23 October 2025

Principal’s Report

Dear Kuluin Families,

I am excited to spend the final term with our amazing students, families, and staff. As we finalize the 2025 academic year, we have many special events ahead, including our Year 6 Farewell on Tuesday, 9th December, at 6:00 p.m in the school hall. I am incredibly proud of our Year 6 cohort for their hard work and dedication as they prepare to transition to high school. They have finished the year strong, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements.

A key focus for us this term is the Prep Step Up Transition Program, which is crucial in helping our new Kuluin prep children move smoothly from early years education into school life. To support this, we have conducted Step into Prep Transition Days. These sessions are designed to familiarise incoming preppies with our school environment, making their start in 2026 as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The transition support that we provide to our families was a recent affirmation of our school review process.

Leadership Process 2026

Our leadership process to elect 2026 school leaders in a range of roles is well underway. As part of this process all of our Year 5 students attended a Character-Building Day. Challenges focused on skills such as persistence, determination, encouragement, physical & mental strength, teamwork and leadership. Students are taken out of their comfort zones as their physical & mental determination is tested.

2026 Classes

This process is predicted for the beginning of the school year and confirmed on the eighth day of the new school year. Families are asked to assist with the following:

• Letting any new families know, who are intending to have students enrol in any P-6-year level, to submit an enrolment form at the school office
• Letting the office staff know of any students who are transferring to other schools in 2026
• Letting the office staff know of any students who will not be present from the beginning of the school year (e.g. for holidays)

Kind Regards,
Corrie Connors
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Prep to Year 2

Term 4 has started off spectacularly, and I feel incredibly proud to be part of a school with such a strong and positive culture of learning and community.

This term, our students are working towards an exciting school-wide goal of 25,000 Gula Golds! Once we hit the target, students will celebrate with a Crazy Hair Day. I have no doubt we’ll reach it – and yes, I’ve already started planning my own wild hairstyle!

As the term progresses, it’s wonderful to see how far our students have come throughout 2025. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and love of learning reflect the incredible partnership between our dedicated staff and our Kuluin families. It’s inspiring to watch students set personal learning goals and work so hard to achieve them.
A heartfelt thank-you to all of our parent helpers and volunteers – your support has been invaluable this year and is truly appreciated.

This month, we’ve begun welcoming our new 2026 Prep students and families for their Step Up/Transition Days. These sessions are a fantastic opportunity for children to experience life in Prep while parents learn more about our wonderful school.
Please ensure your enrolment paperwork is complete so your child can participate. If your family will be relocating or moving schools in 2026, please let the office know as soon as possible – this information greatly assists with our planning.
For enrolment information or questions, contact the school office on 5477 3777.

A friendly reminder that the first bell rings at 8:50 AM and learning begins at 9:00 AM. Arriving a few minutes early allows students to settle in, connect with friends, and be ready for the day’s learning. Late arrivals can mean missing important directions or social connections at the start of the day.
Students should arrive after 8:30 AM, and for those needing care before that time, our Kuluin Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) provides wonderful, supervised activities. Contact OSHC on 5477 0175 or email oshc@kuluinss.eq.edu.au for more information.
For everyone’s safety, please remember that playgrounds are out of bounds before and after school.

I always say I have the best job in the world – and Term 4 is one of my favourites! It’s a time to celebrate student growth and achievement, enjoy end-of-year events, concerts and performances, and reflect on another wonderful year of learning together.

Together, we grow – and I couldn’t be prouder of our amazing Kuluin community.

Kind Regards,
Jess Thompson
Deputy Principal P-2

Year 3 

Parents of Year 3 students – Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program

As your child prepares to move into Year 4 in 2026, we would like to inform you that Kuluin State School participates in a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. This means students will need their own digital device to support their learning.

Students will shortly come home with an information letter and Kuluin School BYOD Handbook.  Please be on the lookout for this as it has all the information you need including timelines, key requirements and agreement forms.  We will also be holding a parent afternoon later in the term to answer all your questions.

Maree Brinkman (Digital Technology Specialist) and Andrew Wilson (Deputy Principal)

Kind Regards,
Andrew Wilson
Deputy Principal Year 3

A reminder families that as Deputy Principal for Years 4, 5 and 6, I am here to support both students and families. If you have any questions, concerns, or need support at any time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Attendance Matters
Consistent attendance is a cornerstone of student success. Every day at school helps build learning, friendships, and confidence. We understand that challenges can arise, so if your child is experiencing difficulties attending regularly, please reach out to their classroom teacher or the school. We’re here to support you and ensure every student can thrive!

Student Leadership 2026
Our 2026 Student Leadership program is in full swing! It’s fantastic to see our students embracing this opportunity with energy, commitment, and a genuine desire to make a positive difference. We’re excited to watch their growth and celebrate the contributions they’ll make to our school community throughout next year.

