Term 3 – Week 2 – Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Principal News

Welcome (Back)

Welcome back to all KKSS families and also welcome to our new families of students who began with us this Term. We know that you are going to love being part of the KKSS family and watching your children Strive for Success every day. There certainly has been a buzz throughout our school last week, and it continues in the coming weeks with our significant NAIDOC Week celebrations for all.

NAIDOC Week 2025 – "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy"

This year marks the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, making it a particularly special celebration. The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," honours the past 50 years of progress while looking to the future - celebrating the role of young people in continuing culture, connection and pride. It's a powerful reminder of the legacy we're all part of, and the future we're helping to shape together. 

We’ll be celebrating NAIDOC Week in Week 4 with a range of special events, performances, and visits from community members and Elders.

Term 3 Class Captains and Enviro Captains

Congratulations to the following students on their Class Captain and Class Enviro Captain positions for Term 3:

Uniform Reminder

Kin Kora is a uniform school and we expect all students to wear the correct uniform each day -including school jumpers - during cooler weather. Wearing a uniform supports a strong sense of school identity and pride. Uniform information, including purchasing details, can be found on our website: Uniform Shop – KKSS

Are You on QParents?

We now use QParents for key functions - like giving permission for excursions, viewing Report Cards, notifying absences, and more. If you’re not connected yet, you might be missing out! Check out the QParents Fact Sheet here, and contact the school office if you’d like help getting started.

Dogs on School Grounds

A friendly reminder that dogs are not permitted on school grounds. This helps us maintain a safe and calm environment for all students, especially those who may be anxious around animals. Families walking dogs are welcome to drop off and collect students at the school gates - thank you for your understanding.

Premier’s Coding Challenge – Last Chance to Enter

Is your child in Years 3–10? Encourage them to enter the Premier’s Coding Challenge. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase their creativity and coding skills by designing an app, game or website that addresses one or more United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Winners share $15,000 in tech prizes, and every participant receives a Certificate of Achievement from the Premier. Entries close 5.00 pm, 12^th September 2025. Visit the challenge website for details!

NCCD – Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

QParents

QParents  is a secure, online portal that has been created by the Department of Education to provide parents of Queensland State School students with 24-hour access to their child's information. The portal allows you to securely access information about your child and communicate directly with your child's school.

QParents provides secure, online access to student information such as:

• attendance details
• consent forms
• payment of invoices
• payment history
• behaviour
• report cards and assessment dates
• upcoming events
• timetables
• student photo

In addition to the information provided, it's important to note that the QParents portal only sends invoices to the parent/carer who is listed first. This means that if there are multiple parents or carers who share responsibility for payments, only one of them will receive the invoice through the portal. It is important for parents and carers to communicate and coordinate payment arrangements if they are sharing the responsibility for fees. 

The reality is that any family not connected on QParents runs the risk of not getting information as required.

We encourage you to register for QParents. To do this, simply express your interest by emailing nkenn81@eq.edu.au or by phoning (07) 4971 5111 and Mrs Kenny will email you an invitation to register (which includes your log-in code) and your child’s unique EQID number.

Goal: 90% of families signed up to QParents.
Current: 70.15% families signed up to QParents.

Current Percentages by Year Level

Jorgen Neilson
Principal

Deputy Principal (Year 3 to Year 6)

Welcome Back to Term 3 – Let’s Make It a Great One!

We hope you and your families enjoyed a restful and refreshing break. Welcome back to Term 3! We are excited to see our students return with renewed energy and enthusiasm for learning. This term promises to be a dynamic and engaging one, filled with opportunities for academic growth, personal development, and community involvement.

Our teachers have been hard at work planning meaningful learning experiences and we’re looking forward to a successful and productive Term ahead. We also have a number of special events, excursions, and co-curricular activities scheduled throughout the coming weeks and we encourage families to stay involved and connected.

Please take a moment to review the Term 3 Key Dates below and be sure to mark your calendars:

The Importance of Arriving on Time – 9.00 am Matters!

We would like to take a moment to highlight how important it is for students to arrive at school on time each day - ready to begin learning at 9.00 am sharp.

The first session of the school day is our dedicated Literacy Block, a critical time when essential reading, writing, and language skills are explicitly taught. These early lessons are carefully structured and set the tone for the rest of the day. Arriving late not only means your child misses out on valuable instruction, but it can also disrupt the learning of others and make it more difficult for latecomers to settle into the school day.

