Coombabah State School

Coombabah State School
Strive To Achieve
Location
Coombabah, Queensland, Australia
Information
Type	State primary school
Established	1981
Principal	John Hockings
Enrolment	~940
Campus	Oxley Drive
Website	Official site

The School's newsletter.

Coombabah State School is a P-7 state primary school located in Coombabah, Queensland, Australia. It serves the suburbs of Hope Island, Paradise Point, Hollywell, Runaway Bay and Coombabah. The school, that was established in 1981, had 879 students and 61 prep students as of May 2007.^[1]

History

The school was built in 1981 to service the growing population in the area north of Biggera Waters. Classes began at the start of 1981 and were held at Biggera Waters Primary School until the present facilities were constructed. A few months later, Coombabah State relocated to the current school grounds. Coombabah State School was officially opened by Ivan Gibbs on 14 November 1981.^[2]

Truancy has been identified as a problem for Gold Coast schools with typically 150 students at Coombabah State being absent each day in August 2009.^[3]

Faculty

The current principal of Coombabah State School is John Hockings. Past principals include Dennis Howard 1981-1989, Robin Ramsbotham 1985-1995, and Dianne Rankin 1996-2004.^{[citation needed]}

Approximately 12% of the general component of the school budget was allocated to professional development in 2005. From 2005 staff have had individual development plans to help address their in-service needs.^{[citation needed]}

Features of the curriculum

• Instrumental music program and a number of performing groups including Band, String Orchestra, Beginner's Strings, and Junior and Senior Choirs.^[4] At the 2005 Gold Coast Eisteddfod each of the groups that the school entered were placed, winning four places and a highly commended.^[5]
• Japanese culture and language studies in years 6-7.^[6]
• Advanced Learning Technology program including use of the Internet. The school was an early innovator in the use of classroom computers, including Logo and laptops.^[7]
• The school has two time capsules.^{[citation needed]}
• Integrated studies, comprising society and environment, science, technology, and the arts are taught in all classes throughout the school and are structured around real life learning.^[8]

Demographics

The families of the students come from a wide socio-economic range. Almost 65% of parents are in trades, labouring work and home duties. The parents in professions account for approximately 9%.^{[citation needed]}

Sports

Controversy was caused in October 2008 when the school was criticised by Queensland Sports Minister Judy Spence for banning year 7 students from playing football, of all codes, during lunch-time, because it was regarded as "too rough". The year sevens of 2008 were labeled as the worst year sevens ever at the school by teacher Jill Warr.^[9]

Notable alumni

• Scott Sattler, Rugby League player and manager.^[10]

References

• Coombabah State School Annual Report

Notes

1. ^ "Annual Report 2006", Coombabah State Primary School, accessed 25 December 2007
2. ^ "History of Our School", Coombabah State School, accessed 23 December 2007
3. ^ "Round up those truants", Robyn Wuth, Gold Coast News, 29 August 2009.
4. ^ "Curriculum: Specialist Programs: Music". Coombabah State School. http://coombabass.eq.edu.au/wcmss/content/view/50/82/. Retrieved 2007-12-24. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "All win a place this time", Gold Coast Sun, 7 September 2005
6. ^ "Curriculum", Coombabah State School, accessed 23 December 2007
7. ^ "Girls and Technology – Overcoming Myths and Malpractice", Gary S. Stager at Pepperdine University, May 2002
8. ^ "Curriculum: KLAs: Integrated studies". Coombabah State School. http://coombabass.eq.edu.au/wcmss/content/view/49/81/. Retrieved 2007-12-24. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ Renee Redmond (16 October 2008). "'Contact' lunchtime play banned by school". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24505102-5006786,00.html. Retrieved 9 October 2009. ^{[dead link]}
10. ^ Jones, Katrina. "Footy hero heads back to school Scott Sattler tells Coombabah students the ball's in their court", The Gold Coast Bulletin, May 19, 2005. Accessed December 22, 2007.

External links

Official website

Coordinates: 27°53′38.34″S 153°23′16.27″E / 27.8939833°S 153.3878528°E / -27.8939833; 153.3878528