Celebrating Diversity and Inclusivity: Harmony Day & World Down Syndrome Day

Today, our school came alive with vibrant energy as we celebrated two special occasions that highlight what makes our community truly unique. At Aspley, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect and belonging, where every student feels valued, regardless of their background or abilities.

Harmony Day is a time to reflect on and celebrate the diversity that enriches our school. As a multicultural school, we recognise that our differences—whether in culture, language, or tradition—are not just something to tolerate but to embrace. Today, we took a moment to understand that our strength lies in the rich mix of cultures that make up our school. From those whose families have lived here for generations to those with deep connections to the First Nations peoples of this land, we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves.

In addition to celebrating Harmony Day, we also integrated World Down Syndrome Day into our festivities. This was an important reminder that being unique is something to be celebrated. As a school, we believe in recognising and honouring each individual’s uniqueness. By integrating these two celebrations, we reinforced the idea that everyone,  deserves to be celebrated and included.

Our assembly was a beautiful display of this inclusivity, with students and staff sporting a wide range of colourful costumes and mismatched socks—symbols of individuality, acceptance and fun. 

Today’s celebrations were more than just a fun event. By opening up the conversation about diversity, inclusivity and the importance of acknowledging what makes us unique, we continue to create a positive school culture that respects and supports all.

School Car Park Upgrade – Final Stages Ahead

As we approach the final weeks of Term 1, we are excited to announce that the handover of our upgraded school car park is near. Over the past months, you may have noticed the ongoing construction, we appreciate your patience as weather conditions and supply delays have affected the timeline. We are especially grateful to our school community for their support in using the alternate drop-off and pick-up zones during this time.

I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our staff for their extra efforts in ensuring the smooth flow of students in and out of school, keeping everyone safe and on time.

Next week the contractors will begin laying the asphalt, with minimal disruption to the school site. However, there may be increased traffic around the area on Monday, 24  March, to Wednesday 26 March the contractors have assured us that it is safe to be near the site during this process.

To ensure the safety and comfort of our students, we’ve adjusted the before school and break routines for Year 1 to Year 6 on Monday 24 March to Wednesday 26 March.

• Before school, students in Year 1 to Year 6 will wait in the hall from 8:15 am, supervised by staff. 

• Alternate arrangements for first and second breaks will also be made to ensure minimal exposure to the work site for our Year 3 to Year 6 students during eating and play time.

Following these works, weather permitting, the final line markings for the car park are expected to be completed in Week 10. The tentative plan is to have the car park fully operational early Term 2.

We thank you again for your continued support and patience as we look forward to enjoying this upgraded space.

P&C and Annual General Meeting Recap: Exciting Plans and Gratitude for Our Community

On Tuesday, 18 March we held our P&C and Annual General Meeting. Like all our P&C meetings, it was filled with passionate discussions and an eagerness to continue improving our school. This meeting highlighted some exciting future plans, including fundraising opportunities for the coming year, upgrades to our school facilities and key improvements to enhance the experience for our students.

Among the topics discussed were the installation of new water chillers and the possible upgrade of our basketball and netball hoops.

We also reflected on how our school can continue offering the best possible services to all members of our community. I am pleased to share the newly elected and continuing members of our P&C Executive team. A heartfelt thank you to the following individuals for their commitment to our school:

• President: Rebecca Mann
• Vice President – Business Operations: Cassandra Kerr
• Vice President – Community Engagement: Position currently vacant
• Secretary: Kirsten O’Connor
• Treasurer: Hayley Wretham

These community members have generously stepped forward to support our school, our students and our staff. I look forward to working alongside them and supporting them in the months ahead.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to all the volunteers who contribute to our P&C and school events. Whether you assist at barbecues, music events, fundraising initiatives, or in the tuckshop or uniform shop, your dedication and hard work make a tremendous difference to our school community. Thank you for all that you do.

A special note of thanks goes to our outgoing President, Alice Long. Alice has made a lasting impact on our school during her time as P&C President. Her energy, enthusiasm and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark. We are incredibly grateful for everything she has accomplished and for her contributions to our school.

