Brookfield Banter 07/05/25

From the Principal - Leanne Duncan

Special Day for Mums and/or that special someone!

Thank you to the P&C and team of volunteers who give their time and efforts to support our school to acknowledge and celebrate this day.  This day means something different to everyone. We celebrate mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, carers, and/or that special individual who has this role.  We also acknowledge those who may find this day challenging—whether due to loss, longing, or other personal circumstances. However you mark the day, we extend our warmest thoughts to you and your family.

Hoping to see you on Thursday for classroom visits followed by morning tea provided by the P&C and volunteers who are bringing us together to connect! Please see further details in the P&C section of the Brookie Banter below!

Snake Safety 

Below is Brookfield State School's SHOUT poster to support understanding and actions for our students taken by students.  As a part of Snake Safety and awareness this is explicitly taught and revisited by our teachers and through our PBL. The next Junior and Senior Assembly will have Stephanie, our snake catcher, talk about snake safety to our students.   

Snake first aid kits have been placed in the adult amenities in our school. (These are the first to be opened and the last to be closed by our cleaners) Our school map has been updated to show the locations of the snake first aid kits around our school. Brookfield State School is a hub of community activity before the school bell rings and after the school day has ended and this is to support our community awareness and safety.  These steps are a part of our Brookfield State School - Snake Information and First Aid Policy located on our website.

Prep 2026 Enrolments Open!

It is already that time of the year for processing our prep enrolments for 2026. Since the end of last year our school enrolments continue to see new families join us here at Brookfield State School. For our current families who have a Preppie due to start next year, please action your paperwork as this is imperative to our planning processes which are underway this term for 2026. 

Community Calendar - Term 2

From the Deputy Principal - Leah Cathcart

Our Rules

Follow directions straight away

Keep hands and feet to ourselves

Listen and speak in a friendly way

Be in the right place

Care for others, objects and the environment

Our Values

Respectful, Responsible, Safe

Our Mission

Belong, Strive, Succeed

Week 3 Focus: Understanding problems, not all problems are the same size.

This week, we explored the concept of what a problem is—something that can be hard or tricky to solve. Students learned that problems come in different sizes: small, medium, and big. For example, a small problem might be misplacing a pencil, a medium one could be forgetting a lunch at home, and a big problem might be losing a pet. We encouraged students to reflect on their own experiences and identify the size of the problems they've faced, helping them build awareness and strategies for handling different challenges.

Social-Emotional Learning Spotlight: Problem-Solving Skills

Students spent time this week reflecting on how to recognise and respond to different types of problems. Through partner discussions, they shared how they can tell if a problem is small, medium, or big, and what steps they might take to solve each one. We emphasised that understanding the size of a problem helps us choose the right response and that even problems that feel big can often be solved with a little support from others

Celebrating Positive Behaviour in Our School

At our school, we value and encourage positive behaviour through fun and meaningful recognition systems across both the Junior and Senior Schools.

In the Junior School (Prep – Year 2):

Our youngest learners are engaged and motivated by collecting:

• 🌟 Stickers
• 🏅 Stamps
• 💎 Dojo points
• 🟢 Marbles

These tokens are awarded to acknowledge positive behaviours. As students build their individual tally, they work toward exciting, negotiated rewards such as:

• 🍽 Lunch with the teacher
• ⏱ 5 minutes of free time
• 🎲 A game or activity of choice
• 🪑 Sitting at the teacher’s desk

Each class also contributes their points to a collective total. The class with the highest points wins the honour of teaching and learning alongside our beloved Brookie Bear for the next fortnight! 🐻

🏆 The winning class is proudly announced at every Junior Assembly by our Year 2 student leaders.

In the Senior School (Year 3 – Year 6):

Older students are rewarded for positive behaviour aligned with our School Mission, Values, and Rules through a stamp system:

• 📘 Students collect stamps on reward cards in their classrooms.
• 🎯 When a card is full, it is entered into a lucky draw held during Senior Assembly.
• 🎉 One winner per year level is drawn and gets to choose a $5.00 voucher to spend at either:
• The Tuckshop
• The Brookie Store

We’re thrilled to announce a new and exciting initiative!

