4 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

The combination of leadership induction parade and National Young Leaders’ Day foregrounded our focus on the empowerment of young leaders in the positive influence of others to enrich our school community. Our new leaders have engaged in goal setting; both personally and as a team, teamwork; to encourage each other and work with the strengths of each team member, and the power of positive interactions to influence all members of our school and local community modelling the type of school we all want to learn and be inspired in every day. I know we are in great hands with our student leaders and year 6 student body for 2020.

Looking ahead, parents will have the opportunity for formal parent teacher interviews at the end of Term 1. Please note, bookings will be completed using an online process with information on the booking schedule and process available soon.

Last week we welcomed Mrs Carmen Smith to the staff team. Mrs Smith is working in the first aid room with Mrs Arnold until the end of Term 1. Mrs Smith has come to us from Tullawong SHS and we are excited to give her a warm welcome to our school community. Mrs Smith will be working Monday-Wednesday and Mrs Arnold Thursday and Friday. Thank you for making Mrs Smith feel welcome as she gets to know her new school.

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, the School Council have developed a Partnership Action Plan to guide their 2020 focus. One of the partnerships the school will be exploring is the development of a weekly playgroup. With so many young families on our site we would like to offer a time when our young families can get together and spend time with children in the 0-5 age group. There will be a short online survey coming out to all families in the near future gauging interest in the playgroup including times and dates when families might like to attend. This is an exciting step forward for our community and we look forward to sharing more fun and learning as we kick start our playgroup in 2020. Be sure to keep an eye out for the survey coming your way!

This term I will be focusing on sharing strategies designed to equip our children with the tools to face the natural challenges of life. Resilience is a term use to describe the skill of coping with life ups and downs. This week’s strategy shares how supportive relationships with significant adults helps children in their relationships with their peers.

If you are interested in further information

Yours in education,
Leanne Odorico
Principal

Parade Presentation

Last week during parade the Middle A class entertained us as they shared the work they have been doing on Persuasive Writing. They gave clear examples of persuasive language on three topics: Playing in the Adventure Playground; Eating an Ice Cream; and Getting a New Bike. Well done students and teachers.

Student of the Week

Top Kurwongbah Kids

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received Top Kurwongbah Kids Awards by showing our School Values:

TERM 1 WEEK 4

Top Kurwongbah Kid – Term 1 Week 4

TERM 1 WEEK 5

Top Kurwongbah Kid – Term 1 Week 5

Date Claimers

Due Dates for Payments

Leaders Induction

During parade on the 21st February, our year 6 student leaders signed a pledge and were presented with their student leader badge. Congratulations students.

Our School Values

These are the values that are important in our school community and which are actively taught at Kurwongbah:

Caring

• Being compassionate and helpful
• Looking after each other
• Treating others with kindness

Honesty

• Being honest, truthful, sincere, fair and just
• Taking responsibility for yourself and your actions even when there could be consequences.
• Being true to yourself.

Respect

• Treating others as you would like to be treated
• Showing others courtesy and consideration
• Valuing yourself, other people, rules and property

Resilience

• Not giving up when things get difficult
• Sticking to something no matter how long it takes
• Bouncing back after disappointment
• Staying focussed on your goals

Excellence

• Striving to do your best
• Going higher than you’ve gone before
• Expecting that you will achieve quality in your work and relationships
• Reaching for the stars!
• Celebrate and take pride in your own achievements and successes

Year 6 Camp

For the last three days our year 6 students, along with Mrs Lane, Mrs Newton, Mrs Neilson, Miss Brazel, Mr Thoburn, Mr Fowler, Mr Mills, Mrs Sutherland, Miss Bernard and Chappy have been at Luther Heights Camp at Coolum. We look forward to hearing the many tales from their experience.

