Cranbrook Newsletter - 2023 Term 4 Week 2

Principal's Message

Welcome back!  

We hope you all had an enjoyable holiday and your children have had a smooth transition back into learning. 

Just a reminder of some staff changes for this term:

We welcome back Miss Renee Digger who is taking 4B for Mon/Tue/Thur/Fri, this term (Mrs Shannon Morgan takes the class on Wednesday) and Ms Donna Bell, who resumes with 4C.  Mr Mayo has moved to HPE for the remainder of the year.  

Parent / Teacher Interviews 

Thank you to all the parents who booked in and attended a parent/teacher meeting yesterday.  We appreciate your support of us and your children.

Our staff email list can be found via the link below.

2024 Student Leadership Applications 

Next week will see the beginning of our 2024 School Captains selection process. For parents who are interested in supporting their child through the process, here is an overview of how it proceeds: 

1.  Leadership Application and Nomination Forms available on the website – Tuesday 17th October 

2.  Submit the Nomination Form to the office prior to Thursday 26th October at 5pm 

3.  Attend the Leadership Day – Friday 27th October  

4. Complete the Leadership Application Form – Applications Close Friday 3rd November at 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.) by Wednesday 9th November 

6.  Written applications assessed by Selection Panels (by Wednesday 8th November) consisting of:   

• School Captains and Vice Captains – Principal, P&C President, 2023 School Captains and a Year 5 teacher 
• Indigenous Captains – Principal, School Elder and 2023 Indigenous Captains
• Arts Captains - Principal, 2023 Arts Captains and Arts Teachers 
• Environmental Captains – Principal, School Business Manager and 2023 Environmental Captains 
• Sports Captains – Principal, two 2023 Sports Captains and HPE Teacher 

7.  Students short listed for School Captains by the Selection Panel, will be given written notification on Thursday 9th November. Further short-listings occur after each position is filled in the process, due to students not being able to hold more than one position. 

8. Short Listed students present their speech to students, staff and other members of the school community and all students vote (Staff & Year 2 to 6 votes counted) as follows:

School Captains – Monday 13th November, 9am in the hall

Indigenous Captain - (no community speech - yarn with Indigenous Elder) Tuesday 14th Nov

Arts Captains - Wednesday 15th November, 9am in the hall

Environmental Captains - Thursday 16th November, 2.30pm in the hall

Sports Captains - Friday 17th November, 2pm in House eating areas

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 Application Form, to students and on our website as of next week.

Prep in 2024

Enrolments for Prep next year are now welcome.  Children born between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019 are eligible to enrol.  Remember a copy of a birth certificate is essential for enrolment.  

Birth Certificates for Children Starting Prep - Parents of children born between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019 who are starting Prep in 2024 will need a birth certificate to enrol them in the Prep Year. The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages is encouraging parents to apply for birth certificates now to avoid the new school year rush. 

To apply for a standard or commemorative birth certificate you can: 

• Download an application form from https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/birth-death-and-marriage-certificates/birth-certificates 
• Visit the Registry (Court House) in Walker Street, Townsville. 

Don’t leave it to the last minute – apply for a birth certificate now. 

Early Entry to Prep 

Children who are younger than the prescribed age for Prep may be enrolled in Prep if:
* they turn 5 years by 31st July in the year of proposed attendance; and 
* the principal is satisfied the child is ready for education in Prep, having regard to their attributes (including ability, aptitude, social and emotional competence, physical development, and level of knowledge and understanding). 

The principal may also enrol a child in Prep who is younger than the prescribed age if the child:
* has previously started education that is equivalent to Prep in another state or country; and 
* is considered ready for education in Prep, having regard to their attributes (including ability, aptitude, social and emotional competence, physical development, and level of knowledge and understanding). 

Delayed Entry 

The Preparatory (PREP) Year is now compulsory. This means parents who delay the entry of their child to school do not have the option of not completing Prep.  Every child must now complete Prep rather than starting at Year 1. 

Transition to School - Resources to Support Your Child 

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  to find out how transition statements are supporting a great start to school; which is one of several videos on their website designed to assist families, early education and care services and schools to support positive transitions to Prep. 

More helpful resources can be found on the Department's website at: https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au

Prep Transition Program

Our Prep Transition Program will begin on Thursday 9 November and will run each Thursday morning,    8 - 9.40am, concluding on 7 December.  

