Welcome to Term 3 – Another term of Learning, Celebration and Connection

We hope the recent school holiday was a memorable time for you and your families. We are delighted to see our students return to school.

As we embark into Term 3, we remain mindful of the winter season and its impact on wellbeing. If your child is feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you keep them home to rest and recover and please notify our office of their absence. Once they’re well enough, we look forward to welcoming them back because every day at school is a day full of opportunity for learning and engagement.

This term promises to be a vibrant one with a suite of events, acknowledgements and celebrations that reflect our school’s dynamic spirit. Including our 135-year celebration! We encourage all families to review the Term 3 calendar included in this newsletter.

 School closures this term:

• Wednesday, 13 August – School closed for the EKKA public holiday
• Friday, 5 September – School closed for Term 3 Student Free Day

Bullying No Way: National week of action 11 – 15 August

This term we will continue to prioritise the development of an inclusive and respectful school culture. We are taking part in Bullying No Way! week from 11–15 August, embracing the theme: Be Bold, Be Kind, Speak Up.

This celebration is more than a campaign, it’s a reflection of our commitment to creating a safe and nurturing environment for every student. Our school explores effective strategies for addressing behaviour concerns, building empathy and reinforcing our expectations for respectful interactions across our school community.

At Aspley, we believe success is not just academic, it’s also found in friendships, personal growth and the shared joy of belonging. Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to build a thriving and connected school culture.

When a student engages at school and that engagement with peers or other members of our community is less than positive, the ripple effects are felt by all. Bullying can take many forms - verbal, physical, social or online - and it’s not always easy to identify. The key question is: What is bullying? It’s a complex social issue that requires thoughtful understanding and a shared commitment to respectful behaviour. We encourage families to take a moment to explore the national definition of bullying as outlined on the Bullying No Way! website located here.

Bullying and negative behaviours can be shaped by a range of influences, especially during the primary years when social and emotional development is still underway.

These include:

• Peer pressure and popularity dynamics – as students form social circles, the desire to fit in may lead to exclusion or targeted behaviours.
• Emotional regulation skills – some students are still learning how to manage frustration, disappointment and conflict in healthy ways.
• Community environment – behaviours seen outside the school gate (including online or on television) can influence how children interact with others.

In response to these influences, our school has committed to a comprehensive wellbeing initiative as part of our 2025 Annual Implementation Plan. (link)

This includes:

• Play Is The Way® (link) – a social and emotional learning methodology using interactive games and guiding concepts to build empathy and self-regulation.
• Respectful Relationships Program (link)– a Queensland Government initiative promoting respect, problem-solving and resilience for primary students.

These strategies have led to explicit teaching of social and emotional skills, respectful relationships education, and a strong emphasis on positive mental health and behaviour. This aligns closely with our participation in Bullying No Way! week, where students are encouraged to Be Bold, Be Kind, Speak Up.

We understand that incidents may arise, and we are committed to responding in a timely and constructive manner that supports all. For more on our school’s approach to behaviour the Student Code of Conduct Policy (link), is available on our website.

Were you aware of the Parent and Community Code of Conduct? We encourage families to review this (included below), which outlines how we can work together to foster respectful relationships between staff, parents and caregivers.

For additional support and advice, including fact sheets on types and signs of bullying, review the Bullying No Way! family resources included below:

• Support and Advice – For Families
• Fact Sheets for Families and Students (with translations)- definitions, key facts, signs of and types of bullying.
• Early Childhood to Year 2 - Resources to learn from home or school. 
• Year 3 to Year 6 -  Resources to ‘Be Kind Online'.

If any member of our community, student, staff or parent feels that bullying has occurred, we urge you to contact the school immediately. Your child’s classroom teacher may be your first point of contact, along with our Deputy Principal, Principal, Guidance Officers and specialist support staff. We are all here to help.

Bullying No Way! week is scheduled for Week 5 this term. In past years, students were invited to wear orange to mark this occasion. The updated campaign for 2026 encourages schools to incorporate the colour purple in recognition of the 'National Week of Action'.

Students are welcome to wear purple items - such as socks, hats, jumpers, t-shirts, shorts, hair ribbons – with their uniform, on Monday 11 August (week 5). Students should wear their school uniform as usual; however, if they have an item in purple, they’re welcome to wear it on Monday to support the theme Be Bold, Be Kind, Speak Up as a symbol of connection and unity. Participation is entirely at your discretion. All clothing should be sun safe and appropriate for school routines.

Week 5 is a short week due to the EKKA public holiday on Wednesday, 13 August. We will also celebrate our Book Week Assembly held on Friday, 15 August. This date has been selected to accommodate all student’s participation, particularly those who are attending school camps this term.

Together, we remain proactive in valuing learning and valuing each other.

2025 School Opinion Survey (SOS)

The suite of School Opinion Surveys is undertaken each year by the Department of Education to obtain opinions about our school from families, school staff and students in target year levels (Year 5, 6, 8 and 11). The surveys will help identify what we are doing well, and understand where we can improve.

The survey invitation will be emailed in the week beginning 21 July and is titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2025. Each school family will receive one email invitation from the Department of Education to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey. 

