Leichhardt State School eNewsletter

From the Principal

Principal’s End of Term Message

As we wrap up another fantastic term, I want to wish all of our families a very happy and safe holiday. It’s been a busy and productive term, and I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved together.

One of the highlights this term has been seeing real improvement in our reading results. Thanks to our ongoing school-wide focus on reading, we’re seeing more confident readers across all year levels. This is a testament to the hard work of our students and the support from our dedicated staff and families—well done, everyone!

Please keep the children reading over the break

We’ve also had some incredible excursions, including Out of the Box and Emu Gully, which gave students the opportunity to explore, learn, and connect outside the classroom in fun and meaningful ways.

Our senior students represented us proudly in the inter-school soccer competition, showing great teamwork and sportsmanship. Another standout has been our Deadly Dancers, who have performed at multiple events this term, proudly showcasing culture and talent. They continue to be amazing ambassadors for our school.

We also held two exciting athletics carnivals, where students gave their best efforts and cheered each other on. It was fantastic to see so much school spirit and participation across all age groups.

This term we also introduced our morning parade, which has been a wonderful way to kickstart each school day with energy, positivity, and a shared sense of purpose. It’s quickly become a favourite part of our routine!

A huge thank you to our staff, students, and community for your ongoing support, enthusiasm, and commitment. Your contribution plays a big part in building the strong, proud school community we have today.

I’m really looking forward to everything we have planned for Term 3 and 4—there’s so much more to come!

Enjoy your break and see you all next term!

Andrew Goldie

Principal

From the Deputy Principal

Off the Deputy’s Desk

Behaviour

At Leichardt State School we are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. Recently, we have seen an increase in incidents involving physical conflict and fighting among students. This behaviour is concerning and goes against the values we work so hard to promote in our school community.

We understand that young people sometimes struggle to manage big emotions or conflict, but fighting is never the answer. It places students at risk of physical harm, creates a climate of fear and tension, and undermines our efforts to build a positive learning culture.

What’s especially worrying is when fighting is encouraged — either directly or indirectly — by adults. Whether through conversations at home, social media comments, or telling children to “stand up for themselves” with violence, these messages send the wrong signal. We ask all parents and carers to be strong role models and actively discourage any form of aggression or retaliation.

Here’s how you can support us:

Talk to your child about respectful ways to handle conflict and the importance of seeking help from a trusted adult.
Remind them that walking away, using words, or telling a teacher is not weakness — it's maturity.
Monitor social media activity to ensure your child is not being drawn into online drama that escalates into real-world conflict.
Work with us by reinforcing school expectations and reaching out if your child expresses concerns about safety or peer issues.

Together, we can teach our children better ways to cope, communicate, and resolve issues peacefully. Let’s send a united message: fighting is not okay, and kindness and respect will always be stronger.

Uniforms

There are a significant number of students who are wearing jewellery to school of late. I would like to remind parents that the only approved jewellery student are allowed to wear is a watch and studs or sleepers.

All other jewellery is not allowed. Necklaces are not allowed due to workplace health and safety as they can potentially be a choke hazard.

If there is a need to wear jewellery for cultural reasons, this must be approved by the principal.

All students MUST wear shoes when at school. This is another workplace health and safety issue. Can parents please supply approved and appropriate footwear for students to wear during the school day.

Change of details

Under the school’s enrolment policy, it is a requirement for parents to inform the school of any change of address, change of mobile number or change of email address. We need to have up to date contact details so that staff can contact families when needed.

Student arrivals and departures

Arrivals

As you are aware we have changed our morning routines. Students now make their way to the hall at 8.20am for supervised morning routines. Students will attend the hall and line up in their class lines. They will then participate in morning warm up activities along with daily and weekly notices.

We start our day in the hall at 8.30am reinforcing school expectations and rules. We ask that parents do not wait at classroom with their children but to take them to the hall so that they hear these messages.

