Term 1, Week 5 2025

Acknowledgement of Country

Welcome to Term 1, Week 5 2025

Hi Everyone,   

I had a great catch up with Mr Michael Archbold, our wonderful P&C Secretary last week to discuss Parent Reps for 2025.  There will most definitely be parent reps and we would like you to consider being that person for your child’s class. 

Parent Reps will be ever so slightly different this year in that you will need to be a member of the P&C, as ultimately, this initiative is P&C driven in partnership with the school.  Parent Reps get given the contact details of the parents in their child’s class (only if a parent consents to this of course) and can create something like a WhatsApp group to put together social events for the class if they want, get key information to the parents from the P&C and be the number one contact for the class teacher. 

These groups are a great place to clarify things, rather than having each parent email the teacher, as the Parent Rep can post one response to the WhatsApp group and that clears up queries.  Anyway, please consider being your child’s Class Parent Representative.  Our first P&C Meeting is TOMORROW NIGHT at 6:30pm (25th February) in the staff room (which is in the administration block) -  please come along and sign up to be a member and maybe the parent representative but also, just come along and support your child’s school!  :)

Congratulations to all of those children who received a Merit Certificate at the 4-6 Assembly!

Our Student Council did a magnificent job of entertaining and engaging us on assembly.  They are organising a student forum to hear from all of the children in our school and I could not be more excited  -  what a brilliant initiative!!We also had a Strings Group perform our National Anthem (both verses) on assembly for the first time this year and they were simply outstanding!  Congratulations and thank you to all of them!

This Friday, 28th February, we have our whole school STAR Assembly, and you are always welcome to join us.

Coming up this week:

• District AFL Trials - Tuesday 25 February
• District Squash Trials - Tuesday 25 February
• P&C Meeting - 6:30pm Tuesday 25 February
• GRIP Leadership Conference - School Captains - Thursday 27 February
  
• Whole School STAR Assembly, Friday 28 February, 9:15am in the hall
• Religious Instruction begins Friday 7 March.

Our School Captains are attending the GRIP Leadership Conference this week and I am looking forward to catching up with them afterwards and hearing all about it.  It won’t be long until all of our student leaders are inducted, that is on Friday 7th March - how exciting!

All the best to our children involved in the AFL or Squash District Trials.  It is wonderful that you are putting yourself out there to get to the next level.

Religious Instruction is beginning this Friday 28th February, and I would like to thank all of the volunteers who are involved in bringing this instruction to our children, we really appreciate your time and expertise.  Thank you also to our Deputy Principal Mrs Tara Griffin, who is overseeing Religious Instruction in our school this year.

I am attending professional development tomorrow at a Principal’s Connect Day, which I look forward to.  Thank you to Mr Thomas Corbett, who will be the principal in my absence.

Clean Up Australia Day is this Friday.  I say it every week at assembly, if every Australian picked up 3 pieces of rubbish a day, we would have no rubbish left on the ground in Australia after a week.  Let’s make that a daily habit.  Of course, no one deliberately drops rubbish.  I would also love us to keep focusing on having ‘Nude Lunches,’ with no packaging, so many of you are amazing at this - thank you!  It is better for our bodies and the planet.

I am finishing with staff news this week.  Ms Caitlyn Hall let me know just over a week ago that her aspiration has been to work in a Catholic school, and she has been offered a job in one, and so very sadly she is leaving us. Ms Hall is a much-loved teacher in our year 2 team and will be missed - thank you for everything Ms Hall and all the very best.  We have a new teacher starting with us soon, Ms Simone Flanderka, who is very much looking forward to teaching the class and being part of our Ironside State School team -   welcome Ms Flanderka!

Have a truly fabulous week!

Yours in Education

Angie Kelly

PS  Don’t forget, if you would like to join a committee with me to put together celebrating Harmony Day here at Ironside State School, which will be on the last day of term, the 4th April, please email me on akell58@eq.edu.au  Thank you to Mr Steven McCarthy and Mrs Teresa Song, who answered my call for volunteers last week to help out with moving the cello stands and contacting books!

Important Term 1 Dates

Around Ironside

3A

3A has had a fantastic beginning to the year, filled with creativity, learning, and fun! In English, we’ve been diving into the world of picture books, analysing their stories and illustrations, while also practicing our oral presentation skills. The students have been honing their ability to express themselves confidently and clearly.
In Mathematics, we’ve been exploring the concept of symmetry. Our budding mathematicians looked closely at symmetry in nature, before channelling their creativity to design vibrant, symmetrical butterflies and bugs. These beautiful creations are now proudly displayed on the walls of our classroom, adding colour and flair to our learning space.

