Term 1 Week 4 - Newsletter

From the Principal - Mrs Walsh

Supporting Children with Anxiety and School ‘Can’t’

Anxiety in children is becoming increasingly common, and as a school community, we understand the challenges it can bring for both children and their families. Anxiety can manifest in many ways, from nervousness about schoolwork to difficulty separating from parents, making friends, or even attending school at all.

Understanding School ‘Can’t’

Many parents are familiar with the term "school refusal," but for some children, it's not about refusing—it’s about feeling that they simply can’t go to school. This is often due to overwhelming anxiety, emotional distress, or sensory overload. Signs of school ‘can’t’ may include:
✅ Frequent stomach aches or headaches with no clear medical cause
✅ Emotional meltdowns before school
✅ Avoidance of school-related activities or discussions
✅ Trouble sleeping due to worry about school
✅ Difficulty separating from parents at drop-off

How We Can Help

At Eight Mile Plains State School, we are committed to supporting children who experience anxiety and school ‘can’t’. Here’s how we can work together:
🔹 Open Communication – If your child is struggling, please reach out to their teacher. We can collaborate to create a support plan.
🔹 Gradual Transitions – Some children benefit from a slow and supportive return to school, starting with modified schedules.
🔹 Safe Spaces – Our school offers calm, quiet areas where children can take a break if they feel overwhelmed.
🔹 Emotional Support – We incorporate strategies such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and social-emotional learning to help children manage their feelings.

Resources for Parents

If your child is experiencing anxiety, you are not alone. These resources can provide guidance and support:
🔹 Beyond Blue – Tips for managing childhood anxiety (beyondblue.org.au)
🔹 Raising Children Network – Advice on helping anxious kids (raisingchildren.net.au)
🔹 Kids Helpline – Free, confidential support for children and parents (kidshelpline.com.au)

We believe that with the right support, all children can feel safe, capable, and confident in their learning environment. If you have concerns about your child’s anxiety or school attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here to help!

📩 For more information or support, please contact me at twall167@eq.edu.au 

From Head of Cirriculum - Mrs Simpson

NAPLAN – 2025

All students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in Australia do NAPLAN tests in March each year.

This year, Eight Mile Plains State School will be conducting NAPLAN tests on the following dates:

Writing: 12^th March

Reading: 13^th March

Conventions of Language: 14^th March

Numeracy: 17^th March

- NAPLAN tests students’ skills in reading, writing and maths.

- The test questions are presented in Standard Australian English dialect.

- Students read some of the questions and listen to others with headphones.

- The tests will get easier or harder, depending on how students are going in the test.

- Students in Year 3 will do the Writing test using pencil and paper. Year 3 students will answer the other test questions on the computer.

- Students in Years 5, 7 and 9 will answer all their test questions on computers.

- Teachers will help students get ready for NAPLAN tests.

- Schools will get their students’ results. The school will then give parents/carers a report showing their own child’s results.

- Parents/carers can talk to the teacher about these results.

- NAPLAN shows how students are going all over Australia. People who work in the Australian Government, state and territory education authorities and schools use NAPLAN results. The results let them see which schools are doing well and which schools might need help.

News from 3B - Mrs Niciejewski

3B Spelling Groups

This term 3B has started structured synthetic phonics groups. We are learning to know the letter or letter combinations used to represent the sounds we hear in words when reading and writing. 3B hear the sound, make the sound and write the sound during different activities across the week.

Day 1: Look, cover, say, write, check.

Day 2: Double time sound boxes.

Day 3: Sound pyramids.

Day 4: Sound hunt and repeated reading

Day 5: Dictation

My New Gallery



News from 4A - Mrs Allen

Welcome to Year 4 in 2025

This is our first newsletter for the year. We have been busy settling into our routines and curriculum for Term 1.

The key thing we are working on as a cohort is the importance of listening. Hearing is about how well our ears work while listening involves taking in the information, thinking about it and then using it in a range of situations.

Students are able to tell us what listening is and how they should do it but find it a challenge without regular reminding. With support from you we would like to reach a point this term where we can teach the students new information and for them to remain focused long enough to absorb it.

