Volume 11 - 8th August 2025

From The Principal

I hope this newsletter finds you well as we move through another exciting and productive term.

One of our key areas of focus at the moment is student attendance. Currently, our school attendance rate is sitting at 75%, which is significantly below the recommended level of 90–95%. Regular attendance is absolutely essential for students to engage fully with their learning, build strong friendships, and experience a sense of belonging at school. When students miss school—even occasionally—they miss out on valuable learning time, which can make it harder to catch up and stay on track.

Every day counts. By attending school consistently, students build strong foundations for success now and into the future. We understand that there are sometimes genuine reasons for absences, but we encourage families to make attendance a top priority and to speak with us if support is needed.

In the classroom, we are working hard to lift student outcomes, particularly in reading and spelling. We have placed a strong emphasis on the explicit teaching of reading, ensuring that all students are taught the necessary skills to become confident, capable readers. This structured approach is already making a positive difference.

In addition, we are using the PLD (Promoting Literacy Development) phonics program to improve student spelling. This evidence-based approach helps students understand the relationship between sounds and letters, which is critical for both reading and writing. We are already seeing great results, with students showing strong growth and increased confidence in their literacy skills.

Clarifying Our Morning Sessions

Recently, I’ve received some feedback regarding our morning gatherings in the hall, particularly around why parents are no longer attending what was previously known as parade. I’d like to clarify and apologise for any confusion this may have caused.

The session at the start of the day is not a formal parade, but rather a purposeful gathering designed to give our students a positive and focused start to their day. It’s a chance for us—particularly myself—to connect with students, share important messages, and set a tone of encouragement and belonging.

Because this is an internal start-of-day routine rather than a celebration or formal assembly, it hasn’t been open to families in the same way Monday parades are. However, we do recognise the importance of clear communication and community input, and we’re currently looking at renaming this morning session to better reflect its purpose.

Some of the names being considered include:

• The Pride Gathering
• The Morning Roar
• Pride Time
• Rise and Roar

We’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions—feel free to share any other creative ideas you may have!

Please also remember that our formal parade still takes place every Monday at 2:00pm, and we warmly welcome all families to attend and celebrate student achievements with us.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support. Together, we can continue to build a school environment where every child is supported to attend, engage, and achieve their best.

Thank you

Andrew Goldie proud Principal of Leichhardt State School

From The Head Of Department - Curriculum

In recent newsletters, I have shared information about how PLD is being implemented in the junior years of our school. This week, I’m focusing on the important PLD work happening in Years 5 and 6, where the program builds on earlier learning and prepares students for the literacy demands of high school.

In the upper primary years, PLD focuses on fine-tuning and extending literacy skills so students are ready for the academic challenges of secondary school. The approach remains structured and targeted, based on each child’s current skill level rather than just their year group.

Key Focus Areas:

• Spelling and Word Study – Mastering complex spelling patterns, prefixes, suffixes, and Greek/Latin roots to improve accuracy and word knowledge.
• Vocabulary Expansion – Learning more sophisticated and subject-specific vocabulary to support comprehension across all learning areas.
• Reading Fluency and Comprehension – Developing the ability to read increasingly complex texts confidently, understanding both literal meanings and deeper themes.
• Grammar and Sentence Structure – Strengthening understanding of sentence types, punctuation, and grammatical accuracy.
• Writing Skills – Planning, drafting, and editing longer, detailed writing pieces for different purposes and audiences.

How PLD is Taught in Years 5 and 6:

• Students are assessed and placed in skill-based groups.
• Lessons include explicit teaching of spelling rules, word meanings, and reading strategies.
• Practice is built into both reading and writing tasks.
• Progress is tracked regularly to ensure students are always learning at the right level.

How Parents Can Support at Home:

• Encourage your child to read a wide range of texts – novels, news articles, biographies, and reports.
• Discuss new vocabulary and help your child use it in conversation and writing.
• Support spelling and word study homework, focusing on patterns rather than just memorisation.
• Encourage your child to proofread and edit their own writing.

By the end of Year 6, PLD aims for students to be confident, independent readers and writers, ready to meet the challenges of secondary school.

Belinda Whittet

HOD - Curriculum

From The Head of Department - Student Engagement

Week Four Wrap Up

Week four has brought great momentum across the school, with students continuing to engage positively in both their learning and school life. It's been wonderful to see students displaying respectful behaviour, supporting one another, and making the most of every opportunity. A big thank you to our staff and families for working together to build a strong and connected school community,

A friendly reminder to our Year 6 families - If you haven't already done so, please ensure your child is enrolled in high school. If you need assistance or more information, please contact our Admin staff.

Year 6 Camp Reminder

A friendly reminder that, as outlined in the Expression of Interest forms, Year 6 camp payments are due by the end of the term.

Please ensure payments are finalised by the due date to secure your child’s place. If you have any questions or need support with payment, feel free to contact the office.

