30 July 2025

Principal’s Pride

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

QTU Protected industrial Action

As you may have heard in the media, the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) as the union representing our teachers, have given notice to the department that their members will take protected industrial action on Wednesday, 6 August 2025. This will involve a 24-hour strike (work stoppage).  Further information regarding school arrangements on this day will be distributed to our school community by the end of this week.

Willows Warriors Pre-Prep Program – Wednesday, 6 August 2025

Please be advised that our Willows Warriors Pre-Prep Program sessions will NOT be operating next week on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.

Australian Primary Principals’ Day

This Friday, 1 August 2025 is Australian Primary Principals Day. I would like to take this opportunity to show my appreciation of our leaders by acknowledging the dedication and commitment of the Deputy Principals at The Willows State School. Mrs Souter (Deputy Principal Prep to Year 2), Mrs Fader (Acting Deputy Principal Prep to Year 2), Mrs Winter (Deputy Principal Year 3 and Year 5), Mrs Nosworthy (Acting Deputy Principal Year 3 and Year 5) and Mr Tod (Deputy Principal Year 4 and Year 6) work hard every day to support students, staff and families in our school community and I am honoured to work alongside them each day. 

Semester 1 Academic Excellence Awards

Congratulations to all our Semester 1 Academic Excellence Award recipients who were acknowledged at our special assemblies on Tuesday.  A very big thank you to all the parents and caregivers of our student award recipients who were able to join us in celebrating the academic achievements of their children. Your support is much appreciated.

Year 6 Camp

Last week, our Year 6 staff and students enjoyed the beautiful outdoors and a range of activities, including stand-up paddle-boarding, raft building, radio rogaine, archery and catapult, whilst at camp on Magnetic Island Wednesday to Friday. Many long-lasting wonderful memories were made, and I would like to congratulate all students on positively representing their school at another extra-curricular event. A very big thank you to all staff who attended for your excellent care of our students. A number of photos of camp adventures have already been shared on our school Facebook page.

2025 NAPLAN Reports for Year 3 & 5 – distributed to students LAST week

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment sat by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 each year. Literacy and numeracy skills are the critical foundation for all learning. NAPLAN is the only national assessment that all Australian children can undertake. Questions assess content linked to the Australian Curriculum: English and Mathematics. NAPLAN results allow parents/carers and educators to see how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time – individually, as part of their school community, and against national standards. NAPLAN tests are one aspect of each school’s assessment and reporting process, and do not replace the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers about each student’s performance. Your child’s teacher will have the best insight into your child’s educational progress. Along with other school assessment reports, NAPLAN reports can be used to discuss your child’s strengths and areas for improvement with their teacher.

How do I read the report?

NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards, with student achievement shown against 4 levels of proficiency. There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. This replaces the previous numerical NAPLAN bands and national minimum standards. The NAPLAN measurement scale and time series have also been reset.

The NAPLAN proficiency standards include 4 proficiency levels for each assessment area at each year level: 

• Exceeding: the student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing. 
• Strong: the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
• Developing: the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
• Needs additional support: the student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.

If you would like to discuss your child’s NAPLAN Report further, please make a time to speak with your child’s teacher and/or Deputy Principal, Mrs Winter.

2025 School Opinion Survey – Parents/Caregivers

The annual suite of School Opinion Surveys will be conducted in Term 3.  All families, school staff and students (Year 5 and 6 only) will be invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well and how we can improve.

This year the Department of Education is running the state-wide School Opinion Survey process for staff, students and parents/caregivers similarly to 2024 procedures.  I have included some information about this below for your reference:

• Families with one or more enrolled children at our school will receive one invitation to complete the survey. The parent/caregiver to receive the invitation is selected based on information and email addresses in OneSchool. 
• Participation is by invitation only. There is no generic survey link that can be used by all parents. Each link is unique and can only be used once by the parent. One parent per family will receive the survey link via email.  No logins or passwords are needed.
• Parent survey invitations will be sent over a number of days in the week beginning Monday, 21 July. The survey will close on 22 August. The survey can be completed as soon as the invitation has been received.
• The survey invitation email uses the subject line: School Opinion Survey for parents/caregivers, 2025; parents should check junk email folders if it can’t be found. The email will come from the Department of Education, not the school.
• The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete using a computer, tablet or smart phone.
• Parents/caregivers who do not have access to the internet at home are welcome to complete their survey online at school. School computers/tablets can be made available upon request if needed.
• Translations of the Parent/Caregiver Survey are available online at https://intranet.qed.qld.gov.au/ResourceCentre/Statistics/schoolopinionsurveys/Pages/forms.aspx

2026 Enrolments – NOW OPEN FOR ALL YEAR LEVELS 

Our school is now taking enrolments for the 2026 school year, please get your enrolment forms in early if possible, to inform school planning. Should you know of friends or family looking to join our great school, please inform them that they are also most welcome to contact the school for further information and to obtain an enrolment package.

