Caring - Sharing - Learning Together

25th January 2018

PRINCIPAL’S

MESSAGE: Parents, Staff and Caregivers,

A New School Year: It’s wonderful to see everyone settled into learning. All around the school there are smiling faces and positive comments. Our school motto reminds us to care, share and learn together so let’s enjoy a fantastic year. We have about 125 Preps starting school this year. Also, we have about 40 new students who have enrolled across Years 1 to 6. I would like to acknowledge our new families and new staff who have joined our vibrant school community. In 2018 we welcome Dominic Carter (Deputy Principal) Taria Smyth (Prep), Neva Welch (Year 2) Mia Gonzalez (Year 3), Jo Gell (Year 4), Christine Stoeckert (Year 6), Ray Chapman (Year 6) and Cherie Emerson (Music). These staff are new to our school or returning after extended leave. Key leaders for 2018 will include myself as Principal (School Management), Helen Denning (Prep and Year 1), Domi-nic Carter (Year 2, 3 and 4), Sandra Chaplin (Years 5 and 6), Sue Watson (Curriculum and Reporting), Belinda Mes-senger (Students Support Services) and Dot Boothby (Business Services). You’re welcome to contact specific school leaders to assist with any questions. Initial Class Placement: Each year, schools work with the Department of Education and Training (DET) to evalu-ate enrolment growth to ensure staff allocations meet student needs. Class lists will remain in draft until Day 8 to cater for any required changes, but our school numbers generally are stable. Last year interviews were conducted to allow parents to raise factors that would impact on their child’s class placement. Our intention is to have stu-dents remain in listed classes as placements have been carefully planned and balanced. Meet the Teacher Night: On Wednesday, 7 February 2018 (Week 3) the school will run its annual ‘Meet the Teacher’ night. It will begin in your child’s classroom at 5.00pm with a repeated meeting occurring at 5.30pm for those with siblings. We anticipate the evening will conclude by 6.00pm. It’s a great way to learn about your child’s routines, class rules and meet your child’s teacher. Limited emergency child minding exists for parents with no sup-port alternatives. If required please contact the office. Please circle the date on your calendar as it will ensure good teacher/parent foundations are formed for 2018. I wish everyone a fantastic year, filled with fun and learning. Remember to embrace the Mountain Creek Way - Car-ing, Sharing and Learning Together. Rob Van den Heuvel Principal

Mr Rob Van den Heuvel

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS RESOURCE CENTRE ADMINISTRATION

2018 JAPAN TRIP

CHESS CLUB

16TH – 25TH SEPTEMBER 2018

After a very successful Japan Trip in 2017 we are yet again heading to the ‘Land Of The Rising Sun’. If you have a child who is showing an interest in joining the 2018 Japan Trip it is not too late. $3500 includes:

Return airfares, airport fees and taxes Travel insurance Transfers Hotel and Homestay accommodation Most meals Excursions – entrance fees and travel costs Unique opportunity to live with a Japanese family and attend school in Japan

Invoices will be issued for the first deposit this week, so it’s not too late to join in the fun! Please contact Alison Law (alaw106@eq.edu.au) as soon as possible for more information as selection is based on meeting specific criteria..

We are lucky to have had a visiting chess tutor for many years now at Mountain Creek. Chess is open to stu-dents from Year 1 to 6. This year we are looking to change the format of our Chess Club. Previously we have run the tutor sessions over our second lunch break, but we would like to change the les-sons this year to a Tuesday morning at 8am in the Resource Centre. Tony presently does this at other schools and he has found that the students benefit from a more focused learning opportunity. The term fees are $30. If you feel this would be a something that your child would be interested in please phone (5452 3412) or drop into the library to register your interest. Sue Watson (Head of Curriculum)

MUSIC NOTICES

Instrumental Teachers are busy organising timetables for 2018. Music Staff for Term 1 are Ms Giesen- Classroom Music and Strings, Ms Emerson– Classroom Music, Miss Mannell –Multi-(Brass, Woodwind, Percussion), Mr Schultz-Guitar, Mr Mutze-Keyboard, Bass Guitar, DrumKit. Strings and Multi lessons start Week 2 . Strings are on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Multi lessons start Week 2 on Fridays. Orchestra is on Thursday mornings before school and Concert Band start Week 3 on Friday mornings be-fore school. Beginners are not expected to be in these groups yet. Guitar and Bass Guitar , Keyboard and Drum Kit start Week 3. Performance Choir will start Week 2 in the music room at morning tea. Most programs are full. There are some vacancies in the Multi Program. Any Year 5 or 6 student wanting to audi-tion for a place in the Performance Choir please see Ms Giesen.

