Term 3 Week 8

Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I hope that you are all enjoying this beautiful warm weather that have been having recently. It seems that we have skipped Spring and moved straight into Summer! It is a timely reminder for our students to make sure that they had a broad-brimmed hat for outdoor activities and also have water bottles filled up each day.

This time of the term also signals the ramping up in classroom assessments, and with the cold weather behind us (and hopefully the colds and sicknesses too) students can attend every day to make sure that they have the best chance to complete tasks in their usual class time with the support of their teachers. This will give them the best opportunity to perform successfully. Recently when visiting classrooms across the school and talking to students about their learning, I was impressed with how they were able to clearly share their understanding of what they are learning, and also their goals and next steps to improve. In the coming weeks I look forward to visiting again and seeing their final assessment pieces- stickers in hand! :)

Unfortunately, over the past 2 weeks I have received some feedback from members of our community about some of our older students riding E-Scooters unsafely. It's important to note that students under the age of 16 are not allowed to ride E-Scooters (independently) and for this reason, E-Scooters are not allowed to be brought to school. Please see information below provided by Queensland Police Service in regard to E-Scooter use:

Let’s work together to keep our students safe.

Just a final reminder this week for families to keep the school informed of any enrolment changes for next year and also for our 2025 prep students, for enrolment paperwork to be returned as soon as possible. This will assist greatly with class allocation planning and also staffing plans. Thank you for your consideration with this.

Reminder that tomorrow, Friday 30 August, is a student free day so the school is closed. No students are to be onsite. 

Have a great fortnight!

Shannyn

Shannyn Taylor
Principal

Musical News

Its not long now until SHOWTIME!!!

Things are certainly getting exciting!  Tickets are on sale at trybooking.com now via this link https://www.trybooking.com/CUDFD

This dedicated, inspiring cast have been working so hard to bring Shrek to life and now it is all coming together beautifully. You will be amazed! Get ready to see what a “Big, Bright, Beautiful World” we live in.

Dig Into Reading

This Dig Into Reading Article outlines what shared reading looks like.

What does shared reading look like?

An important aspect of shared reading is the conversation that occurs between the adult and child during the reading. Pausing while reading and taking the time to discuss details in the story can support your child’s oral language development. The conversation might focus on the storyline, such as characters or where the story takes place; it may focus on similar experiences the child has had to those that happened in the book; it may focus on specific words; aspects of print; or concepts that are new to the child. When you read aloud to your child, they hear and learn lots of new and sophisticated words and sentences they may not hear or use in everyday talk.

Click here to watch a video of a shared reading session. Look for when the adult models their thinking out loud and asks open ended questions to encourage meaningful conversation.

News from 3D

This term in 3D, our learning journey has taken us across the diverse landscape of Australia. We have explored all of Australia’s states, territories and significant places. The students have had a wonderful time so far learning all about our beautiful country. I asked the students to tell me an interesting place they have visited in Australia and why they loved this destination so much.

Korbin – Sydney – I went to Sydney and I visited the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, they were really big and amazing to look at.

April – Blue Mountains – We visited the amazing Three Sisters which are huge rocks. We got to go on the steepest train track in the world and saw a waterfall when we were on the train.

Archie – Victoria – I was born in Victoria and my best friend lives there.

Ryan – Northern Territory – We paid for a guide to take us around and he told us about Uluru. The next day we walked 10km around Uluru. It was massive and I really wanted to touch it. We really needed a drink and snack after that long walk.

Lorcan – Gold Coast – We went to Paradise Country and our neighbours came with us. We did opal mining and gold panning. I collected some gems and my sister found a small piece of gold.

Zep – Gold Coast – I got to visit my Nan and Pop who live in New Zealand when they came to the Gold Coast for a holiday so it is really special to me.

Taylor – New South Wales – I went to Sydney with my nan and I saw the Sydney Opera House. It was a special time because it was just my nan and I.

Allie – Coolum Beach – After living in Mozambique for the last three years, it is fun to be back living at such a clean beach. 

Zoe – Hobart – I went to Hobart with my family and we saw lots of different animals like a pademelon, a wombat and echidnas. We climbed lots of mountains and had ice cream as our reward.

Emmy – Victoria – We went to the snow and we had snow ball fights. My favourite thing was the chair lift to get to the top of the mountain.

Noah – Brisbane – We went to a cinema in Brisbane and the seats moved while you were watching the show.

Matthew – Gold Coast – We always go on family holidays and stay at different resorts like Turtle Beach Resort and Sea World Resort.  We go to the theme parks and have lots of yummy dinners.

Charlotte – Tasmania – We drove up a really high mountain and we saw hard snow at the top. We saw penguin footprints in the snow and it was freezing. My mum threw a hard snowball at me but I didn’t throw one back because my hands were too cold.

Lola – Badu Island – Is an island north of Australia in The Torres Strait. It has a language called Kala Lagaw Ya. I loved how there were coconut trees everywhere and we could grab coconuts whenever we wanted. It was really hot, even in Winter. Once we went on our boat to an Island nearby, it took 1 hour to get there and we had a picnic. There was a group of trees and we spotted a dried-up turtle that was still alive. We dug it out and rescued the turtle. Then we let it make its own way back into the water. Unfortunately, all her eggs had been eaten.