School Garden News

Since the beginning of the school year, the students have been busy preparing the school garden. They have weeded and ploughed the garden beds, collected woodchips to improve the ground surface and started class composting in Year 3-6. With all the recent rain, the school garden has been flourishing. We have recently harvested beans, carrots, beetroot, capsicums and tomatoes. Students have also started planting new crops of corn, cucumber rhubarb, beans and pumpkin. New chickens have also arrived, and we are eagerly awaiting the first eggs. Please feel free to come and check out the garden when you are next up at the school.

Young Leaders’ Day

On Monday the 24th of February 2020, 22 student leaders and 8 invited leaders went to an event called, “Young Leaders’ Day” along with Mrs Odorico, Miss Bernard and Mrs McLary. National Young Leaders’ Day is an event for student leaders and schools from North Queensland to northern New South Wales attend.

All students and staff walked away from this experience with inspirational messages from all speakers including John Coutis, Jackie French, Erin Molan and Bianca Chatfield.

Some of the ‘take aways’ include: ‘You’ll never realise how good you can be until you are out of your comfort zone.” “Be persistent, believe in yourself.” These are just two of the excellent lessons we learnt on Monday. So thank you Halogen for hosting this event, thank you parents for funding this event and thank you teachers for supervising us at the event.

Jake Freier SA

Bruce Sullivan – Your Best You

The Kurwongbah SS P&C invites you to be 'Your best you... with the energy, attitude and resilience of a four year old almost every day!'.

About this Event

Busy? Everyone is busy! Our world has become the world of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland: “Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that. ”Our modern workforce and lifestyle places many demands on our time and energy. Constant change, families and increasing expectations from ALL areas of work and life will either energise you OR drain the life out of you. So how do we focus our attention to ensure that we get what we truly want out of our profession and our life? How do we overcome the obstacles to genuine effectiveness and maximise our own individual input into our team and our families to ensure an effective relationship? We will go through an educational and entertaining journey that will help you to build resilience and rediscover how to keep yourself focused and energised to do what really counts! If you are interested in;- Recharging stressed out hard working mums and dads- Coping with change fatigue with more change to come- Maintaining motivation momentum … yours and your families!

...then this motivational evening is for you!

Pine Rivers High – Open Day

Pine Rivers State High School are holding their Open Day on Tuesday 24th March, 3:30-6:30pm.

eSafety Focus

In Week 6 of each term we will schedule discussions around eSafety with all classes. The focus will differ slightly depending on the different year levels. In our PBL lessons this week Year 3-6 students will focus on a CyberSafety Forever. Students will discuss the risk in sharing digital images. A link to the resource used by teachers is included here:

A link from the eSafety Commissioner is also included here which lists popular apps, games and social media platforms. Parents are urged to have a look through this link to see how to protect privacy and report any concerns linked to their use. This information also includes details about the ages that students need to be to legally access them.

Also included is a downloadable eSafety Parent Guide which is suitable for young children through to late High School. We would encourage parents/ carers to make themselves familiar with the content in this guide.

STEM & Enrichment Education News

Kurwongbah’s Makerspace

Makerspace Lunchtime Timetable – Term 1

Year 4 -6 Solid Pathways

Solid Pathways - STEM is excited to partner with the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy to deliver an enhanced educational program focussing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Aligning with the Advancing Education Plan, Solid Pathways - STEM provides students with the opportunities they need to develop as problems solvers, critical and creative thinkers and harness a passion for change and innovation.

Solid Pathways - STEM uses QVSA’s innovative, real time, online learning platform (iSee) to deliver the program and enable students to collaborate with other like-minded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Solid Pathways - STEM focusses on authentic, real-world challenges and current research designed to extend and ignite student interest and learning beyond the Australian Curriculum. The program is underpinned by critical and creative thinking skills and draws on best practice inquiry-based learning, whilst embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. The program will engage highly capable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in years 4-6 from across Queensland state schools.

Courses offered focus on the delivery of enrichment and enhancement programs in which students can build a portfolio of learning experiences and participate in problem-based learning opportunities.

