Cranbrook Newsletter Term 4 - Week 2 2021

Principal's Message

Parent / Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all the parents who booked in to attend a parent/teacher meeting for Thursday night. 

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.

2022 Student Leadership Applications

Next week will see the beginning of our 2022 School Captains selection process. For parents who are interested in supporting their child through the process below is an overview.

1.  Leadership Application and Nomination Forms available on the website – Monday 18th October

2.  Submit the Nomination Form to the office prior to Thursday 28th October, 3.15pm.

3.  Attend the Leadership Day – Friday 29th October 

4.  Complete the Leadership Application Form – Applications Close Friday 5th November, 3.15pm Applications to be emailed to principal@cranbrookss.eq.edu.au or handed into the office.

5.  Observable criteria judging completed by current teaching staff (Classroom, HPE, Music, LOTE, etc.) – Monday 8th November

6.  Written applications assessed by Selection Panels (by Wednesday 10th November) consisting of:  

• School Captains and Vice Captains - Principal, P&C President, 2021 School Captains and a Year 5 teacher.
• Indigenous Captains – Principal, School Elder and 2021 Indigenous Captains.
• Arts Captains - Principal, 2021 Music Captains and Arts Teachers
• Environmental Captains – Principal, BSM and 2021 Environmental Captains
• Sports Captains - Principal, two 2021 Sports Captains and HPE Teacher
  

7.  Students short listed for School Captains by the Selection Panel and written notification given to students – Thursday 11th November. Further short-listings occur after each position is filled in the process, due to students not being able to hold two positions.

8.  Short Listed School Captain students present their speech to all students, staff and other members of the school community and all students vote (Staff & Year 2 to 6 votes counted). – Monday 15th November - Indigenous Captain (Tues 16th Nov), Arts Captains (Wed 19th Nov) and Environmental Captains (Thu 18st Nov) and Sports Captain (Fri 19th Nov), speeches and votes occur on the dates highlighted.

9.  Principal informs new leaders and short listed students in writing of the result based on the overall results of the ‘Selection Criteria’ on the day of student vote.

Further information is available within the PDF Application Form below, to students and on our website.

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

Supporting Positive Transitions to Prep 

There are many ways a parent or carer can help their child transition from home or kindy to school.

Take a look at the short video from the Department of Education, "Undurba State School".  In this short video, Prep teachers explain how they use transition statements to better understand children's needs.  This video is one of several videos on the Early Childhood Education and Care website, designed to assist families, early education and care services and schools to support positive transitions to Prep.

2022 Prep Enrolments & Transition Program

Enrolments for Prep next year are now welcome.  Children born between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017 are eligible to enrol.  Remember a copy of a birth certificate is essential for enrolment.  Please see the flyer in this newsletter for information regarding our Prep Transition Program starting on Thursday October 21st .

Jeff Capell
Principal

Positive Behaviour For Learning

Prep Transition Program

What Your Child is Learning in Term 4

The following PDF attachments have information on what your child is learning this term at Cranbrook in their Year Level.  For more information on how you can support your child, please contact the Classroom Teacher or Cohort Leader.

The Arts Space

Instrumental Recruitment 2022

At parent teacher interviews this week, the Arts team was available to discuss the Instrumental Music process.

Please see the attached PDF file if you would like more information on this amazing opportunity at Cranbrook. You are also more than welcome to email Sarah Earle slear0@eq.edu.au or Suellen Onslow sjohn152@eq.edu.au if you have any questions.

Suellen Onslow and Sarah Earle
Performing Arts Teachers

News in Sports

What's on in Year 2

Amanda Flor
Year 2 Cohort Leader

From the P & C

Spring Fair 2021

Thank you to all who came to support our Spring Fair 2021 on the 10th of September.  We were able to make $15,000!!!  

Although most Cent Sale prizes have been claimed there are still a few remaining. 

Please contact Bridget on 0402 142 961 within the next 7 days to arrange collection.  If you do not make contact within 7 days, your prize will be forfeited.

Book Fair is On in Week 3

An email was sent on Wednesday, explaining the new process being trialled for Book Fair.  If you have any queries please contact the office.

Free Dress Day

Cure Cancer Fundraiser

Thank You

Thank you to all of our Cranbrook families and staff who contributed to our Student Council Free Dress Fundraiser in Term 3.  A total of $421.35 was raised by our school to support Cure Cancer research and the Buddy Box initiative.  

Attendance Award - Week 1

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

Absence For More Than 10 Days

What is an exemption and why do I need it?

Every parent of a child of compulsory school age has a legal obligation to ensure their child is enrolled and attending school. Parents can apply for an exemption from this obligation when their child cannot attend or it would be unreasonable in all the circumstances for their child to attend school for a period of more than 10 consecutive school days.

Situations where an application for an exemption may be made include:

• Illness
• Family reasons
• Cultural or religious reasons

If your child is exempt from compulsory schooling, you are excused from your obligation in relation to compulsory schooling. 

The school principal is not responsible for providing an educational program for your child, however they may provide advice on other educational options available. Decisions about exemptions for up to one school year are made by the principal and decisions about exemptions for more than one school year are made by the relevant Regional Director of the Department of Education, Training and Employment, responsible for the supervision of the school your child attends.   

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