Volume 4 - 4 April 2025

From The Principal

Welcome to our Final Newsletter for Term 1, 2025

As we wrap up Term 1, we’ve experienced a lot of wind and even more rain. Unfortunately, our attendance rate for this term is currently at 77%, which falls short of our target of 90%, and the state-wide target of 94%. We know that achieving these targets depends on our ability to engage students and collaborate with families to ensure every child has the best possible start to their education. Education is a gateway to more opportunities, and it’s important for our students to have a sense of hope and optimism about their future.

If you're finding it challenging to get your child to school, please reach out to us—we’d be happy to help however we can.

The Importance of Consistent Attendance

To illustrate the impact of attendance, consider this: if a child has an attendance rate of just 80%, that means they miss 40 days of school each year. By the time they finish Year 12, they would have missed a total of 520 days—over two and a half years of learning! Imagine the potential impact on their education.

We ask for your support in ensuring our students are here as often as possible. They deserve every opportunity to succeed, and consistent attendance is a crucial part of that success.

School Planning

We have recently submitted our AIP (Annual Implementation Plan) which details what we are going to focus on in 2025 and 2026 to make sure we are getting better in everything we do.  Our two school priorities for this year are below:

School priority 1: to improve our students' reading skills and strengthen our educators' ability to apply effective reading instruction strategies.

School priority 2: to cultivate a secure and inclusive learning environment for both students and staff, promoting positive academic and social growth while fostering a strong sense of belonging.

Happy Holidays

As we begin the Easter break, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. To our students, I look forward to welcoming you all back to school on Tuesday, April 22nd, safe and sound.

With all the rain we've had, please stay clear of any dangerous waters and remember to wear a helmet if you're riding a bike. Take the time to enjoy your moments with family and friends, and we all look forward to a great Term ahead!

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you in Term 2!

Andrew Goldie

Principal

From The Head Of Department - Student Engagement

🎉 End of Term Celebration Wrap-Up 🎉

What an amazing way to finish the term!
A huge THANK YOU to our wonderful P&C for hosting the sausage sizzle and disco party – your efforts truly made the day unforgettable.

The students loved every minute of it – from dancing under the lights to enjoying delicious food with friends!

It was the perfect way to celebrate all the fun, learning, and achievements from this term.

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday!
We look forward to seeing you all next term, Tuesday 22 April, refreshed and ready to go!

Ms Everingham

Sun Safety

As the warmer weather continues, it is important for all students to practice sun safety. Please encourage your child to:

• Wear a broad-brim hat to protect their face and neck.
• Apply sunscreen regularly throughout the day.
• Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.
• Seek shade whenever possible, whether under a building or tree.

Let’s work together to keep our students safe and healthy in the sun!

Best Class on Parade

We’re excited to continue the ‘Best Class on Parade’ Trophy! This award will go to the class that best demonstrates the SHELL behaviour during Parade and leaves the hall the quietest

Let’s all work together to enjoy ‘Best Class on Parade’ trophy by showing our best behaviour! The winning class will enjoy VIP seating at Parade the following week as a special reward—a fun and exciting perk for all the hard work!

Good luck to everyone!

Congratulations to: 3B and 5/6A

Practice Family Engagement

I would like to thank our families for partnering with us around Positive Behaviour for Learning. The Department of Education has outlined the benefits for students of family-school engagement including: improved academic outcomes, stronger relationships with adults and peers, better social skills; and improved mental health. When families and schools work together to reinforce positive behaviours, students benefit from clear expectations and consistent reinforcement both at home and in school. This collaboration helps to create a cohesive approach to behaviour management, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility for students' well-being and success.

From Student Engagement

How will you engage?

Here we are in Week 10.  What a term. I have seen so many wonderful things happening in classes around the school.  Students are in class and participating.  My happiest moments are those in which I see students that I have been working with make a conscience decision to engage and give it a go.  I also love it when I happen to enter classrooms and its movement break time.  I must say I can bust a move, don’t let any of the kids tell you different!

We’ve had a varied start to some of the groups eg Journey to the Island of Calm and Glasser Group, but these things happen hopefully we can hit the ground running next term.

Another highlight for me this term has been when families have come into my office in the morning just for a chat or quick catch up.  The connections we build together, families and staff, are what truly help children engage with their learning.

Student engagement occurs when "students make a psychological investment in learning. They try hard to learn what school offers.”^[1]

1. Newmann, F. (1992) Student Engagement and Achievement in American Secondary Schools. Teachers College Press. pp. 2–3.

If parents, family members, staff members and the wider community are all invested in learning students become naturally engaged and also see the importance of being to read and write and mathematically calculate like a champion.

Due to my early years’ life and stuff, I was not overly engaged in school (or authority) for that matter.  I actually ran home from Bundamba State School all the way to Riverview when I was in grade 2.  Yep, those poor office ladies and the Admin staff. No mobile phones back in the day…  It wasn’t until I had adults in my life that encouraged me to be at school that I actually started to at first tolerate it, then love it.  I’m so happy they did as I have the best job in the world. 

It’s Friday of week 9 as I type this.  One more week until holidays.  Over the holidays I encourage you all to find Mathematics and Reading everywhere.  For example, my nephews and I create sums and sentences when we are driving around during the day.

So, until next term, have a great break, keep the conversation about school happening and take care.

