Cranbrook Newsletter - 2025 Term 2 Week 8

Principal's Message

Welcome to our Week 8 Newsletter! What a super amount of special events we have had! 
We encourage you to read through carefully to ensure you don’t miss any important updates or upcoming events.

Drop Zone Reminder -Important Reminder for All Parents and Caregivers

For the safety of all students, please do not drop your child off in the bus zone or instruct them to walk through the staff car park in the morning. The staff car park is not a designated pedestrian area and poses a serious safety risk.
All students must be dropped off at the front gate using the designated Pick-Up and Drop-Off Zone.
We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our students safe.

The drop zone at the front of the school was established so that there is a safe area for dropping off and collecting students, before and after school. 
Did you know it is loading zone between 8 & 9am and 2.30pm & 3.30pm?
Did you know the fine for parking in a loading zone is $154.80 - $322?
Did you know traffic infringements can be reported by members of the public through PoliceLink and video evidence used to allow Qld Police to issue a fine?

The drop zone needs to be operated in exactly the manner it is intended for in order to keep everyone safe......
DROP your children off in the morning / PICK UP your children in the afternoon.  It is NOT an area for parking and getting out of your car to walk your children in or to chat to other parents.  Students should not be walking across any open area of the road by themselves.  There is plenty of parking space on other boundaries of the school.  There are far too many near misses happening. 

Please be considerate and obey the rules, for everyone's sake.

EVERY DAY COUNTS… Frequently asked questions

Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away?
Yes – Parents must let the school know the reason for the absence, if not beforehand, then within two days of their child’s return to school.
Can I take my child out of school for family or social occasions?
No – you should arrange leisure activities, visits to family and friends and shopping trips outside of school hours.
Does the occasional day away from school really affect my child’s education?
Yes – Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.
What should I do if my child refuses to go to school?
Contact the school as soon as possible for advice and support.

Early Collection of Students
If you have an appointment or need to collect your student/s early, please send a note for the classroom teacher so the student/s can be sent to the office at the appropriate time. 
Please also remember that only adults listed as emergency contacts on the applicable student profile, are able to collect them.
Emergency Contacts
Please ensure the school has up to date information regarding emergency contacts so that you can be reached if an illness or accident should occur.

Lost Property

Our lost property collection is growing again!  Please check our lost property area in the large covered area, to claim any of your children's missing belongings. 

Have a great weekend everyone.

Jeff Capell - Principal

Coming Up in Term 2🌞

Snappy Winners🐊

Congratulations! The Snappy winner for week 8 was Nate! 

Congratulations! The Golden Snappy winner for week 8 was Luie! 

                                                      Winter Snap Winner! 

The week 8 Winter Snap Winner was Student A! Congratulations! 

A reminder that we have 2 options for your students when it comes to wearing the correct school jumper. 

The jacket is light, windproof and spray proof, has two zipped hand pockets and is lined with soft knit material, making it ideal for wearing at any time. The cost is $50.

The fleece pullover also has two zipped hand pockets and a zip near the neck, allowing the child to protect their neck in the cold but gives the option of having some extra air if it's getting a bit warm. This is our more economical option at $30.

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👍

Last week, our PBL was about how to include everyone 

This week, we looked at accepting Responsibility 

Below is the 'for families' poster of our lessons, which gives you a chance to continue these conversations at home and possibly apply them to your daily family life.  

🔥 Fire Safety Fun for Year 1! 🚒

Our Year 1 students were thrilled to welcome some very special guests this week — a team of real-life firefighters! With their bright red truck and friendly smiles, the firefighters made quite the entrance and brought a wealth of knowledge with them.
Students had the opportunity to learn all about fire safety, including how to stay safe at home, what to do in an emergency, and the importance of having a fire escape plan. They also discovered just how much our local firefighters do for the community — from rescuing people and animals to attending accidents and keeping us safe every day.
A big thank you to Fire Fighter Mark, Fire Fighter Wayne, Fire Fighter Scott and last but not least Fire Fighter Issac for such an exciting and educational visit — and for all the important work they do!