The survey is anonymous, and the results are not reported in ways that an individual’s response can be identified by the school. Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with an internet connection. For Parents/Caregivers who do not have access to the internet school computers/tablets will be available. Please contact our administration for more details.

Parents/caregivers who experience difficulties accessing the survey can request a new survey from the School Opinion Survey team via email schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au . The survey is facilitated by this designated team and not managed by the school.

Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.

Planning and Preparations for 2026

There will be many operational matters to address as we prepare for 2026. Yes, it’s time to start the conversation.

2026 Enrolments and Classroom Configurations

We need your most updated details and information, to commence the 2026 planning and preparations for our school. At this stage we predict the same school model as 2025, with twenty-eight classrooms. This includes four classes in each year level.

Confirmation of the classroom teachers appointed to the year levels will be announced at the end of the Term 4, this is subject to change and based on HR and departmental staffing requirements.

Below are frequently asked questions that could assist all during this busy time.

Is your child changing schools at the end of 2025?

If you are planning to move from Aspley State School at the end of 2025, please share this information with our administration team and your child’s classroom teacher/s.  Send an email with your child’s name, year level as well as their intended departure date and reason for leaving to the admin@aspleyss.eq.edu.au  and 2025 classroom teacher/s email.

Alternatively, please give us a call on 3863 9111 our office is open 8:00 am – 3:30 pm to take your message.

Do you wish to enrol a student in a Prep – Year 6 class for 2026?

Our 2026 Prep enrolment process is well underway, with 2026 Prep meetings occurring in Term 3 and in Term 4 our Pre-Prep Transition Program will commence.

Contact our administration team now, if you wish to be considered for an enrolment opportunity in 2026. Space is limited.

Is your family planning a late return to school in 2026?

From time to time, families will extend their overseas trip or holiday adventures, returning to school in week two or week three of Term 1. It is important that we have your best contact details and information about your intended late start in 2026. 

Our school resources and funding are based on Term 1 confirmed enrolment numbers. If we have correspondence from you indicating a delayed start, we can assure your child is allocated to a class.

Contact our administration team at your earliest convenience, to share the details for your possible late return to school next year.

Do I need to contact the school if my child is in Year 6 and going to high school?

You are not required to contact us about 2026. If your Year 6 student is enrolled into a state high school, we will be provided these details via our OneSchool system and will ensure their records are updated before the end of the year.

If your child is attending a high school within the private sector, we appreciate knowing where they will be attending school in 2026.  We can assist with transitions.

Can I share information about my child for consideration in their 2026 classroom placement?

Yes, we will accept written correspondence from parents/caregivers who wish to share information, for consideration, for their child’s 2026 classroom placement. This information will be considered, private and confidential and should be sent via email to your child’s 2025 classroom teacher.

The 2026 classes will be constructed by our teachers, who know your child, their learning, engagement and adjustment needs. They will consider your requests, which are not guaranteed.  With approximately 700 students to consider, we spend up to three weeks investing in this process, looking for the best fit for everyone.

Contact your child’s 2025 classroom teacher via email at your earliest convenience.  We will be working on student placement in their 2026 classes from week 1, Term 4. All relevant information must be emailed to the 2025 classroom teacher by Friday 19 September 2025, for review and consideration.

If you feel the information you wish to share about your child is more considered or private, you can email the sector Deputy Principal or Principal. Prep to Year 3, Ms Jenny Gross or Year 3-6 Ms Robyn Bassa can hold these details for you to assist with class placements.

Thank you to everyone who has secured enrolments for 2026.

2026 Student Resource Scheme (SRS)

The school is aware of the rising costs of living pressures for all families and actively working to minimise these. SRS support consumable curriculum resourcing and online subscriptions, parents are invited to participate.

• In 2026 our classroom SRS will remain as per 2023/24/25 costs - SRS contribution amounts are as follows.
• SRS Prep $200 per year (Prep does not include a booklist)
• SRS Year 1 – 6 $100 per year
• The 2026 Instrumental Music (IM) SRS will remain as per 2025 (for IM students only), $130 per year for Instrumental Hire and/or $70 per year for Instrumental Curriculum consumables.

Aspley State School offers our families to participate in a student resource scheme (SRS.) By participating in the SRS families are able to benefit from bulk purchasing discounts the school receives when buying certain student resources. More information about the 2025 SRS (link) is located on our school website. The details and costs for the 2026 SRS will be shared at our upcoming P&C meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 29 August.  If you have feedback on the SRS program, please feel free to email the school via admin@aspleyss.eq.edu.au email, we value your contributions.

2026 Booklists Year 1-6

Following a successful tender process in 2024, COS were confirmed as our supplier for 2025. We will continue with COS into 2026. This decision builds on positive feedback received regarding the 2025 booklist process and we thank families for their input and engagement.

Our teaching teams will be reviewing the 2025 booklist to ensure resources reflect the learning needs of our students, offer value for money and remain mindful of household costs. Families are able to purchase booklist items by means best suited to them.

Booklist ordering details will be provided in Term 4 to support a smooth process. These details will be discussed at our upcoming P&C meeting on Tuesday, 29 August. We invite you to attend.

