Issue 12 / 18 October 2013
From the Head of Junior School I hope that you all had a wonderful and relaxing holiday. We have hit the ground running and we have many wonderful events planned. You should have received a note reminding you about presentation night on the 12th November at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. It is a compulsory event for all students in Years 4 – 12. Students need to be seated by 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start. It promises to be a wonderful night! Congratulations to all of the students who performed and received awards at the Cultural Awards evening last Friday night. As someone who has zero musical, dance or artistic ability, I am constantly amazed at the talent of the students at St Andrews. It is obvious that there has been many hours of practice and you the parents, should be very proud of your children’s achievements in the Arts. Thank you to all of the Arts staff for all of your work that you have done with the children in the Arts. It is great to see children using their god given talents. We are starting to make preparations for class placements in 2014. If you have any specific requests, please forward them in writing to the HOJS by the 1st November. When considering class placements for students we take into account many factors to make 3 balanced classes which will meet the needs of all 84 students. While your requests will be strongly considered within the big picture of class arrangements, we do not guarantee that your requests will be met. Georgia and Annie from Year 4 have taken some self directed action to raise money for the Tweed Heads Hospital. They are looking to raise $2000 for the hospital’s children ward. If you are able to contribute to this cause, they have a jar in the office, where you can make donations. Tuesday the 22nd October is going to have the College turning pink/yellow to raise money and awareness for the National Breast Cancer Awareness. To book your tickets for the P&F Pink Morning Tea go to the College website and follow the link under latest news, or click here now.
The students in Year 6 are busily putting together all of their work for their Exhibition. They are truly working very hard to raise awareness of the issues they have been studying in groups. Wednesday 23rd October is their night when they will showcase all of their work. This is a note from one of the groups. As some of you may know the Year 6 Exhibition is coming up on the 23rd October and we are looking at the lack of education in Nepal. So we thought if you have old or new stationary such as textas, coloured pencils, rubbers, books, pens, lead pencils or a pencil case that would be great. These items will be transferred to children in Nepal to help them learn and use the resources we use. The donation box will be a large pencil or box in the Junior School Office. If you would like to donate something you will have to donate it by Tuesday 22nd October. Thank you for your help - Cassia Golledge, Kyra Pearse and Emily Richards 6W. Another group is helping the homeless. They are asking for any blankets, sleeping bags and tinned food. Donations can be left in B13. Thank you! William Shearer and Kayley Green.
The students in Year 5 are preparing for positions of leadership within the Junior School. The students in P-2 will be going to swimming lessons later in the term. The awards assembly will also take place later in the term. All in all it shapes up to be a very busy term but a very exciting way to conclude the 2013 school year. Darrin Schumacher Deputy Principal/Head of Junior School
College Grounds Reminder We are blessed to have some fantastic facilities at the College, however the use of these after hours and on weekends is not allowed without the express permission of the Principal. Over the last few weeks we have had to ask some families using the ovals and playgrounds on weekends to move on as this is the only time our grounds have a time to recover from the collective wear of 1,100 students. Please respect that the College grounds are private property and that general community use is restricted for our students during the week only. Stephen Cooke Business Manager
From the Deputy Head of Junior School & PYP Coordinator As we begin a new Term, our Year 6 students are in the middle of their inquiry for the PYP Exhibition unit. This year the Exhibition again sits under the transdisciplinary theme of ‘Sharing the Planet’ and the students are inquiring into the following central idea, ‘The availability of resources influences outcomes.’ The students have chosen a wide variety of real world issues that are evident locally, nationally and globally. The range of topics include: human rights, discrimination, young offenders, over consumption, poaching and health. The purpose of the Exhibition for our students is: • To work collaboratively on an inquiry unit • To show both independence and responsibility for learning • To show an understanding of multiple perspectives • To reflect upon their learning • To take action in the form of preparing and presenting their knowledge • To be united together with fellow students, teachers, parents and other members of the community to celebrate the transition from Junior School and the completion of the Primary Years Program of the International Baccalaureate. We would like to invite all members of our community to the Exhibition Evening which is being held on Wednesday 23rd October at 7pm in the Multi-Purpose Hall where the students will share their PYP Exhibition learning journey of the past nine weeks.