As we have a vacant position on our executive team, I encourage members of our community to consider stepping into the role of Vice President – Community. This is an opportunity to become an integral part of our team and help shape the future of our school. Each member of the executive team has my full support in guiding them through this process and I am confident that you will find a warm and welcoming team to work with.

Thank you once again to everyone who contributes to making our school a wonderful place to learn and grow. Together, we continue to make a positive impact on our community.

School Routines 

Routines are essential in creating a calm and predictable school environment. Clear expectations for student movement and lining up help ensure safety, efficiency, and a positive start to each learning session.

At the beginning of the school day, students should move calmly to their designated area and line up in an orderly fashion. They should stand quietly, facing forward, and be ready to enter the classroom when instructed. This allows for a smooth and focused transition into learning.

During the school day, students move calmly and quietly through the school to ensure they do not disturb the learning of others. When transitioning between lessons, going to specialist classes, or moving around the school, students should walk in an orderly manner, in 2 lines, keeping to the left where possible. Voices should be kept low to respect classrooms in session.

When walking, students should stay together and follow their teacher’s directions. If moving independently, they should walk directly to their destination without stopping to chat or play. These expectations help maintain a focused learning environment and allow all students to engage fully in their lessons.

By following these simple routines, students contribute to a respectful and well-organized school environment. These expectations help promote responsibility, cooperation, and a positive learning experience for everyone.

Rescheduled P-2 Swimming Sessions

Due to the recent cyclone, we had to postpone the Week 7 Prep to Year 2 swimming sessions. We’re pleased to confirm that these lessons have now been rescheduled with Swim Solutions and will take place on Monday, 31 March, and Tuesday, 1 April (Week 10).

Please ensure your child brings their swimwear, towel, goggles, and a water bottle on their swimming day.

Thank you for your understanding—we appreciate your support in making sure our students can still enjoy this important water safety experience!

Run4Fun

Get ready to move! Our Prep to Year 2 students will be taking part in Run 4 Fun, a fantastic event promoting fitness, participation, and school spirit on Wednesday 2 of April (week 10). This is a great opportunity for our youngest students to enjoy being active in a fun and supportive environment.

Students will run a cross country style race around the school oval.  Participating students will collect one token for each lap of the oval for their Sport House.

Reminders:

• wear house T-shirts, running shoes, sunscreen and a hat (which may be taken off for the run)
• bring a water bottle
• parents may like to bring a chair

Starting times (aprox): 

• Year 2 - 9:25am
• Year 1 - 9:40am
• Pre - 9:55am

Cross Country – Year 3 – 6

We’re excited for the Year 3-6 Cross Country event, happening on Friday, 28 of March 2025, at Ben Lomond Park, Aspley, first race starting at 9:15 am.

As the event may take place in warm conditions, it’s important for students to be Sun Safe. They should wear a broad-brimmed or bucket hat, apply sunscreen before arriving, and bring at least two bottles of water to stay hydrated. Our reversible school hats are perfect for the day! Students should also wear suitable running shoes for comfort and safety.

Families are welcome to bring a chair and cheer on our runners—we look forward to a fantastic morning of participation and school spirit! 

Senior School Routines

Oval Play Breaks

Students need to are dismissed from their eating areas and wait in the designated space. For students heading to the oval, this is the grand stand area, under the shaded space.

Students wait seated in this area until the duty teachers arrive, and students are reminded of the expectations for play - Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe – and “Hats on = play is on!”

Students are then dismissed to play in a safe and orderly manner.

Ball Game Contracts

The Year 4 and Year 5 students have worked collaboratively this term to devise a contract of play for their footy and soccer games. These include a set of rules and expectations, devised by the students, of what fair play during these games will look like. Students who then play these games have signed up and agreed to the fair play contract for their chosen game. These expectations are on display in classrooms as well as the oval play area for students to reference, if required.

