Term 3 Week 8 Newsletter

Principal's Report

Dear Stafford Heights Families, 

Congratulations to the students who attended the Literacy Olympics at Wavell Heights on Monday 25 August 2025.   Our Year 5 Team were Runners up in their category!  Amazing Effort!

Northside Beginner Band Blitz Workshop

Congratulations, to our students who participated in the Northside Beginner Band Blitz Workshop on Monday 1 September 2025. The day was filled with music, learning, and fun, and our students represented our school with pride. They all had a fantastic time and came away with valuable skills and experiences. Well done to everyone involved!

Key Questions to Ask Your Child About Their Learning

We all know how challenging it can be to get details about your child's day at school. To help support meaningful conversations at home, here are some key questions you can ask to learn more about their learning experience:

1. What did you learn today?
2. How did you do?
3. What did you do if you didn’t understand?
4. How can you improve on your learning?
5. What are you most proud of?

These questions can help spark discussions that encourage reflection and open dialogue about their school day.

Uniform and Hair Expectations
At Stafford Height State School, we take pride in belonging to our school community by wearing our uniform each day. Part of this includes making sure shoulder-length hair is tied back and that hair remains in natural colours. We appreciate your support in helping our students look their best and feel proud of their school.

Reminder: Student Free Day – Friday 5 September

Sarah Abdy

Principal

Head of Curriculum

Head of Inclusion

Speech Pathology Week 2025

25^th-31^st August

This was a week to celebrate and recognise the important role Speech Pathologists play within our schools. Each year the theme shines a light on how we recognise the importance of communication and how this can empower the individual.   Impact through Communication was this year’s theme. Enabling the individual to communicate clearly helps to build confidence and proudly builds independence. Speech Pathologists within the Department of Education provide support for students experiencing difficulties with speech, language and communication needs or with eating and drinking difficulties that impact on learning and participation in school. 

We have the privilege of working alongside Ms De Vroome to support our students and staff here at Stafford Heights on a Monday. To access support, referrals are made to our Student Support Team through the class teacher. As part of our Student Support Team meetings, whole school language programs and individual needs are reviewed and targeted support is developed through a collaborative approach.   A big shout out to Ms De Vroome for all her valuable work!

Secondary School placement

In Term 4 many schools will be holding their Orientation Days and information sessions. If you are yet to decide on a secondary placement for your child, please reach out to your local school to gather some information to help finalise your decision. Engaging in the transition opportunities that your secondary school provides will assist and support navigating this change. To further help navigate this transition parents and carers can:

-attend information events and familiarise with new school expectations and policies.

-talk with your child about the new school and expectations.

-help build independent skills with organising belongings and managing time.

-review digital ways of communication, as many secondary schools communicate via email.

-develop school routines.

-identify any new transport arrangements and discuss together.

Refer to Preparing your child for high school handout.

Some students will require extra supports to help navigate this transition in their schooling. Please connect with your classroom teacher or member of the HIVE team should you wish to discuss any individual needs.

Reminder of HIVE Lunch time clubs- Term 3.

The HIVE welcomes students to participate in a range of activities during both breaks. When accessing the HIVE students can look on the visual timetable located at the entrance to check which activities are available at that time.  There will be set activities rotated during second break, so remind your child to check the timetable.  This will add variety and opportunities to play together or have some quiet time. This is in addition to activities that are coordinated in the school library, ovals and blue areas. Below is the HIVE timetable for you to share and discuss with your child. Please contact the HIVE if you have any queries.

Shelley Kemp

Head of Inclusion

Enrolments

What to Include in an Enrolment Application

• Proof of address and residency documents
• State School Consent and school permission forms
• original birth certificate for each child
• passport and visa for any children born overseas
• recent report card
• Any relevant medical information and health action plans.
• Any current court orders or custody details related to the enrolling child/ren
• Any other information that you consider important for us to know about your child/ren.
• For students with an international passport and an Australian visa the following are also required: 
• visa grant notice from the Department of Home Affairs. Please note, a VIVO check does not provide details necessary for school enrolment.
• passport photo page.
• An official, English translation of their birth certificate may be requested.
• An Authority to Enrol in a Queensland State School is required for all subclass TR500 visas and is arranged by contacting Education Queensland International External link External link.
• All temporary visa holders should refer to Education Queensland International  External link External link to determine if an Authority to Enrol is required for their visa subclass.

