27 June 2025

Principal’s Message

2025 School Explicit Improvement Agenda (EIA):

Curriculum – English
Multi-tiered Approach to support
Curriculum – Math V9

Dear Miami State School Community,

As we reach the final week of Term 2, it’s a great time to reflect on what has been an incredibly full and productive semester of teaching and learning at Miami State School. Over the past ten weeks, students have engaged in a wide range of rich learning experiences across all learning areas, showing persistence, curiosity and a strong commitment to their growth. From classroom achievements to co-curricular successes, we are so proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by every student.

School will conclude for Term 2 on Friday, 27 June, and we hope all our families enjoy a safe and restful holiday break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the start of Term 3 on Monday, 14 July, ready for another exciting term of learning and achievement.

South East Region Music Camp

What a fantastic year it has been so far in the Performing Arts at Miami State School! We are incredibly proud of our students’ outstanding talent, dedication, and commitment across all areas of music and the arts.The Music Department would like to extend a huge congratulations to the students were selected to attend the Regional Music Camp at Tallebudgera in Week 10 this term. These talented students have been representing Maimi State School and had the opportunity to join other young musicians and vocalists from across the Gold Coast for a week of musical excellence. We are so proud of their achievements.  Congratulations and well done!

2024 School Annual Report

Each year by June 30, schools are required to publish a ‘School Annual Report’ listing the major school achievements for the previous year against mandated system categories.  This is to be made available for viewing from the school website and via a direct link in the school’s newsletter by the end of term. Our report will be available for viewing from Monday, 23 June for those community members interested in perusing this.

Semester 1, 2025 Student Reports – to be emailed in Week 10

Miami State School will be emailing Report Cards again this semester. To ensure all parents and caregivers receive their child/children’s Report Cards, it is important that the school has your current email address recorded in OneSchool. If you are unsure that the school has your correct current email address, please ring/email the office to confirm. 

Report Cards will be emailed to all parents/caregivers recorded as receiving correspondence.  Report Cards may get lost in a ‘Junk’ folder. To help avoid this, you can add the address from which report cards will be generated - Application.ONESCHOOL@qed.qld.gov.au to your list of safe senders now.

Semester 1, 2025 Reporting Information for Parents

Miami State School is currently implementing Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum in English and Mathematics. This updated curriculum includes changes to what students are learning, with a greater focus on depth of understanding, critical thinking and real-world application. As part of this transition, you may notice some differences in your child’s end-of-semester results. This is a normal part of the change, as updated curriculum content and assessment tools are now being used. Please be assured these results reflect the new curriculum focus and we will continue to support our student’s through this change in curriculum.

English Level of Achievement Ratings

• Your child’s rating for all learning areas will indicate to what standard they have completed summative assessment tasks related to the aspects of the achievement standard.
• Parents may note a change in their child’s Semester 1 English rating from previous years as there have been modifications to Assessment Task Conditions within Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, particularly with regards to Reading Comprehension tasks.  To attain a ‘C’ standard in these tasks for example, students must be able to independently read all components of the text and questions.  Performance on one aspect of the English learning area may impact the overall ‘on balance’ judgment for the semester folio.

Enrolment for Prep 2026 Now Open!

For families interested in enrolling their child in Prep for the academic year 2026, I am delighted to inform you that the enrolment process has begun. This is a crucial time to secure your child's place at Miami State School and ensure they embark on a fulfilling educational journey with us.  We encourage all interested families to visit our school website or contact our administration office on 5595 4888 for enrolment information, forms, and key dates. Our dedicated staff will be more than happy to guide you through the enrolment process and address any queries or concerns you may have.

School Photos Update

School photos have arrived and have been distributed to classes this week. Please contact the school office if you do not receive your order. 

Lost Property

Getting towards the end of the term, please view the lost property box if you are looking for your child’s lost items of clothing, lunchboxes or drink bottles.  All unclaimed items are disposed of at the end of each term.  Ensuring all property brought to school is clearly labelled with your child’s name greatly assists in minimising frustration around lost items for you and your family.

Keep a watch on our school these holidays

With the holidays fast approaching, we need you to look out for after-hours crime in our school. If you see something suspicious, please don’t attempt to personally intervene. Call School Watch on 13 17 88 and let the local police or State Government Protective Security Service deal with the matter.