The learning experience take two main forms: Grand Challenges and Skill Builders. Grand Challenges are ten weeks and Skill Builders are eight weeks duration. Each course consists of one 60-minute weekly live online teacher-facilitated lesson and may include self-paced online tutorial activities.

This year, Kurwongbah has nine students from Year 4, 5 and 6 participating in the program of, Solid Pathways – STEM and engage in these interactive activities every Tuesday.

Year 6 Hermitage Science Plant Competition

Year 6 enrichment students have planted sprouts for their science project and are growing them in a variety of coloured lights to see the effects on plant health. Students have noted that the plants grown in no light have germinated but are dull and brown in colour and those in the red, blue and natural light have green foliage and strong stems. The study will continue for several weeks and data will be collected and evaluated.

Year 6 EV3 Immersion Day

A team of Year 6 students attended the Robocoast EV3 Robotics Immersion Day on Tuesday 25th February. Here students took part in an exciting opportunity to develop their skills in building and programming EV3 Robots. This immersion day was held at Sippy Downs and brought together schools from all over the Sunshine coast. The students learnt to use the EV3 Lego Mindstorms program to code their robot. They used switch blocks and loops as well as learning manoeuvring techniques using angles and measuring. Students' skills in creative and critical thinking where also challenged as they problem solved to use colour sensors and ultrasonic devices on their robot to complete courses and compete in a Sumo Robot Wrestling battle. Students are now keen to apply their newly learnt skills and enter into the upcoming RoboRave Australia tournament held at the University of the Sunshine Coast in May as well as run workshops for students in the lunchtime breaks.

Coding and Robotics

Junior students are enjoying using their coding and problem solving skills to program the robotic mouse to reach the cheese. They set the course using the green square templates and use the robotic mouse to move along the path. Will your mouse reach the cheese? Come and join in the fun at the Makerspace and test your skills!

2020 theme: Celebrate our differences and create a colourful world.

This national competition is open to all primary schools across Australia and coincides with the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence in March. The aim of the competition is to raise awareness of bullying and to assist schools and organisations to identify and address bullying behaviours in their communities.

All you need to do is draw an A4 poster depicting the theme of ‘Celebrate our differences and create a colourful world.’ Send your entries to the library by 31 March. There are some great prizes on offer.

For more information visit -

Music News

Thank you to everyone for returning all necessary forms promptly. Over the coming weeks your child will receive a note (hard copy) regarding the cost involved in the Instrumental Music and/or Choral Program. This note will have your child’s name on it with details itemising the amounts payable for your child. An invoice will then be emailed with the total amount. Please keep an eye out for the note and email.

Performance Uniforms

All students in the following ensembles require a Performance Uniform and will be fitted over the coming weeks:

• Junior and Senior Band
• Junior and Senior String Ensemble
• Junior and Senior Singers
• Percussion Ensemble

Uniforms will not be sent home until everyone has been fitted and payment is completed. The uniform is to be worn with white ankle turn over socks (not sport socks) and black school shoes (no boots, runners or ballet flats). These items are not part of the hired uniform.

Term 1 Music Rehearsal Times

Attendance is expected for all rehearsals so if you child is unable to attend a rehearsal could you please email or send a note to the teacher so his/her absence can be noted. Please remind your child to collect his/her instrument from the storeroom. Instruments are to go home each week so your child can practise before the next rehearsal.

“The fact that children make beautiful music is less significant than the fact that music can make beautiful children”. Cheryl Lavender

Physical Education & Sports News

Sporting Schools

We have received funding for 2 programs in Term 1 : Football and Softball. There is no registration required and no cost involved.

The session details are as follows:

Football

• Mondays 8.00 – 8.40am – Oval. Meet Mr. Waldron at the oval stairs. 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th March. Year 1-2 students.
• Wednesdays 8.00 – 8.40am – Oval. Meet Mr. Wood at the oval stairs. 11th, 18th, 25th March and 1st April. Year 3-4 students.

