Events committee
The Events committee organises all events that involve the school community. Regular events include Mothers and Fathers day stalls, Easter raffle and morning teas to welcome in the school year, to celebrate our new school leaders and for Grandparents day. We also hold fun events such as trivia nights and ‘girls night in’. We have brought back the tradition of holding a school fair every 2 years with great success.
While we do raise money with our events, our focus is on bringing our school community together and adding to the enjoyment of the school years. We always welcome new members and ideas.
Sports working party
The Sports working party was formed following concerns by several parents about the adequacy of sports equipment available for students’ use and questions regarding children’s access to more areas of the school to pursue physical activities during lunch breaks. The group was developed to support the Health and Physical Education (HPE) program at Nundah. It works to secure funding through grant applications and to provide the equipment needed to ensure our children can participate fully in a variety of sporting activities, both during their HPE lessons and at the broader interschool level.
Those involved in the group recognize the importance of sport as an integral part of education and the development of each child. We aim to see that our children are provided with the equipment, uniforms and opportunities to participate in a wide variety of sporting activities, thus allowing them to explore their potential. We want them to be proud to represent themselves both individually and as a part of their school community.
The group meets once or twice per term, depending upon upcoming events. We usually meet before school for approximately 45 minutes.
If you have an interest in the sports program at school or any ideas for the group, please join us.
Music sub-committee
The Music Association oversees the musical program and helps organise various events. There is also some fund-raising involved as it is necessary to purchase new instruments, music, uniforms and equipment for use in all areas of the School’s music program.
The Music sub-committee of the P&C is a group of parents interested in supporting our school’s music teachers to provide quality programs in the classroom and also in extra-curricular instrumental music and choirs for over 200 children at our school. In 2013, we met with the music coordinator, Geoff Whitehead and various music staff approximately twice each term at different times both before and after school to fit in with the availability of staff and committee members.
Our concert band, string ensemble and choirs have regular bookings for school assemblies. Choirs also perform at our assemblies, local nursing homes and Nundahfest. Once a year, our children gather together for a Gala musical evening where all members of our music program perform on stage for their parents/caregivers and families.
The committee assists by coordinating ticket and raffle sales at Music night (term 3) and in providing help on Music break up day (term 4). A secretary records the minutes of meetings led by the coordinator and a treasurer has been responsible for receipting music maintenance and choir levies/fees. Money raised throughout the year has been used to repair instruments, purchase sheet music and some new instruments. Meetings are advertised in the school newsletter and new members are always welcome!
Cooler learning environments
This sub-group is responsible for several recent initiatives to improve the temperature of our indoor learning spaces, including:
Tinting windows in rooms to reduce temperature.
Painting our 'hottest' classroom block ie E-F blocks with heat reflective paint (see trial information below).
Painting the external walls of E-F blocks with heat reflective wall paint.
Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) is conducting an Energy Efficiency and Demand Management Trial aimed at both energy efficiency improvements and demand management reduction. As a result of collaboration with the P&C sub-group, this trial, which will be conducted across ten schools in the south-east Queensland region, includes Nundah State School.
Specific goals of the program include:
Measure and understand the main contributions to peak demand.
Develop and trial strategies to reduce peak demand.
Measure the effectiveness of a range of efficiency measures.
Develop a mechanism to finance the implement these measures from energy cost savings.
The ultimate purpose of the trial is to develop a deployment plan for schools across Queensland using a series of validated energy reduction tools and measures with a funding model to reduce the cost of electricity to schools and improve energy efficiency where this is economically justified.
Nundah State School has been selected to trial reflective roof paint on two buildings. Temperature sensors have been installed throughout the school since February 2013.
ERM, Nundah State School’s electricity retailer, has been tracking the development of a Cool Roof Validation Project. A ‘Cool Roof’ could be defined as a roof that, because of special coatings on its surface, remains at or near ambient temperature on hot days. Specific roof coatings can impact on two main attributes of a roof: its solar reflectance and its thermal emittance. Cool Roofs are reported to have multiple benefits including reductions in energy consumption and peak demand, monetary savings, increased thermal comfort in and around buildings, extended roof life, and enhanced urban environmental quality. The extent of these benefits, however, is reported to vary with climate and season, building type and materials, electricity pricing, heating and cooling equipment utilized, and building occupancy. An international literature review indicates that on average between 20% and 30% energy reductions have been achieved in the USA in climates similar to Queensland.