The Year 6 students will experienced an incursion from World Vision to learn about limited resources (such as food) for some people in other countries to access. Recently I received a bundle of letters sent from the beautiful class of 1S. The students reflected on their experience of the recent Student Led Conferences. It was such a delight to read them all and I thought I would share one of the letters with you: Dear Ms Faulkner, I just wanted to tell you about things I like at student led conferences. I like being in the classroom showing my mum my portfolio pieces. My favourite thing was my goals because my mum kept asking me questions. But I would like if next year we could have more time. From Chloe Thank you again to all of our parents and grandparents who supported and encouraged their child through this very important reporting process. It was tremendous to see our students enthusiastically sharing their learning journey, identifying areas of strength and areas to continue to work on in the days ahead. Every blessing to all of our students and families for the final term of 2013! ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.’ (Romans 12:6 NIV) Jacqueline Faulkner Deputy Head of Junior School/PYP Coordinator
Counselling Update A Sensory Journey in the Garden A child who has the capacity to learn to self-soothe and self-regulate their energy and emotions will have a huge advantage over a child who cannot. A way in which children can learn to self-soothe is to engage their five senses and link to positive memory pathways. We need to help children build these positive memories based on sight, smell, taste, sound and touch. A sensory garden is one way of helping children value their five senses through nature. At St Andrews we have several garden beds in which vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown. As part of my counselling role I often take students to the garden just above the bus shelter. We have recently added some new plants to this garden and it is gradually changing into a sensory garden.
People of all ages can enjoy gardening, but children in particular will have lots of fun and gain special benefits. Gardening is educational and develops new skills including: • Responsibility – from caring for plants • Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without water, weeds compete with plants) • Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown • Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place • Reasoning and discovery – learning about the science of plants, animals, weather, the environment, nutrition and simple construction • Physical activity – doing something fun and productive • Cooperation – including shared play activity and teamwork • Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food Mardi Frost School Counselling Team
Some of the activities that students do in the garden here at school are: Touch – the feel and textures of different plants and fruits. Taste – building vocabulary of tastes such as bitter, sweet, sour. Allowing children to taste new things. It seems to be more fun when they are picked straight from the garden. A particular favourite in the garden at the moment is the “chocolate mint” herb. Smell – with the herbs the children can rub them in between their fingers and smell the fragrance. What does it remind them of? Where have they smelt it before? Sight – green is said to be a calming colour. It is also exciting for the children to see the change in colours as fruits ripen and see what parts of the same plant are different colours. Sound – We are currently looking at purchasing some wind chimes or windmills.
Chess News Gold Coast Primary Teams Chess Finals 2013 One of the biggest teams from St Andrews to ever assemble at the Teams Chess Finals arrived at Carrara eager to get their pieces moving. For the first time, St Andrews had two teams in the A Division finals and both teams performed admirably. Ryan Sergi (5L) performed exceptionally to finish third overall. Other notable performers were Charlie McMahon, Timothy Hornsey and Jack James. Congratulations must go to all of the players. They represented the College with pride by demonstrating excellent sportsmanship and tremendous perseverance. We now look forward to the Individual Age Championships coming up next term. Phil Buddee Year 4 Teacher
Art News Combined Mini Musos/ICB As part of the transition for our Mini Musos into the Band and PAT Program we have combined both the Mini Musos and Intermediate Concert Band for Term 4. This 55 piece band, conducted by Mr Matt Pearson and Mr Anthony Simmonds had their first rehearsal last week and are already sounding fantastic. This is a great opportunity for our young musicians to experience playing in a larger ensemble. Parents will be able to hear this group in a special afternoon soiree on Thursday 28th November in the Ruth Butler Theatre .
Walk4Cambodia Once again, our school has got together to help support people far less fortunate than ourselves. The whole Junior School participated in the walk/run challenge on the last day of Term 3. By all accounts the participants – whether they be Prep or Year 6 or anywhere in between had a great time challenging themselves to see how many laps they could complete in half an hour. The Student Cambodia team would like to thank all the Junior School students who participated so enthusiastically, along with the parents who gave up time to help record lap completions. At this point funds have been coming in steadily and it looks like we are on target to complete a community pond or two, which cost $1,950. Thank you for all the families who have contributed and a reminder that it is not too late to send in a contribution. An overall total will be announced in a few weeks time. A special thank you to Styleprint who donated our sponsorship forms! Mr Schache on behalf of the Cambodia team.
