Dear Parent and Caregivers,

LEARNING CURVE

This week our Learning Curve program is from the ‘Health and Strengths’ category  and the topic is ‘Healthy Mind and Healthy Body’ for the Prep to Year 2 classes. ‘Healthy Mind-Body Connections’ is the focus for the Year 3 to 6 classes. The Junior idea is about reminding students that there are many important things that you need to enjoy doing every day to be happy and healthy.

The Senior topic is about the same idea but more focussed on understanding the connection between mind and body and the challenge to look after both of them. We encourage them to use the Big 5 Habits which are: eating well, drinking plenty of water, exercising every day, sleeping well and keeping a positive mindset.

These concepts were introduced on assembly this week and were taught in the Health lessons with Miss Dunstan and 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_wk20_Parent_Newsletter_Article_2025.pdf

STAFFING

At present we have Mrs Gradwell from 1B off on extended sick leave for the rest of the term. She is being replaced by Ms Fairfax on the class. For the last two weeks of this term Miss Kerwick from 3C will also be on special leave for her wedding. We look forward to seeing them both back for Term 3.

PREP ENROLMENTS

If you know of families who live in our catchment and are hoping to come here next year, please let them know of the next Open Day coming up next term on July 25^th from 9-11am.  Families who have made their decision, can drop in enrolments forms to the office at any stage to enable us to get them on the system and into the communication channels for next year. 

Prep_Open_Day_25_July_2025.pdf

Prep_Open_Day_25_July_2025 _pdf 682.36 KB

DANCE AND VOCAL PERFORMANCE TEAMS

I was very fortunate to see our Dance Performance Team (DPT) perform again at the Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge (BPAC) last week where they received very positive feedback and scores. They received a HC (Highly Commended) for their Contemporary dance “Ashes” and they received a VHC (Very Highly Commended) for their Jazz routine ‘Respect’. 

They did exceptionally well, considering they were up against schools who have much larger and dedicated Dance programs, which often run as after school businesses. Those schools have had much more experience in competitions, so we are very proud of our team on their first run in these types of competitive forums.

Their next and final competition will be the Beenleigh Eisteddfod next term on August 8.  A big shout out to Miss Dunstan again and also Mrs Rees for assisting the students on the day.

We are still waiting to hear if our Vocal Performing Team have been invited back to perform in the Choral Fanfare Finals after receiving their Gold Award in the Heats. Otherwise, their next competition will be at Singfest on August 28 of next term at Wavell SHS.

We look forward to seeing some of our groups perform tomorrow evening at the Winter Soire in EPAC from 6pm.  There are no ticket sales for this low key event and all of the performing arts families are welcome to attend.

Collaborative Learning Community-English

As part of our professional learning this year we are involved in a collaborative learning activity with Ascot State School focussed around our Learning Walls in English in the classrooms and their Reading v9.  Last week we went to Ascot to see their new v9 Australian Curriculum Reading lessons and this week they visited us to view our English Learning Walls.  Both of these visits were very positive and we took a lot away from our visit to them. We received very positive feedback around our school and our classrooms and they way our students were able to articulate how they were going in English and what they were focussing on. Many thanks to our CLC team of Mrs Burrows, Mrs O’Malley and teachers, Mrs Harris and Mrs Egerton who have been working on this project with me.

Next term we will be involved in similar type of activity with Oxley State School around Instructional Leadership.   

Collaborative School Improvement (CSI)

Recently, as part of my Principal Group with our School Supervisor (CSI) I was also invited to Moggil State School, where we also viewed and gave feedback on the teaching of Reading under the new v9 Australian Curriculum.  It is great to see how different schools are rolling out the new curriculum and pedagogies associated as we also undertake this new work at our school.

Till next time,

Mrs Anne Robinson

Principal

As the weather gets colder and as your children grow bigger, parents are asked to consider how much lunch they are providing to their children in their lunch boxes.  We have seen a significant increase in the number of students coming to the office because they have run out of food and are still hungry.  Although we have some sandwiches in the freezer and a few snacks provided by Camp Australia, our stocks are running low with this increased need for additional food.  Parents are asked to please take a moment to talk with their children about whether they have enough food in their lunch box at school and to add some items if necessary.

