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Issue 1 Friday 7 February 2025

Principal Mark Winrow

It is so wonderful to be back where I belong – at Carbrook State School. I was thrilled to see so many happy, familiar faces enter the gate last Tuesday and was humbled by the warm greetings. This is such a special community to lead.

I must start by acknowledging the dedication of the teachers and teacher aides who returned a week earlier than the students to engage in professional learning to stay up to date with the evidence-based research to deliver the highest possible quality education to your children. Our support staff also returned early to ensure the students returned to an organised and safe environment. Every effort was made by the team to welcome the children with open arms on Day 1 with enthusiasm.

Welcome

I would like to extend a warm welcome to the families who join our school for the first time. You will find that your children will come first when they are at Carbrook. The staff will stop at nothing to keep them safe and to grow their minds and hearts. They will become confident, strong and independent learners, with a compassion and tolerance for others. I encourage you to keep open and honest communication with the school. We always consider your trust in us with your most prized possessions a privilege.

2025 Priorities

Our core business is always teaching and learning the Australian Curriculum. To do this effectively, we always have priorities for the year to focus our attention.

We have two priorities for 2025:

Improve student reading outcomes by developing and implementing a whole school reading framework based on the latest evidence,
Improve student engagement in learning by reviewing our Positive Behaviour for Learning program and developing a whole school approach to pedagogy.

Our teachers and teacher aides are demonstrating their own life-long learning by changing the way they have taught reading (some for many years). This requires a lot of courage and humility and I admire them for embracing the challenge. As we know more and hone our new skills, we will be sharing this new approach with families later in the year.

A key part of our engagement and wellbeing strategy is launching our ABCs of Carbrook. The official launch of this will be at our Heart of Carbrook Day which I encourage all families to attend and actively participate in.

Cohort Structures

One of the ways we will achieve our goals is with our cohort structures. Each year level cohort is blessed with two class teachers, a fulltime inclusion teacher and a teacher aide. This team collaborates weekly to plan tailored learning episodes for students based on best practice and individual data. They then collaborate to put these plans into action. We are also pleased to offer an additional intervention role specifically to help our P-2 develop the necessary skills read with comprehension.

P&C

We are extremely lucky to have an active and supportive P&C at our school. This team of parents meet monthly with me to help guide the school and support the education of your children. They also provide a number of services we cannot provide ourselves and offer events for our kids to make their schooling memorable. All parents are encouraged to join the P&C and would be welcomed with open arms. The support you offer may be to attend meetings or simply volunteer to help at events. Everything they do is to support the learning and wellbeing of the students, staff and families of our school.

Communication

There may be times through the year when you need to contact the school, and times when we will need to contact parents. It is important to us that we work together in a calm, solutions focussed way. Conflict is always going to happen when 350 children are together. Our job as adults, is to model how to resolve conflict in a respectful, calm way that does not harm relationships. I ask that you avoid contacting the school when emotional. Take the time to calm and reflect and be open to two sides of every story. In my many years of experience, I know that the truth lies somewhere between both sides.

Deputy Principal Kerry-Ann Reese

Welcome back to a new and exciting school year. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break, creating wonderful memories with family and friends. As we begin this new academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome to both our returning families and those joining our school community for the first time.

At Carbrook State School, we are committed to providing a supportive and engaging learning environment where every student feels valued and encouraged to achieve their best. Our dedicated team of teachers and staff have been working hard to prepare an enriching curriculum and a range of programs designed to foster academic growth, creativity, and well-being.

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is essential for student success. Throughout the year, we will keep you informed through regular communication, including newsletters, emails, and opportunities to connect through parent-teacher meetings and school events. We encourage you to be actively involved in your child’s learning journey and welcome any feedback or questions you may have.

We are also excited to invite the school community to our Heart of Carbrook Day, a special event dedicated to fostering positive relationships within our school community. This day will be filled with activities designed to strengthen connections between students, parents, and staff, emphasizing the values of being caring, collaborative, curious and courageous.

Every year on 14 February, our school celebrates the unique culture and spirit of Carbrook through this community event which we fondly refer to as ‘The Heart of Carbrook Day’.

At 9 o'clock students will check in with their teacher, organise their belongings for the day and class rolls will be marked. Teachers will escort classes down to the undercover area, where they will engage in activities from 9.15am. There will be various activities spread out throughout the school.

We encourage our students and members of the community to wear RED on this day. We look forward to seeing you all on our first community event for the year.

The P&C will be opening the café for parents to enjoy freshly brewed coffee and tea.

From 11am, students can purchase a delicious sausage sizzle for $3.50.

Please bring cash on the day, as pre-orders are not available.

We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead, filled with learning, growth, and success for all our students. Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to working together to make this year a memorable and rewarding one for our school community.

School Carpark Protocols

At 3pm collection, teachers will escort classes to the undercover area and dismiss children to allow them to walk to the appropriate pick up zones as outlined below. Parents, you will need to nominate a pick-up zone and discuss this pick-up point with your child/ren so they are aware of where they will be collected in the afternoons.

