Cranbrook Newsletter - 2024 Term 4 Week 8

Principal's Message

Welcome to our Week 8 newsletter! You're almost there! Be sure to read through the newsletter so you don’t miss any important updates.

2025 Class allocation 

Parents and students will receive their class allocation for 2025 in Week 10 - Friday 6 December.

As with any release of information some students and parents may be pleased or disappointed with the situation they are placed in.  

If you strongly object to either the teacher placement or their peers, you are requested to put your request in writing and outline the EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES that would deem it necessary to move classes.

Please forward your requests to The Principal by Friday, 8 December and mark your correspondence PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL.  A decision will be made on all requests the week before school begins so new enrolments can be taken into account.  No early decisions will be made.

Please be aware that these lists are only DRAFT and the final class lists, teachers and rooms will only be finalised in 2025 after Day 8.

Year 6 Graduation

The Year 6 Graduation will be held on Monday 9 December, 6pm in the Excelsior Hall at Kirwan State High School.  A reminder that students with outstanding SRS fees will not be receiving an invitation to the graduation unless other financial arrangements have been made.

Please find attached, the information letter that was sent home with students.

Prep Transition Program
Our dates are confirmed for this year's transition program - a great opportunity for children and families alike, to feel more settled with moving on to Prep and to Cranbrook School next year.  
Please call our office to book your place. 

Taking 2025 Enrolments now
Enrolments for all year levels are open and Prep enrolments for next year are now welcome.  Children born between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 are eligible to enrol for Prep.  Early Entry Applications for students born in July 2020 may also be submitted for consideration.  An original birth certificate is essential for enrolment.  An enrolment form can be downloaded from this newsletter, our website or parents are welcome to pick up an enrolment pack from our front office.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jeff Capell - Principal

Every Day Counts - Attendance

Regular, punctual attendance at school is expected of all students. 
Students should be present at school ready to prepare for the day's learning by 8:30am.

Late Arrivals

Students arriving after 8:50am must report to the office to receive a lateslip.  If a student is late, a letter of explanation from the student's parent/guardian must be presented to the office staff on arrival.

Absence
If a student is absent and the parent/guardian has not notified the school, they will receive an automated text message by 10am that day.  
Parents will receive a text message informing them that their child is absent. If you receive one of these text messages, please contact the school to explain the reason for your child’s absence.
A working mobile number should be registered with the school, if available.
Please remember that absence is only marked for the days specified by the parents. If you ring up on a Monday informing that your child is sick and they remain away from school for the following 2 days because they are sick you need to inform us that this was the reason for their absence. You can inform us after the absence via a message directly to the teacher or by contacting our absence hotline or email.

If your child is absent, please leave a message detailing:

• Child's name
• Class
• Reason for absence
• Dates or duration of absence

PBL - Positive Behaviour for Learning

For Week 7, our PBL lesson was about including everyone.

In Week 8, we focused on accepting responsibility.

Here are the flyers with some handy hints with what and how to chat about this at home.

Congratulations to our Week 8 PBL Winner Claire ! 

Golden Snap Winners

Congratulations to our Week 8 Golden Snappy winner Mason! 

Healthy Snack/Brain Food Snack 

Many of our teachers allow students to have a healthy/brain food snack in their class. Please make sure the 'brain builder/healthy' food is easy to eat with fingers and is not messy or drippy. 

• Some suggestions for healthy snack are:
• Dried fruit e.g. apricots, prunes, raisins, sultanas
• Fresh vegetables e.g. carrots, celery sticks, beans, snow peas
• Rice Cakes
• Cheese sticks and cubes
• Seeds e.g. sunflower, sesame, linseed
• Fresh fruit  e.g. grapes, apple pieces, blueberries, strawberries, baby tomatoes
• Chickpeas and other legumes

DO NOT send any of the following: 

• Processed foods e.g. muesli bars, biscuits, cakes
• Lollies or anything high in sugar
• Chips and Crisps
• Bread 

Conflict 

Conflict is natural and inevitable in every aspects of life. Conflict generally comes across as negative. However, confrontation of ideas and attitudes is natural and essential to our human existence. The management of conflict determines whether it will have negative or positive consequences on our relationships. A well-managed conflict can actually strengthen a relationship.

