2024 Term 3 Vol. 1

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Kombumerri people, the salt water people, the traditional custodians of Kombumerri Country, where our school is located.  We extend this acknowledgement to the Elders, past and present.  It is our responsibility to support our Jarjums in starting strong and to build on these foundations, so that they are on track for success and ready for the future.  We take lessons from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in caring for Country and each other and for creating a safe and inclusive community.

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Parents, Family Members, Students, and Staff

I am excited to introduce our new newsletter format, which will now be issued in Weeks 1, 4, 7, and 10 of each term. This change aims to keep you more regularly informed about school events, achievements, and important updates. In future additions of our newsletter we look to utilise the many features of the platform to also gain your input via polls, surveys and our newsletter joins our existing communication channels such as class newsletters, assembly, and social media updates.

It has been a wonderful start to the term, albeit a bit wet, which has led to the postponement of several athletics carnivals. We have rescheduled the Senior Athletics Carnival to Wednesday, July 17, and the Junior Athletics Carnival to Friday, July 19. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing our students showcase their athletic skills on these new dates.

We have some staff news to share as well. Josh Shelton is transferring to Far North Queensland, with his final day being Friday, July 19. Mr. Shelton has been a vital addition to our staff, making significant contributions to the Arts at the Creek, and we wish him all the best in his new adventure. At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Kate Mills to our Performing Arts team. Kate brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm, and we are excited about the contributions she will make to our school community.

Our staff have hit the ground running this term. It was wonderful to join them during our first staff meeting on Tuesday, where we participated in professional learning focused on student engagement. The session, which supports one of Annual Implementation Plan focuses, included an in-depth exploration of the student engagement continuum and rich discussions focussing on a variety of strategies educators use to maximize student engagement. These professional learning opportunities are invaluable as we strive to provide the best educational experience for our students.

Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in our school community. Here’s to a fantastic term ahead!

Warm regards

Ben Morris

Principal

Senior School

Welcome to the Senior School Update!

Year 4

Our wonderful Year 4 students and staff were welcomed back to school this semester with 28 brand new laptops ready to go to help assist them with their online/digital learning. It was great to see so many happy faces when walking around this first week welcoming students back. In other exciting news, we welcome to the Year 4 teaching team Ms Alice Kingan, who has joined the fabulous 4MK alongside the wonderful Mrs McIntyre. I look forward to seeing our Year 4 students excel throughout the second half of the year.

Year 5

Our energetic Year 5 students and staff have started back refreshed and ready for learning. This semester is all about opportunities. During this term Year 5 students will start preparing themselves for an opportunity to look at applying for student leadership positions for 2025. All Year 5 students will also have a great opportunity, offered by Robina State High School, to spend a full school day at Robina, to experience what it is like as a high school student. This is a great opportunity and I encourage all students to make the most of this offer. 

Year 6

The final semester has arrived for our Year 6 students and they are very excited to be back and straight into learning. The excitement around Week 3's Year 6 Cairns Camp is very evident. I'm not too sure who is more excited - the students or staff. This semester is full of exciting opportunities and challenges.  I will be speaking a lot this term about transitioning to high school and giving some key tips and advice to ensure students are well prepared for a smooth transition into high school. This semester, students will see some changes to routines in reflection of the different ways of working at a high school. It is a very exciting and busy time for our wonderful Year 6 students and I will be encouraging them to cherish these last two terms with their friends and amazing teachers.

Celebrating NAIDOC Week

Today we had our NAIDOC assembly held in the hall where we acknowledged and celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This was led by Mr Morris sharing a dream time story with the whole student and staff audience. After the assembly, our First Nations students and their families came together to celebrate our Barna Jarjums with a nice morning tea.

Warm regards

Tim Thompson

Deputy Principal - Senior School

Junior School

Dance Fever

They are back!

The Dance Fever team have returned to Mudgee Creek this week to start their 10 week dance workshops with all of our students from Prep to Year 6. Last year was the first year we had Dance Fever on board and the end of program concert was absolutely fantastic. Every Thursday all classes engage in a 40 minute dance session led by the Dance Fever instructors. Not only does it get the students moving and grooving, it is a great way to incorporate physical activity into the school day. We look forward to sharing some further updates in the next few newsletters. 

