Murrays Departure

As everyone is no doubt now aware, Murray has made the very difficult decision to step away from Coombabah State School. I know this was a really hard decision but ultimately health and family have to come first.

The massive contribution Murray has made to Coombabah State School over the last 12 years cannot be overstated. Everything Murray did had the interests of our students at the forefront of his thinking. Importantly, he was very well respected and well-liked by staff, students and community alike and worked tirelessly to give students at Coombabah access to a variety of experiences whilst keeping wellbeing and student learning front and centre.

Many people have already approached the school enquiring about what will be done to give everybody a chance to say their goodbyes and celebrate his time here. For the moment we are giving Murray and his family space to focus on his health. Once he’s progressed through his surgery and is ready, we will start working on how to give him the farewell he deserves, both from staff and also the broader school community.

In terms of his replacement, I would envisage the process would likely be finalised for the commencement of Term 3 however this depends on how quickly recruitment processes can be finalised within the department. Until this is completed, I will continue in the roll of Acting Principal.

An amazing school Disco

A massive thankyou to the P & C, to Jemma Orford (P&C President) and her amazing team of volunteers for their hard work putting together a fabulous disco. It was certainly one of the largest senior discos I’ve been to with over 250 students and over 200 at the junior. All the students I’ve spoken to had a wonderful time and many made special mention of the circus theme. There was certainly no shortage of students who were keen to try their hand at plate spinning for the first time and the hula hoops were hit with everyone.

e-Scooters – Not to be bought to school

Unfortunately, I was made aware of yet another near miss involving one of our students riding an electric scooter this week. In Queensland it is illegal for children under the age of 12 to ride electric scooters at any time. Children aged between 12 – 16 are required to be supervised by an adult. This means less than 12 current students at Coombabah would be legally able to ride an e-scooter and would still require adult supervision. E-scooters also pose a storage hazard due to the risk of fire. Whilst the risk is lower when they are not being charged, they still provide a risk, particularly if they become wet. For these reasons, e-scooters are not to be bought on site at any time. If they are found on sight you may be called and asked to remove it from the school grounds.

School Gates

We kindly remind all parents and carers to ensure that external gates are securely closed behind them when entering or leaving the school grounds. This simple action plays a vital role in helping to maintain a safe and secure environment for all our children. Your cooperation helps us protect students throughout the day—thank you for supporting our school’s safety measures.

Students contacting parents during learning time.

We kindly ask that parents do not respond to direct messages from students requesting to be picked up during school hours. All early departures must go through the school office so we can ensure student safety and manage attendance appropriately. Some students have been messaging home for non-essential reasons or to avoid class activities, and this disrupts their learning and the school routine. If your child does message home could you kindly remind them to speak with the teacher. If you are concerned please call through to the office rather then racing to pick them up first. We can then see if this something that can be fixed at school. There have been occasions recently where messages home may simply have been an attempt to avoid essential classwork and in particular assessment tasks. 

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe and structured learning environment for all students.

Triple P Parenting Tips: Fears

More information on the Triple P website: https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-en/triple-p/

Experiencing fear is a normal part of growing up. Many children are scared of things like the dark, heights, being alone, imaginary monsters and many more. However, when these fears begin to get in the way of daily life they can become a problem. Fear of certain things can be learnt through observation from adults in the child’s lives, unpleasant previous experiences or even accidental rewards where a child gains something from showing fear (e.g. showing fear of the dark when a parent rewards this fear through extra attention and later bedtime).

Childhood fears can be challenging for families and are often stressful for all involved. Below are some strategies that may help address these fears.

• Have a discussion with your child: Validate their feelings and let them know that you understand they are scared. Reassure them that everyone, including yourself, gets scared sometimes and consider sharing a time when you overcame fear.
• Set a good example: Try and keep your own fears under control and not show overt fear when faced with non-threatening situations.
• Teach your child coping strategies:
  • Deep ‘belly breathing’ is a helpful tool where the child breathes in through their nose and out through their mouth whilst making sure their belly expands when they breath in and goes ‘deflates’ when they breathe out
  • Relaxation tools like going floppy like a rag doll to relax the muscles can be effective
  • Imagination and self-talk involve pre-determined coping statements and envisioning comforting places or memories
• Encourage your child to face their fears gradually: Set small manageable goals and, while using coping strategies, work up to more feared 
• situations. Rewards for meeting each goal can be helpful.
• Remain calm while your child is scared: Over-reassuring may have the opposite effect and confirm to the child that they cannot cope on their own.
• Praise your child for facing their fears: Use descriptive praise when they achieve their goal.
• Encourage your child to try new things: Introduce new situations gradually and with warnings.
• Help your child face things they must do: Avoidance of situations often worsens fears. Discussing what will happen during the situation, deciding on coping strategies to use and using descriptive praise once they have faced their fears can help build confidence.
• Talk to your child about dangerous situation: Some children’s fears are in response to a real risk. Talking about ways to keep themselves safe is important.
• Get help from other children. Doing feared situations with a buddy of around the same age can make situations seem less daunting

Only 1 Week to Go! Don’t Miss This Exclusive Property Investing Seminar ?

We’re just one week away from an exclusive evening for the Coombabah State School community, parents, teachers, and staff are all invited!

Join us for a relaxed and insightful Property Investing Seminar and discover how to build long-term wealth through smart property strategies, no matter your starting point.

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Location: 12 Grice Avenue, Paradise Point
Date & Time: Tuesday, June 10th at 6:30pm
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Good afternoon Coombabah State School Families,

You may be aware that the City are currently investigating possible improvements to Chiba Park, Coombabah, as per above map.

There is currently a City survey open seeking feedback from the community on what they would like to see in this park.

Cr Curtis has requested parent/carer feedback. If you wish to participate please use the link below.

I have included the link below for your consideration.

Chiba Park Improvements Survey

Kind regards,

Susie Gallus

Divisional Officer  
Councillor Shelley Curtis - Division 4, City of Gold Coast

1/12 Falkinder Avenue, Paradise Point Qld 4216

T: 5581 1680

E: division4@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
cityofgoldcoast.com.au