Don't miss this chance for both you and your child, to experience our school and become comfortable before the start of the year.  Please call our office to book your spot.

Taking 2024 Enrolments now

Enrolments for all year levels are now open.  An enrolment form can be downloaded from this newsletter or our website, and parents are welcome to pick up an enrolment pack from our front office.

Positive Behaviour for Learning 

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is an evidence-based whole school framework that actively promotes positive behaviour. It is based on research and is designed to support all students to achieve their best academically, socially and behaviourally. It enables students to develop a clear understanding of required expectations, become responsible for their own behaviour and work together to create a positive productive and harmonious learning community. 

Our expectations have not changed and our focus is still on being SAFE, being RESPONSIBLE and being RESPECTFUL, however our means of addressing these expectations will change as we will explicitly teach and reinforce expected behaviours through focussed lessons. 

A reminder about our school access times

Albert and Bergin Road Pedestrian Gates - Gates will open from 8.00am to 8.50am and again at 2.50pm to 3.20pm. 

Alice Street Pedestrian Gates – Gates will open at 5.00am and be closed at 4.30pm. The main gate will be open in the morning and the secondary gate at the Bergin Road end of pick up zone will be open in the afternoons. 

Alice Street Internal Gate – The gate will open at 8.00am when supervision begins. Prior to this students will have access to the waiting area on Alice St with NO SUPERVISION. 

A reminder also, about the STAFF CAR PARK only being for staff, contractors and those who have made prior arrangements with the office.  If you must drive in, please slow down - students are moving about and it becomes a dangerous situation for all.

Term 4 Environmental Captains 

Congratulations to our Environmental Captains this term.  They are:

PA – Ben / Lillith

PB - Layla / Joseph

PC – Cooper / Muay

1A – Student A / Zion

1B – Mathew / MacKenzie

P/3D – Eva / Georgia

2A – Sophia / Fletcher

2B – Chelsea / Cooper

2C – Austin / Olivia

3A – Student A / Student B

3B – Malachi / Student A

3C – Josh / Peyton

4A – Obadiah / Emma

4B – Kiarna / Student A

4C - Logan / Isabelle

5A – Micah / Corey

5B – Jeremiah / Zander

5C – Aaliyah / Kai

6A – Emilee / Owen

6B - Kahlee / Barry

6C – Addison / Chelsea

School Uniform Policy 

Cranbrook is a uniform wearing school.  All students should come dressed each day in the full school uniform: 

• Shorts/Skorts 
• Polo – school and sports 
• HAT (no other hats should be worn and students will be asked to place non-school hats in their bags)

It is important to recognise that our school uniform policy is a vital part of the education strategy of our school. At Cranbrook, we value neat, tidy, dignified personal presentation which will prepare students for their future, enhance their leadership skills and ensures that they take pride in being part of a team. 

Cranbrook School Uniforms can be purchased from the P & C Uniform Shop located at the back of the Hall. 

Term 4 Extra Curricular Activities 

During Term 4, Cranbrook State School will again offer a wide range of Extra-Curricular Activities for students to participate in, due to the generosity and enthusiasm of the teachers who volunteer their own time. Some parents may have noticed that the Piano and Guitar email offers to participate in these extra curricula activities have already been emailed. 

The Term 4 Activity Schedule is available to download below.

Please discuss with your child about what opportunities they may wish to be involved in and remind them about their attendance on a weekly basis. 

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. 

Have a great weekend!

Jeff Capell - Principal

Welcome back, Miss Digger!

Miss Digger has welcomed baby Harry into her family and is now back with us 4 days a week, with class 4B.

Coming up....

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

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Congratulations to our Week 1 and Week 2 PBL snappy winners! 

Thanks for being safe, responsible and respectable students!

(no media permission)

Golden Snap

Congratulations to our Week 1 winner, Arliah and to our Week 2 winner, Lillith!

Golden effort, girls!

Starting our 10 lesson focus once more, in Week 1, our PBL lesson was about being responsible and remembering to follow routines and transitions.   

In Week 2, we focused on remembering to be safe and making sure we are acting safely. 

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

Cranbrook Learning

Entering their last term of their first year of schooling, just look how far our little Prep students have come!  Mrs Wills just couldn't stop smiling and couldn't be more proud of her little writers!