Students need to be responsible for looking out for parents and/or the vehicle they are being collected in. When students are waiting in the pickup zones, students will not be permitted to play games, participate in drawing or reading activities or eat food. Students are to ensure they are keeping an eye on parents coming to collect them. This will ensure for a prompt collection and less congestion in the pick-up zones.

Pick up / (kiss and go) zones

These zones are designed for parents to collect and go immediately after children are dismissed at 3pm. It is a 2 min loading zone only. Parents are to remain in their cars and children need to enter the car independently from the left hand side of the car from the footpath. Cars are expected to move up in the queue when a car leaves the queue. .
This zone is not suitable for children requiring assistance to get into a car or who need to put bags or equipment in the boot of the car. No child or parent is to be on the road in these zones. This is for safety reasons. If your children require assistance to enter the car and place baggage in the back of the car, please ensure that you park, collect children and escort your children to the car.

Parking

Children will not be permitted to walk from any pickup zone to a parked car in the carparks. If you are parking in either of the carparks, you will be required to collect your children from the nominated zones as indicated below.

Zone 1:

This is a zone where students will be not be permitted to wait in, however a staff member will be rostered on this zone to supervise students exiting from gates 3 and 2 and walking to cars queued in the kiss and go pick up zones.

Zone 2:

Students will exit gate 3 as indicated on the map and walk and wait with the supervisor at that zone.
This zone is a 2 min loading zone. Parents are to remain in their vehicles and children will be required to enter the car from the left hand side of the car and will not be permitted to walk around the back of the car to enter the other side of the car or to place bags or equipment in the boot. This is for safety reasons.
If your child is not there within 2 mins of students being dismissed, you will be required to either park and collect or do a lap and return back to this zone. This is to help the flow of traffic.
This pickup point would be suitable for parents wanting to exit the school turning left onto Beenleigh Redland Bay Road.
Students will be permitted to walk along the footpath to the end of the pickup. There will be a staff member on duty to supervise students walking safely to their cars (this staff member will be located in zone 1 on the map)

Zone 3:

This pickup point is for students being collected from the main carpark drive through pick up (kiss and go zone)
If your child is not there within 2 mins of students being dismissed, you will be required to either park and collect or do a lap and return back to this zone. This is to help the flow of traffic.
Students being collected in the kiss and go pick up zone will be permitted to exit the school from gate 1 and 2 and walk along the footpath to enter the car for collection.
This zone is the grassed area in front of the administration building.
This zone is the pickup point for those parents parking in the main carpark as well. Students will not be permitted to walk to cars parked in the carpark. Parents must greet their student at the pickup point and walk them to the car.

Zone 4:

This zone is the pickup point for students catching buses from Beenleigh Redland Bay Road.
As there is no parking along the Beenleigh Redland Bay Road, only children using public transport are to wait at this zone for collection.

To ensure the safety of all students, staff, and families, we ask that all parents and caregivers adhere to the following carpark protocols:

Observe the Speed Limit: Please drive slowly and be vigilant of community members walking through the carpark.
Follow Traffic Arrows: Enter and exit the carpark according to the designated arrows to maintain a smooth and safe flow of traffic.
Use Pick-Up Zones Correctly: The designated pick-up zones should be used for quick drop-offs and pick-ups. Please do not park or leave your vehicle unattended in these areas.
Be Patient and Courteous: Safety is our priority, and we appreciate your cooperation in ensuring a safe environment for everyone.

QParents

iHUB News

HPE Warwick Cook

My name is Mr Cook and I’ll be your child’s Health and Physical Education teacher at Carbrook State School. I have been teaching HPE in schools for the last 20+ years and can’t wait to see what students at Carbrook can do in this key learning area.

You can find me out on the oval, being sun safe, teaching all sorts of fundamental movement skills to our students or in the health classroom creating knowledge and awareness of health, safety, and wellbeing.

Programs offered in 2025:

Running Club – Students from Year 2 to Year 6, Thursday mornings at 8am outside the sports shed. Students learn a range of running drills and fundamental skills while completing different challenges throughout the school year. Term 1 Challenge is “We do K’s on Thursdays! How far can you go?
GALA Days - These events are run in Semester One and Two. Students from Year 5 & 6 will nominate for their sport through their classroom teacher.
Representative School Sport Pathways - eligible for students in Years 4, 5 and 6. Students interested in representing our school at a higher level in their chosen sport, should contact Mr Cook as soon as possible. These are not “come and try days” Participation in this pathway is based on their age, student performance in their chosen sport and upholding school behaviour expectations. Further updates will be communicated via the school Facebook page.
Cross Country Trials - Year 4-6 students can take part in running a long-distance course around our school in Term 1, Week 8. The top 5 runners in each age group are then invited to participate at the Beenleigh Zone Cross Country Championships held in Term 2.
Athletic Carnivals - Prep-Year 6 - carnivals will take place Term 2. Keep an eye out on the school Facebook page for timetables and event information for when you can attend.
School Water Safety Week

Prep-Year 3 participate in five swimming lessons by qualified learn to swim instructors in Term 4

Year 4-6 participate in beach safety days co-ordinated by Surf Live Saving QLD at one of our local Gold Coast beaches in Term 4.