For more information on the 2025 Booklists (link) please visit our school website.

Prep 2026

Enrol Now!!!

If you have a child born between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, they are eligible for Prep in 2026.

Planning is well underway to welcome our 2026 Preps.  In Term 2 we held our Open Days, which was a great opportunity to hear from our student captains and see our Prep facilities.  Next term we will be holding our enrolment meetings in preparation for our transition program in Term 4.

• Enrolment forms: Due Now!
• Enrolment meetings 
  • Term 3, Week 2
  • Term 3, Week 9

• Transition Program: Term 4, Weeks 3-5.

If you are in catchment and haven’t completed your enrolment forms, please contact the school office on admin@aspleyss.eq.edu.au or phone 3863 9111.

100 Days Brighter!

Our Prep students recently celebrated a big milestone, their 100th day of school! Marking the halfway point of the school year, this day was filled with fun, colour, and creativity as we celebrated 100 Days Brighter.

Students and staff lit up the school in their brightest outfits, bringing joy and energy to every corner of the campus. Throughout the day, our Preppies took part in a range of engaging activities focused on the number 100 — including building towers with 100 cups, a 100-number hunt, a fitness trail, creating colourful crowns, and collecting 100 items.

There were smiles, laughter, and a sense of pride as our youngest learners embraced the joy of learning and celebrated all they’ve achieved so far. Congratulations to our fabulous Preppies, the future is certainly looking bright!

Swimming

Learning to swim and understanding water and beach safety are essential life skills, especially in Australia. At Aspley State School, we are proud to offer a high-quality swimming program that supports students to develop confidence, technique, and water safety awareness.

Our swimming lessons are delivered by qualified instructors from Swim Solutions, ensuring professional guidance for every student. Whether your child is new to swimming or already part of a squad or club, participating in school-based lessons provides valuable skill development and supports their ongoing progress.

In Term 4, Prep and Year 3–6 students will take part in weekly swimming lessons over seven weeks. The program will conclude with a Prep Fun Swim and a Swimming Carnival for students in Years 3–6, always a highlight on the calendar!

Students are required to wear sun-safe swimwear, including a rashie, swim cap, and sunscreen. Further details, including costs, will be shared later in Term 3.

School Uniform

At Aspley State School, students wear their uniform with pride. Our school uniform fosters a strong sense of belonging and community. Both the formal and sports uniforms are thoughtfully designed to ensure comfort, practicality, and sun safety.  Our uniform dress code (link) can be found on our school website.

Wearing the uniform is a requirement of enrolment. Students may choose to wear either the formal or sports uniform each day, based on their scheduled activities. However, the formal uniform is required for special occasions such as assemblies, school photos, excursions, and other significant events. 

Winter Uniform Reminder:

With the cooler weather now upon us, it’s important that all students are in the correct winter uniform to stay warm and maintain our school’s high expectations.

• Maroon zip-up polar fleece jacket or fleecy jumper with school logo
• Maroon track pants, or black leggings/tights (under skorts)

If your child does not have the correct school jumper, please contact your class teacher to let them know and indicate how long your student will be without it.

Hats
Aspley State School is a SunSmart school and follows a strict ‘Hat On, Play is On’ policy.  Students must wear a hat for all outdoor activities, including walking to and from school.

Hair

• Hair touching the collar must be tied back
• Fringes must not cover eyes
• Only natural hair colours allowed
• Mohawks or etched designs are not permitted
• Hair accessories should be maroon, green, white, or neutral

Jewellery

• Watch
• Plain small studs or sleepers
• Approved medical wristbands only

Cosmetics

• Nail polish and makeup are not permitted

Thank you for supporting our uniform policy and helping students wear it with pride.

Please check the below list for current and future invoices that might be relevant for your Student/s (Invoices in Italic have not yet been raised):

• SRS Fee: Overdue
• SRS Fee Instalment 2: Due 20 June 2025
• IM Instalment 2: Due 13 June 2025

• Term 3:
• SingFest 2025: 21 July 2025
• Year 1 Puppet Show: Due 3 Sept $9
• IM Instalment 3: Due 5 Sept 2025
• Year 4 Camp: $399 Due 25 July 2025
• Year 5 Camp: $389 Due 8 August 2025

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 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.

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.

Year 6 Canberra Tour
Year 6 families with students attending the Canberra Tour please ensure all payments have been made for the tour no later than 6pm Saturday 26 July. Students with outstanding Canberra Tour invoices will not be able to board the flight.

Year 1 Larrikin Puppet Show
Year 1 Larrikin Puppet show consent is due Monday 28 July 2025. Invoices will be raised for Students who have consent provided on Tuesday 29 July. Invoice are due on Wednesday 3 September 2025.

Overdue Library Invoices
Invoices were raised for Students with overdue library books in weeks 1 and 2 this term. Thank you to those families who have since returned the library books or made payment of the invoices. If your student has overdue library book/s they will be restricted with the number of books they can borrow until all books are returned or the overdue invoice has been paid.

