15 October 2025

Principal’s Pride

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,

Welcome to Week 2 of Term 4. It is wonderful to see our students have settled back into school routines well and are showing excellent engagement in their new units of learning across the school.  Thank you in advance for your support in assisting your child to finish their current school year strong. Curriculum overviews for Term 4 learning areas for each year level were distributed in last week’s Community Newsletter and I would strongly encourage caregivers to read these as they provide an excellent vehicle for parents to engage in discussions with their children about their learning.

I would also like to sincerely thank all parents/caregivers and community support agencies who attended our Queensland Mental Health Wellbeing Breakfast last Friday. Your support was much appreciated, and it was wonderful to see so many people connecting with each other. A special thank you to Mrs Courtney Kelly, our Guidance Officer, for her coordination of this event and our P&C for their donation of time and resources to support this.

As mentioned previously, this term will be very busy, and I encourage you to read our newsletter carefully each week to stay informed about timelines for permission forms and payments for all school programs and events to avoid disappointment for you and your child. 

Our P&C will also have two exciting fundraising events this term – a Mega Christmas Raffle (to be drawn at the Prep to Year 3 Christmas Concert on Friday, 5 December) and the Halloween-themed Boooo-sical Bingo Night on Friday, 24 October. Please see the P&C section of this newsletter for important information regarding how you can support both final fundraising endeavours for the school year. If you would like to come along to a P&C meeting the first one for Term 4 will be held on Wednesday, 15 October at 6pm. 

Inclusive Education – Parent Workshop Opportunity

CRU’s Families for Inclusive Education (FFIE) project is funded by the QLD Department of Education to equip family members of students with disability to partner with their schools for their children’s inclusive education. 

Bright Beginnings: Planning a happy and inclusive start to school
(Online - Tuesday 28 October 10:00am to 11:30am)

In this online workshop parents will learn practical ways to start school with a strong partnership and set their child up for belonging and success. This workshop is most suitable for parents of children with disability who will be starting school in 2026 or 2027. Parents whose children have started school in 2025 are also welcome to attend to learn, build their confidence, and meet other parents of young children. 

For more information and to register for this free online workshop, please click here 

Student Leaders 2026 – Selection Process Timelines

Interviews for School Captains, School Vice-Captains and School Cultural Captains were conducted last Friday and Monday. I felt very honoured to be part of a panel of leadership team members privileged to hear our next generation of student leaders speak about their leadership role models and what they could bring to a leadership role at The Willows State School. Their demonstrated attributes, insights and reflections were remarkable and they should each be extremely proud of their efforts. Students who have nominated for Sport and Music Captain roles will now be participating in their selection and voting processes next week on Thursday, 23 October. I wish all sport and music captain nominees the very best for their speeches. All 2026 student leadership roles will be announced to the applicants in Week 6.

2026 BYOx Program – Year 4-5

Thank you to the families who were able to come along to our Term 3 and Term 4 BYOx parent information sessions. Please contact the school to request further information if you were unable to attend. Please also notify the school as soon as possible if you have made the decision to commit your child to the BYOx Program in 2026 as class planning is occurring early in Term 4.

REMINDER: Natalie Marr MP – Thuringowa Christmas Card Competition

STAS – School Transport Assistance Scheme – refer flyer for details

2026 Prep Enrolments

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.

Our final Prep Bulk Enrolment Session will be held on Wednesday, 29 October, with our Prep Open Day Sessions for all enrolled 2026 Prep students occurring on Wednesday, 12 November. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for families to learn more about our great school and our incoming Prep students to experience a classroom environment.

2026 Enrolments – NOW OPEN FOR ALL YEAR LEVELS 

Our school is still 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. 

Our next bulk enrolment session for 2026 Prep to Year 6 students will be held on Wednesday, 26 November.

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.

Every Day Counts

Please contact the school to speak with your child’s class teacher or relevant Deputy Principal in the first instance should you require any support with school attendance concerns.  We have several student wellbeing and engagement staff who can assist families. It is vitally important to seek help to work through any worries early on, before concerns escalate or poor patterns of attendance become established.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Term 4, Weeks 1 to 2 Fortnightly Rule Focus

We are entering our final term of the year and students are expected to “Be Ready, Be Respectful, and Shine Bright in Term 4!”

