3 September 2025

Principal’s Pride

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome to Week 8 of Term 3. Last week, we were absolutely impressed by the amazing staff and student Book Week performance collaboration, as well as the creativity and innovation shown by students and their caregivers in the design and development of costumes. Thank you once again for your support of our school community events.

This week we also held our final whole school assembly for the term on Wednesday afternoon with the focus on providing some of our Eisteddfod students with an opportunity to practice by performing in front of their peers.  

Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation (1 to 5 September 2025)

THIS week is Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. It is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the valuable contributions teacher aides make in supporting teaching, learning and school communities every day. On behalf of our entire school community, I would like to sincerely acknowledge how much we appreciate the important role teacher aides play at The Willows SS.  We could not offer the many and varied support structures we have without you!

***REMINDER: State-wide Student Free Day – THIS Friday, 5 September***

The Term 3 Student Free Day (SFD) has been scheduled by the Department of Education for Friday, 5 September. Please note this date in your calendars – there will be no school for students on this day.

Important Changes to Blue Card Requirements - Effective 20 September, 2025

From 20 September 2025, the rules around which parent volunteers require a Blue Card are changing.

Parents volunteering in activities that their own child is participating in will generally not need a Blue Card. However, there are important exceptions. A Blue Card will be required if:

• The volunteering activity does not involve your own child.
• The volunteering is to attend overnight excursions or camps.
• The volunteering role includes close personal contact with another child.
• The parent is a restricted person.

This change may affect parents who assist with activities such as the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls, Colour Run, Gardening, or other school events where their child is not directly participating.

If you are a parent and plan to volunteer for activities not covered by the new exemption rules, you must hold a Blue Card linked to The Willows State School by 20 September 2025.

For details on how to apply for a volunteer Blue Card, please visit the Blue Card Services website:

We encourage all families who regularly volunteer to review these changes to ensure compliance before the deadline.

If you require any assistance with this process, please contact Barbara Anderson, Business Manager on 4799 1333.

Year 1 Phonics Check

This year the Department of Education introduced a universal screening tool from the Literacy Hub (Year 1 Phonics Check) to be administered to all Year 1 students. This check will be conducted at The Willows State School across Week 9 and Week 10 of this term. Please find some further information about this below:

What is the Year 1 Phonics Check?

• In Year 1 your child’s teacher is able to use the quick and easy Phonics Check to better understand the phonics knowledge of their students. The Check looks at how well your child can 'decode' written words. The teacher will listen to how the child sounds out the letter and letter groups and how they blend these sounds together from left to right to make words.
• The Phonics Check helps your child's teacher and the school to confirm whether your child is making their expected progress in reading. Teachers and schools can then use this information to inform their teaching program.

How does the Phonics Check work?

• Your child will sit with a teacher they know and be asked to read up to 40 words aloud.
• These words are a mix of real words and made-up words (sometimes called 'pseudo words', 'non-words' or 'nonsense words').
• Your child may have read some of the words before, while others, like the made-up words will be completely new.
• The Phonics Check normally takes just a few minutes to complete and is carefully designed not to be stressful. There is no set time limit for it and if your child is struggling, the teacher will stop.

What words are in the Phonics Check?

• The Phonics Check includes a mix of real words and non-words. The teacher will tell your child before the Phonics Check that there will be made-up words that they will not have seen before. Children might be familiar with this because many schools already use non-words when they teach phonics.
• Non-words are important to include because words such as ‘vap' or ‘jound' are new to all children. Children cannot read the pseudo words by using their memory or vocabulary; they have to use their decoding skills. This is a fair way to assess their ability to decode.