Class teachers are provided with a list of student’s overdue books and remind them regularly to search for and return the books. We ask that you remind your student/s of the importance to keep their library books in a safe location and return them when due back.

If you receive an invoice for the overdue books, please contact Mrs Harvey on npear34@eq.edu.au for more information.

If you have been invoiced and later return the book/s, the invoice will be removed from your student/s account. If an invoice has been paid and the book is later located, the book is then yours to keep.

Invoicing for Excursions and Camps

I would like to remind families of the process for invoicing school excursions and camps. The school will send the permission forms home to families through QParents, with paper copies provided to those not registered. Once the permission due date has passed, permissions are compiled and invoices raised for those with permission to attend. These invoices are typically raised the day following the permission end date. 

Student Resource Scheme

Term 2 SRS instalment invoices were raised Tuesday 20 May and are due for payment on 20 June 2025. Late SRS invoices continue to be raised 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 and return to the office. 

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.

If you have not yet created a QParents account and linked your student, one can easily be created. This will allow you to provide digital consent to various activities, notify the school of past, current or future absences, view report cards and pay invoices.

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

When creating an account, you will require your student's EQ ID number and 100 points of ID. Your student's EQ ID number can be located on invoices raised by the school, report cards or by contacting the school office.

Should you not have the required points of ID, please visit the school office with your ID for the team to approve your account.  

Student Health Information:

Exclusion times for illness:

With the cooler weather and various illnesses going around, we would like to remind families of the minimum exclusion periods for infectious conditions as per Queensland Health. We love to see students at school learning however ask they stay home if unwell and return when they are recovered. Details on the require exclusion times can be found HERE.

timeout_poster.pdf

timeout_poster _pdf 1.42 MB

Medications for Excursions and Camps

Reminder of requirements for medication on camps: 

• Parents must have a ‘Consent to administer medication’ form completed by your Doctor (GP or specialist) for each requirement medication, including over the counter medication such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. Remember to ask for a script while getting the documents completed.
• Medications need to be in the original packaging with the chemist label (Parents to  make sure the chemist label matches the dose and information provided by the GP on the ‘Consent to administer medication’ form).
• Provide relevant labelled items required to administer the medication such as:  measuring syringe, pill cutter, spacer etc. 
• Provide completed consent to administer medication form, medication and        administering items to the front office between 8am to 9am the morning prior to  camp.
• Collect medications from the front office the week following the excursion or camp.  Medications are unable to be sent home with students and must be signed as collected by a Parent or Caregiver.

The school is unable to accept and store medication outside the above timeframes for excursions and camps. If storage of medications is required, due to extenuating circumstances, prior to the allocated drop off time please contact the office for approval.

Facilities

There are two designated disability car parks in the top car park. We remind our community to only use the designated carparks if a disability parking permit is held by the driver and clearly visible in the front window.

Animals on School Grounds

As much as we enjoy seeing family pets join morning drop off and afternoon pick up, we would like to remind families animals are not permitted on school property. The Department only permits service animals on school property. Please ensure if walking to school with a family pet they remain outside school grounds.

School Photos

MSP have advised the school should receive the photos in 2 to 3 weeks. Once the photos have been received by the school, they will be provided to class teachers for students to take home. If you have any questions or would like to order late photos please contact MSP directly on 07 3865 4291 or via admin.brisbane@msp.com.au.

Lost Property

Please remind students to regularly check lost property for any missing items. The lost property boxes are located at the undercover at the Hall between the Uniform Shop and Tuckshop. All items are to be clearly labelled with student’s names to assist in returning lost items to class teachers and students. At the end of year any items remaining in lost property will be donated to the Uniform Shop, charity or disposed of.

The office still has the following lost property in the front office, if you believe any of these items are your students please collect from the front office during opening hours. 

NCCD Update

Each year, all Australian schools take part in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). This helps the government understand how many students with disability are in schools and the kinds of support they need to learn alongside their peers. The NCCD takes place in August each year.

When Your Child is Diagnosed with a Disability

A new diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but it’s an important step in understanding your child’s needs. With the right support and guidance, your child can continue to grow, learn and reach their potential. Information on support for families & carers can be found here. Please remember to share the diagnosis with the school as this will assist us in understanding and supporting your child.

NDIS

What is the NDIS?

The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) helps children and adults with a disability get the support they need to reach their goals and take part in everyday life.

Who can access it?

If your child has a significant and ongoing disability, they may be able to access NDIS funding.

How do we get started?

You can find out more or check if your child is eligible by visiting www.ndis.gov.au or calling 1800 800 110. See factsheets here.

Free Parenting Program

The Triple P Positive Parenting Program provides evidence-based strategies to support parents and carers in raising children up to 16 years. It is now available free to all Queensland families. See information here. Many different course are available.

