19 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.

We celebrate recent achievements by CSSS students and teams so far during this term.

• Broadwater District Athletics 2 firsts, 3 seconds, 1 third
• Northern Gold Coast Rugby League Challenge – third place
• Beenleigh Eisteddfod – 4 firsts, 2 second places
• Kokoda Challenge – all finished and 3rd place
• Touch Rugby League – First and second team places
• Invitational netball – Second, third, player of the match
• St Stephen’s Spelling Bee – First, Third places

National Science Week

• This week, we celebrate National Science Week. Students participate in science at school as part of the curriculum with this week being an opportunity for an extra special focus upon science for students. Young children have curious minds and wonder about the world and we have an additional focus upon science as the 'S' in STEM learning. Whether it is the stars in the sky, how the waves work, understanding our weather or electricity, science is integral to our way of life and our global future together.

Children's Book Week

• Children's Book Week is commemorated between 20 - 26 August. This year's theme is 'Dreaming with Eyes Open'. Our Book Parade is on Tuesday 23rd of August starting at 9:15am on the oval.
• Year level teaching teams have been updating families and students in preparation of dressing up for our Book Week Parade.

Active School Travel

We celebrate successfully receiving approval to join Active School Travel with the Gold Coast City Council (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.

This initiative will build upon our new school entry point via the accessible walkway from the western car park and Coomera Springs estate into the Tuckshop Undercover area.

Our first step is to establish a committee to guide our Active School Travel program at our school in conjunction with GCCC.

Our school community is fortunate to be established within the Coomera Springs Estate with well-established pathways, parks and suburban streets to the west of the school to be able to support active school travel for many of our older students.

With active school travel comes a focus on safety. Recent incidents outside other SE schools have raised the importance of pedestrian safety and safe use of rideables. This shines a focus on age, road rules as well as safe routines for crossing roads, including the safe use of pedestrian crossings. For students using rideables, wearing a properly fitted bike helmet is a requirement as well as being a potential life saver, if there is an incident.

Dates to Note

During Term 3, we have some special dates to note:

Gold Coast Show public holiday - Friday 26 August (School and Camp Australia closed)
Student Free Day - Friday 2 September (School closed with Camp Australia operating) State-wide
Under 8’s Day – Friday 16 September
End of Term 3 - Friday 16 September
Spring Vacation - 17 September to 3 October
Queen's Birthday - Monday 3 October - public holiday (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 and special days in recent weeks in our slideshow in this newsletter.

Kind regards,

Chris McMillan
Principal

News From Inclusion

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)

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.

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.

News from our Resource Centre

Issue 6 of Book Club has now been delivered to your child’s classroom.
Please read the instructions on how to pay, which is on the back of the form.
Please pay online.
Please note I cannot accept money.
Please have your orders in by 21/08/2022.
With all orders, we get a percentage to order free books for the library.
Thank you for your support.

Happy Reading.

Sue Marriott Teacher/ Librarian

News from our Music Department

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

The next General Meeting will be held on Friday 7th October 2022 at 3.15pm in the School Staff Room (Resource Centre).

Dates to Remember

Community Movie Night - 14 October (More information to come)

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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