This is not a community parade for celebration but a parade to set the expectations for the day, so we ask that parents do not enter the hall. Please use this time to kiss your child and wish them the best for the day.

Late arrivals after 8.45am will need to go through the office and have your child signed in late. Staff will then ensure your child reaches their classroom. We ask that no parents attend the rooms as this becomes a distraction to the teaching and learning that is happening in classrooms.

Departures

School finishes at 2.30pm. To minimise disruptions to learning we ask that you refrain from collecting your child early. We understand that there are some cases where you require an early collection to attend appointments. If this is the case, parents are to attend the office and wait for their child to arrive. No parents are to go straight to classrooms. All children leaving early MUST be signed out of the office by an approved adult.

Starting Term 3 we are asking for parents of students in Prep and Year 1 to collect their child from the OLA (Outdoor Learning Area).

All students from years 2 and 3 to be collected from under their building.

We are wanting to keep all veranda’s clear of parents to minimise any disruption to learning.

Any student being dropped off late must take drop their child off at the office and staff will walk the student to class.

Any student being collected early must be collected from the office. No parents are to be walking through school grounds during the school day to collect a student unless a staff member is with them.

Jason Day

Deputy Principal

From the Head of Department - Curriculum

PLD Success for Our Year 1 Students

We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news—many of our Year 1 students have achieved six months’ growth in their phonics development in just one term!

This remarkable progress highlights the impact of a targeted, systematic approach taught with consistency and care. It’s a significant step forward in supporting our Leichhardt Lions on their journey toward reading success.

As we head into the holidays, please continue to encourage your child to read regularly to help maintain this momentum and build on their fantastic progress.

A huge well done to our students, teachers, and families for their dedication and hard work.

Wishing you all a safe and restful holiday,

Belinda Whittet
Head of Department – Curriculum

From the Head of Department - Student Engagement

Miss Everingham - HOD - Student Engagement

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we head into the final week of Term 2, we would like to thank all of our families for your ongoing support throughout the semester. It has been a busy and productive term filled with learning, growth, and plenty of memorable moments.

Our recent visit to the Out of the Box festival at QPAC was a joyful and inspiring experience for our students! Students had the chance to sit in a real performing arts theatre, where they were captivated by a lively and engaging performance. They danced their little hearts out, moved to the rhythm with big smiles, and truly embraced the joy of the arts.

One of the most special moments of the day was contributing to a “Hope Tree” – a reflective activity where students shared their dreams, wishes, and hopes for the future. It was heartwarming to see such thoughtful participation and positivity from our students.

A big thank you to our staff for their care and excitement on the day – and to our wonderful families who supported their child in preparing for and attending the excursion. Your involvement helps make these special learning experiences possible.

We’re proud of our students for the way they represented our school and look forward to many more adventures to come!

🎉 End-of-Term Celebrations
We’re finishing the term with a fun-filled celebration day, including a sausage sizzle ice block and fun activities in the hall. A big thank you to our P&C for their support in making this possible!

🧥 Lost Property
Our lost property box is overflowing! Please check early next term if your child has any belongings in the tub.

🧠 Looking Ahead
Term 3 resumes on Monday, 15 July 2025. We look forward to another great term of learning and achievement.

Wishing all of our families a safe and relaxing school holiday break!

High School Enrolments

If your child is heading to high school next year, now is the time to submit enrolment applications. Most local high schools have opened their enrolment processes for Year 7, 2026. We encourage families to contact their chosen high school early to arrange enrolment interviews, collect forms, and attend any upcoming transition events.

Why Enrol Early?

It also allows students to participate in orientation programs, choose their subjects, and get familiar with their new school environment before the academic year begins.

Steps to Enrol

Check School Options – Research local public, private, or specialist schools to find the best fit for your child’s needs and interests.
Gather Required Documents – Most schools require proof of residency, birth certificates, immunization records, and previous school reports.
Complete the Application – Enrolment forms can often be completed online or in person, depending on the school’s process.
Attend Orientation & Transition Events – Many schools offer programs to help new students adjust and feel confident before their first day.