Before School

A friendly reminder to parents who wait before school with their children, that the allocated waiting area is under A block (Year 1 eating area) and Under C Block (Prep Eating Area). Parents are asked to please not sit under D Block or E Block as these are the supervised student waiting and playing areas. G Block near the Year 3 Line Up area is also not a suitable place for parents to wait with their students before school as this area is high traffic for supervised handball and accessing the toilets. 

As we are now six months into the year, parents are reminded that we have supervision before school from 8:15am to 8:45am so there is no need for parents to stay at school with the students in the morning prior to lineup time.  This is the time of the year to foster independence in students for the years ahead. 

Attendance Letters

The Department of Education sets attendance goals for students in their policy, “Everyday Counts”.  To ensure that we are continually working towards these attendance goals, we monitor individual student attendance percentages throughout the term.  As a result of this data analysis, you may receive a letter alerting you to your child’s current attendance rate.  Whilst we understand that these absences may be explained or be due to illness, we are required to alert you to absence totals and percentage of attendance as high absentee rates can have a significant impact on your child’s learning and overall results. 

The purpose of a letter is to make you aware of our concerns about your child’s attendance and to see if there is any way that the school can support you to ensure your child improves their attendance to the goal of over 90%.  Please also remember to let the school know the reason for your child’s absence so that you do not receive unexplained absence letters from the office.

Our School Pillars establish our school expectations for behaviours around Learning, Safety and Relationships. Recently, there has been an issue with students starting to bring toys to school. This includes trading cards, fidget toys and soft toys. The school expectation is that children do NOT bring any toys to school as they can cause disruptions to teaching and learning; create altercations between students during play time; and be unsafe. Only in the instance of a toy being documented as a reasonable adjustment in a student’s personalised learning plan for specific needs, are students permitted to have a sensory style toy at school. We would appreciate if parents would check that students are not packing toys to bring to school in line with our school expectations.

General Finance Update – Friendly Reminder

 A friendly reminder that payment for the following activities is due soon: 

Please note that invoices are always emailed to the paying parent, as nominated at enrolment. This setup can only be changed with a written request. As a result, only the paying parent will be able to view invoices through QParents.

If you think there might be a student credit on your account, feel free to reach out to me directly so I can apply it for you—credits can't be applied via QParents.

We really encourage all families to sign up for QParents to keep on top of invoices and stay connected with school updates.

If you have any questions, need help, or would like to talk about setting up a payment plan, you’re always welcome to get in touch with me at bsm@enoggerass.eq.edu.au.

Thank you for your support!

SENIOR ATHLETICS - Consents

Consents and a letter from Mr Woodrick were emailed home last week in relation to the upcoming Senior Athletics being held at Mt Maria on Wednesday 18^th of June. Please ensure that the online consent through QParents has been completed by Monday 16^th of June for your child/children to attend.

QPARENTS – Stay Connected and Informed

We kindly remind all parents and caregivers that QParents is now the primary platform for receiving school communications, including consent forms and invoices.

To ensure you don’t miss any important information or deadlines, we strongly encourage all families to register for QParents as soon as possible.

If you choose not to sign up for QParents, please be aware that you will need to visit the school office regularly to collect any hard copy consent forms or notices.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us streamline communication and support a more efficient, environmentally friendly process.

LOST PROPERTY

With jumper season in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a quick reminder!

The school’s Lost Property lives just under the administration office, right outside the uniform shop – your go-to spot for reunited socks, strayed school hats, and those mysteriously disappearing jumpers!

A huge thank you to the amazing parents in our community who check in daily and help keep things organised – you're the real MVPs!

If your child’s missing something (especially now that jumpers seem to grow legs and wander off), make sure they stop by and check regularly. You’d be surprised how often things wander back home after a few days (or weeks) on a solo adventure!

SPARE UNIFORMS & UNDERWEAR – A LITTLE BACKUP GOES A LONG WAY!

A quick reminder to all our Prep and Year 1 families: please make sure your child has a full set of spare clothes in their school bag each day – including underwear. Sometimes little accidents happen, and having a change of clothes on hand helps keep our students comfortable and ready to learn.

