Newsletter

The focus for Week 5 is on the expectation of Be Respectful and the Key to School Success of Getting Along. Below is an excerpt from our Student Code of Conduct which outlines ways students can demonstrate the expectation of Be Respectful throughout their day.

Positive and safe classrooms are places where everyone tries to get along.

People who get along:

·         Resolve conflicts without fighting

·         Control their temper/anger

·         Work well with others in small groups

·         Help others

·         Listen to others

·         Give compliments

·         Follow important rules of school that help protect everyone’s rights.

Dear parents,

I’d like to congratulate our students and their families on the smooth start to the school year after a disrupted beginning. Our students are back into their routines and it is great to see them settled in class by 9 am every morning engaged in their learning. The majority of our students are displaying confidence and organisation, two of our keys to school success, every day. It is especially rewarding to see how confident our students and in particular our year 1s, are with their drop-off and pick-ups. I hear some students reassuring their mums and dads and telling them “it’s alright you can go because I can walk in by myself”. As parents we sometimes don’t realise what our children are capable of until we give them the opportunities to show us. Well done on a great start to the year!  (See photo's below)                     

On behalf of the Tuckshop I’d like to sincerely thank all our families who have been very generously donating pantry items to our tuckshop. It is such a great boost to the P&C fundraising to have the operating staples for the tuckshop being donated each year. Your contributions are very much appreciated by the staff and students in our school.

Our Student Wellbeing Team monitor closely our attendance data at Robina. I would like to urge every parent to support their children’s attendance at school every day unless they are sick and unable to attend. A very concerning trend is occurring with students being collected from school early, any time from 12:00 onwards every day. There is a wide range of research outlining the benefits of students attending school for the complete program of teaching and learning every day. It is extremely difficult for children to achieve to their potential when they are missing vital teaching and learning every day or on a regular basis. It is also very disruptive to other students’ learning during the school day. We have published our new procedures this year with all student related matters to be referred to Student Services directly and not through the main administration office. As part of these processes - If you are collecting your child early for an appointment or other reason please email your child’s teacher and cc student services@robinass before school so that your child can be sent to Student Services ready for their collection. When a parent is collecting their child they may proceed directly to Student Services and their child should be ready for an early departure. Please understand this process is to prevent continual disruption to teaching and learning for our students.

Our first Parents and Friends’ Association meeting is happening tonight, and I look forward to welcoming new faces and old. Everyone is welcome to attend and it is a great way for parents to contribute to our fabulous school.

Skoolbag is our main source of information sharing this year. If you’d like an easy way to keep up to date and get information from your child’s teacher and a simple way of recording your child’s absence please download the App.  If you are having difficulty downloading the App please don’t hesitate to contact the office and our wonderful ladies will be more than happy to help.

Regards,

Carmel Baker

Principal

After such a busy start to the year, as a department, we would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support of the Music Department. It is lovely to see so many happy faces during each week, as all of our Robina State School students have the opportunity to participate in classroom music, choir (commencing week 7), strings or band. It is beautiful to see the excited faces of our Prep students as they visit Ms Urie/Mrs Bray for their music lesson. Their faces light up with wonder and curiosity when they hear the vibrant sounds of the band and string instruments as they venture past Ms Elkins, Miss Buchanan and Ms Ferrers rooms.

We are already looking forward to term two with anticipation. It will be a very busy term in the music department. Students will have the opportunity to share their learning with their peers on numerous occasions, with plans shaping up for a COVID safe Music Department ‘open week’ performance for parents.

Several important emails and Skool Bag messages have been sent out this year to date. If by some chance you have not received these, please check the following:

·         Have you joined your child’s Skool Bag ensemble groups?

·         Are our emails sitting in your Junk Mailbox?

·         Does the school have your correct email address on file (have you changed your email address lately?)

·         Have both parents checked their inboxes?

·         If you wish to nominate a preferred parent to receive emails from the music department, please let us know.

SMARTMUSIC and SHOWBIE and essential parts of the digital practise routine to optimise your child’s learning, engagement, feedback and teacher communication.  Instructions to access these programs (and your child’s access codes) will be emailed early March, but please do not hesitate to contact us if you need further support setting up the programs.

All school-hired instruments are being issued this week where paperwork and payment plan has been finalised. Students using their own instrument should bring these for their lessons/rehearsal. All musical instruments will be tagged with a label stating the student’s name, class and instrument details.  You are advised to attach another small tag/ ribbon/ colourful gadget to the case to allow for quick identification.

Every student would like to achieve a feeling of success and enjoyment when playing their instrument.  We know from recent extensive research that students who participate meaningfully in the study of an instrument reap the benefits in so many areas of their academic and social development.  Establishing a practise routine at the start of the year is paramount to reaping the rewards of playing an instrument and sets a great foundation for the year.  Many students will require the assistance of parent/s to set a routine for regular practise.  Please take some time at this crucial part of the year to help them set up good practise routines.

SETTING UP A CONSISTENT ROUTINE IS KEY TO STUDENT SUCESS

Every instrumental music student has been allocated a lesson time (held during the school day) and a place in one of our band or string ensembles (held before or after school - see schedule below).  A friendly reminder that first few weeks are particularly important for our music students.  Routines are set, music is issued, and the foundation work for the term is covered.  Unfortunately, our schedule does not allow time for us to catch these students up as we work across multiple schools in our capacity as full-time Instrumental Music teachers for the Department of Education.  With this in mind, it would be fantastic to see every music student here next week for their rehearsal and lesson.  If your child is absent from rehearsal, could you please email your respective ensemble teacher.

Nicole Elkins and Kerri Buchanan - Band     nelki1@eq.edu.au

Sue Ferrers – Strings                                        sferr93@eq.edu.au

Fiona Urie – Classroom Music and Choir     furie1@eq.edu.au