Wynnum State School eNewsletter

Principal's Message with Mr Ionn

I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere thanks for Ms Connell stepping in my role and handling everything so smoothly while I was away at the International Congress of School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) 2025. I was fortunate enough to present my doctoral research hosted by Melbourne University. There were three other academics in my group, but it was a distinct moment of pride to see on the lecture door (University of Gothenburg, University of Dublin, National Taiwan University and Wynnum State School).

NAPLAN 2025

This March, students in Year 3 and 5 at Wynnum State School will take part in NAPLAN testing. NAPLAN assesses the skills of all students in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy.

NAPLAN tests help you to understand how your child is progressing in the fundamental skills of literacy and numeracy. NAPLAN is also an important tool in helping us to identify how our education programs are working and what needs to improve.

Your child’s welfare is the most important thing. Our warriors do not need to stress about NAPLAN. It’s just one part of their school program, and we simply encourage students to do the best they can. Moreover, it is not a test that can be studied for, so the best preparation is learning what we do in the classroom every day.

Attendance

As mentioned previously, our start in 2025 has been a great one. Our attendance has also been strong, but our goal is to maximise every learning day for our Warriors throughout the year, as this makes a significant difference to learning outcomes over the life a child’s life in schools, both academically and socially.

The importance of arriving at school and class on time:

Ensures that students do not miss out on important learning activities scheduled early in the day
Helps students learn the importance of punctuality and routine
Give students time to greet their friends before class
Reduces classroom disruption Lateness is recorded as a partial absence and must be explained by parents. Your assistance with ensuring that your child is at school by 8.45am and ready to learn each and every day is greatly appreciated.

Please Note:

Supervision of students begins each day from 8:15am.

Boxgrove Avenue drop off, pick up and parking

There are distinct ‘peak times’ (mornings and afternoons) at our Boxgrove Avenue drop off, pick up and parking area. These peak times see an increase of significant congestion on the streets around this part of our school. We work productively with the Brisbane City Council to review and improve car parking, pick up and drop off arrangements for our school and ask all parents and carers to be patient and considerate.

We are fortunate to have a really effective drop off and pick up zone. This zone is supervised by members of the school’s Leadership Team each afternoon.

Just some reminders for all drivers:

Drop off zones are exclusively for dropping off and picking up students – parents and carers should remain in their vehicles and allow students to exit or enter the car from the kerbside.
Please pull as far forward as possible in the zone. If you are unable to pull into the zone (e.g. the zone is full), or if you have been waiting longer than two minutes in the zone, you must leave the zone before returning to the zone.
The parking area is not a secondary pick up / drop off zone. This area is designed for more longer-term parking.

Just Wondering?

Students are dismissed at 2:45pm, so the zone becomes very busy around this time. It is not nearly as busy five or so minutes later. Consider coming a little later (e.g. 2:55pm onwards) to collect your child or children – you may be surprised at how much less congestion there is!

Or perhaps consider parking a few streets away and walking a little further.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated on 8 March annually, celebrates the progress made and recognises the work yet to come to achieve gender equality. This year’s theme is a call to action to March Forward for a gender equal future. It also commemorates 30 years since 189 countries adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for gender equality and 50 years since IWD was first recognised in Australia.

To find out more about IWD, visit https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/events-awards/events/international-womens-day

IWD falls during Queensland Women’s Week, 2-9 March. Visit www.qld.gov.au/community/women/events/queensland-womens-week for more information.

Parent-Teacher Interviews

There are four 'official' times a year when Queensland State Schools communicate your child's progress and achievement against the Learning Areas (English, Maths, HPE etc) of the Australian Curriculum. At the end of Semesters 1 and 2, this information is provided in the written form of a report card. In Terms 1 and 3, information is provided via a face-to-face Parent-Teacher interview.

Term 1 Parent-Teacher interviews will be held for most classes on Wednesday 19 March, starting at 3.15pm in the school auditorium. PrepLH interviews will be held on Tuesday 18 March and 1MH interviews will be held on Thursday 27 March.

Bookings are open now via the link below and will close on Friday 14 March. The bookings need to close a few days before the sessions to give teachers time to prepare the information they are going to share.

https://eq.sobs.com.au/pt3/parent.php?schoolid=70389

Please contact the school office if you have any questions, or if you have any issues making a booking.

P-2 Science with Mrs Crowe

Prep ‘botanists’ were very happy learning while planting in the P-3 Science Garden! Every child held a spade, dug the soil, helped to plant a small seedling in the ground and watered it in. They are all now are in charge of caring for a healthy, happy and productive place for insects, birds and a lovely place for all our students and their family to visit! Enjoy the photos!

Year One investigated the features of living things through a group task comparing today’s animals with the dinosaurs. So many happy faces when the group agreed on the features that were common between each animal at each station!