If you have any further questions about HPE at Carbrook State School, please don’t hesitate to contact me wcook18@eq.edu.au

Carbrook State School

Representative Sport Pathway – Semester 1 2025

Below is a list of sports that students at Carbrook State School (born 2015, 2014, 2013) can trial for in Semester 1 2025.

It is important to know that these are NOT “come and try” days. These trials are for students who wish to represent the school at a higher level in their chosen sport. Generally, students attending these trials are playing this sport on weekends and their skill levels are quite high.

The nomination process for each sport is quite simple. All nominations must be completed and submitted by Carbrook State School. Club coaches/managers cannot submit nominations on your behalf.

A digital booklet is required to attend ALL trials. This booklet will be emailed home for you to complete and take with you to the trial. This booklet must be signed by Mr Winrow and Mr Cook before attending the trial.

No booklet = No trial

Below is a list of all sports on offer in Semester 1 2025. Cut offs for nominations are generally 2 weeks prior to the trial date listed below. To avoid disappointment please see or contact Mr Cook for the necessary information. Don’t leave it too late!

If you have any questions regarding this process or any of the trials mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to email me (wcook18@eq.edu.au) or visit my office before or after school.

Warwick Cook - HPE Teacher – Carbrook State School

Music Melissa Dillon

Welcome back to 2025.

We have another exciting year ahead in the music department. We have started the year strong with all classes participating in singing, beat and rhythm activities. This term, students in Year 1 to Year 6 will be focusing on singing and composing. Students will be involved in a variety of songs, rhymes, chants, stories and games to develop their singing skills. They will be exposed to written music (notation) and begin to develop their music reading skills. Our prep students will be welcomed with many nursery rhyme storybooks, sing-alongs and encouraged to explore their different voice types (whispering, speaking and singing).

Choir

Students in Years 2 to 6 are invited to join the Carbrook State School choir. Our first public performance will be the ANZAC parade held in early Term 2. This is a free program offered to our students. It will require a single lunch time rehearsal each week for students to attend. A message will be posted on the school Facebook page, as well as sent to classrooms, for rehearsal details once they have been finalised with Administration.

Instrumental news

We welcome back Ms Hayley Frost (band – Thursdays). Ms Hannah Baker (strings – Fridays) will be joining our team this year as Mr Luke Bushell has returned to classroom music teaching, welcome Ms Baker. Both strings and band will start their lessons in Week 3. Forms and invoices will be received shortly. To ensure students receive their hire instrument as soon as possible, please make these payments and return forms promptly. No instruments will be able to go home until forms and fees have been paid. Timetables for these programs will be on the music room window and Mrs Dillon’s office window (other side of the music block) in Week 3. It will also be emailed to classroom teachers.

We look forward to your ongoing support of our students this year as they continue their musical journey.

Please feel free to contact Mrs Dillon at mbudd20@eq.edu.au if you have any concerns or questions.

ARTS/ Technology Kat Boobyer

MOVE - IT Mondays

First Nations Committee

Barna Jarjum Champion 2025 - by Erica Witt

Jingeri jimbelung! My name is Erica Witt, and I am proud to be Carbrook’s Barna Jarjum Champion for 2025. In collaboration with the South East Regional First Nations Partnerships and Programs Team, the Barna Jarjum Champion aims to develop culturally responsive practices that improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Working alongside the school’s leadership team, staff, and community, my role is to create an inclusive framework focused on enhancing student outcomes and teaching practices.

I accept this role with humility, as I believe in the power of collective effort. I am fortunate to be supported by a dedicated team of staff and community members who strive to ensure that the educational experience for all students is equitable and engaging. The First Nations Committee is committed to improving the cultural engagement of both staff and students, building relationships with First Nations families and the broader community, and integrating First Nations perspectives into teaching and the school environment.

In 2024, our team worked on creating and publishing the school’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). A group of our jarjums (students) also worked with the regional First Nations team to develop an Acknowledgement of Country:

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Gugingin Country. We pay our respects to Elders who have gone before us for sharing stories, knowledge, culture and language. We acknowledge the ancestors and the importance of the Logan River, wetlands, flora and fauna connected to this land. Always was and always will be a place of learning.

This year, we aim to participate in the SER NAIDOC Showcase scheduled for Week 9 of Term 2. We are also excited to welcome First Nations author, illustrator, and musician Gregg Dreise to our school. On June 4th and 5th, Gregg will lead a two-day workshop with students focused on storytelling (for P-3) and illustration (for grades 4-6).

Community participation is essential to our success, and we would like to hear from our First Nations families. We invite you to join our First Nations Committee, which meets once per term in the morning before the first bell. If you want to learn more about the Committee and its initiatives or introduce yourself, please do not hesitate to reach out. All interests and enquiries are welcome; an engaged and proactive community is key to our success.