Respectful Relationships Program – Weeks 1 & 2 Update

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting students' social and emotional development, Students in Classes A, B have begun participating in the Respectful Relationships program. This important initiative helps students build the skills they need to develop positive relationships, manage emotions, and understand themselves and others. Over the first two weeks of Term 3, students across all year levels have engaged in age-appropriate lessons exploring key aspects of friendship, identity, and emotional regulation. Below is a brief overview of what each year level has focused on:

Prep

Prep students explored the foundations of friendship by identifying the characteristics of positive friendships and recognising the difference between friendly and unfriendly behaviours. They also learned:

• What makes a good friend
• Behaviours that help build strong friendships
• Actions and behaviours that are considered "below the line" (inappropriate or unkind)

Year 2

Year 2 learners focused on developing an understanding of what makes a positive relationship. They discussed:

• Characteristics of a good friend
• Behaviours that demonstrate friendship and kindness

Year 3

Year 3 students began learning about how the brain responds to emotions and how this can affect their behaviour. Their focus included:

• The brain and its role in emotional responses
• Managing frustration and worry
• Building resilience through self-awareness and regulation

Year 4

Year 4 learners extended their emotional literacy by exploring more complex emotions and their impact on behaviour. Lessons covered:

1. Identifying and understanding emotions like jealousy and pride
2. Exploring how emotions influence reactions to challenges
3. Developing strategies for emotional self-regulation

Year 5

Year 5 students began investigating how identity is formed and influenced. Key themes included:

• Influences on personal identity
• The concept of perceived identity and how others might see us

Year 6

Year 6 learners also explored personal identity with an added focus on the transition to high school. Their lessons included:

• Influences on identity
• Perceived identity in social settings
• How identity may shift during high school and in interactions with others

Learning and Innovation Centre News

The Learning and Innovation Centre is open every second break. All children from year 1-6 can come into the LIC to read, play quiet games, complete puzzles, colour, and draw. Our year 6 student leaders come in and support the other children and help reshelve books. Please see the timetable below.

Aspley State School Turns 135 years old

Aspley State School, originally known as the Little Cabbage Tree Creek School, has a proud and rich history dating back to 1890, making it the oldest school in Brisbane’s outer northern suburbs. Established through the efforts of local farming families, the school began with just 40 students and quickly became a vital hub for the community, hosting dances, picnics, and other events. Its first head teacher, Archibald Robert Wing, led the school during these early formative years. In 1897, the school’s name officially changed to Aspley State School following the area's designation as Aspley. As the suburb shifted from farmland to a growing residential area after World War II, the school expanded with new buildings, yet its original structure—now known as 'A' Block—remains a central and heritage-listed landmark. Throughout its long history, Aspley State School has remained more than just a place of learning—it continues to be a cornerstone of the local community.

Book Week

Aspley State School Book Week Assembly is Week 5, Friday 15 August.

Each year, Book Week is celebrated across Australia to foster a love of reading and storytelling in children. Established in 1945 by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), Book Week is a uniquely Australian tradition. Its purpose is to highlight quality Australian children's literature and promote the importance of books and literacy in young lives.

The 2025 Book Week theme is "Book an Adventure!", inviting students to explore new worlds and ideas through books. As part of the celebrations, the CBCA announces its Book of the Year Awards, spotlighting outstanding Australian authors and illustrators. This year’s shortlisted and winning books include a vibrant mix of picture books, early reader stories, and thought-provoking novels for older students.

Keep an eye out in the L&IC for displays of the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year titles — perfect for sparking imagination and conversations in every year level!

It’s time to think of your favourite book and what character you will pick to wear.

Here are the shortlisted books for 2025:

Scholastic Book Club

Scholastic Book Club: Issue 5

Order online here: https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Login.aspx or via the Scholastic Loop App. Sorry no cash orders accepted.

Order closing: Friday 1st August 2025

NAIDOC Week

The official theme is “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.” It
honours the enduring power of Elders and ancestors, while spotlighting today’s young Indigenous leaders as they carry that legacy into the future naidoc.org.aureconciliationnsw.org.au.

This week during lunchtime, students have been actively celebrating NAIDOC Week through creative activities. They’ve enjoyed colouring artwork, designing boomerangs, and exploring a variety of Indigenous stories that highlight culture, history, and connection to Country.

Ancestral Lines is a powerful visual story about the connections between generations and the knowledge they pass on. Jeremy reflects on his ancestors—from Lucy and Enoch Wright to his mother Vanessa—and the strength he draws from their resilience. Each figure in the artwork represents songlines of knowledge, tradition, and care, symbolising the journey of lore, love, and survival. Set against the cold skies of Tenterfield, the artwork honours the land and the fire where the next generation finds strength, vision, and legacy.

This week during lunchtime, students have been actively celebrating NAIDOC Week through creative activities. They’ve enjoyed colouring artwork, designing boomerangs, and exploring a variety of Indigenous stories that highlight culture, history, and connection to Country.

Student Council Book Fair

The Student Council will be holding a Book Fair in Week 10 of Term 3 to promote the love of reading across our school.

We kindly ask families to donate any preloved books in good condition—no rips, stains, or missing pages, please.

Donations can be dropped off at the office from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. Funds raised will go towards a special end-of-year gift for the school from the Student Council.

Thank you for your support!

Borrowing News

Your child has weekly borrowing time at the L&IC. (Please see timetable below).