After the Phonics Check

• Your child's teacher can tell you about your child's progress in phonics and their results from the Phonics Check. If your child has found the check difficult, the teacher should also tell you what support has been put in place to help them improve. The check ensures that teachers understand which children need extra help with phonic decoding.
• Remember that all children are individuals and develop at different rates.
• You can find some great ideas for supporting your child to read through phonics in our resources to support reading at home https://www.literacyhub.edu.au/for-families/resources-to-support-reading-at-home/ 

Supporting the Phonics Check at home

• Here is a list of words https://www.literacyhub.edu.au/search/check-for-families-list-of-words/ similar to the ones used in the school Phonics Check. You can practice these words at home with your child. To help you, here is a guide https://www.literacyhub.edu.au/search/guide-to-pronunciation-for-the-phonics-check-for-families/ to how your child should pronounce the words. Make any comments or any questions you have on the pronunciation guide as your child reads the words. You can then discuss your observations with your child’s teacher.
• Let your child know that some of the words are real and some are made-up words. The made-up words are the names of the friendly monsters pictured next to the made-up words.
• Try to choose a time when your child is feeling happy and relaxed. It is important that your child feels good about their efforts in reading the words to you.
• Your child’s teacher will explain the different letter sounds and letter–sound combinations your child has been learning in class. They will be able to tell you what you can expect your child to know and how you can help them improve their knowledge of letter sound relationships and reading at home. You might like to ask how you can support your child to take the next step in reading.

THIS WEEK - P&C Father’s Day Stall – Monday 1 to Thursday, 4 September

Our wonderful P&C are once again running a Father’s Day Stall for our students to be able to purchase gifts for the special male caregivers in their lives. Gift prices are very competitive, and all profits go towards school fundraising projects which include playgrounds, shade structures and resources. The P&C have previously distributed flyers to all students regarding purchasing options.

Year 6 students are able to purchase at any break time across the week.

Thank you for your support of P&C fundraising endeavours.

2026 Instrumental Music Recruitment Evening for Year 2 to 5 Students and their Parent/Caregivers

We have places available in our Strings, Brass, Woodwind and Percussion Instrumental Music Programs for 2026. Parents/Caregivers of current Year 2 to 5 students who may be interested in pursuing learning an instrument in 2026, are cordially invited to attend an Information Session to be held in TCBC on Wednesday, 3 September from 5pm. Come along and learn all about the program and take the opportunity to ask questions.

3 Way Conversations - Parent/Teacher/Student Meetings - Tuesday and Wednesday

Letters regarding 3 Way Conversations have now been distributed to families. Online bookings will close at 3pm on Thursday 4 September. Please contact the school office if you experience difficulties with this online booking process.

3 Way Conversations are held twice per year – once each semester – and are an important component of developing home-school partnerships focussed on student learning, progress and achievement.  On Tuesday afternoon, 9 September, our Prep to Year 2 staff will engage with their parents/caregivers and students who book a meeting time, whilst Wednesday afternoon, 10 September will be for booked Year 3 to 6 meetings.  All meetings will be held in TCBC. 

Please note there are some modifications to this timetable around individual teacher availability. Mrs Tropea (1D) will be conducting her 3 Way Conversation meetings in early Term 4 – further information will be communicated around arrangements for this.

If you are unable to attend on this occasion, please make contact with your child’s class teacher or the school office to coordinate an alternative meeting time if required.

Please note important Colour Run information from the P&C

🎉🌈 Get Ready for the Most Colourful Day of the Year! 🌈🎉

The Willows State School P&C's Colour Fun Run is happening on Friday, September 12, and it’s going to be a blast!

But wait… there’s more! 👇

We’ve got some epic class incentives to keep the energy high and the fundraising strong:

🏆 Top Fundraising Class Wins:

• 🎪 VIP Tent Access! Chill in your own exclusive VIP tent on the day.
• 🍿 VIP Treatment! Snacks, drinks, shade, and superstar status!

🏆 Top Fundraising Students in each class will go into the draw to:

• 💦 SLIME a TEACHER! That’s right – you could be one of the lucky students who gets to slime one of our brave teachers!

This is your chance to come together as a class, raise funds for a great cause, and have a ton of fun doing it. Whether you're in it for the slime, the glory, or the colour explosion — every dollar counts!

So grab your friends, get those sponsorships rolling, and let’s make this the most unforgettable Fun Run yet! 🏃‍♂️🌈💚

Extra-Curricular Activities – Eisteddfod – Week 9 and 10

Over Week 9 and 10, a large number of our students will be participating in Eisteddfod performances. I wish all of our participating musicians and singers the very best and look forward to sharing news of their achievements in future newsletters. I know they will represent our school with pride. Thanks to our Music Specialist Teacher, Mrs Fiona Coleman, and our Instrumental Music Teachers, for their passion, energy and commitment to helping develop our young musicians and singers to be the very best they can be. Please ensure all school communication regarding rehearsals and permissions for these events are noted to avoid disappointment for your child.

