25 June 2025

Principal’s Pride

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome back to our final week of Term 2.  After a very busy 10 weeks students are now coming to the end of their Semester 1 teaching and learning. Students who are well enough to be at school are requested to be in full attendance until the last day of term. School will conclude for Term 2 on Friday, 27 June and re-commence for Term 3 on Monday, 14 July.  Please be advised that the Tuckshop will be closed on Friday, 27 June.

This week we continue to be extra busy with the finalisation of Semester 1 Reporting and distribution of Report Cards, 75 Star Rewards, Peek at Prep (for our prospective 2026 Prep students), Bravehearts presentations for Prep to Year 2, Make Your Mark Art Workshops for selected students and both the re-scheduled Bill Nettle Rugby League Carnival and NQ Netball Cup on Friday.

Athletics Carnival – POSTPONED TO TERM 3, WEEK 1 – Thursday, 17 July due to weather

I am looking forward to seeing staff, students and caregivers enjoying this annual event together. All previously distributed information for this event will still apply.

Early in Week 2 a short whole school assembly will be conducted to distribute age champion medals and the winning house trophies.

2024 School Annual Report

Each year by June 30, schools are required to publish a ‘School Annual Report’ listing the major school achievements for the previous year against mandated system categories.  This is to be made available for viewing from the school website and via a direct link in the school’s newsletter by the end of term. Our report will be available for viewing from Monday, 23 June for those community members interested in perusing this.

Semester 1, 2025 Student Reports – to be emailed in Week 10

The Willows State School will be emailing Report Cards again this semester. To ensure all parents and caregivers receive their child/children’s Report Cards, it is important that the school has your current email address recorded in OneSchool. If you are unsure that the school has your correct current email address, please ring/email the office to confirm.

Report Cards will be emailed to all parents/caregivers recorded as receiving correspondence.

Report Cards may get lost in a ‘Junk’ folder. To help avoid this, you can add the address from which report cards will be generated - Application.ONESCHOOL@qed.qld.gov.au to your list of safe senders now.

Semester 1, 2025 Reporting Information for Parents

Learning Area changes to Reporting

• The Arts has been taught but has not been assessed or reported on in Semester 1, 2025. Students will continue working on their assigned cumulative projects in Semester 2, encompassing all strands of The Arts in their artworks.
• Languages (French) is no longer taught in Years 5 and 6 from 2025.  Specialist lessons in Technologies (Digital and Design) have replaced French.  Students in these year levels will be reported on for this learning area by specialist teachers (Mr King or Mr Menzies) rather than their class teacher.
• Criteria for the attainment of Academic Awards have been adjusted to reflect the changes to the learning areas of The Arts and French.   

English and Maths Report Card comments

• This year, due to the implementation of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum for both English and Mathematics learning areas, the report card comments for these learning areas will appear a little different to those of the other learning areas.  English and Mathematics comments will reflect the specific unit content and tasks of the semester.  All other learning area comments will reflect the general aspects of the year level achievement standard that all students have engaged with during the semester. 
• As we transition as a state-schooling system to additional Version 9 Australian Curriculum learning areas in 2026 – Science, Technologies and Health and Physical Education – you will notice further alignment of the comment banks to reflect the specific unit content and tasks of the reporting semester.

English Level of Achievement Ratings

• Your child’s rating for all learning areas will indicate to what standard they have completed summative assessment tasks related to the aspects of the achievement standard.
• Parents may note a change in their child’s Semester 1 English rating from previous years as there have been modifications to Assessment Task Conditions within Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum, particularly with regards to Reading Comprehension tasks.  To attain a ‘C’ standard in these tasks for example, students must be able to independently read all components of the text and questions, with some of the differentiation previously enabled removed.  Performance on one aspect of the English learning area may impact the overall ‘on balance’ judgment for the semester folio.

2026 Prep Enrolments!

2026 Prep enrolments at TWSS are now open and our Peek at Prep session was held today. If you have a prospective Prep student for our school for 2026, please contact the school office to secure both you and your child’s place in this activity.

NAIDOC Celebrations

During Week 1 of Term 3 (14-18 July) we will be celebrating NAIDOC Week with a range of activities. 

We are seeking the support of any parents/caregivers who have skills in playing traditional indigenous instruments, artistic endeavours or storytelling, as we would be keen to share their talents with our students and school community.  If you are interested in assisting with any aspect of our NAIDOC Week celebrations, please contact the school on 47 991 333 or email admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au

A whole school assembly will be held on Tuesday morning, featuring special guest dancers from Kirwan SHS.  All parents and community members are most welcome to attend this assembly.

