2012-02-03 - Meridan State College - Education Queensland

Meridan State College Newsletter 

Learning Today, Creating Tomorrow 

214 Parklands Boulevard, Meridan Plains Caloundra Qld 4551 

Phone: 07 5490 2666 | Fax: 07 5490 2600 

Email: enquiry@meridansc.eq.edu.au | Web: http://www.meridansc.eq.edu.au/wcmss/ 

3 February 2012 

Message from the College Director 

& Principals 

Dear Parents and Carers 

Welcome back! I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing 

break and feel rested and energised for the year ahead. A very 

special welcome to all of our new families. We are delighted you 

have chosen our College and assure you we will do everything in 

our power to ensure your children settle in quickly and happily. 

It was wonderful to walk around our College on the first morning 

and see how smoothly and calmly the year had started for all 

of our students. Everyone from our little Preppies to our new 

Seniors were happy and ready for school. Of course, this is 

largely due to all the work our wonderful staff has put into 

preparing for the start of school. But it is also thanks to the 

great job all of you have done in making sure your children have 

everything they need and were looking forward to the start of 

school. 

Jess H, Rachael S, Natalie, Jayden L, Tiarne J, Taylor B, 

Lauren F, Ayeesha A, Jessica B, Tom B, Chris C. 

YEAR 12 ‘CLAP IN’ 

Our big excitement this year is the opening of our Year 12 which 

makes our Prep to Year 12 College complete. At last we’ve 

arrived! To celebrate this occasion we held a whole of College 

‘Clap In’ – all of our students, even our first day Preppies, lined 

the paths leading from Prep through Middle School to Senior 

School and ‘clapped in’ our Year 12 students! This was such a 

wonderful experience for everyone that it has now become a 

new tradition for our College. 

AUDIT RESULTS 

Foundation Year 12 students – Day 1 

I hope you felt as proud as we did when the Education 

Queensland Audit results for all schools across the State were 

published in the media last weekend Meridan achieved one 

‘Outstanding’, six ‘Highs’ and one ‘Medium’! Our College was not 

only the highest performing Prep -Year 12 school state-wide, we 

also tied as the top performing school with secondary students 

in all of Queensland! We knew we had done well in the Audit but 

we didn’t know how we compared with other schools until last 

weekend. Of course, credit for these wonderful results must be 

given to our dedicated staff who always go the extra mile for our 

students. 

ENROLMENT INCREASE AGAIN! 

Nick E, Mitch S, Dean B, Jack M 

Sarah M, Jack M, Tobi F, Chantelle M, Emily B, Josh C and 

Jack E 

Our enrolment numbers have exceeded expectations once again 

and we have enrolled 330 new students! We now have over 

2,000 students enrolled which is quite amazing when you think 

that we opened our beautiful College with just 270 students just 

6 years ago. With the opening of Year 12 we now have a much 

larger Senior School population and the Middle School has also 

increased in numbers. We were expecting that our numbers 

would start to level out in the Junior School this year but once 

again we have 6 prep classes and 7 ½ classes in Grade 3, our 

biggest year level! Once again this year we enrolled over 100 

new students in the week before school started. This must 

surely be a record for our region! Much as we are delighted to 

welcome new students to our college such an influx meant that 

new classes had to be created, classrooms changed and new 

teachers employed. This is why we can’t publish class lists and 

teachers at the end of the year – they always change! Thank 

This Newsletter is provided to Meridan State College with the great support of the local business community. 

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Meridan State College Newsletter

you to the parents who were so understanding when we had to 

change their child’s class and teacher. Rest assured that the 

benefits of being in a smaller class far outweigh the short term 

disruption of changing classes. 

WELCOME NEW STAFF 

We are also delighted to welcome over 30 new staff members, 

too many to mention by name. We are particularly pleased to 

welcome three new Heads of Department, Michelle Lyons, Ross 

Stewart and Peter Lawrence. They bring a wealth of talent and 

experience to our staff and we are so lucky to continue to attract 

such quality staff to Meridan. Welcome, all! 

BUSY TERM ALREADY! 

This year promises to be just as busy as last year and our 

Middle, Senior and Junior Schools have hit the road running 

having already held their swimming carnivals which were a huge 

success with perfect weather. On Friday we will be holding our 

first whole of College Investiture 

THANK YOU! 

So many of our new families tell us that they’ve chosen our 

College because they have heard so many wonderful reports 

about it! We don’t need a big advertising budget like the private 

schools when we have parents like you who are so ready to 

promote our school. Word of mouth is always the most effective 

form of advertising, thank you all! 

‘A True Meridan Family! 

The Brockhurst family has attended Meridan State College since 

our foundation year in 2006 and now has children in all three 

subschools from Prep to Senior School!’ It’s amazing to think 

how quickly our College has grown. 

Tuesday 14 

Wednesday 

15 

Thursday 16 

Friday 17 

Friday 17 

Tuesday 21 

Wednesday 

22 

Tuesday 13 

SATURDAY 24 

Junior School Photographs 

Junior School Photographs 

Senior School Photographs 

Form the NAIDOC Week Planning Committee – 3pm 

Family Group Photographs 

Brainstorm Performance – Ssports Performance Centre 

Catch-up day for School Photographs 

Coastal District Swimming Carnival – Cotton Tree Pool 

Complex 

March 2012 

Years 1 & 4 Swimming Starts 

MERIDAN EASTER FIESTA – A fun filled family day not to 

be missed!!!! 

Welcome from our College Office 

Teams 

On behalf of our administration teams in our College Offices - 

the Executive Centre, Client Services and Middle/Senior School 

Offices – we would like to welcome you back to the College for 

2012. We would especially like to offer a warm welcome to all 

our new families who have needed to work with us in so many 

ways to commence your new association with our College. We 

trust that we have been able to assist you and your students an 

easy transition into our great College. 

As we have kept you informed last year we are now working with 

a totally new system in Education Queensland called OneSchool. 

This is the first time that we have commenced a school year 

under this new system. Whilst we are still learning more about 

it everyday we are working hard and fast to ensure that our 

College records are as up to date as possible. 

With hundreds of new students needing their details to be added 

and payments to be made, new offices and buildings to be set 

up and throw in a flood or two we have certainly had a full on 

start to the year! We look forward to working with you this year 

and we aim to give you as an efficient service as we can with the 

limited human resources that we have. 

From your Business Services Managers 

Colleen Bryce (Human Resources and Community Relations) and 

Shannan Gniel (Facilities and Finance) 

Regards 

Julie Kornmann 

College Director 

Sue Esposito 

Principal - Junior 

School 

Meridan Diary 

Leasa Smith 

Principal - Middle 

School 

Notes to Parents & Events that are happening! 