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS RESOURCE CENTRE

AROUND THE SCHOOL

WELCOME TO OUR NEW CREEKER TEACHERS

TARIA SMYTH—PREP

My name is Dominic Carter and I would like to introduce myself to the Mountain Creek Commu-nity. I am the Deputy Principal for the sector looking after Years 2, 3 and 4. It has been a terrific start to the year and I would like to thank all staff and students for making me feel very welcome here at Mountain Creek State School. My wife Dallas teaches Prep at Bli Bli State School and we have 3 wonderful boys Xavier, Ezra and Zachariah. My family and I moved back to the Sunshine Coast from Gladstone. During the 4 years we were in Gladstone I was Deputy Principal at Gladstone West State School and more recently the Principal of Gladstone South State School. Since moving to Australia in 2003 I have taught in Far North Queensland, Central Queensland and here on the Sunshine Coast. I look forward to meeting all families as the year progresses.

My name is Taria Smyth and I transferred this year to Mountain Creek SS after spending the last six years teaching in Blackwater, Central Qld. I am so excited to be teaching Prep and hav-ing the opportunity to be part of such an amazing Prep team! I have four sons. Rubin and Henry are in high school, Franklin is 3 years old and Owen attends Mountain Creek SS and is in grade 5. My husband is a HPE teacher at Coolum SHS. Yes, I am the only girl in a house full of boys! My family and I love Rugby Union and Touch Football. During our holidays we spend a great deal of time coaching and managing Rugby teams at the State Champs and watching our boys play. When we are not at Rugby or Touch, we can be found at the beach with our little beagle, Lucy. We also love to catch a movie together, but I am always outnumbered in movie selection. I have taught in multiple grades over my teaching career and I love them all for different rea-sons. Prior to teaching at Blackwater North, I spent time teaching in Brisbane and living in the Redlands. My family have always loved the Sunshine Coast and are so excited to finally be living here. The school community has been very welcoming and the staff here are outstanding. I look forward to continuing my

teaching career here at Mountain Creek SS.

DOMINIC CARTER—DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS RESOURCE CENTRE

AROUND THE SCHOOL

CHRISTINE STOECKERT—YEAR 6

JO GELL—YEAR 4

RAY CHAPMAN—YEAR 6

Hello. My name is Ray Chapman and I have joined the Year 6 teaching team at Mountain Creek State School in 2018. This will be my fifth year as a teacher. I have most recently come from teaching in the Indigenous Community of Woorabinda in Central Queensland where I had been teaching a Year 5/6 class. My favourite teaching areas are Maths and STEM/Robotics. Once I recover from a knee injury (snowboarding) I will most likely be found at the beach or somewhere outside keeping fit and active. I am really looking for-ward to my time here at the Creek.

Hi. My name is Jo Gell. I am a Sunshine Coast local, having grown up on the Northern end of the Coast. I’ve lived in and around Buderim for over 15 years and absolutely love the area. I spent the first part of my teaching career in the Gympie area (yes, I drove from Buderim to Gympie every day for over a decade!), before taking time off to have a family. I feel privileged to be joining the Mountain Creek State School community and look forward to a rewarding Year in Year 4. Please say hi and point me in the right direction if you see

CHERIE EMERSON—MUSIC

Hi, I’m Mrs. Emerson, your new Music Teacher here at Mountain Creek State School. I like to have fun playing music. I love to play instruments like the djembes, piano, cel-lo, guitar and sing. I have run choirs, ensembles and have entered many different competitions. I espe-cially like to go to Q.P.A.C. with groups of children to see international performances. I hope to visit Q.P.A.C. this year to see the Russian Ballet perform again. I have taught in many schools from Far North Queensland to Brisbane and even on an island, Straddie!

Hi everyone! My name is Christine Stoeckert. I am very pleased to say that I will be teaching Year 6 at Mountain Creek State School this year. Prior to Mountain Creek, I spent four years teach-ing at Wandoan Prep to Year 10 State School, a very small rural school located in the South West Region, five hours from the Sunshine Coast. I love sport and I am looking forward to joining a local Touch Football or Oztag team in the area. I am a very approachable person so please don’t hesitate to come and say hello if you see me around the school!

ADMINISTRATION

HPE DEPARTMENT

DISTRICT TRIALS

The attached Trial Round 1 notice is for 10 to 12 years softball, basketball (boys and girls), netball, AFL (boys) and

hockey (boys and girls). Any student interested in participating in any of these trials need to come and see Mr Bar-

ritt or Miss Fahey in E Block prior to the trial to collect the necessary forms. Also attached is the Coastal District

2018 Trial Calendar. This information will also be in the Daily Ripples, displayed in the large undercover area and in

the windows of E Block.

A copy of the current 2018 Coastal District 10-19 Years Sporting Calendar can be found here.

