14 May 2025

Principal’s Report

Yours in education,

Peter Davey
Principal

Student of the Week

TERM 2 WEEK 2

TERM 2 WEEK 3

Date Claimers

Due Dates for Payments

Year 1 Street Science Incursion

On Tuesday 29^th May, Year 1 students attended the Street Science incursion in the school hall. All students attended the 45 minute ‘Signature Science Show’ at the beginning of the day where scientist Emma presented a fun, engaging and interactive science show based on the concept that “science is everywhere around us”. Emma entertained us with interesting science facts and information and very cool science experiments.  I’m sure the highlight for everyone (students and teachers) was when Emma created a MEGA Cloud that had us all clapping and cheering with delight! 

After this exciting presentation, all students participated in a smaller 1-hour hands-on experience, ‘Cheeky Science (Bouncy Balls), where Emma guided students through an investigation to make, describe and compare changes of PVA bouncy balls. 

The look of awe on students’ faces and gasps of excitement and wonder in the sessions were so exciting to see and hear.  I’m sure they all came home and shared their experiences and new learnings with their families and tried out the bouncy balls they made!

We are just so lucky to be able to participate in excellent experiences such as this Street Science incursion that reinforced and built upon the science teaching and learning we are doing at Kurwongbah. Thank you to all the families that supported this wonderful learning experience. 

Denise Tarlinton
Junior Science Teacher

Year 1 Grandparents/Special Older Person Afternoon

Last Tuesday afternoon Year 1 classes hosted a Grandparent/Special Older Person afternoon in the school hall.  We were blown away not only by the number of Grandparents that attended but the wonderful items from the past that they brought in to share with the students. The conversations that were happening were just priceless. Thank you to our HASS Teacher Mrs Smith for her organisation of this special event.

2026 Prep Enrolments

We are now taking names of Prep students for 2026. Children who were born between 1^st July 2020 and 30^th June 2021 are eligible to commence Prep in 2026. Parents are invited to contact the school office (Ph: 3481 4333) if they are intending to enrol their child at Kurwongbah for Prep in 2026. Enrolment forms can then be completed and student interview times booked.  Please contact the school for further information.

School Photos

School photos for 2025 have been rescheduled for the 4^th and 5^th June. This was the earliest date that was available. Please find the school photo timetable below:

Parade Presentations 2025

Whole school Parades are held each Friday morning from 8.55am in our school hall. Parents are most welcome to attend. During the year each class or year level will present a Parade Presentation.

Below are the 2025 Parade Presentations:

Bell Times

Parents are reminded of the bell times.  If you are planning to collect your child during the break times, please ensure you contact the office to advise, so we can have your child waiting at the office.  We can’t otherwise guarantee to locate your child until they transition back to their classroom.

Student Safety

The safety of students and staff is very important. Members of the school community are asked to observe the following:

• Students are required to have their Kurwongbah school hats at school EVERY day and students must wear hats during both play breaks regardless of where they are playing
• Students who bring scooters to school must secure them in the bike area. Scooters are NOT to be stored in class areas
• Parents and carers are also asked to use the school crossings (Eacham Street and Eucumbene Drive) when bringing their children to and from school. This teaches our children the correct road safety rules. Thank you for your support with these safety precautions
• Parents and carers are permitted to photograph their own child at school events and activities but are requested to refrain from taking photos of other children or posting school material online (including Facebook)

Absences

State schools are required to notify parents on the same day any student is absent from school without explanation.  Rolls are marked at 8:50am and 2:10pm each day. An SMS message will be sent to any parent of a student with an unexplained absence by 11am.  Students who are not in their class at 8:50am will be marked absent and MUST collect a late slip from the office. Parents collecting their children early must sign them from the office before collecting from the classroom.

Absence Notification Process

Please remember to contact the school early in the morning if your child is going to be away or late for school so your child’s absence can be recorded correctly. The preferred method of reporting an absence is via the SMS number 0429 919 560. Otherwise, you can contact the school absence line on 3481 4366 or the main school admin line on 3481 4333.

