Welcome to the 2025 School Year

Christmas Holidays are great but it’s so wonderful to be back into routine and to see all the kids ready to learn and back at it. It has been a fantastic and very settled start to the 2025 school year. We are very proud of how well our students have transitioned back into routine and been hard at it. Welcome back to the 2025 school year.

I spoke to the Year 4-6 students at Assembly on Monday and gave them a number of notices. A brief outline of the topics is following. Please help us and your child by mentioning these expectations again at appropriate moments:

Wearing Hats – Sun protection is important, students are expected to wear hats even whilst playing sport. Staff on duty may give reminders but if they have to ask twice you may be asked to sit in the shade for 10 mins and miss out on play if you aren’t wearing your hat in the sun.

Rubbish – far too much rubbish – thanks to those who are picking up other bits when on route to bins. Put your rubbish IN THE BIN.

Running on Concrete – Great work to many who are sitting in shady areas during break times and eating time. DO NOT RUN around buildings. Rubbish pickup may result if caught running on concrete.

Bringing large amounts of money to school – do not bring pineapples ($50) or $100 notes. No need to bring lots of money to school.

Lunchtime Clubs – be on the look out for upcoming lunchtime club opportunities. Mrs Humphries is starting Puzzle Club on Mondays 11 – 11:30 in 6F.

After School – after being released go straight to your meeting place or start walking straight away. There are staff on duty at every gate until 3:30pm. If you haven’t been picked up by 3:30pm go to office.

Ready to Learn Plan – I spoke about students' roles and responsibilities as per the enrolment agreement and discussed the four step 'Ready to Learn Plan". See more detail below:

Supporting Every Student: Ready to Learn Plans at Warrigal Road

At Warrigal Road State School, we know that every student learns best when they feel safe, supported, and ready to engage. To ensure that all students can make the most of their learning time, we have Ready to Learn Plans in place. These are personalised strategies designed to help students manage their emotions, stay focused, and develop positive learning habits.

What is a Ready to Learn Plan?

A Ready to Learn Plan is a simple, structured approach that helps students identify what they need to be successful at school. It is developed with input from teachers, support staff, and sometimes parents, ensuring that each plan is tailored to the individual child’s needs.

The plan may include:
✅ Clear expectations for behaviour and learning
✅ Personal strategies to help students refocus if they become distracted or upset
✅ Supportive routines to create consistency and confidence
✅ A network of trusted adults who can provide assistance when needed

Why Are These Plans Important?

Some students may face challenges in staying engaged, regulating their emotions, or managing social interactions. A Ready to Learn Plan gives them the tools to navigate these challenges in a positive way. Instead of reacting to difficulties, students learn proactive strategies to help them stay on track and succeed.

How Do Parents Fit In?

We value our partnership with parents in supporting students. You can help by:
? Reinforcing positive habits at home – Encouraging routines and strategies that align with school expectations.
? Communicating with teachers – Sharing insights about what works best for your child and keeping us informed of any changes or concerns.
? Encouraging a growth mindset – Reminding your child that learning is a journey, and it’s okay to make mistakes as long as they keep trying.

Here’s your revised version with improved flow, clarity, and professionalism while maintaining your key points:

Looking Ahead

Our goal is for every child to feel confident, capable, and ready to learn each day. If your child has a Ready to Learn Plan, their teacher will keep you updated on their progress. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how you can support your child’s plan at home, please reach out to their teacher.

Together, we can create the best learning environment for every student at Warrigal Road!

Students also have roles and responsibilities as outlined in our Code of Conduct. We have spoken extensively with students about their role at school, emphasising that learning is their job. Ready to Learn Plans provide strategies for students who are struggling to engage productively in their learning.

At Warrigal, if a student is not ready to learn and is impacting the teacher’s ability to teach or other students’ right to learn, we follow a four-step process:

Step One – Support and redirection within the classroom.
Step Two – Relocation to a buddy classroom for further reflection and refocusing.
Step Three – Intervention by a member of the administration team.
Step Four – “Enough school for today” – At this stage, a parent or caregiver will be contacted by an administration team member to collect their child.