Tuesday 7 

Tuesday 7 

Wednesday 8 

Monday 13 

Monday 13 

February 2012 

Karen McCord 

Principal - Senior 

School 

Junior School Parent Partnership 

Session 1 - 5.30pm-6.10pm 

Session 2 – 6.15pm – 6.55pm 

P & C Meeting 7.00 – Rainforest Retreat 

Middle School Parent Partnership Evening – 5.00pm 

Photo Money Due by 8.40am – Client Services 

Middle School Photographs 

Shannan Gniel 

Business Services Manager 

Facilities and Finance 

COLLEGE CONTACT: 

214 Parklands Boulevard 

Meridan Plains Qld 4551 

Postal: PO Box 3908 

Caloundra DC Qld 4551 

Ph: 07 5490 2666 

Fax: 07 5490 2600 

Middle School Fax: 5490 2667 

Client Services Fax: 5490 2602 

Email: enquiry@meridansc.eq.edu.au 

Website: www.meridansc.eq.edu.au 

Colleen Bryce 

Business Services Manager 

Human Resources and 

Community Relations 


2

College Director: Julie Kornmann 

Junior School Principal: Susan Esposito 

Middle School Principal: Leasa Smith 

Senior School Principal: Karen McCord 

Junior School Deputy Principal: Jenny Williams, Lisa Cutter & 

Amanda White 

Middle/Senior School Principal: Glenn McIntosh 

Business Service Managers: Shannan Gniel & Colleen Bryce 

Administration Officers: Linda Fraser, Michelle Davies, Lou 

Canov, Lee Gray & Janet Harrison, Elisa-Jayne Brown, Vicki 

Blumsky 

P&C ASSOCIATION 

President: Amanda Gibbs 

Vice President: Lee Bundgaard 

Secretary: Thor McElligott 

Treasurer: Jo-Anne Grubb 

Assistant Treasurer: Vacant 

The P&C meets first Tuesday of each month at 7.00pm in the 

Rainforest Retreat. 

EXECUTIVE CENTRE OFFICE HOURS 

Monday to Friday 8.00am - 3.30pm 

CLIENT SERVICES 


MIDDLE SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS 


CASHIER OFFICE HOURS 

Monday – Friday 8.00am – 11.30am 

Please Note: The minimum amount for a credit card transaction 

is $10.00 

UNIFORM SHOP HOURS 

Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8.00am - 10.00am 

PRE-LOVED UNIFORM SHOP 

Tuesday: 2.00 - 3.30pm 

Thursday: 2:00 - 3.30pm 

Friday: 8:15 - 10.00am 

Situated in the Old Tuckshop in the large undercover area 

RAINFOREST CAFÉ 

Open Monday - Friday 

Convenor: Jo Lundie 

Assistant Convenors: Julie Allen, Melanie Dean 

Ph: 5490 2668 

Fax: 5490 2669 

ASSEMBLY 

Monday Year 4 - 6 (Junior School) 2.20 pm 

Monday Year 7 - 9 (Community - Middle) 8.45 am 

Monday Year 10-11 (Senior School) 8.45 am 

Tuesday Prep - Year 3 (Junior School) 2.20 pm 

Friday Year 7 - 9 (Mentor -Middle School) 8:45 am 

STUDENT ABSENCE LINES 

Junior School Prep - Year 6 5490 2660 

Middle School Year 7, 8 & 9 5490 2688 

Senior School Year 10 & 11 5490 2799 

Message from the Junior School 

Principal 

Dear Parents and Carers 

Welcome 

It is such a joy to welcome our new families to our magnificent 

Meridan State College. It is heart-warming to see our Meridan 

students making them feel at home. The preps have also settled 


in so well. In my visits to their classrooms I’m amazed at how 

they are already transitioning to different activities with relative 

ease. Their first assembly went without a hitch. We also have 

superb new teachers starting with us this year and other great 

staff returning from extended leave. They are:- 

Sally Gower, Prep; Kellie Bye, Year 2; Abby Quinlan, Year 2; 

Jessica McSweeny, Year 3; Kelly Hollingsworth, Year 3; Bree 

Johnson, Yr 3 & 6; Margie Ison, Year 3; Jo Ware, Year 4; Marg 

Carey, Year 4; Tracy Halyday, Year 6; Carolyn Ervin, Support 

Teacher Literacy & Numeracy; and Melanie Peters, HPE/Prep. 

They have commented on the lovely Meridan manners the 

students have and their enthusiasm for learning. 

Australian Curriculum 

The students are well and truly immersed into the new 

curriculum. At Meridan there was a lot of forward planning so 

that our transition to the Australian curriculum would be as 

smooth as possible for the students and staff. At your parent 

partnership evening next week teachers will outline the work the 

students are doing as part of their units of work. 

Parent Partnership Evening. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s year 

level team and to hear from them their expectations around 

homework, routines and other aspects of school life. If you 

would like to discuss your child’s needs in more detail it would 

be preferable that you make a separate time to do so with your 

child’s teacher. This evening is to share info with you as a parent 

group rather than on a one to one basis. 

Uniforms 

It is great to see students coming to school wearing the correct 

uniform. Could you help by ensuring that students wear black 

shoes, white socks that are visible, school shirt or dress and 

the Meridan backpack. Our parents have clearly stated through 

surveys sent out by our College Director, Julie Kornmann that 

they value the high standards we set on the College uniform. 

Some students are still arriving at school with the incorrect 

shoes & backpacks. I will be ringing the parents of these 

students to see if we as a College can assist them in maintaining 

our high standards. 

Calender 

On the College calendar we keep you informed with upcoming 

events in the Junior School. Please check this so you can arrange 

your schedule to attend. A regular event is our Assemblies. 

On Monday it is Years 4-6 and on Tuesday P-3. They start at 

2.20pm. Each class will run a presentation throughout the term. 

Keep an eye on noticeboards outside classrooms for info. We 

have the Whole of College Student Leaders Investiture this 

Friday commencing at 10.15am in the Sports Performance 

Centre. This Thursday is our 4-6 Swimming Carnival. This year 

our students will be able to purchase a sausage sizzle and a 

drink at the pool. 

Payments 

All payments for the Student Resource Scheme should have 

been finalised by this week. We require this to be paid before 

we can accept monies for other school excursions i.e Camps, 

Swimming Carnivals etc, This year it is crucial that payment 

for any excursions are done 48 hours prior to the date of the 

excursion which will be stated in any letters that are sent home. 

Please ensure this is done as students may end up having to 

stay at school to continue their educational program whilst their 

class is at the excursion. 

Sue Esposito 

Junior School Principal 

HOMEWORK , ESTABLISHING 

ROUTINES AND RULES 

With the return to school, this too means the return to 

homework and other extra-curricular activities. This is a great 

time to take into consideration the expectations of the changing 

3

year level your child is in and the need to establish routines 

and some rules for homework. The demands for homework will 

change as your child moves through the school. 

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN EXTABLISHING A 

HOMEWORK ROUTINE 

• The best time of day for your child/ren. Some of us are 

“morning people”, others come to life at night. It follows 

that, in terms of homework and studying, certain times 

of the day work better for us than others. Some students 

are still in “learning mode” when they come home from 

school, and they should do their homework at that time. 