Please be sure you indicate the following when reporting the absence:

• Name of child (especially if there is more than one child in your family)
• Absence reason – Please indicate if your child is sick or at an appointment etc. Indicating that your child is not coming to school, does not give a true reason for the absence
• Late Arrival – If your child will be late due to an appointment, please indicate an approximate time of arrival
• Dates of absences, if longer than 1 day

Contact Details

It is important that the school have the correct contact details.  This is especially important in emergency situations or if your child presents as unwell during the school day. If you have changed your mobile phone number, address or email address, complete the attached form and forward to the office.  Please be also aware if you have a change in emergency contacts. If parents are registered through QParents they are able to update details through this app.

Storm Warnings

If the weather forecast is indicating storms or we have heavy rain at 3.00pm, your child will be kept in class until your arrival at the classroom. Please do not panic when collecting your child as this can distress other students.

Mobile Phones Away for the Day 2025

Student Use of Mobile Devices

If students choose to bring their phone to school, they must switch it off and hand in at the office for safe keeping during school hours.  Phones should not be left in school-bags.

Smartwatches and other devices can be worn; however, notifications must be switched off.

This includes during lessons and break times, as well as during other school activities. 

Students not complying with this policy will be referred to school leadership and parents contacted.

Why is This Happening?

This approach is being implemented in all Queensland state schools to:

• Reduce distractions in the classroom
• Increase face-to-face interactions between students
• Promote student health and wellbeing
• Reduce the potential for student exposure to negative impacts of the digital world, such as cyberbullying

More Information

Guidelines and supporting documents have been developed in consultation with school leaders and key stakeholders.

Scan the QR code to visit the phones away for the day online hub, for parent/carer and student resources.

School Parking Programme

Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) Local Laws Unit undertakes a School Parking Patrol Program where officers complete scheduled school patrols, both in the morning and afternoon, to ensure that vehicles are parked in a safe and lawful manner. The primary aim of the program is to ensure that students and family members/caregivers are able to safely move around the school area as part of dropping off or picking up students from the school.

The Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Law No.5 (Parking) 2011 and Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 control parking or stopping of vehicles on footpaths, bicycle paths, marked yellow lines, shared paths, dividing strips and nature strips, along with vehicles parking across resident’s driveways and within ‘No Stopping’, ‘No Parking’, and ‘Bus Zones’ and Pick-up / Drop -off zones. Council is legally required to enforce these areas and the School Parking Patrol Program forms part of this process. Drivers are reminded that footpaths and nature strips are in place to promote pedestrian movement in a safe manner along roadsides and that drivers and residents must not stop on a bicycle path, shared path, dividing strip or nature strip. Please also note that vehicles that are parked with two wheels up and two wheels down is not considered as a lawful parking practice.

Local Laws officers conduct enforcement through the issuance of Penalty Infringement Notices as part of each School Parking Patrol. Please be aware that Council officers may take photographic evidence of vehicles stopping or parking illegally with Penalty Infringement Notices to be issued via mail at a later date to the offending vehicle’s owner.

Visit www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/parking for further guidance on parking restrictions.

For any further information, members of the School community are welcome to contact Moreton Bay Regional Council on 3205 0555.

Eco-Marines News

Our amazing EcoMarines have a busy and exciting time ahead! We're thrilled to announce the arrival of a brand-new worm farm to help us continue our sustainability efforts and reduce food waste at school. The EcoMarines are getting everything ready and can't wait to introduce our new wriggly friends to the school community.

Also coming up is our much-loved Container Drive in Week 5, starting Monday 19^th May. Last term we collected an incredible 35 000 containers — a fantastic achievement! This term, we're aiming even higher, and we need your help to beat our record. Please bring your eligible containers and drop them off by Mrs Owen’s room.

A huge thank you goes out to all the volunteers who helped with the recent Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, and to everyone who came by to support us by buying a sausage. Your efforts are helping fund future projects and make a real difference.

Let’s keep up the great work and show just how strong our school’s sustainability spirit is!