It is recommended that students wear Football boots or a spare pair of joggers for these sessions otherwise school shoes are likely to be wet and soggy all day long. Students will need their hats and a drink bottle with them. School bags can be placed on the Cricket pitch during the sessions.

Softball

• Tuesday and Thursdays at 1st Break. Multipurpose Courts. Students in Year 3-5 are to meet Mr. Wood and Mr. Fowler at the court entrance.
• Sessions will run 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, 17th ,19th, 24th and 26th March. These session link directly to the current PE content and are an opportunity for students to play a different sport than usual.

Met North Swimming Trials

Congratulations to Breea, Mali and Bowie for their efforts at the trials held at Lawnton Pool last Wednesday. There was some very stiff competition on the day with swimmers from throughout the region. Well done girls on some strong performances.

District Sport Trials

Thank you to Mr. Fowler, Mr. Thoburn, Mrs. Lane and Mrs. Turner for assisting students in recent weeks for District Sport trials. The full schedule for 2020 is attached here for your reference.

Book Club News

Book Club Issue 2 catalogues have been delivered via your child’s classroom. If you haven’t received a catalogue, spare copies are available at the office and at the library. The catalogue is also available online via this link:

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

Cash orders can be handed into the library by Wednesday 18th March. 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.

Alternatively, order online via LOOP. The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. Loop orders are due by Wednesday 18th March also. 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 the website below or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

Julie Collins
Book Club Coordinator

School Banking News

School Banking Fundraising from 2019

Our School Banking rep from Commonwealth Bank, Angela attended parade recently to present us with a cheque in recognition of our banking program in 2019. Thanks to the fantastic efforts of our students we have raised $1776.50 for Kurwongbah! Our school receives an annual contribution based on the number of students who made at least one School Banking deposit in the prior year, plus 50c for every deposit a child makes. Thank you to everyone who banks on a weekly basis. It’s not about how much you bank, rather how regularly you bank.

Have you recently transferred to Kurwongbah from another school?

The reward points earned for each deposit are tracked against your student number unique to your school. When you transfer schools, you receive a new student number but the reward points don’t automatically transfer over. If you contact the Commonwealth Bank, they can arrange to have the previous reward points credited to your Kurwongbah student number which will be updated in the front of your bank book.

P&C News

AGM

The annual general meeting for the P&C will be held Wednesday 18 March at 6.30pm. A new executive committee will be elected at this meeting. If you are interested in nominating for a committee position, including sub-committee positions, these will be called at the AGM.

Nomination forms for the executive committee are below.

More information about these roles is available on the P&Cs Queensland website at this link:

2020 Membership

New membership forms are available below. We encourage all parents, staff and interested community members to become members of the P&C. Membership not only provides you with the opportunity to raise issues and concerns at meetings, it also provides insurance cover when you volunteer at the school.

Fundraising News

Next Meeting – Wednesday March 4th – 6:30pm at Warner McDonalds

The Sub Committee would like to invite all interested parents to attend the next meeting to discuss the Easter Raffle, Election BBQ and Guest Speaker evening.

School Disco wrap up!

Thank you to the Kurwongbah community for supporting our first disco of the year on February 21st. We had an outstanding turn out for both discos, and it was lovely to see so many happy smiling faces. A big thank you to parents and teachers that volunteered on the evening, along with some of the Senior Leaders who helped with preparations and glow product sales.

Easter Raffle

Our biennial Easter Raffle is on again starting with the call out for donations towards the raffle hampers. Please drop your donations of chocolates, baskets, novelties and candy to the School office between Thursday March 5th and Thursday March 19th. Raffle tickets will be sent home with the eldest child on Wednesday March 11th, and the draw will be held on parade on Friday March 27th. We look forward to your support with this fundraiser.