The following are some tips you might consider to strengthen the relationship or partnership: 

• Do not make it personal. 
• Avoid putting down the other person's ideas and beliefs. Resist the temptation to abuse, use sarcasm, or make derogatory comments. This will allow you to get your point across in the most effective way. 
• Use "I" statements to communicate how you feel, what you think, and what you want or need. We need to avoid using "you" statements, as these can sound argumentative. 
• Listen to others’ point of view. Consider and respect the other person's perspective. 
• Stay calm. This is not easy; it is a huge challenge to stay calm and rational when you feel angry or passionate about something. 

As adults, we need to model these behaviour and actions to our children. 

In this contemporary era we live in, social media has become a primary medium through which individuals voice their opinions. While the ability to express one’s thoughts through the internet is wonderful, it is also important that individuals learn how to do so respectfully. If you want to ensure that you avoid offending others when sharing your thoughts, think it through before posting. Unfortunately, either we shy away completely from disagreements or we lose it when things don't go our way. 

From The Arts

Cranbrook Learning

In Year 4, we are learning how to design and build balloon-powered cars, which is an exciting and hands-on way to explore principles of physics, engineering, and problem-solving. The goal is to create a car that can move as fast as possible, drive straight, and travel the furthest distance using the power of air to propel it forward.

Balloon-powered cars work by harnessing the force of air escaping from a balloon, which pushes the car forward. When the air is released from the balloon, it creates a force called thrust. This force is similar to how rocket engines work, where gas is pushed out one way to make the vehicle move in the opposite direction. However, for the car to go fast, straight, and far, we need to carefully consider several factors:

In this project, they will experiment with different materials and designs, making adjustments to our cars to see what works best. This is an excellent way to practice the scientific method: making predictions, testing ideas, and learning from trial and error to improve our designs. It’s not just about building a car that works; it’s about understanding how and why certain factors influence its performance. Through this project, they will also learn more about concepts like aerodynamics, friction, and the importance of testing and refining our ideas.

Year 4 Learning

Global Tropics

This week, a group of our Year 5 and 6 Global Tropics students had the privilege of meeting one of Australia’s top science communicators – Dr Karl Kruszelnicki!

The Queensland Virtual STEM Academy hosted the online event, that was filled with fascinating insights into science and discovery. 

 A special mention to Ellie, who’s question was selected and shared with the entire group; “What would Earth be like as a cube?”  Great question Ellie!

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki Webinar

Assessment Calendar

From the Resource Centre

Class Borrowing Days
For students in Prep / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3…..you must have a library bag to protect your books.
It is very important that books are returned every week. 
Students are not allowed to borrow more books until any outstanding ones are returned.
Please return your child’s home reader and library books on the following days:

REMINDER!! Term 4 Special Education Students Transitioning into year 6 Information

Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity for your student!

We are excited to support our Special Education students as they transition into Year 6. This important phase includes tailored transition programs designed to ease their shift into the new year and ensure they are well-prepared for the challenges ahead. Our dedicated team is working closely with each student to address their individual needs, provide personalized support, and build confidence for their upcoming year. We’re committed to making this transition as smooth and positive as possible, helping every student feel ready and excited for their next educational journey.

From your P&C

Important Swimming Lesson Information

Students will need to bring their thongs, a towel, bathers (including rashie) and a plastic bag for carrying wet items. A swimming cap and goggles are optional, but recommended.  Girls are recommended to wear a one piece swimsuit and boys are encouraged not to wear baggy shorts. Suncream should be applied at home and if necessary, again at school.  Students with long hair MUST have it TIED UP and completely out of the way. 
Due to health reasons, students MUST NOT wear their swimmers under their uniform to school, unless they are scheduled for the first lesson of the day.  Students will be given time to change at school.  
Lunch times will be adjusted accordingly, and the Tuckshop will be notified of these adjusted times.
Lessons will be going all week for the Preps - Year 6's and will be located at the Long Tan Memorial Pool, Heatley.