Celebrating Year 6 – Ending the Year on a High Note
As we move into the final weeks of the school year, there are some exciting events coming up for our Year 6 students. From Surf Skills and Motiv8 Sports to the Guard of Honour and Farewell Evening, these activities mark important milestones in our students’ final term at Kuluin State School.

Participation in these celebrations is not only a reward for hard work but also an opportunity to demonstrate our school values: being safe, respectful, and committed learners. Students who are consistently meeting these expectations will be able to fully enjoy all events. For those who may need extra support, behaviour plans may be put in place to help them make positive choices and participate safely. Families will be contacted directly if attendance at any events becomes an issue.

We encourage families to talk with their children about the importance of upholding these values so that every student can enjoy a safe, fun, and memorable end to their primary school journey. Thank you for supporting us as we celebrate the achievements and contributions of our Year 6 students.

Let’s continue working together to make Term 4 a success!

Kind Regards,
Benjamin Gaske
Deputy Principal Years 4-6

Curriculum News

As we move into our final term of the year, students across the school are engaging in rich and imaginative English learning experiences. This term, all year levels are exploring how authors use language and narrative structure to bring stories to life. Through reading, viewing, discussing and writing, students are developing their understanding of narrative features while creating their own engaging stories.

Prep – Exploring Imaginative Texts

This term, Prep students are exploring characters, settings and events. They will retell familiar stories through simple sentences and drawings, practising capital letters and full stops as they begin to create their own written stories.

Year 1 – Exploring and Responding to Imaginative Texts

Year 1 students are engaging with texts to explore characters and story structure. They will recount familiar imaginative stories in their own words, using descriptive language and punctuation to clearly sequence events and share their favourite parts.

Year 2 – Engaging with Narrative Texts

Students in Year 2 are learning how authors create memorable characters and storylines. They will plan and write their own stories featuring a known character, focusing on organising their ideas, using descriptive vocabulary and creating clear beginnings, middles and endings.

Year 3 – Completing a Novel Study

Year 3 students will explore how authors use language and imagery to build excitement and emotion. They will plan and write their own imaginative stories, drawing inspiration from a novel and using paragraphs, detailed descriptions and compound sentences.

Year 4 – Completing a Novel Study

In Year 4, students are exploring themes of courage and problem-solving. They will write their own adventure stories, developing strong characters and building tension through orientation, complication and resolution. Students will refine their grammar, sentence structure and editing skills.

Year 5 – Completing a Novel Study

Year 5 students are exploring themes of identity, courage and responsibility through a shared novel. They will create fantasy narratives that build tension and explore ethical dilemmas, using complex sentences and literary devices such as imagery and dialogue to engage their readers.

Year 6 – Completing a Novel Study

Year 6 students are delving into themes of survival, relationships and technology. They will plan and write science fiction stories that include ethical or environmental themes, supported by an image to enhance meaning. Students will focus on crafting well-structured narratives that use sophisticated language features and devices

Sports News

Term 4 Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons have started this week at The Flying Fish Swim School. Students will develop water safety and stroke development throughout the 6-week program. A reminder that swimming lessons will still take place in wet weather. The only cancellation would occur due to thunderstorms. Please find the swimming timetable below:

Grade 6 Surf Skills

Surf skills is always one of the highlights of the year for our Grade 6 students. This program involves beach safety, lifesaving skills, body boarding and learning how to surf. Sessions will take place on 14/11, 21/11, 28/11 and 5/12. Buses will depart at 8:50am on these days to maximise time at the beach. A reminder that school permission and surf school waivers are due by Friday 31^st October. 

Lightning Cup

Our senior netball teams play this Friday in the Lightning Cup. This competition is open to schools from all over the Sunshine Coast. Kuluin has again entered the maximum number of teams this year with a team in all 3 divisions (lightning, thunder and storm). Goodluck everyone.

Moses Mbye Rugby League Carnival

Kuluin will have 4x teams entered into the Grade 3 and 4 Mose Mbye Gala Day. This rugby league carnival is scheduled for 7^th November. The annual competition focuses on participation and skill development with teams in developing and experienced divisions. Our teams have been training well and can’t wait to attend.

Auskick at Kuluin

This week we had a visit from AFL development officers during PE lessons. After school Auskick sessions will start at Kuluin SS next week. To register for the program please us the following link:  https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/48cfa4. Please see the attached flyer or contact Reiley for further information. Reiley.guest@afl.com.au | 0481784863

Kind Regards,
Mitch Woods
HPE Teacher

Opti-Minds

Opti-MINDS State Final

Our school’s Language Literature team participated in the Opti-MINDS State Finals held at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on Saturday 18^th and 19^th of October. It was a fantastic event, with 90 teams from throughout Queensland participating.

On Saturday, teams had to undertake a Long Term and a Spontaneous Challenge. Teams were given three hours to solve their challenges.  The teams had to incorporate their solution into a dramatic performance and create props and costumes as well. The students then presented their solutions in front of an audience.