Once you have completed the necessary forms, please return them (along with the necessary documents) to admin@staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au or alternatively contact Sonia Yates our enrolments Officer directly.

Leaving Stafford Heights in 2026

This term we commence planning for the 2026 school year.  If your family is planning to leave Stafford Heights at the end of the 2025 school year, could you please notify the office by email - admin@staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au

If you know of families wishing to join our Stafford Heights community, please encourage them to also contact the school office by email - admin@staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au 

Pre Prep News

PREP ENROLMENTS FOR 2026

Applications for Prep 2026 are now being accepted.

If you have a sibling that is due to start in 2026 please make sure you come and see us in the office to receive an enrolment pack.

Please visit our school website at: https://staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au/enrolments to download our enrolment forms or alternatively collect from administration.

Please note: Our school is now catchment managed therefore we require the following documents to be sent through with the enrolment forms and permission forms.

The right age for Prep 2026 is for all children born between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. Our Prep program is planned and designed to cater for all children at all levels of development who are born in this 12 month period

General School Information

Term 3 Calendar of Events

Office Reminders

• Office Hours – 8.15am-3.15pm

• No Hat No Play Outside

* Student Birthday’s

If your child is celebrating a birthday and would like to bring cake to school to celebrate with the class please make sure that you contact the teacher or the office to ask how many students are in the class. We ask that you bring in something that can be easily given out to students for eg: cupcakes, freddo frogs and zooper doopers. (Please note: no full sized cakes as classrooms do not have the facilities to cut up slices to hand out)

• Students with Long Hair - All students with long hair should tie their hair back with a blue hair tie while at school (as 
per the Stafford Heights SS Student Dress Code)

• Early Pick Up of Students - If you need to pick up your child early throughout the day please come up to the 
office and sign your child out on the IPad.

• Family Holiday’s during School Term – if your family is going on a holiday during the school term, please email the office to inform them of the dates so that we know why your child will be absent from school. If the time away from school 10 school days or more the office will require you to fill out a specific form.

• Students Late to School – if your child is late to school (arrive after 9am), please make sure you come to the office first to receive a late slip to hand to their teacher. 

• Animals on School Premises – Please note that no animals are to enter school grounds at all as per the signs on each of our school fences.

Book Swap

Cultural Connections Corner

Come Join Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Group!

At Stafford Heights State School, we’re working on a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to build stronger connections, respect, and opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We’d love for parents, carers, and families to join our RAP Working Group. This group will help guide our school’s journey towards reconciliation and make sure your voices are heard.

If you’re keen to join or want to yarn more about it, please get in touch with me at kmaya2@eq.edu.au or give us a call on 07 3621 2333

Together, we can walk this journey — or dana (meaning “walk” in Turrbal) — and make reconciliation something real and strong in our school community. 🖤💛❤️

Student Lunches

We have two lunch breaks a day that are:

FIRST BREAK 11:00 am – 11:40 am and SECOND BREAK 1:10 am – 1:40 pm

We have noticed that quite a number of students eat all of their lunch at first break therefore have nothing to eat at second break. Please ensure that you remind your child to not eat all of their food at first break so that they have food to eat second break as well.

School Lunchbox Ideas

First Break Eating - This is our biggest break for eating so it's suggested that this is when students should eat their main items such as: Sandwich, Yoghurt, Veggie Sticks (carrots, celery, cucumber etc)

Second Break Eating - This break should be items that are non-perishable, this is a short eating break, so it's suggested to have snacks such as: Fruit, Savoury Muffins, Crisp breads, Popcorn

Tip: please make sure you pack items that your child likes 

Medication at School

If your child requires medication at school, please bring the medication in the original 
packaging with a label from the chemist along with a letter from the Doctor stating the child’s name, medication, dosage and time to administer. You will then be required to fill out forms to give us permission to administer this medication during school hours.

Please note: where the dosage of a medication requires tables to be halved, we have to request that parents/carers supply a pill cutter, labelled with your child’s name.

If medication supply is running low, you will receive a phone call to bring more tablets to the office. Please DO NOT send tablets in a zip lock bag with your child to hand to the office, we require a parent/carer to come to the office to give the extra tablets.

Student Absences

Even though you may have notified your child's teacher we still require you to inform the office when your child is away from school. Please note: all Unexplained absences are noted in a child’s Report card.

