Term 3 Week 4 Newsletter
From the Principal - Mrs Walsh
2025 School Opinion Survey
This year’s School Opinion Survey runs from 28 July to 22 August. Parents, carers, students in selected year levels, and staff have been emailed a link to participate. Your feedback will help us understand our school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Survey responses are confidential. Find out more on the School Opinion Survey webpage or contact school administration.
We warmly invite you to attend a special session with the Principal where we will seek your valued input on the future direction of Eight Mile Plains State School.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will be using the Appreciative Inquiry cycle to gather your thoughts, ideas, and aspirations in three key areas:
Academic Achievement
Wellbeing
School Community and Engagement
These sessions are designed to identify what is working well, what matters most to you as families, and how we can build on our strengths to ensure our school continues to thrive.
The feedback gathered will directly inform our future planning and will help shape our improvement strategies and policies from 2026 onwards. Your voice is an essential part of this process, and we encourage all families to be involved.
Session 1
📅 Friday 15 August
🕒 9am – 10.00am
📍 School Music Room – A block
Session 2
📅 Tuesday 12 August
🕒 6pm – 7pm
📍 School Library
Please RSVP to help us with planning. You can do so by contacting the school office or at admin@eightmileplainsss.eq.edu.au
We look forward to working together to shape a bright future for our students and school community.
Mrs Tamara Walsh
Principal
From the Deputy Principal - Mr Horridge
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
As a Parent, what do I need to know?
Each year, all Australian schools participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). This national initiative helps provide the Australian Government with valuable information about the number of students with disability in schools and the level of support they receive to access and participate in learning on the same basis as their peers. The NCCD is used to determine school funding for students with a disability (Inclusion), as part of the Reasonable Adjustments Resourcing (RAR) model.
If your child has a disability and requires ongoing adjustments at school, teachers work in consultation with you to understand their needs. This collaborative process helps ensure appropriate adjustments are made to support your child’s learning and participation. A student is included in the NCCD if they require adjustments due to a disability, as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 This link will open in a new window (DDA). This includes a wide range of conditions such as physical and intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties like dyslexia or dysgraphia, and mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.
As part of this process, schools collect the following information:
- The student’s year level
- The category of disability (physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional)
- The level of adjustment provided (quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial, or extensive)
We are currently in the validation phase of this process. Teachers are reviewing and confirming data based on evidence gathered throughout the year—such as learning plans, classroom observations, and records of support. This ensures accuracy and reflects the adjustments made to support our students.
Please note:
- Personal details (like names) are not submitted to education authorities.
- The NCCD does not impact your child’s report card or daily school experience.
- It helps schools improve planning, allocate resources more effectively, and strengthen inclusive practices.
While it is not possible for schools or families to ‘opt out’ of the NCCD, the privacy and confidentiality of all students and their families is treated with utmost importance. To learn more, visit the NCCD website: www.nccd.edu.au. A Fact sheet for parents, guardians and carers is also available in multiple languages.
If you have any questions about the NCCD or RAR, please contact Fabian Horridge (Deputy Principal) at school on 07) 3340 6333.
Premier’s Reading Challenge – Still time!!!
This term our school continues participating in the 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC)!
The PRC is not a competition but a way to encourage students to develop a love of reading for life. Students are encouraged to select a range of fiction and non-fiction books suited to their reading ability and record books read during the reading period, between 6 May 2025 to 22 August 2025.
To complete the challenge:
- Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books
- Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books
- Years 5 to 9 must read at least 15 books.
Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories, or reading picture books. The aim for the 2025 challenge is to encourage students to make time to read. Last year saw more than 130,000 children from around the state participate.
Key dates:
- 22 April 2025 - Online database registrations open
- 6 May 2025 - Reading period commences for Prep to Year 9 students*
- 11 - 22 August 2025 - Early childhood participation period
- 22 August 2025 - Reading period finishes for prep to Year 9 students*
- 5 September 2025 - All reading data must be finalised in the database
- October 2025 - Certificates of Achievement issued
- 3 to 14 November 2025 - Premier's Reading Challenge celebration weeks
News from 3B - Mrs N
3B Fraction Fanatics!
This term, 3B students have become fraction fanatics! We have been representing fractions using whole area models, sharing collections to solve fraction problems and playing many fraction games.
Students have been using halves, thirds, quarters, fifths and eighths. Students made the discovery of using their 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 division number facts to help solve fractions of a collection.
Fraction Fanatics - 3B
News from 5A - Mr Gibson
Term 3 Newsletter Week 4
Book or Movie?
So far, students have been reading and viewing the book and movie of ‘The Lorax’ and making comparisons between the movie and the book. They are explaining the different features and portrayal of characters, settings, visual and sound features. Students are also explaining which version of ‘The Lorax’ is better and why, using evidence from the text or movie viewed to support their argument.