Cultural Awards Congratulations to all awardees and performers who participated in our annual Cultural Awards held last Friday. It was a fantastic showcase of the many talented students we have here at St Andrews. Any questions regarding this process can be emailed to priscillas@salc.qld.edu.au Priscilla Scott Head of Arts priscillas@salc.qld.edu.au
Writers Festival Year 6 Visit to the Brisbane Writers Festival On Friday, 6th September a group of 28 buddying young Year 6 writers visited The Brisbane Writers Festival, for an amazing experience! We watched presentations from 3 very talented writers, Garth Nix, Sean Williams and Oliver Phommavanh, which was a great privilege. They shared different perspectives on creating stories and writing. Listening to the writers was really inspiring as they all created their stories differently brainstorming and even playing with dolls and toys! Garth Nix told us a story about a ring he found that gives you 13 years good luck and he gave the ring to Aidan but then he told us it was just a made up story. He tricked us all! Whilst Claudia got to do the grumpy dance and Mitchell played charades with Oliver Phommavanh. Some of our students were given the chance to introduce the authors and thank them at the end of their presentation. We also were able to purchase books from the authors at the festival and we could get these books signed. It was a day filled with action! There was a fictitious crime scene that needed solving and we also had the opportunity to view some of the exhibits in the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), between workshops. There were some art pieces that were very interesting! By the end of the day we were exhausted but we had an amazing experience! Thank you to Mr Sheers, Mrs Grady and Mrs Lister who travelled with us. Lili James and Caitlin Gabriel Year 6 Students
Dates to remember October/November October Friday 18 Year 3 Excursion to Performance at Gold Coast Arts Centre Monday 21 Moderation Day – Student Free Day Tuesday 22 Mufti Day – Cancer Awareness - Dress Pink/Yellow P & F Pink Ribbon Morning Tea Wednesday 23 Year 6 PYP Exhibition Night 7.00pm – Multi Purpose Hall Thursday 24 Year 6 PYP Exhibition Day – Multi Purpose Hall Monday 28 Prep - The Little Green Thumbs incursion Tuesday 29 JS Captain Speeches – Multi Purpose Hall 8.40am Wednesday 30 Prep 2014 orientation for Parents – Multi Purpose Hall – 7.00pm November Friday 1 Prep 2014 Teddy Bears Picnic – Prep Rooms – 9.00am Prep to Year 7 Day with a Difference Saturday 2 Qld Primary All School Touch, Cleveland Showgrounds Sunday 3 Qld Primary All School Touch, Cleveland Showgrounds
Uniformshop News SECOND HAND INTAKE Please submit your second hand uniforms before the end of term if you wish to use your credit this term or in January. Items received in January cannot be processed until after the back to school rush. All items must be freshly laundered and ironed. Blazers must be dry cleaned and the receipt shown. (Please note that the proceeds from the sale of blazers will now be credited only after the blazer is sold). THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS Thank you so very much to Libby Nussey, Jenny Stadler, Wendy Tetsuo, Lorraine Guy, Sue Gabriel, Sharon McVay and Cath Brooks for your help in the Uniform Shop this term. We really appreciate you giving up your valuable time to volunteer. An extra special thank you to those who have helped on extra days, sometimes at short notice! VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED - THURSDAY & FRIDAY MORNINGS The Uniform Shop is looking for volunteers for Thursday and Friday mornings. Hours 8am to 9am. No experience necessary - just a friendly nature and a smile. Please contact Jacqui or Fiona during shop hours on 5568 5933 or drop in and see us. If you have any questions please email us at uniformshop@salc.qld.edu.au Jacqui Desfosses Uniform Shop Manager uniformshop@salc.qld.edu.au
Wild after School Art Classes
Learn to Create Draw and Paint..... Use your imagination it is fun for everyone! Monday 3pm - 4:30pm - Meet outside room 12B. Most art materials are supplied, Expert tuition artist/teacher and free snacks supplied. Don’t miss out, Book Now! Text/Call - 0402328987 or 55773293 after 7pm
Tuckshop News Thank you for your orders for the Pink Ribbon Bakery Fundraiser. We had another successful fundraiser. For payments of outstanding accounts, go to Flexi Schools and click on the IOU payment option. We are looking for volunteers on Tuesday fortnight and Wednesdays, if you are able to spare any time, please contact me on tuckshop@salc.qld.edu.au Trina van der Kamp Tuckshop Manager tuckshop@salc.qld.edu.au
Parents and Friends Association
St Andrews P & F News Welcome back to Term 4. A short term for many students and we wish all the Senior Students the best for their exams. The final meeting of the P & F for 2013 will be the AGM which is held on Wednesday 6th November at 7pm. So mark the date in your calendar. All positions will be open for nomination, so if you need any information on any of the roles, please contact one of the members of the current P & F. Please come along, as we require a quorum for the AGM and it is important you get involved for next year. Funding and Projects Hopefully everyone has noticed the extension to the bus shelter, which was built during the recent school holidays. The P & F has funded this project which hopefully will make more room for pickups when the weather is not good to us.