Being prepared, both mentally and physically is important. Students are expected to have materials ready and arrive on time to class with the growth mindset.  We expect them to have a go at all set work and activities.

‘Being Ready’ in Term 4 is especially important as it’s a time for consolidating our years’ worth of learning, reflecting on our growth and setting goals for the next year.

‘Being Respectful’ is the foundation of a positive learning environment. Being respectful helps build strong relationships and allows everyone to thrive in the classroom.

We show respect by;

• following all staff instructions, both in classroom and playground
• listening to others when they are speaking  
• treating everyone with kindness and fairness
• following school rules and playing safely in your correct spaces
• caring for your own property, including school equipment and others
• thinking about how our actions have an impact on the wellbeing and learning of others

‘Shine bright’ refers to students doing their best and showing their strengths. We ask them to be proud of who they are, keep going when things get tough and never give up! We celebrate their progress and achievements throughout the year!

Have a wonderful week. Keep encouraging your students to ‘finish the year strong.’

Our next newsletter for Term 4 will be issued on Wednesday the 22nd of October.

Warm regards,

Michelle Donn
Principal

Upcoming Events

Year Level Parade Times

P and C News

🎃🧛‍♀️ The Willows State School P&C Presents 🧟‍♂️🎶
BOOOOO-SICAL BINGO!
A spooky twist on your favourite game night!

📅 Friday, October 24
⏰ Doors open 6:00PM | Bingo kicks off 6:30PM
📍 The Willows State School Hall

Get ready for a fang-tastic night of Halloween-themed Musical Bingo!
Come dressed in your creepiest, funniest or most creative costume for your chance to win Best Dressed Awards.

Prizes to be won!

• Cash Prizes
• Lucky Door Prizes
• Best Dressed Awards

Pre-order your platters!

• Antipasto
• Cob Loaf
• Bolognese Pasta
• Sweet Platter
  Platter pre-orders close Tuesday, October 21.

Bar available on the night – No BYO Alcohol

$20 per player - Includes your own Musical Bingo sheet!

Tickets and platters can be purchased:

• By returning the booking form with cash
• Or via Flexischools

Please note: Platters may contain gluten, dairy and other allergens. Email us for ingredient info if required.

Positive Behaviour Learning (Safe, Respectful, Responsible)

PBL Fortnightly Focus

We will continue with the fortnightly focus “Be Ready, Be Respectful, and Shine Bright in Term 4!” As we are in Term 4, students are expected to have materials ready and arrive on time to class with the growth mindset to have a go at all set work and activities.

Being ready in Term 4 is especially important as it’s a time for consolidating our years’ worth of learning, reflecting on our growth and setting goals for the next year.

Respect is the foundation of a positive learning environment. We show respect by:

• following all staff instructions, both in classroom and playground
• listening to others when they are speaking
• treating everyone with kindness and fairness
• following school rules and playing safely in the correct areas
• caring for your own property, including school equipment and others
• thinking about how our actions have an impact on the wellbeing and learning of others in the classroom

Being respectful helps build strong relationships and allows everyone to thrive in the classroom.

Shine bright, do your best and show your strengths. Be proud of who you are!

Keep going when things get tough, never give up!

Celebrate your progress and things you have achieved throughout the year!

Student Leaders

Congratulations to all the students shortlisted for the leadership positions last term.

School Captain interviews were conducted by Mrs Donn, Mrs Winter and Mrs Nosworthy on Friday 10^th and Monday 13^th of October.

The quality of the students involved was outstanding and they should be congratulated for their efforts.

Sports and Music Captain speeches will happen on Thursday 23^rd October, Week 3.

Announcements of the 2026 leaders will happen in Week 6.

Icy Cups for Sale – Week 2

• Icy cups will be sold from Wednesday Week 2 at 2:55pm from the TCBC kitchen for the Year 3 to 6 students and Junior CPA for the Prep to Year 2 students.
• Icy cups are 50cents each and all money raised goes to Student Council.
• Student Council is raising funds for signage across the school to build on the school community spirit.

Defence News

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

Thank you to Jess from DMFS for joining me last Friday at the Wellbeing Breakfast. We had a great time meeting families and sharing information about Defence lifestyle. Special thanks to Chelsea from Year 4 for offering to help me at the display table.

