25 July 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,

I would like to let our school community know that I will be on leave during Weeks 3 and 4 of this term. During this time, Mr Edmunds will be stepping into the role of Acting Principal, and Mrs Fields will be Acting Deputy Principal for our upper school students in Years 4 to 6. I am confident the school will continue to run smoothly in their capable hands. I look forward to seeing everyone when I return from leave.

What another brilliant fortnight at Miami State School. Over the last two weeks I have had the pleasure of spending time in classroom and speaking with students about the great learning that is occurring at Miami State School. I have had a number of amazing students come and share their amazing writing and math’s learning – I am truly impressed with the level of academic learning occurring across our school.  Our Performing Arts Department are busy preparing for the upcoming Eisteddfods – we are excited for another great year of performing. 

2025 School Opinion Survey – Parents/Caregivers

The suite of School Opinion Surveys is undertaken each year by the Department of Education to obtain opinions about our school from families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11). The surveys will help identify what we are doing well, and understand where we can improve. The survey invitation will be emailed in the week beginning 21 July and is titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2025.

• Each school family will receive one email invitation from the Department of Education to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey. The survey is anonymous, and the results are not reported in ways that an individual’s response can be identified by the school.
• Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with an internet connection.
• Parents/caregivers who experience difficulties accessing the survey can request a new survey from the School Opinion Survey team via email schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au.

It’s important that as many parents/caregivers as possible complete the survey, so we would appreciate if members of this committee would raise awareness of this survey with other parents and caregivers. Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.

E-Bikes and Bikes with Conversion Kits

Recently, we have observed an increasing number of students using e-bikes before and after school. While e-bikes can be convenient, they pose significant dangers for our young students. We've had incidents of children being struck by fast-moving e-bikes, students riding at unsafe speeds, and younger children doubling up, increasing the risk of accidents. These behaviours not only endanger the riders but also put other students at risk. We urge parents to ensure that their children are not using e-bikes until they are of an appropriate age and maturity. Let's work together to keep our children safe and our school environment secure.

Key Dates for Term 3 and Communication

Please view the key dates calendar that was sent home and Seesaw’d at the beginning of this term for date claimers for upcoming events of significance for your children. Additional information and consent (QParents) will be distributed to relevant student groups regarding specific events. Please ensure you adhere to all payment and/or permission deadlines to avoid disappointment for your child.

Home-School Communication

Our school newsletter is issued fortnightly on a Friday of the school term. The newsletter is uploaded to the official school Facebook page, sent via Seesaw  and uploaded to the school website.   It is vitally important that the newsletter is engaged with as it is one of our primary source of communicating key school messages, events and timelines.  Please ensure that you check out Facebook and Seesaw pages regular, as this is our main form of communication home.  There are regularly reminders about all events occurring at school and this is the best way for you to stay informed.

NAPLAN Student Reports - Year 3 and 5 students

Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN Student Reports have been distributed to all students.   Please contact the school if your child has not brought home a NAPLAN report.

2026 ENROLMENTS – NOW OPEN FOR ALL YEAR LEVELS 

Our school is now taking enrolments for the 2026 school year, please get your enrolment forms in early, if possible, to inform school planning. Should you know of friends or family looking to join our great school, please inform them that they are also most welcome to contact the school for further information and to obtain an enrolment package.  Prospective 2026 Prep students and parents/caregivers may like to consider attending our Pre-Prep Transition sessions to support the transition and orientation process to school. Please book in to these sessions via our school website, using the SOBs booking system.

Is your Prep-Year 5 student transferring to another school in 2026?

We would appreciate early notice if your child, or children, will be transferring to another school in 2026. Please inform the office by phone on 5595 4888 OR email admin@maimiss.eq.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

ADVANCE NOTIFICATION: Gold Coast Show Holiday & Student Friday Day

The Term 3 Gold Coast Show holiday has been scheduled for Friday, 29th August. Please note this date in your calendars – there will be no school for students on this day.

There is a gazetted Student Free Day on Friday 5^th of September – there will be no school for students on this day. 