100 Days of Prep

On Thursday 11^th July, our Prep students celebrated their 100^th day of Prep.  Students have settled into life at big school so well and are demonstrating our school values each day.  Prep were the first group to attend dance on Thursday and they had a great time performing a hip hop and paso doble routine.

Warm regards

Lesley Dekker

Deputy Principal - Junior School

Meet the IDEAS Team

Supporting Students with Diverse Needs 

Mudgeeraba Creek State School is proud of our reputation for supporting all of our students within an inclusive and welcoming school community.  Our school’s IDEAS Team provides support and programs for students with diverse needs to maximise engagement and participation in learning programs, curriculum and school life.   

Support for students with disabilities and other needs is provided by the Department of Education to enable students to work towards individual learning outcomes and achieve success at school.  At MCSS, students with diverse needs have access to flexible support options with the aim of promoting learning, growth, independence, active participation and engagement in education.

IDEAS is an acronym we use at Mudgeeraba Creek State School that stands for:

I – Inclusion     

D – Diversity     

E – Equity       

A – Access     

S – Support

and, the staff on the team just happen to also be full of good ideas!

The IDEAS Team consists of Teachers and Teacher Aides who support students with diverse needs across the school. 

MCSS has five IDEAS Teachers who work from Prep to Year 6, providing students with case management, intensive teaching and social-emotional support utilising flexible options and strategies to meet individual needs.  The IDEAS Teachers work closely with our classroom teachers and other educational professionals to provide a team approach to student care.  We are also extremely lucky at our school to have provision for five IDEAS Classrooms across the campus that are used as alternative learning spaces for various purposes.  

IDEAS Teachers (2024):

Prep/Year 1 – Christine Thornburgh

Years 1/2 – Tarni Nokes

Years 2/3 – Nuzy Harul

Years 3/4 – Cate McGowan

Years 5/6 – Lisa Kreigher

Our IDEAS Teacher Aides are a dedicated and experienced group of educational professionals who work in conjunction with all teachers to support students with personal care, learning tasks and accessing school activities and events.  

If you have any questions pertaining to the IDEAS Team, then please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Warm regards

Pamela Lidstone

Head of Student Services

Important Reminders

From Term 3, all consent forms for camps, activities and excursions will be paperless and issued digitally via QParents and email.

QParents users will receive an app notification and email when a consent form has been sent that requires their attention along with reminders prior to the due date.

If you have not yet registered for QParents, it’s not too late!

Please email admin@mudgeerabacreekss.eq.edu.au to have your invitation email resent to you.

Parents or carers not yet registered for QParents can still return an electronic or paper copy via email or in person to their classroom teacher.

Please note though that no paper copies will be sent home with students from Term 3.

School Opinion Survey

The suite of School Opinion Surveys is undertaken each year by the Department of Education to obtain opinions about our school from families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11). The surveys will help identify what we are doing well, and understand where we can improve. The survey invitation will be emailed in the week beginning 15 July and is titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2024.

Each school family will receive one email invitation from the Department of Education to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey. The survey is anonymous, and the results are reported in ways that an individual’s response can be identified by the school.

Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with an internet connection.

For Parents/Caregivers who do not have access to the internet school computers/tablets will be available. Parents/caregivers who experience difficulties accessing the survey can request a new survey from the School Opinion Survey team via email schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au.

It’s important that as many parents/caregivers as possible complete the survey, so we would appreciate if members of this committee would raise awareness of this survey with other parents and caregivers.

Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.

To ensure the safety of all students and families during drop-off and pick-up times, we kindly remind you of the following parking guidelines:

**Bus Zone**  Please do not park in the designated bus zone. This area is essential for the safe arrival and departure of school buses.

