Brookfield Banter 04/06/25

From the Principal - Leanne Duncan

Music Excellence - Congratulations! 

Following the Choral Fanfare Heats last week, below are the outstanding results our choirs achieved. Thank you, Mrs McMillan, Mrs Kienzle and our accompanist Mrs Robertson, for the quality of instruction, hard work, passion, and joy our choir brings to every performance. 

Regional Heats Outstanding Results for choirs achieved at last week:Junior Choir - Mrs Kienzle- Primary Division 3 - SILVER
Intermediate Choir - Mrs McMillian - Primary Division 3 - PLATINUM 
Senior Choir - Mrs McMillian - Primary Division 2 - PLATINUM

Choral Fanfare Regional Finalists Announced! 🎶

We are absolutely thrilled to share that our SENIOR choir has been officially invited to perform at the Choral Fanfare Regional Final!  This exciting news was confirmed by our Regional Music Coordinator this week and we couldn’t be prouder of our incredible students for their talent, teamwork, and dedication. Being selected as a Regional Finalist is a spectacular achievement. 

Choral Fanfare Regional Finalists will be held at the Old Museum Building, Bowen Hills on Thursday 19 June 2025.  More information to come to those students and families.

Please join us in celebrating and feeling so proud of our Choirs achievement by spreading the word to friends, families, and our wider community. Let’s cheer them on as they prepare to represent our school with pride and harmony on the regional stage!

Oval Update

The following is to keep you updated in regard to the condition of our school oval after the heavy rains and runoff during Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred last term. Like many schools affected by this weather event, our oval has suffered significant damage. As a result, parts of it are currently unsafe and can’t be used for play.

We’ve been really impressed with how the students have adapted, making the most of other nominated play areas around the school. Thank you for supporting them as they adjust during what has been longer than first anticipated. 

To get the oval back to a safe and welcoming space, we had to remove the top layer of ground—including debris, bitumen, and gravel—and that work is nearly finished. Next, rolls of turf will be laid to restore the grass, which we expect to take a couple of days.

Once the turf is down, the oval will need some time to settle and for the grass to properly take root before it’s ready for the kids to enjoy again.

We really appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through these repairs. Rest assured, I’m also working closely with our facilities team on ways to help prevent similar issues in the future.

Looking to the 2026 School year!

Planning for the following school year happens as early as Term one and certainly is well and truly underway now in terms of resourcing predictions.  The first round of prep offers has been sent! The indication of enrolment numbers is our best guide for planning. If you are not returning to Brookfield State School in 2026, please advise the office as soon as you are able to.

If you have a 2026 preppie that you haven't enrolled yet...please do!!! 👏 This will ensure you receive all of the Prep 2026 Information and Transition program dates kicking off in Term 3!

If you are a continuing family or in our catchment reach out to admin@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au .

We have a limited number of places available to Take Out of Catchment Enrolments! Book a school tour to see what makes Brookfield State School the place to BELONG!

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

We are RESPECTFUL! This week we focus how we welcome and treat visitors to Brookfield State School. At BSS we treat visitors with RESPECT.

👋 Visitors to Our School

In our classes, we’ve been discussing all the different visitors who come to our school and the special roles they have. Here are some of the people we’ve talked about:

👩‍🏫 Supply Teachers – who help out when our regular teachers are away

🧑‍⚕️ OTs (Occupational Therapists) – who support students with movement, coordination, and daily tasks

🗣️ Speech Therapists – who help with speaking, listening, and communication

🚌 Incursion Visitors – like the Life Education Van 🚐 and Street Science 🔬 who bring exciting learning to our school

🎓 Student Teachers – who are learning how to become teachers themselves

🤝 Parent Helpers – who lend a hand in classrooms, reading groups, and special events

🙏 Religious Instruction Teachers – who visit weekly to teach RI lessons

We really enjoy meeting these special visitors and learning from the different ways they help our school.

Teachers We Learn With at BSS

Along with our special visitors, we also talked about the wonderful teachers and staff we learn with every day. Here are some of the amazing people who help us grow and learn at BSS:

🏃‍♂️ PE Teachers – Mr Bidner & Mrs Moore

🎵 Music Teacher – Mrs McMillan

      German Teacher – Frau Raben

📖 Library Teacher – Mrs Allison

      Teacher Aides – who help us in class and support our learning

🤝 Inclusion Teachers – Mr Williams, Mrs Vella & Mrs Weigel

🎸 Specialist Music Teachers – Mr Lougheed & Mrs Harle

We are lucky to have so many dedicated and caring educators who help make each day at school exciting and full of learning!

💚 Showing Respect at BSS

As part of our learning about school visitors and the important adults we interact with, we’ve also talked about how we can show RESPECT in everything we do at BSS. Here’s how we do it:

🟢 We show RESPECT by:

🚶‍♀️ Walking around the school quietly

🧍‍♂️ Lining up calmly and quietly

👂 Listening carefully to instructions

✋ Putting our hands up to speak

📘 Following our school rules

🟢 We act RESPECTFULLY by:

🚻 Showing visitors where to go – including toilets, specialist lessons, or the office

🙋 Answering questions about our school or classroom in a kind, helpful way

💬 Being flexible and respectful if someone does things differently from what we’re used to

✅ Always remember: Be respectful, kind, and helpful — that’s the BSS way!

🌟 Respecting Visitors at BSS 🌟

When we have visitors in our school or classroom, we show respect through our actions, words, and attitude. Here's what that looks, sounds, and feels like:

👀 What it looks like:

• Sitting calmly and staying focused
• Raising your hand to speak
• Helping others stay on task
• Following instructions the first time
• Staying seated unless asked to move

👂 What it sounds like:

• Quiet voices and polite language
• Saying “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me”
• Listening when someone is talking
• Answering questions kindly and clearly

💚 What it feels like:

• Being proud to show how we learn at BSS
• Feeling calm, helpful, and confident
• Knowing you're making someone feel welcome
• Being flexible even when things feel a bit different

Free Vision Screening for Prep Students – Term 3

We’re excited to let our Prep families know that Brookfield State School will be participating in the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program, a Queensland Government initiative offering free vision screening for Prep-aged children.

👩‍⚕️ As part of this program, Registered Nurses will visit our school in Term 3 (August) to conduct simple and quick vision checks for our Prep students — all done on-site and at no cost to families.

This is a wonderful opportunity to ensure your child’s vision is developing well and to catch any concerns early.

✅ Please complete the consent form and sign up using the QR code provided.
🗓️ Consent deadline: Monday, 9 June

We encourage all Prep families to take advantage of this fantastic service!

Life Education: Free Parent Seminar – Let’s Talk About Puberty

Join the team from Life Ed for a free online seminar hosted by a Parenting Specialist on Tuesday, 17 June at 7:00 PM. This informative webinar will cover everything you need to know about puberty — the physical and emotional changes, how to handle tricky conversations, and tips for supporting your child through this important life stage.

If you’re interested in joining the online seminar, please refer to the attached flyer for registration details.

Don't miss this valuable opportunity to feel more confident and informed as a parent!

From the Deputy Principal - Katie Lewis

Gala Day - Congratulations

Well done to our Year 5 and 6 students who participated in their second Gala Sports Day today, playing either soccer or netball.

We are excited to share the following results:

Year 6 Soccer

Division A: 🥇 Tied for 1st place with OLR!

Division B: 🥇 Brookfield SS Teams 3 & 4 tied for 1st place!

Year 5 Soccer

Division A: 🥉Tied for 3rd place with Kenmore South SS!

Year 6 Netball

Mixed Team 1: 🥇 1st Place!

Bush Dance - Friday 06 June

Get ready for a night of music, movement, and loads of fun — our students have been rehearsing their dances and can’t wait to perform for you! Join us on:

📅 Friday 6 June
📍 Junior Oval, Brookfield State School

Here’s what each year level will be dancing, kicking off at 6:30pm:

🐥 Prep – Chicken Dance
🎉 Year 1 – Hokey Pokey
💃 Year 2 – Macarena
👣 Year 3 – Heel and Toe Polka
🤠 Year 4 – Nutbush
🎧 Year 5 – Cha Cha Slide
🎶 Year 6 – 5, 6, 7, 8

Bring your hats, boots, dancing shoes, and school spirit — it’s going to be a wonderful community event for the whole family! 

Year 3 to 6 Athletics Carnival at UQ - Monday 9 June

We are gearing up for a great day out on Monday 9 June at the University of Queensland for our Year 3 to 6 Athletics Carnival. 

Much as we are saddened by the impact that TC Alfred and the subsequent clean-up has continued to have on our oval, we are excited by the opportunity for our students to participate in an Athletics Carnival at this great venue.

Mr Bidner and Mrs Moore have worked with the team to put together a program ensuring students will be engaged in a range of activities throughout the day.

Students are to wear and bring:
👕House Shirts 👕
     Hat
     Sunscreen
🥪Lunch 
🥤Water bottle 

We would love to have parents along to support on the day, please refer to further information from Mr Bidner regarding the arrival and departure times for the day and parking.

No Senior Band - Tuesday 10 June

With Mr Lougheed at Camp with high school students, there will be NO SENIOR BAND REHEARSALS or LESSONS on Tuesday 10 June.

Online Safety - Resources and Strategies for Parents

We know parents often appreciate support to navigate their children through an ever-changing online world.  We have two great resources to share with families and will continue to do so over coming weeks.

One great strategy is to create a Family Tech Agreement.  A family tech agreement is a set of rules about how devices, like smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs and gaming consoles are used in your home.  There are some great ideas and templates on the eSafety website including: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources/family-tech-agreement 

We also find this Cybersafety : Information for Parents and Carers brochure from the Department of Education to be a good guide for parents including strategies for prevention and reporting should that be required.

From the Head of Curriculum - Lisa McKay

What does a Reader Need to Comprehend Texts?

Reading is more than just sounding out words. To really understand a book or text, children need a few key skills:

• They need to be able to read the words – this is called decoding.
• They need to understand how sentences are put together – how words, phrases and punctuation work.
• They need to know why they are reading – for example, are they reading to learn something, or for fun?
• They need to bring their own knowledge to the text, such as:
• Knowing the meaning of words (vocabulary)
• Understanding different types of texts (like stories or information books)
• Having background knowledge about the topic

When we help children build these skills, we support them to become confident, successful readers.

From the Social Worker - Mrs D

The POWER of YET!

"Yet" — just a small word, but it holds incredible power. It's the difference between "I can't do this" and "I can't do this yet".

What does yet do?

• 🚪 Opens the door to learning
  It reminds us that growth is possible — with effort, strategies, and support, we can achieve more.
• 💪 Builds persistence
  Challenges become stepping stones. Every struggle is part of the learning journey.
• 🌟 Fuels resilience and motivation
  Yet instils hope. It tells us that with time and determination, we will improve.

🎯 Remember:
With every “I can’t do this yet,” you're one step closer to I can.

Sports News

Congratulations to the six students who competed at the Met West Cross Country Championships!

Met West is made up of over 200 schools, making this a highly competitive event.

Sam M won the 10-year-old boys’ 2km race.

Mia P won the 11-year-old girls’ 3km race, with Harper S finishing an impressive fifth.

Tom M placed second in the 12-year-old boys’ 3km race.

All four have been selected for the Met West Cross Country team—an outstanding achievement!

Years 3–6 Athletics Carnival 🏃‍♀️

📅 Monday, 9 June

📍 University of Queensland Athletics Centre

We are all excited for our Years 3 – 6 Athletics Carnival which is being held at the UQ Athletics Centre on Monday, 9 June.

🕖 Arrival and Departure Times

800m Participants:

Students nominated for the 800m events must arrive at school by 7:45am for an 8:00am departure.

All Other Students:

Students in Years 3 – 6 should arrive at school by 8:00am for an 8:30am departure.

🚗 Spectator Parking

Below is a picture of the UQ Athletics Centre, indicating the designated parking area for spectators.

🕒 Return Time

Students are expected to arrive back at school by approximately 2:55pm.

We look forward to a fantastic day of sportsmanship and school spirit!

Library News

Reconciliation Week - Week 6

Last week we recognised National Reconciliation Week in the library through popular makerspace activities at lunchtime, assembly messages and library displays highlighting First Nations literature, dance and knowledge. We recognise and value our past connections with the Turrbal people on whose country we learn and look forward to continuing connections in the years to come.

New Book Release!

