Dear Mudgeeraba Special School Families,

Mudgee Melodies and Mudgee Movers Shine at Gold Coast Eisteddfod

Last Thursday, our talented Mudgee Melodies and Mudgee Movers took the stage at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, showcasing their incredible skills and dedication.

Mudgee Melodies, made up of our Junior Secondary and Senior students, performed the School Values Song with great enthusiasm. Their heartfelt rendition earned them a well-deserved 3rd place in the Group Vocal Song 13-20 years category. This achievement is a testament to their hard work and commitment.

In another highlight of the day, Mudgee Movers, made up of Junior Secondary students, delivered a captivating dance performance to "Dance the Night." Their dynamic and engaging routine was met with high praise, earning them a Very Highly Commended accolade.

It was an inspiring day filled with joy and accomplishment for all involved. The students' dedication and preparation were clearly reflected in their performances, and it was a pleasure to witness their hard work come to fruition on such a prestigious stage.

Congratulations to both groups for their impressive achievements and for representing our school with such pride and skill!

Fostering Collaboration and Excellence with Everton Park in Choice Theory

Last week, a team of our dedicated staff had the enriching experience of visiting our sister school, Everton Park, to delve into their innovative approach of embedding Choice Theory into their daily practices. This visit provided us with valuable insights into how Everton Park utilizes Choice Theory to shape the expectations and interactions within their school community.

One of the standout concepts we explored was the "Window of Certainty," which Everton Park staff employ to form clear and consistent expectations for both students and staff. This framework helps create a stable and predictable environment, essential for fostering a sense of security and trust within the school community.

We were particularly impressed by how Everton Park has made the "Connecting Roads" a fundamental part of their curriculum. These roads are explicitly taught to students, enabling them to grasp and apply the four critical components of Choice Theory: physiology, thinking, feeling, and acting. By understanding these elements, students can better navigate their emotions and behaviors, leading to more positive interactions and outcomes.

Our visit to Everton Park was not just about observation but also about reflection and growth. It provided us with the opportunity to consider how we can start to embed these practices into our daily routines and language at Mudgeeraba Special School. We are excited about the potential for these strategies to enhance our educational environment and support our students' development.

In Week 8, we will have the privilege of welcoming Everton Park staff to our school. This reciprocal visit will allow us to continue building this productive relationship, sharing insights, and coaching each other. By working together, we aim to strengthen our commitment to delivering high expectations and exceptional educational experiences for all our students.

This collaboration with Everton Park is a significant step in our journey toward excellence, and we look forward to the ongoing exchange of ideas and practices that will benefit our entire school community.

School Opinion Survey – Reminder

Thank you to all of those who have already completed the Parent/Caregiver Survey. If you have not had a chance to complete the survey yet, please note that the online surveys will remain open until Friday, 16 August 2024.

This is your opportunity to provide feedback about what our school does well and how we can improve. To have your say, check your email for an invitation from the Department of Education titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2024.

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.

Warm regards,

Renée Zhu

Principal

Some of the Junior Secondary students have been having a great time today learning to play volleyball with the help of Volleyball Queensland coaches. This program is part of a sporting schools funding grant, enabling our school to purchase equipment and support.

In the Ocean Connect Active Volunteering program our students have been exploring the shore habitat at Burleigh Heads Rock Pools to survey, count and record data on the sea life that they encounter. This data is then shared with Ocean Connect volunteers to update their records. Fantastic work everyone.

Late on Sunday afternoon my wife came to me and said let's go fishing tonight.  After a short pause I decided that why not it would be fun to go down to the creek and perhaps catch a fresh fish dinner.   We drove down to Tallebudgera creek it was late in the afternoon when we arrived.  The moon was beginning to rise over the other side of the creek. It was a full moon the sun was reflecting from it a truly ore inspiring sight.  As we cast our lines into the creek for the first time, the sun began to set behind the mountains over to the West.   The sky became a brilliant shade of orange pinkie light.   As the sun finally set the full moon began to take over the night sky, as I looked over the creek there was an amazing reflection of the moon coming from one side of the creek all the way to the other.   The ripples on the water seemed to shine almost as though they were stars as the moon was reflecting off the surface of the creek. We continued fishing for around 2 hours hoping to catch dinner.  

Then, as is my usual experience when I go fishing, we ended up catching absolutely nothing.  I was feeling frustrated like what was the point of us coming out at all it was cold, it was windy and we didn't catch anything for dinner. 

My wife seeing my frustration tapped me on the shoulder and showed me the picture that I had taken of the moon as it was rising on the other side of the creek.  That was then when I realized the mistake that I had made. I'd become so involved in my desire to catch fish for dinner that I had missed the beauty that was surrounding me as the sun was going down and the full moon was rising that evening.

 Sometimes we get so involved in what we’re doing that we forget to enjoy the beauty of the world that surrounds us.   There is no point in denying that we all have lots of problems situations that we work through.  Problems that sometimes seem too much to bear.  Perhaps we all need just to take that moment to look at the beauty around us and enjoy the world that we live in.   Though our problems won't disappear magically.  We may realize that even in the hard times there is beauty that we can enjoy and help those hard times pass.

We need you! Mudgeeraba Special School is in need of a ‘Grants Officer’

The functions of a Grants Officer are:

• Investigate potential organisations for obtaining financial grants/donations. Currently this is supported through our existing network.
• Meet regularly with the Principal and the Projects Planning Co-Ordinator. To work with them to find the best project fit for potential grants/donations identified.
• Prepare draft submissions for grants/donations and send to the Principal for review.
• Manage review process until a final draft has been approved. Submit final version of submission to grantor.

The Grants Officer would need to have good written and oral communication skills, computer skills and an ability to work to timelines.

This role will have access to our extensive database of past grants submissions spanning back to 2013.  They will also be supported by the outgoing Grants Officer, Maurie Rowe and also key members of the P&C committee.

This position is open to persons inside and outside of the school community who have the required skills.

Please contact Renée Zhu via Principal@mudgeerabaspecs.eq.edu.au for further enquires.