Dear mums, dads, carers and colleagues

The 2020 school year has been completed.  What began as a year filled with significant plans and goals was soon affected by the bush fires and floods that preceded the restrictions and worries brought on by the first global pandemic for over a century. I think it is fair to say that Australians have, to date, managed the coronavirus spread well, when many countries were devastated by its impact. The impact on our community saw us in lock down across the Easter vacation, living five weeks of home schooling and trying to conduct school activities while meeting the government restrictions.

Prep O quietly celebrates the end of the 2020 school year.  Now it is off to Year 1.

I don’t need to describe what life was like this year as we have all needed to make significant changes to our daily lives and routines – preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. What resulted for our community was a level of unity and partnership that is… well, unprecedented. We widely showed care and respect for others’ health and well-being and followed new routines to support this.

And while school continued, it was very different. Attending school each day is usually the simplest routine for students and teachers and no doubt, parents as well. To change this created a very new approach to learning that was simple for no-one. Designing and delivering effective lessons that respond to the needs and interests of the learner, and concurrently meet curriculum requirements, requires high-level professional skills. I continue to be thankful to our families and teachers during the period of home schooling and congratulate you on your partnerships to achieve this. Thank you to our families for your commitment and courage in the face of significant challenge. You were amazing. We were vulnerable together as we waded our way in this new space. And while we were in there, we discovered some new and innovative solutions that were adapted to our regular school and learning routines.

Our school team was focused on expressiong our gratitude and promoting well-being for our children and their families.  The pandemic brought this need to the forefront of how we operated.  

Our P&C Association is always incredible but this year, the members were even more remarkable. While most of us were very busy managing the challenges of home, work and coronavirus, they added a layer of school volunteer into their mix and I am extremely grateful for their continued support and contributions. Not many schools can enjoy this level of support.

Thank you to the school staff who have once again shown amazing competence, professionalism and commitment. The loyalty they show for the school and community and the partnership we enjoy with our P&C Association and families that makes Coomera Rivers different from most schools. A school is a reflection of the community that it serves. Our community is amazing and we believe that our children should have nothing less than any other school – public or private. Coomera Rivers will never accept anything but the very best. When a community unites to create this, it results in a culture and spirit that is pervasive and formidable.

Despite the challenges of coronavirus, our school has continued its move towards a new approach to learning called Deep Learning. Our intention is for students to become contributing members of society. Developing them into tomorrow’s civic leaders is a highly complex task. We know that our children will be best placed to make these contributions if we teach them how to do them now, especially when we can partner with families and our community. Building their character, global citizenship, capacity to communicate and collaborate, honing their creativity and instilling critical thinking are the central characteristics of what we do. We call this focus Good at learning – Good at life. Regular readers of the school newsletter will have read the dozens of stories that gave students these opportunities.

As the year draws to a close, I would like to thank our students. They have adapted quickly to the changes and disappointments of missing camps, and having their families join them for sports days and other annual events.

I would like to thank the graduating students for contributing to the success we have enjoyed this year and sharing our learning journey together. I hope that you will look back on 2020 at Coomera Rivers with fond memories. I would particularly like to thank our student leaders, and in particular, Ruby, Zack and Hannah for their wonderful representation across the year. The standards they maintained for others to emulate have been of the highest calibre. And while they led the Year 6 badged leaders, the leadership shown across the Year 6 cohort ran deep and powerfully.

Congratulations on conquering a year filled with challenge. We have adjusted to a new normal and will continue to meet more challenges as we move into and beyond 2021.    

Important dates for 2021

I hope that all of our families can enjoy a safe and enjoyable summer vacation.  I look forward to resuming again in late January.

Merry Christmas

Vic

Congratulations to the winners of the school annual awards this week.  These are remarkable achievements.

Prep

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Thank you to the staff and competitors at the swimming fun day carnivals this week for creating a fun and worthwhile event again this year.  Participation levels were impressive, only bettered by the smiles and fun.  The weather was a little overcast, which kept the high temperatures a little lower.  We certainly slip - slop - slapped our way safely through the day.

Results 

After an interrupted year, we managed to include the following events in our House Competition

• Athletics Fun Day carnival
• Chess club results
• House Cup (Positive behavior program)
• Swimming Fun Day carnival

Students have watched in fascination over the last couple of weeks as a mural by Indigenous artists Libby Harward, Jora Murphy and Alara Geebung took shape out the front of the iCentre. Project co-ordinator Libby and her team consulted with traditional owners to incorporate features in the artwork reflective of the Coomera area including: the Coomera River; a wallaby which no longer resides here but has gained a new habitat on South Stradbroke Island; native bush tucker such as black bean and native mulberry and wattle; and indigenous animals. The colours used are reflective of the land and jasper stone present which was used to make tools. Our indigenous students were also lucky enough to participate in a workshop with the artists to contribute to the creation of the animal designs. It is a wonderful addition to what is developing into a cultural hub, near our Yarning Circle.