Zander – Coffs Harbour – I went on a special drive with my Poppy to drop a puppy to a house in Coffs Harbour. I got to stay at a hotel and took pictures of the Big Banana. It was a special time for me with my Poppy.

Nash – Canberra – My family and I went to the snow and went tobogganing. We also built a snowman and had a snowball fight. It was freezing cold there.

Bella – Yaroomba Beach – It is special to me because I live near it and I visit it often with my family. We like to swim and walk on the beach together. I sometimes see Mrs Dellow at the beach.

Arlo – Byron Bay – At night time, there are people playing music in the streets and you can dance. The food is amazing and there are lots of places to eat. The water at the beaches is nice and warm to swim in.

Knox – Tasmania – My family and I travelled around Tasmania and we drove to Cradle Mountain then we completed a 5km walk. It was really fun because we were looking for wombats and found them at the end of the track.

Megha – Coolum – I go to the beach with my parents. We like to walk in the water.

Luna – Coolum Beach – I love to surf and bodyboard. I go there with my Nan and Pop.

Katie – Victoria – I get to see lots of my family there because most of my family live there and there is a little lolly shop that we walk to and buy lollies.

Isobel – K’gari- We stayed in a shed that was turned into a house and we saw lots of dingoes and dingo pups. Dingoes are called Wongari.

Finn – Adelaide – My dad drove to Adelaide in his shiny blue combi and visited the Barossa Valley.

Sarah – Coolum Beach – I love to go to the beach and play with my friends.

Reuben – Gold Coast – I get to visit my cousins who live there and I get to go to the theme parks.

Ashley – Rainbow Beach – We went fishing and I caught a big fish. The water is really clear and you can see lots of jellyfish.

Cathy Dellow
Teacher of 3D

News from 5P

Lately 5P have been having fun learning to write a historical narrative from the perspective of a character living during the Australian Gold Rush.

We have been reading a book called Meet Poppy, about a young aboriginal girl who lived in the gold rush era. The story explains how her brother ran away from the mission they were in to search for gold and she escapes to go and find him.

In maths we have been learning about perimeter, area and volume of shapes and in science we have been learning about light and how it travels. We have also had heaps of fun designing and creating a cart to transport a gold nugget to and from the gold fields.

For 4 weeks this term we had a friend from China named Kipper visit us and spend time in our 5P class. Kipper taught us a lot about his culture and we had fun teaching him about ours. His favourite thing to do here was learn to play handball and hang out with us. He was super talented at martial arts.

That’s all for now! See you next time!

Written by Dylan, Nayun and Arlo

Margie Gowing
Teacher of 5P

Spelling Bee Update - State Round Entrants Announced

I am delighted to announce that we have students progressing to the State Round of the Prime Minister’s 2024 Spelling Bee. 138 Students put themselves forwards and this year the following students will be progressing to the next round.

Great scores and great times from many students but it’s a tough competition and only the best of the best go through, congratulations.

The student who scores the highest score, in the fastest time, in the State Round will become our school champion for 2024 and could potentially enter the National Round.  The State Round will be held on Tuesday, September 3^rd at first break. Keep practising your words and your speed typing. Good luck from us all.

Judith Moore,
Spelling Bee Coordinator

Prep 2025 Enrolments

Prep 2025 enrolments are now open. Please collect an Enrolment Pack from the office. Our Enrolments Officer Katie will be happy to assist you with any questions or queries that you may have.

Child Protection Week

Let's engage children, families and child-focussed organisations in National Child Protection Week.

“Every child, in every community, needs a fair go” To treat all of Australia’s children fairly, we need to make sure every family and community has what kids need to thrive and be healthy.

Environmental News

Change to the Leadership

Sad and happy news from us this week. One of our wonderful Environmental Leaders is departing Coolum to return to Melbourne. Asher has been a marvellous addition to our school, and we are sad to see her go. But on a happy note, Indi has jumped at the chance of taking up the mantle of leadership. Indi is the proud creator of our Plastic Free trophies and poster.  She has supported the team throughout 2024 and we are pleased that she was delighted to take over and support Neve as our co leader. We have been very fortunate with the whole team this year who are really helping us make a difference, thanks everyone.

I asked Asher for a few words about her time as one of our leaders and she asked me to share this. “My three terms of being an Environmental Leader were the best and I encourage everyone to keep trying to avoid plastic in their lunchboxes. I am thrilled to hand over the environmental badge to Indigo, our wonderful art manager. Don’t forget, if you pick up five the world will thrive. I will miss you Coolum State School!”

Plastic Free Tuesday - Week 9

Next week we will be encouraging classes to be our next Plastic Free Champions. It was wonderful to see how many students removed plastic from their lunchboxes and have kept this up every day.  Who will be our champions this time? Could it be your class?