School Arrival and Departure Times

We kindly remind families that students should not be arriving at school prior to 8:15 am each morning and picked up promptly at 3:00 pm in the afternoon. Staff are on duty at the Eastern Hall to supervise students from 8:15-8:45 am each morning, and the Maundrell Terrace and Horn Road pick up zones from 3:00-3:20 pm each afternoon. The safety of all students is our priority. If your child arrives early or is collected late from school, outside of these supervision times, there may not be an adult or staff member available on-site to assist them in the event of an issue or accident.

If an early drop-off or late pick up is unavoidable, we ask that you make use of the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service, Camp Australia, to ensure proper supervision and safety before and after the school day.

If you are unable to access the OSHC facilities and need to drop off or pick up  your child outside of the before and after school supervision times, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can explore alternative solutions together.

Camp Updates

Year 6 Canberra Trip

We are currently awaiting finalisation of the trip itinerary and final costings. This information will  be shared with families once these details are confirmed with the tour booking company.

 Year 4 Apex Camp and Year 5 Luther Heights Camp

We are currently working with these camps to finalise our camp programs for 2025. Families will be advised of camp costs by the end of Term 1.

Term 1 Parent Teacher Interviews 

Student Financial Accounts

Please check the below list of issued and upcoming invoice that might be relevant for your Student/s (Italic text invoices have not yet been raised):

• Year 6 Canberra Tour
  • Deposit invoice: Due 6 Dec 2024
  • Invoice 2: Due 7 Feb 2025
  • Invoice 3: Due 21 March 2025
  • Invoice 4: Due 2 May 2025
  • Invoice 5: Due 20 June 2025
• Year 1 & 2 Swimming: Due 25 Jan 2025
• Instrumental Music Fee: Due 6 Dec 2024
• Instrument Hire: Due 6 Dec 2024
• SRS Fee: Due 21 March 2025

• Term 2
• SRS Fee Instalment 2: Due 13 June 2025
• IM Instalment 2: Due 13 June 2025
• Term 2 GALA Days: 28 April 2025 ($48)
• Senior Choir: 25 April ($20)
• Junior Choir: 25 April ($10)

• Term 3
• SingFest 2025: TBC ($24)
• IM Instalment 3: Due 5 Sept 2025
• Year 4 Camp: TBC
• Year 5 Camp: TBC

Invoices have been raised for students with overdue library books. If you receive an invoice for an overdue library book, please ensure prompt payment to ensure your student is able to recommence borrowing. Invoices are raised for overdue library books once they are 2 months past the return date. To avoid being invoiced please remind students of the importance of returning their books on time.

Permissions for SingFest, Senior and Junior Choir were due back Friday 21 March 2025. If you have not returned this yet, please do so Monday 24 March to ensure a place for your student in the 2025 program. Please note as SingFest tickets are required to be pre-purchased, if your students EOI form is not returned Monday 24 March a ticket will not be purchased for them and they may be unable to attend the event.

Permissions for Term 2 Gala Days are on the way home, next week. In 2025, digital consent through QParents will also be available for those with active accounts. Please ensure to complete and return either the digital or paper consent to the school by Wednesday 2 April 2025 for invoices to be issued prior to the holidays.

Please ensure to use QParents or the BPOINT link on invoices to make payments to the school. If payments are received directly to the bank account you must use your students EQ ID number as the reference, without this the payment will not be able to be matched to the student or applied to an invoice. If you have made a payment directly into the school bank account this year, please contact the front office with the details (date, amount and account name) to check if an unknown payment is yours.

If you have a credit on your student/s account, please contact the office requesting it be applied to an invoice/s on your student/s account. Credits on student accounts are unable to automatically be applied to invoices by the school.

Has your student/s been invoiced for an excursion or event that they are not participating in? If so, could you please ensure to let our friendly front office team know by emailing them at admin@aspleyss.eq.edu.au to advise of your students' non-participation. This will assist us in ensuring that your students' financial accounts are cleared of the invoices.

Should your family be experiencing financial hardship, please contact me via BSM@aspleyss.eq.edu.au to discuss payment plan options.