Year 1’s Wild Adventure at Billabong Sanctuary!

Our Year 1 students recently enjoyed an exciting day out at Billabong Sanctuary, where they experienced some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife up close! From feeding friendly kangaroos to watching the thrilling crocodile show, the day was packed with hands-on learning and unforgettable moments. Guided by passionate Billabong Rangers, the students took part in interactive wildlife talks and learned about the unique features of our native animals and the important role they play in the environment. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature, ask questions, and develop a deeper appreciation for Australia’s incredible biodiversity.

Year 1B & 1C

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Year 5 & 6 Visit from the Townsville City Council!

This week, we had the privilege of welcoming a representative from Townsville City Council (TCC) to speak with our students about the important work the Council does in preparing for and responding to disasters within our community.

The presentation provided valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes efforts that help keep our city safe during times of crisis. From planning and early warning systems to emergency response and community support, it was inspiring to learn just how many dedicated individuals are involved in protecting our community when natural disasters strike.
The students gained a deeper understanding of how teamwork, communication, and careful planning play a vital role in disaster management. It also highlighted the importance of personal and household preparedness, and how every member of the community can contribute to building a resilient Townsville.
We are incredibly grateful to Townsville City Council for taking the time to educate and engage with our students on this crucial topic. Opportunities like this empower our young people with the knowledge and confidence to stay informed, prepared, and safe in the face of potential emergencies.

🎭From the Arts🎨

SAVE THE DATE!
                   ALL Year 4 and 5 students will be involved in this year’s musical Souper Hero Kitchen in Hot Springs!
Dates of the musical are:

Wednesday 3^rd September 2025 (Term 3, Week 8)
Thursday 4^th September 2025 (Term 3, Week 8)

The office ladies had a wonderful surprise by the Nightingale Choir this week when they did a rendition of Shake it off by Taylor Swift! It brought so much joy to the office as well as everyone else who got to experience it.
Here is a little Snippet! 

Fanfare
is the biennial statewide festival of bands and orchestras from Queensland state schools. It showcases the exciting music-making that occurs in school-based ensembles across the state. The emphasis for Fanfare is on improving the quality of ensembles, promoting the highest possible standard of performance, striving for excellence and encouraging participation.

Last Friday, our Choir (The Nightingales) travelled over to Pimlico High School to perform.  

Our group received a GOLD award!  Well done to all our students and their teachers. 

HELP! 
Our Music Teachers are in need of some help with sourcing suitcases as props for the Musical coming up! 

We are looking for several suitcases to use as props in this year’s musical. If you have a suitcase/s that you won’t be using for a while and are happy to let student’s use, please let Ms Earle or Mrs Onslow know. We will return all suitcases at the start of week 9 Term 3.

Music Class of the week for week 8 went to 4B! Congratulations ! 

🏐From the Sports Desk🏈

Sports class of the week for week 8 has gone to.... 5B! Congratulations! 

Environmental Information!🌏

Biggest congratulations to Kiarna on receiving her official title and badge for Environmental Captain! What an achievement! 

Challenge Games! 🏆

The Challenge Games are coming up! 
Please click the below link for more information and the link to give permission for your student or you can grab one from our lovely office staff!!
Spots are limited so get in quick! 

📚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:

📙Our Book Fair is coming next week!📗

Book Fair Beach! Catch the Reading Wave! - Please Read!
Happening Next Week!

Monday and Tuesday:
Students will visit with their class to browse the selection and create a Wish List of the books they’re hoping for.

Wednesday to Friday:
Parents and students are welcome to visit the Book Fair to make purchases during the following times:
Morning: 8:00am – 8:40am
Afternoon: 3:00pm – 3:30pm

To help keep things running smoothly during these busy times, we encourage families to scan the barcode on their students Wishlist and make purchases online. Once purchased online you will receive an 8 digit code.
Please right this down or email it to: Communications@cranbrookss.eq.edu.au
This is proof of purchase and allows us to have your order ready for collection/deliver to your student during the day.
We can't wait to catch the reading wave with you all next week!