Waste Warrior Team (WWT)

A huge thank you also goes to our Waste Warrior Team (WWT).  Supported by our Environmental Team and our Student Councillors, students from all year levels take turns to monitor the school grounds and pick up litter. Sadly, we are still finding rubbish on the floor but our WWT are working hard to change the mindset of students. If you see rubbish on the floor, pick it up, don't just step over it.

Great work everyone.  Remember together we can make a difference.

Tournament of the Minds

Tournament of the Minds was held at The University of the Sunshine Coast on Sunday 25 August.  Adam, Sebastian, Charlotte, Breanna, Milla and Neve all performed in the Spontaneous and the Long Term Challenges.  An outstanding presentation showcasing Miss Sarah's kindness theme, speading the joy of happiness when everyone is included. WELL DONE!!! to The Chicken Nuggets!!! 

Miss Marsh
Tournament of the Minds Coordinator

Japanese Word of the Week

Yūgen　(幽玄)　 = “Profound and mysterious beauty.”

Similar to the English ‘sublime’, yugen deals with the depth of meaning we find in the world through our imaginative perception of the universe and its wonders. Our perception triggers an emotional response that cannot be explained, for it is much bigger than us alone, and yet we are part of it.

Brad Yaxley
Japanese Teacher

Year 6 Legacy Gift Bake Sale Fundraiser

As we move towards the end of the school year, the members of Year 6 are fundraising to leave a legacy behind. We are asking every Year 6 class to support their Student Councillors to raise money to go towards a gift for our school.

In week 10, 9- 11 September, our Year 6 classes will be holding a bake sale.

Each Year 6 class has been allocated a time to sell baked products to students in a particular year level, plus their Prep Buddies. Their own class will be able to buy any items left at the end of their day’s sale. Year 6 will be bringing in baked treats to sell on the days as listed below.

All items will be sold for $1.

Sale Days

• Monday 09/09/24 first break: 6D serving to Prep R & Year 1
• Monday 09/09/24 second break: 6E serving to Prep L & Year 2
• Tuesday 10/09/24 first break: 6G serving to Prep S & Year 3
• Tuesday 10/09/24 second break: 6N serving to Prep T & Year 4
• Wednesday 11/09/24 first break 6Q serving to both Prep G and C & Year 5

Note - Year 6 students to buy on the day they are bringing in their baked goods.

If you have any queries, please direct these to your class teacher, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Albrecht or your class Student Council representative.

Thank you for supporting this initiative.

Mrs Moore and Mrs Albrecht
Student Council

Lost Property

The lost property cupboard - next to the Uniform Shop - is once again full. Please check before the end of term for lost items. 

RideScore Active Schools

Register Now

Do you live close to school?

1. Does your child have a bike or scooter?
2. Would you like your child to get an active, healthy and fun start to the day?
3. Would you like a system that tells you automatically when they have arrived or left school?

If you answered YES to these questions, then RideScore is for you!

We are one of 11 Sunshine Coast schools that are enjoying RideScore Active Schools Program funded by councils Transport Levy.

What is RideScore?

RideScore is an incentive-based program delivered by Sunshine Coast Council and We Ride Australia to increase active travel to and from school. The program will be open to students who are able to ride a bicycle or scooter to school.

Participating students receive a personal sensor (beacon) to attach to their bicycle or scooter. The school bicycle storage facility has a Bluetooth reader that detects the signal from the beacon and sends a notification to the nominated contact to inform them that the student has arrived at/or departed the school. 

Each trip is recorded by the RideScore app, providing incentives when the students reach their milestones. Earn great prizes:

• 20 Trips – Mystery prize
• 70 Trips – Movie ticket
• 120 Trips – Bli Bli Aqua Park voucher

Activities will be planned throughout the school year to promote and encourage riding and scooting, including fun events and bicycle skills classes for all year 4 students.

This program was developed in 2022 with a Federal grant funding from the Move it AUS program, with the support of Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and Stockland.

How do I register?

Step 1 - Download the app (search ‘RideScore’), complete your registration details

Step 2 – Receive your sign on bag (posted within 1 week) that will include:

• Your child’s beacon & instructions on how to pair and fit
• A scorecard (your app will also keep a live score)

Step 3 – Start riding and scooting!

Visit the RideScore website for more information, great resources and safety tips.

Reporting your child's absence

If your child is absent from school it is important that you notify us as soon as possible. To report your child’s absence please either complete the short form available on the website at https://coolumss.eq.edu.au/our-school/absences or telephone us on 5471 9300.

Absences may be reported both on the webform and on the telephone in advance for planned absences.

We thank you for your assistance.

Contact details

Have you changed your mobile number recently? Have you moved house?

It's important that we hold up to date contact details for you and your nominated emergency contacts. If you would like to update your details please pop in to the Administration Office or email us at info@coolumss.eq.edu.au . 

QParents

Did you know that the QParents portal is available for Coolum State School? QParents enables schools to offer parents secure access to information about their child. Parents can communicate directly with the school and update their child’s address and medical conditions and submit reasons for absences.

QParents is available to all families and not just our new families! If you would like to receive your unique invitation code and child's EQ ID please email us info@coolumss.eq.edu.au to request this.