Term 3 - Week 8 - Tuesday 2nd September 2025

Principal News

Hi everyone, welcome to Week 8!

End of Term

As the end of the Term approaches it is vital that parents ensure students are at school (when they are well) so that they can ensure maximum participation in learning and assessment. Strong student attendance is the pre-cursor to successful learning.

Book Week

“Book an Adventure” was the theme of this year’s Book Week. It was fantastic to see our students and staff dress up as we celebrate a fundamental skill that opens many opportunities for students. Reading is very definitely a key focus at Kin Kora, and this is a way we celebrate our students as great readers. Our school Facebook page has some great pics to share!

Enrolments for Next Year

KKSS would like to remind any families who will be enrolling students for next year that you need to complete your enrolment as soon as possible. You can download an Enrolment Form from our school website, or paper packs are available to collect from the Office. Please return to our Admin staff so we can arrange interview times.

Also, if there are any current Prep to Year 5 families leaving KKSS at the end of this school year, we request you notify the school Office of this as soon as possible.

Planning for next year is underway and we need accurate information to ensure appropriate decisions can be made concerning staffing and class compositions.

Literacy at KKSS

Some great press recently as the Department featured our Literacy Improvement Story in our State-wide news. Read about the great work happening in our classrooms, every day. We should be proud! 

Before School Bell Times

• The official start of the day is 8:55am when classes commence.
• We are routinely seeing students arriving at school, unsupervised, before 8.00am. This is a long time to wait for the day to commence. It increases the likelihood of issues and accidents when children are here for a long period of time.  Students arriving before Duty starts should be accessing Outside School Hours Care - School is not to be viewed as a free care facility please. For details of booking into OSHC – please see https://www.helpinghandsnetwork.com.au/find-us/kin-kora-state-school/
• Parents are asked to ensure that the arrival time at school, via drop off or transit, is approximately 8.30am. Students and parents are asked to wait in the covered area at the Tuckshop at this time. 
• There are staff on Duty at the Tuckshop covered area from 8.30am.
• At 8.40am students will be released from the covered area at the Tuckshop. This will allow some time to prepare, unpack, go to the toilet, get a drink, etc.
• As soon as teachers open their doors, students are able to enter the room and prepare for the day.  Otherwise, students are asked to wait quietly at their classroom.

QParents – Get Connected Now!

Everything in one place – excursion forms, payments, medical details, absence reporting, and early access to report cards. Fast. Easy. No follow-up texts.

Not on QParents yet? Call or visit the office today – you’ll be set up in minutes!

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 and get your child’s unique EQID number by emailing admin@kinkorass.eq.edu.au or by phoning (07) 4971 5111. We will then email you an invitation to register (which includes your log-in code)

Goal: 90% of families signed up to QParents.
Current: 71.28% families signed up to QParents.

Current Percentages by Year Level

Jorgen Neilson
Principal

Deputy Principal (Year 3 to Year 6)

Parent Teacher Interviews

Classroom teachers are currently inviting families for parent teacher interviews on Monday 8th September from 3.15pm – 5.00pm (Week 9) and Tuesday 16th September from 3.15pm – 5.00pm (Week 10).

To make a booking, go to www.schoolinterviews.com.au and click on "Make a Booking" and enter the code nm4cd. If you have trouble making a booking, please contact your child's teacher.

📚 Why Parent-Teacher Interviews Matter
Parent-teacher interviews are more than just a routine check-in — they are a valuable opportunity to:

✅ Strengthen the Home-School Partnership
These meetings create a direct line of communication between families and teachers, fostering a team approach to your child’s academic and personal development.

✅ Gain Insight into Your Child’s Progress
Teachers can share key updates about your child’s achievements, learning habits, classroom behaviour, and areas for growth that may not always be visible through report cards.

✅ Address Concerns Early
Interviews provide a space to raise concerns or ask questions. Early intervention can make a big difference in addressing academic or social-emotional challenges.

✅ Set Goals Together
By working with teachers, you can help set realistic, personalised goals that keep your child motivated and on track.

Your involvement makes a difference. We encourage every parent and caregiver to attend - your voice and perspective are essential to your child’s success.

Year 7 Enrolment Packs for 2026

The 2026 Year 7 Enrolment Packs are now available to collect from the Toolooa State High School & Gladstone State High School offices. If you have a current Year 6 student heading to TSHS or GSHS next year, please collect, complete and return your Enrolments direct to the High School.