Please find attached the swimming consent form below for more details. 

P & C Information

At the last P&C general meeting held on the 20^th November 2024 the committee members made the following decisions.

Due to the increased costs passed onto us by suppliers the committee agreed that an increase to some uniform items in 2025 was necessary.  The committee deliberated over this decision for some time.  The Cranbrook P&C have always prioritised providing families with access to uniforms at the best value possible.  The price increases are the minimum amounts to ensure costs are covered without increasing profit margins to ensure we are still providing the best valued uniforms for our families.

Uniform Price Summary 2025
Polycotton Everyday Polo             $32.00
Sublimate Everyday Polo               $35.00
Sublimate Sports Polo                    $35.00
Shorts and Skorts                             $27.00
Custom Jackets                                 $50.00

The following items remain at the same low prices
Hats                                                       $15.00
Dress                                                     $50.00
Fleece Jumpers                                 $30.00

 Tuckshop Closure
The Tuckshop will be closed from Wednesday 11^th November for the end of year cleaning.  No tuckshop available 11^th, 12^th and 13^th of November 2024.

Swimming Carnival
The P&C will NOT be providing a sausage sizzle and drinks stall at the Swimming Carnival being held on Wednesday 11^th December 2024 and due to the Tuckshop being closed parents will need to ensure that their child/ren have a packed lunch and full water bottles.

The uniform shop during will still be open until the end of the term 8am-9am. During the school holidays by appointment only call or text 0457869194 to book. from the 20th - 24th January 2025 the Uniform Shop will be open from 9am-3pm daily. Back to school will be open again from 8am-9am school days. If these hours do not suit some families, they can always contact 0457869194 and we will do our best to accommodate.  
Families are still able to order uniforms on BigCommerce (link below in my signature) however we do not deliver or post these to addresses and they will need to be collected during our opening hours or by appointment.

The next general P&C meeting will be held on the 19^th February 2025. 

Sponsorship thanks

We are very excited and grateful, to have received sponsorship from these amazing companies in 2024 to help our Touch Football team get to their competitions.
Fair Dinkum Builds (Gold Sponsor)
Rowey's Plumbing & Gas (Silver Sponsor)
Weigh 'n' Pay (Bronze Sponsor)
Please support these businesses when you can - they are supporting your children and your school.
Thank you!

 Thank you to YTB Mechanical & Performance for their donation! Until the end of the year they are offering Cranbrook Families a 15% Discount when you mention this add. 

For Sale

*AVAILABLE FOR ENQUIRIES AND COLLECTION* 
Pavers for sale at 50c to $1.00 each - Various sizes and types
For sales and collection, please contact:
Bridget Bambrick - Operations Manager
Cranbrook SS P&C Association
pandcoperations@cranbrookss.eq.edu.au
0457 869 194 / 07 4726 1254

Sports Pride Fridays

Community News

Year 7 Transition Info Packs
Starting High School is generally an exciting time for young people and their parents/carers and the Saver Plus program is here to support your school community with some of the costs involved. 
Saver Plus is open to eligible parents / carers all year, but we find it’s when these larger costs come up that families start reaching out for support. Families with students in year 5 now could set the goal to save in readiness for Year 7 in 2026.
To join Saver Plus, you need to meet these requirements:
-Be 18 years or older
 -Have a current Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card
-Have a child in school, starting next year, or be studying yourself
-Get a regular income (can be you or your partner in paid work or child support / carers payment)
-Agree to join in free online financial education workshops
What are the eligible savings goals?
Eligible savings goals are education related products or services that:​
-Assist a primary / secondary school student’s education.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information printed in this issue is up to date and correct at the time of publication.