Other students feel (and think) better in the evening. 

• The best time of day for your family. Think about your 

family’s schedule. Where is everybody after school and 

until bedtime Some families have no problem making 

time for homework in the afternoon, while others have 

work, after-school and extra-curricular obligations and 

can’t deal with homework until the evening (or vice 

versa). It makes no sense to establish a homework 

routine that no one can follow! 

• An eye to the future. Will your children be involved in 

sports or toher activities in a few months Establish your 

family’s homework routine as if those practices, classes 

and games have already started. Everybody will have 

a chance to get used to the routine, and it won’t be 

disrupted later. Who wants to start from scratch every 

few months 

• Time off. “Routine” does not mean “slavery”. It is 

important that you include time in the day (and week) 

when nobody talks about or does any homework. For 

example, if homework is done after dinner, then do not 

discuss homework or ask your children to deal with it 

before then. 

Think it no big deal Studies show that just hearing the word 

“homework” stresses children out: it raises their basal body 

temperature, speeds up their hear rate, constricts their blood 

vessels, etc. Most parents ask about homework (“Hi, how was 

school Do you have any homework) within 6 minutes of seeing 

their children after school! We are causing them immediate 

stress, and it continues for the rest of the evening. 

• A routine routine. The whole point in establishing a solid 

routine is so that homework gets done with a minimum 

of stress and fuss. Homework should just be a small part 

of the day, like brushing one’s teeth. Do not constantly 

talk about, debate, discuss or fine-tune your family’s 

homework routine. Set it up, and then expect every 

family member to follow it. 

• Flexibility. Parents, try your best to keep homework 

time free form outside distraction. Don’t schedule 

appointments or run errands during those times – if you 

can help it. And, that’s the thing: sometimes you can’t 

help it. Stuff happens, plans change, Grandma arrives for 

an unannounced visit. Oh, well, the homework routine 

gets thrown out the window for one day! Write a note to 

the teacher explain and then relax! 

• Long term planning. We want our children to become 

independent and self-motivated learners, right In order 

for this to happen, we must give our children a routine, 

help them follow it, and then step back so that it becomes 

their own. Really, we don’t have to be the Homework 

Police – at least not forever. If we expect and allow our 

children to be in charge of their own homework, the day 

will come when they do it all by themselves. Then, we 

can just stand back and be proud. 

Homework Rule Discussion Starters 

TIME 

• What time must homework be started 

• How late is too late to do homework 

• Are breaks allowed How many and how long 

• When must weekend homework be completed – Saturday 

or Sunday (Everybody needs a day off!) 

PLACE 

• Where can homework be done 

• Where can it NOT be done 

• Can the TV be on while doing homework 

• Can you listen to music (radio, iPod) while doing 

homework 

PEOPLE 

• Can friends come over and do homework Which friends 

• Can you talk on the phone during homework time 

PROBLEMS 

• What happens if homework is not completed 

• What happens if homework is not completed regularly 

There are lots of websites with useful advice to assist through 

this. 

Marcia Forbes 

ST:LaN 

Junior School 

Junior School Music 

2012 is set to be another exciting year for music in the Junior 

School! Prep classes will have weekly music lessons with Ms 

Coles, while students in years 1-6 will be taught each week by 

Mr Burns. Students can look forward to a wide range of learning 

experiences including lots of practical music making with 

instruments. 

Our wonderful vocal groups will continue to run this year. For 

students in years 1, 2 and 3, Junior Choir will rehearse each 

Tuesday at first break in the music room. Students in years 

4, 5 and 6 are encouraged to join the Junior Vocal Group, 

meeting in the music room each Thursday at first break. These 

groups are open for all students and offer exciting performance 

opportunities throughout the year, including a performance 

at the inaugural MERIDAN EASTER FIESTA on Saturday 24 

March. 

Tim Burns 

Music Teacher – Junior School 

Message from the Middle School 

Principal 

Dear Parent and Carers 

Welcome to the Middle School for 2012. It has been a very 

successful start to the year with our many new students and 

staff settling in smoothly to the school routine (regardless 

of the challenging weather conditions!). I would like to take 

this opportunity on behalf of the staff to welcome all new and 

returning families to the College. We look forward to working 

with you as your child continues into the next phase of his/her 

education. 

This year we have welcomed may new staff members to 

our Middle and Senior Schools and our leadership team has 

continued to grow, with our Community Structure becoming 

even more vital in ensuring good student-parent-teacher 

relationships and communication. Our Middle School leadership 

team for 2012 is: 

Principal Middle School 

Deputy Principal Middle/Senior 

School 

Community Leaders - Bradman 

(Green) 

Community Leaders - Freeman 

(Yellow) 

Community Leaders - O’Neill 

(Purple) 

Community Leaders - Rafter (Red) 

Head of Department Middle School 

Leasa Smith lsmit232@eq.edu.au 

Glenn McIntosh 

Amanda Pearce 7A, 8A, 9A, Barry Wallett 7B, 

8B, 9B 

Sarah Dukes 7G, 8G, 9G, Sam Keller 8H, 9H 

Melissa Porter 7M, 8M, 9M, Hayley Sinclair 

7N, 8N, 9N 

Fiona Young 7S, 8S, 9S, Lorraine Lehmann 

8T, 9T 

Sam Keller 


4

Head of Department Mathematics 

Head of Department English 

Head of Department SOSE & LOTE 

Head of Department Science 

Head of Department Arts 

Head of Department HPE/Sport 

Head of Department e-Learning 

Head of Department ICT 

Head of Department Creative 

Design 

Libby Zernike & Greg Blanche 

Frances McColl 

Peter Lawrence 

Bronwyn Warrener 

Megan Piper 

Ross Stewart 

Debbie Ernst 

Michelle Lyons 

Julie Weber 

Questions or queries regarding your child should be directed 

firstly to the class teacher and then to the relevant Community 

Leader. Each Community Leader is already working hard to 

develop a positive and supportive relationship with your child 

and will be integral in maximising your child’s wellbeing and 

success in the Middle School. Please be considerate of the fact 

that these staff members are very busy and are committed to 

teaching classes, attending meetings and conferencing with 

students, therefore it is important to understand that they 

may not be immediately available and I encourage you to book 

appointment times to discuss issues. 

COMMUNITY LEADER STAFFROOM: 54902712 

COMMUNITY LEADER EMAIL 

ADDRESSES: 

Amanda Pearce apear64@eq.edu.edu 

Barry Wallett bwall44@eq.edu.au 

Sarah Dukes sduke17@eq.edu.au 

Sam Keller skell155@eq.edu.au 

Melissa Porter mport27@eq.edu.au 

Hayley Sinclair hsinc31@eq.edu.au 

Fiona Young fyoun10@eq.edu.au 

Lorraine Lehmann llehm1@eq.edu.au 

OFFICE RELOCATION 

The growth of our enrolment numbers across the College 

has meant that we have had to restructure a number of 

our operational processes for 2012, to maximise efficiency. 

