Please note that activity dates and times may change

Dear mums, dads, carers and colleagues

It has been another fantastic week at school and nearly all of the extra-curricular opportunities are up and running.  I will list each of them in the next issue of the school newsletter.  Thank you to the teachers who are providing these opportunities.

Parent information sessions

All class teachers will be leading a parent information session on Monday afternoon (20 February).  All sessions begin at 2:45pm and will close at 3:40pm.  Please wait outside classrooms until the teacher is ready because we will need to pack up from the day's learning first.  

Please email your teacher by noon on Monday if you are attending their session.   

Following the class sessions, we will provide a special session for families around how children learn to read and how we can help them be successful.  This is an incredible opportunity for our families.  No need to RSVP, just drop in after the parent session.  Thank you to Ms Hughes, Ms Costello and Mrs Walsh for sharing their expertise with us.     

Student leaders 2023

Congratulations to all of the students who were recognised this week, receiving a leadership role in their class or for the school.  I was delighted to see so many families able to attend our presentation assembly last Monday.  To see the full list of recipients, please visit the year level sections below.     

Naplan 2023 is coming (Week 8)

Each year, students in Years 3 and 5 are able to sit the national testing program called NAPLAN.  Below you will find the following information relates to NAPLAN Online testing at Coomera Rivers in 2023:

• NAPLAN Test schedule 2023
• NAPLAN Practice Test schedule 2023
• Student iPad Preparation
• Student Preparation
• NAPLAN On-line Familiarisation
• NAPLAN Information for Parents
• NAPLAN 2023
• Student Withdrawals
• Student Exemptions
• Student Disability Adjustments

NAPLAN Test schedule 2023

The 2023 NAPLAN On-line testing at Coomera Rivers SS will occur from Term 1, Week 8, Wednesday 15 March as per the following proposed test schedule.

Wednesday 15 March   (Writing test)

• 9.00 - 10.00am Year 3
• 11.15 - 12.15pm Year 5

Thursday 16 March   (Reading)

• 9.00 - 10.00am Year 3  / (Plus Writing catch-up Year 5)
  
• 11.15 - 12.15pm Year 5 / (Plus Writing catch-up Year 3)
  

Friday 17 March   (Conventions of Language)

• 9.00 - 10.00am Year 3 / (Plus Reading catch-up Year 5)
• 11.15 - 12.15pm Year 5  / (Plus Reading catch-up Year 3)

Monday 20 March   (Numeracy)

• 9.00 - 10.00am Year 3 / (Plus Conventions of Language catch-up Year 5)
• 11.15 - 12.15pm Year 5 / (Plus Conventions of Language catch-up Year 3)

Tuesday 21 March   (Numeracy catch up day)

• 9.00 - 10.00am   Numeracy catch-up Year 3 & 5

You will see that we have built in some catch-up testing each day, for those students who are absent on any of the testing days.  

NAPLAN Practice Test schedule 2023

To prepare our students for the format of NAPLAN on-line testing, they will undertake practice tests on the following dates: 

• Year 5 – February 21, Tuesday 9.00 - 10.00am (Omnibus test)
• Year 3 - February 21, Tuesday 11.15 - 12.15pm (Omnibus test)
• Year 5 - February 22, Wednesday 11.15 - 12.15pm (Writing test)

The Omnibus test is a mix of questions from all NAPLAN tested areas, reading, language conventions and numeracy.  No data will be collected or shared for the practice tests.

Please note: Year 3 Writing will not be on-line.
           

Student iPad Preparation  (IMPORTANT)

We ask that if you haven't already done so, please organise the following things for your child:

1. Download the NAP Locked Down browser app to your child's iPad. This app can be found in the inTune Company Portal app.
2. Have working headphones
3. Note that an iPad mini cannot be used for the NAPLAN On-line testing.

Student Preparation

It is important that our students are not overwhelmed by the experience of NAPLAN, it should not be a stressful experience for them. This is why we run practice tests and build their emotional resilience in preparation for the tests.

