Dear mums, dads, carers and colleagues

Our biggest job this week was to complete the 2021 NAPLAN tests in Years 3&5.  This is a huge undertaking. Thank you sincerely to everyone who supported the students across the week and a special thank you to the P&C for providing fruit breaks and our celebration boxes. Special thanks to our school staff who supported the students.  Their work was tremendous!  I especially liked the theme days they followed.

Our Year 3&5 students showed great persistence in giving their best effort. We have one more day on Monday for catch-up testing for Numeracy.  NAPLAN does not replace the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers about each student’s performance.  I know that your child’s teacher will have the best insight into their educational progress. 

The test results will be sent back to the school in the near future, after which we will send the reports home to families.

Every student NEEDS these forms completed by their parents

1. Online Services Consent Form 
2. Digital Devices User Agreement and Anti-Bullying Agreement

We sent home some emails to all families earlier this year, where the forms listed above could be completed electronically.  Many families completed them but we need these forms completed for every student.  Consequently, parents who have not completed them will be sent a paper copy in the coming week, to complete and return to school asap.  If you completed the forms online, then there is nothing more to do.  

Why are these forms required?

The purpose of the Online Services Consent Form is to inform you about the third party online services used in our school and how student information, including personal information and works, may be recorded, used, disclosed, and published to the services.

The purpose of the Digital Devices User Agreement and Anti-Bullying Agreement is to acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Coomera Rivers State School Digital Devices User Agreement and Anti-Bullying Agreement which can be found in our Student Code of Conduct, and that you have discussed both with your child.    Click here for a copy of the Student Code of Conduct.

Thank you in advance for completing these two surveys.

Uniform blitz is coming

We will be holding a uniform blitz from Week 6.  Each day across the week we will be checking for correct uniform.  Every family who has enrolled at Coomera Rivers has spent time at an induction where the uniform requirements were explained.  Every family has then completed an agreement at enrolment to show that they will meet the requirements.  Please read the code to familiarise yourself with what is required.  Click here for the document.  

You can avoid problems simply by having your child in correct and complete school uniform or, if there is a problem, by sending your child's teacher an email or note to explain the problem.  

Road safety around the school

I have been outside the school each afternoon across the past week or so to evaluate the traffic around the school.  And what I noticed really worried me.  And it wasn't the motorists who caused this - it was some of the students.  I will speak with everyone this coming week about what is expected.  I would like you to support these expectations as well.  When school and parents are aligned, the outcomes for children are better.

Bike riding:

I was really shocked to see the bike riding behaviours of most students.  They can ride a bike well enough but they have absolutely no awareness of or care for traffic and pedestrians.  Some are not wearing a helmet at all.  Some are riding through the school car park zones.  The safety of your children is at risk.

1. Always push your bike from the crossings into the school when you are coming to school
2. Always push your bike as far as the crossings when you are riding home
3. Always wear a helmet (properly) every time you ride
4. Only bikes can be ridden to school.  Scooters and skateboards cannot come to school.  
5. Always be careful around pedestrians and give them space
6. Always cross the road at the designated crossings
7. Always store your bike in the bike shed (a lock is recommended)
8. Always go home the way your parents expect you to go

Pedestrians: 

1. Always stay out of the car parks at school
2. Always stay off the road
3. Always use the crossings to cross the road (where they are available)
4. Always go home the way your parents expect you to go
5. Always be kind to our neighbours by:
   • Leaving their dogs alone
   • Leaving their properties and cars alone

Play at school

From Week 6 we will be making some changes to our playgrounds so that we can open up our Loose Parts play areas.  Some of our play areas will become multi-age play areas and some new areas will open.  I will give families a insight next newsletter.  This is really exciting.

What we have learned from our Loose Parts play trials so far

As we say, 'We are here for learning' and boy we are learning a lot about our students when they are playing with loose parts.

• Boys like to hit things......lots of things
• Children can make a swing out of anything
• Girls know how to lay plumbing pipe
• Children know how to manage their own risks
• Creativity really starts to kick in at the 15 minute mark
• Children are not afraid to play with unknown people in loose parts
• Siblings tend to 'find' each other in the loose parts zones
• Children play better together when they are in mixed aged groups
• An old cardboard box is the most exciting play equipment

Kind regards

Vic