Dear Parents and Caregivers,

LEARNING CURVE

This week the Learning Curve focus is from the ‘Meaning and Purpose ‘category. The wellbeing skill builder is ‘The right thing to do’ for all classes. This topic is about ensuring that you listen to your heart and mind to tell you what the right thing to do is. Even if others are doing something and you feel tempted to join in, if your heart and mind are telling you it’s not right, trust yourself. It takes strength and conviction to stand on your own and follow what you know is right for you. Sometimes, going along with friends just to keep them happy means going against your own values.

These concepts were introduced in the Health lessons with Miss Dunstan this week and will be followed up in classrooms. Our Year 3-6 students continue to track their progress in their Learning Curve diaries. The parent newsletter is attached below.

Primary_wk32_Parent_Newsletter_Article_2025.pdf

STAFFING

Our School’s Officer, Reynaldo Delatorre is continuing his gradual return-to-work plan. Mr Ian Lenae is continuing on behind him during this time.  Acting HOSES, Belinda Paton is continuing her return-to-work plan.

Mrs Donagh McKenzie (Success Teacher for 5/6) and Mrs Tina Burrows (Deputy Principal) have retuned from their leave. Thank you to Mrs O’Malley who stepped up into the Deputy Principal position and Mrs Jones who stepped up into the HOD-C role during this time. Both Miss Tamara Dowling (5/6C) and Mrs Andrea Moeser have commenced their long service leave for the rest of the term. Mrs Belinda Harris will be on long service leave in the last week of term and Miss Sarah Dionysius will be on leave in the last week of term for her wedding. Our Guidance Officer Leanne Watson will also be on long service leave in the last two weeks of this term also.

STUDENT WELLBEING OFFICER

Unfortunately, Alisha Pearson, our SWO has resigned her position at our school due to family reasons. She finished up in her role last Friday. I have been in touch with our provider-Jabiru and they have found us a new SWO to commence here next term. His name is Dominic Cossens and he is a very experienced SWO who has been working across three schools in the Greater Brisbane area. As he lives close to our school, he is excited for the opportunity to work a little closer to home. He will work here Monday and Friday next term which means that Breakfast Club will move to Friday mornings next term to fit in with the food deliveries. We look forward to him commencing in the role and becoming an integral part of the Student Support Team here at ESS.

A big thank you to the P&C and community for going ahead with the Feed Your Favourite Fella event yesterday to celebrate our Dads and Father’s Day and also to raise money to cover the SWO shortfall in wages for the year. It was a great morning and it was great to have our local member, Tim Mander on the tools handing out the orders.

NEW BUILDING

We were recently advised that we have been successful in securing an additional building for next year due to catchment enrolment growth. We met with the DoE infrastructure team and contractors onsite last week to discuss the new addition. 

The new building will be a permanent pre-fabricated building (as below) which will be craned onto the oval between G Block and the Junior playground, so as to minimise further loss of greenspace for play areas. 

The building will have a permanent ramp and covered way linking it to the G Block lift well and also a ramp adjoining the stairs to E Block on the other side. The building will face G Block in front of the staff room and sandpit. The new building will include two classrooms, a teacher planning area and breakout space as well as the verandah outside (similar to the other demountable we had on the heritage listed wall). The new block will be named H Block. 

Preliminary works and planning have commenced with a date for the installation still to be determined early next term, to allow for it to be moved into prior to the end of the year.

NEW PREP PLAYGROUND

We have also had approval for the new Prep playground to be installed on the grass area in front of the pool. The winning tenderers, Adventure Plus playgrounds are also in early planning with an installation date still to be advised next term. The new playground design is below for your information. 

PREP ENROLMENTS

A further reminder that if you know of families who live in our catchment and are planning to come here next year, please remind them to submit their enrolment paperwork as we have already commenced our Prep Enrolment Interviews. Bookings for Prep enrolment interviews are currently open via SOBS. The interviews can be booked at the following link:

https://eq.sobs.com.au/pt3/parent.php?schoolid=70109

The information below demonstrates how to book an interview spot.

Unfortunately, any out-of-catchment enrolments can only be considered after these interviews and in-catchment enrolment numbers are confirmed.

 SOBS_Instructions.pdf

VOCAL PERFORMANCE TEAMS

Our Vocal team attended their final activity for the year which was Singfest for a workshop last week. Our students had a great day at Wavell SHS working on repertoire and technique which they performed in a concert to conclude the program.

Our Junior Strings students have attended their final workshop for this year. 

The Music Fest performance is still to occur on 27^th October at Iona College.

The focus for our Performing Arts groups now also turns to preparing for Arts on Stage next term in week 8 of the term on the Thursday, 27^th November.

STUDENT FREE DAY

A reminder that as per the DoE school calendar the September Student Free Day is coming up on Friday this week on September 5.  As our staff have already completed their professional development requirements in twilight PD due to this being a flexible day, our school will be closed on this day.  OSHC will operate as per normal SFD on this day.

 READER’S CUP TEAM OFF TO STATE FINALS

All the best to our fantastic Reader’s Cup team of Ella Brauer, Zoe Want, Vishnu Ganesh, Brea Green and Lara Grant as they head to the State Finals on Thursday to compete against other Year 5/6 teams from all around the State. They worked so hard in Term 2 to win the Brisbane North competition and have worked extremely hard again this term with new books in preparation for Thursday. Mrs O’Malley and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team in preparation and wish them all the best for Thursday.  Go Team!

2026 MUSICAL

It was great news this week to hear that we got the rights to perform our first choice of musical next year. On assembly on Monday Mrs Rees and Miss Dunstan prepared a flash mob to introduce Madagascar. The whole assembly were in stitches of laughter as they watched the flash mob do their stuff whilst our Arts Captains tried to bring them under control. What a great launch. Mrs Rees and Miss Dunstan will be meeting with student interested in auditioning in the next week or so to provide audition packs ready for auditions for lead roles to happen early next term. The ensemble groups will come on board early next year as the musical comes together.

SPELL-A-THON FUNDRAISING PRIZES

On assembly on Monday, we were able to award the fundraising prizes for the recent Spell-a-thon.  Congratulations to the year level highest fundraisers, Highest Fundraiser in the whole school who received certificates and gift cards as well as the highest-class fundraiser, who won a pizza and popper party for their class.  We also presented random book prize draws to one student from each class who raised some money toward the Spell-a-thon.  Our Student Council raised a massive $14 912 this year which is more than last year.  They will now move into the planning stage of what they want to do with the money to improve the school for the students.  The fundraiser winners were:

Prep Highest Fundraiser-Ayaan D - $370- (Prep A)

Yr 1 Highest Fundraiser-Charlotte M - $506 (1C)

Yr 2 Highest Fundraiser- Sophie D - $240 (2C)

Yr 3 Highest Fundraiser-Sophie M - $293 (3B)

Yr 4 Highest Fundraiser-Ivy H - $219 (4A)

Yr 5 Highest Fundraiser-Olive R - $151 (5/6A)

Yr 6 Highest Fundraiser- Oscar P - $70 (5/6B)

Highest Fundraiser in the whole School - Charlotte M-$506 (1C)

Highest Fundraiser Class- Prep A - $1733.60

The last part of the program is the Annual Spelling Bee Competition. Classes have already chosen their best speller and next week Mrs Burrows and I will head to classes to find the best speller in each year level who will compete at the final Spelling Bee championship on the second last day of Term, Thursday September 18. Our Spelling Bee winner will have their name engraved on the perpetual trophy in the office and will also receive a smaller trophy to keep. Good luck to our year level winners!