The roof of E-F block has been coated during the mid-year school break.
Literacy, Learning and Emotional Support (LLES) working party
Research tells us that up to 20% of children struggle with learning difficulties. Reading, writing and spelling can be tricky skills to master. There are so many different kinds of learning issues: emotional, physical and cognitive … and sadly no text book with all the answers. Though there are many support structures, organisations, specialists and technological programs available to us, sometimes it is hard to find what will best suit a child. Other times it is hard to know where to begin. We do however have a secret weapon - each other! Between us we have so much shared wisdom.
Nundah State School has recently formed a Literacy, Learning and Emotional Support (LLES) working party of the P&C to specifically look at literacy and learning difficulties in our school. The working party consists of our Deputy Principal, Support teacher Literacy and Numeracy (STLAN) Alison Daly, and a selection of teachers and parents. The group’s purpose is to discuss the challenges facing children with learning difficulties and dyslexia-type learning needs, and how parents and the school can work together to improve their:
learning and engagement
demonstration of knowledge (and thus improved academic performance)
compassionate support (a positive schooling experience where students feel safe, encouraged and nurtured)
emotional resilience.
The working party is committed to school action to improve student learning through policy, assistive technology, state-of-the-art resources, evidence-based programs, strategic professional development, grants and fundraising, and improved support services for students, teachers and parents. Our work is inspired and driven by the knowledge that action taken to improve the learning outcomes of children with learning difficulties are in fact about “effective teaching and learning” and will, in turn, boost the academic and social outcomes for all students.
The LLES also operates as a source of assistance for parents and teachers who are interested in receiving further information on how to help a child with a learning difficulty, diagnostic assessments, information seminars, current research and interventions, and our school’s action to help students bypass their difficulties and prove their knowledge.
Our goal is to inspire and empower every student at Nundah State School. Let’s work together to provide them with a strong academic and emotional foundation, positive learning journey, and vision for their future that is alight with possibility. If you’d like to hear more about the LLES working party please contact us at NSSLLES@outlook.com.
Road safety committee
Nundah State School (NSS) recognises that Road safety within our school precinct is a very important issue, and seeks to educate and support all members of our community to practice safe behaviour. This focus encompasses both pedestrian and vehicular traffic around our school.
The P&C formed a Road safety working group to address road safety issues around our school. They have been successful in lobbying for changes to parking around the school, and are active champions for delivering road safety messages via our weekly newsletters.
NSS is hoping to implement a monitored Load and Leave program within the loading zones called Look Out and are currently calling for volunteers. We have also applied to be included in the Brisbane City Council Active School Travel Program.
The School urges parents and carers to avoid any unsafe practices as they increase the chances of children being hit or an accident occurring. Please report any unsafe road practices to the Road safety committee and let us know if you are interested in assisting with our Look Out zones and let us know if you are interested in assisting us with our Look Out zones via email to pandc@nundahss.eq.au.
History committee
Our History committee has strong ties to the local community also. They currently include the 150th Celebrations team who are just in the planning process of these events.
For more information or to get involved, please send your contact details to pandc@nundahss.eq.edu.au and someone will be in touch shortly.
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) working group
The P&C Association recognises that there is an increasing demand for OSHC from Nundah State School families. In March 2013, a working group comprised of eight parents and staff was formed to investigate and recommend options for OSHC. Surveys of staff and parents/caregivers are being conducted, and the group plans to bring recommendations to the P&C in October 2013, for consideration of 2014 service provision. Watch this space.
Playspaces
One of the major aims of our P&C over the coming years is to improve our outdoor playspaces. The Fundraising and sponsorship group have begun to assist, and we are in the process of developing some long-medium term plans to improve the quadrangle, all the way down to the oval.
Your input, ideas and energy would be appreciated. For further information contact the P&C by email: pandc@nundahss.eq.edu.au.