Brookfield Banter 23/07/25

From the Principal - Leanne Duncan

What a Week!

Brookfield SS is always alive with energy—and this week is full of excitement and celebration!

From selected students proudly representing us at District Sport (across two action-packed days), to our joyful 100 Days of Prep! celebration, the buzz continues with our Music Concert tomorrow, a special STEM Inspiration Day for selected students, and our Prep 2026 Orientation Day on Friday.

It was lovely to spend time with our P&C president, Tess, and class parent representatives who came and enjoyed a coffee and chat on Monday morning. It was fantastic to connect, share ideas, and celebrate what’s going well in our school community.to connect our families.

There’s so much to celebrate—and we’re two weeks into the term! 

Why getting to school on time really matters

Getting to school on time really makes a difference — it helps you start the day feeling settled, keeps you in the loop with what’s happening, and sets you up for success. We’re here to support you with that!

Arriving at School 

At Brookfield State School, we know from experts and the combined experience of staff of what we see every day that every day, every conversation is a new opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed — and it all starts with arriving on time.

When students get to school on time, they begin their day with a calm, settled mindset. They have time to greet their friends, get organised, and be ready for learning right from the first bell. This smooth start helps boost confidence, focus, and engagement throughout the day.

We also know getting child/ren out of the door, from being a mum/dad, aunty helping a niece/nephew or just a friend helping a friend, that sometimes mornings don’t go to plan — alarms don’t go off, shoes go missing, end of term tiredness, dog got out, traffic delays and unexpected things just happen. That’s real life, and we understand. What matters most is doing our best to build positive routines and aiming for a calm and on-time start, whenever we can.

Even small changes — like packing bags the night before or having a regular morning routine — can make a big difference and help mornings feel less rushed and more positive.

 Arriving on time sets the tone for success and a win, win for all.

Have you received your Department of Education email invitation to complete our School Opinion Survey?

Community Calendar - Term 3

From the Deputy Principal - Leah Cathcart

PBL: Positive Behaviour for Learning

Respecting Our Rituals - National Anthem and Acknowledgement of Country

This week, our school is focussing on the important protocols surrounding two key rituals in our assemblies – the National Anthem and the Acknowledgement of Country. These moments provide us with the opportunity to pause, reflect, and show respect for our community, our nation, and the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn and play every day.

As part of our school values, Respect is at the heart of these rituals. We show respect by:

• Listening attentively during the Acknowledgement of Country, recognising the rich history and culture of Australia’s First Nations Peoples.
• Standing proudly and singing the National Anthem with confidence and sincerity, reflecting our shared identity as Australians.
• Demonstrating positive behaviour during these moments, helping to create a sense of unity and pride across our school community.

By understanding the meaning behind these rituals and participating respectfully, we help strengthen the sense of belonging and connection within our school.

Conversation Starter for Home

This week, we encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of these rituals at school. You might ask:

• “Why is it important to show respect during the National Anthem and the Acknowledgement of Country?”
• “How do you feel when we do these rituals at school, and why do you think they matter?”

Talking about these questions at home can help students make deeper connections between our school value of Respect and these important moments in our assemblies.

"Advance Australia Fair"

Australians all let us rejoice, for we are one and free. We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil; Our home is girt by sea. Our land abounds in nature’s gifts, of beauty rich and rare. In history’s page, let every stage; Advance Australia Fair. In joyful strains, then let us sing; Advance Australia Fair.

Prep 2026 Orientation Day” – Friday 25 July 9:15-11:00

🎉 Brookfield State School Prep 2026 Orientation Morning 🎉
🌟 Welcoming our newest learners and their families! 🌟

📅 Date: Friday 25 July 2025
🕘 Time: 9:15–11:00am
📍 Location: Brookfield State School
📞 RSVP by: Wednesday 23 July
📧 Email: cpras16@eq.edu.au
📱 Phone: 3374 7333

🚗 Parking:
Available in the carpark above the Administration Building.
Please observe our Stop, Kiss, Go no-parking zones on Boscombe Road.