In Science, we are learning all about light. Thanks to Cooper and Declan for creating beats from Garage Band to match the song lyrics ‘Light (Straight Lines). It is a song I wrote that links to the experiments we are completing while investigating light. Hopefully these lyrics helps to reinforce to the students the concepts learned through the unit.
News from 6A - Mrs Harvey
The Power of Reading Together
Even in Year 6, reading remains one of the most valuable habits your child can develop. It’s not just about building academic skills; it’s about building connection.
At this age, many children become more independent readers, but that doesn’t mean reading aloud with a parent loses its value. In fact, it can be an incredibly meaningful time of bonding. Whether it’s a chapter before bed, reading side by side, or taking turns with voices and characters, reading together can create moments of calm, closeness and shared joy in your busy week.
Reading regularly supports so many aspects of learning; spelling, grammar, writing fluency, and vocabulary. It also builds stronger speaking and listening skills and gives children models for how to express themselves. Even more, reading together gives children a chance to ask questions, explore big ideas, and grow their confidence in conversations, both at home and in the classroom.
Megan Daley, author of Raising Readers, highlights the many benefits of reading aloud to older children. Her book offers practical tips and research-backed advice on how to nurture lifelong readers. One key message: children are never too old to be read to. Daley reminds us that reading together can strengthen emotional bonds and create cherished routines, especially as children grow into the tween and teen years.
You can also follow Megan Daley and author Allison Tait on their Facebook page and podcast, Your Child’s Next Read. It’s full of book recommendations, helpful discussions, and tips for families looking to support their child’s reading journey at every age.
Here are a few popular authors and books that are great for Year 6 readers:
- Katrina Nannestad – We Are Wolves, The Girl Who Brought Mischief, The Travelling Bookshop series
- Tristan Bancks – Two Wolves, Detention, Cop & Robber, Scar Town
- Nat Amoore – Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire, The Power of Positive Pranking, We Run Tomorrow
- Jackie French – Nanberry, Refuge, The Matilda Saga, The Night They Stormed Eureka
- Morris Gleitzman – Once series, Boy Overboard, Girl Underground
- Deborah Abela – Grimsdon, Final Storm, Teresa: A New Australian
- Emily Rodda – Deltora Quest, Rowan of Rin, His Name Was Walter
- Allison Tait – The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher series
- Zana Fraillon – The Bone Sparrow, The Lost Soul Atlas
- Mark Smith – The Vanishing (first in The Winter Road series – fast-paced dystopian survival story for mature upper primary and early secondary readers)
- K. Rowling – Harry Potter series
- Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson series, Heroes of Olympus
- J. Palacio – Wonder, Auggie & Me, White Bird
- Louis Sachar – Holes, Fuzzy Mud
- Kate DiCamillo – Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, Flora & Ulysses
- Lemony Snicket – A Series of Unfortunate Events
- Jacqueline Harvey – Alice-Miranda series, Kensy and Max series
As we encourage our children to explore books they love, let’s remember the lasting power of stories shared together.
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” – Emilie Buchwald
Happy reading!
Year 6 Favourites
Year 6 Favourites
News from Chappy Sonia
News from the P&C
🍎 Meet Our New Tuckshop Convenor – Grace Yow! 🍽️
The EPMSS P&C is delighted to welcome Grace Yow as our new Tuckshop Convenor!
Grace brings a wealth of experience to our school community, with over three years of tuckshop experience in both primary and high school settings. Before that, she owned and operated a successful Café and Tapas Bar for six and a half years, where she developed her passion for quality food and friendly service.
Grace is excited to bring her knowledge and energy to the EPMSS Tuckshop. She’s especially looking forward to introducing more home-cooked meals to the menu – giving our children nourishing, delicious options made with care.
To help you get to know her better, we sat down for a quick Q&A.
👩🍳 Quick Q&A with Grace Yow
Q: What kind of changes can we expect on the tuckshop menu?
Grace: I’m planning to introduce more home-cooked options using fresh ingredients. Think comforting, nutritious meals that kids will love – and parents will feel good about.
Q: What’s your favourite food?
Grace: Japanese Curry Rice! It’s warm, savoury, and full of flavour – the ultimate comfort food.
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Grace: I love heading to the beach with my two puppies. It’s the perfect way to relax and recharge.
We’re thrilled to have Grace on board and can’t wait for families to experience the delicious meals she’ll be cooking up. Keep an eye out for updates and specials in the coming weeks!
– EPMSS P&C Committee
Oral Health Week Information
2025 Uniform Shop Hours
Uniform shop hours are every Thursday from 8am - 9am for all of your school uniform needs.