Event Date

Prep and New Student Photos Monday 5 February 2018

Meet The Teacher Night Wednesday 7 February 2018

Getting to Know the Learning Interviews Monday 12 February to Friday 16 February 2018

P and C Meeting Thursday 15 February 2018

District Swimming Trials Thursday 15 February 2018

2018 TERM 1 DATE CLAIMER

If you need support why not email

OR leave a message at the Office.

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS RESOURCE CENTRE CHAPLAINCY

HOWZIT! Welcome back everyone! It’s great to be back after a relaxing holiday. I trust you feel rested and ready to go for another year. A very special welcome to all the new families at MCSS. It is lovely to have you all here and part of the Mountain Creek Family. I am looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you throughout the year. My name is Anthony, or CHAPPY, as most people call me and I have been the Chaplain at MCSS for the past 10 years. I have a gorgeous wife and 4 beautiful chil-dren, who have all attended this great school. I work at MCSS 3 days a week from Monday to Wednesday and am located in the Kanjini Centre which is a building up at the top of the school. I co-ordinate the Chaplaincy Service at the school which is made up of around 40 volunteers (we are always looking for more if you are interested). The Service runs various programs to support kids and their families at MCSS. I will spend time this term getting to know all the new students and teachers at the school. In addition, I will imple-ment many of the different Chaplaincy Programs we have at Mountain Creek. Here is a breakdown of some of the support and programs the Chaplaincy Service offers: The Chaplaincy Service offers the following support for struggling families :

New school shoes (Better Future for Kids Program) Good second hand uniforms, bags, etc.. (donated by parents) Vouchers (Target, Woolworths) (Donated by Buderim Foundation and Mooloolaba Uniting Church Helping

Hands Op Shop) Stationary and books (Donated by Immanuel Lutheran Church and parents) Food hampers and frozen meals (Donated by Immanuel Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran College) Food Cupboard – lunch for kids - (Donated by Immanuel Lutheran Church and parents) Pastoral Care Support – support and link families to outside agencies

The Chaplaincy Service Programs for Term 1 include:

PROGRAMME/ ACTIVITIES WHAT IT INVOLVES?

‘Getting to Know You’ Meeting preps and new students. I will visit all the prep classes and share a story, song and explain what a Chappy does at the school – From week 2-5

Chappy Brekkie Program Organising and implementing the Brekkie Program – Every Wednesday, Main Undercover area, 8-8.35am – Begins Week 3

Mentoring Mentors meet their mentees for 1 hr each week over the term – More volunteers needed, training provided. Begins Week 3

Prayer Group On Wednesday in Kanjini Centre, a group of adults meet between 9am-9.30am to pray for the school and communi-ty

Shine Program For grade 6 girls - This is a programme which is designed to build confidence, self-worth and resilience in these young girls lives. The program is run by a group of wonderful ladies who volunteer their time.

Sporting Schools Program A FREE sporting program over 4 weeks – If interested pick up information/permission letters at front office. This Term: Volleyball (Yr. 5 & 6) – Begins 19th February; Football/Soccer (Yr. 3 & 4) – Begins 21st February

P AND C

INFORMATION

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME INVOLVED?

The P and C Association would like to extend a warm welcome to all new families who have joined the Mountain Creek State School (MCSS) community this year. We trust that your children are settling in well and making new friends. A heartfelt welcome back also to our existing families, staff and volunteers. We look forward to another exciting year! This week we provide important information about our One-Stop Shop where you can order tuckshop, buy uni-forms and stationery. School banking is also getting under way this week. If you have any questions about the P and C’s fundraising events or how you can get involved, please email me at mcsspc.secretary@gmail.com. Marietta Wood

The P and C Association is run by a friendly bunch of parents and we welcome new faces at our monthly meeting. We often need help during the year for the various events and fundraising activities, so if you want to learn more about our school, meet other parents and contribute to the fun we bring to the social side of school, please come along and join us! There are many volunteering opportunities around our school community, including:

Tuckshop helpers – even once a fortnight or month P and C Association members – attend meetings, help guide direction and contribute to events P and C Association executives – needed to take on leadership roles within P and C P and C Association fundraising committee – needed to help run fun events at school, such as discos, movie

nights, stalls and much more School Banking helpers – help count money on Banking Wednesday P and C garden project – helping grow vegetables onsite Support a reader program – helping kids in younger grades with reading Library helpers – helping with sorting of books

If you are interested please register here .