Each class will now include an additional stamp card draw. The student whose card is drawn will earn the chance to choose one of our brand-new BSS Mission armbands as a reward!

These recognition systems help foster a positive, respectful and motivated school community—where effort and kindness are celebrated every day! 💚💛💚

Ready-set-Prep 2026 Parent Information Night

We are thrilled to welcome our Prep 2026 families as we begin an exciting journey together!

Join us for our Parent Information Night – an opportunity to learn more about Prep at Brookfield, meet key staff, and prepare for a smooth start in 2026.

🗓 Date: Tuesday, 13 May 2025

🕕 Time: 6:00 – 7:00pm

📍 Location: Prep Classroom

(School Captains will be ready to meet and greet at the Administration Building from 5:45pm)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 This evening is for parents only.

We look forward to welcoming our 2026 Preppies during Term 2 and 3!

📢 RSVP by Monday, 12 May 2025

📧 Email: admin@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au

📞 Phone: 3374 7333

We can’t wait to meet you and begin this exciting chapter together.

Under Eights Week Celebration 2025: Friday 16 May 9:00-11:00am

Our Early Years team is excitedly preparing for our annual Under Eights Week celebration!

🗓 Date: Friday, 16 May
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00
📍 Location: Junior School Oval and Playground, Undercover Eating Areas (Prep Shed, CPA2, CPA3), Circle & Sail Lawn

Here’s what you need to know:

• 🎉 Prep, Year 1, and Year 2 students will attend the event with their class group for approximately one hour.
• 🧑‍🏫 Your child’s teacher will advise you of the specific time your class will participate.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents, grandparents, and carers are warmly invited to join us and enjoy the many fun-filled activities throughout the morning.
• 🎶 Our Junior Choir will perform at 10:00 AM in CPA2 (the undercover area in front of the tuckshop).

Activities to look forward to:

• 🍪 Biscuit Decorating
• 🕵️ Scavenger Hunt
• 🌈 Mercury Dough
• 🎨 Marble Painting
• 👋 Sensory Play
• 🚁 Paper Helicopters
• 🔬 Science Investigations
• 🐾 Digging for Animals in the Sandpit
• 🌋 Sand Volcanoes
• 📚 Storybook Reading
• 🧩 Puzzles
• 🧱 Duplo
• 🎶 Making Music
• 🎭 Face Painting

Special guests joining us:

• 🚒 Pullenvale Team – Queensland Fire Department
• 🎭 Miss Prue – The Drama Workshop
• 🏏 Renee & Team – Queensland Cricket
• 🧑‍🏫 Kaila & Educators – Helping Hands
• ☕ The Rich Pour – Coffee Van
• 🎾Brookfield Tennis – John & Roanne Lemmon-Warde

We can’t wait to see you there for a morning full of fun, creativity, and community spirit! 🎈

From the Deputy Principal - Katie Lewis

Mother's Day Stall - Friday 09 May

Don't forget to send along some money in a zip lock bag with your child so they can purchase goodies at the Mother's Day Stall on Friday 09 May. Shout out to Nat S and the P&C for putting on this wonderful offering for our students again this year.

Cross Country Carnival - Thursday 15 May

After a few false starts (see what I did there?!), we are ready for our Cross Country Carnival on Thursday 15 May from 9.00am to 11.00am here at Brookfield State School.  We have modified the course with parts of our oval (and the Showgrounds) out of action for us.  Course maps and the event timetable will be emailed to families later this week.

Students are encouraged to wear their house shirts to show their house pride - LAWSON, PATERSON or MACKELLAR.

Parents are welcome to come along and watch, and we will have the Rich Pour Coffee Van onsite to provide delicious coffees for parents to enjoy whilst here.

The P&C will also be running the infamous cupcake and popper stall for students to enjoy after their races. 

Thanks to Mr Bidner and Mrs Lizel Moore for their hard work in modifying our course to suit the conditions this year.

Sundae Funday - Monday 19 May

Just before the weather turns cool, grab an ice cream sundae to support our Year 6 fundraiser. Order yours now on FlexiSchools (Gluten and Dairy Free options available).

From the Head of Curriculum - Lisa McKay

What is Reading Fluency and Why is it Important?