The School Watch program is a partnership between the Department of Education, the Queensland Police Service and the State Government Protective Security Service. It aims to reduce vandalism, theft and arson in Queensland schools.

Winter Holiday & Term 3 Date Claimers

I would like to wish all staff, students and our entire Miami SS community a wonderful mid-year school holiday. I am sure everyone is looking forward to some well-earned rest and relaxation.  Be safe and cherish your quality time with friends and family.  I look forward to seeing everyone back at school happy and healthy on Monday, 14 July for the commencement of what promises to be another action-packed term. 

Warm regards,

Jemille Malouf
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Message

Welcome to week 10

By the end of this week, half of the 2025 school year will be over already.  It has been a long and busy term and all members of our school community require a well-deserved break.  This week your child(ren) received their Semester One report card (via your nominated Email).  This is the culmination of roughly six months of hard work by our students and teachers who are busy in the classroom with our core business of teaching and learning.  Please take the time to read the report card with your child and discuss their areas of learning.  If you feel you would like further clarification around what is written on the report card, please contact your child’s teacher or organise a Parent Teacher Interview that will occur in Week 3 of Term 3 (More information to follow)

Please see below the tables identifying the language that will be used in academic reports.

Achievement and Behaviour/Effort Reporting Table

Achievement

Behaviour and Effort

*In Prep–Year 6, effort results appear for every subject and behaviour is displayed as an overall result.

READING AND VOCABULARY

GOOD BOOKS MAKE READING FUN

Stories for young children should be of all kinds – folktales, funny tales, exciting tales, tales of the wondrous and stories that tell of everyday things.

What you'll need:

A variety of interesting books

What to do:

• An essential step in learning to read is good books read aloud. Parents who read aloud to their children are teaching literacy concepts simply by sharing books. Encourage your children to listen, ponder, make comments, and ask questions.
• Be flexible enough to quickly abandon a book that does not appeal after a reasonable try at reading it. No one is meant to enjoy every book. And no one, especially a child, should be forced to read or listen to books that bore.
• Even after children have outgrown picture books they still enjoy hearing a story read aloud. Hearing a good story read well, especially if it is just a little beyond a child's own capabilities, is an excellent way to encourage independent reading. Not all books are best read aloud; some are better enjoyed silently.
• There are plenty of children's books that are twice as satisfying when they are shared a chapter at a time before bed or during long car rides. There are some books that children should not miss, books that they will want to hear many times and ultimately read for themselves.
• Young children want to read what makes them laugh or cry, shiver and gasp. They must have stories and poems that reflect what they themselves have felt. They need the thrill of imagining, of being for a time in some character's shoes for a spine-tingling adventure. They want to experience the delight and amazement that comes with hearing playful language. For children, reading must be equated with enjoying, imagining, wondering, and reacting with feeling. If not, we should not be surprised if they refuse to read. So let your child sometime choose the story or book that they want you to read to them.

Give your child many opportunities to read and write stories, lists, messages, letters, notes, and postcards to relatives and friends. Since the skills for reading and writing reinforce one another, your child's skills and proficiency in reading and writing will be strengthened if you help your child connect reading to writing and writing to reading.

Finally, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful and restful winter break.  I hope you find the time to rest and recover and spend quality time with family and friends.  Stay warm and stay healthy.

Until next term

Ben Edmunds
Deputy Principal Year 4 - 6

Deputy Principal’s Message

🌟 Supporting Confident Learners: What John Hattie’s Research Tells Us & How You Can Help These Holidays 🌟

As we approach the school holidays, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can support our children’s learning outside the classroom — and build their confidence as learners for life.

International education researcher Professor John Hattie has spent decades studying what makes a real difference in student learning. His research, based on millions of students across the globe, highlights one clear message: the biggest factor in a child’s success is how they think about their own learning.

🔍 What Hattie Found

Hattie’s concept of “visible learning” shows that confident learners:

• Believe they can improve with effort (this is called a growth mindset)
• Understand what they’re learning and why
• Get regular feedback and reflect on how to improve
• Feel safe to make mistakes and try again

These factors matter even more than homework, class size, or technology! And the great news is, parents and carers can play a key role in developing these traits — especially during the holidays.