Prospective 2026 Prep students and parents/caregivers may like to consider attending a Willows Warriors Pre-Prep Program session on a Wednesday to support the transition and orientation process to school. Please contact our school office to obtain further information about this free program and the availability of spaces.

A 2026 Prep Bulk Enrolment Session will be held on Thursday afternoon, 21 August (Week 6) for all families who have submitted completed paperwork.

2026 BYOx Expression of Interest Process

As you may be aware, The Willows State School implemented a Bring Your Own Device (BYOx) program into Years 4-6 from the commencement of the 2022 school year.  The Willows State School will continue to build on the offering of BYOx teaching and learning programs in Years 4, 5 and 6 in 2026.

Over the next few weeks, letters will be distributed to all current students in Years 3-5 regarding arrangements for 2026.  As in previous years, BYOx Parent Information Sessions will be offered in Term 3 and early Term 4 and reminders will be distributed advising interested families of these dates and times.

For your advance notice, the Term 3 BYOx Parent Information Session currently scheduled to be held in the TCBC Conference Room will be held on Tuesday, 19 August at 5:00pm.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing – Taking care when travelling to and from school

The health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and school community is of the highest priority.

All types of travel have inherent risks. Regardless of how any of us travel, it’s important we are mindful of the potential risks and manage them to avoid incidents and injuries.

With the increasing use of ride-ables such as electric scooters, skateboards and e-bikes, ensuring the safety of our staff, students and pedestrians is essential. 

Please note that Queensland Road Rules apply to e-scooters and e-bikes.

Anyone who scoots, rides or skates to and from school should:

• • Wear protective gear and a helmet, which is mandatory if riding an electric scooter or skateboard
  • Give way by ringing their bell when approaching pedestrians and overtaking on the right
  • Travel at the appropriate and safe speed for the environment in which they are travelling
  • Be respectful to pedestrians and other path users and keep out of their way
  • Adhere to road rules when riding an e-scooter
  • Park responsibly to avoid becoming an obstacle or risk for others.

Have a wonderful week.  Our next newsletter for Term 3 will be issued on Wednesday, 6 August.

Warm regards,
Michelle Donn
Principal

Upcoming Events

Year Level Parade Times

Positive Behaviour Learning (Safe, Respectful, Responsible)

Fortnightly Focus

The new fortnightly focus is "Kindness is Contagious". The expectation at TWSS is that we treat others with respect, use kind words, and help one another. We listen, share, and include everyone so our classroom is a safe and happy place for all.

"Kindness is Contagious" means that when one person is kind, it makes others want to be kind too.

For example, if you help a friend pick up their books, they might feel happy and then help someone else. It spreads like a smile or laughter — when you do something nice, other people catch it and want to do something nice too! Just like a yawn or giggle, kindness can travel from person to person. So one small kind act can make the whole day better for many people!

Date Claimers for Term 3

P and C News

Welcome back, everyone, to Term 3! We hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break. The P&C is excited to share some updates and upcoming events for the term.

Staff Spotlight: Sharon Stewart

Sharon has been a valued member of The Willows State School community for many years, initially becoming involved while her daughter Bonnie was teaching at the school. She began as a regular classroom volunteer, where her natural ability to connect with children quickly stood out.

Her commitment and positive presence were noticed not just in one classroom, but across the school. It was clear Sharon had a special way with children, and her contributions did not go unnoticed.

During one occasion working alongside staff, Sharon shared that she was completing her Certificate in Teacher Aiding. She was encouraged to consider paid work within the OSHC team — an opportunity she embraced with enthusiasm.

Since joining OSHC, Sharon has fully engaged in the training opportunities offered, actively participated in creative programming, and quickly became an integral part of the team. Her reliability, willingness to learn, and ability to support both staff and children made her a trusted team member.