Therefore our Middle School Office has been relocated to the 

front of the College grounds as part of the Senior Learning 

Building. Students and parents will now have much easier access 

to our Office staff to sign in when arriving at school or for early 

departures. Mrs Daniels and Mrs Tarabay will be located in the 

new office and can still be contacted on ph:54902663 for issues 

relating to: 

• Student Attendance (absences, late arrivals, early 

departures) 

• Student Illness/Injury/Medication 

• Student Contact (during the school day) 

• Student Permissions/Forms. 

STUDENT ATTENDANCE: 

Students are requested to arrive in the Middle School at 

approximately 8:30am. Classes do not commence until 8:40am 

and unless students have specific activities before school 

we encourage them not to arrive any earlier than this, as no 

supervision is provided. Please note if your child is participating 

in a before or after school activity, supervision of the student 

outside of the activity is the responsibility of parents/carers. 

Students arriving late to school must sign in at the Middle School 

Office and bring a note explaining the reason for the lateness. 

Students who need to leave the school prior to the end of the 

regular school day must be signed out by a parent/carer at 

the Middle School (or at Client Services if also collecting Junior 

School students). Students cannot be sent out to the car park; 

parents/carers must come to the Office to sign students out. 

All absences from school must be accounted for. If your 

child is absent from school for whatever reason, parents/carers 

are required to contact the school via telephone, email or letter 

to inform the school of the date and reason for the absence. For 

students in the Middle School please contact Mrs Daniels and Mrs 

Tarabay on ph: 54902663 or via email ddani21@eq.edu.au or 

ltara6@eq.edu.au with absence information. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT PARTNERSHIP 

EVENING 

All parents/carers of our Middle School students are invited to 

attend our Parent Partnership Evening on Wednesday 8/02/12. 

The purpose of this activity is to share information about our 

Middle School including an overview of our structures, student 

support processes and curriculum, while also giving parents/ 

carers the opportunity to meet our staff. We encourage all 

parents/carers to join us for this event as it provides a unique 

opportunity for us all to build the strong partnerships needed 

to support our students to achieve. Please note that due to 

our increased enrolment numbers, only parents/carers (not 

students) are encouraged to attend this event, which will be held 

in the Sports Performance Centre, commencing at 5:00pm. Our 

Communities Leaders will be on hand so please come along and 

introduce yourself to them! 

MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT PARTNERSHIP AGENDA 

2012 

5:00pm 

5:30pm 

OVERVIEW OF MIDDLE SCHOOL 

- Introduction of Staff 

- Structure 

- Philosophy 

- Curriculum 

YEAR 8-9 PARENTS 

- Community Structure 

- Policies and Procedures 

- Communication 

YEAR 7 PARENTS 

- Class Meetings 

- Community Structure 

- Policies and Procedures 

- Communication 

SCHOOL PHOTOS 

Our Middle School Photographs for ID Cards and Class 

Compositions will be taken on Monday 13/02/11. Please ensure, 

as is our usual practice on the first day of the school week, that 

your child is presented in full formal school uniform for this 

day. ID Cards are covered by payment of the Student Resource 

Scheme and will be issued to all students who have joined the 

scheme. Class photos can be purchased at parent/carer request, 

with envelopes and payment returned to Client Services. 

Payment envelopes and letters will be distributed to eldest in the 

family across the College in Week 2. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL HANDBOOKS 

Student Handbooks (Diaries) were issued to all students on the 

first day of term and already students are in the habit of bringing 

these to classes each day. The handbooks are vital for students 

in planning and organising their learning including recording 

homework, due dates for assessment, meetings, training and 

practice sessions and school events. All students are expected to 

bring their handbooks to school each day and have them ready 

for use in each lesson. We encourage all parents/carers to ask 

to see their child’s handbook on a regular basis and discuss with 

them what tasks and activities they have coming up. 

SCHOOL UNIFORMS 

Meridan State College has a Student Dress Code which includes 

clear guidelines around the wearing of jewellery and appropriate 

footwear, which all students are expected to adhere to. Thankyou 

to all parents and students who have worked positively to 

support our Uniform Policy to date – the students have looked 

fantastic. If you are not sure of the guidelines, please check 

inside the cover of your child’s handbook or in the Prospectus. 

As with all things in our Middle School the decision to have a 

uniform is based on research and a focus on high standards. 

Surveys of different schooling systems have reported the 

following benefits of school uniforms: 


5

• Improved discipline. 

• Equity. 

• Increased focus on learning 

• Safety. 

• School spirit and pride. 

It is College policy that all Meridan State College students have 

fully enclosed, black, polishable, leather shoes and a College 

backpack as part of their uniform requirements. Community 

Leaders are currently in the process of contacting all parents/ 

carers of students who do not have these items to arrange a 

plan to assist parents/carers in securing these items for their 

students in the Middle School. Please note the College backpack 

is ergonomically designed to support students through their 

growth and development. 

SCHOOL RESOURCES 

Students are reminded that it is very important that they 

develop the habit of checking their timetables each day and only 

bringing the books they need for the lessons scheduled for that 

day. Textbooks for Mathematics and Science will be issued in the 

coming weeks and students will be responsible for bringing these 

to and from school as required, also. All other textbooks will be 

stored at school for students to access as needed, to minimise 

the number of items students need to carry to and from school. 

It is important that students develop these organisational habits 

to ensure they are prepared for each day. Please ensure all 

resources are clearly named. 

TRANSPORT TO AND FROM SCHOOL: 

Appropriate modes of transport for students to travel to and 

from school are walking, bicycling, bus and car. Scooters and 

skateboards are not considered a safe and appropriate means 

of transport to and from the College and past use of these items 

has resulted in injury to people and property. Please ensure your 

child has a safe and appropriate means of travel to and from 

school. All bicycles should be stored within the Middle School 

bicycle cage and secured with a lock. All students are required to 

have a helmet for safety when riding to and from school. 

PAYMENT OF FEES: 

Thank-you to all parents/carers who have made prompt payment 

of the Student Resource Scheme for 2012. All outstanding 

payments can be made at Client Services. Parents of students 

in Year 9 who have elected to participate in User Pays subjects 

will shortly receive invoices regarding payment of fees for these 

specific subjects. 

STEPS TO SUCCESS PROGRAM: 

As part of the overall learning program we provide to students 

in our Middle School, all students complete our school-based 

Steps to Success Program. This program is designed to 

support students to take proper advantage of what our Middle 

School has to offer in terms of academic success, cultural and 

sporting pursuits, social and emotional support and personal 

fulfilment. Students will work through planned lessons with their 

Community Leaders and Mentor Teachers that address: 

• Personal Development 

• Leadership Development 

• Study Skills 

• Team Building and Emotional Intelligence 

• Education and Career Planning 

• Positive Community Participation and of course the 

• FISH Philosophy. 