NAPLAN Online Familiarisation

We encourage students and parents to familiarise themselves with NAPLAN Online by visiting the public demonstration site - https://nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site on the NAP website. Some past NAPLAN papers are also available: https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan

NAPLAN Information for Parents

Earlier this week, we emailed the following documents to families of students Years 3 & 5:

1. NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers
2. NAPLAN privacy notice
3. NAPLAN Online and protecting privacy

For further information, please visit:

1. ACARA NAPLAN Online website - https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/understanding-online-assessment
2. ACARA's Assessment Platform - https://www.assessform.edu.au

    

Advice for Parents and Caregivers about NAPLAN

1. Visit https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers

Student Withdrawals

Parents can withdraw their child from the test by notifying the School and completing a Withdrawal form. Withdrawal is intended as an option to address issues such as religious beliefs and philosophical objections to testing.

Student Exemptions

Students may be exempted from one or more of the tests if they meet one of the following criteria:

• students with significant intellectual disability and/or those with significant co-morbidities that severely limit their capacity to participate in the tests.
• students with a language background other than English, who arrived from overseas and have been attending school in Australia for less than a year before the test.

Exemptions for students with physical and/or intellectual disabilities are determined through consultation between the principal, student, and parents/carers.

Adjustments for students with a disability

Adjustments are available in NAPLAN tests for students with disability to support students’ access to the tests. Adjustments should reflect similar support and assistance provided in the classroom for assessment activities.

Adjustments can be made for students with physical, cognitive, sensory and social/emotional disability. Examples of adjustments may include:

• students may receive slightly more time to complete the tests or be seated separately from their regular class
• students may receive rest breaks

Parents and carers of students with disability should discuss with their child’s teacher, and/or Inclusion teacher, adjustments that may be suitable for their child.

School photos

School photos are being taken in the coming fortnight.  Please check the ordering deadlines outlined later in this newsletter.  Please note that:

• Students will need to wear their BLUES uniform for the photo.
• Class teachers will inform families of the day and estimated times of the photos.
• Every child will be involved in the photos, regardless of ordering.

Playtime and sport

At Coomera Rivers, sport requires sportsmanship.  We teach students to play for Fun, Fitness and Friendship (Our sports ethos).  There is no place for poor sportsmanship on any sports field.  

To represent our school at interschool sport, every player must demonstrate this ethos at school.  Failing to do so may result in what we call a Red Card being given by me or one of our Deputy Principals.  Two red cards will result in students missing an interschool sports season.  All of the students in Years 5&6 are aware of this requirement.  

Attendance at school

To be Good at learning - Good at life, I need children to maximise outcomes from every learning day.  There will be 49 school days this term.  I need everyone to aim to be at school for 46 of them.  I intend to celebrate excellent attendance each term with those students.

Kind regards

Vic

With Ms Waide

Student Excellence Awards 

Well done to these students for earning excellence awards! 

Prep M: Bodee and Malia

Prep F: Joaquin, Jocelyn, Calvin and Amber

I look forward to seeing more and more of our preps earning awards as we settle into the term. 

Some year 6 students also won some special awards for being great helpers in prep whilst their peers were at camp. Thank you Jackson, Luke, Emma and Ashton

Gallery

With Ms Waide

Student Excellence Awards 

Gallery

With Mrs Gatti

Student Excellence Awards 

Celebration of Learning 

This week in 2SH we reviewed our spelling of special friends 'ch, sh, th, wh' and completed a rainbow activity with pictures! 

With Mrs Gatti

Student Excellence Awards 

Celebration of Learning

In 3A we have been hands on in our maths lessons. Students have hunted down questions in the playground and raced to complete time robots and so much more. Children loved being active and learning through play.