With lots of events coming up in the coming weeks, I am looking froward to another great two weeks at Miami SS.

Warm regards,

Jemille Malouf
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Message

We hope you all had a restful break and are now ready to begin an exciting new term at Miami State School. As we start Term 3, we extend a warm welcome back to all our students and families.

The recent holidays provided us all with an opportunity to recharge and focus on personal activities. We trust you had a pleasant time with loved ones and are now ready for the term ahead.

Our teachers and staff have been busy preparing for this term, ensuring that we have a variety of engaging activities, events, and learning opportunities planned for all students. From classroom activities to extracurricular clubs and sports, we aim to provide a well-rounded experience for everyone.  To our new students, a warm welcome to the Miami State School community. We are delighted to have you with us and look forward to supporting your growth and success in this new environment.

BYOD (iPad)

We are excited to continue our BYOD iPad program for 2026. Miami State School has transitioned to a Bring Your Own iPad (BYOD) program for our year 4, 5 and 6 students over a 3 year period.  This initiative aims to enhance the learning experience by integrating technology seamlessly into our curriculum. By empowering students with their own iPads, we aim to foster digital literacy, critical thinking, and creativity, all of which are essential skills for their future success. Through this BYOD program, students will have access to a wide range of educational resources, interactive tools, and personalised learning opportunities that will further enrich their educational journey. We believe that this transition will open up new horizons for our students, preparing them to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world.  Information has been sent to Year 3 families via SeeSaw this week regarding an upcoming parent information session.  The information at this session will be shared in hard copy with students later this term.  Parents who will be attending are asked to RSVP via a message to their child’s teacher on SeeSaw.

PBL

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) forms the foundation of our educational approach at Miami State School. It encompasses a set of principles and practices designed to foster a respectful, safe, and supportive learning environment for all students and staff. PBL focuses on reinforcing positive behaviours and values, encouraging responsible choices, self-discipline, and respect for oneself and others. By cultivating a culture of positivity and collaboration, we aim to create an atmosphere where each student feels valued and motivated to achieve their full potential. PBL not only contributes to improved academic outcomes but also equips our students with essential life skills, such as effective communication, problem-solving, and resilience, preparing them for success and well-being in the long run.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent-Teacher Interviews will be taking place on Tuesday the 29^th of July. These interviews provide a valuable opportunity for parents and guardians to engage in meaningful discussions with their child's teachers, gain insights into their academic progress, and address any questions you may have. We encourage all parents to actively participate in these interviews, as open communication between home and school is vital in supporting our students' learning and development.

Until next fortnight

Ben Edmunds
Deputy Principal Year 4 - 6

Deputy Principal’s Message

🎉 Celebrating 100 Days of Prep

Over the past 100 days, our Prep students have blossomed into confident, curious learners. Their achievements have been nothing short of remarkable:

• In Literacy, they’re learning to recognise letters and sounds, read simple texts, and write words and sentences to express their thoughts.
• In Numeracy, they’re exploring numbers, patterns, and early addition and subtraction, building a strong foundation for future maths learning.
• Socially, they’re learning how to cooperate, share, take turns, and build positive relationships with classmates and teachers.
• Emotionally, they’re developing greater self-awareness, learning how to manage big emotions, and practicing strategies to calm themselves and ask for help when needed.
• As Learners, they’re becoming more independent, curious, and focused — showing resilience, a willingness to have a go, and pride in their progress.

Each day brings new growth, and we are so proud of the way our Preps are embracing school life with joy, effort, and determination. Thank you to our families for your ongoing support — your encouragement and partnership make a world of difference!

🪣 Term 3 Assembly Focus: Bucket Filling

This term in our school assemblies, we are exploring the important concept of "bucket filling", inspired by the picture book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

This heartwarming book introduces the idea that everyone carries an invisible bucket, which holds our feelings and emotional well-being. We can fill others’ buckets by being kind, respectful, and caring — and when we do, we fill our own buckets too! On the other hand, unkind or hurtful behaviour takes from others' buckets and leaves our own bucket feeling empty.