To complement the Steps to Success program students will 

participate in a number of extra activities in Term 1. Details 

about these programs are listed below. Please note there is no 

cost for student attendance at these activities should your child 

be part of the Student Resource Scheme. 

• yLead “Year 9 Student Leadership Challenge Day” – 

All Year 9 students, as the leaders of our Middle School, 

participated in this leadership planning and training 

day on Thursday 2/02/12 for the duration of the school 

day. Students will work in teams to develop leadership 

and team skills and organise Middle School events and 

activities for the year! All Year 9 students should wear 

their sports uniforms on this day. 

• Motivational Media “iRisk” – A multimedia 

presentation stimulating students to consider effective 

decision making, problem solving and risk minimisation 

in their lives. Year 8 and 9 students will attend this 

performance on Wednesday 7/03/12 during school time. 

• Brainstorm Productions “The Hurting Game” – This 

drama presentation presents scenarios and strategies 

for combating bullying and highlights to all students 

the personal accountability they have in ‘saying no’ 

to bullying! Year 7, 8 and 9 students will attend this 

performance during school time on Friday 9/03/12. 

NAPLAN PREPARATION UPDATE: 

Yes our students in Years 7 and 9 are again beginning to prepare 

for the Term 2, NAPLAN (National Literacy and Numeracy) 

Testing Program. In Year 7 students will prepare through their 

regular classroom work and through their literacy and numeracy 

rotations. In Year 9 students will also prepare through their class 

work and through our levelled literacy and numeracy blocks 

which will be held on a Wednesday afternoon and during some 

class time. A formal practice test for all Year 7 and 9 students 

will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Week 6. 

This will allow all students to be familiar with the expectations 

and demands of the tests, so they are prepared to achieve their 

best. 

Lease Smith 

Middle School Principal 

Meridan Students and University 

Opportunities: Headstart 

Scholarships awarded!!!! 

Friday 20 January 2012 saw the beginning of a great new 

opportunity for teachers and students at Meridan SC. In 

2011 Merdian College developed a working relationship with 

the University of the Sunshine Coast. Now in 2012 students 

Rebekah S, Ronika F, Larissah C and teachers Hayley Shillig, 

Des Nicholson and Dobi Edwards were awarded Indonesian 

Scholarships for 2012 on Friday 20 January 2012. This entitles 

these new students to sample Indonesian this year and hopefully 

continue their studies into the future. We wish these teachers 

and students the best of luck in their tutorials and lectures over 

the coming months as they work together to achieve a greater 

knowledge of Indonesia and its language. Hopefully it will not be 

too long before we see another language added to the existing 

Italian program here at Meridan. A big thank you must go to 

Sam Keller for her work in 2011 in developing this program with 

Program Co-ordinator Inez Mahoney at USC. 

Environmental Guardians 

Welcome back ‘Environmental Guardians’! We have another 

great year ahead for raising environmental awareness. I wanted 

to start the year by saying that littering affects our wildlife, our 

waterways and us. In this short video clip you are about to 

watch you will see just how much it actually does affect us. We 

need your help, you can make a difference by making sure your 

rubbish goes in the bin. 

Brittany E 

Sustainability Committee Chairperson 


6

Senior Showcase 

Congratulations Meshelle! 

Meshelle C is a Year 12 student who is 

definitely focused on her future career. 

She has received the fantastic news of 

her successful application for a research 

immersion program in medicine at the 

University of Queensland. In her application 

she also expressed an interest in the 

Bonus Bank program which is a pre-project 

component of the program. Application into 

the program was Australia-wide and required 

students to submit their most current report card accompanied 

by a written explanation for participating in the program. 

Her desire to complete work prior to the program commencing 

demonstrates her commitment to her academic studies and her 

energy to pursue her passion. We wish Meshelle all the very best 

for the immersion program which begins in June. 

Welcome 

I would just like to introduce myself, Brejetta Acres, I am the 

Year 12 Student Mentor for 2012. My role as a student mentor 

is to work with support staff such as the Guidance Officer, School 

Nurse and College Chaplain to assist students with their senior 

schooling by addressing individual student concerns where 

possible and track student progress throughout the year with 

respect to meeting credit and other requirements necessary for 

the Queensland Certificate of Education. 

In addition, I led an experienced team of teachers in delivering 

a Resilience and Well-being program which aims to promote 

effective time management and safe practices for life. This 

program is incorporated into Successful Futures which also has 

a component of QSC test preparation. This year I teach Year 12 

English and sit on various committees within the P-12 College. 

I am very much looking forward to continue working with 

Year 12s and I will endeavour to celebrate student success 

throughout the year. I wish the Year 12s the best of luck for their 

final year and I hope they make the most of every opportunity 

available to them in order for them to launch their successful 

future. 

Brejetta Acres 

Year 12 Student Mentor Teacher 

Year 11 Student Mentor for 2012 

I have the pleasure of being the Year 11 Student Mentor for 

2012. I would like to take the opportunity to extend a warm 

welcome back to both the Year 11 students who were with us in 

Year 10 and an especially warm welcome to our new students 

and their families. I am principally an English/ History and have 

taught both subjects in a number of schools. My time is divided 

between two equally important roles as a classroom teacher of 

English, English Extension and Ancient and Modern History and 

looking after the Year 11 cohort. 

My role as year level mentor includes such duties as supporting 

the Year 11s in tracking their Queensland Certificate of 

Education and their OP eligibility. The object is to empower 

them to understand their role in building a future of their own 

making through a guided pathway to success. At Meridian we 

place considerable importance on empowering young people 

to make informed choices by committing two sessions each 

week to providing students with the skills and information for 

these choices through the expertise of their mentor teachers. 

Another aspect of my role is identifying where students need 

the welfare team staff and liaising with parents regarding their 

concerns. Students are also encouraged to seek help wherever 

and whenever it is needed and may self-refer by making an 

appointment through the Senior School teacher aides. Over 

the course of the year we have a number of special events and 

activities planned including the Year 11 Leadership Camp. 

Perhaps the biggest news of the year so far are the number of 

students who are proudly sporting their learner’s permits! Many 

happy returns to our Year 11 students whose birthdays were 

in January (my deepest sympathies to those of you who now 

have your children at the wheel of your cars – although they 

do tell me that they are very good drivers – only one hundred 

hours) Happy birthday to Nic A.,Elizabeth B.,Josie B.,Tayla 

B.,Jade C., Maddy D.,Brad F., Tom H.,Harry K., Jeremy L.,Alex M., 

Jayden O., Bree P., Talia P., Jan P., Tayla R., Arun S., Austin T., 

and Jeremy Z. (Really All of you One hundred hours) 

Chris Robley 

Year 10 Student Mentor for 2012 

My name is Andrew Southey and I am the Year 10 Year Level 

Student Mentor for 2012. It has been a great start to the year 

and I am really enjoying my new role. I commenced teaching 

at Meridan at the start of 2011 following a move from my home 

town of Townsville. My passion for teaching centres on the 

Health and Physical Education, Science and Maths Faculties. 