QParents

In 2024 the school successfully commenced using QParents for consent for various activities. This method of parents providing consent via QParents will continue in 2025 onwards.

If you have not yet created a QParents account and linked your student, one can easily be created. This will not only allow you to provide digital consent to various activities, you are also able to notify the school of Past, current or future absence. In QParents you can also review and make payment on invoices for your student.

A registration Process Guide for Parents can be located on our website.

You require your Students EQ ID number; this can be found on school issued report cards or invoices.
Should you not have the require points of ID, please come past the office for the

Student Medication

Reminder if you have not yet provided the required paperwork to the school for your students mediation to please do so urgently. Melita will continue to follow these up and be your first point of contact, however please do not hesitate to see the front office staff with forms or medication.

Student Resource Scheme

SRS invoices have been issued for those who have returned the payment agreement form for 2025. If you are yet to complete and return this form, a paper copy has gone home with students earlier this week. Please ensure to complete and return to the office by Wednesday 26 March for the next lot of invoices to be raised 27 March 2025.

If your student misplaced their paper copy earlier this week, it an be located on the school website. Please ensure the Payment Agreement Forms are complete in blue or black pen and not digitally signed as we are unable to accept digital signatures per Departmental Policy.

General Updates and Reminders

Please regularly check the lost property items at the Hall for belongings that might have gone missing earlier this year. The lost property will be cleaned out in week 10 with items disposed off or donated that have not been claimed.
To avoid the loss of items, please ensure they are clearly named as this will assist with them being returned to the student’s class.

Autumn school holidays run from Monday 7 April to Monday 21 April 2025. Term two will commence Tuesday 22 April and Friday 25 April is a Public Holiday.

Today, March 21st, we’re celebrating World Down Syndrome Day and Harmony Day, focusing on inclusion, diversity, and acceptance. Students are wearing orange and crazy socks to raise awareness about Down syndrome and celebrate what makes everyone unique. Let’s embrace our differences, spread kindness, and stay united!

Turbo Room Transformation: A New Space for Our Students

We’re excited to share the ongoing transformation of the Turbo Room, a dedicated space for students with additional needs. Thanks to Mrs. Boyce and the SSS Team, this room is being redesigned to better support our students. It offers a quiet area for students to prepare for the school day and a supportive environment for play during lunch breaks. The space is designed to assist students recorded under the NCCD, helping them feel more comfortable and confident.

While the Turbo Room provides a valuable safe space, we also encourage students to enjoy outdoor play during some breaks to interact with peers and enjoy fresh air. This balance of quiet time and social interaction is key to fostering a supportive and inclusive school community.

Learning and Innovation Centre News

Hello lovely Aspley families,

The past few weeks have been full of excitement from the extreme weather events to a loose lizard here in the library. Your children have enjoyed engaging lessons with me in the in between. I have gotten into my groove as the temporary librarian at Aspley State School.

Here is what we have been up to:

Year 1s: We read “CHIP” and discussed all the adjectives that the seagull named Chip uses to describe his favourite types of chips.

Year 2s: We read “The Red Feather” and discussed the wonderful verbs found throughout this interesting book.

Year 3s and 5s: We read “Hey Little Ant” and had a rich discussion about morality and ethics. I used this book to talk about persuasive styles of writing as the ant needs to convince the boy not to step on him.

Year 4s: We read “Oh the Places You’ll Go” which is a Dr. Seuss classic. We then started to dive into the 12 different sentence styles according to Writer’s Toolbox. We discussed the simple sentence and the very short sentence.

Year 6s: My lessons with the Year 6s were my absolute favourite this week. I am a middle school teacher after all. We read “Little People, Big Dreams: the story of Anne Frank” and then we got to dive into some information about The Holocaust and World War 2. I used Anne Frank’s story to build a persuasive text about how I think she is the most famous child to come out of World War 2. The Year 6s were very engaged and they had a lot of insightful questions, we participated in dynamic discussions together.