1. Leave a message on 3621 2333 OR
2. SMS: 0426 305 697 OR
3. QParents App – Submit Absence OR
4. Email: admin@staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au

Even though absences may result in missed learning opportunities, the main reason we ask that you notify us when your child is away is so we are made aware that your child is SAFE.

QParents - ALL Excursion Consent Forms will be on QParents only from Term 1 2026

We are trying to reduce our carbon footprint and streamline our office processes, so for this reason as from Term 1 2026 ALL excursion consent forms will be on QParents ONLY, there will be no physical copies handed out to students. If you are not signed up for Qparents please email admin on: admin@staffordheightsss.eq.edu.au so that we can send through an invite to sign up for Qparents TODAY.

Benefits of QParents

It’s a user-friendly portal which provides secure online access to information about your child’s schooling including attendance, report cards, excursion consent forms, invoices and payment history. QParents also provides ease of viewing and updating your child’s details (including address and medical conditions) and helps both schools and parents through improved administration efficiencies and reduced printing and mail-outs. Please see the QParents Fact Sheet below for details about how to sign up.

PBL News! - "Ask for help"

Our PBL focus for this week is to Ask for help which falls under Respect for Self and the Staffie Life Skill of Perseverance.

Asking for help is something that some of our students find difficult and yet can be the problem-solving solution to many difficult situations. When discussing our Staffie Life Skill of perseverance this week, we will discuss who students might ask for help; it could be family member, a friend or an adult at school. We will also recap where we can ask for help – highlighting that the playground is often a place where it would be helpful but often a place where students forget to do so. As classes, we will then discuss examples to highlight when asking for help might be useful and how they can practice doing this.

At home, you might like to encourage students to ask for help coming up with a plan to conquer things they find tricky such as organising their bags for school, keeping track of their hats or packing their lunches. They will need to persevere with these skills as they are often ones that get easier with practice. 

Health & Physical Education

Met North Track and Field  

Congratulations to Chuka who competed in High Jump at the Met North Track and Field Carnival on Tuesday 26^th August.  Chuka achieved a new PB and only just missed out on qualifying to go to the State Carnival.

Term 3 – Before School Activity.

Unfortunately, over the last few weeks we have had to miss skipping due to Mrs Jardine being unavailable, and this will be the case for the last couple of weeks of term. We will start back with skipping in Week 2 of Term 4 all going well.

Run Club continues – thanks Mr Kinnear on Wednesday Mornings between 8.30am and 8.50am.

Students are to wait in the blue area on both mornings to be collected.  Remember, you must have a hat and be wearing it to participate.

Volleyball Cup

We are still working on an alternative to our Volleyball Cup at Craigslea which was unfortunately postponed due to wet weather, with the new date clashing with another event on our school calendar.  We will let you know by the end of term where we landed with our endeavours.  

Term 4 Gala Sport

Planning is about to commence for Term 4 Gala Sport.  Stafford Heights will again host the Cricket and be offering the students the opportunity to participate in teams.  Students have expressed their interest in participating in the Gala Sport program in recent days and permission forms and information will be sent home early in Term 4.

Swimming

We will return to the pool in Term 4 so now is a great time to start checking if your student or students require new swimming gear.  If they have outgrown their old swimmer and you are looking for someone to share them with, we are always more than grateful for donations to be added to our spares collection. These can be dropped at the school office or given directly to me.  Students can also bring them in once we are swimming at the pool.

Mrs Jardine

HPE Teacher.

Arts News (Dance, Drama, Music)

Over the past fortnight Dance Troupe and Choir have been working hard on their performances. There has been a slight change to the Week 9 assembly. Choir will be performing their amazing piece, but due to a number of factors Dance Troupe will need a little extra practice time. They will showcase their next performance in week 2, Term 4 for Grandparents Day.

Spotlight on Year 3

Over the past fortnight in Drama, Year 3 have been engaging in lots of different activities to develop voice and movement skills.  In pairs, we sculpted our partners posture and expression to convey different emotions.  Then toured the classroom to admire the different statues of emotion we created.  We have also been working on vocal skills and changing our pitch, tone, and volume to convey feelings whilst using the same word ‘spaghetti’. It has been a lot of fun.

As students work towards preparing for their devising and performing assessment pieces, we have also begun to explore drama techniques for storytelling such as soundscapes and narration.  The year 3s have been really engaged well in the lessons. Check out the photos below.