The P & F has also provided the College with funds for removable AFL goal posts for the lower oval, which we hope will be enjoyed by many for years to come. A new sound system for the MPH has been approved and should be installed in Term 4. A climbing wall for the MPH has also been approved as was an E-library, which includes over 400 book titles for use by all students. Banners which will encourage student’s creativity and sense of wellbeing in the College have also been purchased. At the last meeting further funds were requested towards the Year 12 Common Room, which all students at St Andrews will eventually be able to utilise. The P & F felt it was important the Year 12 students had somewhere they could use and make their own.
A further donation has also gone towards funding a Lego Robotic Club which we are sure will benefit many children. These are only a few examples of suggestions from parents attending P & F meetings which have come to fruition. Another important reason why you should get involved and have input into how the funds you help raise are put towards projects within the College. Further information on the Grandstand should be available at the AGM, plans have been prepared, and the school is awaiting quotes to determine the cost. Approval for the expenditure will be sought at future P & F meetings. Sponsors The P & F would like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support of our school. Please show your support for these businesses.
Uniforms for 2014 Dear Parents and Students, To assist you in your preparation for 2014, we would like to share some important information with you regarding uniforms. As your child moves from one year level to the next, there are sometimes changes to the required uniform. Below are details of the changes that will affect your child if he/she is moving into the following year levels in 2014.
YEAR 1
A formal uniform is now required to be worn 3 days a week. The sports uniform (same as Prep uniform) is worn 2 days a week
Girls Formal Uniform Formal Girls Hat ($45), Formal Dress ($70), White ankle socks with navy stripes ($7.50), Formal Jumper ($78), Navy 70 denier tights ($7 optional for winter). Black leather lace-up shoes (no buckles or Velcro) are also required but not sold in the Uniform Shop. Boys Formal Uniform Formal Boys Hat ($45), White Short Sleeve Shirt ($30), Navy Elastic Back Shorts ($25), Navy Knee High Formal Socks ($7.50), Formal Jumper ($78). Navy Formal Trousers ($30) are optional for winter. Black leather lace-up shoes (no Velcro) are also required but are not sold in the Uniform Shop.
YEARS 2 & 3 - no changes (Tip - Year 3 save your sports shoes for Year 4 camp next year!) YEAR 4
A navy sports shirt ($35) is required for Friday sport. The coloured house shirt is now only worn one day a week. Boys only - the navy elastic backed shorts change to zip up formal shorts ($30) worn with a regulation black belt ($18) Regulation St Andrews swimwear or athletics singlet /shorts may be required if selected to compete in Inter-Lutheran and/or District competitions from Years 4 -12.
YEAR 5 & 6 no changes. YEAR 7
The formal uniform is now worn 4 days a week – Monday to Thursday. The navy sports uniform is worn to school on Fridays for interschool sport. The sports uniform is to be brought to school and changed into for all PE and sports electives. The floppy sports hat may still be worn or can be replaced with a baseball cap ($15). Girls - the formal uniform changes to a skirt ($55), blouse ($42) and formal sockettes ($7.80). Navy 70 denier tights are optional in winter ($7-8). Boys - long grey trousers ($35) are optional in Term 2 & 3. Boys and Girls both wear low ankle sports socks ($7.80).
YEAR 8 The formal uniform is now worn Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The navy sports uniform is now worn on Thursdays for inter-school sport.
YEAR 9
no changes
YEAR 10
All Senior students require a College blazer which must be brought to school for photos in the first week of 2014. Please contact the Uniform Shop immediately if you have not already ordered or arranged a blazer. The blazer is worn to and from school in Terms 2 and 3. The formal jumper is now only required for extremely cold days, worn under the blazer. Girls - the formal uniform remains the same with the addition of a button-on tie ($20). Boys - the formal shirt changes to a style suitable for a tie (no tartan trim on the pocket $30). The boys winter formal uniform (terms 2 & 3) comprises of the senior short or long sleeve shirt ($30/$35), College tie ($18), grey trousers ($35) and plain navy business socks. These items must be purchased before school starts as they are required for photos.
YEAR 11 & 12 - no changes _______________________________________________________________________ NB: All students require a tracksuit jacket to wear with their sports uniform (optional Senior Jersey for Year 12) and a formal jumper to wear with their formal uniform (Blazer for Years 10-12). These items are not interchangeable. _______________________________________________________________________
UNIFORM SHOP INFORMATION SECOND HAND INTAKE
Items being submitted for second hand must be received before the end of Term 4, if you wish to use the credit to purchase uniforms in January. Sorry, but items submitted in January will not be processed until early February after the back to school rush eases.
AVOID THE RUSH – BUY OR ORDER NOW!
We encourage you to visit the Uniform Shop in Term 4 to purchase or order the uniform items you require for next year. There is plenty of stock available. If your child has a ‘growth spurt’, sizes can be exchanged in January providing items are returned in a saleable condition.
SAVE TIME - EMAIL YOUR ORDER.
If you know what you need, please email us your list so we can have it ready for you when you come in. It saves time for you and us! And if you include your card details, we can have your payment processed so you can just pick it up and go. Layby facilities are also available for pick up at the end of the term or in January. Regular payments are not necessary but can be made in person or over the phone.
OPENING TIMES:
The Uniform Shop will close at 10am on Friday 6th December 2013 and will re-open mid January 2014. January opening times will be advertised in newsletters and on the website. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us on 5568 5933 during opening hours, email us at uniformshop@salc.qld.edu.au or drop in to see us. We look forward to helping you get organised for 2014. Jacqui Desfosses and Fiona Gates St Andrews Uniform Shop
*Prices current until end 2013
St Andrews Pink Morning Tea
St Andrews Lutheran College P & F Pink Morning Tea Tuesday 22nd October 10am to 12.30pm Ruth Butler Theatre (Stalls open at 9am) Tickets by pre-purchase $25 a head, Tickets are now available Tables of 8 – whole table $200 Includes morning tea & door prize ticket Proceeds to NBCF (National Breast Cancer Foundation) Entertainment - Raffles Market stalls in the COLA Same day as whole of College Pink / Yellow Mufti day DONATIONS Donations will be gratefully accepted for use in raffles. Please leave any donations with Jacqui at the Uniform Shop or contact Michelle Brown 0418153731. Ideas: beauty products, gift cards, gift baskets. MARKET STALLS Do you have a home based business? If you are interested in having a stall or making a donation please contact Karen English on 0412696954 or Michelle Brown 0418153731 / michelle@brownslawyers.com.au. VOLUNTEERS We will also be looking for volunteers on the day to assist with set up and pack up. We would welcome any help so if you are available to help with either or both, or you have some other way to contribute please contact Michelle Brown, Karen English or Sharon McVay on 0408763809
by Michael Grose - No. 1 parenting educator
What’s the big deal with Instagram? Kidproof’s Catherine Gerhardt gives the parenting lowdown on Instagram, the new social media phenonomen currently sweeping across girlworld. Earlier this year my 11-year-old asked me if she could have access to Instagram. Heard of it? It’s a social networking phenomenon that is taking the tween population by storm. In a nutshell, Instagram is a photo sharing app that makes photos fun. Instagram is steadily growing in popularity among young and teen social networkers. At first it seems a relatively harmless way of sharing photos with each other via a smartphone. You can crop, adjust, reduce red eye and add filters. Even very ordinary photos can suddenly become appealing and interesting. However, we are hearing from a lot of schools that Instagram is quickly taking over the social networking circuits and creating havoc within and between social groups. It is a sideways slide into social networking. Set up an account and within seconds you are able to comment, like and check out what your friends are doing. Facebook is out, Instagram is in.
