End of Term One Celebrations: Thank You to Our Community

As we reach the end of Term One, we take a moment to reflect on the wonderful achievements and milestones celebrated throughout the term. By the time you receive this newsletter, our students will have embarked on their well-deserved school holidays and Easter break. We’d like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our entire school community for the continued support we’ve received during the start of this school year.

A special thank you goes out to all, for your patience and understanding as we continue the important work on our school car park. These renovations will continue over the Easter break, and we are excited to see the final formation of the car park taking shape. We anticipate the completion of these works and the handover at the start of Term Two. We look forward to sharing all relevant updates when we return.

While the recent weather presented some challenges and caused event delays, we are proud of the progress made, both in and outside the classroom. We celebrated many milestones this term, it’s inspiring to see our students embrace these opportunities with enthusiasm and dedication. A standout achievement is the exceptional leadership demonstrated by our Year 6 students. We commend them for their involvement in student leadership opportunities that have presented, and we look forward to the continued growth of these leaders as they step into Term Two.

Our students experienced the Metropolitan North nomination Cross County run and the fun-filled Run 4 Fun this week. These were celebrated with great energy and team spirit. Despite the weather challenges, we persevered and made these moments unforgettable for our students.

Our students, from Prep to Year 6, have embodied our school motto of “We Who Learn  Succeed.” Many of them engaged in their first instrumental lessons this year, set and achieved personal goals during the swimming program, embraced every learning opportunity in the classroom and gave their best during NAPLAN testing. Our students showcased their community spirit through special events, including Harmony Day and World Down Syndrome Day, where we celebrated the diversity that makes our school community so unique.

We are grateful for the ongoing support of our P&C. A special thank you to both our returning and new members for their continued dedication. Your contributions make a tangible difference in enriching the school experience for our students and families.

As we prepare to embark on the Easter break, we wish all our families a restful and safe holiday. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on the first day of Term Two, which will be Tuesday, 22 April.

In closing, the dates for our Term Two calendar are included below. We have another exciting term ahead and look forward to seeing everyone back in school ready for new learning opportunities and celebrations.

Thank you once again for your support.

Easter Parade

This morning, the hall was alive with colour and excitement for our annual Easter Hat Parade, a cherished tradition for both students and the community. The students looked fantastic in their beautifully decorated Easter hats!

A huge thank you to all the families who supported their children in preparing for this event—the creativity on display was truly impressive.

Special thanks to Mrs Macca and the Prep to Year 2 teachers for their dedication in organizing such a joyful celebration. The students had a fantastic time showcasing their creative hats, singing Easter songs, and dancing to the ever-popular Chicken Dance. It was wonderful to see so many parents joining in the fun as well!

Enjoy some snapshots from today’s delightful parade below.

Run4Fun

It was great to see the positive spirit of students and the families and carers who came along to support the P-2 Run4Fun event today.  In a sea of blue, red and yellow, the cheering was loud and the energy was focused.  Congratulations to all of our participating students.

GALA Days

Term 2 Gala Days are scheduled for Friday 16, 23 and 30 May (weeks 4-6) for our Years 5 and 6 students.  Students have indicated an interest in one of the following sports offered:  football (soccer), basketball, netball, and volleyball.

Schedule

Depart:  Aspley State School: 10:40am

Games:  11:30am - 2:05pm

Return to Aspley State School by:  2:50pm.

Consent forms were due Wednesday 2 April. 

Payment is due Monday 28 April (Term2, Week2).

Easter Egg Treasure Hunt

Are you planning an Easter egg hunt for your kids this Easter? Add in a few clues to challenge their thinking skills and you’ve got yourself an Easter egg treasure hunt! Here’s how to do it.

An Easter egg treasure hunt is a great activity for the kids – they’ll love running around searching for their chocolate treats, and by giving them clues, you can challenge their thinking skills and encourage them to analyse pieces of text. If you have more than one

child playing, following the clues together can also help improve their ability to cooperate and work together as a team.