Kurwongbah Kids Playgroup

Inclusion News

Helping Children Build and Maintain Friendships

Friendships are a vital part of primary school life. They help children feel connected, boost their confidence, and support emotional wellbeing. While some children naturally find it easy to make and keep friends, others may need a little more help along the way. At Kurwongbah, we believe that every child deserves to feel included, valued, and supported in their social development.

Here are some ways you can help your child build and maintain positive friendships:

1. Talk About What Makes a Good Friend

Encourage your child to think about the qualities of a good friend: kindness, honesty, sharing, listening, and including others in play. These conversations help children understand how to be a good friend themselves and what to look for in others.

2. Practise Social Skills at Home

Role-play common social situations like starting a conversation, joining a group game, or handling disagreements respectfully. Practising these interactions at home can help your child feel more confident in real-life situations at school.

3. Arrange Playdates or Social Catchups

Smaller group settings outside of school can give children the chance to build connections in a more relaxed environment. It can also be helpful for children who find the playground overwhelming or who are still learning how to initiate play.

4. Encourage Inclusion and Empathy

Talk about how it feels to be left out and the importance of including others. Encouraging empathy helps children understand different perspectives and build stronger, more compassionate friendships.

5. Celebrate Small Wins

If your child makes a new friend, plays with someone new, or handles a tricky social situation well, celebrate it! Positive reinforcement builds confidence and motivation to keep trying.

At school, we support children’s friendships through class activities, social skills groups, supported play sessions, and lots of opportunities to practise kindness and inclusion every day. If you have concerns about your child’s friendships, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their class teacher or the Inclusion Team. We're here to help.

Beth Kent
Head of Special Education Services

STEM & Enrichment Education News

Makerspace Lunchtime Timetable

Design Technology – Year 5  

Year 5 students are completing their package for their plant as part of their Design Technology unit this term. Students have created packages using recycled containers that will support an edible plant grown in the sustainable garden. Great work students!

Premier’s 2025 Coding Challenge

The 2025 Premier’s Coding Challenge is on again! This challenge offers great prizes of coding and robotics kits and an excellent opportunity for students to create some interactive and innovative coding. The challenge in 2025 is for students to develop an innovative digital solution to reflect one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Entrants from Years 3 – 6 can develop an app, game, animation or website, and they must submit a short video showcasing their entry.

For more information see the teachers in the library or visit 

Music News

Choral Fanfare

The Senior Singers, Middle Singers and Junior Singers will perform at Choral Fanfare on Wednesday 28^th May. This is a biennial choral festival organized by Education Queensland to celebrate and showcase Education Queensland’s school choirs. Kurwongbah is hosting a heat for our region so performances will take place in the school hall. Parents/carers are welcome to come and support us and there is no cost involved. Hopefully we will be allocated an exact time very soon. At this stage I have been told it will commence at around 11.30am and finish by 1.00pm. Students need to be in full performance uniform for this event.

Save the Date

• Choral Fanfare: Wednesday 28^th May
• Senior String Ensemble on Parade: Friday 30^th May
• The Mid Year Night of Music: Tuesday 3^rd June
• Choirs on Parade: Friday 6^th June

Mid Year Night of Music – Tuesday 3^rd June

The following groups will be performing:

• Junior Singers, Middle Singers and Senior Singers
• Junior String Ensemble and Senior String Ensemble
  
• Junior Concert Band and Senior Concert Band

The Music Support Group will be having a sausage sizzle before the concert. There will be no interval however the canteen will remain open until 7.00pm. Volunteers are most welcome to help. Please email fundraising@ksspca.qld.edu.au. 

We are after some lucky door and raffle prizes to be donated for this night. Over the past few years, we have had wonderful families donate chocolates, lollies, wine, gift cards/vouchers from various places, iTunes cards, toys and much more. It doesn’t have to be a huge prize – all donations big and small will be accepted with gratitude.  All prizes need to be delivered to the office or music room by Friday 30^th May so they can be wrapped.         