School Photos Update

School photos have arrived and are being distributed to classes this week. Please contact the school office if you do not receive your order. 

Term 2 - 75 Star Rewards

75 Star Rewards sessions are held twice per term – at the conclusion of Weeks 5 and 10. To be eligible to attend students must have accumulated 75 Stars on their Star Chart – star stamps are provided by teachers for following school rules, expectations and routines.

I look forward to seeing the majority of our students eligible to participate in these year level rewards sessions this week.

As part of changes to our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Whole School Reward System, at the conclusion of every term, students who have not received any ‘Major’ behaviour incident referrals during the term, will receive a special congratulatory email to their parents/caregivers’ email address. We hope this gives you the opportunity to celebrate your child’s excellent adherence to school expectations with them.

Lost Property

Getting towards the end of the term, please view the lost property box located in the Main CPA if you are looking for your child’s lost items of clothing, lunchboxes or drink bottles.  All unclaimed items are disposed of at the end of each term.  Ensuring all property brought to school is clearly labelled with your child’s name greatly assists in minimising frustration around lost items for you and your family.

Keep a watch on our school these holidays

With the holidays fast approaching, we need you to look out for after-hours crime in our school. If you see something suspicious, please don’t attempt to personally intervene. Call School Watch on 13 17 88 and let the local police or State Government Protective Security Service deal with the matter.

The School Watch program is a partnership between the Department of Education, the Queensland Police Service and the State Government Protective Security Service. It aims to reduce vandalism, theft and arson in Queensland schools.

Winter Holiday & Term 3 Date Claimers

I would like to wish all staff, students and our entire The Willows SS community a wonderful mid-year school holiday. I am sure everyone is looking forward to some well-earned rest and relaxation.  Be safe and cherish your quality time with friends and family.  I look forward to seeing everyone back at school happy and healthy on Monday, 14 July for the commencement of what promises to be another action-packed term.  Some upcoming events to look forward to in Week 1 include our NAIDOC Week School Assembly (Tuesday) and Athletics carnival (Thursday).

Have a wonderful week. Our first newsletter for Term 3 will be issued on Wednesday, 16 July.

Warm regards,

Upcoming Events

Year Level Parade Times

General News

100^th DAY OF SCHOOL – Monday, 21 July

Marble Mania Madness

As part of their Technologies unit, our students unleashed their creativity by designing and building innovative marble run courses out of LEGOs for the thrilling Marble Mania event! With ramps, tunnels, and moving obstacles, the courses were made to be as fun and challenging as possible. The event wasn’t just about marbles — it featured a live DJ, a chill-out zone, and loads of handmade prizes up for grabs. Students also welcomed the Junior School, sharing their designs and inspiring younger learners through hands-on tech fun.

P and C News

Our TUCKSHOP Is Hiring!

Are you looking for a fun & rewarding part time position that fits within school hours? Our busy tuckshop is seeking enthusiastic, motivated & friendly individuals to join our team! If you love working with children & have an interest in food, we would love to hear from you

This Position involves:

• Flexible roster - 15 to 20 hours per week
• Food preparation, cooking & baking
• Serving & interacting with students
• Working as part of our dynamic tuckshop team
• Maintaining a clean & safe working environment

Current BlueCard required. No Card, No Start. 

Apply at Tuckshop@twsspandc.org.au or call Kat 0423 664 968.

Positive Behaviour Learning (Safe, Respectful, Responsible)

FORTNIGHTLY FOCUS

Our final Fortnightly Focus for Term 2 is ‘Be Responsible - It's The Willows Way’.

Teaching responsibility in the classroom is an important part of developing self-motivated learners.

Students will explore what being responsible means to them, what it means in the context of school, home and the wider community. Responsible behaviours and their consequences will be explored. Students need to understand their responsibility in relation to their learning, asking for help when needed, looking after and respecting their own and other people’s belongings and being a trustworthy member in our school community.

A large part of this is establishing habits through explicit daily routines and follow-through which promote responsible behaviour. Responsible behaviours are best developed when expectations are set high.

REWARDS – Week 10

This week we will be celebrating the students who have been frequently caught being Safe, Respectful and Responsible. Below is a proposed timetable for Week 10, changes may occur if needed.

