Term 1 Week 2 2022

Principal's Report

Welcome back to the 2022 school year. While it has been a very different start to the school year with the additional 2 weeks, we are ready more than ever to have all of the students back to immerse themselves in all that our school has to offer. This year we welcome many new students including 134 new preps starting their school journey with us. While there are some considerations we need to put in place, all of our learning programs will be back in full swing. There are many things to look forward to throughout 2022 such as sports days, school camps, surfing, choirs, rock bands, AllStarz cheerleading, Coolum Carnival and this year is also our Musical which will be performed at the end of term 3. We also have a few surprises planned through the year so keep updated through our school newsletter and Facebook.

The next few weeks are very important here at Coolum State School as everyone settles into the new school year. Our aim is to make our students feel comfortable and successful in their new year level and classroom. Your child’s teacher will be working closely with the class to establish classroom rules and routines. They will discuss behaviour and work expectations and set the tone for the year. Teachers are also currently working on developing a picture of the capabilities of each student. Lots of formative assessment happens at the beginning of the year so that we gain an understanding of what your child already knows and what skills they need to develop or refine. Teachers can then use this information to develop programs that provide support and challenges for every student. Our curriculum is designed around building upon what a child already knows and using this to learn and discover more.

School Uniform

I am a strong advocate for the wearing of school uniforms. Our uniform looks fantastic and we have received many positive comments about it. It is great that nearly all our students are able to wear their full uniform every day. There are enormous benefits for ensuring all students wear our full school uniform including hats. These include:

• Defining our school identity.
• Developing within our students a sense of belonging to our school community.
• Provides an opportunity to build and enhance ‘school spirit’.
• Promotes a sense of inclusiveness, non-discrimination and equal opportunity.
• Enhances the health and safety of students when involved in school activities and excursions.
• Complies with our obligations under Occupational Health and Safety Legislation e.g. SunSmart and broad-brimmed hats.
• Promotes positive community perceptions of our school.
• Makes school clothing more affordable by eliminating the risk of peer pressure to wear current fashions and expensive clothes.

While we appreciate that there are times when children will be out of uniform, we strive to have every student in school uniform every day.

Covid guideline update

Please be aware that these can change at anytime based on directions from Queensland Health and the Department of Education.

• All school staff are fully vaccinated. Volunteers at school are also required to be vaccinated.
• ALL students vaccinated or not can attend school if they are well.
• Student in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be encouraged to wear a mask unless they are seated or socially distanced.
• Parents and guardians may come to school to support their child’s education. There is no  requirement to be vaccinated.
• Adults are to wear a mask unless seated or socially distanced.
• If a student develops covid symptoms at school, parents will be called to collect their child. You will also be provided with a RAT test to take home to test your child. If the test is positive your child will be required to isolate for seven days. If negative they may return to school if well. If your child is unwell and you have been called to collect them from school, please come to the Administration Office where our staff will assist you.
• Students and staff who test positive or are close contacts are required to quarantine for 7 days.

Answers to some FAQs

• The school will not conduct PCR or RAT tests on students, this is a parental responsibility.
• The school does not conduct vaccination clinics, Queensland Health do.
• The school does not hold information on consent or non-consent for vaccinations, Queensland Health do.

Should you need to collect your child from school early, please report to the Administration Office on your arrival at school where our staff will assist you. Please allow time for your child to be located and for them to gather their belongings up before they come to meet you at the Administration Office. Please do not go to your child’s classroom to collect them.

Year 6 Senior Shirts

Year 6 students will bring home a letter in the first week with full details on how to order a personalised senior shirt. You will also receive an invoice by email that will need to be paid prior to your order being placed.

ICT Consent Form - Online

Each family will have recently received an email inviting you to complete ICT consent for each of your children. You may need to check your junk mail folder for it. Please complete this as soon as possible as your child cannot access any online services at school until we have received your consent. If you have any issues please call the Administration Office for assistance.

Anthony Ryan
Principal

Business Manager Report

Welcome back to Coolum State School for 2022 (almost)!! I would like to thank you for your flexibility, resilience and patience as we continue to work together to manoeuvre through this ever-changing start to the term and to give our students the best start to the year. We are looking forward to seeing them return next week!

