27 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Yours in education,
Leanne Odorico
Principal

New Students

A special welcome is extended to Harry (JB2) and Mya (MC2) who joined the Kurwongbah School community recently. We hope you enjoy your time at Kurwongbah and we look forward to parent support with P&C and class activities.

Student of the Week

Student of the Week – Term 2 Week 4

Student of the Week – Term 2 Week 5

Date Claimers

Due Dates for Payments

Payments

Payments are now being accepted for all excursions and music. New event dates will be advertised when they are able to be re-established with the provider.

Kurwongbah State School Is Going Cashless

The safety, wellbeing and hygiene of students, parents and staff is a top priority at Kurwongbah State School. Going forward, with this in mind, Kurwongbah School will be going cashless.

This measure will minimise the risk of contamination by transmission when paying with cash.

There are various ways to pay for excursions / activities for your child.

Acceptable methods of payment include:

• BPOINT (preferred method)
• QParents
• EFTPOS

Please contact the School Office if you require any assistance with payments.

Absences

Absence notification process

When reporting absences, please use our SMS service (preferably) on 0429 919 560. Your other means of letting us know is via our absence line (3481 4366), by QParents or by the main phone line. 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

When using our absence line (3481 4366), please speak very clearly. It is a requirement of the Department of Education for all absences to be explained.

Contact Details

It is important that the school have the correct contact details. If you have changed your mobile phone number, address or email address, could you please complete the attached form and forward to the office. Please be also aware if you have a change in emergency contacts.

Lost Property

Please ensure all jumpers, water bottles, hats etc are named so that we can return these items to your child as soon as possible. We also keep other pieces of lost property in the office eg glasses, jewellery.

The Lost Property box is located outside the First Aid room. This room is locked at 3pm each day so please ensure you check any lost property prior to 3pm.

2021 Prep Enrolment

We are now taking names of Prep students for 2021. Children who were born between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016 are eligible to commence prep in 2021. Parents are invited to contact the school office (ph: 3481 4333) if they are intending to enrol their child at Kurwongbah for Prep in 2021. Enrolment forms will be sent out shortly and interviews conducted early in Term 3. Please contact the school for further information.

First Aid News

To reduce the potential spread of viruses and germs at Kurwongbah State School, we request that you do not send any students to school displaying a fever or cold/flu like symptoms. Students will be sent home should they display a fever or cold/flu symptoms.

First Aid Room
firstaid@kurwongbahss.eq.edu.au

OSHC News

Kurwongbah OSHC service will be managed by the P&C until Term 3. Bookings for June/July Vacation Care Program will be open from 1st June through the Enrol website or MyFamilyLounge app. The Program will be available on Wednesday 3rd June. Enquiries are welcome via email OSHC@ksspca.qld.edu.au.

STEM & Enrichment Education News

Kurwongbah’s Makerspace

Coding and Robotics

Junior and Senior students can visit the Makerspace in the Library for coding and robotics. There are some great projects and competitions students can enter. Come and join in the fun at the Makerspace and test your skills!

Moonhack 2020

The 2020 coding Moonhack competition is back and now you can do the activity at home or at school! Get coding with one of the many projects that are available to explore and learn about sustainability (both in space and on Earth!). Moonhack runs from 25th – 31st May and is about developing digital technology skills in a fun and engaging way. Parents can register their child and download the project for submission or just complete the activity for fun.

Visit the link below to register or see Mrs Rowley in the library.

Here are some of the projects on offer.

• Scratch Jr – Pick up Litter
• Scratch – Space Clean Up (in partnership with Space Australia)
  Supporting Blog Post and Video ‘What is Space Junk’
• Scratch – Drone Planting
  Supporting Blog Post

Ipswich Poetry Competition

The Ipswich Poetry Feast is an exciting initiative of Ipswich City Council. The Poetry Feast has flourished since it was introduced in 2002 with the aim of establishing a respected and prestigious national poetry competition to encourage young and aspiring poets and raise community awareness of the creativity and skills in poetry writing. If you would like to enter, you can go online to the link below or pick up an entry form from the Library. This competition is open to all primary students free of charge with a total prize pool of over $6500. Entries must be submitted by Friday 31st July 2020.

Enrichment and Support for Online Learning

During online learning at home, Year 6 Science Enrichment students had the opportunity to participate in virtual reality classes using the program, ‘iSee.’ They connected with their peers and collaborated online towards completing their scientific report and poster for the competition.

Solid Pathways Continues Online

Solid Pathways students will resume their lessons at school in the library each Tuesday for the remainder of the term. Students will need to log in 10 minutes prior to their session.

Premier’s 2020 Coding Challenge

The 2020 Premier’s Coding Challenge is on again! This challenge offers great prizes and an excellent opportunity for students to create some interactive and innovative coding to raise awareness of cyber safety and help Queenslanders by providing tips to improve their cybersecurity. Entrants from Year 3- 6 can develop an app, game or animation, and they must submit a short video showcase with their entry. For more information visit the website below,

Music News

Welcome back everyone to ‘face to face’ music. As we all return to school this week it is a very exciting time for our music students and teachers who are keen to get back into making music. Below is the staggered return of music in our school.

• Week 6: All instrumental lessons will recommence.
• Week 7: Instrumental Music rehearsals will recommence.
• Week 8: Choir rehearsals will recommence.