Our goal is always to prevent students from reaching Step Four. However, in some cases, this step is necessary as an alternative to suspension when a student's actions disrupt the good order and management of the school.

We are committed to supporting students at an exemplary level, but we also recognise that maintaining a high-performing learning environment is essential. Our community has high expectations for student behaviour and achievement, and we uphold these standards while ensuring that student wellbeing remains a priority.

Thank you for your support in fostering a positive and productive learning environment at Warrigal Road!

Parent-Teacher Afternoon Meetings – A Key to a Great Year!

We are excited to invite all parents and carers to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Afternoon Meetings, a fantastic opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and gain valuable insights into the year ahead. These sessions are designed to provide an overview of classroom rules, routines, expectations, and procedures, helping to create a smooth and successful learning journey for your child.

Building strong partnerships between home and school is key to student success. These meetings allow you to understand how your child’s classroom operates and the best ways to support their learning. Teachers will also outline preferred communication channels, ensuring you have clear and efficient ways to stay informed and engaged throughout the year.

While these sessions provide a great general overview, we understand that some matters require more in-depth discussion. If you have specific concerns or important issues to discuss regarding your child, we encourage you to make an appointment with the teacher at a separate time. This ensures dedicated time for a meaningful and productive conversation.

We look forward to seeing you at the Parent-Teacher Afternoon Meetings and working together to make this year a positive and successful experience for every student.

Lock the following times in your calendar:

Tuesday 11 February

3:15-3:45 Prep & Year Six (Classrooms)

3:45-4:15 Year Five (Classrooms)

Wednesday 12 February

3:15-3:45 Year Two (Classrooms)

3:45 - 4:15 Year Three (Classrooms)

Thursday 13 February

3:15 - 3:45 Year One (Classrooms)

3:45 - 4:15 Year Four (Classrooms)

iPad information sessions for P-2 parents  

** If you you have your child's iPad, please bring it to this session.

Monday 10 Feb 3-4pm (Block two)

Friday 14 Feb 9-10am (Block two)

Check our Facebook page for location details closer to the date for any last minute location changes.

Welcome New Staff for 2025

This year we welcome:

Ms Jade Martin (Yr 2)

Ms Grace Connell (Yr2)

Ms Viola Chen (Yr 2)

Ms Jacinta Reberger (Yr 2)

Ms Sophia Ka Po Mai (Yr 3)

Ms Toni Weir (Year 3 welcome back)

Mrs Mogan Price (PB welcome back)

Mrs Brittany Shing (Teacher Aide – welcome back)

Mrs Selena Dunne (Office)

I’m sure you will join with me in welcoming these wonderful staff to our team.

Academic Excellence at Warrigal Road – Setting the Standard for Success!

At Warrigal Road State School, we believe that **academic excellence starts from Day 1 of Prep**. We are committed to nurturing every student’s potential through **strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, student agency, an inquiry-driven curriculum, and powerful partnerships in learning—all within a school culture that prioritises student wellbeing**. 

Our results speak for themselves. In **NAPLAN 2023**, over **60% of our Year 3 students** achieved in the **Strong or Exceeding categories** across every assessed area. By Year 5, this success is even greater, with **over 70% of students** reaching these high standards. This isn’t just about maintaining excellence—it’s about accelerating it. At Warrigal, we **don’t just keep good students good; we make good students great!** 

Investing in Excellence

Great schools don’t happen by chance—they happen through **dedicated teachers, strong leadership, and ongoing investment in learning**. In 2024 alone, we invested **over $150,000** in teacher professional development, ensuring our staff are highly skilled and prepared to deliver the best education possible. 

In 2025, our teachers are exceptionally well-prepared to implement Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum in English and Mathematics. With the latest research and best teaching practices in place, we are setting our students up for even greater success. 

Congratulations on choosing Warrigal Road for your child?

✅ **A Focus on Wellbeing** – We know that **happy, confident children achieve more**, which is why wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. Our students feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive. 

✅ **Excellence in Literacy & Numeracy** – Our commitment to **strong foundational skills** ensures every child is set up for success in their academic journey. 