🌼 Event Schedule 🌼

9:15–9:30am
✔️ Greet our Senior Leaders at the Administration Office
✔️ Head to the Junior Oval
✔️ Children find their name on coloured easels (red, yellow, blue)
✔️ Enjoy a book and chat with Prep Teachers and Senior Leaders

9:30–10:30am
🧒 Children: Fun classroom activities with Prep Teachers & Senior Leaders
👨‍👩‍👧 Parents: Information Session with Leadership Team and invited guests in the Hall

10:15–11:00am
👋 Gather in the Junior Playground
🤝 Meet and mingle with:

• P&C Executive Representatives
• Helping Hands (Before/After School Care)
• Uniform Shop (Gold coins welcome for pop-up second-hand sale)
• Religious Instruction (RI) Program
• Brookfield Tennis Centre
• The Drama Workshop
• Rhee Taekwon-Do

🎈 Children’s Playground Activities with our fabulous Year 6 Leaders

💚⭐ We can’t wait to welcome you to the Brookfield community! 💚⭐
Together, let’s make this a warm and joyful start to your child’s learning journey.                                         

Prep Celebrates 100 Days of Learning!

Today, our Prep students celebrated a wonderful milestone – 100 days of school! This special occasion marks 100 days of growing stronger, wiser and older as learners and members of our school community.

To mark the day, our Preps enjoyed a range of fun activities and games all themed around the number 100. From creative counting challenges to craft activities and team games, there was excitement and laughter as they reflected on just how much they have learned in their first 100 days of school.

This milestone is a wonderful reminder of how far our youngest learners have come – building friendships, developing new skills, and showing persistence and curiosity every day. Congratulations to our Preps on reaching this exciting point in their school journey!

From the Deputy Principal - Katie Lewis

ICT Updates

As we reach the mid-point of the year, it is timely to revisit our expectations around device, Internet and email use. At Brookfield, we encourage students to be Safe, Respectful and Responsible users of IT systems whilst in the school grounds, and in their home environments. As part of our set up for school each year, students (and families) review two of our key documents, either on enrolment or as part of our Parent Information Evenings:

• ICT Responsible Use Procedure (Prep to Year 6)
• BYOD Student Charter (Year 3 to Year 6)

I have linked these documents here, to enable families to review these commitments with their children.

In particular, we have been working with students around the importance of using their Education Queensland email addresses only for school work related content - for example, emailing a work sample to a teacher for feedback, or sending results from a Science Fair experiment to a partner.

For families with children with BYO devices, it is also timely to review your processes for device use (and charging) in your homes. Teachers are supporting students in class with reminders about charging devices and ensuring students are using devices in the correct manner at school.

District Track and Field - Good Luck!

We have 40 Brookie students heading to the Northern Eagles 10 - 19 Years Districts Track and Field Trials on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 July at the Queensland State Athletics Centre at Nathan. We wish our students all the best in their events and can't wait to share the results with our school community. Thank you to Mr Bidner and Mrs Lizel Moore for the work they have done in preparing our students for this event.

Kids' STEM Convention Inspiration Day

On Friday 25 July, 20 Brookie Year 6 students will head to the University of Queensland for their Kids' STEM Convention Inspiration Day. On the day, our students will hear from professors, engage in STEM activities and gain inspiration for their own investigation to present as part of our school-based STEM Fair and also at the Queensland Academy of Maths, Science and Technology. We can't wait to hear what our students learn from this wonderful opportunity.  Thank you to Mr Skehan for organising, Miss Laidlaw and Mrs Noonan for supporting our students on the day.

Sausage in a Bun - Year 6 Fundraiser

Don't forget to jump on Flexi Schools to order your 'Sausage in a Bun' and support our Year 6 Graduation Fundraising.

From the Head of Curriculum - Lisa McKay

ICAS

Our students have many talents, and this year they’ll once again have the chance to take part in the ICAS competition to share and celebrate their achievements.

What is ICAS?  

ICAS is an online academic competition for Years 3-6 that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics and Science. ICAS evaluates student performance against other competition entrants across the state and nation. The data reveals student strengths and weaknesses and can help you recognise and support your child's academic journey.    

Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in each subject area, and an online results report to track development each year. Top performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals.

Brookfield State School is offering students the opportunity to sit the following tests.

How to Participate in ICAS 

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please: 

Please note: Online payments for ICAS close on 28th July. 

1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices here: icasassessments.com/products-icas/
2. Read the Privacy Collection Statement - below
3. Read the terms and conditions here: (icasassessments.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Schools-TsCs_S2023.V6-1.pdf)
4. Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas here: (shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps)
5. Your parent payment access code is: QKB733

      Your parent page link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/parent-payment/QKB733

1. Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, then proceed to payment.

After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records. 

The following information is a privacy notification about how your child’s data is kept private and secure.

Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions. 

From the Social Worker - Mrs D

Wellbeing Chat

A house doesn’t truly become a home until we know it well—room by room. The same goes for our children and their brains.

At school, we help students explore their “brain-house”—a simple, child-friendly way to understand how their brains work and how to manage emotions, learning, and big feelings. The more familiar they are with the different “rooms,” the more confident and calm they can be when things feel tricky or overwhelming.

Here’s a quick tour of the brain-house:

The Living Room (Prefrontal Cortex)

This is the space for problem-solving and decision-making. We describe it like sitting and chatting with a wise old owl around the dining table. It helps children pause and think before they act—an important skill in and out of the classroom.

The Bedroom (Hippocampus)

This is the memory room—where learning lives. Just like a bedroom stores keepsakes and special memories, this area helps kids remember what they've learned and experienced.

The Alarm Room (Amygdala)

This is the emotional centre—a bit like a guard dog that sets off alarms when we feel unsafe or overwhelmed. When it gets too loud, we talk about ways to calm it down, such as breathing, taking a break, or talking to someone.

Understanding their brain helps children feel more in control of their emotions and actions. With time, they’ll be better equipped to handle challenges—both inside and outside of school.

Music News

Mid-Year Concert 2025

Tomorrow, Thursday 24 July, is our Mid-Year Concert – a celebration of how far our music groups have come this year and an opportunity for parents to hear those groups that they missed at performances earlier in the year. All involved families (Senior Band, Senior Strings, Senior Choir, Intermediate Choir, Yr 5 Marimba, Yr 6 Marimba) will have received an email with details before the holiday break. If you missed yours, please don’t hesitate to contact Melissa McMillan to receive the details. Please have students arrive no later than 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start. We anticipate being done and dusted by 7:00pm. Please note that there will not be any drinks/ snacks available for purchase at this event. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Library News

Book Week – Week 6 - More information to come

Book Week Parade – Wednesday August 20

Author Visits – Louise Park and Alison Lester

Premier’s Reading Challenge - Finishes August 22

After filling in the yellow Reading Record form please send it to the office. Parents/guardians, please remember to tick the box on the front and sign it. Thanks for your support of our fabulous readers. Go Brookfield!

Helping Hands News

Extra-Curricular Calendar - Term 3

Office News

Oval Update

The new turf on the oval is progressing well with regular watering and care. The area will remain closed until a strong root system has been established. We will continue to monitor its progress during the winter period until a decision is made to re-open the area for use.

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 and Payments

Below are past and upcoming excursions and incursions for 2025. Please take note of what your child has and will be participating in, and ensure all permissions and payments are made in a timely manner.

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 student/s 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

QASMT National Science Week Campus Tours

Join us during National Science Week for a guided tour of the Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology (QASMT), a proud IB World School nurturing highly capable learners from Year 7 to Year 12.

📅 Tour Dates:

August 11th, 12th, 14th & 15th, 2025

These tours provide a valuable opportunity for families to explore our innovative learning spaces, gain insight into the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and see how students at QASMT are supported to flourish both academically and personally.

🔗 Bookings are essential. Reserve your place via: https://www.trybooking.com/DCNET

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.