STUDENT COUNCIL FREE DRESS FUNDRAISING DAY

Last Friday, the Student Council had a Free Dress Day.

The theme was ‘FREE DRESS’ and students came in their favourite outfits.

Thanks heaps to all of the families that supported the Free Dress Day. We raised $701.65 for the student council.

That means so far this Semester we have raised $2,335.77 from our two free dress days and the icy cup sales. We are well on the way to raise the money for our 2025 Action Plan.

Defence News

Hello and welcome to all Defence families/caregivers and students,

Thank you for supporting and contributing to Biggest Morning Tea last Monday.

The holidays are fast approaching and there are plenty of free activities at the Oasis Centre to attend and entertain the young ones during this break.

Defence Family Blacksmithing activity is coming to Townsville, try your hand at blacksmithing.

Mates 4 Mates are also offering heaps of activities starting 2 July, 2025.

Geckos Family Centre-North Queensland is at Lavarack Barracks and is open for parents and families to drop in. Organised daily activities on offer. Follow them on Facebook or phone them on 07 4411 7031 for more details. Don’t forget to check out the Geckos page to see what’s happening in the holidays for children. All these activities sound awesome and lots of fun so be quick to secure a place.

At any time if you or your family are experiencing a problem/issue family please reach out to DMFS Helpline 1800 624 608, walk into the DMFS office on Nathan Street to talk to someone, or alternately call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 for support. Fact sheet attached. Have a wonderful holiday, stay safe and enjoy the time with family and friends. See you in Term 3.

Lots of new activities happening this month - check out all details in the flyer attached below. or register to receive their newsletter and updates dmfs.townsville@defence.gov.au or follow on Facebook.

ADF FAMILY HEALTH PROGRAM – Free Card. Did you know that ADF families can access funds to maintain a healthy lifestyle? The ADF Family Health Program provides reimbursement for physiotherapy, dental, specialist appointments and more of up to $800 a year per dependent! Get one now! For more information on how to register, visit Home - ADF Family Health Program

Families with Special Needs you can access support through the Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG) or call 1800 037 674.  For more information on assistance measures go to the website or email specialneeds.families@defence.gov.au

Education Assistance Scheme is available to access for tutoring within 18months of posting to a new school. This is available for all primary and high school aged children who may require support in Maths and English. Contact the DMFS Helpline on 1800 624 608 for all details on how to apply. Just complete the form online at ADF Pay and Conditions Manual and send an email to the teacher. With approval your child can have access to 14 hrs of tutoring for both Maths and English through a private tutor. Contact me with any questions. Flyer below with details.

The Partner Employment Assistance Program (PEAP) is again available to partners to claim reimbursement up to $1500 per financial year for a variety of employment services. More details and how to register are on the Defence Website or you can ask me for a flyer. 

Kookaburra Kids Townsville, is a fun organisation that supports defence kids living in families that are affected by mental illness. For more details on activities contact Hannah Galliner on 0484 544 451 or the website www.kookaburrakids.org.au   

TO BE UP TO DATE WITH “WHATS ON IN TOWNSVILLE” CHECK     whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au 

IMPORTANT EVENTS/DATES TO REMEMBER

Defence Family Blacksmithing

Courses offered to family duos (1 adult and 1 child aged 12-16yrs).

Date:                    Monday, 30 June to Monday, 7 July
Time:                    9.00am to 4.00pm
Venue:                 The Oasis Townsville, 20 Darter Street, Oonoonba
Tickets:                Email – amanda@cuppacumbalongfoundation.org.au    

Battlefields to Footy Fields - Kids NRL School Holiday Coaching Clinic

Battlefields to Footy Fields in conjunction with DMFS Townsville are excited to announce our NRL coaching clinic for the July School Holidays. Bring the kids for a fun day of rugby league at our Come and Try Day! All skill levels welcome—learn to pass, kick and score with friendly coaches. Plus, enjoy a free BBQ and awesome giveaways. Come along, get active, and join the footy fun!

The session is for 6-12yrs. Lunch will be provided from 12.00pm to 12.30pm and all participants will receive a certificate & goodie bag with some NRL Merchandise.

Registration is essential. Please ensure participants arrive with sunscreen, hat, water and appropriate clothing and footwear for playing football.

