Newsletter Term 4 Week 3 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students
Talofa Lava,
I’d like to begin by congratulating our wonderful students and staff on such a calm and focused start to Term 4. It has been fantastic to see everyone returning with great energy and readiness for the learning ahead.
This term is particularly special as we will be celebrating our school’s 50th Anniversary on Friday, 1st November. We’re excited to mark this significant milestone in our school's history, and we hope to see many of you there as we celebrate together as a community.
I’d also like to remind families that Term 4 is an 11-week term, with school finishing on Friday, 13th December. During Week 11, our dedicated staff will be using the time to plan and organise for a successful 2025.
We know how important sport is to many of our families, and I’m pleased to announce that Mabel Park State School is committed to participating in the Logan District Inter-school sports competitions in 2025. We will be sharing more information with families about this exciting opportunity as we get closer to the new year.
Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our parents and carers for your ongoing support of our school. Your partnership is essential to the success of our students and our school community, and we are truly grateful for all you do.
Warm regards,
Masina Taule’alo
Principal
Junior Campus Deputy Principal
Prep Enrolments for 2025
Exciting times are ahead as we get ready to welcome our new Prep students next year! First things first — enrolments for Prep are now open. If you haven’t signed up your child yet, now is the perfect time. Enrolling early helps us know how many new students to expect and ensures we have everything ready for them. Plus, it makes the whole process easier for you!
Once you have returned your enrolment forms, we will organise a welcome meeting for you and your child. This is a great chance to help us get to know your child better. You will meet with one of our friendly staff to discuss your child’s strengths and needs, and ask as many questions as you need about the Prep experience. If you haven’t picked up your enrolment pack yet, just give us a call.
You may be thinking ‘It’s only October, why should I enrol now?” Enrolling your child early has some great benefits:
- Easier Transition: Getting things sorted early helps everyone feel more relaxed when school starts.
- Stay Informed: Early enrolment means you’ll get all the important info about events and programs, right when you need it.
- Make Friends: Meeting other families early can help your child make new friends before the school year begins.
Prep Readiness Program
Don’t forget—our Prep Readiness program starts on Friday, 25th October, from 9-10 am! This fun session helps kids get used to the school environment and build skills for learning. We really hope to see lots of our new Prep students there!
Tuckshop News
As you would know, we have a brand-new tuckshop menu available. The new menu is available on our school website. Be sure to check it out with your child. There is a variety of tasty and healthy options that we know they’ll love.
As we roll out these new processes, please remind your children to keep their money stored safely. A little wallet or pouch can help prevent lost lunch money! We are also teaching them to be responsible for their own belongings, so they can enjoy their favourite tuckshop treats without any worries.
I also want to clarify a key rule regarding tuckshop purchases: students are only allowed to buy items for themselves or their siblings. This is important for several reasons:
- Allowing students to purchase for friends can lead to misunderstandings and feelings of unfairness among peers.
- Encouraging students to take responsibility for their own money helps them learn valuable life skills.
- When students buy food only for themselves, it reduces the risk of lost items or confusion about orders.
We appreciate your support in helping reinforce these rules with your children!
Thank you for your cooperation as we make these changes. The students are certainly enjoying the new range of food on offer!
Alexis Bell
Middle Campus Deputy Principal
We are fast approaching the middle of term 4 of what is fast becoming a very busy term. Our year 5 and year 6 students have begun the term well by upholding our school values of Trust, Courage and Respect. We are very proud of the young adults they are becoming.
Secondary School
Parent and carers of year 6 students please reach out to us here at school or prospective secondary school if needing support with enrolment. It is very important to enrol in a secondary school before the end of the year. We have many transition programs coming up over at Mabel Park State High School however students need to be enrolled to attend. The majority of our students do end up going to Mabel Park State High School due to the amazing programs they offer. However please note that different schools suit different students and there are many options out there. Please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or Sarah Williamson our Head of Department Student Services if you would like to organise a meeting to discuss options for high school. We are more then happy to help.
Uniform
With the weather warming up it is very important that all students have a bucket hat to wear out in the playground or on the oval. We take Sun Safety seriously and want to ensure all students are safe.
Attendance-Every Day Counts
Every day counts is a state-wide initiative that aims to assist in improving student attendance at school through a shared commitment by students, parents, caregivers, schools and the community. Please notify our administration ladies or leave a voicemail if your student is absent from school.
https://education.qld.gov.au/initiatives-and-strategies/initiatives/every-day-counts
Celebrating student success
We are very proud of Mandy in year 6 who has won Mayors Choice First Place Winner in the World Environment Day Calendar 2025. Mandy’s artwork is displayed on the front cover. We are so excited to share such wonderful news that clearly showcases the many talents of our student.
Sonya Wright
Student Services at Mabel
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
Each week, a particular focus area that aligns with our school values of TRUST, COURAGE and REPSECT is presented to all classes. Every day, students can earn Gotchas for displaying the school values.
Our PBL Focus for Week 3 is: We show RESPECT by following playground expectations.
Our PBL Focus for Week 4 is: We show COURAGE by maintaining personal space and vocalising boundaries.
Middle Campus students should NOT be hanging around on Junior Campus before school. (Exception for older siblings supervising Prep students in the Prep area only). Middle Campus students should move to the Middle Campus Tuckshop area as soon as they arrive at school.
Attendance
It has been fantastic to see so many students Here, Every day, Ready and On time.
Research shows that students who have good patterns of attendance are more likely to achieve at school. If students aren’t at school, they are missing valuable lessons. It is critical that student attendance remains a priority to support the teaching and learning that is taking place.
Learning starts at 8:40am every day. As part of our school policy, you are required to notify the school on the same day that your child is away and let the school know the reason for their absence. If we do not hear from you on the day your child is away, the school will send a text notification in the morning. It is important you keep us updated with any new home address, mobile number and email addresses. As a parent, your obligation is to reply to the text notification with your child’s name, class and reason for absence.
If your child is unwell and cannot come to school, please notify the school of your child's absence by:
- Ringing the school – 07 33865333
- Replying to the SMS sent by the school
- Writing a note explaining the absence
Unexplained Absence Letters have been sent out this week. Please return as soon as possible to your campus office
Teresa Radicke, Sarah Williamson and Karen Gardyne
Head of Department Student Services
Are your contact details up to date?
We have had a number of instances where we cannot contact parents and caregivers in an emergency. It is vital that the school MUST be able to contact you immediately by telephone, so we need to have the most up-to-date information on our system. Please keep us updated with any new home address, telephone number and email addresses.