Lunch Time

The Learning and Innovation Centre is open during second break (1:40-2:00) every day. All children from year 1-6 can come into the LIC to silent read and take out books. On Fridays they are also welcome to play quiet board games. Our year 6 student leaders come in to support the other children and to help reshelve books.

Borrowing News

Your child has weekly borrowing time at the LIC. (Please see timetable below). Their classroom teacher will bring them each week to borrow but they MUST have a library bag. 

How many books can my child/children borrow?

• Prep – 2 books
• Years 1-6 – 4 books

Outstanding Fees

If you have any outstanding fees for lost books from last year, can you please pay these as soon as possible! Our rule here in the L&IC is that children with overdue books are unable to borrow until they have returned or paid for said books. Thank you very much for your cooperation. 

Responsible Reader Awards

Congratulations to these classes over the last two weeks who have NO overdue books. You have worked as a team to support each other.

Thank you 

Miss Asha Stander 

ASPLEY MUSIC DEPARTMENT

 The Aspley Music Team

Mrs Macca, Ms Jabs and Mrs Kim 

Prep - 2 Interhouse Run 4 Fun Carnival 

HPE team

Shannon Kelly – Prep – Year 2 HPE (Wed-Fri)

Anthony Schmidt – Year 3-6 HPE, P-2 PMP, Sports Coordinator (Mon-Fri)

NAPLAN 2025 – YEAR 3 and YEAR 5

NAPLAN KEY NOTES for Parents

• Dates – 12 – 24 March
• Testing started at Aspley State School on Monday this week, due to impacts of Cyclone Alfred
• NAPLAN INFORMATION for FAMILIES

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year.   It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake.

NAPLAN timetable - 12 – 25 March

The NAPLAN test window is 9 days.  This is to accommodate schools that may not have the capacity to complete the tests in a shorter time frame.   At Aspley, this year, we will complete all the tests within the second half of this window due to the impact of Cyclone Alfred.  Catch up tests will also be scheduled within this timeframe.

The timeframes for the tests experienced by the student this week are as follows:

How and when is my child’s performance reported?

NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards.  There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. They are set at a challenging but reasonable level expected for the student at the time of NAPLAN testing, based mainly on what has been taught in previous years of schooling. Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. 

A NAPLAN individual student report will be provided by us, Aspley State School, later in the year. If you do not receive a report, you should contact us so we can follow up and provide the report.  Current advice from the National Assessment Program suggests that schools should start to receive student reports for distribution later in the school year.  Individual student results are strictly confidential.

Reading a NAPLAN individual student report.

The front page of the student report provides general information about the tests and an explanation of how to read the report.

The second and third pages show the student’s result in each assessment area. The results are classified into one of 4 proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.

The report shows the student’s achievement against the national average for their year (shown as a black triangle) and the range of achievement for the middle 60% of students in their year level (shown as a light shaded rectangle). Reports in some states and territories also show the school average.

The final page of the report provides a brief summary of the skills typically demonstrated by students at each proficiency level.

This helpful video assists families to better understand how to read your child’s Individual Student Report. 

How are NAPLAN results used?

• Students and parents/carers use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.
• Teachers use results to help identify students who need greater challenges or extra support.
• Schools use results to identify strengths and areas of need to improve teaching programs, and to set goals in literacy and numeracy.
• School systems use results to review the effectiveness of programs and support offered to schools.

Play is the Way - Ms Maria Pearce 

During weeks 3 to 6, students listened to a story to help embed the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like them to treat you.  Rhythm games were also introduced.  These games are a valuable tool to help students focus, concentrate and contribute to the success of a collaborative and friendly classroom. 

Classes played Piccadilly Circus again.  This time students were challenged to play the game in absolute silence.  Discussions centred around the need for effective eye contact, suitable gestures and awareness of facial expressions.

A new game, Islands, was introduced.  Playing against the teacher, the class must work cohesively to be successful.  This calls for quick thinking, rapid decision making and the willingness to be considerate, inclusive and helpful.  An enjoyable sense of panic and rush brings each round of the game to a close.