Date:                    Saturday, 11 July 2025
Time:                   8.30am to 13.00 pm
Venue:                 Joe Baker Field at James Cook University, 1 Buchan Drive, Douglas
Tickets:                via Eventbrite

IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS

Defence Family Helpline 24/7 - 1800 624 608 - Need Help give them a call    

DMFS Office at Nathan Business Centre on Ross River Rd, call 07 4430 3879  

Open Arms support former and current serving ADF personnel and their family members can use the service – office is at the Nathan Business Centre or call 1800 011 046 www.openarms.gov.au

Mates4Mates – Townsville FRC 4771 9600 townsville@mates4mates.org

Café now Open from 9am-12.30pm every day, you are welcome to attend for a chat and to have a look around.

The Oasis Townsville for Ex-ADF Community in Townsville  hello@theoasistownsville.org.au

Dirty Books Café – 1 Staging Camp Avenue, Oonoonba – 07 4759 8777 is currently under renovation

DFA (Defence Families of Australia) – NQ Delegate Larissa Ostermann 0418 796 561 nth.qld@dfa.org.au

DSNG Defence Special Needs Group - 1800 037 674  www.dsng.org.au

Beyondblue.org.au www.australia.gov.au

Geckos Family Centre Nth Qld Lavarack Barracks - Contact for enquiries on 07 4446 1238 or follow on Facebook

Kookaburra Kids Charity Organisation Mental Health Service - 1300 566 525   www.kookaburrakids.org.au or contact Hannah Galliner 0484 544 451/1300 566 525

Defence Holidays NQ at Lavarack Barracks (opp the Gym) - 07 4725 3842 admin@defenceholidaysnq.com.au

My office is open for a private conversation and cuppa anytime or alternatively phone me any time on 4799 1333 ext 323, Monday to Thursday 8.00am – 3.30pm or email me cwhee36@eq.edu.au

Have an awesome week!

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, STAY SAFE AND SEE YOU IN TERM 3

Pitch News

Music News – Issue 10 Term 2 Week 9 / 10

G A L A  N I G H T

To all our performers at the Gala Night!!

It was fantastic to see the strong commitment from students and families who attended the Gala night. The evening ran smoothly, and we received lots of positive feedback – thank you for making it such a success!

Term 3 timetables will be emailed out at the end of the school holidays and will also be displayed outside the music room. Please note that there may be changes due to student progression and adjustments from instrumental teachers, so make sure to check the timetable carefully.

We’re very proud of the progress and dedication shown by all our music students this term. Keep up the great work and continue practicing over the holidays – we’re excited to see how far you’ll go next term. Well done, everyone!

MUSIC SHIRT RETURN!!!

If you took your music shirt home after the Gala Night or Choral Fanfare, please return it as soon as possible.

INSTRUMENTAL WORKSHOPS

Intermediate and Advanced String and Band Workshops were held today at Excelsior Centre, Kirwan State High School, with guest conductors Emma Jimenez and Robin Gray. All the best for your Gala Performance at Kirwan State High School from 6pm. Children are to meet at 4.30pm.

C H O R A L   F A N F A R  E

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congratulations to our Junior and Senior Choirs for their exceptional performances at the Regional Finals on Friday night at Pimlico Theatre!

We are extremely proud of the dedication, focus, and stage presence you brought to each performance. Your hard work truly shone through and did not go unnoticed – you received wonderful feedback and achieved outstanding results.

Well done to everyone involved! 

INSTRUMENTAL RECRUITING 2026

We're excited to announce that instrumental recruitment will begin a term earlier this year! If your child is interested in joining our instrumental music program in 2026, as a continuing or beginner student, letters will be sent home in Week 1 of Term 3.

• Year 2 students are eligible to apply for Strings only.
• Students in Year 3, 4 and 5 can apply for our Brass, Woodwind and Percussion programs.

Further information about the application process and the program itself will be provided next term. Please mark your calendars and keep an eye out for important dates and updates.

Date Claimer

Junior & Senior Choirs  

Fiona Coleman

Your enthusiasm for singing and growing confidence is shining through in every rehearsal – well done! Congratulations on your fantastic performances at Gala Night and Choral Fanfare. We’re proud of your efforts and can’t wait to start learning new songs next term as we prepare for the Eisteddfod. Keep up the great work! Rehearsals will continue as per the timetable.

A reminder for Senior Choir: you will be performing at our Whole School NAIDOC celebrations on Tuesday, 15th July, when we return for Term 3. Please check your QLEARN to start learning the songs in advance.