Snowflake – Our Elf on the Shelf

OSHC would love to introduce our very own cheeky elf, Snowflake.  Snowflake arrived a tad late this year due to Miss Jodie having to quarantine her. Our children have been begging and pleading to have an elf on the shelf so much that Santa must’ve heard and hurriedly sent Snowflake to the rescue.  We asked our OSHC kids to write down suggestions to name our elf due to Santa being too busy wrapping and making toys and not getting the chance to provide one.  So, with the help of the kids, we decided Snowflake would be the perfect fit.  Snowflake's first stunt was getting stuck in the window as she was keeping a watchful eye on the kids!  I wonder what cheeky stunt Snowflake will pull next?  Don’t forget to keep your eye out for her!  And always remember that Snowflake can never be touched as we want her magic to stay around all Christmas!

Missed out on a 2020 Year Book?

We do have a limited number of 2020 Year Books still available. If you missed ordering and would still like a copy please email the P&C. Orders will be considered in order of receipt and only while our very limited stock lasts.

Are you missing a previous years Year Book from your collection? We do have a couple of spares from pervious years. Please email the P&C with the year the you are looking for and we will let you know if we have one available.

Thank you for your support of our 2020 Year Book. We hope you enjoy reliving the memories and milestones represented throughout the book.

With COVID restriction continuing to ease, we are very hopeful that 2021 will see the return of volunteers to our school events and classrooms and we are so very excited to be welcoming our volunteers back!

As you know, to be a volunteer at Coomera Rivers, you must complete an annual induction and registration process. This ensures that we meet all regulatory requirements in the way of mandatory training required by the Department of Education.

To ensure that we meet these obligations, we have made some slight changes to the process to become an inducted volunteer.

In 20201, the volunteer process will continue to be an online process sent to volunteers to complete in the comfort of their own home and return to us for acceptance.

The change will be that all existing families of Coomera Rivers will only have until Friday 26 February to become a registered and inducted volunteer for 2021.

This means, if you intend to offer your assistance at an excursion, in the classroom, in the cafe, at school events or in any other capacity within the school community, you MUST have completed the registration and induction process before Friday 26 February.

No further inductions and registrations for 2021 volunteers will be processed after this date.

The flyer below contains all the important information and deadline dates.

We will be sending out registration and induction packs very early in the New Year. To register your request for a 2021 Volunteer Registration and Inductions pack please email the P&C.

If you have any questions in relation to this process, please contact the P&C.

Vacation care bookings are open to ALL families of schools. You do NOT have to attend the before and / or after school service to be able to attend vacation care. Enrolments for vacation care are very welcome from all of our Coomera Rivers families.

There is no minimum number of days that you need to attend - just book for the days you need.

Price includes breakfast and afternoon tea.

All children require the following items every day of vacation care:

* morning tea
* lunch
* water bottle
* closed in shoes
* brimmed hat (no caps)
* sun safe clothing (no singlets or stroppy dresses)

The details of the upcoming program are attached. The program colour code is:

Green = Excursions
Orange = Incursions
White - In Service days

For bookings or further enquiries please contact us:
Phone: 5596 8377
Mobile: 0455 968 377
Email: croshc@coomerariversss.eq.edu.au

As we near the end of the 2020 school year, it is time to start considering your before and after school care needs for 2021.

All current 2020 BSC and ASC bookings will cease after close of business Wednesday 9 December 2020. Bookings will not roll over to 2021. All families seeking care at Coomera Rivers OSHC in 2021 must complete a new booking request.

How does the booking process work?

Step 1 - Family submits booking requests

Booking requests are open now for families to apply for OSHC in 2021. Please ensure your start date for BSC and ASC is Wednesday 27 January 2021.

To enrol for BSC and/or ASC in 2021, please click here to submit a booking request.

Step 2 - Service sends booking offers

Booking requests received will be responded to within 2 business days.

Step 3 - Family accepts and confirms booking offer

Families need to accept and confirm booking offers within 2 days of receiving the booking offer email to finalise the booking process. This is done by following the steps that will be outlined in the booking offer email.

Please note the QikKids website is not optimised for use on mobile devices, including iPads and mobile phones. The enrolment process must be completed on a computer.

If you have any questions regarding this process please do not hesitate to contact the service via email