PBL Focus for Weeks 4 - 6

Bullying. No Way! Day – Coming Soon

Bullying. No Way! Day is fast approaching! This important day raises awareness about bullying and encourages respectful, kind, and inclusive behaviour.

Students are invited to wear sun-safe clothing, with a splash of purple – the official colour for this year’s event.

We have linked this important occasion with our school-wide Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) focus for Weeks 4–6, reinforcing the values of respect, responsibility, and safety across all year levels.

For tips and resources on how you can support your child in dealing with bullying, visit the link below.

Let’s work together to say “Bullying. No Way!”

For families

Parents and carers have a key role in preventing and responding to bullying.

Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Understanding the definition of bullying is the first step in talking about how to prevent and respond to bullying with your child. 'Bullying' is a word that is used for behaviours that are not actually bullying. These other behaviours can be just as serious but may require different responses.

School responses to reports of bullyings can be much more effective when parents and carers report bullying and support school staff efforts to respond to it.

Working together with the school is the best way to help your child resolve bullying issues.

Schools will work with you to resolve the situation and will also work with the other student's parents. Due to privacy laws, they will not be able to share information about any other students involved.

This podcast with Professor James Scott, a clinical child and youth psychiatrist, and the head of the Child and Youth Research Group at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, discusses the signs your teenager may be experiencing bullying, how to start the conversation with them and how you can approach the school to resolve the issues.

Caring for Our School Environment

As we head into a busy and exciting part of the term, we’re encouraging all students to take pride in our school environment. This includes caring for our gardens, protecting local wildlife, and keeping both classrooms and outdoor areas tidy and respected.

These shared spaces are enjoyed by all and play a big part in creating a positive and welcoming place to learn. By looking after them, students are helping to ensure that future classes can enjoy the same great facilities.

We appreciate your support in reminding your child about the importance of being respectful, responsible, and safe around our school grounds.

Best Class on Parade 

Attendance

Upcoming Events

Exciting Events This Term

We have a range of fun and meaningful events coming up that students can look forward to:

• Pyjama Day – Get comfy and cosy while supporting a great cause!
• Bullying. No Way! Day – Promoting kindness, respect, and safe schools.
• Book Week Parade – Dress up as your favourite book character and celebrate the joy of reading.
• Camp Quality Puppet Show – A fun and educational performance about resilience and understanding.
• Colour Fun Run – A vibrant way to finish the term with colour, energy, and lots of smiles!

We look forward to seeing students get involved and show their school spirit!

From The Head Of Special Education Services

External Providers Requests

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 and Consent to Share form can be located on the school website or paper copies can be found at the main office.

Jessica Rivett

Head of Special Education

Instrumental Music Has Vacancies!!!

From The Deadly Room

What an incredible term it has been! Our NAIDOC celebrations were truly special – filled with pride, culture, and community spirit.

We were honoured to witness our deadly dancers perform with such passion, showcasing their pride in culture for our school and community. This year’s Leichhardt NAIDOC celebration included Yagara boomerang throwing, with the help of our wonderful community organisations who continue to support our school in so many ways.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our amazing Elders who guide and inspire our future leaders, as well as to our incredible supporters: the Ipswich Jets, Kumarra, Aunty Sharron – Indigenous Insight, Bremer State High, Kruger State School, Glenore Grove, Fernbrooke, Brassall Day Care Centre, and Uncle Henry Thompson Jr.

We are also deeply grateful to our Mayor Teresa Harding and local members for joining our celebrations, showing support, and embracing our shared goal of keeping culture strong for the next generation.

Our Year 5 and 6 students have been learning the traditional names of trees and tools, keeping language alive and thriving. Meanwhile, our Deadly Room has been buzzing with fun – from playdough creations to art and music.

A huge thank you to the parents who support our dancers, and to our P&C for their incredible work in catering for our event. Your contributions help make our school truly deadly.

Together, we are building pride, connection, and opportunity for all our students – and we couldn’t do it without our wonderful Leichhardt community.

Aunty Marly

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From The Teachers

Year 6 Snapshot

In Science, our Year 6 students have been learning all about Cyclones, Beaufort Wind Scale, Cyclone Tracking, Earthquakes and their effects upon the Earth’s surface.

In HASS they have been inquiring into The Great Barrier Reef and the effects that tourism plays in relation to ecosystems and community.

In English, the students are creating a VLOG to persuade their audience to take action on a current issue within our local community.

In Mathematics we have been looking at converting units of Measurement and solving area and angle problems.

Fortnightly Feast

Zucchini fritters are a tasty and nutritious addition to school lunchboxes! They're a great way to boost fibre and keep kids fuelled throughout the day. Served warm or cold, these golden bites are perfect for picky eaters and can be made ahead for an easy, wholesome lunch option.

From The P&C

From The Community