Principal's Patch

Hello Palm Beach State School Community

 

It is hard to believe we are already at the end of Week 3 this term. I hope you are enjoying the chilly mornings and amazing days we are currently having. 

 

Feedback from Excursions 

Over the beginning of this term there have been many excursions and incursions for various year levels. I am delighted to share that we have received commendations from all of these excursion providers praising our students for their outstanding behaviour, manners, and respect. Such positive feedback is a testament to the character and values we uphold as a school community. We are extremely proud of our students and grateful for the recognition of their exemplary conduct.

 

Parent Teacher Interviews

We are pleased to announce the success of our recent parent-teacher interviews. The high participation and positive feedback demonstrate the strength of our school community. These conversations reinforce our commitment to supporting student growth. Thank you for your continued involvement and partnership.

 

Lost Property  

With the colder weather upon us, we’ve noticed an increase in lost property outside our uniform shop. Many of these items are labelled with names, so before purchasing new jumpers or jackets, please check the lost property area. You might find your lost items and save on replacements. A big thank you to Sam, our P&C, office staff, and uniform shop volunteers who consistently tidy and organize our lost property. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity every five weeks, so please check for lost belongings regularly.

 

Gold Coast Eisteddfod 

We are very much looking forward to our school's strings, band, and choir groups will be performances in the upcoming Gold Coast Eisteddfod. Our dance club will also be in the eisteddfod via an online submission. Our talented students have been working hard, and we look forward to showcasing their dedication and musical skills. We hope to see many of you there supporting our young musicians as they represent our school with pride. Thank you to our staff for their many hours preparing our students for these performances.  

 

NAIDOC Ceremony 

We are proud to share the success of our recent NAIDOC ceremony. The event was a meaningful celebration of Indigenous culture and heritage, emphasizing its significance to our school community. We were particularly impressed by our students' outstanding behaviour during the assembly, showing respect and appreciation throughout the ceremony. Following the assembly, all students participated in cultural activities with their class, which were highly engaging and meaningful. Thank you to everyone involved for making this event a memorable and impactful experience.

 

P-2 Athletics 

Our Prep to Year 2 Athletics Day on August 7th, which promises to be a fun and energetic event for our young students. We look forward to seeing many parents there to cheer on their children and support their participation. 

 

Pyjama Day

This is a reminder that on July 26th, our school's Student Council is hosting Pyjama Day. Students are encouraged to come dressed in their favourite pyjamas and bring a gold coin donation. The funds raised will support the Animal Welfare League, so we appreciate your generosity and participation. 

Year 4 Camp

This week, our Year 4 students are enjoying their time at Kindiland Camp in Redland Bay. It has been a fantastic experience for all, with students displaying excellent behaviour and manners throughout the camp. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff who have dedicated their time away from their own families to make this opportunity possible for our students.

 

Empowering Your Child with Problem-Solving Strategies

Are you looking for strategies to help your child when they come home and talk about a challenge they faced at school today?

As a parent, one way we can support our children through situations with other children is by providing them with strategies to work through the issue themselves. By doing this, we are building up their resilience, confidence, and respectful language for the future.

At PBSS, we use the HIGH FIVE HAND to provide children with practical strategies they can use when faced with a concern involving other students. These strategies are taught in every classroom and are reinforced every day by teachers on duty, specialists, and classroom teachers.

The HIGH FIVE HAND includes the following steps:

  1. Ignore - Sometimes, simply ignoring minor annoyances can make them go away.
  2. Talk Friendly - Use a calm and friendly voice to express feelings and seek a resolution.
  3. Talk Firmly - If the friendly approach doesn't work, speak more firmly but still respectfully. 
  4. Walk Away - If the situation is escalating, walking away can prevent further conflict.
  5. Tell a Teacher - If the problem persists, it's important to seek help from a teacher.

By encouraging your child to use the HIGH FIVE HAND, you are providing them with the necessary skills to deal with these situations quickly and confidently. Here are some additional tips for reinforcing these strategies at home:

  • Role-Playing: Practice different scenarios with your child where they can use the HIGH FIVE HAND steps.
  • Discussing Outcomes: After an incident, talk about which strategies they used and how it worked out. Is there something they could try differently next time?
  • Positive Reinforcement: Praise your child when they use these strategies effectively.

Supporting your child in learning these problem-solving skills will help them navigate social challenges and develop into resilient and confident individuals.

 

Qparents

Is your child off to high school next year?

 

Our local high schools are asking our parents to join QParents BEFORE your child starts high school.  You will receive a notification via email, from Palm Beach State School, asking you to join if you have not done this yet.  By joining QParents before your child starts high school will help make the transition easier for everyone.   

 

Parents will be able to see from the start of Year 7, information about:

▪ attendance details

▪ timetables and upcoming events

▪ report cards and assessments

▪ invoices and payment history

 

If you do not receive an email link asking to join QParents, please let the office know.

 

Prep Enrolment 2025

 

2025 Prep Enrolment interviews have commenced in readiness for our newest students in 2025.

If your child is eligible for Prep in 2025 and you are yet to fill in enrolment forms, or book a mandatory interview please do this ASAP to secure your child’s position for next year.

 

Attendance:

Student attendance is absolutely vital to the attainment of the best possible learning outcomes. When your child is absent they do miss schoolwork and regular absences can have an extremely detrimental impact upon student progress.

Regularly arriving late to school also can have a detrimental impact upon student learning. The bell to start classes goes at 8:45 am so ideally students will arrive at school just before this time and sit in their correct waiting area.

If your child is genuinely ill then they should not be at school. We ask that you do contact the school and inform us if your child is going to be away from school for any reason. The absence line is 5520 8360 to report a student absence.

Late arrivals are processed through the office for all students from prep to year 6.  Students arriving late to school come to the school office with an adult who signs them in, giving the reason for the late arrival. 

A late pass will be issued and for safety reasons, the adult dropping students off is to walk them to class.