Support for Families

Schools understand that transitioning to high school can be a big step. Staff, counsellors, and student mentors are available to guide families through the process and answer any questions.

Don’t wait—secure your child’s place in high school today! Contact your preferred school or visit their website for enrolment details.

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

PBL in practice - Family Engagement

From the Head of Special Education Services

NDIS Therapy Sessions – Reminder of Important Update

We would like to inform our school community of an important change regarding the availability of space for NDIS provider sessions at Leichhardt State School. Due to ongoing and increasing space limitations on our school grounds, we will no longer be able to host NDIS therapy sessions on-site from the beginning of Term 3. This has been a difficult decision for the leadership team and was made only after careful consideration of all possible options.

We recognise the value these sessions provide for many of our students and families, and we deeply regret any disruption this may cause. If your child currently accesses NDIS therapy during the school day at Leichhardt SS, we kindly ask that you begin exploring alternate locations for these sessions as soon as possible.

Where feasible, transitioning to an alternative site before the end of this term would be greatly appreciated, as we are continuing to manage space challenges daily and are doing our best to accommodate all students’ needs.

We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding and support as we work to ensure a safe and functional learning environment for all.

Jessica Rivett

Head of Special Education

Sports News

Our school athletics carnivals were a huge success, with a fantastic turnout from our community who cheered on every event with great enthusiasm. Students from Banksia, Acacia, and Kurrajong gave it their all, showing incredible spirit, sportsmanship, and determination across every race and field event. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our dedicated staff, the day ran smoothly—and after a full day of fierce but friendly competition, Kurrajong emerged as the overall winners!

Well done to all involved and we look forward to our next sports carnival; our Indigenous Games carnival in Term 3.

Instrumental Music Program

Last week some of our instrumental music students attended the Ipswich beginner Bootcamp at Bremer high school.

This was an amazing opportunity for our students to join together with over 60 students from Amberley, Churchill, Central, Ipswich West, Silkstone and Raceview state schools. They rehearsed for the day learning 3 pieces of music which were performed in the concert at the end of the day.

All of the students participating have only been learning for the first Semester this year and it is a huge achievement to have already performed in a concert. Congratulations to Blake, Lucian, Gerard and Miami for representing Leichhardt with pride.

From the Teachers

Year 1

The grade 1's had a visit from the local fire department to discuss fire safety and procedures. We spent the morning discussing the types of fires we may encounter and how we handle those situations. The students learnt to "stop, drop and roll" and "get down low and go go go". We discussed that it would be incredibly important for all students to know their home address in the case of an emergency. The students had heaps of fun learning with all of the firefighters.

We had our junior sports day where we engaged in many fun sports activities with our friends and teachers.

We also got to experience an excursion to Southbank for 'Out of the Box'. The students were exceptional in engaging with the performances, listening to their teachers and following Leichhardt SS expectations. We are all very proud of our grade 1 students.

The students from 1B went on a nature walk around the school to find leaves and sticks that had fallen from their plant to recreate them into beautiful art pieces. We spoke about the importance of our environment and how we need to keep it clean and safe.

Year 5 Emu Gully Day Trip

Year 5 students had an exciting and challenging day at Emu Gully Adventure Education Centre! The trip was all about teamwork, resilience, and stepping out of comfort zones.

Students took part in a range of activities inspired by the ANZAC spirit, encouraging them to support each other, work together, and show determination. It was a fun-filled day of mud, mateship, and memories that won't be forgotten!!

Kids love to do experiments and if it involves food, it's even more fun! Bring more enjoyment to the school holidays and prevent boredom by creating your own rainbow experiment at home. Using only Skittles and some warm water, they'll be thrilled to see what happens when the two combine - and you will be too!