Sharon’s professional growth has been outstanding. She progressed to the role of Educational Leader, where she excelled, and now holds the position of Assistant Coordinator. In this role, she demonstrates strong leadership, adaptability, and the capacity to manage services for up to 150 children and their families. She leads with a team-first attitude, supports 22 staff members, and brings just the right touch of energy and initiative to help everyone reach their full potential.

We are incredibly grateful to have Sharon on our team and look forward to everything she continues to bring to our OSHC community.

Upcoming Events

Here are some key dates and events for Term 3:

• OSHC Educators’ Day: Celebrated on Wednesday, July 30. The theme this year is Recognition and Appreciation.
• Primary Principal’s Day: Join us on Friday, 1 August 2025 and say THANK YOU to our Principal, Michelle Donn, and her team of fantastic Deputy Principals.
• P&C Meeting: Our next P&C meeting will be held on 20 August at 6pm in D Pod. All parents and carers are welcome to attend.
• Father’s Day Stall: Our annual Father’s Day Stall will be held from Monday, 1 September to Thursday, 4 September. Children will have the opportunity to visit the stall with their class groups and purchase a special gift for their dad or grandad. Gifts will be available for a small fee, and all proceeds will go towards P&C initiatives.
• Colour Fun Run: Our annual Colour Fun Run will be held on Thursday, September 12. This is a fantastic opportunity for children to raise money and earn exciting prizes. More details on how to register and fundraise will be provided soon. Children who participate can receive up to 5 prizes based on their fundraising efforts.

Fundraising Initiatives

Thank you to everyone who supported our Semester 1 fundraising efforts. Here's a summary of our Semester 1 contributions:

• Financial Contributions:
• $50,000 contributed to the school.
• $40,000 donated for the purchase of laptops.

• Infrastructure & Equipment:
• Repaired water cooler in OSHC.
• Upgraded POS system in the Tuckshop.
• Upgraded OSHC radio system to improve communication and safety.
• Repaired OSHC safety gates and lights.
• Purchased over $6,000 worth of HART sports equipment.

• Student Support:
• Supported two students competing in regional sports tournaments.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are always looking for volunteers to assist with various school activities. If you have some spare time and would like to contribute, please consider the following opportunities:

• Tuckshop Help: Assist in the school canteen during lunch breaks.
• Event Support: Help out at our upcoming Father’s Day stall or Colour Fun Run for an hour or two.

Please contact the P&C team at hello@twsspandc.org.au if you are interested in volunteering.

P&C Contact Information.

For any enquiries or suggestions, please feel free to contact us:

• Email: hello@twsspandc.org.au
• Phone: Amanda Gordon, Operations Manager, 0476 384 952

Position Vacant

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the term!

Defence News

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

We are having an action-packed week in our new Defence Room and all students are having a wonderful, fun time exploring the great activities on offer. As the room is so big, I have organised areas for special activities like dress ups, Legoland, chill out/reading corner, cars and trucks area and crafts to make. Board games have also been restocked with many new games to play. Last week, I completed craft activities with Year 2 students and we chatted about Parental Absences and “how it feels” and what strategies we can use during this time.

Defence Room is open first break for Prep to Year 2 and second break for Year 3 to 6. Defence students are encouraged to come along and bring a friend. Welcome home to all parents who have returned from exercises/training. Take some time to chat and reconnect with family by visiting the Strand to see Ephemera, going for a walk together or having fish and chips on the beach. A special time to share together. Use this exercise to recharge and reconnect. Please contact me with any questions or concerns via phone or email cwhee36@eq.edu.au. My room in Prep 2 is open from Monday to Wednesday so please call in for a chat.

Are you looking for a great rewarding role within a school? Cathedral School are advertising now for a part time DSM at their school, if interested please check the Seek website.  

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. 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 is in Townsville, this organisation 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 check out the website www.kookaburrakids.org.au

For what’s coming up in Townsville for Defence Families see attached flyer or register to receive their newsletter and updates dmfs.townsville@defence.gov.au or follow on Facebook.

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.

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

UPCOMING EVENTS/DATES TO REMEMBER

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 or walk in  

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

Dirty Boots 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

DFA (Defence Families of Australia) NQ Delegate Eden Santos 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 Wednesday or email me cwhee36@eq.edu.au

Have an awesome week!

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

Community News

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