Their classroom teacher will bring them each week to borrow but they MUST have a library bag. If they have missed borrowing time, then they can come down at second break with their library bag and books to return and reborrow. If they have not finished reading a book bring it back on their borrowing day to reborrow rather than letting it be overdue.

How many books can my child borrow?

Prep – 3 books

Years 1-6 – 4 books

Responsible Reader Awards

Congratulations to the two classes from last week who had no overdue books. You have worked as a team to support each other.

Outstanding Fees

If you have outstanding fees for lost books from last year, could you please pay these as soon as possible. Your child is unable to borrow until this matter is resolved. If your classroom teacher or child lets you know about an overdue book and you are unsure on the matter please feel free to email me and we can try and work out a solution.

Understanding Your Child’s NAPLAN Report

Queensland schools are beginning to receive the Individual Student Reports for NAPLAN. Aspley State School will be receiving over 200 reports for our Year 3 and Year 5 students.

These reports contain highly confidential information and will be carefully collated and processed to ensure they are handled securely. We expect that families will receive their child’s report by the end of Week 4.

Your child’s NAPLAN report will provide helpful insights into their progress in key areas of learning: numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar and punctuation.

Each section of the report includes a proficiency scale, with your child’s individual result marked by a black dot. You’ll also see:

• A black triangle, which shows the national average for students in the same year level.
• A light shaded rectangle, representing the range of results for the middle 60% of students across Australia.

The proficiency standards on the report include 4 proficiency levels:

• Exceeding: The student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
• Strong: The student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
• Developing: The student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
• Needs additional support: The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.

Page 4 of the individual student report provides a more detailed summary about what students know and can do within each of the proficiency levels.

While NAPLAN offers a useful snapshot of your child’s learning, it's important to remember that it reflects their performance on one day, not their overall ability or growth across the year.

We encourage you to view the results as just one piece of the puzzle, and to speak with your child’s teacher if you’d like to explore their learning progress in more detail.

A video on how to read and understand your child’s report can be seen here.

Can I Compare My Child’s NAPLAN Results Over Time?

Results from 2023 onwards use a new measurement scale and were based on tests conducted in Term 1, rather than Term 2 as in previous years. Because of these changes, NAPLAN results from 2023 and beyond cannot be directly compared with results from 2008 to 2022.

However, starting in 2025, students in Years 5, 7, and 9 completed their second cycle of NAPLAN under this updated system. This means parents and carers can now compare their child’s individual reports from 2023 and 2025 to see how their proficiency levels have changed.

You can also compare how your child’s results relate to the national average and the middle 60% of students between these years.

It’s important to keep in mind that as students move up through the year levels, the skills needed to reach each proficiency level become more advanced. So, if your child achieves the same proficiency level in, for example, Year 3 and Year 5, this still shows positive growth and progress.

Update on the Semester One Report Card Email Delivery to Gmail Accounts

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We’d like to thank you for your patience and understanding as we’ve worked to resolve a recent email delivery issue that affected some student report cards during the last days of Term 3.   

On the evening of Thursday 26 June, it was identified that report cards sent to Gmail addresses from multiple Queensland State School, were not being delivered as expected. This was due to Google's email protection systems temporarily flagging the massive number of email messages as potential spam, a measure they use to rightly safeguard their users.

We very much appreciate, and respect, the importance of these protective systems and were informed that the Department worked closely with Google to address the situation. Thanks to their support, a workaround was put in place, allowing the delayed emails to be delivered.

Please note that no student report card data was lost, and importantly, there is also no need to change your email address or switch to a different email provider.

Even though ways to automatically resend any emails that were initially held back were actioned, if you use a Gmail address, and are still waiting for your child’s Semester 1 Academic Report Card, please see the following for options:

• Check your Spam or Junk mail folders.
• The QParents application was not impacted by this email issue. Parents can view the report card directly in the QParents app; please contact the school administration team for assistance setting up this application. 
• Alternatively, contact the school administration via email and we can re-issue report cards if needed.

Classroom News

Prep A 

Prep A started Term 3 with NAIDOC activities including stories, understanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag and drawing commonly used Aboriginal symbols. We also began work on our English unit: retelling. We made puppets and story maps for our retelling of The Three Little Pigs. We have also begun investigating and observing the weather for science. 

1A

I can’t believe it’s Term 3 already! Time flies when you’re having fun in Year 1! We have such a busy term ahead, but here is what we have unpacked this week. In Mathematics, students have been exploring the properties and correct terminology used to describe 2D and 3D shapes. They've been making meaningful connections by comparing these shapes to everyday objects found both inside and outside the classroom. In English, we've been looking into procedural texts. We have been learning what a procedure is and the key elements it must include, such as a title, a materials list, and a method. The students have especially enjoyed writing their own procedures for making tacos—and in some classes, pizza! In Science, we've been observing how features in the sky change over the course of a month. It's been fascinating to see how weather conditions influence what we can see and what we can hear. We're looking forward to an exciting term ahead, filled with lots of learning and plenty of fun!