What to do:

Come up with a series of clues for different places around your house where you could hide some eggs. Here are some examples:

• Keep thinking now and use your head, why don’t you go and check in your…? (Bed)
• You are certainly not a fool, check where things are kept cool. (Fridge or freezer)
• Do you need to sit down and have a rest? Which place do you think is best? (Couch)

For some more clue ideas, try googling “Easter egg hunt clues” – you’ll find some complete sets of clues already written for you.

Next, place a small bundle of eggs in each location – make sure there is enough for one egg per child. Place the next clue with the bundle of eggs.

Then set your children loose! Give them the first clue and encourage them to work together to solve it. Your children will love the challenge of making sense of the clues by analysing the language and thinking about different locations around your house. If you don’t want to give your children chocolate, try hiding something else –stickers, small toys or marbles would work just as well!

https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/easter-egg-treasure-hunt

Look. Listen. Report

Let’s all help to keep our school safe.

During the school holidays, schools may experience higher levels of criminal activity. If you see something suspicious, look, listen, report.

Contact School Watch on 13 17 88 to report any incidents you see or hear, even if they appear to be minor.

In an emergency or if you see a crime in progress dial Triple Zero (000).

As we reach the end of another wonderful term, I want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in our school community. Our students have achieved so much—whether in the classroom or in the pool —and we are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication.

I hope this holiday brings time for rest, adventure, and special moments with family and friends. Stay safe, enjoy the break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term ahead!

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 for the Term 2 Gala Days were raised for year 5 and 6 students on Thursday 3 April 2025. If you have not received an invoice for your student, please contact the office for support.

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.

Did you know you can use the BPOINT link on School invoices to make multiple payments? Simply click the link on your invoice and enter the nominated amount you wish to pay in that transaction. You can repeat this process until the invoice has been paid in full. This can be useful when paying for larger expenses like school camps. If you happen to lose track of the remaining balance just reach out to the front office and they will be able to provide the outstanding amount for you. You can also check for outstanding amounts through QParents.

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.

Year 4 Online Consent

Tuesday 1 April 2025, paper consent forms for the year 4 – 6 online services were sent home. Wednesday 2 April the consent was also activated through QParents. If you have a year 4 student please ensure to complete the QParents consent or if you do not have a QParents account please complete the paper form and return to the front office as soon as possible.

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 with your ID for the team to confirm your account.  

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 please ensure to do so as soon as possible.  

The Payment Agreement Forms can located on the school website. Please ensure the Payment Agreement Forms are complete in blue or black pen, not digitally signed as we are unable to accept digital signatures per Departmental Policy.

Facility Updates:

The delayed asphalt works have continued to be postponed due to the ongoing wet weather this week. As we lead into the school holidays, the carpark will remain closed at the start of term 2 with the temporary stop, drop and go zone for drop off and pickups. Communications will be provided to the community as the project progresses and nears completion with updates prior to the carpark re-opening.  

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 commence Monday 7 April though to Monday 21 April 2025. Term two will commence Tuesday 22 April and Friday 25 April is a Public Holiday.

Aspley State School Hall will be used as a polling location for the upcoming election on Saturday 3 May 2025. Our P&C will be hosting a sausage sizzle outside the hall on election day.

Help keep our school safe these holidays by reporting any unusual behaviours or activity to Schools Watch.  During school holidays empty school provide an opportunity for criminal activity – becoming targets for unlawful entry, arson, stealing, graffiti and property damage offences.

Notice something suspicious at school over the holidays? Report it to School Watch by calling 13 17 88.

If you see a crime in progress, please do not try to intervene and call Triple Zero (000).

Lets all work together to help create safer school communities!

SSS Team

Thank you to the SSS team for the Foyer Display in the main office. It’s a great way to highlight the team and bring attention to their contributions.

Welcome Ms Stander

Next term we welcome Ms Asha Stander as the Case Manager for Year 2.

SSS Case Managers

SSS case managers work closely with class teachers to support students with additional needs. The case managers are:

Prep, Year 1 & Year 6 – Ms Paula Evans

Year 2 – Ms Asha Stander

Year 3 – Mrs Donna Boyce

Year 4 & 5 – Ms Melinda Stone

Respectful Relationships – Mr Kyle Rankine

World Autism Awareness Day - April 2

World Autism Awareness Day is observed on April 2nd every year to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The day aims to highlight the challenges faced by individuals with autism and promote a better understanding of the condition. It encourages inclusion, acceptance, and support for people on the autism spectrum, as well as their families and caregivers.