Tomorrow is our’ Wynnum Warrior Clean Up Day’! Ask your child how they went cleaning up ‘Our Place’. Photos of the event coming up in next newsletter!

Our five swimmers who competed at district trials on the 20^th of February did our school proud. They were Wynnum Warriors in the pool with many PBs being smashed under the immense pressure of a large crowd and in a 50m pool, which some students were swimming in for the first time. Lena W, Lola B, Emily P, Elissa C, Jack H… well done. An extra mention goes to Lena W who had the amazing achievement to come away as U10s Age Champion. This is a sensational effort for her first carnival, and it was nice for Miss Gibbons to hand her the paperwork on the day as she goes along to the next level of representation. Thank you to Ulrike W for her help organising the team on the day as team manager.

On the 7^th of March Wynnum State School is sending 40 students to the Wondall Road Challenge held at Moreton Bay College. This event will see our swimmers competing for points swimming in all strokes against school from the area. Congratulations to the following students: Matthew C, Max M, Ben C, James W, Florence C, Elenni P, Bethan S, Zara S, Oliver G, Harlyn J, Elliot C, George W, Pip T, Aria P, Eve B, Matilda H, Lennox C, Trystan P, Willaim B, Eli P, Lena W, Chloe G, Lucy J, Emily P, Austin C, Tobias L, Hunter K, Ari H, Lola B, Naomi B, Sienna S, Elissa C, Jack H, Jake E, James R, Joey C, Ella Knox M, Memphis W, Frankie B, Charlotte P. We wish them all the best and congratulations for being selected.

Congratulations to Qylan T, Mavryx M and Abel K, who competed in the Tamariki tour held in New Zealand which is a Maori touch football competition. Also, to Memphis W, Maezie E, Isla W who played in the U12 girls team which won! Congratulations girls. (Apologies if I missed anyone). What a wonderful experience to cross the Tasman and play the sport you love.

Cross country has a date set, which is Tuesday the 1^st April. In preparation for the running event, I will be opening the oval on Thursday mornings at 8am for students to join Run Club and to build their aerobic endurance in the weeks leading up to Week 10.

2025 District Sport Information:

Please find information regarding the 2025 District and Regional Sporting Calendar.

These teams are trialled out of school hours at varied venues and it is your own responsibility if you wish to attend.

If you are interested in trialling for a district team the process is below:

Mark in your calendar when your trial will take place (dates are subject to change)
Check to see if you qualify for the criteria: students who have prior experience playing sport at a representative level- either through school and or through club (must be Division 1 or equivalent) and have demonstrated a high level of performance of a wide range of skills specific to the sport, they should be encouraged to apply for the district team.
Inform Mr Blair your interest in attending and trialling.
Understand school trials will need to occur pending on interested participants.
Collect and return paperwork prior to your trial from Mr Blair/Ms Gibbons.

District Sport Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bayside-District-School-Sport-111228100234264

District Sport Website information: https://meteastschoolsport.eq.edu.au/district-sport/our-districts/bayside

CALENDAR_2025_Bayside_District_School_Sport.pdf

Inclusion Matters

Engaging Students with Hands-On Learning: The Bike Refurbishment Program

We’re excited to share the launch of a new project-based program aimed at sparking student engagement through hands-on activity and team building! In partnership with Pete from Rival Bikes in Wynnum, we are introducing a unique bike refurbishment initiative that focuses on developing students' social skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.

Pete’s generous donation of two bikes has kicked off this exciting program, which will see students work together to refurbish and restore the bikes over the course of the term. This project offers more than just the opportunity to get their hands dirty—it is an excellent way for students to learn valuable life skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership while contributing to a tangible outcome.

The bike refurbishment program is designed to promote engagement and foster a sense of achievement as students experience the rewards of their hard work. As they work in small groups to assess, clean, repair, and customise the bikes, they’ll also be building their confidence in interacting with peers, resolving challenges, and contributing to a shared goal.

We’re thrilled to have Pete from Rival Bikes on board, whose expertise and support will be invaluable in guiding the students through the technical aspects of the project.

Stay tuned for updates on the project and thank you again to Pete from Rival Bikes for his incredible support!

Student absence process

Each parent of a child who is of compulsory school age has the legal obligation to ensure their child is enrolled and attends school every school day unless the parent has provided the school with a explanation for absence.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please report to admin via one of the following options (remember to include student name, reason for absence and length of absence):

Qparents (attendance tab)
Text our absentee line - 0429 467 361
Call and leave a message on our absentee line - 3893511 (press 1)

If your child is going to be absent for more than 10 consecutive days please ensure to make contact with the office staff to complete an exemption form.

Thank you for your cooperation with our student absence processes.

