Since the easing of the Qld Government COVID restrictions our school events have kicked off with a bang, beginning with our annual student leaders badge ceremony. It was wonderful to see our families back on school grounds and was a pleasure to have Mayor Toppin join us to present our student leaders with their badges. In 2022, our school is in the capable hands of:
School Captains: Kahlia Sellers and Mitchell Gale
Vice Captains: Aimee Fink and Zebedee Knighton
Indigenous Leaders: Zion Pitt and Cussmero Rainbow
Indigenous Ambassadors: Ayla Wigg and Jack Wenberg
Sports Captains:
Granite: Jordynn Jackson and Luke Keal
Barron: Hailey Jaszczyszyn and Cooper O'Brien
Mitchell: Trista Peckham and Zahlita Tokarahi
Instrumental Music Captain: Niah Abdalla-Caamano
Auslan Captain: Alice Gillman
While this was our first event for the term, before the end we have many events coming up including our annual cross country on Friday 25th March 9.00am, Parent-Teacher-Student interviews on Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th of March which are the same dates for our school photos as well as our inaugural Mareeba SS Spelling Bee scheduled for week 10.
Mareeba SS strives to constantly ensure that we are utilising the best teaching practices that are research-proven to support student learning. In order to achieve this, our teachers participate in termly cohort planning days, facilitated by our Heads of Department Curriculum, Mrs Valerie Dayes P-2 and Mrs Nadine Apps Years 3-6. This week our planning days have begun, providing an opportunity for teachers to intentionally collaborate to share best practices and to analyse student data to differentiate teaching styles and lessons to best support all of our learners. While these planning days may cause some disruption to daily routines for some students, the commitment and determination of our teachers to make the difference for each of our students is commendable.
Thank you to everyone who is remembering to ask their child to wait on the netball courts each morning before school. Just a reminder that students won't be allowed to eat their lunches during this time with our emergency breakfast program available for those who haven't eaten breakfast. For families wishing to wait outside their child's classroom before school, families are reminded that classrooms will be open from between 8:30-8:40am.
Our amazing P&C have been working behind the scenes with many discussions about our MSS uniform held in 2021. This year, our new broad brimmed hats are on sale from the uniform shop along with many other uniform and school items. Mareeba SS, together with our P&C, set high standards in relation to our school uniform and includes:
-a jade school shirt or coloured MSS sports shirt
-black shorts
-MSS checked dress for girls
-Broad-brimmed hat
Our Year 6 students are also permitted to wear their 2022 senior shirts once they arrive. Please assist us to keep all our students sun safe and healthy by ensuring that your children are equipped with these items. It is also a great help if these items are clearly labelled. Be sure to visit the uniform shop to grab your child a sports shirt for Cross Country!
Last night our MSS P&C held their final General Meeting before hosting the 2022 AGM. Last night we saw changes to the executive committee with both Mrs Ivona Carusi and Mrs Tracy Marcel stepping down as P&C President and Vice President. These ladies have done a tremendous job and we thank them greatly for their hard work and dedication. With that said, we welcomed Mrs Jacinta Rea as President and Mrs Jess Gallaher as Vice President. Mrs Liv Battistin is continuing on as Treasurer as is Mrs Tracy Read as Secretary. I look forward to working with our 2022 executive committee.
Finally, students were reminded on parade of the importance of organising different ways to get home if it's raining and to find alternatives to swimming in our flooded creeks and rivers this time of year with our key message is 'If it's flooded, forget it'. Families are reminded to let our office know if you have moved or changed your phone numbers recently so we can contact families if needed, particularly if alternate arrangements are required for students to get home safely each afternoon.
Hannah Simpson
Principal
Mareeba State School