What a wonderful start to Term 4 it has been at Cooktown State School! It has been a pleasure to spend these first two weeks getting to know the school community and seeing the many wonderful things happening across our school.

My first impressions are that Cooktown State School is a beautiful school to be part of, and I am delighted to be here. As I have visited classrooms, I have been so impressed by how calm, settled and engaged students are in their learning. It is lovely to see such positive learning environments and students making the most of the opportunities in front of them.

There was plenty to celebrate in Week 1, with highlights including:

• Swimming lessons helping students build their confidence and skills in the water.
• Cert II Hospitality Café giving students valuable opportunities to develop practical skills and showcase their learning.
• Cert II Active Volunteering graduates contributing time to their community.
• The 60’s and Better reading visit bringing generations together through stories, conversation and connection.
• Silly Sock Day adding a little fun and colour to the school week.

This week has brought even more opportunities for students to get involved.

• Swimming Carnival (Years 4–12): I hope our students enjoyed getting involved, having a go, supporting their house and cheering on their classmates. Events like these are a great way to build school spirit and celebrate participation and personal achievement.
• Leadership Camp to Tinaroo: Our Year 6–11 students departed on Wednesday morning for Leadership Camp. I wish them a safe and enjoyable experience as they develop their leadership skills, work together and make lasting memories.

As we move further into Term 4, I look forward to continuing to meet more students and families and to celebrating the many achievements, big and small, that make Cooktown State School such a special place.

A reminder that Parent/Teacher interviews are being held next Tuesday 20th October.  Please ensure you have booked interviews by 3pm this Friday as bookings will not be taken after this time to allow teachers time to prepare.  Please use the link provided below or contact the office on 4082 0222.

Parent Booking Link

Sounds like this came from a Dr Seuss book, but the message is super important as students prepare for their final assessment pieces in 2026.

Regardless of the topic we are learning, our ability to remember is strongly related to the number of times we interact with a subject. This is illustrated in the image below.

Any parents that wish their child academic success can do so simply by encouraging them to regularly look over the notes they took in class. The best thing is it only needs to be a couple of minutes of revision each day for the strategy to work. The input is minimal; there is no harm in trying and the rewards can be substantial – why not give it a go?

The best thing about this learning strategy is that as long as your child remembers not to forget, they will never forget how to remember – if you don’t believe me ask Dr Seuss!

Our Year 4–12 Swimming Carnival, held yesterday, was a fantastic day filled with enthusiasm, school spirit and plenty of participation from our students. It was wonderful to see so many students getting involved, challenging themselves and supporting their peers throughout the day. 

Students took to the pool to compete in a range of swimming events, including freestyle, butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke. There was also plenty of fun and excitement during the novelty events, which provided opportunities for students of all abilities to get involved and enjoy the carnival atmosphere. 

A big thank you to all staff who helped organise and run the event, and to our students for their enthusiasm, sportsmanship and participation. A big thankyou to the pool staff for assisting on the day and all students who helped out across the day.  

Congratulations to our Age Champions, who demonstrated outstanding effort, determination and swimming ability throughout the carnival. These students achieved excellent results across their respective events and are to be commended on their performances. 

Our 2026 Age Champions are: