Brookfield Banter 12/02/25

From the Principal - Leanne Duncan

At the start of this year, we bid farewell to Miss Bernice Noonan as she embarked on her well-earned retirement from a distinguished career in education, and from Brookfield State School. With an incredible For 40 dedicated years, Miss Noonan has shaped the lives of countless children, leaving a lasting impact on their learning and growth. Her unwavering commitment, passion and kindness has made a profound difference in the community. We celebrate her remarkable achievement and express our deepest gratitude for her years of service. Wishing her all the joy and fulfilment this next chapter brings!

Burger Bar at Brookie Showgrounds!

What a great way to finish off Welcome Week/s!  It was great to see so many of our new families join our existing families on Friday night for an amazing sunset. What a lovely way to finish week 2!  A shout out to the year 6 graduation committee for putting on the night!  When is the next one??  

The Brookie Banter is weekly!

Our newsletter has a new look and feel!  Behind the scenes, it certainly has an updated platform for communication and design and layout. Stay tuned!

Community Calendar - Term 1

From the Deputy Principal - Leah Cathcart

Week 3 Wobbles

In primary schools the hot topic this week will be “the wobbles” our students who have happily and confidently bounced into school for the first two weeks of the year, are beginning to tire. The exhaustion of being independent, negotiating social interactions, following directions and routines and self-regulating their own behaviour and emotions is a mammoth task for all students.

We often find in Week 3 that children experience school reluctance and difficulty separating from parents. At home parents may be managing meltdowns and tears from very tired children.

The following tips are quoted from a Triple P Parenting article. Well worth a read.

No more tears: Parenting tips for easier drop-offs

Five practical tips to ease children into their day.

1. Be ready to go: Reduce stress and rushing by making sure their bag is packed, uniform or clothes are ready, and lunch is organised if it isn’t provided. Involve your child in prepping these things if they are old enough.
2. Share stories: There are great books about being away from family and going to care or school that you could read together, try checking out your library or online for ideas on this topic. You could also share your own experiences of school or care so they can learn from you.
3. Practice and prepare: If they are starting somewhere new, do practice runs to get them used to the environment, or show them photos so they know what to expect. Point things out that they might like: “Look, they have swings!”
4. Play a game: Role play the morning routine with their favourite toys. Let them pretend to be the teacher – kids love to take charge! Try to keep role plays brief if they are getting the hang of it, so it doesn’t become a chore.
5. Make mornings fun and calm: Keep mornings as calm and consistent as possible. Try creating a picture schedule of what they need to do to get ready. You could also have music playlist for home or the trip there, let them pick their favourites and have a dance or sing along!

Click the link below to read the full article (9-minute read):

Life Education

This week our Prep- Year 4 classes are enjoying their Life Education visit.

Use the link below to access some really useful and interesting parent information, tips, ideas and strategies.

PBL: Positive Behaviour for Learning

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: Our Mission

This week we focus on our BSS Mission.

• BELONG
• STRIVE
• SUCCEED

In our classrooms students paused, reflected and shared words that were their connection to our BSS Mission.

Teachers collected these words and used a wordle to capture the student’s connections.

Thank you to 1B and 5A for allowing us to share your ideas!

PBL Incentives in the Junior School

The Brookie Bear tally has been activated! Our Prep to Year 2 classes work towards collecting tokens, points, stamps or dojos, all of which convert to Brookie Bear points.  Each class in the Junior School works as a team to combine their points, then we eagerly await for the fortnightly count! Our Year 2 team collect the total tally from all classes and the winning class is announced on Junior Assembly and collects Brookie Bear to accompany them for adventures with all the fabulous teaching, learning and playing for the following 2 weeks.

Congratulations to 1A for taking home Brookie Bear for her first 2025 classroom visit!

From the Deputy Principal - Katie Lewis

NAPLAN - Year 3 and Year 5

To support readiness for NAPLAN Assessments, students in Year 3 and 5 will participate in a practice test on Thursday 27 February. 