One of the biggest challenges for people in the modern world is to remain focused for long enough periods of time to engage with any sustained activity. We would like to encourage our families to engage in conversations and daily routines together. This will help your child to follow instructions and develop new skills from people rather than apps or social media.

We’d love to hear how it goes….

Students of the Week

Congratulations to the following students for receiving

‘Student of the Week’ certificates at Parade in Week 2

Student of the Week

News from 5A - Mr Gibson

Welcome to 5A!

In HASS, students are creating a 3D Model of the Gold Fields.

We are learning to play the game Fresh!  While playing, students develop the skills of inquiry, self-managing, problem solving, collaborating, communicating, being creative and risk taking.

Students have been learning about symmetry -through art, through nature, through song!

Life lessons can be seen through symmetry. One of the life lessons we are learning is ‘what you say and do is what defines you.

News from 5B - Miss Sipos

Welcome to 5B!

We are off to a great start with lots of learning and relationship building. Our busy classroom has been full of eager learners and I have enjoyed getting to know the many bright personalities of 5B. We have had our first L.O.T.E lessons, revised important writing skills and started to learn about the Australian Gold Rush. In case your child has not told you, we are going to be multiplication masters by the end of the term!

A reminder to parents that we have a strong focus on respect and independence in year 5. As the young leaders of the school, it is important that we are demonstrating responsible behaviours. This will set a good example for the younger students. Please supporting me in this by having conversations with your child about what it means to be respectful and responsible.

On Monday, we had a meeting about camp to gain student interest and answer any questions the students may have. Plenty of information will be sent home regarding camp. Camp does not occur until Term 3, so please be patient with us while we make arrangements. Be assured that ample information will be provided over the coming months.

Gala Day training has begun and we are excited to have many students involved this year. If your child is participating in Gala Day, more information will be coming home soon. Gala Day is an optional activity. Students not participating will attend school as usual.

I am looking forward to a great year with your children!

Sarah Sipos

News from 6A - Mrs Harvey

This year, students in 6A are learning about a guard dog, the sifting sooty, a sensitive octopus, an elephant who tries to remember and a wise owl. You may be wondering what on Earth this is all about!

Each animal represents a key part of the brain. In our class, we believe that education is about academic achievement AND developing well-rounded individuals who can navigate the complexities of life. We know that when children have the skills of resilience, emotional regulation and perspective, they will do better socially, academically and physically. With the Grow Your Mind program, we aim to provide students with the tools and resources they need to thrive in all areas of their lives.

As both a teacher and parent in today’s challenging world, I am a firm believer in continually educating myself to better understand mental health. One expert I particularly enjoy learning from is Dr. Billy Garvey, a developmental paediatrician with over 20 years of experience working with children across various settings. He is a senior specialist at one of the world’s largest tertiary paediatric hospitals, where he sees families, trains clinicians and professionals, and conducts research on child development and mental health.

If you'd like to explore Dr. Billy's insightful wisdom, I highly recommend his book and podcast:

News from 6B - Mrs Walker

6B with Miss Walker

Hello and welcome to all the year 6 families. We have hit the road running with an enthusiastic and positive attitude which is an absolute pleasure to see. I’m feeling a true sense of teamwork and feel its going to be a wonderful term. I look forward to teaching your children and seeing them flourish throughout the year. I firmly believe that if learning is fun then children are engaged and that’s where the magic happens! I can already see it happening which is wonderful.

The first 2 weeks was spent on loads of team building activities to ensure we all get along and respect each other as individuals. It has ben amazing to see how respectful and wonderful the students are to one another. I’m truly proud of each one of them. We have all settled in well.

A few notes to be wary of. I have handed out homework which I encourage your student to complete. It is related to the curriculum and everything they are learning during the term. At this stage I am focusing on English to gain a clearer view of each one of your child’s needs so I can adapt accordingly. I will add some mathematics concepts soon as well. Your child also has access to Reading Eggs and Mathletics to build up their skills which I seriously encourage. Reading each night is also a great tool to enhance vocabulary and knowledge. I will also be working on the times tables with the students to help with their mathematical concepts. I also encourage your child to practice them at home or even write them in their homework books.