Why being on time matters:

• Literacy is Foundational: The skills learned during the morning Literacy Block support learning across all subject areas.
• Routines Build Success: Starting the day on time helps children establish good habits and a sense of responsibility.
• Confidence Counts: Students who arrive on time are better prepared, more confident, and more connected with their peers.
• Classroom Flow: Teachers plan lessons that build sequentially from the first minute. Missing the start can make it harder for students to catch up.

We understand that mornings can sometimes be hectic and we appreciate your efforts in helping your child arrive at school on time. By working together we can ensure that every student gets the best possible start to their day - and their learning.

Let’s continue to set our students up for success - Every Minute Counts!

Andrew Shonhan
3-6 Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal (Prep to Year 2)

Step into Prep

We’re excited to welcome our future Prep students as they begin their journey into school life! Our Step into Prep Transition Sessions and School Tours will be held during Term 3 and 4, giving children and parents a chance to explore classrooms, meet teachers, and make new friends. These sessions are designed to help our 2026 Preps feel confident, comfortable, and excited about starting school. Check out the flyer for dates and times. Follow our Facebook page for regular updates. Enrolments are now open - paperwork is available from the school office. We look forward to seeing lots of smiling faces as we take this important first step together! 

Erin Morgan
Prep-2 Deputy Principal (Acting)

Guidance Gossip

Tuning into Kids Workshop

Tuning in to Kids is a parenting program that helps us to develop our child's emotional intelligence. Tuning into our children's emotions can help them to understand and process emotions in a healthy way. This can often reduce difficult behaviour, tantrums & create a calmer home environment!

Emotionally intelligent children often do better at school, have longer lasting friendships, and even have improved overall health and well-being.

Delivered over 6 x 2-hour sessions, in a non-judgmental environment.

Free 2 Day Autism Workshop

(Parents/Carers can attend for one day only)

Free Fear-Less Triple P Parenting Training

Help your student break free from anxiety.

Amy McDonald
Guidance Officer

Library News

Children’s Book Week – Wednesday 20^th August – Come Dressed as your favourite character

Reading Challenge Update…

Still Time to Join the Fun!

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is in full swing, and we’ve had a huge number of reading challenge forms returned this week – amazing effort everyone!

To complete the challenge:

• Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books
• Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books
• Years 5 and 6 must read at least 15 books.

There’s still plenty of time to get involved and complete the challenge. Whether students are enjoying picture books, graphic novels, listening to stories or shared reading, every book counts!

The aim for the 2025 challenge is to encourage students to make time to read. Last year saw more than 216,000 children from around the state participate.

Every student who completes the challenge and returns their reading record sheet to Miss Nadina in the library by Monday 25^th August will receive a certificate.

Spare forms are available from the library front counter.

Happy reading!

Welcome to the Kin Kora Arts Department

Instrumental Music 2025

All lessons for Term 3 are now displayed outside the Instrumental Music classroom. Students should also have a copy displayed in their classroom.  Attendance to our group rehearsals and lessons is important as we are gearing up for the Eisteddfod this Term. Please let your child’s tutor know when your student will NOT be able to attend.

Ms Rackemann, our Strings Instructor, will be teaching every Thursday afternoon and all-day Friday.

Junior Orchestra (for all 2025 recruits) rehearse Thursday at the beginning of 2nd Break. Senior Orchestra rehearse every Friday morning at 7.45am. Please remember, this will ALL change in Week 5 once we are finished with our performances at the Eisteddfod.

Mr Chris Allen continues in 2025 for Brass, Woodwind and Percussion tuition. Mr Allen visits Kin Kora SS every Tuesday all day, and Wednesday from midday. Concert Band rehearsals are held every Tuesday morning at 7.45am.

Instrumental Eisteddfod 2025 – Week 4, Term 3

This year we are entering:

* Concert Band,
* String Orchestra,
* Beginner Strings,
* Small String Ensemble.

As the instrumental sections commence around 8.30am, we are requesting parents drop their students off at the GECC Basement Entrance -  this is the at the back of the GECC - Oaka Lane. Students will then pay $7.50 for the bus trip back to school. You will receive your Invoice/Health and Consent Forms for this early in Week 2.

All students will need to wear their MUSIC shirt and wear black shoes, black socks, black pants/black stockings/black skirt.

