Natasha Markwick

Acting Principal

Parents it is with sadness that we postpone Book Week Celebrations.  A director from the Department of Education has seen the restriction of Extra Curricular Activities.  We hope this great event will take place soon.

21^st May  -  27^th August 2021

The Premier's Reading Challenge is almost over!! Please send all of your home reading records into your teachers.  August 27th is the last day and we will be collating all our records to ensure everyone gets their certificate.

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.

Thank you very much to our wonderful Mudgeeraba Special School families for your donations to our Burleigh Fun Walk through School Fun Run totally $15,250. Our School Fun Run Prizes have arrived and are being distributed to students in classes across the school. Our school has been awarded a trophy to show our fundraising efforts. The Big Show inflatable arch we achieved for just reaching the $10,000 mark in 2020 securing the inflatable for this year has been surpassed allowing us to book the Big Show inflatable for our event next year, congratulations fundraising students and families.

During week 6 our students will learn about this explicit teaching focus. Through explicit teaching scenarios students will learn the importance of looking at and paying for objects and items which we buy at the shops. 

You can assist this learning in home to school partnership by directing your young person whilst shopping to look without touching items on shelves.  Furthermore you can explicitly talk to your young person about the process of shopping and paying for items at the checkout.  To assist with independence goals you may assist your young person to learn their pin number to pay for items at the checkout.

That Would Be Me!

Straight off the bat, may I apologise for forgetting last week’s Chappy Chat newsletter. I have no reason, other than that I totally forgot. I have no excuse outside of, “Doh, I completely forgot”. At this stage, I invite you to envision the Chaplain, slapping his forehead and shaking his head in total remorse.

I have been waiting my whole life to use an excuse resembling, “I was woken by a call in the middle of the night, to find that I was being urgently sconded by Asio, for the good of the entire nation of Australia, to investigate treasonous acts of espionage in the proletariat”! or “The World Health Organisation, needed me to traverse the globe in search of the origins of Covid, on behalf of the welfare of all mankind, and therefore, needed to immediately, but, temporarily relinquish my duties of newsletter writing for one week”! But I will admit, that none of these would have been true. I simply forgot.

How often do we offer an excuse, when the short answer would have been, “that would be me”, when asked, “Who left the milk out?”, or “Did someone forget to submit a newsletter article last week?” Hmmm… Why is it, that some of us find it difficult, or not our immediate or natural default, to admit to the errors of our ways? Who have our role models been? The politician who shifts blame to the larger government? The sports hero who blames the audience for their losses, and outrageously over the top temper tantrums? Or, am I now shifting the blame yet again by pointing at poor role models, and doing the exact thing that I’m criticising? Oops, that would be me!

What would happen if we took it on the chin more often (when we deserved it)? What would life look like if we slowed the deterioration in our relationships and owned our mistakes (when we had the opportunity in the early stages)? What might change for the better if we started saying “That would be me”, over “That couldn’t have been me” (if it actually was me)?

May I gently encourage you, for the benefit of our relationships, to think about getting into, “That would be me” training for the next 21 days? That’s how long it takes to form a habit I’m told. And when you see me around the school, you’ll need to test me with, “Where was last week’s Chappy Chat newsletter?” to check my response. Or maybe, after 21 days so I’ve built the habit.

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

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