Year 7 Transition 2026

Positive Behaviour for Learning

At our school we know that learning goes beyond reading, writing and maths. Equipping our students with the skills to manage friendships, resolve disagreements and communicate respectfully is just as important. That’s why this Term we have been reinforcing the High 5 Strategy as a practical way for students to handle conflict in a safe and constructive manner.

The High 5 Strategy is a simple, age-appropriate approach that encourages students to try five steps before seeking adult help (unless the situation is unsafe). The steps are:

1. Ignore – If it’s a minor issue, sometimes walking away is the best option.
2. Talk Friendly – Use a calm voice to express how you feel.
3. Talk Firmly – Be more direct and assertive if the problem continues.
4. Walk Away – Remove yourself from the situation if talking hasn’t worked.
5. Report – If the problem persists or becomes serious, tell a trusted adult.

Our staff are actively modelling and reminding students of these steps in classrooms and the playground. We have found it’s a great way to build resilience and problem-solving skills, while also reducing the number of ongoing conflicts.

You can support this learning at home by asking your child about the High 5 Strategies and encouraging them to use it when faced with everyday disagreements. It is a wonderful tool that promotes respectful communication, responsibility, and self-regulation - skills they’ll carry with them well beyond the school gates.

Thank you, as always, for partnering with us to support your child’s growth—academically, socially, and emotionally.

Andrew Shonhan
3-6 Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal (Prep to Year 2)

Reading at Home

One of the best ways to support your child’s learning is to read with them every day. It doesn’t have to be long - 10 minutes makes a real difference. Bedtime stories are wonderful, but reading can also happen while cooking, shopping, or sharing a picture book on the couch. The important thing is that children hear stories and see reading as part of everyday life.

Attendance Matters

Every day at school counts. When children miss a day, they miss learning, routine, and time with their friends. Over time, even a day here or there adds up. Of course, if your child is sick they should stay home, but otherwise we ask families to make being at school on time, every day, a priority. Regular attendance helps set children up for success.

Do you have a child starting Prep in 2026?

If your child was born between 1^st July 2020 and 30^th June 2021, they are eligible to enrol for Prep next year. 🌟 Enrol now for your chance to win! 🌟 Collect an Enrolment Pack from the office and return it before the end of Term 3 to go into the draw to win a school uniform. Feel free to share this with your family and friends to spread the word. 

Our Step into Prep Transition Sessions have now begun! These sessions give your child the chance to explore classrooms, meet teachers, and make new friends, helping them feel confident and excited about starting school. If you have any questions about Prep 2026, please contact our Prep Transition Officer Kahlee McCarthy, at kcoll193@eq.edu.au. As we prepare to welcome our 2026 Prep students, we are going to share some tips to help your child feel confident and ready for school. 

Erin Morgan
Prep-2 Deputy Principal (Acting)

Guidance Gossip

Family Fun Day (Gladstone)

Amy McDonald
Guidance Officer

Library News

Book Club Issue 6 – Orders Closing Soon!

Don’t miss out on the latest Book Club! Orders close on Wednesday 3^rd September.

Your child/children will have recently brought home a Book Club catalogue. Inside you will find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. The books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests, with some books costing as little as $3. Each order helps earn free books for our school library.

How to order:

• Download the Scholastic LOOP app on your mobile phone

or

• Log in at Scholastic.com.au and follow the instructions

Your child’s order is submitted directly to the school and books will be delivered to classrooms and collected from the library.

Please note: No cash or cheque payments are taken at school. You can only order via the LOOP App.

Happy reading!

Nadia Winning
Librarian – Resource Centre

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 and formed part of the agreement parents signed at the beginning of tuition! Please let your child’s tutor know when you will be unable to attend.

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

Junior Orchestra (for all 2025 recruits) NOW rehearse Friday morning with the

Senior Orchestra - 7.45am.

Seniors Strings rehearse every Thursday 2^nd break – DON’T FORGET YOUR INSTRUMENT!!!

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 7:45am.

Thanks to those students who REGULARLY attend this early morning rehearsal!!!

CHOIR RESULTS! 2025 GLADSTONE EISTEDDFOD

Grade 4D – Verse Speaking choir – FIRST 90 points

Grade 1 /2 choir – FIRST 93 points

Grade 3 / 4 choir – FIRST 92 points

Grade 5 /6 choir – FIRST 91 points.

We are extremely proud of our performances and the students, and Mrs Wilkinson and Ms M are THRILLED with the results. Thank you everyone for your support throughout the year.