Below is the schedule of our students’ performances.

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 as soon as 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.

Is your Prep to Year 5 student transferring to another school in 2026?

We would appreciate early notice if your child, or children, will be transferring to another school in 2026. Please inform the office by phone on 47 991 333 OR email admin@thewillowsss.eq.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

Have a wonderful ‘beginning of Spring’ week – stay healthy and happy. 

Thank you for your ongoing strong positive partnership with us in your child’s education.

Our next newsletter for Term 3 will be issued on Wednesday, 10 September

Warm regards,

Michelle Donn
Principal

Upcoming Events

Year Level Parade Times

Positive Behaviour Learning (Safe, Respectful, Responsible)

Fortnightly Focus

We will continue with the fortnightly focus ‘I know my feelings and take control' "I feel it, I name it, I own it".

This focus encourages students to observe their feelings, acknowledge and name them and then explore how to control their response. It’s this response stage that is important and helps them take charge of what happens next. This helps us understand ourselves better and figure out how to handle our feelings in a healthy way. 

• "I feel it”: noticing how your body feels and recognizing that you're having a feeling. It's like when you feel butterflies in your tummy when you're excited, or a knot in your stomach when you're worried. 
• "I name it": means figuring out what kind of feeling it is. Is it happy, sad, angry, scared, or something else? It's like learning the names of different colours.
• "I own it": means accepting that you're feeling that way, without trying to hide it or pretend it's not happening. It's like saying, "Okay, I'm feeling a little bit scared right now, and that's okay".

When you can do this, it helps you understand yourself better and makes it easier to deal with your feelings. Please talk with your children about the importance of knowing your feelings and taking control.

Writer’s Workshop

Last Thursday, we had about 50 Year 5 students involved in the leadership Writer’s Workshop. Mrs Winter was in her element teaching the students what leadership means and how to write the application letter. Students chose leadership words that resonated with them the most and we created a wordle from this.

There were some excellent young leaders involved in the day which is exciting for the 2026 school body.

Written applications and passports are due Monday Week 9 at 9am.

Icy Cups

Icy cups are sold on Wednesday at 2:55pm from the TCBC kitchen for the Year 3 to 6 students and Junior CPA for the Prep to Year 2 students.

We appreciate the support the community gives to our student council fundraising!

Thanks to Woolworths at The Avenues

TWSS would like to give a massive thanks to Woolworths at The Avenues who kindly donate a box of fruit to the school each week. We use this for students without a brain snack to access.

We would also like to thank Chappy Ash who goes out of her way each Monday morning to collect the fruit for the students.

Adopt-a-School Cowboys Visit

The Willows State School’s adopt-a-school Cowboy, Jordan McLean visited our school last Tuesday.

Jordan visited 6D and talked about effort and resilience. In 4D, they connected the visit to their Health Unit and talked about how Jordan has overcome challenges and how these have shaped his identity.

At the end of each session, they played a game. You can see by the smiles on their faces that they loved having Jordan visit.

Deadly Choices

Congratulations to Karensa who won the Cowboys tickets for last weekend.

She has shown great behaviour and participation in the Deadly Choices program this term.

Thanks Codee, the students loved these awards that you provide.

Defence News

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

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! I would like to take the opportunity to wish all Dad’s a wonderful and memorable day with their amazing family. You all do a marvellous job every day and this is our way of showing our appreciation. Relax, Laugh and Enjoy.

Defence Room in P2 is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays from 8.00am to 3.30pm. Kids Club is open every break for students to drop in for a chat, play with friends or make a craft to take home.

The DMFS Newsletter for September is out and jam packed with updates and activities.

• Defence Childcare Service Provider Updates
• Connect and Support Coffee morning on Wednesday, 10 Sept
• Kookaburra Kids Camps, book now. Flyer attached.