When it comes to physical activity, 3A is always up for the challenge! The energy and enthusiasm were clearly on display in the last photo below. We’re excited to keep the momentum going throughout the year!

Tennis

The Ironside State School Tennis Championship 2025 was held during week 3. Congratulations to Hana Chen-Wahyudi who won the girls championship and to Hudson Harrington who won the boys championship. Runners up were Olivia Huang and Jonas Motuzas. The scores in the finals were 6-1 and 6-3 respectively. Thank you to all those children who participated and played so well and congratulations to all for the spirit in which each match was played.

HPE News

Dear Parent/Carer, 

If you have a student wishing to attend the Northern Eagles District Trials for:

• 10 – 19 years Boys and Girls Squash
• 10 – 12 years Boys and Girls Basketball
• 10 – 12 years Boys Rugby League
• 10 – 19 years Boys and Girls Golf
• 10 – 12 years Boys AFL
• 10 – 12 years Boys and Girls Hockey

Email Mr Reardon your experience in the sport to receive the Nomination Booklet.

• You will then need to fill out and complete the Nomination Booklet and email a digital copy to Mr Reardon (nrear8@eq.edu.au)

IMPORTANT REMINDER

We need to stress that representative sport is for serious athletes and not a “give it a try” opportunity.

Students selected to go to a district trial will be among the top athletes in that sport for that school and will be required to provide proof of the club/team they play for outside of school along with years of experience and position they play.

We encourage our more Elite 10 -12-year-old athletes to seek additional opportunities through the Queensland School Sports Representative Program.  

Throughout the year, Northern Eagles district trials are held across a range of team and individual sports.  

Students and parents are notified of these trial dates through daily notices, student emails and the school newsletter. 

Importantly, these district trials are highly competitive and only for students who have extensive experience in their sport outside of school.

If selected, students have the chance to display their talent at the regional, state and national level.

Regards,

Mr Reardon (PE Teacher)

Library News

QSLA School Library Week

A few weeks back, we celebrated QSLA School Library Week and Library Lovers' Day! A week to recognise the role our library plays in supporting reading and lifelong learning. Our library is a place where curiosity thrives, and we encourage all students to explore new books, engage in exciting activities, and appreciate the power of stories. Students collaborated to create a display sharing their favourite stories and went on a heart hunt in the different sections of the library. Could you find the camouflaged blue heart? 

We have also received many entries to our QSLA 'Windows to the world' competition. Thank you for supporting your child to get involved. The P-2 and 3-6 winner will be announced shortly and the winning entries sent to the QSLA!

Library Monitors

We extend a warm welcome to our new Year 5 Library Monitors, who have eagerly taken on their new roles. Interest in our Library Monitor program is high and a second intake of Year 5 students will take place later in the year. A very big congratulations to our Year 6 Library Monitors, who have been outstanding in their role as leaders, mentoring and training their younger peers. Your leadership and dedication help make our library a warm, welcoming and well-organised space for everyone.

Year 4 Incursion - Mark Greenwood author visit

Year 4 welcome award-winning Australia author Mark Greenwood to Ironside for an author visit on Monday 3^rd March. Please return the consent form at your earliest convenience. 

A book order note is also attached if students would like to order a book to be signed by the author. Books can be ordered here (in Notes please include your child's full name and class).

About the author

Mark Greenwood writes fiction based on real Australian mysteries as well as a range of non-fiction texts. He has an interesting writing process and will discuss research he undertakes for his books. His fiction books are high interest and shorter in length, appealing to a range of readers.

Upcoming Events

T2 21/5 National Simultaneous Storytime 

T3 21/7 Year 5 Dr Sam Lloyd author visit incursion

T3 Week 6 Book Week costume parade - date to be confirmed

Music News

Junior Choirs Update

Our ‘Come and Try’ sessions have been a huge success, with incredible interest from our Year 1 and Year 2 cohorts! By now, children should have a good understanding of what choir involves and have made a decision about whether they would like to commit to this extra-curricular group.

A friendly reminder that joining the Junior Choir means becoming part of a team, with an expectation to attend weekly rehearsals regularly. Commitment is required for a minimum of Semester One.

From Week 5 onwards, attendance rolls and parent communication lists will be finalised.

