Capalaba State College March Newsletter 2021

Principal's message

Thank you for taking the time to read our first newsletter for 2021, in the new and improved format! 

We have had an incredibly positive and very busy start to the year, as you will see throughout the newsletter, Facebook and on our website. Pandemics and weather will not slow us down!

The College is again, one of the few schools in the Redlands Coast growing. Thank you for your positive support for the College, and the amazing team that we have working here. 

I would like to thank the P and  C for their contribution to the College community, and look forward to working with the committee elected at the AGM last Monday. The P and C are still looking for a Secretary. I encourage everyone to work directly with the P and C and myself by coming along to monthly meetings (in person or online) to make our College an even better place than it already is.  

Please remember that we still have some COVID guidelines that we need to follow. A number of schools aren't allowing parents through the gates, however, I feel that if we respect these two guidelines; we should be okay. 

These are particularly necessary on our Junior Campus:

• Please email the Teacher instead of visiting them in their classrooms
• Please leave the Campus once the morning Parades begin

With not long to go until the end of the term; please have a safe Easter holiday, and hopefully we see everyone back at the College in Term Two. 

Lachlan 

2022 Enrolments

Hello from the Head of Senior Secondary

Welcome to all new students to our school and particularly I want to welcome our Year Ten students this year to their Senior Secondary phase of schooling.  The move from Junior Secondary can seem like a big jump.  It’s a milestone marked not only by a different formal shirt and a different Deputy Principal overseeing your schooling, it’s a step towards more accountability of your own learning and you will likely already be feeling that teachers are expecting more of you. Now is the time that students are expected to be working harder than the teachers, so study is a necessary part of a students’ daily routine. 

STUDY HABITS
All students should be developing healthy study habits, regardless of if you are in Year One or Year 12.  It's never too early – or too late – to develop good study habits. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of study:

1. Pick a study place - Your study space should be quiet, comfortable and distraction-free.
2. Set a study schedule - Some people work better in the morning, others prefer nights. Work out which time suits you and plan to study then but don't study past your usual bedtime.
3. Study every day – Cramming is not an ideal way to study. Study a little bit every day so you’re continually reviewing things in your mind and chipping away at assignments. You might find that later in the year you need to study more each day to keep on top of things.
4. Plan your study time - use your diary to mark down all the important dates, like exams and assignment due dates. Use it to block out your regular study timetable too. Make a to-do list at the start of each study session so that you're clear about what you need to be doing with your time.
5. Discover your learning style - Most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know the learning style you're most comfortable with and study in the ways you learn best.

- Auditory learners prefer to learn by listening. Try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back.

- Visual learners prefer to learn by reading and/or writing. Try re-writing out your notes to help them stick in your brain.

- Tactile/kinesthetic learners prefer to learn by doing. Try using techniques like role-playing or building models to revise key points. This can be hard in theory-heavy subjects so try using colours in your notes and draw diagrams to help represent key points.

1. Review and revise – Every night you should go back over the things you studied in class that day. Thinking things over can help you to understand the concepts and help you remember when you need them the most.
2. Take breaks - Working too long on a task can actually decrease your performance, especially if it is frustrating you. When you take a break, make sure you get away from your desk or study space.
3. Ask for help - If you're stuck on something, or something just doesn't seem to make sense, you can always ask for help. Email or talk to your teachers about the things you don't understand. Talk to your friends and fellow students too.
4. Stay motivated - When you're studying it helps to keep in mind your reasons for doing all this hard work, like aiming to increase that B to an A. You could decorate your study space with inspirational quotes or photos to keep you pumped.
5. Look after yourself - Make sure you are looking after your general health by eating well and getting enough sleep and physical exercise. It’s also a good idea to make sure you drink lots of water when you’re studying.

If anyone has any questions or students are experiencing any issues, please arrange a time to meet with me in the Administration Office – Senior Campus by either emailing me at vkell15@eq.edu.au or contacting the school office on (07) 3823 9111.

I look forward to a great rest of 2021!

Kind regards,

Mrs Vikki Kelly

Head of Senior Secondary

Arts Update

Drama Club

Junior Secondary students are invited to drop into the Cultural Centre on Fridays during Lunch One. Senior Drama students, Miss Thompson and Ms Wall run drama activities that aim to build participants’ creativity and confidence when presenting before others.