🏡 5 Holiday Tips to Grow Confident Learners at Home

Here are five simple, research-backed ways you can support your child’s learning over the break — while keeping things relaxed and fun:

1. Ask Questions, Don’t Just Give Answers

Encourage curiosity. Instead of giving answers straight away, ask:

• “What do you think?”
• “How could we find that out?”

This builds problem-solving skills and helps children see themselves as capable thinkers.

2. Praise the Process, Not Just the Result

Instead of “You’re so smart,” try:

• “You worked hard on that!”
• “You kept trying, even when it was tricky.”

This teaches children that effort and persistence lead to success.

3. Read, Talk, and Wonder Together

Whether it’s reading a story, talking about a movie, or looking at bugs in the garden — language and connection matter. Ask open-ended questions and wonder aloud with them.

4. Let Them Teach You

Ask your child to explain something they’ve learned. It could be how to do a maths trick, play a card game, or bake something.

• “Can you show me how you did that?”

Teaching others helps solidify learning and builds confidence.

5. Build Life Skills

Cooking, gardening, budgeting, measuring, or even planning a trip to the park are fantastic learning opportunities. These experiences grow independence and real-world thinking.

🌱 Final Thoughts

Remember, children learn best when they feel safe, supported, and curious. The holidays are a chance to slow down and create meaningful moments that help children see themselves as learners — not just in the classroom, but in life.

From all of us at school, we wish you a restful and enjoyable break. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in helping your child grow into a confident and capable learner.

Julia Hoy
Deputy Principal Prep – Year 3

Office/Finance News

Communication: It is important that all communication relating to change of personal details and payments are directed to our office@miamiss.eq.edu.au email address.

DEBTOR STATEMENTS (Please see example below)

Debtor statements will be issued at the beginning of each month.  A statement will show all of your enrolled students at Miami State School on the one statement.

If you don’t receive a statement, it means that you have nothing owing on your student’s account. 

If you receive a statement and it shows a (-) negative sign in front of the $ amount, it means you are in credit on your account.  PLEASE DO NOT PAY.  When future invoices are issued, please advise the school and we can apply the credit to your invoice.  If you would like the credit on your account applied to a current invoice that is showing on your statement, you will need to notify the school for us to apply this credit.  If you have any queries, please email the office on office@miamiss.eq.edu.au or call on 5595 4888. 

Please ensure when you are making a payment, that you pay it against the original invoice NOT against a statement.

Excursions / Incursions :

Payments

Please ensure when making a deposit into the school bank account you put your students name and invoice number as a reference.  This ensures we can apply it to your invoice promptly.

No late payments will be accepted, please note direct deposits can take up to 3 business days for funds to clear.

If you are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact our office (office@miamiss.eq.edu.au) to request a payment arrangement.

How to record a Student Absence

• Option 1 - Text our SMS line on 0427 904 333 with student’s full name, class and the reason for absence (This is our preferred method). As the SMS text automatically goes into our school system.
• Option 2 - Email absentee@miamiss.eq.edu.au, with student’s name, class and reason for absence.
• Option 3 - Contact our office on 07 5595 4888 and press 1 to leave a voicemail informing students full name, class and the reason for absence.

If you receive a text message for an unexplained absence, please reply to the text ASAP with a reason for absence to avoid us contacting you and interrupting your busy day.

Thank you 😊

Office Staff

HPE News

Oceanic Trials:

Good luck to Grace P & Emmy L who will head to the U/12 Girls Cricket Trials, we are sure they will represent Miami in spectacular form.

Overall, it’s been an extremely busy semester with Oceanics, our staff have held over 26 trials for various sports available to both our girls and boys. Well, done to all those athletes who have taken part in their chosen field of expertise and thank you to all our staff who have volunteered numerous lunch breaks to offer the opportunity to our athletes. Let’s see what the second half of the year brings.

Gala Day

We had our very first Gala Sports Day last Friday and if that’s anything to go off it’s going to be a great season this year. We will be having Broadbeach State School joining us for Gala 2 & 3 which will make the day even more enjoyable connecting with our surrounding primary schools. Mr Crilly organised the Oztag which saw over 300+ students spend the day down at Coplicks and said the day was such a success and the schools had a great time mingling. The canteen was a highlight amongst the players, parents and staff. Mr Crilly and his DJ skills added to the atmosphere. We thank all our staff who volunteered to supervise all our students at all the various events. Gala 2 will be held Week 2 Tuesday July 22^nd.