Before this date, please ensure that you have the CURRENT Lock Down Browser installed on your child’s device BEFORE Thursday 27 February.  Year 3 families should have done this as part of your initial device set up.  Year 5 families, you will need to update from the browser on your child’s device from Year 3 please.

Information on installing the CURRENT Lock Down Browser is available at: 

Life Education - Talk About It Program - Year 5 and 6

Students in Years 5 and 6 will participate in puberty lessons provided by Life Education on Monday 03 and Tuesday 04 March, as part of their "Talk About It" program. 

Supported by Queensland Health, our Talk About It program brings essential, curriculum-aligned education focusing on identity, relationships, and puberty. 

Since 2014, this program guided thousands of children through these challenging topics, helping them understand and manage the physical, social, and emotional changes they experience as they grow. Today, Talk About It is the largest sexual health and relationships program in Queensland primary schools, getting every child ready for the world. 

Year 5 students will complete the "Welcome to Puberty" module which includes:

• Define puberty as an important stage of human development
• Identify the physical, social and emotional changes that occur during puberty
• Identify strategies and sources of help to respond to unsafe situations
• Introduction to menstrual products

Year 6 students will complete the "Thriving in Puberty" module which includes:

• Define puberty and its significance in sexual maturity
• Identify male and female reproductive systems and their purpose
• Explore the physical, social and emotional changes that occur during puberty
• Introduction to menstrual products

Additional information on these modules, along with advice for parents are included in the flyers below.

Welcome Back Burger Bar - Thank You!

Thank you to all of our families - new and old - who came along and supported the 2025 Welcome Back Burger Bar.

Shout out to our Year 6 Graduation Committee for putting on the event and for the Year 6 students who also supported the running of the night, including selling raffle tickets.  Congratulations to Mrs Moore - taking home the meat tray!

Thank you also to the local businesses who donated items to the event:

• Dr Christian Rowan
• Brookfield Pony Club
• Brookfield Show Society
• Boutique Meats
• Bakers Delight
  
• Woolworths
• Coles

Welcome Week - Wrapped

Thank you to all of our staff and our families who made the first two weeks of the year so very welcoming for our new, and for our existing families, returning to school in 2025.  Special thanks to Mrs Allison who champions this event for us every year.

Sundae Funday - Monday 03 March

Keep an eye on FlexiSchools, it will soon be time to place your orders for our first "Sundae Funday" of the year.  This event is always a highlight for kids - what better than a delicious ice cream while you're at school, a great fundraiser.

From the Social Worker - Mrs D

Often in the busyness of daily life we often forget to embrace the moments with our families.

Below is a thought from Rebecca Sparrow on KITCHEN TABLE TIME CAPSULE.

“I heard this brilliant idea from author and podcast host Gretchen Rubin during her Happier podcast: take a yearly photo of your kitchen bench, but not when it’s neat and everything is put away.

Take a photo when it’s cluttered – when it tells the story of your family life at the time. 

Was that the year your son was obsessed with peanut butter?  Can you see schoolbooks to one side? A favourite pair of glasses? 

In the future, these are the photos we will pore over, like archaeologists digging into every little detail that reminds us of the years that were, and I don’t want you to miss a thing.

Today I encourage you to snap a photo of your messy kitchen bench – because one day that photo will mean the world.”

Music News

Most of our Music groups are up and running this week, with the exception of the Year 5 Marimba group (see below for news on this group’s start.) All Senior and Intermediate Choir families should have received an email on Monday afternoon with “need-to know” information for the year included. If you did not receive this, please contact Melissa McMillan (mmcmi10@eq.edu.au) to be sent your copy. Remember, it’s not too late to join a choir. We have three running in our school – Senior for Years 5&6 on Thursday mornings, Intermediate for Year 3&4 in Monday mornings and Junior for Years 1&2 on Tuesday mornings. All groups start at 8am and take place in the Music room in A Block. We have no auditions or try outs, and everyone is welcome to come along.

It is important for families to know that all Music Dept information is sent out via email. Our email address list is made up from the school contact database, so please make sure that your details are correct so that you don’t miss any communications from us.