Halogen’s Young Leaders Day 2025

National Young Leaders Day is Australia’s largest gathering of young leaders and is an annual event on the calendar of thousands of schools. It provides a unique opportunity for students to gather at world-class event venues to hear some of Australia’s most influential leaders share from their own leadership journey.

Our appointed 2025 Year 6 Captains attended with Mr Smith and Mrs Corten at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre along with 2000 other Queensland school leaders. National Young Leaders Day is a unique opportunity to expose young people to real-life stories of leaders in a variety of fields - where students are inspired to lead.

This is a rare occasion for students to be in the same room as their heroes and role models, see them as real people, and to step forward into their own amazing journey as a young leader. Guest speakers for 2025 included Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn, Governor-General, artist and Author Kasey Rainbow, Brisbane Lions premiership superstar Dayne Zorko as well as 2024 Winner of Australia’s most iconic motor race – the Bathurst 1000, Todd Hazelwood.

When students were asked to give feedback about their attendance, they said:

Ella – learning the Heel Tap dance and getting to meet people from other schools

Arjun – when we were all dancing and got to play games

Frankie D – getting to talk with other schools

Dylan – learning about Dayne Zorko’s advice about never giving up

Orlando – when the host played the clinker challenge game

Caleb – the backflip and dance moves from Dance Curriculum

Sienna – meeting students from other schools

Quincy – learning the Heel Tap dance

Gordon & Zach – giant karaoke at the end

Henry – listening to the Governor-General and learning how we as young people have a voice

Lucia – guest speaker Kasey Rainbow, overcoming her fears and never giving up

Tilly – learning the different dances

Evie – getting a photo with Dayne Zorko and hearing his story in becoming an AFL pro for the Brisbane Lions

We look forward to following the development and growth of our amazing school leaders as they practice their leadership skills in 2025.

Congratulations to Maezie, Isla, Memphis and Mavyrx for representing at the Māori QLD Touch Tournament in Hamilton, New Zealand!

The girls dominated the competition, remaining undefeated throughout the tournament. They played four games each day, advancing through the semis and into the finals, with only three tries scored against them, a remarkable achievement.

Mavyrx also had an incredible tournament with his team taking home the championship in the inaugural U10 Tamariki Touch Tournament. They triumphed over a team that were previously undefeated! The final match was an intense battle, going down to a drop-off, where Mavyrx was one of the last four players on the field.

We are beyond proud of these Wynnum Warriors! Keep up the good work!

What's happening in PrepBC?

Prep_BC_newsletter_entry_1_.pdf

Underwear Reminder

Some children forget to pack underwear on swimming days, as they arrive at school wearing their togs. Additionally, little accidents can happen during the school day, and our office supply of spare undies is running low.

To keep your child comfortable, please pack a spare pair of underwear in their school bag, especially on swimming days or if they are prone to accidents.

Thank you for your support!

ANZAC Ceremony 2025

NAPLAN Information

Information_Brochure_for_Parents_and_Carers.pdf

Qparents

Have you downloaded the Qparents app?

QParents is a secure, online portal that has been created to provide parents/carers of Queensland state school students with 24-hour access to their child's information.

Qparents allows you to securely access information about your child and communicate directly with your child's school.

Features of Qparents:

attendance details
report cards
invoices
payment history
excursion permissions

Currently we have roughly 80 percent of parents/carers on Qparents. If you haven’t already made an account with Qparents, new invitation codes have been emailed home this week.

For any additional questions, feel free to contact the school office at 3893 5111 or visit our administrative team in person, who will be happy to assist you with the setup.

Swimming Program Term 1

P&C News

P&C AGM - Thursday 20th March.

Time: 6:15pm arrival for 6:30pm start

Location: At the school admin block (online option available)

In preparation for the AGM held 20th March all members - new and return require a completed membership form. Please complete the online version P&C Membership 2025 or return the hard copy attached. Membership is free and allows the opportunity to vote.

At the AGM all executive and non-executive positions become vacant. To nominate an individual for a position please complete P&C Nomination form.

Wynnum Wahoos vs Mayfield Marlins Carnival

The friendly carnival between the two swim clubs, linked by Bayside Swim School, was held Saturday 15th March. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th swimmers of each age group were selected to represent the club, allowing swimmers who wouldn't normally experience a carnival have the opportunity. Many PBs were to be had all round and some swimmers swam their first relay team races.

Jackson B on the right - Winner of the Spirit award for our club.

School Facebook Page

Please visit the page via this link https://www.facebook.com/WynnumStateSchool and click Like!

Absentee Line

To notify the school of your child's absence, please text your child's name and reason for absence to 0429 467 361.

School Bus Services

Reminder that we have a bus service that runs from Wynnum State School. Below is a link to both services.

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/T/815

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/t/819/outbound/2022-05-31

A Go Card will need to be purchased to be able to utilise this Translink bus service. The following link lists retail outlets of where to purchase a Go card https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/go-card/locations