2A

In Term 3 English, students are engaging with a range of imaginative texts. These texts provide a stimulus for using language to assist students to express opinions.  Students are writing a preference for a place using descriptive language and orally presenting this to the class.  We have read and discussed ‘Are we there yet?’ and ‘Magic Beach’ by Australian author Alison Lester.  We are using our class Wagoll wall to help remind us of the steps needed when writing an opinion or preference.  2A hopes you enjoy reading some of our recent writing about our preference to visit and see snow!

3A

In English this term, year 3 will be creating a spoken text to express an opinion about a topic. Students will choose from a range of topics to plan, create, and present a 1-2 minute speech. In order to convince the audience effectively, students will need to use language features such as modal verbs and adverbs and topic specific and precise vocabulary. They will also need to practise changing the tone, pitch, pace, and volume of their voice to engage the audience.

4A

We ended last term with a ‘bang’! Our class was treated to a unique and interactive free Street Science digital show titled Rainbow Science Spectacular. It explored the colours of the rainbow, with a high-energy experiment for each of the seven colours. Our students loved it — the more the screen lit up with fire and explosions, the louder the shrieks of delight! They also enjoyed interacting throughout the session via live polls and seeing comments from other Queensland schools. The colourful experiments sparked excitement, with the fiery demonstrations for red and orange being clear favourites.

Meanwhile, in science we have started our new unit called: Material World. In this unit, students will explore natural and processed materials and how their properties influence their uses. We’ve begun with hands-on investigations into the properties of materials such as flexibility, strength, and absorbency. Students will learn to compare materials and make informed choices based on their properties. Later in the term, they will complete an assessment in which they apply this knowledge to solve a real-life problem involving selecting the most suitable material. It’s shaping up to be an exciting and practical term of learning!

5A

This term, 5A students have been exploring how fractions appear all around us, from slicing pizza to measuring ingredients while baking. They shared their own examples and used shading and diagrams to visually represent these fractions, creating a colourful class display that brought their ideas to life.

In peer-teaching sessions, students explained fraction concepts using everyday scenarios. They demonstrated key skills such as finding equivalent fractions, working with common denominators, and converting between fractions, decimals and percentages. This collaborative approach helped deepen their understanding and build confidence in explaining their thinking.

A highlight of this week’s lesson was adapting a banana cake recipe originally for 12 people to serve groups of different sizes, including 6, 18 and even our class of 27. Students applied real-life thinking by adjusting ingredient sizes, for example understanding that 3.5 bananas means 3 whole bananas plus a half, and creatively working out how to measure 2½ eggs by adapting the ingredient sizes to fit the recipe.

We’re proud of the curiosity, confidence and mathematical thinking 5A have shown while making fractions come alive!

6A 

Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re already in Term 3—and what a jam-packed term it’s going to be! Of course, the highlight on everyone’s mind is our exciting (and chilly!) Canberra trip in Week 3. Curriculum-wise, we’re busier than ever. In English, we’re crafting persuasive speeches to deliver to a person in authority—mine argues (with a bit of bias!) that the government should subsidise every Year 6 student’s Canberra visit. In Maths, we’re diving into fractions, area and perimeter, and calculating percentages—essential skills for any savvy shopper! Our Science and HaSS units explore natural disasters and our closest neighbours in Southeast Asia. Buckle up for an exciting, educational, and enriching term ahead!

EQI SCHOOL STUDY TOUR 2025 - SEEKING HOST FAMILIES

Aspley State School has a long-standing tradition of hosting study tours, providing both our students and international visitors with enriching opportunities for cultural exchange. After a pause during the pandemic, we are excited to once again welcome students from Japan (Ritsumeikan Uji Junior High School) for the 2025 study tour. These tours not only allow our students to learn firsthand about different cultures, but also provide a valuable chance for our international guests to immerse themselves in the Australian way of life.

Cultural immersion is a powerful tool for fostering understanding, empathy and lifelong friendships. For our students, it enhances their Japanese language skills, broadens global perspectives and strengthens connections with peers from across the world. For our Japanese students, staying with local families offers an authentic experience that deepens their connection with Australian culture, helping them practise English in a welcoming and real-world setting.

We are currently seeking host families who are willing to provide a homestay for our visiting Japanese students. By opening your home, you can play an essential role in this unique exchange, supporting the development of lasting international friendships and enriching both the Japanese and Australian students' lives. Information regarding homestay follows this message. We hope you can help us continue this exciting tradition at Aspley State School! Thank you.

Aspley Choral Program

It has been wonderful to see and hear Junior and Senior Choralists back in the music classroom having fun learning new repertoire – welcome back choralists to an exciting Term 3.  Choral ensemble rehearsals will continue to be on the same days and times through-out Term 3, unless notified of a change. 

2025 SINGFEST WORKSHOP – SENIOR CHOIR

Thank you to Senior Choral families for returning the required documentation/payment for the upcoming Education Queensland SingFest Workshop to be held on Thursday 28August at Wavell State High School (Performing Arts Building), Telopia Avenue, Wavell Heights. Participation in this choral workshop required costs paid and the consent/medical forms returned to the school administration office no later than Monday 21 July 2025.  If you have yet to return the required consent forms and payment, please do so as soon as possible.