Respectful Relationships 

Respectful Relationships Education – What We’re Learning (Week 9/10)

Year 5 – 6

In Years 5 and 6, students are exploring gender stereotyping, discussing how societal expectations can influence choices, interests, and opportunities. They will learn to challenge unfair stereotypes and develop confidence in expressing their individuality.

Year 3 - 4

In Years 3 and 4, students are examining gender stereotyping, focusing on how assumptions about gender roles can affect friendships, activities, and emotions. They will practice identifying and questioning stereotypes in everyday life.

Year 2

This week, Year 2 students are exploring what it means to be responsible and why it’s an important part of growing up. They will learn that responsibility is about making good choices, taking care of things, and helping others.

By understanding responsibility, students develop independence, trustworthiness, and a sense of community. They will reflect on how their responsibilities change as they grow and how their actions impact others. This learning encourages them to take ownership of their choices at home, school, and in the wider world.

Year 1

In Years 1 and 2, students are learning about safe behavior. They will be taught to recognize their personal boundaries and how to seek help from a trusted adult.

Prep

In Prep, students are learning to recognize positive actions, such as helping, sharing, and including others. They will reflect on acts of kindness and discuss how their words and actions can make others feel. This helps build a strong foundation for respectful and caring relationships.

Happy Easter Aspley Families,

The past two weeks in the library have flown by! Your children have been engaged and invested in our learning during this time. Last week we read books about multiculturalism, honouring Harmony Day and our multicultural country. The students were thrilled to talk about where their ancestors have come from and we learned about how our skin colour is directly correlated with sun, genetics and melanin.

This week we have been remembering and honouring the ANZAC soldiers who have fought and died for the freedom that we have in this beautiful country. I am proud of the students for their respect and engagement during these lessons. We have read books such as, “Why are they Marching Daddy?”, “My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day”, “ANZAC Ted”, “The ANZAC Tree”, and “Simpson and his Donkey”.

This is my last week as the temporary librarian at Aspley State School. Thank you for entrusting me with your children and the books! I would like to wish you all a happy and safe term holidays.

Outstanding Fees

If you have any outstanding fees for lost books from last year or this year, can you please pay for these as soon as possible! Thank you very much for your cooperation!

Responsible Reader Awards

The most outstanding class this term for no overdue books whatsoever the whole way through is...drum roll please...

Thank you 

Miss Asha Stander 

ASPLEY MUSIC DEPARTMENT

 The Aspley Music Team

Mrs Macca, Ms Jabs and Mrs Kim 

Curriculum News 

Australian Curriculum – Refined – Version 9

The Australian Curriculum sets the learning goals for all students as they progress through their school life – wherever they live in Australia and whichever school they attend, and when parents/carers are actively involved in their children’s education, children achieve better results.

The goal for the Australian Curriculum is to develop successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed young people who are ready to take their place in society. To achieve this goal, the Australian Curriculum includes 3 parts:

• 8 learning areas which are sometimes referred to as subjects, 
• 7 general capabilities which as sometimes known as the 21st century skills 
• 3 cross-curriculum priorities

From 2025 our teachers and students will be operating in Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, in subject English and Mathematics, with other subject areas to roll out over the coming years.  This gradual release schedule allows schools to make adjustments, changes and refinements to our curriculum delivery at a reasonable and steady pace.  

What do English and Mathematics look like in Version 9.

Over the coming newsletter instalments, I will be giving you a brief tour of what is expected in subjects English and Mathematics across difference sectors of primary schooling.

Years 1 and 2

In Years 1 and 2, priority is given to the important areas of literacy and numeracy development. English and Mathematics are the core subjects for this, but literacy and numeracy are found in all subjects. By the end of Year 2, students have a much stronger understanding of themselves and have begun to connect with the wider community.