Year 5 Marimba Group

All Year 5 families should have received an email last week with details about how to submit an Expression of Interest to join the Year 5 Marimba group. A link will be emailed to families on Wednesday Feb 12 at 6pm to enable parents to do this. Please note that places are allocated in order of receipt of Expression of Interest forms and in consideration of establishing a balanced ensemble of ability standard. If you are interested in applying for a place but did not receive this email, please contact Melissa McMillan to be added to this email list.

Sports News

Northern Eagles Swimming 2025

Congratulations to the 8 students that competed at the Northern Eagles Swimming Trials at St. Peters Lutheran College on Monday 10th February. All students represented the school and themselves to their best ability. We are still waiting for the final results of successful times to come through but hopeful a few of our students have made the Northern Eagles Team. The Northern Eagles team then go on to compete at Chandler Pool against the other Met West districts to make the regional team. 

Well done and keep swimming!

Health News

There has been a report of Chicken Pox (Varicella) in the school community. Please follow the link below for further information. 

Sun Smart Policy 2025

Office News

Prep Families - Student Resource Scheme (SRS)

The Prep Student Resource Scheme (SRS) forms will be coming home with your child/ren this week (week 3). We ask that parents please complete the form as soon as you are able and return this to the main administration office. Alternatively, you are welcome to email the completed form to admin@brookfieldss.eq.edu.au. Please see below the soft copy of the form for your convenience.

Traffic Reminder - Keeping Everyone Safe!

Keeping safety in the forefront of our minds when travelling around our school should be a top priority. Please help keep everyone safe by staying alert, slowing down, adhering to our pickup and drop off routines and listening to our School Crossing Supervisors who are there to help families cross the road safely.

The documents linked below will take you to our Stop, Kiss and Go drop off and pick up zone guides.

For our Stop, Kiss and Go zones to be successful the following is necessary.

Handy Hints:

• Avoid parking along any part of the school side of Boscombe Road between 2:45pm and 3:30pm
• Use the area as a “drive through” service, with the zone operating like a fast-moving taxi rank, and not a parking bay.
• Avoid driving south on Boscombe Road toward Rafting Ground Road in order to keep it as clear as possible. No U-turns into driveways on Boscombe Road.
• Drive the short distance around the block to change direction.
• Stagger pick up between 2:55pm and 3:15pm to enable gradual traffic around the school. There is staff in the drop off zone supporting students for this time. Students not picked up by 3:15pm will wait in the office. The office will ring parents/carers if no message has been received by this time.
• Ensure you talk to your child/ren about their drop off/pick up arrangements, so that they know!

Students are to make their way to sit under CPA2 from 8:30am. There is no school supervision before this.

The zones operate more effectively and safely when everyone works together!

Entering the School

Please enter our school from the pedestrian gate. There is a pedestrian crossing and learning opportunity for children to make their way to Helping Hands OSHC.

Gate 2 car park is open for staff parking and disability access and also deliveries which can come at different times of the day.

For the safety of students at Brookfield State School, there is a 40 km hour zone on Brookfield Road. This is a supervised crossing which is attended and managed by two crossing supervisors.

Morning - 8am -9am
Afternoon - 2:50pm -3:20pm

Your support for this to make a difference to road safety around our school.  Thank you for your continued diligence and support of traffic management around our school.

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

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.

QParents

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

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

Find out more about QParents and download the app today.

Note: Initial registration cannot be completed via the app and must be completed using a personal computer. Once registered, you can choose to use the QParents AparemysExternaapp on your tablet or smartphone, or via the mobile browser. Refer to registration and access for more information.

Make sure you use the latest browser version (e.g. Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge) when logging in to QParents from your computer or mobile device.

Note: Internet Explorer is not supported.

Please see attached further information below:

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

Helping Hands News

Extra-Curricular Calendar - Term 1

Community News

Kenmore Bears Auskick Program

Auskick will be coming to the school on Tuesday 18 February at 11:15am - 11:40am on the oval for a come and try.

The details of the program are below