Yours in student engagement,

Elsje McQueen

emcqu3@eq.edu.au

From The Head Of Special Education

External providers can offer a valuable service in supporting individual students. Collaboration between the provider and school can result in more effective support for the student. As part of the external provider’s process of assessing need and supporting students, schools may be requested to provide information regarding a student’s current presentation, progress, functioning and support needs. Given that the information involved is often of a sensitive nature and can rely on specific administration protocols, Leichhardt State School adopts a best practice approach when responding to requests received from external providers. A Consent to Share will also be required to be signed before the school can speak to any external providers and can be found in the main office. To help us process requests efficiently, we kindly ask that the school be given at least four weeks' notice. We understand that urgent requests may occasionally arise, and we will do our best to accommodate them whenever possible.

The Requests for Information and Assessments for External Providers form can be located on the school website or paper copies can be found at the main office.

Wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing Easter break! Enjoy this time with family and friends.

Jessica Rivett

Head of Special Education

Upcoming Events

From The Teachers

Prep

Prep - 1B

This term has been full of exciting learning experiences for our Prep-1B students! They have been busy developing foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and social development while having lots of fun along the way.

In literacy, we have been learning sounds, working towards forming letters, and learning to write our names with confidence.

In numeracy, our focus has been on counting forwards and backwards to and from 10. Through hands-on activities and engaging games, students are becoming more familiar with numbers and their sequences.

Students have been developing friendships, learning to follow directions, and working together as a class. The playground has been a wonderful space for teamwork and active play, with soccer becoming a favourite!

It has been a joy to watch our Prep-1B students grow in confidence each day. We would like to wish you all a very happy Easter break. See you in Term 2!

Mrs Costello, Mrs Sukhdeep and Mrs Brittney.

Year 3

Week 10, Term 1: A Fantastic Finish for 3B!
As we wrap up Term 1, Week 10 has been full of energy and achievement in 3B! We finished assessments with great effort, and students also had fun completing creative activities, including a Mathematical and English “egg-venture” around the library.
Classroom Community:
Our sense of community has been stronger than ever, with students supporting each other in group activities. This week, we celebrated learning successes with a Reward’s Day filled with popcorn, pizza, and The Lorax movie—fun was had by all!
Looking Ahead:
As we look forward to Term 2, we’re excited for more learning and growth. We hope everyone enjoys a well-deserved break and comes back recharged for the next term.
Wishing everyone a restful holiday!

Miss Greenwood 

Year 6

This term, our Year 6 students have demonstrated incredible dedication and teamwork, particularly through their DIY Market Day. Each group worked tirelessly to create fantastic products, and it was wonderful to see their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit shine. The event was a great success, with students enjoying both the process and the outcome of their hard work. As we continue towards the end of the term, our students remain focused and committed across all learning areas. Their resilience and enthusiasm have been truly commendable. In Science, we have been exploring the growth cycle of plants, deepening our understanding of how they develop and thrive. Meanwhile, in Writing, we recently completed our presentations where students shared their break down of their chosen song and shared it to their peers.

Thank you,

Amy O’Hara, 6B teacher

From The P&C

P&C News

Term 1 Complete!

Well done Leichhardt Lions for the completion of Term 1, 2025! It has been a great term with many positives and many smiling faces from all the students. It has been amazing to get to know the new families and community members that have joined Leichhardt.

P&C Meeting-AGM

Congratulations to our new Executive P&C Team for 2025! We have a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers who have been members of our community and school for years and are keen to continue their amazing work with Leichhardt. Our next meeting will be held in the beginning of the new term. Everyone is welcome, come join us and become a part of Leichhardt's exciting future.

Tuckshop News

Tuckshop runs from Week 2 to Week 9 each term. This year, the tuckshop will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Don't forget, online orders close at 8:30 am, and over-the-counter service closes at 9:00 am. Due to time restrictions Fruit Smoothies are now a Pre-Order Only Option.  Specialty days will be announced throughout Term 2.

Qkr! Accounts Reminder

Please take a moment to check your child's details in your Qkr! accounts. We've been receiving orders for students in the wrong classes and Year Levels, and we want to ensure everyone gets the right items at the right time. We are working with QKR! to add new class options as we have composite classes in 2025.

Exciting Fundraising Event

We will have a Mother’s Day Stall week 3 of Term 2 with a small raffle. You will see some beautiful signage around the school for the event, more details to be shared in the new term. Watch our Facebook Page.

Uniform Shop Updates

The uniform shop is now open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00am to 9.00am. Our online ordering system has been updated with a new pick-up option for added convenience. Online orders will be processed on tuckshop days. If you need your order at other times, please contact the office, and we'll be happy to assist you. All sizes are now back in stock and available online and over the counter.

Volunteer Appreciation

A gentle reminder: Our P&C is run by volunteers from the Leichhardt community who dedicate their time and effort. Let's show them kindness and appreciation for all they do. If you would like to join the P&C and volunteer at our incredible school, please feel free to contact the office or come have a friendly chat with our volunteers of a morning at the tuckshop.

Looking Forward

Thank you, Leichhardt Community, for all your support. We're looking forward to yet another incredible Term ahead with the Leichhardt Lions!

From The Community

There are many activities and events on these School Holidays with some being free. Please check out the link to see what's on in Ipswich.