If your child has borrowed any spare clothing from the office recently, we kindly ask that these items be returned as soon as possible. Our supply is running low, and we'd love to restock for any future needs.

We're also gratefully accepting donations of new underwear, as these items can't be reused once worn. Thanks so much for your support in helping us care for all our students!

CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE – TURN TRASH INTO TREASURE!

Did you know Queenslanders use around 3 billion drink containers every year? That’s a lot of bottles and cans – but thanks to Containers for Change, we can give them a second life and help our environment at the same time!

The Containers for Change Schools Program is a fun and easy way for schools like ours to raise funds while teaching students about the power of recycling. It’s a win-win for our planet and our school community!

If you’ve been collecting bottles and cans at home, you can support Enoggera State School by donating your containers. Just drop them off at any official Containers for Change collection point and use our school code: C11523111

Thanks for helping us make a difference – every container counts!

HUNGRY TUMMIES & EMERGENCY LUNCHES

As the cooler weather sets in and appetites grow, a friendly reminder to pack a little extra food in your child’s lunchbox if possible – especially during winter! We’ve noticed some students are finishing their food early and feeling hungry before the end of the day.

On the odd occasion when lunch is forgotten, we do have emergency food supplies available at school, generously donated by Camp Australia and Foodbank. We're so grateful for their support. Sandwiches will always be prioritised over snacks to ensure students receive a filling and nutritious option.

If families could please ensure students come to school with enough food each day, it would also help reduce the demand on our admin team during busy break times.

Thanks for your support in keeping all our students happy, healthy, and ready to learn!

WE’RE HIRING – TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFICER

Enoggera State School is currently looking for a Technical Support Officer to join our team! If you, or someone you know, has a passion for IT and supporting school communities, we’d love to hear from you.

You can find all the details and apply via the Smart Jobs website here:
? Technical Support Officer – Enoggera SS Job Ad

Applications close Wednesday, 18 June.
Please share with anyone who might be interested – we’d love to welcome a new team member!

SCHOOL CLEANER WANTED – JOIN OUR TEAM!

We’re currently looking for a school cleaner to join the Enoggera State School team for 20 hours per week. Ideally, the position will be Monday to Friday in a split shift (e.g. morning and afternoon).

This is an entry-level position, so a full recruitment process isn’t required. If you or someone you know might be interested, please get in touch with me directly via email emast27@eq.edu.au  – I’d love to hear from you!

UNEXPLAINED ABSENCES – FOLLOW-UP REMINDER

Over the past week, unexplained absence letters have been sent home to families with students who have unexplained absences recorded. As we approach the end of Semester 1 reporting, it’s important that all absences are updated in our system as soon as possible.

If you received one of these letters, please ensure it is completed and returned to the office promptly for processing.

Thank you for your support in keeping our records accurate and up to date!

Have a fantastic fortnight!

Dance Performance Team

Congratulations to our fabulous Dance Performance Team on a fantastic day at Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge (BPAC). On Tuesday 3^rd June students travelled to the Riverlife Church at Seventeen Mile Rocks for the second Eisteddfod competition of the year. Once again, our students shone—not just through their performances, but in their attitude and spirit. They were kind, respectful, and displayed fantastic sportsmanship, supporting one another and cheering on other schools. When faced with last-minute changes due to a few performers being unwell, they stepped up with grace and professionalism. I’m so proud of how they handled themselves.

The competition today was very tough, and many schools didn’t receive a placing, which makes it even more special to share our results with you:

• Highly Commended for our Ashes (Contemporary) routine in the Grade 6 and Under Contemporary section (10 schools participated).
• Very Highly Commended for our Respect (Jazz) routine in the Grade 6 and Under Jazz section (12 schools participated).

We also received some lovely feedback from the adjudicator, who praised our costumes for beautifully complementing both dances. She loved our choreography and the energy the students brought to the stage—particularly noting how fantastic our Jazz routine was and how much she enjoyed watching our students perform. 

A huge congratulations again to our amazing team! Thank you to Mrs. Rees again for joining us and supporting the Dance Team, and a special thank you to Mrs. Robinson for coming along to support the team, assist backstage, and cheering on our dancers from the audience.

