Sunshine Beach State School, neighbouring Noosa National Park, has a creative and successful school community. With a strong focus on developing each learner in a challenging yet supportive environment, Sunshine Beach State School has in place a quality curriculum, quality teaching and quality relationships to foster a differentiated approach to support learners to reach their full potential in their learning journey. Here we find out about some of their unique programs.
Sunshine Beach State School is an accredited ‘Glasser Quality School’, which forms the fundamental basis of the school’s behavioural philosophy. Achieving accreditation as a ‘Quality School’ Sunshine Beach’s commitment to achieving excellence is an ongoing process. The school lives by the motto a ‘Good Place to Be’ for everybody – students, international students, teachers, support staff and parents/carers.
Glasser Quality School
As an accredited Glasser Quality School since 2003, Sunshine Beach State School has used the principles of Dr William Glasser’s Choice Theory, Reality Therapy and Lead Management as its philosophical base. This school has worked to provide a quality learning environment and quality learning experiences with a strong focus on relationships being paramount to maximize learning potential.
Learners and teachers find excitement and enjoyment in their learning processes and individual progress. The learners are also taught how to self-evaluate their learning, set goals and manage their own behaviour. This focus on becoming self-managed has enhanced academic standards and achievement across the school.
The school offers frequent parenting programs based on the ideas of Dr Glasser so that parents and carers have the opportunity to understand what their children are being offered within their school environment and then be able to utilise these ideas at home if they choose.
Sunshine Beach continues to lead the way for local as well and international educators wanting to create schools where internal control psychology prevails. As a result of the commitment of the staff and principal to these ideas, learners, parents and teachers are proud of being be a part of this Glasser Quality School.
Education Queensland International School
Sunshine Beach State School is also an accredited Education Queensland International school, which values diversity and welcomes learners visiting from all parts of the world.
At present, the school has families from many places including Germany, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic and Switzerland as well as families coming from all over the coast and hinterland. Not having a zone or catchment area like many schools means that a wide variety of families chose to come to this school.
International learners range in age, are enrolled in mainstream classes and take part in daily learning. The families are particularly appreciative of the wonderful opportunities the school location offers as they enjoy learning to surf, participating in school swimming and delight in the benefits of gardening in the permaculture garden as part of their regular school experience.
It is a privilege for learners at Sunshine Beach State School to learn alongside international learners in mainstream classes. The opportunity to make new friends whilst learning about other countries and cultures offers existing Sunshine Beach learners and teachers a unique experience and view of the world. International learners have the opportunity to share their language, culture and traditions while being immersed in a rich learning environment and the unique Australian culture. There are many benefits of a multicultural school, promoting diversity as a positive learning experience incorporating multicultural perspectives across all learning domains incorporating multicultural, anti-racism, and human rights perspectives in school policies and practices enhancing teachers’ and learners’ intercultural understanding and cross-cultural communication skills.
Unique Prep Transition Program
Sunshine Beach State School is committed to ensuring that all their learners and their families make an early start to the pursuit of excellence in education. They achieve this by building productive partnerships with learners, parents, carers and the community. These partnerships form the heart of the quality learning environment and all educators deliver quality learning and teaching with expertise and passion. This occurs in a supportive and nurturing learning culture where positive relationships are fostered and highly valued.
Sunshine’s unique transition program to school focuses on getting to know families prior to school. A bush playgroup is facilitated in the school’s permaculture garden two days a week catering for children 0-5 years. A dedicated Prep Transition Program caters for pre-Prep learners and parents to prepare them for school; activities range from Open Days, author visits, information sessions and social activities. Through these activities a smooth, happy and confident start to school can be assured.
The school provides engaging early childhood teaching spaces, which open out to an enviable purpose-built and vibrant play area. Bordering the Noosa National Park, learners have their own enclosed prep garden to tend to with loving care.
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