✅ **Innovative Inquiry Curriculum** – We foster **curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving**, preparing students for the future with real-world learning experiences. 

✅ **Student Agency** – We empower students to take ownership of their learning, **building independence, resilience, and a love of learning**. 

✅ **Strong Partnerships in Learning** – We believe education is a shared journey. Through **strong collaboration between school and home**, we maximise every child’s potential.  

When you choose Warrigal Road, you are choosing a school that delivers outstanding academic outcomes while ensuring every child is nurtured, challenged, and inspired. If you want your child to flourish in a school where wellbeing and excellence go hand in hand, then Warrigal Road is the right choice. 

Invoices and Consent Requests for Term 1 Year Level activities and Music Resource Scheme have been sent to parents on Monday.

• An invoice has been sent for each activity (via QParents and email)                                          
• Consent requests, including details of the excursion/camp have been sent via QParents For excursions and camps, you must make payment and give consent before your child will be added to the participant list. Consent can only be given via QParents, so if you are not yet registered please contact the office.
• Consent is no longer required for incursions (school-based activities). Once you have paid your invoice your child will be included on the participants list.

TERM 1 ACTIVITIES

It is critical that payments are made and consent granted via QParents by the due date, which is a week earlier than the event itself.  The school needs this time to finalise arrangements for buses, venues, etc and ensure that teachers are provided with accurate lists of participating students.  Requests for late payments cannot be accommodated, so please make sure that you have responded by the due date.

We have a number of payment arrangements available which can help make payments more manageable.  We have many families currently taking advantage of these arrangements.  If you would like further information, please contact the Business Manager.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school office.

MSP Photography is our new photo company this year and will be onsite to take photos on 24th and 25th February.

The process of online orders only is still in place, but a little different this year. All students have been given the personalised forms for the photo order, this contains a unique code. If you do not have this form orders can be done online via the steps below.  All enquires please contact MSP directly on 3848 3946

NAPLAN Information

Our Year 3 and Year 5 students will engage with the 2025 NAPLAN testing in weeks 7 and 8 of this term.  All students in Year 3 and Year 5 will participate in a Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy test (unless exempt or withdrawn).  The testing  period at WRSS will take place from the 12^th of March up until the 21^st of March.  A detailed schedule outlining the test dates is attached.  

Please find attached the following documents regarding NAPLAN information. 

• 2025 WRSS NAPLAN Schedule
• NAPLAN Information Brochure for Parents and Carers
• Simple English NAPLAN Parent and Carer Information

Students will begin to engage with the testing platform at school over the comings weeks.  If you would like to support your child at home please read the above attachments and also access the Parent and Carer Information and Public Demonstration site (links below).

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site

Please note, Year 5 students will be supported to download the NAPAN Lockdown Browser on to their BYOD laptops at school next week, further information will be emailed to parents.  

Upcoming Eastern Taipans District School Sport Trials (10-12 years ONLY)

If you wish to nominate your child (born 2013-2015) in a particular sport, please email Miss Currie (scurr72@eq.edu.au) at least 3 weeks prior to the trial date (wherever possible). Each school is only allowed to send 2 students to trial. Only students displaying quality skill levels will be sent to trial. Most team selections pick one team which covers a 10-12yr age group bracket. There are not individual teams for each age group.

 OTHER IMPORTANT DATES

GALA DAY TRIALS

Gala Day Trials for Year 5 and 6 students will be held at school on 14^th February from 11:45am-3pm. All students wishing to try out for a team will sign up during HPE lessons this week. Any student who is not selected to represent a Gala Day Team will stay at school and participate in Intra-School Activities. I encourage all students to trial for a team in week 3. The sports on offer for Semester 1 are:

• Soccer - Boys and Girls
• Basketball - Boys and Girls
• Rugby League – Boys and Girls (mixed)
• Tee Ball – Boys and Girls

2025 HOUSE CAPTAINS

Congratulations to the following Year 6 students who have been selected as our 2025 House Captains. The Warrigal Sports Department look forward to working with you all throughout the year. House Captains will be presented with their badges at the Leadership Induction Ceremony on the 14^th February (9am start). Parents are welcome to attend.