The Cranbrook Community Hub 👋

Hello everyone!  It is so lovely to be back and have The Hub open for you once again!  

It's been a busy week, but a lovely one.  On Tuesday, we had a guest speaker from the Council's Disaster Management Team, to guide us through preparation for the natural disasters we may experience in Townsville.  This coincided with our senior students' presentations and so there was lots of learning for all of us!  Thank you to the parents who attended.  You can find out lots and lots of helpful information via the following online websites:
https://disaster.townsville.qld.gov.au/  and  https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/ 

We were invited to join in with the Kelso Hub's Biggest Morning Tea on Wednesday.  It was a lovely morning together, with a challenging talk by breast cancer survivor, Lynette, to make sure we take care of ourselves.  Did you know, that you don't need to have symptoms for cancer to be present in your body?  That's why early detection is vital and why every woman over 50 must have a screen.  Not sure what this means or where to go for further information?  Come in and have a chat, or go online to www.breastscreen.qld.gov.au 

Our opening schedule looks a little different this week, however if you need to reach out, please remember that you can contact Louise on 0477004723 or communityhub@cranbrookss.eq.edu.au 

Playgroup is on, so come along and bring a friend. We'll be going across to check out the school's Book Fair.

In recognition of Refugee Week, everyone is invited to Townsville's Intercultural Connections Celebration, on Wednesday, from 4 to 8pm at Aitkenvale State School, to celebrate the unique contribution Refugees and Migrants make to our wider community.  Come and join me there!

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Chaplaincy Week!

National Chaplaincy Week is an annual celebration of school chaplains and the role they and their volunteers play in championing and caring for their local school community.
The options are endless for how it looks on the ground, but Chaplaincy Week is all about:
Raising the profile of school chaplaincy, raising funds (Cranbrook is roughly 50% funded by the fundraising and generous donations from the community), and celebrating the amazing work our chaplains and volunteers do for the young people of Australia.

Chappy Week Pancake Celebration with 99.9 Live FM!

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We had an absolute blast celebrating Chappy Week last week! As part of the festivities, Chappy Tim came up with the brilliant idea to sell Silly Socks to help raise funds in support of our school chaplaincy program.
Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to purchase their very own silly socks and wear them proudly during Friday’s Free Dress and Silly Sock Day. The school was buzzing with excitement and laughter as students and staff showed off their colourful, quirky, and downright hilarious sock choices. It was a joyful end to a week full of fun, community spirit, and fundraising success!

Silly Sock Free Dress!

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Special Visits from Janelle Poole APM MP

Over the past two weeks, we were privileged to welcome Janelle Poole APM MP to our school on several occasions. Janelle joined our Prep students for some reading fun as part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge, helping to foster a love of books and literacy from an early age.

She also took the time to speak with our Year 6 Leadership students, sharing insights and encouragement to inspire the next generation of leaders. And of course, she couldn’t miss out on the fun of our Chappy Pancake Celebration!

We are so grateful to Janelle for her ongoing support, enthusiasm, and commitment to our school community.

🏆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!

🍎From your P&C 🥙

Parentline Service supporting Parents and Carers 📰

Parentline is a free, confidential counselling service available for all Queensland parents and carers.
If you need support navigating challenging situations, Parentline offers qualified counsellors who can help with expert advice, emotional support and referrals when needed.
Parentline’s services include:

• practical parenting resources on their website

• live webchat with professional counsellors

• phone support for immediate assistance (1300 30 1300)

• the option to pre-book ongoing sessions with the same counsellor

• online counsellor-facilitated parenting forums for shared support

• referrals to other family support services when additional help is needed.

Visit their website (parentline.com.au) for more information today, or give them a call on 1300 30 1300.

Theircare - OSHC

🚀 Book Now!🎉
👉 Not enrolled yet? No worries! Just click here to register and get started. When enrolling, be sure to double-check all details—emergency contacts, medical info, and any child-related diagnoses—so we can ensure your little one has a safe, fun, and engaging experience with us.
💬 Need help? Our friendly customer service team is here for you Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM (AEST) at 📞 1300 072 410.

📰Community News📰

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.