We had a truly wonderful day—and the students made my birthday extra special! 

We are looking forward to our last competition of the year which is next term at Beenleigh Dance Eisteddfod on Friday 8^th August.  An updated Performance Pack will be sent out as soon as I have all the final details.

Once again, we are truly proud of our Dance Team and I can't wait to see them on stage again soon. 

Vocal Performance Team

Our Vocal Performance Team are working hard during their rehearsals in preparation for the Winter Soiree and their 2 performances next term (The Enoggera Memorial Hall and Singfest). Keep up the great work! We cannot wait to see you perform at the Winter Soiree. 

Winter Soiree

The Winter Soiree is this Thursday 12^th June (Week 8). The groups that will be performing are Junior and Senior Strings, Band, Junior and Senior Choir and Vocal Performance Team. No Dance Groups or Recorder Band will be performing at the Winter Soiree. 

An email has been sent home with all of the information regarding the event (what to wear, arrival time etc). Anyone is welcome to come and watch and support our students at the Winter Soiree. The event will begin at 6pm. We look forward to seeing you there. 

If you have any questions regarding the Winter Soiree please contact your teacher. Mrs Kirk (Strings), Mrs Rees (Vocal & Band) and Miss Dunstan (Dance).

Dance Ensembles

Please ensure that all students attend their scheduled dance rehearsals. Students are reminded about their attendance regularly and I will be making contact with families regarding their students' participation. Students are also coming to rehearsals not knowing the choreography, please encourage students to practice at home so then students will be ready for the Arts on Stage in Term 4. 

If your student is unable to attend a rehearsal, please notify Miss Dunstan via email in advance. 

Rehearsal Schedule:

• Red Dance:Monday at 8:00 AM
• Boys Crew (Grades 3–6):Monday, first break after eating (Open to all)
• Green Dance:Wednesday, second break after eating
• Purple Dance (Grades 1–2):Friday, first break after eating (Open to all)

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to email Miss Dunstan.

Choir 

The Winter Soiree is this Thursday! Mrs Rees would love to have all of the choir students for a rehearsal on Thursday first break (Junior and Senior students) down in EPAC to run their songs prior to the evenings performance.

If you have any questions please email Mrs Rees.

Helping your Child Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is the general feeling of worry or fear that something bad may happen. It is common for children to feel anxious, worried or afraid during different stages of their development. The following may indicate increased anxiety in your child:

• Excessive worry often the most common symptom, ranging from worrying about big events to minor everyday occurrences
• Sleep Problems – trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, nightmares or other sleep disturbances
• Physical symptoms – include headaches, stomach aches or unexplained aches and pains
• Changes in Behaviour – including irritability, restlessness, being overwhelmed, and/or avoidance of activities and situations that were previously enjoyed
• Trouble concentrating – difficulty focusing on school work and everyday tasks

How to help your child

If your child is showing signs of typical childhood anxiety, worries or fears, you can support them in several ways, including:

• Acknowledging your child’s fear or worry, and reassure that these feelings are normal.
• Talking with your child about what is making them worried
• Gently encourage your child to face situations they’re anxious about, starting with situations that cause the least anxiety
• Waiting until your child gets anxious before you step in to help.
• Acknowledging and praising your child for doing something they’re anxious about.

The BRAVE Program is an interactive, online program for the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety. Designed by the University of Queensland, the programs are free, and provide ways for children and teenagers to better cope with their worries. BRAVE Self-Help is an interactive, online prevention and intervention program for childhood and youth anxiety.

BRAVE teaches cognitive behavioural strategies to manage anxiety and worry, through a program of 4 to 10 sessions (depending on the age level). Each session builds on information and strategies learnt in the previous session, and aims to help young people manage anxiety.

There are also parent sessions to help parents to better manage their anxious child. The BRAVE for Young Children is completely parent focused and gives practical strategies to help you and your child manage anxiety. For further information, please visit

https://brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au/

Leanne Watson

Guidance Officer

Student Wellbeing 

Enoggera State School - Thursday and Friday

lwats128@eq.edu.au