Year 3

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 15

Next

Class News - 4A & 4B

Term 3 Science

Term 3 has been a term of discovery for the Year 4s. In Science, we have been looking at different Forces. How they can be ‘contact’ or ‘non-contact’ and, specifically, how they are involved when playing games.

In Visual Arts, we have also been discovering how artists Yayoi Kusama and Wassily Kandinsky have used pattern in their artworks. These techniques have inspired us to create some fabulous artworks of our own, some of which can be found on the boards in the hall and office entranceway.

Visual Arts

Student Council

The Student Council is thrilled to share some exciting news – the new soccer goals have been ordered! Thanks to the wonderful support of our school community through fundraising efforts, we are one big step closer to improving playtime for everyone.

Soon, students will be able to enjoy brand new goals on the oval – perfect for games, tournaments, and lots of fun at break times.

The council would like to thank all students, staff, and families who have helped with fundraising so far and buying the student council lollies at the school disco.

Our Student Council has also introduced a fantastic Sustainability initiative to help make Stafford Heights more eco-friendly. The idea is to reduce wrappers in lunches by encouraging everyone to use reusable containers instead. This will be launched at the 12 September assembly, with our very first Nude Food Day taking place on the Tuesday of Term 4.

We’ve also been inspired by the creativity of our younger students. A group of enthusiastic Year 3 students – Claire, Hadley, Marleen, and Zalithea – visited the council to share their ideas for fundraising. They will be making items to sell to students on Thursdays at first break in Term 4, with all funds going towards new sports equipment.

Your contributions are making a real difference to our school.

Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks as we get ready to see the new soccer goals in action!

Instrumental News

Library News

Rules for Borrowing:

* You must always have a Library Bag with you to borrow a book from the library (no exceptions)

* You may borrow one (1) book for the week (prep to Year 3)

* Remember always keep your book safe by placing the book back into your Library bag when not reading it.

* Always bring your returning Library Book and bag back to school on borrowing day.

* If you misplace your library book, or the book has been damaged beyond repair, the school's policy requires replacement or reimbursement for that resource.

Staffie's Got Talent

P&C

Our new P&C Vice President and Secretary

We were delighted to accept Matt Bilko and Sara Cook as our new Vice President and Secretary respectively. Both Matt and Sara are very active within our school community and are a tremendous asset to the P&C Executive.

A sweet way to make a difference

The P&C Bake Sale is on Friday 12 September from 8am!

Come along, grab a coffee from the van, and enjoy treats from our bake sale while being entertained by the school choir. Purchases can be made by cash or card.

Baked goods can be dropped off at the tuckshop on Thursday 11 September. Thank you for baking, buying, and supporting our school!

Get Ready: Quiz Night tickets on sale this week!

Our Night in Nature Quiz Night is coming up on Saturday 18 October in the school hall! We’ll be raising funds for our much-anticipated Nature Play Area, so mark your calendar, gather your team, and get ready for a night of fun.

What to do now:

• Form your team and book your spot.
• Organise a babysitter so you can relax and enjoy the night.
• Think up a creative outfit to match the Night in Nature theme.

Tickets go on sale this week via School24.
Do you run a business (or know someone who does)? We’d love donations for our raffle!

For donations, questions, or more info, email staffordheightspandc@gmail.com

Uniform Shop

Hi Families,
Excited to offer a new addition to the uniform shop - swimming bags! They come from our existing bag supplier (so we you can expect the same excellent quality) and are scheduled to arrive first week of Term 4. 
Available for pre-order through School24 for $25 a piece.

Community News

APPLY NOW for QACI Brilliant Futures  - a two-year selective-entry preparation program for student participation in Year 7 and Year 8. Current Year 6 students are welcome to APPLY NOW. QACI Brilliant Futures provides impactful, collaborative extra-curricular learning experiences aligned with the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile, including inquiry, critical thinking and reflection.

"Sharks Camp 2025 - September/October. GET IN QUICK LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!! Sharks Camp is a four-day volleyball camp designed to cater to athletes of all skill levels. With elite development opportunities available and pathways into club and state-level volleyball, this camp has something for everyone!

The Dates:

30th September | 1st October | 2nd October | 3rd October

We usually hit capacity pretty quickly, so if you're interested sign up today to secure your spot!!

YEAHHHH SHARKS!!

Visit our website for more information https://sharksvolleyball.com/sharks-camp."