Charges for Singing Groups and Instrumental Music Students in 2020

Invoices were sent home at the end of term 1 for music charges. These charges were amended and had the uniform hire removed for 2020. Due to the current guidelines around banning mass and non-essential gatherings, students would only have limited opportunities to wear the Performance Uniform so we decided not to distribute them this year and waive the uniform fee for 2020. If circumstances change we will advise parents in the future. Payment can be made by QParents, EFTPOS or by BPOINT (preferred) using the invoice that was emailed to you.

Instrumental Music

Instrumental lessons started this week with rehearsals scheduled to start next week. Please ensure your child has all the equipment required for his/her lesson including a timetable for the remainder of term two.

The Junior Concert Band will start rehearsals for the first time next week. Mr Denning will speak to those students in lessons this week with further information.

Below is a list of arrival / start time for the different instrumental groups. All instrumental teachers will be here ready to receive students from 7.30am. Please do not send your child before 7.30am as there is no supervision. Only students participating in these rehearsals are to be on site at 7.30am. Other siblings do not need to be on site prior to 8.30am and parents requiring earlier supervision are advised to contact OSHC to discuss placements for their children.

Junior and Senior Singers

Due to the large number of students in these groups there will be significant changes made to the rehearsal times and groups. Until further notice there will be NO Senior Singers rehearsal before school on Wednesday mornings. There will be staggered year level rehearsals throughout the week during break times. When these have been finalised a note will be sent home to the Junior and Senior Singers with specific details. Rehearsals will commence in week 8.

“Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.” – Stevie Wonder

Book Club News

Hi Families!

Welcome back. The Book Club Issue 4 brochure will be delivered to students this week. It will only be available for ordering online still, NO CASH ORDERS will be accepted.

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 spent 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

Order online via LOOP. The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. Loop orders are due by Friday 12th June. You can place your child’s order at the LOOP website or by using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

Julie Collins
Book Club Coordinator

P&C News

The Kurwongbah P&C Association, together with the school, are working to ensure our services continue to be available to the community. The Uniform Shop and Tuckshop are now open, with reduced hours, and will be observing the recommendations to go Cashless and continue adult social distancing for the remainder of Term 2.

Next P&C Meeting

The next P&C meeting will be held on Wednesday 17th June at 6:30pm. The location is yet to be announced.

Tuckshop News

The Tuckshop will offer a reduced menu Wednesday to Friday, through the online ordering system QuickCliq. There will be no breakfast or over the counter orders offered at this time as we are unable to process cash.

Ordering

Tuckshop is currently only accepting Eftpos and Credit Card payments. There will be no over the counter ordering, unless purchases are made prior online.

Online Ordering

Parents can order via our online ordering system Cut off for online ordering is 7:30am.

Tuckshop Hours

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

Uniform Shop

The Uniform shop will accept phone orders Monday to Thursday, 9:30 to 11:30 am, as well as email orders. These will be processed on Mondays and Thursdays and delivered to your child’s class. Please advise if you are unsure of the sizing and we can have your child visit the uniform shop to be sized. Fittings will occur Monday and Thursday, but staff are unable to help children dress. Payment to be made by credit card. We are not currently accepting cash.

Ordering Through Uniform Shop

The following options are available:

1. Email your order through to uniformshop@ksspca.qld.edu.au. This will be processed next time the Uniform Shop is open.
2. You can phone the Uniform Shop during open hours and pay by Credit Card.

Uniform Shop Hours

Thank you
Kay Mitchell & Carol Woodhouse
07 3481 4323
uniformshop@ksspca.qld.edu.au

Containers for Change

Community Notices

Bray Park SHS – 2021 Enrolment Information

Bray Park State High School are now taking enrolments for 2021. Please find further information attached.

Murrumba State Secondary College in 2021

Be part of Murrumba State Secondary College in 2021 - An engaged community, Learning for Life!

As a first choice education provider, Murrumba State Secondary College offers an innovative, world class-education and is committed to ensuring every young learner develops a sense of belonging and is inspired to shape their preferred future. If you have a child in Year 6 who is planning to join our College next year, please be sure to register your interest prior to June 26, 2020. Enrolment documentation can be found via our College website or by phoning the College directly on (07) 34 90 3222.

Do you have a child who is interested in one of our Academy Programs?

Murrumba State Secondary College offers a number Academy Programs which are tailored to foster and enrich students’ academic, cultural and sporting abilities with a focus on enhancing specialised skills and capabilities. At Murrumba, we offer 4 Academy Programs in the areas of High Performance Music, Football, Spanish and Engineering Excellence. Students within our Academy Programs have the unique opportunity to broaden their knowledge and expertise in a chosen field, by studying alongside like-minded peers in an innovative and enriching environment. If this sounds like something your child would be interested in, please indicate this on the Expression of Interest Form when registering your intention to enrol your child in 2021. Further information surrounding the selection process will be communicated soon. If you would like to find out more information relating to our Academies, please feel free to contact Deputy Principal, Shannon Carter scart145@eq.edu.au who will be more than happy to assist you with your queries.

Fatility Free Friday

Fatality Free Friday is an annual campaign run by the Australian Road Safety Foundation. It is Australia's largest community-based road safety day to raise awareness of the human cost of careless driving by calling for extra vigilance behind the wheel. In 2020, the national day of action is Friday 29 May. The Department of Transport and Main Roads is proud to support this important campaign, and calls on all Queenslanders to take the pledge to choose road safety, not just on Fatality Free Friday, but every day.