Further details regarding this upcoming workshop will be placed in the school newsletter and emailed to participating families closer to the excursion event.  At this time, please refer to the parent/carer letter for further information.  We are looking forward to a marvellous choral experience, guided by the amazing conductor Kylie Los, who will inspire the children through-out the workshop day to achieve their best at choral singing.

METROPOLITAN CHORAL HONOURS PROGRAM

The Metropolitan North and South Region Music Resource Centres are working together in 2025 to run the Choral Honours Program as a combined program on Tuesday 21 October to Thursday 23 October, 2025 at the Old Museum Building, 480 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills (this program is open to Year Six Senior Choralists only).  Students who nominated to attend the Choral Honours Program will be receiving information regarding audition outcomes in the near future. We wish choralists the best of musical luck for their acceptance to participate in this choral extension program.  Families, please refer to emails for further information regarding this exciting choral opportunity. 

 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Welcome back to Instrumental Music Students and families to an exciting Term Three.  Instrumental Music students will be involved in many exciting performance opportunities including the Northside Beginner Band Blitz Workshop and Northside Junior String Workshop. All instrumentalists have now received Term Three timetables outlining group lesson/ensemble rehearsal times/days. 

NORTHSIDE BEGINNER BAND BLITZ & NORTHSIDE JUNIOR STRING WORKSHOP

On Tuesday 2 September, Beginner Woodwind/Brass/Percussion students will be attending the Northside Beginner Band Blitz Workshop to be held at Aspley State School as part of our Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Instrumental Music Program. 

On Wednesday 3 September to Thursday 4 September, 2025 selected second year string students will be participating in the Northside Junior Strings Workshop to be held at Bracken Ridge State School, (1 Binburra Street, Bracken Ridge QLD 4017) as part of our Strings Instrumental Music Program. 

If you wish for your child/ren to participate in the Northside Beginner Band Blitz Workshop/ Northside Junior Strings Workshop, please ensure to complete the excursion consent form and return to the school administration office no later than Monday, 11 August 2025 and ensure to register for this activity using the online iVvy Registration and Payment link provided within the parent/carer excursion consent forms and information letter.  Online registrations will close at 10am, Monday 11 August 2025 (NOTE – not close of business on that day).  No extension to this close-off date will be possible – requests for late registrations will be refused. 

Please ensure to return excursion consent forms to the school administration office no later than Monday 11 August 2025. 

NORTHSIDE INSTRUMENTAL HONOURS MUSIC WORKSHOP

Congratulations to successful Senior Instrumental Music students for their participation in the Northside Honours Music Workshop held at Wavell State High School.  Students spent three days in specialist rehearsals and tutorials - it was wonderful to see and hear our musicians performing with other primary school musicians from northside schools. The workshop concluded with a concert featuring the Honours Concert Band and String Ensemble. Congratulations to our talented musicians and teachers.  Below are some recounts of participating students time attending the Northside Honours Music Workshop:

“The Honours Workshop is a gathering of selected Instrumental Music Students, from multiple schools across Brisbane, to play and learn together.  In three days, we had learnt five pieces to perform.  We had shared skills, and we worked with students from other schools.  During our time there, we experienced improvement through playing our instruments, and we grew our skills through lots of practising.  We got to interact and have fun as well.  Playing my instrument with people I was not familiar with was a challenge, but it expanded my sense of teamwork.  For me, the Northside Honours Music Workshop was an enjoyable experience, and I would love to go again”.  Natalie C

“Instrumental Music Students were selected to participate in the Northside Honours Music Workshop that was held at Wavell State High School for three days.  Honours Music Workshop was very fun.  I participated in the Concert Band which was conducted by Edward Kennedy – he was a great conductor.  It was a lot of fun to play music with other students from different schools.  I played the Alto Saxophone.  The songs performed by the Concert Band were – Sky Gazer Fanfare, Uluru, The Lions Roared and Heavy Metal”.  Clancy M

“Hi, my name is Cleo, I am one of the Aspley Music Captains for 2025 and I play the trombone. Before semester one ended, I was chosen to go to the North Side Honours Camp after auditioning, along with many other talented music students from North Brisbane.The music camp was over three days at Wavell State High School. I was part of large concert band led by, our conductor Edward Kennedy. Mr Kennedy is quite famous in the music community for composing pieces for kids in bands and at Aspley, our band has played many of his pieces. We worked hard to learn and perform four pieces: The Lions Roar , Heavy Metall (a piece spelt with two ‘l’s that mostly focused on the brass instruments) , Uluṟu (which Edward wrote himself), and  Sky Dance. The Sky Dance was my favourite!Some of my favourite times at North Side Honours were making new friends, meeting old friends, and watching our pieces come together and of course our final concert to a large crowd. Overall, the music camp was hard work but a lot of fun and very rewarding”. Cloe

CONGRATULATIONS – SENIOR STRING ENSEMBLE

Congratulations to our talented Senior String Ensemble and their conductor Ms Abul for their marvellous assembly performance on Monday 21 July.  Upcoming assembly performances include Junior Concert Band and Junior String Ensemble in coming weeks (see details below). 

UPCOMING MUSICAL EVENTS – TERM THREE:

The Aspley Music Team

Sports X