If you are POSTING and your family will be leaving the school for another location/school, please let me know. Phone, email or call into my room for a chat. You can also access the link listed below for a list of schools who have a Defence School Mentor. You are welcome to contact the DSM at your new school for Defence family support and to discuss your impending relocation.

The attached flyer provides information that can support you and your family with the transition into a new school. Details include how to contact the Education Liaison Officer at DMFS which are an advisory service designed to inform Defence families on relocation and schools.

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 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   

Families with Special Needs you can access support through the Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG) www.dsng.org.au or call 1800 037 674. 

Register to receive newsletter and updates dmfs.townsville@defence.gov.au 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. See Facebook or phone 4411 7031.

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

IMPORTANT EVENTS/DATES TO REMEMBER

Child of the ADF Medallion Ceremony

Come join us for a special medallion ceremony to honour the children of our ADF members. This in-person event will take place at the Wirraway Club at RAAF Base Townsville. This event is a small but important way of recognising the children who go through the emotional, and at times, difficult experience of having a loved one serve in the ADF. Participation in the Child of the ADF Medallion program is open to all recognised dependents of full time ADF members aged up to 18 years of age. Children are only eligible to obtain the medallion once, so if they have already received a Child of the ADF Medallion here in Townsville, or any other location, please do not register them again.

When:             Friday, 19 September

Time:               5.30pm – 7.00pm

Where:            Wirraway Club, RAAF Base Townsville

Tickets:           Eventbrite – Child of the ADF Medallion Ceremony

***This event fills quickly so register now***

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!

WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL DAD’S DAY!!!

Correna Wheeler
Defence School Mentor

The Pitch (Music News)

Music News – Issue 14 Term 3 Week 7 / 8

Eisteddfod Week is Next Week!!

We're now only one week away from Eisteddfod Week, and very excited. There are still some outstanding permission notes, please return these as soon as possible.

Rehearsals were better this week, but there were still some children missing.  It is important that all children are partaking in the rehearsal to prepare for Eisteddfod performance. It is an expectation that all members of the Instrumental and Choral programs are attending all rehearsals. If there is an absence, we ask that it is being followed through with the ensemble teacher via email, phone call or note. If children have missed too many rehearsals, they will not be invited to the Eisteddfod. In the past, we have had some upset children when they don’t receive an invitation to attend. Please ensure that they are organised and ready for each rehearsal and lesson. 

Eisteddfod timetable is attached below to ensure you have the right gear and know what times you need to be at school.

Buses are on a tight schedule with school runs – we need to be on time.

Families are more than welcome to attend the Civic Theatre and watch the performances.

Date Claimer

INSTRUMENTAL RECRUITING 2026

All students in Year 2, 3, 4, and 5 are invited to apply for Strings, Brass, Woodwind, and Percussion. 

Learning an instrument is not only fun — it builds confidence, improves focus, and develops lifelong skills. We strongly encourage all interested students to apply.

To help you understand more, we will hold an information session on Wednesday 3 September from 5.00pm to 6.00pm with all the details you need. Make sure to mark your calendars and come be informed of what opportunities are available for your child learning an instrument.

Let’s get those applications in and start making music together!

Junior/Senior School Choir

Fiona Coleman

Both Choirs rehearsed with our very talented piano accompanist last Thursday.  They are making some great sounds and working extremely hard. 

A reminder about our novelty section song for Senior Choir and selected Year 3 Choral students ONLY. 

We do not ask that you go to great expense for a five minute performance. It is decided to dress as an old man. 

Some families have put some great ideas together to prepare for this. If you could, please start looking for these items it would be greatly appreciated. 

Some children are still not sure of all the words. Please keep going over them and learning so you can focus on the singing.

Musically Yours,
Fiona Coleman

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. - Plato
The stage is not about perfection—it’s about sharing joy.”

Prep News

What a busy week it has been in Prep. We have started working towards our next 75-Star Rewards time, making sure we fill our chart so we can join in on sensory play.

In English, we have been creating a spoken text to retell an experience. The children have been working on sequencing the events and sharing thoughts and feelings about an experience. PYE have been using Chatterpix on the iPad to share our ideas and present in a fun and exciting way. During library visits, we have been having so much fun exploring the fun photo props set up for us for Book Week!