WELCOME

UNIFORM UPDATE

Please be advised that the sports house allocations have been done so you can now purchase your sports shirts. We now have available size 10 polo shirts and schools socks are also available. Thank you for your patience. Louise

P AND C

INFORMATION

MCSS’S OWN ONE-STOP SHOP

Welcome back to Banking Wednesday! School banking aides the development of positive money management habits for your child in a fun and convenient way, which they will carry into their future. School Banking resumed this week and will continue through the school year each Wednesday. If you are new to Mountain Creek State School and or would like more information about school banking please come along to one of our school assemblies during Week 4 (Monday 12, Febru-ary—Wednesday 13, February 2018). A small presentation will be given by a Commonwealth Bank School Banking representative. who will also be available to answer your questions after assembly and hand out new Banking Packs to interested students and parents. More information is readily available by visiting the School Banking program website. Happy Banking

SCHOOL BANKING

Q. What can I buy from the shop?

A. The shop sells delicious and healthy food items for Little Lunch (LL) and Big Lunch (BL), new and second-hand uniforms and stationery items such as erasers, glue sticks, extra writing books, textbooks, pencils and more.

Q. When is the shop open? A. The shop opens all year round, every school day from 8.15am, so that uniforms can be purchased at any time of the year.

Q. Can I only buy in person?

A. No, you can order Tuckshop and purchase uniform and stationery items from the comfort of your home using our easy and convenient system MunchMonitor. This fantastic service costs only $2.50 per family account per term irrespective of the number of students on your account or how many times you place orders. You can cancel at any time and there are no other fees to use Munch Monitor. Q. How does MunchMonitor work? A. Simply set up an online account, add credit using VISA/Mastercard (or with cash at canteen window), submit your orders online by 8.30am daily and the lunch is delivered to your child’s class. Orders are accepted up to 4 weeks in advance! Q. I’m new to MunchMonitor. How do I set up an account? A. Easy! Visit www.munchmonitor.com and follow the steps to register using the following details:

Username mountaincreekss · Password munch4557

Then follow the following 4 easy steps: Step 1: Create a Parent Profile by entering information about yourself Step 2: Add your Student(s) to your account Step 3: Transfer money to your account by clicking the Account Top-up button Step 4: Click My Orders and you’re ready to place orders

CUPCAKES MADE EASY!

P AND C

INFORMATION

A special birthday coming up? Buy 30 celebration cupcakes from the Tuckshop for only $19.50. Please order a minimum of 2 days in advance of collection/delivery. As an add-ed bonus, you can also order these for a home birthday celebration or external par-ties. Please visit the tuckshop team to place your order.

Q. I used MunchMonitor last year. Do I have to do anything different? A. Yes, please remember to update your child’s class for 2018 before you place your first order. Q. What do I do if I get stuck? A. If you need more information simply go to www.munchmonitor.com enter the school username mountaincreekss password munch4557, click FAQ for answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Alternatively, send an e-mail to help@munchmonitor.com. Q. How are uniform and stationery orders collected? A. Uniform and stationery orders can be collected from the shop by yourself or your child (along with a parent note) after 2 days from placing the order online. Q. Does the shop offer special payment terms? A. The shop offers layby. Please ask our friendly staff for details. Q. What happens to the profit from the shop? A. When you buy from the One Stop Shop all profits go towards the P and C Association, therefore back into our school. Q. How do I order tuckshop? A. We prefer that you order and pay using MunchMonitor. The daily online order cut-off is 8.30am. Orders are pre-pared and delivered to your child’s class in their class tuckshop box. If you prefer to order in person, just present at the tuckshop anytime from 8.15am. Q. Can I send a tuckshop order with my child? A. Yes, please write your order on a paper bag and include/enclose the following:

Your child’s name Your child’s class Whether the order is for Little Lunch (LL) or Big Lunch (BL) The order details

TUCKSHOP MENU

Click here to see our exciting tuckshop menu, which offers a range of delicious and healthy snack and lunch options. Sushi is pre-ordered once a week – order this item on Wednesday for delivery to the student for lunch on Thursday 1/2 Lunch packs for little eaters – ½ sandwich, cheese stick, 1 piece of fruit, carrot sticks and a juice cup Full lunch packs are for bigger eaters and will fill them up! Gluten free items include – Gluten free nuggets or Gluten free fried rice Toasted sandwiches are always yum on cooler days to warm up little bodies Carrot sticks / cheese sticks / air popped popcorn / yoghurt – are an easy and healthy option for kids Hamburgers— available Wednesday and are made and cooked on site – they are really tasty.

P AND C

INFORMATION

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20

18

PR

IOR

ITIE

S

Continuing to im-

prove spelling

through quality

teaching and

common practices.

Social Emotional Well-

being through Kids

Matter Positive

Behaviour for Learning.

Developing com-

mon approaches

to improve writing

quality.

COMMUNITY

NEWS

Please support our café as it is operated by our P and C Association

If you are looking for a healthy ‘take-away’ at the end of a busy day Café Connect can offer you

Café Connect now has more Gluten Free

options available—ask today

REMINDER Please NO school children in the café

before school without an adult

Weekly specials: Check the blackboard for our weekly specials

Family Frittata $25.00

Family Lasagne $40.00

Quiche $25.00

Whole cakes $30.00