• Dragon Blood Pirates series
• Pages & Co
• Women of War graphic novel series (spies, codebreakers, nurses)
• Meet Ella – for the juniors
• Play the Games - sports series

Makerspace

This week we have World Environment Day on Thursday 5 June.

P&C News

🌾 Bush Dance Countdown – Just 2 Days to Go! 🤠

Friday 6 June, 5:30pm

🎟️ Tickets are still available on Flexischools – so grab yours now and get ready to dance! 💃🕺

Have you got your tickets yet? The Bush Dance is almost here, and it’s set to be a fantastic night of music, dancing, and community fun. Don’t miss out!

🕡 Kicking off shortly after 6:30pm, each grade has been busy practising their dances, which they'll perform on the night – always a highlight for families.

🧑‍🍳 There are just a few volunteer spots left to fill, so if you can lend a hand with setup, serving, or pack-down, we’d love your help – check the signup link! https://volunteersignup.org/E7HJB

🎶 The much-loved Beefa’s Bush Band will be back and keep everyone on their feet, and there’ll be a BBQ and drinks bar running all night to keep everyone fuelled.

🎟️ Early Bird Bonus Draw – Now Closed!

Thanks to everyone who bought their tickets early! The Early Bird Bonus Draw is now closed, and the lucky winner will be notified on Thursday 5 June and contacted directly to receive a full refund for up to 6 tickets.

💰 50/50 Raffle – Win BIG!

Your chance to win up to $1,000 while supporting our school!
🎟️ Just $2 each or 3 for $5
🎉 50% of all raffle sales go to one lucky winner

🎟️ Get your Bush Dance and raffle tickets now on Flexischools – and let’s make it a night to remember!

👉 Follow the P&C Facebook page for the latest Bush Dance updates: facebook.com/BrookfieldSSPandC

Let’s dance, Brookfield! 🤠🌾

National Reconciliation Week

27 May – 3 June

We acknowledge that last week was National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to reflect, learn, and work towards a more just, equitable, and reconciled nation.

As Brookfield State School P&C Committee, we are committed to allyship and to creating a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for all members of our school community. We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, and pay our deepest respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise their enduring connection to Country, culture, and community. We honour their histories, traditions, and ongoing contributions to education and learning.

This year’s theme, “Now More Than Ever”, is a reminder that the journey toward reconciliation is ongoing—and that every voice, action and conversation matters.

As a Committee, we’re proud to walk together in the spirit of reconciliation, learning from the past and working together for a better future.

📣 Come Along to the Next P&C Meeting

🗓 Tuesday 10 June
📍 B Block – 7:00PM onwards (and online) 

Our next P&C meeting is just around the corner, and everyone is welcome! Whether you're a long-time member or just curious to learn more, it’s a fantastic opportunity to:
✅ Support the school community
✅ Make new friends
✅ Get involved in the life of the school

All pre-reading materials have been shared with current P&C members.
If you're new and keen to get involved, simply come along on the night – we’d love to see you there!

Have questions ahead of time? Want to know more before you attend?
📧 Get in touch at: pandc@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au

🤝 Stay Connected and Get Involved

📣 Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates:
👉 Brookfield SS P&C Facebook Page

Whether you have ideas, questions, or a special skill to share – there’s always a place for you in our P&C community.

Thank you for your continued support – we hope to see you there!

Warm regards,
Tess, Amanda, Jill, David and Danette
P&C Executive Committee, Brookfield State School

Helping Hands News

Change of Location for Thursday 5 June and Friday 6 June afternoon sessions

An email was sent to families advising that the child sign-in location for Thursday and Friday afternoons has been moved to the junior oval, and the parent sign-out to the hall, to help accommodate the Bush Dance.

Please ensure your child is aware that they will need to sign in at the junior oval for their afternoon session only.

Morning sessions on both days will continue as usual in the Helping Hands room.

Extra-Curricular Calendar - Term 2

Office News

Office Hours

Please note the changes to the opening hours of our administration office below.

• Monday, 8:00am - 3:30pm
• Tuesday to Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm

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

Permissions

Payments Methods

The following are the payment methods available to you for your child/ren's invoices.

• BPoint
• EFTPOS
• Cash
• QParents
• Qkr

The link below will direct you to the BPoint payment system. This can also be found at the bottom of any invoice and statement. If you use the link provided below you will need to enter your details manually.

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 – 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.