**Stop, Drop, and Go Lane**  This lane is intended for quick drop-offs and pick-ups only. Do not leave your vehicle unattended in this lane to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

**Boom Gates**  Our boom gates control access to the staff carpark, allowing entry only to those with explicit permission. The gates will be closed from 7:30 am and will reopen at 3:45 pm. During school hours, community members are not permitted to drive into the staff carpark unless they have a disability parking permit or are picking up a student with a mobility or health concern. All other visitors should park in the front carpark and access the school via the front stairs.

**Obey Traffic Rules**  Adherence to all traffic rules and regulations while on school premises is crucial. This includes observing speed limits, pedestrian crossings, and parking restrictions.

Concerns regarding parking safety have been raised with GCCC by members of our community, leading to the involvement of the council staff. There is a possibility that parking officers will be visiting our school to enforce traffic and parking regulations.

We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our students, families, and staff members. Following these guidelines is vital for the smooth operation of our school's transportation systems.

NOTIFYING ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL

Parents/Carers have a responsibility to notify the school by 9am on the day of absence, the reason their student is away.

Log Whole Day Absences easily with QParents

In order to register a whole day absence (prior to 9:00 AM) or a future absence, please:

1. Log into your QParents account via the app or PC
2. Select ‘Notify Absences’ from the ‘Absences’ section in the home page
3. Complete all relevant details and press ‘Submit’ once completed
4. Once submitted, successfully lodged absences will receive a QParents confirmation email

Part Day Absences - Notify via Absence Phone Line or Attendance Email

Part day absences should not be logged through QParents. These must be notified directly via the Absence Line on (07) 5565 0333 (Option 1) or via email attendance@mudgeerabacreekss.eq.edu.au. All same day absences must be submitted prior to 9:00 AM.

If you are not yet registered for QParents, please email admin@mudgeerabacreekss.eq.edu.au to request an invitation email or alternatively please refer to the document below for further information.

2024 Science Competition - it's on!

The excitement is building and we are looking forward to seeing all of the science projects for our annual Science Competition!  Some students have been busy over the holidays working on their projects but it is not too late to begin projects if you have not started yet.  For more information on project categories including how to display your project, scan the QR code below.   

Projects are due to be returned to your child's classroom by Monday 22 July (Week 3)

Creek Kids Playgroup - Starting Term 3

From Wednesday July 24, we are thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity for the little people in our Mudgeeraba community to come along and get more acquainted with our wonderful school setting. 

Join Mrs Edwards and Miss Rachel for ‘The Creek’ Kids Playgroup each Wednesday from 9-10 am. 

To register your interest, please scan the QR code below or complete the registration form here

The Club Hub

Ever heard of the saying "Seize The Morning, Seize The Day"? 

At Mudgee Creek we want all students to start their day 'great' and encourage as many as possible to join us for a bright and fun-filled start to their morning by getting involved in their club hub.  Get that heart pumping and start smiling as you come along for some before school activities that will leave you feeling energised all day long. 

No need to register, just turn up on the day! Running late? You can still join in - just head to the oval when you arrive at school.

All sessions start at approximately 8am and end between 8.30 - 8.45am. 

Morning sports are fully supervised by staff and are subject to weather conditions*.

*Changes announced via Facebook

Your P & C

Meet your incredible P & C Executive!  The Parents and Citizens' (P & C) Association work in productive partnership with the school principal and the community to promote the interests of the school and to facilitate its development and further improvement to achieve the best possible outcomes for students.

The P & C is also instrumental in providing valuable feedback and advice on school policies and activities, assists in providing resources to enhance student outcomes and are involved in a variety of school activities including fundraising, school functions and the tuckshop.

We welcome all parents and carers to join their P & C meetings and thank our wonderful P & C for the work they do and our families for supporting the P & C initiatives which benefit our students so enormously.

First Class First Aid 

A huge thank you to our fantastic P & C for supporting a first class refresh to the school's first aid room. We are delighted to report that these upgraded facilities will improve the comfort of our students and maximise the treatment space to handle even the busiest of days in this area.  Looks like everybody's feeling better! 😊

Staff Spotlight

Upcoming Events