Guest Speaker Evening

Set aside Wednesday March 25th as a night out to enjoy the entertaining and informative guest speaker presentation by Bruce Sullivan, creator of Happy Pants.

Tickets are $50 each, and includes bring a friend for free, tea, coffee and light refreshments. To be held on the school hall from 6:30pm until 9pm, Bruce will be inspiring us to all be our best selves with the attitude and energy of a four year old.

Tickets available via Eventbrite

We are looking for home bakers to assist in providing refreshments. Please email fundraising@ksspca.qld.edu.au if you can help.

Election BBQ

Saturday March 28th will be the Local Council elections, and the P&C will be hosting a sausage sizzle and bake sale from 7:30am until sold out. We are looking for bakers, as well as volunteers to help on the day. Please email fundraising@ksspca.qld.edu.au if you can help out.

Craft Group

The craft group meet on Mondays at 8:30am in the supper room beside the hall. Everyone is welcome to attend and assist with making items for the upcoming Mothers Day Stall.

Tuckshop News

Welcome to the middle of term 1. We would like to say a big thank you to Kim Robertson, Liz Greer Brooke Dun and Brooke Krause for their massive effort with our tuckshop red day special.

Prep Ice Blocks

We are very excited to inform you that our prep students are now able to order ice blocks.

Parents can place an order via QuickCliq or before school over the counter. One of our student leaders will collect any items at the start of 2nd break and deliver to the prep playground for distribution.

Please note, online ordering for ice blocks is only available for our prep students. Years 1 to 6 students are to purchase ice blocks over the counter as normal.

Cold Water Station

The tuckshop team has a cold water station available to all students on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:15am till 2:10pm.

We do not hand out cups and encourage all children to bring a bottle from home to refill when needed.

Donation

One way to help the tuckshop is through donations. We are currently seeking an apple slinky machine, if anyone has one they no longer need. Other items we would gladly accept are baking paper, glad wrap, alfoil and tea towels.

Volunteers

We are always looking for helpers. We really require tea towel washers, as well as assistance with regular cleaning of our junior school eskies. We have other jobs ranging from 10mins to 3hrs. If you have some spare time feel free to pop in to see us.

Reminder dates for our amazing helpers:

• 6/2 Liz Greer, Brooke Krause
• 13/2 Liz Greer, Brooke Krause
• 16/2 Wendy Moss
• 20/2 Kim Robertson, Liz Greer, Brooke Krause

Tuckshop Hours

Sandra and Carol
Tuckshop Convenors
tuckshop@ksspca.qld.edu.au

Uniform Shop

Volunteers

If anyone could spare some time to help out in the uniform shop for an hour or so on a Monday and Thursday morning from 8.30 to about 9.30 or Wednesday afternoon from 2.30 it would be greatly appreciated.

House Shirts

All house shirts are now in stock.

Second-hand Uniforms

Don’t forget that you can sell your second-hand uniforms through the Uniform Shop with 50% from the sale going to the P&C, which is spent providing better facilities for your children.  We have parents waiting for second-hand uniforms.

Ordering Through Uniform Shop

If you have a problem being able to get to the Uniform Shop on the days we are open there are a number of ways you can order your uniforms.

1. You can send your order and payment (money or credit card details) with your child.
2. You can come into the Uniform Shop during open hours and pay by cash or Eftpos.
3. If you are unable to come into the Shop during open hours you can pay by phone order and your child’s uniforms will be delivered to your child’s class or class tray.

We accept Cash, Eftpos and Credit Card in the shop or Credit Card by Phone Order.

Uniform Shop Hours

Thank you

Kay Mitchell & Carol Woodhouse
uniformshop@ksspca.qld.edu.aub

Containers for Change

Community News

Brisbane Cartooning Camp

Danny Cohen & team will be presenting a Cartooning Camp, Monday April 6th 2020 - Thursday April 9th 2020. For further details, please visit this link: