As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our interstate colleagues, it is timely to recognise how quickly things can change. Our school community is using the Queensland COVID-19 planning framework provided by the Department of Education in order to be prepared and respond to the potential impacts of COVID-19 to ensure the continuity of learning for our students.

Natasha Markwick

Acting Principal

During week 4 our students will learn about this teaching focus in a number of ways.  Through explicit and incidental teaching, students will explore the skills personal space, recognising emotions, taking turns and playing by the rules during Health and Physical Education explicit lessons and when engaging in outdoor play with their peers. 

Parents and Carers you can assist with this learning in a home school partnership way by labelling your own and your young persons emotions as they present themselves during the day at home. Families could engage in a family game night, which would enable all the family members to model taking turns and playing by the rules.

21^st May  -  27^th August 2021

The Premier's Reading Challenge is an annual state wide initiative for schools and home-educated students.  It is not a competition, it aims to improve literacy and encourage children to read for pleasure and learning. 

Mudgeeraba students can successfully complete this challenge either by engaging in a shared reading experience with a caregiver or by independently reading 20 books before 27th August 2021.  All students who complete the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier of Queensland.

We have added a printable copy of the Individual Readers Record should you wish to print it at home.  These forms are also available in hard copy at the school administration desk.

Argh, Plastic Wrap!

 I like to think that I live a healthy lifestyle: I’m a vegetarian (but can’t resist seafood!), and I like to keep physically active. But do you think I’d have the necessary skill to peel open a Tasty Cheese and Cracker snack, to put in my lunch box?

 Each morning, I put on the kettle, take out a wrap, and begin the process of constructing a lettuce, vegetarian sausage, zucchini, cheese and avocado wrap, for lunch. I then chop up 2 raw carrots, and open a Tasty Cheese and Cracker snack, exactly like the one pictured below. Embarrassingly, this is where my morning ritual hits a bend in the road, and transforms me into “Kitchen Godzilla!” This morning was unfortunately, no exception.

 Okay, I get it; many tasks in life, need basic to high levels of skill and expertise, in order to achieve success. But whoever invented Tasty Cheese and Cracker snacks, or more to the point, whoever invented the packaging, neglected to mention that you’ll also need a razor sharp, diamond cutting, concrete splitting, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, kitchen knife, to greatly assist in the arduous, and incredibly frustrating task of getting the darn packaging open! Heaven forbid if your fingers are ever slightly wet… the task of opening the cheese snack becomes impossible. I know, because, I repeat the ritual every morning before work.

 Unlike the picture, which was me opening a packet to visually capture the degree of difficulty in opening the little suckers (typical of trying to make a point, it worked with no trouble at all!), I resorted to a sharp weapon. At first, I couldn’t pierce the plastic film. Then when my knife finally did punch through, and I tried tearing the rest of the packaging, it broke off into a teeny weeny piece. So back in with the knife I went, and the same thing happened. 3 stabs and 3 teeny weeny strips later, I managed to rip off the plastic wrap that hid the crackers, but the compartment that held the cheese was unaffected. So, in I went again, and 2 more stabs and 2 more teeny weeny strips later, I had my Tasty Cheese and Crackers. A team of NASA engineers, SAS recruits, a squadron of Green Berets, or Mafia Enforcers, couldn’t have broken the seal any faster – it just wouldn’t open!

 Thank goodness for laughter, and thank goodness for seeing the funny side in life. I had to accept that the Tasty Cheese and Cracker snacks, wielded a whole lot more power than I, and no amount of strength, short of a nuclear explosion, was going to help the situation. All I could do was laugh! And as you know, if we don’t choose to laugh in some situations, we’d cry. I’m absolutely positive that there’s a large contingent of snack packet designers, at this very moment, sitting in a conference for Snack Packet Designers, learning more efficient ways to ensure that the plastic wrap won’t open on the first, second, third etc… attempt, anywhere in the free world! Just laugh.

 What’s your Tasty Cheese and Cracker snack story? What gets your cheese? What gets you to lose your crackers? Whatever it is, may I encourage you to choose to laugh it off and look for a funny side? Even if only to make for a good story, laugh. Because if you don’t, well, you know the rest.

We encourage you to keep up to date through the NDIS websites.

https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/

https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/independent-assessments/independent-assessment-process

https://www.ndis.gov.au/community/have-your-say/interventions-children-autism-spectrum?fbclid=IwAR3-yzR5VE-YUVL99n2RM2NXynqvx4uc5SWv-tjqogxtvuxYt_ArAUNeXDk

Mudgeeraba State Special School hosts a Playgroup on Tuesday morning from 9:30 - 10:30am every week.  The Playgroup is operational for children and their parents aged from birth to school age.  If you know of any families with children who are in this age group and who may have been newly diagnosed with a disability, and they wish to engage their children in a supportive communication oriented environment, please have them contact the school on 5559 3333 to enquire about this wonderful educational opportunity.  Ask to speak to Bree Nairn the Playgroup convenor. 

Stop the Spread of COVID-19

Maintaining the required hygiene and physical distancing measures in place in our school. These are our most effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Any person who is sick (staff, student or parent) should stay home and if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, get tested.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Tiredness and muscle aches
• Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
• Shortness of breath

If students or staff present at school as unwell we will follow up and request an imediate early departure until a medical clearance is provided and confirmation that the person is well.

We need to ensure we stay home if recurring flu like symptoms present to decrease the spread of influenza.

Further information about COVID-19 testing is available via the link below:

https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/testing-and-feverclinics

If you have any questions, please call your doctor or call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) in these continuing concerning times.

• Student attendance 8.30 am till 2.45 pm.
• Phone the office and request the classroom. Please always be mindful of students' learning and teachers teaching times.
• If you are late to start the school day please attend the School Office and staff will assist with contacting your class.
• Utilise the students' Communication Diary and Seesaw.
• Request face to face meetings through your class teacher before, after school or in their noncontact time.

Via Social Media:

Did you know... Mudgeeraba Special School have our own departmental approved Instagram page? Stay up to date with the latest in the classroom, school and community through Facebook and our newest addition to the Mudgeeraba Special social media family, our Instagram account. Follow us today https://www.instagram.com/mudgeerabaspecial/ and tag us @mudgeerabaspecial