The year 10 students in 2012 will begin planning their careers 

and enhancing their post-schooling opportunities. All students 

will be completing a Certificate II in Workplace Practices and 

a Certificate I in ICT. Completing these courses will not only 

develop many personal skills but will also provide them with 

a valuable 6 points towards their Queensland Certificate of 

Education. The year 10 students will also be completing their 

SET plans this year to ensure they are best prepared for their 

chosen career pathways. 

I am excited about working with such a fantastic cohort of 

students, I’m sure 2012 will prove to be a great year. 

Yours sincerely 

Andrew Southey 

GUIDANCE OFFICER SERVICES AT 

MERIDAN STATE COLLEGE 2012 

After a period of some variation in guidance services to Meridan 

State College in 2011, we are finally able to announce a more 

stable team of Guidance Officers in place for the start of 2012, 

consisting of: 

• Joe Hannan (recent to Senior School, Years 10 – 12, from 

October 2011) 

• Judi Baker (new to Middle School, Years 7 - 9) 

• Sherilyn Otte (long-standing in the Junior School, Years 

P - 6) 

Background. 

Guidance Officers working in State Schools/Colleges are 

qualified, experienced teachers who have completed 

postgraduate studies in guidance and counselling. Studies 

and further training could also include family therapy, grief 

counselling, assessments related to educational needs, 

adjustments for disabilities, support for mental health issues, 

and career development. 

The Guidance Officer teams work with relevant school staff 

from administration, teaching and student support, to address 

the developmental needs of students, by providing direct 

counselling, advice and information services, as well as by 

supporting the range of caring persons and programs around 

their educational and welfare needs. Services are provided to 

both individuals and groups of students, and may extend to 

other persons involved. 

Although Guidance Officers are members of their school staffs, 

they are often able to extend beyond the teacher role to handle 

sensitive situations in a confidential environment, and to link 

with and refer on to community agencies. Networking beyond 

the school site is particularly helpful in cases of disengagement, 

child protection, critical incidents, substance abuse and mental 

health problems. 

Areas of Operation. 

Guidance Officers deal with a broad range of issues, from 

those which affect most students, to those which impact on 

only a few, with their own specific needs and circumstances. 

Some examples of guidance activities are: personal and group 


7

counselling; informing curriculum, teaching and programs; 

counselling, advice and information for career and course 

decisions; assisting improvement in study, relationships 

and behaviour; liaising and coordinating links with outside 

professionals, agencies and organisations; and providing specific 

assessments and reports, to assist further support for students 

and their families. 

Accessing Services. 

All three Guidance Officers at Meridan State College work on a 

part-time basis, and are often booked out or operating outside 

their designated offices. Enquiries can best be directed to the 

relevant Teacher Aide in the Administration sections of each of 

the Junior, Middle or Senior School precincts. 

These Teacher Aides can advise of availability of the Guidance 

Officer for taking phone calls or appointments, and to assist 

with forwarding of enquiries or requests via internal e-mails 

and telephone calls. Also, in Middle and Senior School, they can 

assist students who wish to make their own appointments or 

enquiries, with appropriate procedures in place. 

Conservation Club Delivers 

Equipment to The Australia Zoo 

Wildlife Hospital 

Congratulations to members of the Meridan Conservation Club; 

Jay P, Madeliene P, Kelsie McG, Morgan O’C and Brittany E who 

visited Australia zoo to deliver equipment for the Australia Zoo 

Wildlife Hospital in 2011 term 4. Thank you to all students who 

participated in the free dress day to raise this money for the 

conservation of Koalas, we did a fantastic job. Meridan State 

College was acknowledged for these funds in the Wildlife Warrior 

Times. Stay tuned for more Conservation Club events planned 

for 2012. Meetings will be held at Thursday first lunch in TSO1 if 

you wish to join and help us conserve the environment. 

To view the article in the Wildlife Warrior Times visit the website 

below. 

http://www.australiazoo.com.au/sendstudio/display.phpM=539 

032&C=50ce39a9db9a9bc81080ce791b2d2a3c&S=996&L=131 

&N=1106 

Miss Gadd 

eLearning @ Meridan 

This year we welcome Mrs Michelle Lyons from Kawana State 

College, to bolster the IT ranks at the College. Michelle has 

a wealth of experience in IT infrastructure and she will be 

assuming most of the responsibility for our networks and 

technical equipment. This leaves me then to explore the wealth 

of eLearning opportunities within the College, bringing our 

students closer to 21st century learning. 

This Thursday night sees our first parent information evening 

for our year 11 and 12 cohorts around the 2012 1:1 take home 

laptop programme. Michelle, our technical support staff, and 

myself, will be on hand to answer any questions parents may 

have about the logistics, the use of and the care for the laptops 

issued to us via the National Secondary Schools Computer Fund 

(NSSCF). Attendance is by invitation only, and parents are 

encouraged to RSVP via the schools interview webpage. 

Our new website is operational, with recent additions including 

the Rainforest Café menu for the junior school, our student 

leaders and calendar updates. In order to view our website, 

please update any links you may have had stored to www. 

meridansc.eq.edu.au. 

This week, all student accounts for Reading Eggs have been 

archived for transfer to your child’s new teacher. Until this 

happens, student accounts will be ‘inactive’. Teachers will be 

working hard to ensure your child’s account is moved quickly 

and will also be supplying your child with their username and 

password, together with information to allow you to access this 

resource from home. 

Finally, the recent torrential downpours have had some impact 

on technology in some classrooms, and we are working hard 

to rectify any affected equipment. Unfortunately, this has 

meant that there have been some classes without full access 

to technology. We envisage this will be resolved as soon as 

possible. 

2012 promises to be a very busy year! 

Ms Debbie Ernst 

HOD eLearning 

Guidance Officer Information 

It’s Raining Again 

(Tips for helping a child cope) 

For some people including children these words will bring an 

element of joy and gratitude that the earth is being revitalised, 

and water, our precious resource will be in abundant supply in 

our dams, but for others, the memory of the 2011 flood may be 

revisited and cause anxiety and fear. 

Children and young people can be particularly vulnerable and 

may need strategies to cope with their emotions and fears. 

Here are some tips to help your child cope: 

• The more you as a parent cope and remain calm the 

more your child will cope and manage their feelings 

• Talk about their feelings and ensure their understanding 

of what is happening is accurate – children can tend 

to overdramatise situations, which then leads to 

unnecessary anxiety and fears. 