Anywhere Theatre Tour

As part of their Theatre of the Absurd Unit, Year Eleven and Twelve Drama and Drama in Practice students performed live in locations around the Senior Campus grounds, or had their performances projected onto external walls. Many thanks to Year Ten Drama students Aurora, Ella and Jas who performed the roles of Tour Guides, and the parents, friends and staff who attended the evening.

Junior Campus

Morning Routines

Some students are arriving very early to school and are waiting unsupervised.

Supervision in the “Red Area” is from 8.15am. Please aim to have your child dropped off ready for the first bell at 8.30 am

Morning routines are important for positive school engagement. It is important that students arrive on time so they are a part of the morning classroom routine.

The classroom routine is important for students to feel settled and secure prior to the learning that is about to take place. For some classes they start the morning with a specialist lesson (PE, Music or Languages) which only takes place once a week.

It is important to also develop independence in your child. Your child should be responsible for carrying their own bag, unpacking any items they need for the day and placing their bag in the bag racks. All of these actions help to develop a sense of independence and responsibility for a child.

If your child/ren are late they are to sign in at the office. Once learning has started for the day parents need to say their goodbyes at the office.

Improving student’s writing at Capalaba State College

Writing is an important form of communication and continues to be our curriculum focus in 2021.

It takes time to develop strong writing skills, and it can be a tough task to accomplish.

You may like to try some of these activities to support your child at home.

• Regular reading is a stepping stone to better writing and helps kids’ strengthen their writing skills. It helps expand children’s vocabulary and shows them different ways of using words.
• Play games and activities that encourage writing. Crossword puzzles and word games are great for everyone. Little ones will especially like the “write the word” game: where they search for items and write down the word when they find each item.
• Switch it up by writing with something other than a pen or pencil. Sidewalk chalk on the driveway, finger painting, or a salt writing tray are all fun writing activities that will also help build kids’ writing skills.
• Keeping a journal is a great way to express thoughts and ideas while also working on improving children’s writing skills. Buy a fun journal with your child and encourage them to write in it as much as possible. Make it a part of his or her daily routine.
• Think about your son or daughter’s favourite book series. Or maybe he or she is obsessed with dinosaurs. Whatever his or her interests, connect them to writing. Have your child write a new short story about his or her favourite characters, or let him or her create a story all about dinosaurs.
• Make sure there’s time each day to do some writing in one way or another. Whether it’s writing a grocery list, writing in a journal or composing a letter, practicing writing every day will go a long way to improving kids’ writing skills.
• There’s no better way to learn something than to see someone else doing it. Let your children see you writing, often. When writing is a normal part of your daily life, it will come more naturally to them. Anything goes: a simple grocery list or letter to the teacher, holiday or thank you cards, or even a sweet note to your child.

Sport and PE on the Junior Campus

Tennis

This term students had the opportunity to work with a Tennis coach to improve their tennis skills through our successful Sporting Schools grant. They learnt forehand and backhand shots and progressed to having long rallies with their opponents. Thank you to Adrenalin Tennis for providing enjoyable lessons for our students.

Bayside District Swimming

Congratulations to Oskar and Abi on their qualification for the Bayside District swimming carnival. They competed against other schools in our District and swam their Personal Best times on the day.

School Swimming

Term 1 school swimming was a success with many students progressing their skills and showing confidence in the pool and water safety knowledge around the pool. Thank you to Aquatic Achiever for providing structured, challenging, and enjoyable swimming lessons for our students.

Cross Country

A number of students have been preparing for their cross country races throughout the term. They have been putting the work in before school and after school to try to better their running times across their set distances. We are excited for our Cross Country carnival and are proud of our students for showing grit and determination in their training.

Volleyball

Our High Performance Volleyball training is underway in preparation for the Primary Schools Cup in September. A number of students have been training on Monday afternoons. Their skills are progressing and they are on track to play some competitive games later in the year. Trainings will continue on Monday afternoons next term with our Senior Campus teachers, Miss Gibbons and Mr Vancia.

Bullying No Way

At Capalaba State College we aim to create a safe and supportive school community for everyone. You are an important part of our work to prevent bullying and to respond effectively if it happens. Stopping bullying involves everyone.

Bullying is a word that is used with a lot of meanings.

It is essential that everyone in your school shares the same definition of bullying. Sometimes things that are called bullying are not really bullying at all.

Bullying has three main features:

• It involves a misuse of power in a relationship
• It is ongoing and repeated, and
• It involves behaviours that can cause harm.