Please feel free to email me if you have any concerns and I’d be more than happy to help. My email is rxwal6@eq.edu.au I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

Take care and be safe.

Rebecca Walker.

2025 Uniform Shop Hours

The uniform shop hours have now returned to normal trading. 

Hours are every Thursday from 8am - 9am for all of your school uniform needs.

News from The P&C

Calling All Parent Helpers!

Join Our Tuckshop Team in 2025!

The Tuckshop, open every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, is run by the wonderful Ms. Vicki.

Ms Vicki crafts delicious, healthy meals and fun snacks for our students and teachers.

How Can You Help? 

We need volunteers for 45-60 minutes from 8:45am on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday's to:

• Prepare food order bags
• Attach preprinted orders to the bags
• Add ice cream collection cards
• Place cutlery, sauces, or fruit into the bags

Your support makes a big difference!

Join us in creating a fantastic Tuckshop experience for everyone. 

Are you ready to lend a hand?

Contact Ms Vicki via email tuckshopempss@gmail.com or pop over for a chat after 8:30am on a Wednesday Thursday, and Friday.Please note: Tuckshop orders will only be accepted via the FlexiSchools App or via the lunch bags on the day at the school.

News from Chappy Sonia

Chappy News:

Welcome to all our families, especially our new prep families. My name is Sonia Lowe and I have the privilege of working here at EMPSS as your school chaplain. Chaplaincy is a part of the student support service team at our school, including the Guidance Officer and Psychologist. School chaplains in Australia provide social, emotional, and pastoral support to school communities. They contribute to the overall wellbeing strategies and educational goals of our schools. “Chappies”, as we are often called, are in the prevention and support business, helping students find a better way to deal with issues ranging from family breakdowns and loneliness to friendships and mental health.

At EMPSS, the chaplaincy service is available and accessible to all students, staff and families. I don’t provide case management or counselling but complement the other school support services by providing pastoral care support.

At lunchtime, I am about the playground just saying hello and being a safe and friendly person. I often bring out my set of balls for the students to play with, card games, skipping and “Calm Colouring” sessions as an alternative in the playground. I also enjoy catching up with parents and caregivers before and after school to catch up with how everyone is doing.

Chaplaincy also runs the “Breakfast Club on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8am to 8:30am. It is coordinated and run by myself, with the help of volunteers, to serve toast and fruit to all students before school starts.

It can only run effectively when we have volunteers to help prepare and serve the food. As yet we don’t have many helpers on the Thursday.

Because we start preparing from 7:30, it might fit in with parents/caregivers who are dropping off their children and can stay to help and be finished by 8:30 when the children go into class.

If you would be available and can help on one of those days or both (even just once a fortnight or month), please email Chappy Sonia at sonia.lowe@suchaplaincy.org.au or leave a message at the office.

It’s a lovely opportunity to be a part of the school community and provide the students have a necessary service that the children, and staff really enjoy

We are also needing donations of jars of Vegemite, Cole/Woolies brand Strawberry Jam and the squeeze containers of Honey (which are much easier to use). These donations can be dropped off at Chappy Sonia’s room, or at the office.

Much thanks, Chappy Sonia

School Transport Assistance

Applications now open

You can now apply for the school transport assistance scheme (on all government contracted bus, rail or ferry services) for students travelling from 2 eligible addresses due to a shared care arrangement.

Find out if you are eligible and how to apply.

A little preparation before you start your application will make filling out the online form a straightforward activity. We recommend you:

• watch the applying online for school transport assistance animation for an overview of the application process and some useful tips to help you
• find out the type of assistance available to apply for online
• read the terms and conditions and make sure you are eligible to apply.

When ready find how to apply online.

If you don't have access to the internet or a computer check with your school or local library for access or you can complete a paper application for the type of assistance needed.

School Photos - 18 March 2025