MISS SARAH CURRIE – SPORTS COORDINATOR

I was incredibly impressed by the Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, and Boys Chorus during their first rehearsal back. The level of concentration, listening, and singing skills they demonstrated was outstanding! We've already begun organizing our choir lines and have started to briefly work through new pieces of music. The more focused we are, the faster we learn, and the better we sound—this allows us to focus on polishing the performance. In time, we’ll send home the music, and I’ll email recordings to the students for them to practice with. It's important for students to sing through a little each day, working on remembering the words and melodies. If any students have trouble accessing their email, they can arrange a time with me to transfer the recordings onto their USBs.

INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS HAVE NOW BEGUN!
Please ensure your child checks their lesson time, which is posted on the windows outside the music block. Lessons are in small groups based on the instrument they’re learning, and rehearsals include all the instrument parts together. Please remind your child to bring the necessary equipment—such as their tutor book, cleaning cloths/products (oils, greases), shoulder rest, and rosin for strings. Students are taught how to properly maintain their instruments so they’ll work effectively during lessons and rehearsals.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please make sure to name your child’s instrument—use a luggage bag tag with their name and class. This ensures they pick up the right instrument and helps prevent confusion or distress if instruments can’t be found.

PLEASE NOTE:
Mr. Holloway will be absent from Warrigal on Wednesday, February 12th, so there will be no Corelli rehearsal or lessons that day. Instruments can stay at home.

Junior Choir and Year 3 Singing Club will begin their rehearsal next week.
I have a list of students who returned a Choir Contract at the end of last year. If your child would like to join a choir, they are welcome to attend the first rehearsal and pick up a form.

In Week 4, Tuesday, February 18th, students interested in the Year 2 Singing Club can meet Mrs. Libby Courtice at Modular D to sign up and receive a letter to take home. Parents should read, sign, and return the letter to the box outside the Music Block. Please refer to the rehearsal schedule for Choir rehearsal times.

Reference Letters for Current 2025 Year 6 Instrumental/Choir Students Only:
I would like to begin working on reference letters for students applying to high school. These letters take time to prepare as I need to speak with instrumental staff and get approval from administration for each one.

Information you will need to provide:

1. Your child’s name & class (2025) and current ensemble/choir/leadership role
2. Year of entry into the WRSS Music Program
3. Ensembles/choir groups your child has participated in previously
4. If you have a cut-off date for submission, please include that as well

NB: Requests for references will only be accepted until Friday, 28th February. Reference letters will be processed in the order of receipt and completed by the last week of Term 1 (unless requested earlier). Please note that we will not be writing references after Term 1.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

All emails are to be directed to the following address.

music1@warrigalroadss.eq.edu.au

In all emails, your child’s name and class will need to be included in the subject heading

Robyn Kelly
Director of Music     

As the WRSS Community Engagement Officer, my role is to keep our school community informed and connected. I share regular updates on upcoming events through our Warrigal Road State School Facebook page, ensuring families stay up to date with what’s happening each week. A full-term event calendar is also available on our WRSS website: https://warrigalroadss.eq.edu.au.

At WRSS, we celebrate diversity and inclusivity. I help raise awareness of cultural events such as Ramadan, Easter, and more. For instance, during Ramadan, I arrange a prayer room for our Muslim students and provide a designated space where they can choose to sit separately during eating times.

We appreciate your feedback regarding the Ramadan signs around the school and acknowledge that some of the writing appeared backward. We sincerely apologise and thank you for bringing this to our attention.

On our website, I have highlighted several cultural dates shared by our students and parents. If there are any additional events that should be recognised, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to email me at cmull195@eq.edu.au, visit me in the office, or simply stop me for a chat as I walk through our wonderful school.

Thank you for being a valued part of our WRSS community!

Miss Muller

As a requirement each year, you must complete a Membership Application Form, which will be accepted during the AGM. Please submit your form by emailing cmull195@eq.edu.au or dropping it off at my office, or leaving it at the front office.  See form attached.

More details will be shared as the date approaches.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Kind Regards,

Miss Christine Muller

Community Engagement Officer

Warrigal Road State School