Our next ventures will be

1. Junior Adventures Group Family Fun Day – Saturday 13th September – (note heading home Monday 1^st September), for the 3/ 4 choir, at the Philip Street Community Precinct.
2.  Week 10  Monday 15^th September- Good to Great parade performance – 4D Verse Speaking choir.
3. Mayor’s Carols Performance – Friday 5 December, 5.30pm – 8.00pm at the Gladstone Port Corporations Marina Parklands.

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 a week:

1. Monday 8^th September – for all Beginner students in Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and Strings – 10.15am – 3.15pm.
2. Tuesday 9^th September – for all level 2 and 3 String students. 8.00am – 3.15pm Level 3 Woodwind Brass students.
3. Friday 12^th September – all remaining Brass, Woodwind and Percussion students – 8.00am – 1.00pm (approx).

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.

Do our QSO workshop dates clash with Life Ed visits - Healthy Harold?

99% of our STRING and BAND students WILL NOT have any clashes with Life Ed sessions. All our students’ classes will be attending Healthy Harold on different days of Week 8, 9 and 10 so that they can attend both activities. There was a small amount of String students (5) and 2 Beginner Band students, who were impacted by a clash. They have now been allocated to a different day, so students can attend BOTH excursions!

 Permission notes for the QSO workshops are due Wednesday 3^rd of September. Notes can be collected from the office if you need another copy.

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. 

We are excited to have several events happening in the coming weeks starting with our ever-popular Tuckshop Treat Day on Thursday 4^th September. Get in quick to avoid disappointment with preordering available now on FlexiSchools.

Our Father’s Day stall is on again Thursday 4^th September. Make Dad feel special by bringing along cash in a clearly named envelope or ziplock bag. Students will be visiting the stall throughout the day with their class. Also open to the public 2:45pm to 3:30pm.

It’s DISCO time! Thursday 11^th September will be the afternoon to party. Prep to Year 2 you are first up with doors opening at 4.00pm until 5.30pm followed by Year 3 to Year 6 doors open 6.00pm to 7.30pm. CASH ONLY $5 entry fee per student. This is a supervised event with students not being able to leave the COLA without a parent. Pre orders for pizza and cash cards will be available on FlexiSchools soon. Cash and EFTPOS available on the night for Glow items, Snacks and Drinks.

Volunteers are needed for both Father’s Day Stall and Disco. If you are available to help out in any way either for the lead up or on the day/night please email pandc@kinkorass.eq.edu.au these events can’t happen without a small village.

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

Lost Property Box

The school’s big red Lost Property Box out the back of the Administration building is overflowing with un-named lost property. There are lunch boxes, plastic containers, drink bottles, hats, jackets, jumpers etc. Please ensure to come and check for your student’s missing things as soon as possible as due to the volume of items we will have to start disposing of un-named articles shortly.

School Calendar – Term 3 – 2025

Community Events & Notices

Community & Family Fun Day (Calliope)

Gladstone Junior Cricket

Magpie Season Information

Council urges the community to stay safe during swooping bird breeding season from July to November, with peak swooping activity taking place from August to October.

While being swooped can be scary, there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce safety risks to young children and the community.

 Some native bird species, including magpies, plovers, butcherbirds, and crows, are well known to swoop during the spring breeding season. Swooping may occur from July to November, peaking between August and October. When native bird species have eggs or young in their nest, a small percentage can become protective and may swoop people entering their nesting territory. Research suggests aggressive swooping occurs when the birds have had previous negative interactions with humans, for example, had stones or sticks thrown at them, their chicks, or their nests.

 Some ways to manage swooping bird interactions during the breeding season are to:

• Avoid swooping hotspots and find an alternative route by consulting the ‘Gladstone Regional Council Swooping bird hotspot web map’ (https://www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/wildlife) Or https://www.magpiealert.com/
• Ensure children wear appropriate headwear (helmets, hats, umbrellas), eyewear (glasses, sunglasses) and clothing to help protect them from unwanted swooping risks.  
• Ensure children avoid threatening or scaring nesting birds, as this will increase the intensity of swooping.
• For more information about swooping birds and tips to avoid being swooped, a ‘Living with Magpies’ fact sheet and an interactive swooping bird hotspot map, jump on Council’s website https://www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/wildlife#swooping.

Additionally, Council manages swooping birds by providing community awareness and information, undertaking swooping bird assessments, and implementing an appropriate response on Council-controlled land. If your establishment has a problem with a swooping bird, you may contact a licensed wildlife contractor to assess the bird for relocation. Please note that Council is unable to respond to swooping bird complaints on private or state-controlled land.

 If you have any questions or wish to discuss this further, please contact the Environment & Conservation team on 07 4970 0700.

Financial Resilience Service