In Maths, we have been sorting shapes based on their features and making number stories representing addition, subtraction and equal sharing.

In Science, the children have been learning about different materials and their properties to see which materials to select for their wind ornament.

Year One News

In Year One, we have had a busy couple of weeks. We have been working with our Year 6 buddies in the computer labs and doing some Science experiments.

Then we had our Book Week parade. It was so exciting and we had lots of fun parading around in our amazing costumes.

In Maths, we have been talking about lots of different concepts, such as hefting, sharing and shape. We really love doing our activities during Maths rotations.

Year Two News

This term in Science, Year 2 are learning about forces. Students must design a toy that will move with a push or pull.

In 2E, we had to predict what would happen if we applied a small, medium and hard force when pushing a toy car. We discovered that the harder you push a toy, the further it will travel. We have also made predictions about what would happen if we pushed our toy car down a ramp. We learned that as an object falls or rolls downhill, it speeds up and goes faster and faster. This is because gravity pulls it downwards. We have also investigated what would happen if we pushed our racing cars on different surfaces. We discovered that the cars went quickly and smoothly on the flat concrete, went quickly on the carpet but went slowly and got stuck in the grass because there was too much friction between the wheels and the long grass.

Year 2’s have been learning about measuring in Math. We have been exploring concepts of length, capacity and mass. Classes have learnt about measuring accurately using informal uniform units. This has involved several hands- on sessions to practice our precise measuring with our given units.

We have also considered a range of different measuring units according to the variety of objects we are measuring. We have made connections between appropriate units and the amount of time it takes to accurately measure it. We have figured out that a unit that is too short, too light or too small can take a very long time to measure a larger object. We have enjoyed the hands-on experiences this unit has created.

Year Three News

Over the past two weeks, Year Three have been working extra hard in class, tackling tricky Maths problems, polishing up their writing, and showing just how determined they can be. Of course, all that hard work needed a fun break, and Book Week provided the perfect excuse! From wizards and superheroes to characters who looked suspiciously like their teachers in disguise, the parade was full of laughs and creativity. It was wonderful to see the students enjoying stories together while proving that they can balance brains with a good dose of imagination.

Year Four News

This term in English, our Year 4 students have been learning all about persuasive presentations with a focus on sustainability. They have explored the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources, developed their persuasive writing skills, and practised powerful presenting techniques. A key highlight was our visit to the new school garden, where students saw firsthand how food waste can be diverted from landfill and reused to grow more food. It has been wonderful to see students combine their knowledge of sustainability with their growing confidence as persuasive speakers.

Year Five News

Recently, Year 5 were fortunate to combine with our Year 6’s and attend the Queensland Road Safety talks. The topic of this visit was to remind students about staying safe when sharing our roads with traffic with a particular focus on the safe use of E Scooters. It was great to have Constable Marcus our Police Liaison Officer, alongside Matthew from QLD Transport on hand to present accurate facts and respond to the many questions the students have around these topics. As well as tools and tips to stay safe using personal mobility devices, the presentation was a good reminder of the consequences if the rules around bikes, scooters and skateboards are ignored.

How great was Book week? Year 5 were spellbound by the fantastic performance of the Magic School bus and the Missing Willows Mascots. It was great also to see the efforts of families in organising costumes that reflect books read and individuals getting into the spirit of the parade. What a great turn out of parents and guardians this year. Shout out as well to all the year 5 children who performed as part of the dance/ acting troupes…what a great job they all did. They should be proud of their results. The many practice sessions obviously paid off. Did you know the Children’s Book Council have already announced next year’s theme? It will be Symphony of Stories!!

Year Six News

It has been a busy couple of weeks in 6D! We have been learning all about unit conversions between length, mass and capacity. We played a variety of Math games to consolidate their learning. Students are also underway with writing and soon creating their vlog about an ethical issue within Townsville! We cannot wait to see what they present! 6D was also given the opportunity to talk with Cowboys player, Jordan McLean. We spoke about the importance of persistence and resilience on and off the football field. Thank you so much for the opportunity Mr McLean! 

Community News

Softball Summer Camp