Each week I have been sharing part of our 'Big 6' in reading, see image below. Reading fluency is a key part of learning to read well. It means being able to read smoothly, accurately, at a steady pace, and with expression. As children become more fluent readers, they move from simply recognising words to truly understanding what they read.

To be fluent, a child needs to master several skills:

• Accuracy – Reading the correct words in the right order.

• Smoothness – Reading easily and automatically, without hesitation.

• Pace – Reading at an appropriate speed. 

• Prosody – Reading with proper phrasing, expression, and tone. This helps bring meaning to the text and is often a sign of strong comprehension.

When children read fluently, they are more likely to enjoy reading and understand what they read more deeply.

At Brookfield State School we have fluency pairs called 'Paired Reading'. Every class in our school takes part in 'Paired Reading'. In the below image, you can see one tool teachers can use to provide feedback on a child's fluency.  

MacqLit Program Update

As part of our commitment to supporting students in their literacy development, we are excited to be able to offer the MacqLit program at our school.

MacqLit is a small group literacy intervention program developed by MultiLit for students in Years 3 to 6 who require additional support in learning to read. It provides systematic and explicit instruction in phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension, and is informed by evidence-based research.

We are currently in the process of setting up the program and are aiming to begin sessions on Monday, 19th May. Over the coming week, some parents will receive an email if their child has been selected to participate in the program. The email will include some more information about the program.

If you have any questions about MacqLit, please don’t hesitate to contact Lisa McKay on lmcka51@eq.edu.au 

From the Social Worker - Mrs D

Navigating Friendships

As term 2 commences, friendship groups start to settle and so are some of the complications that go with them.

Michell Mitchell will be presenting a special Q and A webinar for your tween. The webinar is designed to help parents and tweens make sense of the often-tricky world of friendships. It can be hard to know how to respond to your tweens concerns around their tricky friendship. Often, they just need to hear it from someone else. She will answer a range of questions loaded with content and wrapped around topics that matter to your tweens. 

Library News

Premier’s Reading Challenge - 6 May - 22 August

The very successful 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge is on again! To enter the Challenge students are to complete the yellow Reading Record Form and send it back to the school office. Prep to Year 2 should read or experience at least 20 books, Year 3 - 4 read 20 books and Year 5 - 6 read 15 books to complete the challenge.

The library captains will be distributing the forms to students in Week 3. Each student who completes the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier.  Go Brookfield readers!

National Simultaneous Storytime Event – Week 5

Brookfield's Got Talent!

The Talent Competition, “Brookfield’s Got Talent” is your platform to shine!

At the Brookfield Show 2025 (May 23 - 25) it's a fun competition that encourages children and adults to perform in a range of categories as individuals, duos or groups.

Singing, dancing, instrumental, 'extra' talent like juggling or acrobatics - you name it - we want to see you on stage!

Heats are on Saturday 24 May and finals on Sunday 25 May.

Enter online: www.brookfieldshow.com.au/brookfields-got-talent/

Helping Hands News

Election Day

A huge thank you to our amazing P&C, Helping Hands team, and all the parent volunteers for hosting a fantastic Election Day BBQ! The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was full of great energy!

Extra-Curricular Calendar - Term 2

Office News

Office Hours

The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm, during the school term. 

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au

Snake Information

Today we had a visit from our local wildlife handler Steph, who shared some information around snake safety and what to do if you see a snake at Junior Assembly. Our teacher aides also undertook some training around snake safety and first aid. Teachers were provided with a separate information session during their twilight session this afternoon. Steph will return to Brookfield State School for our Senior Assembly in the hall on Wednesday 14 May to provide the same safety information around snakes.

The poster below will be displayed in every classroom and common areas. 

Absences

Reporting an absence

Parents can report their student's absence via the following options:

• QParents 
• Email - absences@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au
• Phone - 07 3374 7333 option 1

Any absence that is more than 10 consecutive school days must be requested via an exemption form to be approved by the principal prior to the absence. Please see the link below for more information about why an exemption is required from compulsory schooling 

Unexplained Absences

To avoid having unexplained absences listed on your child/rens school report, please ensure any unexplained absences are corrected by informing office staff on the day of absence. These can also be updated via the QParents app.

