Welcome back to Term 2 - a time when we enjoy the slow but sure change of seasons as Winter approaches. For those who enjoyed an Easter break, we hope you and your children return refreshed and renewed, excited for another wonderful term of learning ahead! 

As you would be aware, we have been experiencing a Hand Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak here at CCC ELC. We want to assure all parents that our educators have been taking all necessary cleaning and hygiene measures and performing a deep clean after each new case has been confirmed. A special thank you to our dedicated staff, who have conducted these deep cleans, resulting in fresh, organised spaces as we return from holiday break. 

We hope many of you can make it to the ANZAC Day March this Saturday, 25th April - please find details below. Please dress ELC children in their CCC ELC shirts. Many of our ELC children will be too young to march, but may enjoy watching the parade, especially if older siblings are taking part. It is a gentle yet powerful opportunity to introduce our children to the meaning and importance of ANZAC Day as we remember the men and women who have served in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions, and reflect on the values of courage, mateship and sacrifice shown by those who served. 

As always, if you have any suggestions or feedback for improvement, please be in touch via email, phone, or drop in for a face to face chat. We are grateful to have you as a part of our ELC community, and greatly value your contributions. 

Items to Bring Every Day - ALL labelled with your child's name:

• Cot-sized sheet x2
• Hat
• Water bottle
• 3 sets of spare clothes and small towel (hand towel size)

Tuckshop can be ordered through the Flexischools app. Download the app and follow the prompts. 

The latest version of the 'Time Out' posters, issued by Queensland Health, are available online at Time out for contagious conditions: keeping children and staff healthy. We recommend all families save these posters on their personal devices, or print a hard copy to keep handy on the fridge. Let's work together to keep our children, families and educators safe and healthy! 

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." - Psalm 139:14 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line baking trays with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, coconut, and sugars.
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and golden syrup together.
4. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with water, then stir into the melted butter mixture.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on trays, leaving space for spreading.
7. Flatten slightly and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden.
8. Allow to cool before serving—perfect with a cup of tea!

Tip: For chewier biscuits, reduce the cooking time slightly. For a crunchier texture, bake a little longer.

Vacation Care has been full of fun and creativity these holidays! With many different activities available for the children to enjoy, it was clear that what they loved most was simply spending time playing and connecting with their friends. We thought we would let the children share what they enjoyed most about their time at Vacation Care. 

“I enjoyed making the wanted poster with my friends. I liked making them and also love the food.”  

“I liked playing outside with my friends and making the wanted posters.”  

“I liked doing the balloon people and making those Easter biscuits. Playing inside with the dolls and playing with my friends.”  

“I loved all the friends that I made! I loved coming knowing that I would make a friend. I love that ll of the educators are loving and willing to be loving! Thank you.”  

“A definite highlight of vacation care was playing multiple things with friends. For example, loom bands, craft, making delicious foods, drawing, music corner, the playground and Lego.”  

Be sure to check out many more photos and read more of the children’s opinions on display in the OSHC windows throughout the coming week. 

It can be hard to know whether your child is well enough to attend care, especially when symptoms seem mild or they say they feel fine. However, keeping children home when they are unwell is one of the best ways to help them recover and prevent illness spreading to other children, educators and families. 

As a general guide, children should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, an unexplained rash, red or sticky eyes, ongoing coughing, trouble breathing or symptoms of a contagious illness such as gastro, influenza, COVID-19 or hand, foot and mouth disease. 

Even if symptoms seem mild, children may still need to stay home if they are very tired, unsettled, not eating or drinking well, or need more one-on-one care and comfort than educators can reasonably provide in a busy environment. 

A helpful question for families to ask is: “Can my child comfortably take part in the normal day?” If the answer is no, it is usually best to keep them home. 

Common illnesses recommended exclusion periods: 

Children should stay home for at least 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. If norovirus is suspected or confirmed, many services require a 48-hour exclusion period after symptoms stop because it is highly contagious. 

Children with conjunctivitis should remain home until discharge from the eyes has stopped unless a doctor confirms it is a non-infectious cause. 

Children with hand, foot and mouth disease should stay home until all blisters have dried, any rash has settled and they are feeling well enough to participate in normal activities. This is usually around 5-7 days. 

Children with chickenpox should remain home until all blisters have dried and crusted over, which is usually at least 5 days after the rash first appears in unimmunised children. Any remaining blisters should be completely dry before returning to care. 

If your child becomes unwell during the day, you may be contacted to collect them. Having a back-up emergency contact available can make this much easier. 

Keeping unwell children home is not only about protecting others. It also gives children the chance to rest, recover and return to care feeling happier, healthier and ready to participate in the day. 

We understand that bouts of illness can be difficult to manage, and we really appreciate your support and understanding. By working together, we can help reduce the spread of illness and support a healthier winter season for everyone. 

Retrieved from https://www.nhmrc.gov.au 

We will often place information about the coming week or photos of things happening during the week. Please find the link here to check it out. 

ANZAC DAY 2026 

We invite our CCC and ELC community to come together this ANZAC Day, Saturday 25 April, as we honour and remember alongside our local community. Students and families are encouraged to attend the Dawn Service, March, and Community Service in Gympie, or represent the College at a local service if travelling isn’t possible. 

Dress Code: All students are required to wear full formal uniform and CCC hat. Year 11 & 12 students must wear blazers, tie, and formal hat. 

Event Times: 

• Dawn Service – 5.30am (meet 5.15am at RSL building, Reef St roundabout) 

• March – 8.45am assembly (Mary St & Smithfield St) 

• Community Service – 10.15am 

We would love to see our students proudly standing together as part of our community.