• Limit the amount of TV and radio coverage about 

disasters (the media loves to focus on past and present 

catastrophes). Children need to talk about but too much 

watching of disasters can contribute to strong reactions/ 

emotions 

• Encourage your child to plan and participate in positive, 

meaningful activities to help improve their mood and 

regain a sense of control and normalcy eg. exercise will 

help improve sleep, school will be familiar and routine, 

playing board games rather than technology 

• Although these weather situations are extreme, normalize 

them, with your child ie tell them that floods have 

happened before as have cyclones and people have 

survived, and already plans are in place to rebuild and 

help people 

• Teach calming skills (relaxation, breathing techniques), 

and show them ways to put thoughts and feelings into 

words/ drawings 

• Help your child understand how thoughts influence their 

emotions, and how to replace their unhelpful thoughts 

with more helpful thoughts. 

• Thoughts → feelings→actions 

• Don’t dwell on negative – but acknowledge the sadness, 

loss etc. 


8

• Do things that make you happy - laugh – we all enjoy 

a good laugh, especially children and youth, and it 

improves moods and health 

• Talk about positive things that have emerged – 

government support, volunteer workers, food providers, 

people giving money and goods 

The rain will stop and the floods will subside. Emotions will 

settle and life will generally regain a level of normality. If though 

symptoms of anxiety and fear persist then see your doctor, or for 

your child you can seek support through your guidance officer. 

NAIDOC WEEK PLANNING 

We would like to invite all families with students, especially our 

families with aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander members 

to come the Senior School Precinct (new building - office staff 

can assist you on arrival) on Friday 17th February at 3.00pm to 

form a committee and discuss plans to celebrate NAIDOC Week 

in July, 2012. We need you to bring ideas of groups/individuals 

that we could approach as guests and ideas for activities that 

students can undertake in large or small groups. We do have 

some external funding that we can use for inspirational speakers 

and to provide a food tasting. 

Our Deadly Leaders will be in attendance along with interested 

staff. 

7. Please don’t attempt to repair books yourself. Books don’t 

like sticky tape! Send them to the Resource Centre to be 

repaired properly. 

Please remember that parents are more than welcome to borrow 

from our Library collections. We have a fantastic range of 

parenting books available and an ever-expanding collection of 

novels and information books appropriate for our middle/senior 

students and adults. Please pop in to see our friendly library 

staff and we’ll help to get you started. Reading in front of your 

children is a fantastic way to model the importance of reading 

for both information and relaxation. 

Students in Middle and Senior schools have been busy borrowing 

their textbooks for the year. Please remind your children to 

take full advantage of the eBooks available with most of our 

textbooks. The weight of textbooks in student’s bags remains 

a concern for us and this can be alleviated if students take 

advantage of the eBook supplied with the textbooks. Please ask 

your child’s teacher, Head of Department or Library staff how the 

codes work if you are not sure. 

This year is National Year of Reading. Our ICT/Resource Centre 

is registered as a participant in activities happening in Australia, 

and I will keep everyone updated throughout the year of special 

events, activities and resources. 

We hope that you can join us and further inspire us to make a 

difference. Remember that this is a part of our 2011 pledge – 

the next step is ours! 

Phone one of us if you would like more information - 5490 2729. 

Amanda Pierce, Jenny English & Coralie Williamson (2012 

NAIDOC Staff Committee) 

Student Banking 

Thank you to all the students who banked in 2011 - Term 1 - 46 

new accounts and total of $422.27 in commission; Term 2 - 21 



new accounts and total of $195.77 in commission a total of 

$1218.58 in commission from the Commonwealth Bank for our 

College resources! 

The most consistent bankers, who banked every week for 2011 

were: Samuel T, Olivia T, Laura T, Hannah C, Jemma C, Joshua 

B, Matthew B Allarnah B, Shennae B, Lauren H, Kaitlin M, Shania 

B, Natalie B, Kiarla B, Kalaha B, Dylan T and Carlie T. Well done! 

Thank you to everyone who contributed in 2011. Our team of 

volunteers look forward to working with you all again this year. 

Remember, Wednesday mornings are Student Banking mornings! 

Allyson Bougoure 

Volunteer Student Banking Coordinator 

ICT/Resource Centre News 

Welcome back to our College for 2012! 

The ICT/Resource Centre has been really busy in the lunch 

breaks with children colouring-in, playing board games, 

undertaking construction activities, working on computers and 

of course reading! Class borrowing will resume next week. All 

students in Prep to Year 6 will need to bring a bag for borrowing. 

Please encourage your children to care for our resources. 

Here are some ideas to help you out: 

1. Always store your books in a Library bag or reading folder 

(Plastic bags are really handy and free!!!!) 

2. Turn the pages of your book from the top or bottom corner. 

3. Protect your books from the sun and rain. 

4. Always remember to use a bookmark. No dog ears please! 

5. We must have clean hands when using books. 

6. Remember not to eat or drink while reading books. 

This year we have moved our Book Fair into Term 2. Term 4, 

when our Book Fair is traditionally held, is a very busy time of 

the year for everyone at our College. Book Fair will now be held 

in early May, which is also Family Reading Month! Keep an eye 

out for updates about Book Fair towards the end of this term. 

We look forward to seeing you in the future! 

Happy Reading! 

Kylie Downey 

Senior Librarian 

Sunshine Coast Health Service 

District - Pondering Poos - 2012 

A chronic constipation and soiling management program 

for parents. 

“Pondering Poos ” is a community-based education/health 

promotion program for groups of parents and carers. 

Parents/carers of children aged 2 to 16 years of age with chronic 

constipation and/ or soiling issues are welcome to attend. 

The program provides parents with information concerning: 

• normal bowel habits 

• causes of chronic constipation/soiling 

• management of chronic constipation including: 

dietary/fluid intake 

medication advice 

behavior management. 

Where: Meridan State College 214 Parklands Blvd Meridan 

Plains 

Meridan State College 214 Parklands Blvd Meridan Plains 

When: Thursday 23 February 2012 

Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm 

Cost: free 

To Book contact: 

Nambour Community Health 

Phone 5450 4750 

P&C NEWSLETTER – January 2012 

Next meeting:- Tuesday 7 February 7pm 

Feista meeting:- Tuesday 7 at 9.30am & 5.30pm 


9

Dear Parents and Carers of Junior, Middle and Senior School 

Students, 

Hello and welcome to our P&C newsletter! We would especially 

like to welcome all our new families to the College. We hope this 

will give a little idea of what your P&C does and how you can 

help. 

Can you volunteer 

Being a volunteer does not just mean helping out in your child’s 

classroom, because we know this does not suit everyone. Even 

if you can only offer one hour of your time, we can still use your 

help. If you wish to assist in the café, all you need is enclosed 

footwear and go visit Jo, Mel and Julie in the café and they’ll 

find you something to do! There are plenty of other ways to 

help. With each fundraising activity comes a lot of preparation. 