• Doors open at 5.30pm
• Gold coin donation for entry
• Performances commence at 6.00pm
• Full performance uniform (including black school shoes)
• All students in the ensembles mentioned above are expected to perform

Book Club News

How Book Club Helps Your Child’s School

Every time you place a Scholastic order, your School is being rewarded!  For example, for every Book Club order you place, Scholastic receives 20% of your total order spend to your school as Scholastic Rewards.  This allows the school to purchase books and resources for your child’s classroom and the library, helping students reach their highest potential.

How To Order

The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card.  Your child’s order is submitted directly to school and the books will be delivered to your child’s class.  You can place your child’s order at http://scholastic.com.au/LOOP or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

Cash orders can be handed into the library.  Simply fill out the order form on the back of the catalogue, place the form and the exact cash amount into an envelope or clip seal bag and drop off to the LIBRARY ONLY!

Julie Collins
Book Club Coordinator 

P&C News

P&C Meeting

Our P&C meeting will be held tonight, Wednesday 14^th May at 6.30pm in the Staffroom. Come along and hear about what is happening in our school community.

Become a P&C Member

Our P&C association is a friendly and welcoming group and the meetings are a good way of finding out what is happening at our school. Each year members work together to grow community spirit and work towards the benefit of all children at the school. Members may choose to volunteer in the classroom, library, tuckshop, uniform shop, fete, at sporting events and organised activities/working bees. P&C membership also allows members to have a say in what should be done to help the school community, and how best to fundraise to work towards important goals throughout the year.

Drop your membership form into the school office or email it to: secretary@ksspca.qld.edu.au. Membership forms are also available at the Uniform Shop.

Tuckshop News

New Tuckshop Treats

We’ve got some delicious new additions on the menu this term, including:

• Fresh bananas
• Creamy custard
• And a brand-new flavour of Red Rock Deli chips – Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream! 

Birthday Buckets

Make your child’s birthday extra special with our new Birthday Buckets – delivered right to their classroom! Each bucket includes:

• Tasty Quelch ice sticks for the whole class
• Fun Birthday Hat
• $2 Tuckshop Voucher

Order yours now through the QKR! app – just choose the date, and we’ll handle the rest!

Ordering

The preferred method of ordering is online via the QKR app, as all details of in stock items are available.  We also accept over the phone orders and cash orders over the counter.

Cash

Tuckshop is once again accepting cash sales via the bag system and for over the counter items in break times.

Phone Orders

Parents can place a phone order, by phoning the tuckshop directly on 3481 4337 and paying by credit card.  Cut off for phone orders is 9:00am.

Online Ordering

Parents can order via the online QKR app.  Cut off for online ordering is 8:00am.  Please ensure you have your child’s correct class, so your child’s meal is prepared and ready in the correct collection place.

Allergies

We currently cater for many students with allergies.  If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact our team and we will be able to give you up to date information regarding our products.

Tuckshop Hours

Thank you for supporting the Tuckshop, we love serving up smiles and snacks at Kurwongbah.

Tuckshop Convenors 
3481 4337
tuckshop@ksspca.qld.edu.au 

Uniform Shop

Uniform Fittings

If you need a uniform fitting, you do not need to arrange an appointment. Simply come to the Uniform Shop during opening times.

Qkr! Online orders are delivered to class during Uniform Shop hours.

School Backpacks

School backpacks are available for $50.  These backpacks are chiropractic approved and have a guarantee for the full time your child is at school. We have new stock arriving Monday 20^th February.

Second-hand Uniforms     

If you have uniforms that you no longer require, please bring them into the Uniform Shop. We urgently need all sizes.

You can either sell them through the shop or donate them.  If you can’t get into the Uniform Shop to drop off your second-hand uniforms you can leave them at the Office with Uniform Shop written on the bag. 

Ordering Through Uniform Shop    

Uniform Shop Hours

Thank you 
Michelle & Megan
3481 4338
uniformshop@ksspca.qld.edu.au 

Containers for Change

Community Notices

South Pine Community Kindergarten