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Congratulations to Year 6 student, Jane, for having read for 200 nights so far this year.  ....and here's a little fun fact for you - Jane has actually been awarded a book prize for 250 nights of reading, EVERY SINGLE YEAR since beginning in Prep at Cranbrook!  Go Jane - we hope you can earn yourself another book this year!

Congratulations to Year 5 students, Peyton and Dontrelle, for being awarded 'High Performance' medals for their efforts in the Solid Pathways Program.  

Each term, selected Indigenous students, participate in an online team sessions with other students, sometimes from right across Australia, to work together on various STEM activities.  

Well done to both of you!

Thanks to a Federal Government grant, our Outdoor Learning Areas have been enhanced and our younger students have been enjoying putting a lot of social skills and math skills into practise, playing on the Snakes and Ladders games! 

From The Arts

Don't forget to book your child's ticket to see the amazing and very engaging, KABOOM Percussion group, coming to Cranbrook on Wednesday 1 November.  Payment can be made via the Qkr! app or in person at the office with eftpos/cash.

CONGRATULATIONS to our Arts Class of the Week for Week 1.....Mr Henry's P-3D!

This class was given the award for

• being kind, friendly and inclusive to new students in the class
• trying their hardest in drama scenes on the stage
• being a respectful and responsible audience for each other in music and drama

CONGRATULATIONS to our Arts Class of the Week for Week 2.....Ms Bell's Class 4C!

This class was given the award for

• enthusiasm in their new dance unit
• excellent listening during their responding task
• using new dance language to describe dance accurately

Here's the link to the Term 4 Guitar Timetable!  Keep practising!

.....and the link to the Piano Timetable.

Prep Students......you are now welcome to come and join our Piccolo Chorus!!!  We'd love to see you on Thursdays at 1st break in the Arts Block.  Come and along and have some fun singing!

Sports News

Congratulations to Year 6 student, Jordan, who has recently joined our school and has been given the honour of Sports Captain for Cooradilla.  As we only had the one Cooradilla Captain and Jordan was the Sports Captain at his old school, we checked him out and decided he was worthy of a 'transfer' of Captaincy!  HPE teacher, Mr Mayo, congratulated Jordan on parade this week.  Great to have you as a leader, Jordan.

For Week 1 this term, Mr Mayo awarded 3B the HPE Class of the Week, for their outstanding behaviour and fair play.

Week 2's award recipients were 6A for their amazing attitude towards transitioning to high school through their Health Lessons.

Recently we had several of our students achieve 'North Queensland' status for their various sports.

Congratulations to Senior Students:

Dontrelle - Rugby League

Jordan - Cricket

Harley - Rugby League

Deakyn - Basketball

Well done, boys.

Sporting Schools Soccer and Netball will get underway next week! 

From the Resource Centre

Class Borrowing Days

Please return your child’s home reader and library books on the following days:

For students in Prep / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3…..you must have a library bag to protect your books.

Well done to these Senior Students, for participating in the Premiers Reading Challenge!  

(Junior certificates will be presented next week on parade)

P&C News

Friday 27 October is our Movie Night!  Come and join us in the hall for a great family night out! 

Purchase your tickets via Qkr! or from the Uniform Shop or the Tuckshop.

Breakfast Club

Our Breakfast Club is a fantastic service, that gets our students off to a great day of learning, by providing cereal, fruit and toast in the mornings 8-8.30am.  

But, we have run out of honey!  If you are able to donate some honey, please send it along to the office.  Thanks very much - it is much appreciated!

Thank you

The QCOHS team would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the school, parents and students who participated in The Queensland Child Oral Health Study (QCOHS). Your contribution in the form of an oral examination and completion of a study questionnaire has been invaluable and will help us gain a better understanding of the oral health of children in Queensland. Your family’s involvement will make a substantial contribution that will continue to benefit Queensland and Australian children for many years.

From QCOHS Research team

Sports Pride Fridays

Community News

Heatley Secondary College have their Disabilities Transition Information on Wednesday 1 November.  Students are invited to attend the school for the day, with parents/carers joining us afterwards for afternoon tea.  Please rsvp by 30 October to kharm48@eq.edu.au

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this issue of our newsletter at the time of publication. 

For all enquiries please contact our School Office on 4726 1222.