Principal's Message
Ironside State School
Term 4, Week 3 23 October 2026
From the Principal
Hi Everyone,
What a week!! We really need the rain, but it makes everyone a bit restless - especially in schools! Today I have spent a wonderful lunchtime and afternoon with our Green Team and Mr Dahlan Bytchewsky, planting our 50 plants for Arbor Day - thank you GreenTeam and Mr Bytchewsky (and Brisbane City Council)!! This will make a big difference to our school into the future.
I had the pleasure of listening to the finale of the Metro Choral Honours group yesterday afternoon. After spending 3 days together in workshops, this group of incredible singers, selected from many different schools, gave the most stunning concert; it was breathtaking! Congratulations to the girls, Carolina, Kelly, Kei, Stella and Tanmeh, as well as Ms Annemarie Kirsten, their music teacher. The only downside was that I had to miss the STEM Celebration which I believe was wonderful. Congratulations to our STEM students and Mr Bryan Chow and Mrs Marianne Huxley.
Congratulations to all the children he received a merit certificate at the Year 4-6 Merit Assembly on Monday, we are very proud of you!
The Senior Band were the entertainment at Monday's assembly and I believe they were outstanding; congratulations Senior Band and Mr Kukulies! This Monday we will have our Prep-Year 3 Merit assembly, and our Junior Strings will be performing.
Speaking of all thing’s instrumental music, today a very lucky group of Instrumental Music students attended the Queensland Symphony Orchestra performance. They came back very inspired. Thank you to Mrs Trudy Weekes, Mr. James Kukulies and Mr Thomas Corbett who organise this wonderful experience for our children.
A couple of years ago we had a dignity machine installed in our senior toilets, but it was misused and we had to switch it off. Some girls wrote to me recently asking me to reinstate it, so I have. I have met with the girls in Year 3,4,5 and 6 who use these toilets and let them know about how to use this machine respectfully. The girls are aware that you only need to get something from the dignity machine if you know that you need to. The dignity machine contains free sanitary items that girls can use if needed. I would ask that you please reinforce these messages with your girls, to treat the dignity machine with respect, so that it is there when girls need to use it.
We were very proud of Alice in Year 5, who entered the Raise Your Voice in Parliament competition and had her speech read out in parliament by the Federal Member for Ryan, Mrs Elizabeth Watson-Brown. Alice had written a very powerful speech. Below is the link to that speech.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=t_9-CTmY8oY&feature=shared - Congratulations Alice!
Over the past few years, we have formed a strong relationship with the local Rotary Club and have been donating items that we no longer use, that are then transported to schools in need in various foreign countries. Thank you to Mr. John Whitehead who oversees this wonderful work. Below are some photographs of our donations in Papua New Guinea.
I joined the principals from Indooroopilly State School, Ashgrove State School and Rainworth State School, as well as our supervisor Mr Evan Willis on Wednesday at Rainworth State School. We were there for our Collaborative School Improvement meeting. It was excellent to see the work that's going on at Rainworth State School in reading and then reflect on where we are at as a school in our reading improvement journey. Next week Mrs Tara Griffin, Mrs Shelley Lee, Mrs Gillian Bishop and Ms Georgia Perkins are going to the Reading Collaborative Learning Community, for our next professional development session in evidence-based, best-practise teaching of reading.
Coming up next week, we have our next P&C Meeting, on Tuesday the 27th of October at 6:30pm in our staff room. Please, please, please come and join us and help shape the future of your child's school.
The P&C Spring Fair is getting so close - Saturday the 7th of November is only 2 weeks away!!! Next Wednesday, the 28th of October, our wonderful Student Council children will be collecting donations during morning drop-off time. Here are the items our Spring Fair Team are looking for:
8:30-9am at the GATES.
Suggested requests per year level
Prep - novelty prizes + juices/poppers
Y1 - chocolate blocks + multipack chips
Y2 - wrapped lollies + zooper doopers
Y3 - chocolate minis + multipack chips
Y4 - novelty prizes + bottles of water
Y5 - chocolate minis + cans soft drinks
Y6 - chocolate blocks + cans soft drinks
Mr Michael Bierhuizen had his last day for 2026 today, as he is heading off to get an important operation and then recuperate. We wish Mr B all the very best for his operation and look forward to seeing him next year. Coming back to teach Mr B's Year 4 class for the remainder of the year, is Ms Billie Barker! Ms Barker has now returned from overseas and is ready to get back into teaching at Ironside State School. Welcome back Ms Barker and best wishes Mr B!
Please remember that World Teachers Day is coming up next Friday 30th October. Why not consider sending your child’s teacher an email on Friday the 30th, thanking them for what they do for your child. This year’s theme is, Shine a Light on Teachers.
Our Student Council is having a fundraiser on that day too. Children can dress as a teacher and bring a gold coin donation, which is going to the Reading Out of Poverty, Children’s Literacy charity. Very fitting charity, as all children reading and getting an education is something every teacher is passionate about.
Have a wonderful weekend and great week ahead.
Servabo Fidem
Keep the Faith
Angie Kelly
P.S. Our Celebrations of Learning are on Friday, Week 9, the 4th of December. Please see the timetable below:
Prep - 8:30am - 9am
Year 2 - 9am - 9:30am
Year 4 - 9:30 - 10:00am
Year 3 - 11:30am - 12pm
Year 5 - 12:30pm - 1:00pm
Year 6 - 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Year 1 - 2:30pm - 3pm