

In round 1 dates and times have been emailed to class teachers and the schedule will be displayed on the Music Room window (M Block). In Round 1 costumes are optional, and the students will perform their acts in the play breaks (no audience). If you have any further enquiries about Footsteps to Fame please email Mrs Murray (amurr51@eq.edu.au).

Music Shirts – Clearance

The P&C have advised they still have remaining stock of Music Shirts from the old supplier (identical looking shirts) – these are available from the Tuckshop for $21 while stocks last. If your child’s size is not available at the tuckshop you are still able to order online via School Locker’s website.

Music shirts can be worn to school as a uniform option on Thursdays this year.

Alison Murray
Music Coordinator

P&C News

Father Day Stall Announcement

The P & C are running a Father's Day stall on the mornings of Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st of August. We would love your help! If you can help either morning or both until approximately first break (10:50am) it would be very much appreciated.

If you would like to volunteer please email PandC@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au We look forward to meeting you!

Loose Change Challenge

General Meetings

It was decided at the AGM that General Meetings will be held on the 2nd Friday of each month.

The next General Meeting will be held on Friday 12 August 2022 at 3.15pm in the School Staff Room (Resource Centre).

Kelly
P & C President

Uniform Shop

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

Tuckshop

Frankie’s Tuckerbox

The Tuckshop is open Monday - Friday and offers a range of healthy choice options. Please click here for the 2022 Tuckshop Menu.

Orders can be placed at the tuckshop between 7.30am and 9am or online via flexischools (We prefer online ordering).

Please use separate bags for each break for each student if ordering at the Tuckshop counter. Please clearly mark the student’s name, class and break on each bag.

Lost or forgotten lunches will be replaced with a jam, vegemite or honey sandwich and a piece of fruit at a cost of $4.00. Payment can be made over the phone by Eftpos or the bill will be sent home with the student so it can be paid next day at the tuckshop.

All counter orders will incur a 20c processing fee.

PHONE ORDERS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED

All orders on Thursdays and Fridays can now only be placed through Flexischools. NO BAG ORDERS OVER THE COUNTER WILL BE TAKEN.

For further enquiries please contact:

Coomera Springs State School – Tuckshop
tuckshop@coomeraspringsss.eq.edu.au

Dental Van

School Calendar 2022

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