English

Students develop literacy using texts that entertain, inform and persuade, such as picture books,
non-fiction books and films. Students grow into more independent readers, learn to create a range of different texts and become more confident when they communicate.

Students learn to:

• listen to and discuss information books, stories, films and digital texts
• independently read simple books and discuss what they have read
• discuss the characters and events in texts written by First Nations Australian and wide-ranging Australian and world authors
• decode words
• write to express thoughts and ideas
• tell a story or talk about topics they have learnt in class
• use simple punctuation, such as capital letters and full stops
• spell common words and write in sentences  
• create texts using digital tools
• give short oral presentations on topics of interest
• develop legible handwriting.

 Mathematics

Students develop number sense as they build their understanding of place value. They are introduced to mathematical symbols and learn different ways to represent numbers. They begin to use mathematical language to communicate and explain mathematical ideas, pose basic mathematical questions, and develop simple strategies to investigate and solve practical problems.

Students learn to:

• describe number sequences and locate numbers on a number line
• begin to use number sentences with mathematical symbols to represent simple additive situations
• represent simple fractions using pictures, words, objects and events
• describe and draw shapes and objects
• use informal units to measure length, capacity and mass
• tell the time from both analog and digital clocks
• use a calendar to determine the date
• position and locate objects using directions and pathways
• investigate data collected through surveys, observations and experiments.

Classroom News 

Prep D 

This term in Prep D we have settled into the life as a learner at Aspley. We have learnt about what it is to be an Aspley learner and to be apart of Prep D community. Prep D learners have enjoyed exploring many different subject areas but have really immersed themselves into Science. We have been identifying living and non-living things around our school community. The learners can identify what the needs are of living things are- food, water, air, shelter and warmth. To show our learning we created a drawing of a healthy habitat for Australian animals and crafted a mobile of the needs that make a habitat healthy. 

1D

This term, 1D students have been busy exploring different materials and their properties. They have been testing which materials are waterproof, discovering which ones are best for making strong containers, and even designing their own containers to hold marbles. Through hands-on experiments, they investigated strength by putting their creations to the test. There were some surprising results, lots of excitement, and plenty of learning along the way. Well done 1D – we have some future engineers and scientists in the making!

2D

Cardboard Construction: Building the Future with Science!

Hey there, future engineers and scientists! Did you know that something as simple as cardboard can help you learn all about science, building, and problem-solving? Let’s dive into the exciting world of Cardboard Construction and discover how this everyday material can teach us big things!

What is Cardboard Made of? Cardboard might look like just a flat, brown sheet, but it's a special material made from paper fibres. These fibres come from trees, which are turned into pulp and pressed together to make a strong, flexible surface. The cardboard is often made of layers, with a wavy middle part called fluting, which helps give it extra strength. This is why cardboard can be so sturdy, even though it’s lightweight!

What Makes Cardboard Great for Building? When we build with cardboard, we get to test the properties of materials, which means we explore what makes different materials special. Cardboard is:

• Lightweight: It's easy to carry and handle.
• Flexible: It can bend and twist, which helps us create all sorts of cool shapes.
• Strong: When folded in the right way, cardboard can hold a lot of weight! Ever tried stacking books on top of a cardboard box? It works, right?

By using these properties, we can build models of houses, bridges, cars, and even whole cities—all out of cardboard!

Building with Cardboard in 2D Science Lessons!

In the 2D classroom, we became Cardboard Engineers! Here’s how it helped us learn:

1. Understanding Shapes and Structures: Scientists and engineers use shapes like triangles, squares, and circles to make strong and stable structures. Cardboard helps us understand how to use these shapes to make things that don’t collapse.
2. Testing and Experimenting: When building with cardboard, you get to try different designs and see what works best. What happens if you fold the cardboard a certain way? How many layers of cardboard do you need to hold something heavy? It’s all about trial and error, just like real scientists!
3. Learning about Materials: Cardboard isn't the only material we use in building. When you try different things, you’ll learn how cardboard compares to wood, metal, or plastic. Which material is the strongest? Which one is the lightest? You’ll discover the properties of materials in the most fun way possible—through play!