📅 Rehearsal Schedule:
🎶 Year 1 Choir: Mondays at first break
🎶 Year 2 Choir: Wednesdays at first break

Rehearsals take place in Mrs. Huxley’s Music Room.

We look forward to an exciting semester of singing and teamwork! 🎤✨

Marianne Huxley | Specialist Teacher | mehux0@eq.edu.au

Ironside Strings

Dear Parents, 

Please see the attached timetable for term 1 Strings.  

You will notice the timetable rotates a little differently. Because many year levels have 1 hour specialist lessons, I have spread the rotation out a little more, so students don’t miss the same specialist lesson. Students will only miss each time slot once per term.

Any problems or questions please let me know.

Trudy Weekes

Experienced Senior String Teacher (Monday, Tuesday, Friday)

Ironside Lunchtime Clubs

💙At Ironside State School we offer a variety of lunchtime clubs. 

These allow our students to learn new skills, make new friends and meet our staff to build additional connections.

🗣️ Talk to your child about which activities they’d like to participate in next week! 

🎤 💃 🧘 🎶 ♟️ 🧵  👨‍🎓👩‍🎓

P&C News

Ironside OSHC

We are excited to announce that over the Christmas break, Ironside OSHC successfully relocated to J-Block! Our new drop-off and pick-up location are conveniently situated beside the school hall, making the process smoother and more accessible for parents and carers.

We have vacancies in before school care and most afternoons! Drop your child off early for breakfast and supervised play. Remember, children cannot be left at school before 8:30am, so booking into OSHC is a great solution.

Enrolling at Ironside OSHC is easy! Simply visit our website at www.ironsideoshc.org.au and complete the enquiry form.

P&C Meeting

Don't forget if you have any items for the next P&C meeting (including ideas for projects this year) they need to be sent to the secretary today. The meeting notice and agenda will be sent out tomorrow for the first meeting of the year on the 25th. 

🌟 Join the Ironside State School P&C – Get Involved, Make a Difference! 🌟

The Ironside State School P&C Association is all about community, collaboration, and creating the best possible experience for our kids! We’re a not-for-profit group that brings together parents, citizens, and staff to support the school and enhance learning, facilities, and student well-being.

Why Join?
- Help improve school facilities & programs
- Connect with other parents & make a real impact
- Have a say in where funds are spent
- Stay informed & be part of exciting projects!

Meetings & Membership

Our first general meeting is on Tuesday, 25th February, at 6:30 PM in the school staff room - and we’d love to see you there! Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month, so there are plenty of chances to get involved.

Becoming a member is easy! Simply fill out a Membership Application Form and send it to our secretary at pandcironside@gmail.com or bring it along to the next meeting.

Got an idea for the school? Let’s hear it!

We are now accepting proposals for projects to invest the funds raised last year. If you have ideas to enhance our school—such as shade sails, playground seating, books, or other improvements that benefit students and the school community - we’d love to hear from you!

If you have a suggestion, email us before the meeting so it can be added to the agenda. Ideas must be submitted ahead of time to be discussed at the meeting.

Fundraising & Events

The P&C runs exciting fundraising events throughout the year to support the school and enhance student experiences. From fairs to fun events, there are plenty of ways to get involved and help make a difference! Keep an eye out for upcoming events and opportunities to contribute.

Looking Ahead: AGM Update

This year, we’re delaying the AGM until March so we can present a well-planned budget for the year ahead. Stay tuned for more details!

Announcements

This year we will be setting up a new Facebook page to post information directly from the P&C. This will include meeting announcements and information about fund raising events so please make note of the page: https://www.facebook.com/ironsidestateschoolpandc

Questions?

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out at pandcironside@gmail.com.

Join us, share your ideas, and be part of something great!

 New Tuckshop Specials Menu

Uniform Shop News

School Crossing Supervisor Position

The Department of Transport and Roads (TMR) are looking for School Crossing Supervisors (Lollypop person) in your area to help get our kids safely to and from school.

School Crossing Supervisors must be available for work in both morning and afternoon shifts on a rostered basis (in all weather conditions).

In return we offer the following:

• Casual pay-rate starting at $37.10 per hour
• Relief opportunities on your days off
• Long service leave entitlements

Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a pre-employment health assessment
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position)

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, give us a call on (07) 3863 9871 to speak with your local Road Safety Officer or email CSB.SEQN.RoadSafetyCarseldine@tmr.qld.gov.au for more information.

Advertising

For all advertising enquiries please email: communications@ironsidess.eq.edu.au