Student leaders for 2023

Leadership gallery

With Mrs Gatti

Student Excellence Awards 

Gallery

Celebration of Learning

Students engaged in learning activities that involved them recalling prior knowledge of measuring length using non standard units of measure. Following this they engaged in learning activities that involved measuring length using rulers. Finally, they designed paper planes (aligned with our Novel Study – Paper Planes) and engaged in a flying competition, where they used measuring tapes to measure length in terms of distance travelled.         

Student leaders for 2023

Leadership gallery

With Mr Meijboom

Student Excellence Awards 

Student leaders for 2023

Leadership gallery

Learning in 5M

With Mr Meijboom

Student Excellence Awards 

Year 6 camp

What an amazing camp with lots of amazing activities and our students were amazing also!!! While we know our Year 6 students were glad to be home in the comfort of their own bed, the memories of their experiences will last a lifetime, we are sure their parents continue to hear all about it :)

Thank you to the Year 6 teachers and Mrs Brett who gave their time to spend 3 days and 2 nights with out students and thank you to the students who made it an enjoyable experience for them with our staff going home after the 3 days with a smile on their face.

Student leaders for 2023

Leaders gallery

Year 6 Science and Disasters!!!

A natural disaster hit Year 6 classrooms on Friday. Was it an earthquake? Parents need to ask their child what they believe it was? Students will continue to learn more about this over the coming weeks.....

Broadwater Basketball

Congratulations to Kiahna , Leah , Kiani , Tiyahn , Lucan , Ryder and Ryley for being selected to represent Coomera Rivers at the Broadwater district basketball trials at Carrara Stadium this week.

From this, Kianha, Leah, Kiani, Tiyahn and Ryder were selected for the Broadwater basketball team. They will represent Broadwater at a carnival on Friday 3rd March. Congratulations to these students for this incredible achievement. We wish them all the best.

Broadwater Touch

Congratulations to Scarlet , Mylah , Zara , Tyrell , Paysin , Cooper and Tae for being selected to represent Coomera Rivers at the Broadwater Touch trials next week on the 21st February. We wish them the best of luck.      

Coming Broadwater Trials

• Hockey: Monday Week 7 (6 March)- Paper nominations
• Rugby League: Tuesday Week 7 (7 March)
• AFL: Wednesday Week 7 (8 March)
• Netball: Thursday Week 7 (9 March)
• Rugby Union: Tuesday Week 10 (28 March)

Interschool Sport

Interschool Sport will be held in Week 4, 5 and 6 of Term 2 for Year 5 & 6 students. The sports on offer for Term 2 are soccer, netball and oztag. A friendly reminder to those students and families to return the permission notes required to attend. Final payment is required by Tuesday 18th April.

Dates:

• Interschool Sport Day 1- 9 May, Week 4, Term 2
• Interschool Sport Day 2- 16 May, Week 5, Term 2
• Interschool Sport Day 3- 23 May, Week 6, Term 2

Swimming

Good luck to Ashtiva, Mylah, Kaea, Flynn and Blake at the Broadwater Swimming Carnival on Thursday 23 February.

Oztag Super Series

Congratulations to Scarlet, Zara and Boston on their selection in the Queensland sides in the OzTag Super Series later in the year. This is a huge achievement.

Our beginner strings are up and running and loving their lessons with Mrs Blyth and our continuing strings are already sounding amazing at their rehearsal before school.  I love how full the music room is on a Monday morning and I’m so excited to see how much our string program will develop in 2023.  Beginner rehearsals start next week on Mondays at 2nd break.

Good Start is a government facilitated, cultural program for our Māori and Pasifika students and has just commenced this week here at school. The program promotes and educates students on Health and Well-Being through activity-based learning, experiments, challenges, fun activities and games. It incorporates cultural elements and values of the Pacific Islands and this year we are happy to welcome Amy Ngawaka as our head educator.

Good Start is currently offered to students in Years 5 and 6 and will be run in Terms 1 and 3.

Years 3 and 4 will have the opportunity to join Good Start in Terms 2 and 4.

Please contact Angela Waide or Jemma Findlay if you have any questions.

We need to fill three parent positions on the school council through re-election.