Finance

The Student Resource Scheme (SRS) has been invoiced for 2022. For those that have a requested a payment plan, I will be in touch in a couple of weeks to finalise a plan with you. Further information can be found in the document below about the SRS at Coolum State School. I encourage you to read this information and make a time to see me to discuss any concerns you may have.

Rebecca Hann
Business Manager

Swimming

Great news! Students in Year 2 and Year 4 will participate in a swimming program at Coolum Aquatic Centre during term 1. The program will commence in week 5 and will run for 6 weeks.

The swimming program provides opportunities for students to develop a range of knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes about:

• water confidence
• survival in the water
• swimming technique
• water safety
• endurance and fitness.

More detailed information will be provided to families soon.

Danny Stanieg
Deputy Principal

Physical Education News

Physical Education (PE) is a specialist subject that occurs once per week throughout the year.  A reminder for all students when participating in PE lessons to please have your school hat and water bottle with you. If you are unable to participate in PE due to injury or illness then please provide a short note.

Sport

Playing Sport provides many opportunities for students to develop in many ways including social, physical and cognitive benefits. Research tells us that children who play sport get a lot more than just fit. Students who play sport are often:

• Doing better at school
• Learning teamwork and goal-setting skills
• In good health; attendance at school
• Self-confident
• Less stressed.

There are many local sporting clubs that students are able to sign up for. These sign on days are often advertised in the school newsletter.

Outside of weekly PE lessons and class sport there are opportunities for students to participate in school teams, district teams, regional and state teams. The trials for the school teams are communicated through daily notices, classroom messages and on parade.

To trial for representative school sport, parents are invited to express an interest by completing a nomination form which can be found on our school website under extra–curricular/sports or via this link https://coolumss.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/sports.  As schools are only able to send a limited number of students to each district trial, students must have appropriate skill and ability to take part in the sport at a representative level and have been nominated by the school sports coordinator. Nominations are due by 4 February.

District Swimming 

District swimming trials will not be held this year. At this stage we are unsure when or if a regional trial will be held. If a trial is held it will be likely that you will need to nominate with a 'swim central' time. If you are interested in attending the regional trial and have a 'swim central' time please make sure you compete a nomination form which can be found on our school website under extra–curricular/sports or via this link https://coolumss.eq.edu.au/extra-curricular/sports

Upcoming events

Ben Moody
Physical Education Teacher

Active body....Active mind

Japanese News

On 17 and 18 March our school is excited to host a Japanese Taiko and Flute performance for the whole school. 

Taiko Drums & Flutes of Japan

What is the sound of one hand clapping? NOTHING LIKE THIS!!

This highly energetic, visually exciting and entertaining Japanese music performance incorporates performance and audience participation to give students a greater understanding of Japan, both culturally and historically.

Instruments include shakuhachi and fue (flutes), taiko (drums of various sizes) and a variety of other percussion instruments. Student will have the opportunity to join in with both the drumming and songs. 

Toshinori Sakamoto is a master TAIKO drummer. He has founded RINDO DAIKO in Kyushu as well as several Taiko teams in Melbourne since settling here in ’95. He performs regularly in festivals and schools throughout Australia and Japan.

Anne Norman is a highly acclaimed musician and composer who took up the shakuhachi in 1986 while living and teaching in Japan. She also plays yokobue and taiko. Anne performs in music/dance theatre productions, solo recitals, world fusion combinations as well as teaching and working as an artist in schools. She has released many CDs, and her shakuhachi music is regularly featured on ABC radio.

'Unbelievable, a fantastic show that gave me goosebumps- a show not to be missed.'
St Joan of Arc Primary School

Brad Yaxley
Japanese Teacher

Year 6 Camp

This term our Year 6 students will spend a week at Tallebudgera Outdoor Education Centre for their final camp of primary school.

While at the camp the students will engage in a variety of both high adrenaline outdoor pursuits and academic challenges designed to test both problem solving and team work. The students are immersed in the local indigenous culture and learn the history of first nations people in the Tallebudgera area.

The camp will take place from 7 - 11 March. Full information will follow in due course. 

Jason Quinn
Year 6 Teacher

Year 5 Camp

This term our Year 5 students will spend 3 days at Currimundi Sport and Recreation Centre for our camp.

