Camp Updates

Year 5 Luther Heights Camp: Wednesday 20 Friday 22 August 2025 (Week 6)

Year 5 camp is just over a week away! If your child is not attending Year 5 camp, can you please advise their class teacher of their attendance at school during the camp period. Camp non-attendees will be engaging in an alternate program during this time.

Medication

• All medications required on camp (herbal, ointments, over-the-counter, travel sickness, prescription etc.) is to be handed in to the school office between 8:00-9:00 am on Monday, 18 August 2025 (Week 6).
• All medication is to be received and stored in a sealed zip-lock bag, clearly labelled with student's full name, and with accompanying completed forms and relevant health plans inside the bag.
• All medications must be prescribed by a qualified health practitioner (e.g. Doctor, Dentist), not a pharmacist.
• All medications must be in their original container, with intact packaging and a pharmacist label attached (with the health practitioner’s name) .
• All medication is to have medical authorisation (e.g. The pharmacy label with the with the health practitioner’s name, or a letter from the doctor, or a completed and signed health action plan), accompanying paperwork completed in full. These are printed on green paper, and have been sent home with students previously. If you need additional copies of the paperwork, these are available from the school office.
• If your child requires more than one medication, you will need to complete a (green) set of forms for each medication.
• Forms completed electronically, and with electronic signatures are not accepted. The original hard-copy of the forms must be handed in with medications.
• Please the email sent to all Year 5 families for further information and examples of how medication/s are to be received. This is QLD Department of Education Policy and requirements that we as a school must adhere to.
•  Students are not to keep medications (inc. Panadol or Nurofen) on themselves during the trip.
• EpiPens and Asthma puffers are kept by those students who require them. Copies of medical plans for these medications are kept on file with staff.
• Students will not be self-administering medications; staff will assist in all instances.
• Parents and carers, please ensure you administer any required travel sickness medication to your child prior to departure on Monday morning. School staff are unable to administer this medication prior to leaving.

Key reminders

• Departure on Monday morning is at 9:00 am.
• Students are expected to be at school NO LATER THAN 8:20am and attend roll marking in their classroom.
• Students must wear their hat to school and on the bus. Do not pack.  Hats are essential for all outdoor activities.
• Return on Friday afternoon will be at approximately 2:30pm.
• Students will be dismissed as soon as practicable after disembarking the bus back at school.
• Any changes to Friday’s arrival time at school will be communicated via SMS text to families and the school Facebook page.
• Please pack your child’s bag with them so they know what is packed, where things are and ensure all your child’s belongings are labelled.
• Facebook will be updated with the Year 5s daily adventures. Due to the camp schedule, these updates may not occur until the evenings, once daily activities and dinner are completed and students are settled for the evening.

Year 4 Apex Camp: Wednesday 6-Friday 8 August 2025 (Week 4)

This week, our Year 4 students spent a fun and exciting week on the Sunshine Coast at Apex Camp. Accompanied by Ms. Wakeford, Mr. Hawthorne, Miss Hickey, Ms. Acton and Ms. Stone, students took part in a range of fun and challenging activities that build life skills, relationships, independence and resilience. From the crate climb, flying fox and mid ropes to canoeing, the mud pit challenge and group challenges, everyone was supported to step outside their comfort zone. Thank you to the staff who assisted with organisation of and attended the camp with our students.

Year 6 Canberra Trip: Monday 28 July-Friday 1 August 2025 (Week 3)

Last week, our Year 6 students ventured down to Canberra on their annual educational tour of the national capital, supporting their learning from their Term 2 HASS unit.

Over the course of the week our Year 6 students visited and participated in many hands-on learning activities and educational programs focusing on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. Sites explored included Mt Ainslie, the National Dinosaur Museum, Parliament House, the Australian National Botanic Gardens for a night walking tour, the National Film & Sound Archive, Government House, the Canberra Deep Space Centre, the National Museum of Australia, the Royal Australian Mint, the National Gallery of Australia, the Electoral Education Centre, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian War Memorial and ANZAC Parade Walking Tour, the National Capital Exhibition Centre and lastly Questacon before heading to the airport for our Friday evening flight to Brisbane. Students left Canberra with their minds and hearts full from the trip’s experiences.

Thank you very much to Ms. Hinds, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Grove, Mrs. Vener, Miss Stander and Ms Newton for accompanying the students on the trip for the week. The students received many compliments from venue, airport and cabin crew staff and our bus drivers on their exemplary conduct whilst on the trip.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. This rebate was applied and included when pricing the overall trip, and will be paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

2026 Student Leadership Position Applications

 Applications for the positions of 2026 Captaincy and Senior Leaders will open on Monday, 25 August 2025 (Week 7). Students interested in applying for a captaincy or senior leader position will self-nominate through the completion and submission of an EOI and application booklet for the first stage of the selection process. All EOIs and application booklets are to be submitted to the school office by 3:00 pm, Friday 12 September 2025 (Week 9). For further information, please contact your child’s class teacher.

Bullying No Way! Important conversations to have with your child

Aspley State School is proud to participate in the Bullying No Way: National week of action – 11 to 15 August 2025.

By working collaboratively within our community, we can collectively help reduce bullying.

Families play an important role in helping children understand bullying and know how to respond to it.

If your child tells you about things at school, or you observe something in public that involves conflict or bullying, take the opportunity to talk about what bullying is. You can learn more about what defines bullying at bullyingnoway.gov.au.

Questions you could ask:

• What do you think bullying is?
• Have you seen it? How did you feel?
• Have you ever felt scared at school because of bullying?
• As well as me, who are the other adults you would talk to when it comes to things like bullying?
• Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
• Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?

Remind your child that bullying is never okay and discuss how they can respond safely if they experience or witness it.

Encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult and keep seeking support if needed.

By promoting open communication, we empower children to stand up against bullying and create a safer environment where everyone can feel that they belong.

For more information visit bullyingnoway.gov.au.

Parent Teacher Interviews