Our school council provides a valuable strategic focus for our school.  It helps me, as Principal, link the department priorities to those of the school and community.  It is a consultative group that meets each term and investigates our plans, considers our improvement data and achievements, and keeps our school focused on our goal.  It is different to the P&C.  While playing another vital role in the school and community, the P&C is more focused on consultation and forms the direct link between the school and the community. 

Make-up of the school council

Our school council has three parent positions – the selection of each of each is determined through an election process.  

Of the three parent positions on the School Council, THREE of those positions are up for re-election this year.

If you are interested in nominating or know someone who may like to be nominated, please read on.

Nominations Open:      FRIDAY, 9 FEBRUARY.  Nominations forms are available from Corporate Services between 8:00am and 3.30pm or by emailing the returning officer - Leonie Jenkins 

Nominations Close:     FRIDAY, 1 MARCH 3.00PM Nominations must be received by the returning officer, via Corporate Services, before the deadline. These can be emailed to returning officer or delivered to Corporate Service between 8:00am and 3.00pm school days.

Election Date:         FRIDAY, 15 MARCH

Election Time:        Polling booth is open from 8:00am - 9.30am and 1.30pm - 3.00pm on FRIDAY 15 MARCH

Election Venue:      CRSS Corporate Services Interview Room

Thank you for considering this information and your possible involvement in the process.

After the Day 8 changes to some classes, to ensure that orders made via School24 for the Cafe and for events are delivered to the correct classes, we will need families, when you next log in to School24, to update their child's 2023 class.

We thank you for your assistance and understanding.

As you know, school photos were held this week

Orders are still open! Please visit Leading Image and use the Access Key W35HW5P6.

Individual  / Class images

Families have until 4pm Thursday 9 March to place orders for individual and class images / packs.

All students will have an individual photo taken on Photo Day regardless if they are ordering or not

Need more time?

Orders for individual / class images / packs will remain open for 6 months after the photo shoot however, if ordering after 4pm Thursday 9 March, these orders will incur a postage charge and be sent directly to parents.

If you have any questions or need help ordering please call Leading Image on 1300 084 586

The Annual General Meeting of the Coomera Rivers State School P&C will be held on Monday 28 April at 5.30pm in the Corporate Services building of Coomera Rivers State School.

A general meeting of the association will be held directly after the AGM.

From our P&C for families of students who are representing South Coast or Queensland

This Term our P&C is holding a Kripsy Kreme fundraiser. We apologise now if you are already drooling in anticipation! 

Orders are open now via School24 and close at 4pm on Friday 10 March at 4:00pm.

Pick up will be Thursday 30 March from 1pm - 3.30pm.

Please see the flyer below for all the details on how to place your order.

Students will also receive a paper order record form from their classroom teacher on Monday. This form will help you collate any orders from your friends and family so, after collecting your order, you know how many and to who you need to deliver to.

The class, in each year level, that purchases the most cartons of Krispy Kreme's will win a class party!

So ask your friends, tell your family and start collecting orders today! 

If you have any questions, please email the P&C

Our school has four sports houses.  You can work out which house your family is in by following the system.  

System:  Families are assigned a sports house based on the surname of the oldest student enrolling.  House allocations rarely change.

Children will need a t-shirt in their house colour when they participate in the house sports carnivals this year.  These carnivals focus on participation with Fun-Fitness-Friendship being the central elements.

Get your Sport House colours ready!

With our Sport Fun Day event scheduled for late this Term, now is time to start thinking about those house colour accessories!

Our sports house shirts are made of a breathable fabric, have a collar for sun protection, school logo and, most importantly, your house colour and name!

Orders of these shirts are open now on School24 and Stock is limited! 

We have included below the size chart to assist with sizing for your orders. This chart is also accessible from the School24 site when ordering.

Please note

Sports House Shirts are now located in a dedicated uniform ordering section of School24. Please click on the Uniform Online - Order Uniform tab on the home page to access ordering.

If you have any questions, please email the P&C.