Late Arrival and Early Pick Up

We ask that all parents please bring their students via the office if arriving after 8:55am to ensure they are signed in, which will update their absence on the roll. Please note that even if you have emailed Admin advising your student/s will be late it is still mandatory that they are brought to the office to sign in.

If you need to collect your child/ren early (before 2:55pm) please ensure that you email both your class teacher and Admin.

Please note ALL STUDENTS must come to the main office to be collected prior to 2:55pm, unless confirmed otherwise by Admin.

Ensuring your student/s sign in and out of school correctly is for their safety. We thank you for your understanding.

2025 Term Dates

• Term 1: Tuesday 28 January to Friday 4 April—10 weeks.
• Term 2: Tuesday 22 April to Friday 27 June—10 weeks.
• Term 3: Monday 14 July to Friday 19 September—10 weeks.
• Term 4: Tuesday 7 October to Friday 12 December—10 weeks

Community News

Kenmore State High School 2025 Open Day and Enrolments for Year 7 in 2026

Kenmore State High School’s Open Day is on Saturday 24 May 2025 from 9:00am - 12:00pm.

We invite you to take the opportunity to experience life at Kenmore State High School and explore the school, hear from the Executive Principal, visit academic and extra-curricular interactive displays, learn more about our Programs of Excellence, enjoy performances and engage with our teachers, P&C and students.

To register to attend our 2025 Open Day, visit https://kenmoreshs.eq.edu.au/enrolments/open-days

Enrolment interviews for Year 7 in 2026 will occur only on Saturday 14 June 2025 - bookings are essential. For more information about enrolling at Kenmore SHS and applying for a Program of Excellence, visit www.kenmoreshs.eq.edu.au/enrolments/enrolling-at-our-school

Kenmore State High School – Year 7 Enrolments for 2026 open Monday May 26

Kenmore State High School's enrolment applications for Year 7 in 2026 open Monday May 26, 2025 including applications for limited places still available in our Programs of Excellence for 2026 only.

All students need to have an enrolment interview, as enrolment documentation for Year 7 in 2026 is to be submitted at enrolment interviews.

Enrolment interviews for Year 7 in 2026 will occur only on Saturday 14 June 2025 and bookings are essential. Online bookings close 7.00pm Wednesday 4 June, 2025.

Click here to learn how to book an enrolment interview and submit an enrolment application for Year 7 in 2026.

Applications are also open for 2026 Programs of Excellence including Ken-X, German Immersion and Extension (GIEP) and Music Extension (MEX) – for limited places still available.

Click here to learn more about the Programs of Excellence and how to apply.

Kenmore State High School plans for the success of every student they enrol and therefore have a range of processes and activities planned before the end of this year. Please help them to meet these commitments to you and your child by enrolling your child in line with the timelines. Kenmore SHS enrolment timelines can be found via the link below:

Click here to view more information.

Any enquires regarding enrolments should be directed to Kenmore State High School.

W: www.kenmoreshs.eq.edu.au

E: enrolments@kenmoreshs.eq.edu.au

P: (07) 3327 1555

Brookfield Tennis Centre

The Brookfield Tennis Centre are offering a free trial tennis lesson for all kids at the Brookfield State School courts or at the Brookfield Tennis Centre courts. Brookfield State School has a very proud tennis tradition with roughly half the school enrolled in tennis lessons at any point in time and we'd love your child to be a part of it. 

This a great way for your kids to make new friends, learn a great set of skills and a game for life and have a wonderful time in the process.  All kids that enrol into lessons will receive a free tennis racquet from the team at the Brookfield Tennis Centre to help them get going.

Their coaching staff will take good care of them during the session. They will walk your child up to their class after the lesson in time for the bell.

To register your child please email John and Roanne at tennis@brookfieldtennis.com.au.  Spaces are limited.

Brookfield Show Society 

SHOW TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

The Brookfield Show will run from Friday 23 May to Sunday 25 May 2025. You can purchase your tickets by using the QR code on the flyer below or by following the link provided.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE BROOKFIELD SHOW:

The Brookfield Show's success is only because we have community members kindly giving their time. If you would like to volunteer, please follow the link below.