Behaviours that do not constitute bullying include:

• mutual arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance)
• not liking someone or a single act of social rejection
• one-off acts of meanness or spite
• isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence.

However, these conflicts still need to be addressed and resolved.

If your child talks to you about bullying:

1. Listen calmly and get the full story. Your calm response is important to allow your child to tell you all about the situation. After they’ve told you their story, ask questions to get more details if you need: who, what, where, when. Although you may feel some strong emotions about your child’s experience, try to keep calm to avoid more distress to your child.
2. Reassure your child they are not to blame. Many children blame themselves and this may make them feel even worse. You could say things like, ‘That sounds really hard to deal with. No one should have to put up with that.’ or ‘I’m so glad you told me. You should be able to feel safe at school; that’s not fair at all’.
3. Ask your child what they want to do and what they want you to do. A critical part of your response is to avoid jumping in to solve the problem. While it is natural to want to protect your child, helping them to find their own solution is a better option. It helps them feel they have some power in the situation.
4. Visit www.bullyingnoway.gov.au to find some strategies. The website has tips and ideas for different bullying situations. One idea is to practise strategies at home to help your child feel more confident.
5. Contact the school. Your child may be reluctant for you to do this, so discuss the idea and reassure them that the school would want to know and is able to help. Make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher in the first instance and, if you need to, ask to talk with the Deputy Principal or Principal. Contact the school immediately if you have a concern about your child’s safety.
6. Check in regularly with your child. Keep the conversation going. It can take time to resolve issues, so check in regularly with your child about their experiences and their feelings. Your ongoing support is important.

Thank you for your continued support to make Capalaba State College a great school for everyone.

Schools Clean up Day on the Junior Campus

Students on the Junior Campus celebrated ‘Schools Clean up Day,’ on 5th March 2021. This is a day, which is part of the greater movement of ‘Clean up Australia Day,’ at which we promote sustainability and a sense of pride and belonging within our school.

Our Environmental Club enthusiastically promoted the day at our school assembly and helped with preparing class kits for litter collection. They did a fabulous job. At the end of parade, a team cheer could be heard outside the hall to acknowledge their hard work!

Classes were allotted their own area in which to pick up litter and grade six collated the data. On this day, 3A were surprised at the amount of micro-plastic they found. The results are nearly in and it will be exciting to share them with all of the classes to show the types of litter trending and decide on how we can reduce our litter in the future.

School Nurse

Hi, I’m Nikki and I am a Clinical Nurse working for Children’s Health Queensland in the School Based Youth Health Nurse Service. I am based at Capalaba State College on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Youth Health Nurse works with students, school staff and parents to:

1. Address concerns or problems about health & wellbeing
2. Help create a more supportive, healthy school environment
3. Connect people to other support services outside the school

I work with individuals and school members to identify and act on issues that affect both the individual and the health of the school community. This includes helping with curriculum, teaching and learning activities, supporting an environment and school culture that supports health and wellbeing and working with community and other services.

I can see young people in private to talk about - health concerns - relationships - sexual health - personal/ family issues - smoking, alcohol & other drug use - referral to other services - feeling unhappy/stressed – puberty. My office is in C Block and students can come and see me there. Parents are also most welcome to phone me or make an appointment with any concerns. There will also be regular health information articles in the school newsletters and Facebook, so look out for those.

I look forward to meeting you.

Nikki Lacey

School Based Youth Health Nurse

School Chaplain

To all the students, parents, and staff at Capalaba State College… a big HELLO! My name is Lauren, and I’m your new school chaplain! I’m so excited to be joining the amazing support team here and look forward to getting to know you all.

A bit about me…

• I’m from Chinchilla, a small country town in South West QLD.
• I’m always up for a good game of UNO!
• After highschool, I spent almost 4 years living in Thailand.
• My favourite place to be is the beach.
• I LOVE my brother’s Rottweiler puppy (he looks tough, but he’s a huge softy!).

For those of you who might not know what a chappy does, my job is to provide a few different kinds of support to the school community. That means that I’m here to help you in any way I can! Often this looks like one-on-one appointments to chat about anything that’s on your mind or that you’re struggling with, but I will also be running some fun programs and activities in the future, so stay tuned!

I will be at Capalaba State College on Mondays and Tuesdays and my desk is located in the support hub (SS11). You can email me anytime at laurenk@chappy.org.au and if you ever see me around school, please come and say hey! I’m excited to meet you!

Chappy Lauren 😊

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