While at the camp the students will take part in many enriching outdoor pursuits and team building challenges. Students will be immersed in experiences to build meaningful relationships and to move them out of their comfort zones while completing challenges.

The camp will take place from 14-16 March. Full information will follow in due course. 

Mark Kerr
Year 5 Teacher

STEM 2022

STEM is the term used when integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Our STEM units focus on the Australian Curriculum subjects of Digital Technologies or Design and Technologies and link with a Science unit for contextualisation.  For example, our Year 6 students learn about natural disasters this semester in Science, their STEM task in Digital Technologies challenges them to program a drone to fly a mission to assist, which might be aerial mapping of an area affected by flood.  In Year 1, students learn about the properties of materials in Science, their STEM challenge in Design & Technologies is to use a range of materials to build a model playground.
 
Students in Years 1-3 visit the STEM room for lessons as part of our specialist timetable, while Prep and Year 4-6 students work on these units in their classroom with their teacher. At lunchtimes the STEM room is open for students to participate in a range of fun activities. During the year we have several special events like our Science Spectacular with Dr. Rob and we also participate in robotics competitions. I’d say I have the best job in the world, it’s lots of fun!
 
As STEM is all about real world problem solving, we’re always looking for partnerships with local companies. Email stem@coolumss.eq.edu.au if you work or have a passion in science, food or fibre production, robotics, materials or engineering. 
 
I’m sure it will be another great year of STEM at Coolum! I look forward to sharing it with you. 

Andrew Grummitt
STEM Teacher

Rock Band News

Well our music room is getting ready to rock once again this year, and with performances already scheduled for this term, we are getting stuck in straight away with our Year 6 Rock Bands!

Rock Band auditions are open to Year 6 students only and will be held in the Music Room, in Week 4. Please see the table below for full details:

Instrumental Auditions – Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Drums … or any other instrument you might think will be a rockin’ addition to our Rock Bands! Come prepared with a part of a song that you know how to play, and that will show us your skills.

Vocal Auditions – these auditions are for both Rock Band lead vocals, and Year 6 Vocal Rock Group. Choose a song from the list (check the music room window in Week 3) and be ready to sing your heart out!

If you have any questions, or would like any more details about the auditions, you can ask Mrs Mackay during your music lesson in week 3, or call in to the music room and have a chat to Mrs Mackay or Mr Welch.  

Many thanks, and don’t forget – Coolum Primary Rocks!

Mrs Mackay
Rock Band 

Coolum AllStarz News

Welcome to a new year!  It’s very exciting to see what talented young dancers will emerge this year, as we get ready for a new team of AllStarz!  Auditions will be held  in Week 6 of Term 1.

The program is open to students in Years 4, 5 and 6. An Expression of Interest meeting will be held on Friday 18 February in the HALL at Morning Tea.

As time is tight with many other opportunities offered in our school, this is the only week that auditions will be held to finalise the team ASAP and get started on competition routines.  ALL AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD IN THE HALL.

Audition details are as follows:

Good luck to everyone involved.  I am looking forward to another very exciting and successful year!

Sam Bollard
Year 4 Teacher and Coolum AllStarz Coach

Other News

For 2022, the Year 4 Camp to Noosa North Shore will take place in Term 3 instead of Term 1. Camp will be 10 - 12 August 2022. Full information will follow nearer the time.

P&C News

2022 Tuckshop Menu

Your new Tuckshop menu for 2022 will come home at the start of next week. It can be attached to your fridge or you will find a digital menu on our school website. The tuckshop is open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8am. Place your order online, with a paper bag in your class Tuckshop Bag or at the counter before school. Volunteer helpers are always welcome - see Gayle, our Tuckshop convenor. 

Prep Hats

Your Prep student will receive their new Coolum State School hat, donated by the P&C Association, on Monday 7 February.

Denise French
P&C Manager

Dates for your diary

Position vacant

Casual School Crossing Supervisor

A position exists for a Casual School Crossing Supervisor at Coolum State School.

• A School Crossing Supervisor must be able to work in all-weather conditions.
• 1 hour and 30 mins per day - a maximum of up to 5 days per week (on a rostered basis).
• Relief opportunities on your rostered days off.
• Pay Rate $31.88 per hour.

Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a health assessment.
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position).

Applications are available from the School Administration Office.