Through our assembly focus, students are learning:

• How their actions and words affect others.
• The power of kindness and encouragement.
• How to be "bucket fillers" in the classroom, playground, and beyond.

We encourage families to talk about bucket filling at home and recognise kind, positive actions as a way to build empathy and strong relationships.

Let’s keep filling each other’s buckets every day! 💖

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

State Trials:

Huge congratulations to both Beau S & Lucas P who competed in the U/12 Boys Cross Country State Trials. It is a huge achievement for such a gruelling sport having two of our students reach such a high level. Beau S should be extremely happy with for his first competition at this level,  placing in the top 14 for U/10’s in the State. Lucas P determination and resilience against the pain of the 3km course helped him place 6^th overall and now has qualified to represent QLD at Nationals. We wish him all the best and such a proud moment being able to represent your state.

Gala Day

We had our 2nd Gala Sports Day and had Broadbeach State School joining us for Gala which made the day even more enjoyable connecting with our surrounding primary schools. It was a bit touch and go but we played through the colder winds and dodged the rain the best we could. Thanks to all staff, parents and our Miami community for supporting on the day and giving our students the opportunity to represent their school.

Miami QCup

It’s with great pleasure to announce our QCup boys have qualified for the next round of competition. Mr Stephens and his team were undefeated on Day 1 and will be competing for finals up at Sunshine Coast towards the end of term.

Miami Athletics Team:

Thursday 7^th and Friday 8^th August our athletics team will be taking part in the Oceanic Athletic Trials to be held at Runaway Bay. Mrs Dutton and the team will be competing other the two days in their selected event. We wish our team the very best and know they will compete at their very best to the end. 

NFL Flag:

The new season has begun, and we want to congratulate the following students who will be heading to the Sunshine Coast 25^th August to represent Miami Mavericks in the U/12 Primary School NFL Flag State Championships. Taj S, Cash C, Indie H, Remy P, Reif S, Zach S, Hunter M, Ryder M, Lucas P, Noah B. Mr Stephens & Mr Crilly have held trails last term and was great to see such a huge turnout. Trainings have begun and they will be competing for a sport in the Australian Nationals Competition.

HPE

Last week at Miami State School, Miami Oztag have run induction lessons for all our Preps - Year 6. Students have enjoyed a fun session playing Oztag in their specialist lessons in the lead up to the new season.

All students have brought a flyer home with all the details for those families interested. A great way to link up with friends from school to create a team to play!

Ben Crilly-Hargrave

PBL Focus Week 2

Office Notice Board Week 1 – 2O

Office Notice Board Week 2 – 3F

This term, 3F have been exploring the fascinating world of plants and animals. Most recently, they have been learning about sea turtles and the many challenges they face in the wild. As part of our research, we discovered several serious threats to their survival -

• Predators
• Plastics
• Oil slicks
• Poachers
• Warmer sand temperatures
• Fishing equipment
• Light pollution
• Cars driving on the sand

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

Pancakes

PANCAKE MORNINGS for Term 3 will be years 4-6, Monday 11th August (wk.5) and years Prep–3, Monday 25th August (wk.7). We serve from 8.15am until 8.45am.

Can you help us stock up?   We need: Pancake shake mix, Paper plates (packs of 50 or 20) and Maple Syrup (not Golden Syrup). Donation Items can be dropped at the front office. Thank you for your generosity and support.                                                              

*(Chappy always has Gluten free pancakes available for students on request).

Shane Scott (Chappy)

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

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.

Prep 100 days of school

On Wednesday, our Prep students marked a very special milestone,100 days of school! It was a day full of fun, creativity, and celebration!

To celebrate the big 100, our Prep students took part in a variety of exciting activities. One of the highlights was a creative art activity where students imagined what they might look like at 100 years old. With cotton wool hair, glasses and some very wise looking smiles, the results were both hilarious and heartwarming!

Congratulations to all our Prep students on reaching this wonderful milestone. We can’t wait to see what you achieve in the next 100!

E-Bikes/Scooter Rules