Why Is This Important?

By learning how cardboard works, you’re not just making cool projects. You’re also learning important skills that can help you in the future! Engineers, architects, and scientists use similar techniques to solve big problems, like building skyscrapers, bridges, and even rockets! So, the next time you play with cardboard, remember you’re a scientist, engineer and a builder in training!

So, next time you see a cardboard box, think about all the exciting things you could build and learn. Maybe you’ll be the next big inventor to design something amazing—all thanks to cardboard!

Happy building, little scientists!

3D

In this semester’s HASS unit, students have been investigating how people contribute to their unique communities. They have been exploring how and why people participate in and contribute to their communities, and the importance of different celebrations and commemorations to different groups of people. 

With April 25quickly approaching Year 3 has been discussing how Australians and other communities around the world commemorate ANZAC Day.

Students in year 3 were particularly interested in their virtual incursion with the Australian War Memorial in week 9. This incursion helped them to gain a better understanding of ANZAC Day, Australians who served in various wars and the meaning and significance of the poppy.

4D

In 4D we are exploring Tiny Worlds. Students are using multi modal art to express their perspectives.

We are looking at different art techniques such as lines, tones, blending and shading. We have been comparing different art works and discussing artist’s ideas and intentions.

We hope you enjoy what we’re calling our ‘Personality Portraits’.

5D

This week students of 5D reflected on their recent NAPLAN testing experience.  The students recognised the challenges they faced, but also the tremendous growth and resilience they demonstrated throughout the process.   Participating in NAPLAN required focus, concentration, and perseverance, and we couldn’t be prouder of how 5D rose to the occasion. While the journey was not without its hurdles, the rewards, both in terms of personal growth and academic achievement, are clear.   5D would also like to extend a special thank you to Mrs. Pearce, for her unwavering support throughout the testing process.  She was with 5D during every test, helping guide and encourage the class every step of the way.  Here, are some of the reflections about NAPLAN mentioned by 5D students.

“I felt nervous before starting NAPLAN, but after I finished one test I felt confident.” – Ravleen.

“I felt good because I had a positive thought in my head that I would do great.  I felt a bit nervous at the start, but as it went on I built a bit more confidence to keep going.  At the end I actually liked it so much that I wanted to do more.” – Ethan.

“I feel so good because it was my first time to do NAPLAN and I feel so good about it.  I love it so much.” – Tifferney

“The first time I felt a bit nervous and excited because I knew it would be a bit hard.  When I did the NAPLAN practice I felt more confident and comfortable to do the real test.  Every time when I was up to the last few questions or when I looked at the time I had to rush to finish!” – Rebecca.

“NAPLAN was really easy and with 20 minutes to spare I checked my work  3 to 4 times.  The computer sound system was a bit confusing but I got it right.  Overall NAPLAN 9.5 out of 10!” – Mahi.

“I felt really excited and a little nervous during NAPLAN.  However, I definitely enjoyed it and my overall favourite task was the spelling and grammar test.” – Anna.

“I thought that NAPLAN was pretty easy but also felt challenging at the same time.  I also thought using the computers was cool and fun!  I am confident that I did a good job in NAPLAN” – Levi

*NB -  The students in these images have been photographed using the NAPLAN public facing demonstration site.

6D

In 6D we often like to incorporate simple games into our maths lessons to help us develop our understanding of concepts. Here the students are playing a game using dice and a number line in order to understand integers.   Fun and learning at the same time!

Representing whole numbers and their negatives, integers are numbers without any fractional or decimal parts.  They include positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero.   Zero is a unique number that does not belong to the category of positive or negative integers.  It is considered a neutral number and is represented as “0” without any plus or minus sign.

Can you answer these operations on integers?

• 3 + (-9)
• (-5) + (-11)
• 3 – (-9)
• (-5) – (-11)

ANSWERS:

• 3 + (-9) = - 6
• (-5) + (-11) = - 16
• 3 – (-9) = 3 + 9 = 12
• (-5) – (-11) = -5 + 11 = 6

Art Classes

Swim Solutions

The GAP Experience Open Day