You can contact me by email, phone or come in for a chat about how your family are coping this year and if there are any postings or absences on the horizon. Posting time is fast approaching so if you are having difficulty with the process, please reach out to me. I am available Monday to Wednesday for a chat, offer support and advise of appropriate agencies if you desire. If you have already chosen a school, reach out and request an enrolment pack to get the process started. This will assist with the process on arrival to your new location. 

Geckos Community Centre at Lavarack Barracks is open during the week for families to visit. Follow them on Facebook and contact them with questions or reach out to me if you have any questions. The attached DMFS newsletter is packed with activities to attend and is a must read. I have also provided fact sheets on moving.

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 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

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

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

Townsville RSL Annual Veterans Health Expo

There will be over 20 stalls with ex-service organisations, local businesses, support agencies in attendance, the café will be open, and there’ll be activities for the kids.

Where:           Townsville RSL, 139 Charters Towers Rd, Hermit Park
When:            Saturday, 18 October 2025
Time:              10:00am-2:00pm
More info:      4759 9500 / www.townsvillersl.com.au 

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

NEVER LET ANYONE DULL YOUR SHINE!

Pitch News

Hope you all enjoyed your break with family and friends. Welcome back as we prepare for a very busy Term 4.

Instrumental timetables for Term 4 were emailed at the end of the second week of holidays, given to your child during lessons last week, displayed outside the music room and emailed to your child’s class teacher. Please ensure you are attending on time.

Please check the date claimer below with all Instrumental/Choral members detailing dates that your child will be required for various events. All children in both Choirs and Instrumental programs are performing on Tuesday, 28^th October at our Performers’ Concert. This is our last formal performance for the year. It is expected that every member of the Choral and Instrumental groups are in attendance as a requirement of you being part of the Instrumental/Choral Program. If you were unable to attend the Eisteddfod last term, you are invited to our night starting at 4.30pm in TCBC to be entertained. All children are required to be at the music room by 3.45pm to change and tune up ready to start promptly at 4.30pm. Your child is more than welcome to stay back at school and await for your arrival. Please provide them with a small afternoon snack to eat prior to changing.

It is essential that there is no talking or movement during the performances and concert etiquette is of utmost importance. A reminder that all children must be supervised and playground equipment is out of bounds.  It will be a longer performance than normal.

If your child is interested in learning an instrument and starting in our Instrumental Program for 2026, you are also invited to be guests at our Performers’ Concert and be entertained by our current members and see what our program has to offer and what your child may be part of from 2026.

Date Claimer

AUSTA Strings Fest

31 October to 2 November, 2025

Please follow the link and register if you haven’t already done so. The AUSTA NQ Celebration of Strings Festival is an annual workshop which brings together hundreds of the String players from primary schools in the Townsville region for a great concert celebrating the fun of string playing. The festival is for students up to Year 8, in five massive Orchestras, our concert promises to be a hit, especially for an auditorium full of adoring family and friends. Notes are being sent home this week. It is a great experience for the strings children.  Copy of the schedule - 

If interested, please register via this link - 

INSTRUMENTAL RECRUITING 2026

Testing for our potential new students has now taken place and all children who applied will receive their letters of offer in Term 4, Week 2/3. If you missed testing but are still interested in joining our program, please contact myself or through the office as soon as possible. We have very limited spots for our new recruits to our Instrumental Program for 2026. This is determined on Instrumental teachers, time allocation, school instruments and current students already in the program.

A reminder that our 2025 first-year Instrumentalists will need to return their instruments at the end of Term 4 so they can be cleaned and prepared for our 2026 Beginners.

All continuing students will now need to purchase their own instrument (except for children playing larger instruments that can be loaned again). Now is the perfect time to start searching for a good quality second-hand instrument.

Junior & Senior Choirs

Fiona Coleman

The Choir will be performing and showcasing their pieces from this year at the Performer’s concert in Week 4. The Senior Choir are also preparing for Remembrance Day and will perform on Tuesday, 11 November. We will combine the Choirs to prepare for Christmas performances.

Music Shirts, Folders/Music, School Instruments/Fees

All instruments will be collected by Friday, 28 November (end of week 8) for repairs and cleaning and to get ready for our 2026 Instrumentalists. 

INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE

If your child has outgrown their instrument or they are upgrading, I’m happy to advertise through the newsletter. Please send information to fcole7@eq.edu.au including instrument type, brand, size, contact details and your asking price and I will publish in next newsletter. All communication and selling is to be done between the buyer and seller not the school. Keep a look out on Facebook marketplace.

Musically Yours,
Fiona Coleman

“Music can change the world because it can change people.” – Bono

“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Prep News

Welcome to the final term of the 2025 school year. We cannot believe the school year is already coming to an end! The children have been showing some great independence and skills ready for Year 1.

In English this term, we are creating a written text to retell a familiar story. We will also learn to read, view and comprehend imaginative texts!

In Maths, we will be partitioning and combining collections in different ways and representing these with numbers.

In Science, we will be describing how properties affect movement of familiar objects. In PYE, we have started with an inquiry-based approach as the children enjoyed making ramps for objects to investigate and compare. 

Year One News

Welcome back to Term 4. We have had a very busy start to our term and a whole range of different out of class activities as well as starting our new units of learning.

In our classrooms, we've been discussing the two focus tasks for this term. We have a reading comprehension and a written task surrounding imaginative texts. Our learners are building the skills they need to successfully write about characters, settings, events and make personal connections with animal characters within the stories we read. 

In our Maths learning, we are continuing our number understanding. Year 1’s are ordering numbers from least to greatest values. They will also be focusing on continuing and creating patterns of numbers (2’s, 5’s 10’s) as well as objects.

In Science, our focus is on investigating what creates light and sound, sorting toys according to whether they are created for the purpose of making light and sound as well as creating toys that make sound. We are very excited because as part of this learning we will get to create our own toys that make sound too.

Year Two News

Year 2E students have started Term 4 strong.

In Maths, we have been revising standard and non-standard partitioning to 1000, making fact families for addition and subtraction using part part whole models and learning to do vertical addition with regrouping.

In English, we have started reading the book “Tashi” which is the first book in the Tashi series. We have been answering questions using the words and pictures in the book to help us.

In Science, we have begun learning about the resources we get from the Earth.  We have planted bean seeds in sand, clay and potting mix. We started a Bean Diary so we can record our observations over the next few weeks. Fingers crossed that they all grow!

Year Three News

Welcome to our final term of Year 3! We are excited for all the wonderful learning and celebrations ahead.

In English, students are focusing on writing narratives. They are learning how to create engaging beginnings, add exciting complications, and finish with satisfying resolutions. We are also polishing our skills in using descriptive language, similes, and compound sentences to make stories shine. By the end of the term, students will publish a piece they can feel proud of.

This term in Mathematics, our Year 3 students are exploring the exciting world of chance! They’re learning to use everyday language such as likely, unlikely, certain, and impossible to describe how probable different events are. Through hands-on games, experiments, and class discussions, students are discovering that chance is all around us — from flipping coins to predicting smartie colours! They are also learning to collect data, make predictions, and explain their reasoning.

It’s been amazing to see how far our students have come, and this term we are looking forward to consolidating our learning and celebrating achievements together.

Year Four News

This term in English, our students will be reading a fantasy novel called Rowan of Rin. The students have really enjoyed learning about the Village of Rin and each role the characters play to help the village run. The main source of food in the village comes from an imaginary animal called a Bukshah. The Bukshah provides the village with cheese, milk, curd, butter and even cloth.

Year Five News

Year 5s Explore Values, Identity, and Leadership

This term, our Year 5 students have been learning about values, identity, and leadership skills through our Health and HASS units. Students explored what makes them unique and the values that shape their decisions, actions, and relationships. We have reflected on the qualities of good leaders and how they can show leadership in our everyday life—both in and out of the classroom.

Year Six News

This term for English, students are reading, viewing and comprehending different texts created to engage audiences. Alongside this, students will plan, create, edit and publish a written imaginative text, containing a variety of text structures, language features and literary devices with a supporting image.

This term in Maths, students will be working with number and algebra, and probability.

In Science, students will investigate the environmental factors that affect how living things grow and survive.

In HASS, students will be exploring the inquiry question: How can resources be used to benefit individuals, the community and the environment?

In Health, students will explore the feelings, challenges and issues associated with making a smooth transition to high school.