Students will also need: *instrument *music *school bag with lunch/water bottle * a quiet activity to do while waiting to perform eg: cards, book, drawing

The Concert Band schedule is as follows:

The Strings Eisteddfod performances are as follows:

Please contact our friendly Music Department if you should have any questions regarding the Eisteddfod. Sadly, we are unable to give exact performance times for these events. We wish everyone involved in the INSTRUMENTAL EISTEDDFOD for 2025 an exciting experience, making the many hours of rehearsals and practise worthwhile and rewarding.

2025 Choir Times and Eisteddfod Update

We are gearing up for our Eisteddfod performances this Term. Students can expect to receive Eisteddfod information in Week 3. If you would like to watch us perform at the GECC, please mark Friday 22^nd August on your calendar. Times TBA.

We also have an exciting Verse Speaking Choir entry to our Eisteddfod this year. Grade 4D and Mrs Wilkinson will be on stage Tuesday in Week 6 performing two hilarious poems for the audience!

All choirs rehearse FIRST BREAK: 11.00am – 11.40am. Students are welcome to bring their lunches to the Music Room.

Tuesday: 1 2 Choir – Our song about MUD is coming along!
Wednesday: 5 6 Choir – Even though we may be a small group, we are loving our funny song about Bach’s Minuet.
Thursday: 3 4 Choir – Still working on our Haunted Roller Coaster Ride, and now we have been singing about a Snail song!

QSO Concert

Students in the Instrumental program attended the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Adventures in Music Concert last Term. We listened to the performers explaining how music can suit many emotions and adventures we go through in life! At one stage we were all asleep!!! The GECC was packed out and we loved meeting up with some favourite performers after the show! Thank you to Miss Rackemann and Mrs Thuum for accompanying us on our journey.

QSO Workshops – Term 3, Week 9

Members of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra will be returning to Gladstone to hold workshops with ALL Instrumental students in the Gladstone district. These workshops will be carried out over 2 days:

1. Monday 8^th September – for all Beginner students in Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and Strings
2. Tuesday 9^th September – for all continuing students.

The workshops will be held at the GECC and a short concert will conclude the day’s events.

Parents, you will want to see what your kids were learning during the day of intensive training with the best performing in the state! So mark these dates in your calendar.

Combined Schools Musical – Mary Poppins 2026

Auditions for the Combined Schools Musical have been on-going the past few weeks at Kin Kora State scool. Good luck to Eva, Milla, Angel, Scarlett, Maddi, Harper, Audrey, Emily and Allie-May, who will be attending the next audition process at the GECC on 26^th/27^th July.

Maree Maitland
Music Specialist

P&C Operations

P&C would like to thank Side by Side for their continued partnership with our daily Breakfast Club in 2025. Their support helps us in providing access for our whole school to start the day on a full stomach and ready to learn. 

Save the Dates

Tuckshop:

The Tuckshop is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for lunches. Cut off is 8:40am on the day it is ordered for. Flexischools can be used to order for both Breaks.

Please Note:

Iceblocks are no longer available on Tuesday 2nd Break.

Uniform Shop:

Uniform Shop Open TUESDAY’S 8:30am – 10:00am             Cash / Eftpos / Flexischools available

(Please allow for 1 week turn-around on all Flexischool orders).

Email  uniformshop@kinkorass.eq.edu.au with any uniform shop related queries.

Nadia Horsten
Tuckshop/Uniform Coordinator
P & C Association

School Calendar – Term 3 – 2025

Community Events & Notices

Gladstone Port to Park Fundraiser – Support Kin Kora State School!

Registrations are now open for the Gladstone Port to Park Family Fun Run! Make sure to select Kin Kora State School when you register — every entry linked to our school helps raise valuable funds to support our students.

It’s a fantastic day of fitness, fun, and community spirit — perfect for families, friends, and supporters of Kin Kora!

🗓 Date: Sunday 24^th August 2025
🔗 Register at: https://www.eventwizards.com.au/frmRegister.aspx?SeriesID=31

Let’s get behind this great event and show our Kin Kora pride!

Gladstone Salsa Dance Party

PACT – Free Parenting Support for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Adult Grief – Free 4 Week Programme

Turning into Teens Workshop – Free 6 Week Parenting Program

Circle of Security Parenting – Free 7 Week Parenting Program

Circle of Security ONLINE Program – Free 7 Week Parenting Program

Shop For Schools

Financial Resilience Service