What parents need to know Instagram is a social networking service, and just like all other social networks “You must be at least 13 years old to use this Service”. Why 13? The age of 13 has to do with COPPA – the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (in the USA) which simply applies to the online collection of personal information by persons under 13 years of age. A child who provides a fake birthday to get onto a social networking site is helping that site break the law, as they are unknowingly collecting information from an under-age child. The internet is the biggest public place our kids can possibly hang out in. Rules and guidelines are there for good reason. How does it work? Users can upload a photo from their smartphone photo album or take a photo right then and there and use Instagram to change the way the photo looks. Instagram
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Michael Grose Presentations PO Box 167 Balnarring Vic 3926 p + 61 3 5983 1798 f (03) 5983 1722 e office@parentingideas.com.au All rights reserved. For more ideas, support and advice for all your parenting challenges please visit our website. 2013 Michael Grose
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phone number as part of their public profile. Talking with your kids about what is private information, such as a phone number, and explaining why we don’t give this away is a great place to start. Geotagging Once a photo has been taken and is ready to share, the option of ‘geotagging’ – including details of the location of the photo – comes up. This option has to be checked, however as with most touch screen devices errors can easily occur and a photo can be inadvertently geotagged. Geotagging is a great way to showcase where a photo was taken, but it can also alert others to where the photographer has been, if not where they might be at that moment. Blocking and reporting users and content
may be used as a photo-sharing social network on its own, but users also have the option to upload the photo to a number of other social media sites simultaneously, including Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr and Foursquare –depending on which one(s) the user syncs their settings with. Privacy The most important thing for users and parents to be aware of is that Instagram defaults to a public setting. Your profile and photos are public unless you tell it otherwise. Many parents may feel more secure knowing that their child has set their account to private, but watch to see how many followers your child has allowed onto their site. A child with a private setting that claims to have 222 followers means they have accepted 222 people to follow them, and not many tweens can say they genuinely socialise face-to-face with that many kids – no way! Remember even a private setting is still in a global public space, and the user’s profile information is always public. Signing up for an Instagram account requires that the user provide a username. In many cases young children use their real first and last names to create their accounts. To make matters worse, the sign-up process has an optional phone number section where users can submit their
Although it seems innocent enough, there are users out there who will post inappropriate pictures. People will and do upload nude photos, drug use, and other inappropriate content. Social networking sites such as Instagram provide tools to block or report content and users and it would be a good idea to learn how to use them. What can I do? As a parent, continue to monitor your child’s internet presence. At this time, it is not possible to sign up for an Instagram account on their website – it must be done by downloading the app to a smartphone. The app may be on your child’s mobile device without you even knowing about it. Help your child adjust their privacy settings at the outset so that their photos are only shared with face-to-face friends. Speak with your child about the safety concerns you may have if they accept requests from people they do not have real-life relationships with. Sign up with Instagram yourself and have a go so that you understand how it works. If your child has an account, follow your child and monitor their behaviour to determine if Instagram is an appropriate hang out for them. The answer for my 11 year old daughter was “not yet”. However, she is welcome to use my account with my permission as we learn to navigate this new world of social media and digital citizenship together. Page 2 of 2
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Michael Grose Presentations PO Box 167 Balnarring Vic 3926 p + 61 3 5983 1798 f (03) 5983 1722 e office@parentingideas.com.au All rights reserved. For more ideas, support and advice for all your parenting challenges please visit our website. 2013 Michael Grose
facebook.com/Parentingideas.com.au twitter.com/michaelgrose
GOLD COAST HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICES – ORAL HEALTH SERVICES ORAL HEALTH CARE MATTERS Did you know that Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services – Oral Health Services in both the community and school dental clinics accept Medicare Teen Dental Scheme Vouchers? Good oral health care is important for young people. The government has provided Medicare Teen Dental Scheme Vouchers to help enable and maintain good oral health and preventative care. These vouchers can be presented to private dentists or Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services – Oral Health Services, including a community or school dental clinic. Children attending schools up to the end of Year 10 who present a Teen Dental Voucher with Gold Coast Oral Health Services will receive a comprehensive examination, x-rays, scale, clean and a full course of care. Children in Years 11 and 12 in receipt of a voucher can only be seen by Gold Coast Oral Health Services if the eligibility criteria is met. They will then be placed on a waiting list to receive a comprehensive examination, x-rays, scale, clean and a full course of care. If the Teen Dental Voucher has been used at a private dental practice, completion of the private dentist’s treatment plan will need to be undertaken privately at own cost. Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services will only be able to provide Emergency Care for these children, not a full course of care as prescribed by the private dentist. Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services – Oral Health Services have qualified and experienced dentists, oral health therapists, dental therapists and dental assistants who work together to provide a range of oral healthcare services to meet your child’s specific oral health needs in a caring environment. As the Teen Dental Voucher expires by 31.12.13, it is important that you arrange your appointment as soon as possible by telephoning the Gold Coast Oral Health Services Call Centre on 1300 300 850. Oral health services are also provided during all school holiday periods. For more information on the nearest community or school dental clinic, the Oral Health Call Centre will be able to assist you with your enquiry.