Musically Yours,
Fiona Coleman

"Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart," - L.M. Montgomery

Willows Warriors News

There will be no Willows Warriors in Week 1 of Term 3. Mrs Tropea and Mrs Hill will be busy relocating to the newly refurbished room.

We look forward to seeing everyone back on Wednesday, 23 July.

Prep News

English

In English, we have been working really hard on writing factual sentences about animals using the sounds in words, finger spaces, capital letters and full stops.

Maths

In Maths, we have been looking at adding two numbers together.

Handwriting

We have been working very hard to learn the correct formation of our letters and how they sit in the lines.

Year One News

Year 1 Fire Fighter Visit

Last week the Fire Fighters came to visit the Year Ones. They talked to us about good fires and bad fires. They went through important things to do in a fire emergency and showed us what Fire Fighters look like when they go into fires. We all had HOMEWORK – to learn our address.

Get out and stay out. Meet at the letter box!

Year Two News

We have had such a big term! All students have worked so hard throughout the term and have shown so much persistence to complete all of their assessments.

At the end of term, we are celebrating our 75 Stars by playing a range of party games. I am looking forward to celebrating our hard work.

In 2A, students have worked extremely hard on their information report writing on their chosen jungle animal. Once they had written their information report, they made them multi-modal on the iPads and independently added photos to add meaning to what they had written. They are very clever and were able to change the font, colour and background of their multi-modal information report.

In Science, students have been learning about the lifecycles of different animals and the changes that occur during each phase. Students in 2A completed a model of a lifecycle this week.

We finished up our learning of lifecycles by playing a kahoot quiz! This was a fun, interactive way for students to show their knowledge. We even joined our year 6 buddy class and played Kahoot quizzes with them!

Year Three News

Year 3 have been working very hard this term, showing great effort during their assessments. They stayed focused, tried their best, and showed a positive attitude throughout.

To celebrate their hard work, the students enjoyed a fun day at Billabong Sanctuary! They loved seeing koalas, crocodiles, wombats and dingoes. It was a great way to relax and connect with what they’ve been learning in English and science.

Well done, Year 3!

Year Four News

Year 4 Term 2 Wrap-Up

What a fantastic Term 2 we've had in Year 4! Students have worked hard, challenged themselves, and had plenty of fun along the way.

• In Maths, we put our number knowledge, rounding skills and multi-step problem solving to the test by planning a real-life pizza party, which we’ll enjoy this Wednesday to celebrate our learning!
• In English, students became topic experts by researching, taking notes and turning their findings into well-structured information reports.
• Our Science unit had us experimenting with different materials, using scientific language to describe and compare their properties.
• In HASS, we explored the three levels of government and learned about the important jobs our local council does—including through an engaging excursion to the waste recovery facility.
• In Health, we discovered the vital nutrients our bodies need and how to fuel ourselves to feel our best.

It’s been a term full of growth, learning, and hands-on experiences. We’re so proud of the effort each student has put in, and we can’t wait to see what Term 3 brings!

Year Five News

Last Friday, 5A culminated their Science unit by creating craters using flour, 100&1000’s and cocoa. We dropped rocks onto the trays to emulate the impact of a object from space into a lunar surface. We investigated the ejector pattern created by the impactors. We experimented with different heights, sizes and angles to determine how this changed the impact on a planet surface. Many of us ended up ‘wearing’ much of the lunar regolith (Moon soil aka cocoa) in the process. Below is an image of the setup we used.

Year Six News

Well done to the Year 6 students for completing all their work for Semester 1! You have all worked incredibly hard during this time and we are proud of each and every one of you! Students in Year 6 have been finishing off their informative texts on a topic of interest. We have read many informational texts that include: animals, Harry Potter, music bands, natural disasters and historical moments around the world.

Community News

Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival

The Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival is coming up on Saturday, 23 and Sunday, 24 August 2025.

Held on the stunning Strand Townsville, Tri Fest is the PERFECT opportunity for the community to come join the atmosphere and experience the excitement of National Championship competitors and first time participants alike.

It is important for us to have as many local families as possible! The Discover Aquathlon and Triathlon events are open for 5-12 year olds and all kids will receive a free gift and a medal. 

Over 20 years we've welcomed many local families to come and have a crack at the event, which is designed for absolute beginners as well as regular competitors. No matter someone's fitness level, the distances are achievable and the goal for those who come along is to finish and have a great time.