Miami QCup

Huge congratulations to our exceptional coaches, Mr Stephens and Mrs Pollard, and our talented QCup Miami AFL teams. Today at Carrara, our teams proved their mettle, with our girls securing a thrilling win and displaying great promise in their subsequent games. Our boys, meanwhile, made a lasting impact, achieving an unprecedented undefeated streak in all their matches - a testament to their unwavering commitment and dedication.

Senior Athletics Carnival

After a final check of results and checking of scores we have acknowledged our 2025 Age Champions for 2025 and also announced our 2025 Senior Miami Athletics Team. This year our Spirit trophy was awarded to Fraser House for their non stop sportsmanship throughout the day. To our overall 2025 Athletic Champions went to Norman House with a convincing win. Well done to all that took part in the day. We wish all our Miami Athletes the best of luck next term at the upcoming Oceanic Trials Thursday and Friday week 4 on 7^th and 8^th August.

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2025 Miami School Athletics Team.

HPE

Preps and Mrs Dutton have had the privilege of students from Kings Christian College come over the past few weeks to teach them some gross motor skills. Students have had the opportunity to learn various games and skills under the guidance of the senior students which they have very much enjoyed. These students are from year 11 and 12 (who are State/National Athletes) who are completing their Sport and Rec Courses/Certificates.

Ben Crilly-Hargrave

PBL Focus

Office Notice Board Week 9 – Prep C

Office Notice Board Week 10 – 1N

Tuckshop

Our wonderful tuckshop is always looking for an extra pair of hands to help out. If you have a little spare time, they would love for you to pop in and give them a hand.  Please contact the tuckshop via,

email:  miamisstuckshop@gmail.com

After School Programs

Please note these programs are facilitated by external providers and you are required to make any enquiries or bookings directly with the relevant provider. Please ensure you are on time to collect your student from the relevant location. Collection of students from the oval and multi-courts to be via Pizzey Road tennis courts (not through the school).

TERM 3 – 2025 AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITES

Prep 2026

Steam Cup

Last week, our talented Miami STEAM team took on an exciting challenge as part of the Junior School STEAM Cup at Merrimac High School—and they certainly didn’t disappoint!

The major task? Design and build a spaghetti bridge that could hold the most weight. After researching different types of bridges, the team chose to create a strong truss bridge design. They worked together to carefully cut and connect spaghetti, making sure the structure had lots of triangle shapes for extra strength.

The big test came when they slowly started adding weights. Everyone held their breath as the bridge held more and more... until finally, it supported over 5 kilos (the second most) before spectacularly collapsing!

“We were so happy! We didn’t think it would hold that much,” said one team member.

Meanwhile, another team soared to victory in the Catapult Challenge! Using everyone’s learnt knowledge, they modified our catapult that launched a small ball with accuracy to win this challenge.

Miami showed all the attributes to be successful on the day demonstrating teamwork, planning, and learning from failure.

Well, done Miami! Your creativity and determination truly lit up this year’s STEAM Cup.

JEP Art

This term in JEP, students have had a fantastic time exploring a variety of exciting art techniques and materials. They began by combining pencil drawing and printmaking to create vibrant and eye-catching budgie artworks. Next, they experimented with oil pastels and inks to bring sparkly underwater jellyfish scenes to life, bursting with colour and texture. To finish the term, students explored charcoal shading techniques to produce dramatic palm tree landscapes and delightfully gooey donut drawings. Each student showed great creativity and had a lot of fun along the way!

2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge

Once again Miami State School students are invited to join in the 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge. Students are encouraged to select a range of fiction and non-fiction books suited to their reading ability and record books read during the reading period, from 6 May to 22 August.

To complete the challenge:

• Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books
• Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books
• Years 5 to 9 must read at least 15 books.

Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories, or reading picture books. The aim for the 2025 challenge is to encourage students to make time to read.

Every student who completes the challenge, and returns the completed record reader form, will receive a Certificate of Achievement. Hopefully many of our students will participate in the 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge.

E-Bikes/Scooter Rules