Classroom News 

Prep C 

Prep C have had a busy start to the year as we’ve settled into the routines of school! In English, we’ve been working on our speaking and listening skills by talking about familiar stories shared in class. In Maths, we have explored patterns, numbers to 10, positional language, and collecting data. In Science, students have been learning about living things and their needs. In HASS, we have been learning about the structure of families as well as events that we celebrate or commemorate. This week in Prep C, we have celebrated both Harmony Day and World Down Syndrome Day by listening to stories and engaging in learning opportunities and activities.

1C

In English this term Year 1 have been reading and exploring different characters in stories. They have been identifying the appearance, feelings and actions of the character and giving an opinion about the character, giving a reason for their opinion. 1C have certainly enjoyed the craft activities that have gone along with these books. In Science the focus is on how everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways according to their properties. The students describe the actions used to physically change materials to make objects for different purposes. Students enjoyed making a bouncing ball, and containers that can hold objects and water.

2C

In HaSS this term, 2C have been exploring changes in technology and the impacts this has had on our everyday lives. We have explored changes in technology related to the home, transport, entertainment, and communication. A particular highlight was when they were able to handle some old mobile phones (old as in early 2000’s, hello Nokia 3310!). Being able to identify features that have changed and features that have stayed the same is a key skill in this unit. 2C students identified that mobile phones still have a microphone and speaker for taking phone calls, but gone are buttons, aerials and large removable batteries. Instead, 2C found that mobile phones are used for much more than they were originally designed, we now send video and images, play games, engage with social media and many other things. If you have any old technology lying around your house, get it out and show your student, I’m sure they would love to realise how old you really are!!

3C

When 3C first launched into reading the natural disaster texts by Jackie French, ‘Cyclone’, ‘Flood’, ‘Fire’ and ‘Drought’, we had no idea that Brisbane residents would soon be experiencing their very own weather event in the form of Cyclone Alfred! 

Students enjoyed the author’s descriptive language and the illustrator’s atmospheric pictures.  Now we know first-hand what Jackie French meant when she said:

‘wind snarls and skies weep grey’ ;

‘outside a giant groans and growls,

A wind that batters, shrieks and howls’.

Students are now practising their oral presentations in which they will give their opinion of their chosen book and describe the mood the author and illustrator created.  We are working on having appropriate volume, pace, pitch, eye contact and stance.

4C

In Year 4 mathematics, we have been collecting, presenting and analysing data. 4C worked together on a mathematical investigation in our quest to create a class crest. First, we collected data about the class's preferences for colour, crest shape and symbols to include. We graphed each of these data sets so that students could refer to the data while their group was designing their crest. This was so preferences voted for were honoured in the crest and so that it would be a true representation of our class. The class voted on a wining crest which is now our class symbol and will be displayed on our door. Pictured are some of the tables, graphs and crest designs, including the winning crest. 

5C

In HASS this term, 5C have been exploring how people and environments influence each another. We have enjoyed examining the characteristics of places in Europe and North America and the location of their major countries in relation to Australia. We have identified and described the human and environmental factors that influence the characteristics of places and examined the interconnections between people and environments. We are looking forward to beginning to investigate the impact of human actions on the environmental characteristics of places in Europe and North America. 

6C

6C’s Busy Start to the Term!

It has been a great start to the term for 6C, filled with learning, collaboration, and creativity.

Friday Afternoon Fun! We love spending Friday afternoons with our buddies, playing games and testing paper folds for strength. These activities foster friendships, problem-solving, and hands-on exploration.

English: Exploring Literature: In English, our book club panels spark discussions on literary texts, themes, and language. Sharing ideas challenges us to think critically and appreciate different perspectives.

Maths: Patterns and Data: We’ve been working with the Cartesian plane, creating tessellations, and analysing data. These activities sharpen our spatial and analytical skills in real-world contexts.

It’s been a fantastic start, and we’re excited for more learning ahead!

Art Classes

Swim Solutions