Maybe you have a skill that we can use. If you would like to 

help, but are unsure of what you can do, please contact us 

and we’ll find something for you to do! We can always use the 

help. Throughout the year, we are always working busily in the 

background to assist the College. We raise funds with events 

such as the cookie dough drive, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day 

stalls, discos, family portrait days, Preloved Uniform shop and of 

course our Rainforest Café. Also this year we will be hosting our 

very first Meridan Easter Fiesta! Volunteers are always required 

to assist with making these events successful. After all the 

money raised goes towards our College to purchase resources 

for our library, computers, musical instruments and so much 

more. 

MERIDAN EASTER FIESTA 

Saturday 24 March – 10:00am to 4:00pm 

Meridan’s Easter Fiesta is fast approaching. However, without the 

help of our families and friends, this event will not be possible. 

Helpers are required in all stalls. If we do not have helpers, we 

cannot serve food or drinks, sell tickets and ride passes or assist 

in other activities. This will be our major fundraiser. 

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Please let us know if you are able to help and email your details 

to pandc@meridansc.eq.edu.au. Notes will be starting to come 

home soon with details about what you can do to help make this 

event a huge success. Details will be attached to each classroom 

door as to how you can help your child’s year level stall on the 

day. Remember, without help, we cannot hold our Meridan Easter 

Fiesta. A little help goes a long way. All proceeds raised will go 

towards buying resources for your children. We aim to make this 

a fun family day for all. 

• Middle School Rafter – Homebaking – Lois 

• Middle School Freeman – Showbags – Allyson 

• Middle School O’Neil – Face Painting & Crazy Hair 

• Middle School Bradman – Helium Balloons 

• Senior School – To be advised 

• Chappy Kell – Sponge a Face 

If you wish to be involved with any of these stalls please email 

your contact details to pandc@meridansc.eq.edu.au and we will 

pass them onto the stall coordinator. We are still looking for a 

couple of coordinators. We need someone to help O’Neil and 

Bradman stalls and also someone (come on Dads…) to oversee 

the rides and organise supervision of the ride lines. If you are 

interested in participating in Meridan’s Easter Fiesta please 

contact pandc@meridansc.eq.edu.au or Lee on 0408 067 652. 

Register now to secure your market stall 

Meridan State College P&C Association would also like to offer 

our Meridan families and the community the opportunity to 

apply for a market stall space at our Easter Fiesta. Register 

your interest now. Don’t miss out! The Fiesta is a great way to 

increase your business in the community. 

What else do we do 

Did you know that our P&C Association also has a preloved 

uniform shop Do you have any uniforms your children have 

outgrown Don’t leave them at home; bring them down to the 

Preloved Uniform Shop to be sold for you. School approved hair 

accessories are also now being sold in school colours. Do you 

have other uniforms for sale with us Maybe it is time to check 

if there is any money for you to collect – monies available for 

collection during shop opening hours. Tuesday and Thursday 

afternoons 2-3.30 and Friday mornings 8.20 –10am. 

Thankyou to Naomi for all her time and effort organizing the 

book packs. We also have some spare ones available for sale at 

the Preloved Uniform Shop. Some stationary supplies are now 

available at the Rainforest Café including pens, pencils, books, 

display folders and USB drives. 

Karaoke Carols was a huge success at the end of last year. 

Everyone had so much fun. Thankyou to those that helped on 

the night – Allyson, Kerrie, Amanda, Thor, Jo, Colleen and our 

many teachers. Also, a big thankyou to Jenny for organising the 

raffles for the night. 

Your P&C Execs at work! 

We are currently looking for assistance with: 

• Cash Donations and sponsors 

• Helpers, Helpers and more Helpers 

• Clean ice-cream buckets with lids and clean plastic 

shopping bags (please leave at Rainforest Retreat or Pre- 

Loved Uniform Shop) 

Meet the team who are organising the Easter 

Fiesta: 

Fiesta Chairperson – Kerrie 

Fiesta Coordinator – Lee 

Site Manager - Thor 

Advertising/Media Liaison – Kris 

Treasurer - Jo 

Stalls and Coordinators for Year Levels 

• Prep - Gift baskets – Jess 

• Year 1 – BBQ & Drinks – Amanda 

• Year 2 – Lollies & Snacks – Jenny 

• Year 3 – Silent Auction – Debbie & Rachael 

• Year 4 – Novelties – Denise 

• Year 5 – Gooey Golf Balls – Megan 

• Year 6 – Preloved Clothing - Julie 

Remember, our P&C cannot function without volunteers. A little 

help goes a long way. Everything the P&C promote aims to raise 

funds towards buying resources for your children. If you are 

interested in assisting but can’t attend meetings, please email 

your contact details to us directly pandc@meridansc.eq.edu.au 

Thankyou 

P&C Executive Committee: 

President Amanda Gibbs 

Vice President Lee Bundgaard 

Secretary Thor McElligott 

Treasurer Jo Grubb 

4TH Sunshine Coast Girls’ Brigade 

Company 

Girls’ Brigade is part of an international Christian youth 

organisation … meets at the Uniting Church hall on Tuesday 


10

evenings from 6.30pm to 8.15pm (6pm to 7.30pm for Cadets) 

for a nightly program of singing, games and activities. The 

girls work towards awards (badges) including craft, camping, 

bush walking, canoeing, health, community service, cooking, 

swimming & lots more … all presented in an enjoyable hands-on 

learning environment suited to their age group: 

CADETS JUNI ORS SENIORS PIONEERS 

Grades Prep – 2 Grades 3 - 6 Grades 7 & 8 Grades 9 – 12 

Enrolment enquires phone Helen Hilton (Captain) on 54927179. 

Softball 2012 Sign-On notice 

Caloundra Junior AFL sign on for 

2012 

Our Club sign on for all Junior and Under 18 age groups will be 

on the weekend 

Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February between 10:00 am and 

2:00 pm and Thursday 16 February from 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm 

‘Bernie’ the Brisbane Lions Mascot will be at the club on Sunday 

the 12th from 11:00 -11:30 am with free giveaways. 

Lions players will be in attendance on Thursday 16 February 

2012 . 

The U/16’s and U/18’s have commenced training along with the 

Senior group on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at Rydges Resort, 

North Street Caloundra at 5 pm. 

New players are most welcome. Please bring runners, water 

bottle, and a towel for a swim in the pool afterwards. 

Anyone wanting further details is asked to contact Craig 

Richardson on 0429 099 749. 

So bring the kids and come along and see what has been 

happening at your club. 

Thank You and Kind Regards 

Jo Barnes 

Caloundra Junior AFL Committee 

Caloundra Netball Junior Sign on 

Days 

Junior sign on days are Saturday 4 February and 11 February 

2012 from 9:00am – 11:00am at Caloundra indoor stadium 

North Street Golden Beach. 

Ages: from 7 Years onwards. 

Net Set Go for young girls and boys from ages 5-7 Year wanting 

to learn the basics of netball sign on : 21 and 28 April 2012 

Clubs involved are: 

Currimundi, Golden Beach, Meridan, Moffat Beach, Pacific 

Lutheran. 


11

2012-02-03 - Meridan State College - Education Queensland

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