Our Kuluin students proved to be wonderful ambassadors for our school and worthy representatives of the Sunshine Coast region. The team worked diligently on the demanding three-hour challenge. They gave an excellent performance and were given fantastic feedback from the judges.

On Sunday our team presented their Vision for The Future at an ideas’ market.   The team’s vision was called “Story Bridges” – an initiative to reduce loneliness in the community by establishing connections between school student and those in children’s hospitals and/or retirement homes.   Their idea was well received by visitors to their market stall and positive feedback was given.

At the presentation ceremony on Sunday afternoon, the Language Literature team was awarded the OPTI-MINDS LANGUAGE LITERATURE STATE CHAMPIONS (P-6 Division).  Such an honour – but very well deserved!

We are all proud of the way our students conducted themselves. Their levels of maturity, commitment to hard work, co-operative team skills and pursuit of excellence were of the highest quality. Congratulations!

Thank you to all our students for their dedication to the Opti-MINDS process. I’m sure they have learned a great deal from their involvement. A big thank you to Mrs Renee Bell and Mr Adam Russell for their involvement with Opti-MINDS in 2025.  Thank you also to our parents for transporting their children to Brisbane for the event. Your support and encouragement were very much appreciated.

Be UNASHAMEDLY EXCELLENT in all that you do! 

Janelle Neighbour

Opti-MINDS Coordinator

Opti-Minds State Finalists & Language Literature State Champions – Div 1.

Language Literature Team-Facilitator: Janelle Neighbour, Students: Gabriella R, Petra H, Evelyn M, Ellory H, Lincoln E, Norah F, Mia K.  

Chappy Chatter

Do you love what you see Chappy doing around the school?

Did you know a school chaplain is a safe person for children to connect with at school, providing a listening ear and caring presence. 

Would you like to be part of a team that ensures our kids have the best possible outcomes?

Then you’re invited to join the Chaplaincy Support Team at our next meeting.

Monday Nov 10 at 2.00pm in the meeting room. Check in with the girls at the office.

Want more information please reach out on tracey.storey@suchaplaincy.org.au

Blue Card Changes

Blue card changes are coming from 20 September.

These changes include:

• parent volunteers will require blue cards if:
• services or activities do not include their own child
• they attend overnight excursions or camps
• close personal contact may occur with another child (such as assisting with toileting, bathing or dressing).
• external businesses providing services in schools or to children will need a blue card.

For more information about the upcoming changes, visit the Queensland Government website:  https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/blue-card-system-changes  

Tuckshop menu

Student Achievement

Congratulations Tanner Stitt

Over the school holidays Tanner Stitt in Year 6 competed in an international hip hop competition in Sydney for his solo division. Dancers from Philippines, New Zealand and Australia competed. Delivering a strong dance, Tanner took out 1st place bringing home the GOLD! Tanner also received "the best junior dancer" award for all junior dancers which covers 13 years and under internationally. To receive both awards at such a high level is something we all think is insanely amazing. Tanner trains nearly 12-13hrs a week. Hard work pays off. Hip hop is his passion and were so proud of him – his family, friends and the Kuluin school community.

Uniform Price List for 2025 - The School Locker Maroochydore

Kuluin State School uniforms are available from The School Locker Maroochydore, located in the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre at 11-55 Maroochy Blvd, Maroochydore. Uniforms can be purchased instore or online for collection or delivery. 

Road Safety

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Compliance Team will be visiting schools in the area over the coming weeks to address safety concerns around school zones, particularly focusing on parking. These visits are part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety of students, parents, and staff during school drop-off and pick-up times.

C&K Kuluin

Bus Passes

Parents/Carers will not need to apply for a school bus pass if their students are already bus pass holders and are (a) staying at the same school and (b) residing at the same address.  Parents/Carers can apply for STAS online here www.qld.gov.au/schooltransportassistance
- One Form
- Up to Five Children
- Any Device

Please note if your student is not eligible for a school bus pass, you will need to obtain a Go Card online or from your closest retailer. For more information please visit https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/go-card

Please visit our website below for school bus service information.
CDC Sunshine Coast https://cdcqueensland.com.au/bus-services/sunshine-coast-schools/
Phone: (07) 54766622

Email: info.sunshinecoast@cdcbus.com.au

Regular School Attendance

Reminder school commences 8.50am

Time Out / Illness

Why do I need to keep my child at home? This is a common question many families ask us. Please see attached Time Out brochure and poster that provide information for parents about infectious diseases and exclusion periods in Queensland schools.

Cybersafety

The Department of Education & Training (DET) Cybersafety Team have created an eSafety Guide to provide important information on how to protect your information and report inappropriate content when using the latest games, apps and social media.

Click here to visit The eSafety Guide:

Dates to Remember