Wellbeing & Engagement
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
PBL Lessons
Engagement Norms in Action at Goondiwindi State School
Last week, our students focused on learning and practising our Engagement Norms as part of our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) approach.
These norms help create calm, focused, and respectful classrooms where every student can succeed. Students were explicitly taught what these look like in action, including using “Gundy Style,” following the “Triple T” (Track the speaker, Turn your body, Think about what is being said), and responding to attention cues such as “5-4-3-2-1.”
By building these consistent routines across the school, we help take the pressure off students’ thinking, allowing them to stay focused and ready to learn.
We encourage families to ask their children about these Engagement Norms and how they are using them in the classroom!
Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing these positive behaviours at home.
Day for Dolly
This week, our school community will recognise Day for Dolly, a day that raises awareness about bullying and the importance of kindness, connection, and speaking up.
For families, this can be a valuable opportunity to have simple, meaningful conversations with your child about friendships and how we treat others.
Here are a few ways you can support your child at home:
Start with open conversation Ask gentle, open-ended questions like, “What does being a good friend look like?” or “What would you do if someone was being left out?” This keeps the focus on kindness rather than fear.
Keep it age-appropriate You don’t need to go into heavy detail. For younger children, focus on being kind, including others, and telling a trusted adult if something doesn’t feel right.
Reassure and empower Let your child know they are supported and that it’s always okay to ask for help—from a teacher, parent, or trusted adult.
Model kindness Children learn a lot from what they see. Simple acts of patience, respect, and inclusion at home reinforce the message.
Know the signs If your child seems withdrawn, anxious, or reluctant to go to school, it may be worth gently checking in and contacting the school for support.
At school, we will continue reinforcing our GREAT Expectations focusing on Giving Your Best, Respect, Enjoy, Acting Safely, and Teamwork to encouraging students to “be kind, speak up, and look out for each other.”
Together, we can help create a community where every child feels safe, valued, and connected.
Engagement and Wellbeing Survey
Our Year 4–6 students have been participating in the Engagement and Wellbeing Survey.
This survey helps us understand how students are feeling about school by measuring different aspects of their wellbeing, engagement, and overall experiences in the classroom and playground.
The information gathered is incredibly valuable. It provides insight into student wellbeing and engagement levels, allowing us to better support our students and respond to their needs. This ensures we continue to create a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment for every child.
We appreciate your support as we work together to enhance the wellbeing and success of all students at Goondiwindi State School.
Attendance Matters - Students need to be at school to learn.
At Goondiwindi State School, we cannot stress enough how important regular school attendance is for every student.
Every day at school matters. When students miss even a small amount of time, they are missing valuable learning, important social connections, and key opportunities to build confidence and skills. These gaps can quickly add up, making it harder for students to keep up and feel successful in their learning.
Strong attendance supports:
- Better academic outcomes
- Stronger friendships and sense of belonging
- Increased confidence and engagement in learning
Quite simply—students need to be at school to learn.
We understand that sometimes absences are unavoidable. However, we encourage all families to prioritise school attendance wherever possible and to communicate with us if your child is experiencing challenges.
By working together, we can ensure every student has the best opportunity to succeed—because every day counts.
News from Chappy Sonia
A big thank you to Chappy Sonia for the engaging activities she led with our students around ANZAC Day. These experiences provided a valuable opportunity for reflection, respect, and learning.
Sonia has also been organising some fun Mothers Day Craft at school, see photos below.
Student Council
A big thank you to our school community for supporting the Easter raffle—our Student Council successfully raised $200!
This term, the Student Council will continue their fundraising efforts by selling Freddo frogs for $1, starting in Week 4.
The Student Council also met today and have been busy brainstorming ideas to make our school even more FUN and enjoyable for everyone. We look forward to sharing some of these exciting ideas with you soon!
Thank you for your ongoing support.
SPORT
Huge congratulations to all students who have represented GSPS in cross country, rugby league, and touch football! We’ve seen fantastic success, with several students selected for Macintyre Zone and Darling Downs teams. So proud of your achievements and the way you represent our school!
Congratulations to Rocky, Archie S and Archie K for being selected in the Macintyre Zone Touch Football Team-
Congratulations to Archie S and Ashton D for being selected in the Darling Downs School Sports U11 Rugby League Side, these boys are off to Mt Isa in July!
Congratulations to Annalise, Archie K, Paisley, Lucy and Ollie for being selected in the Macintyre Zone School Sports Cross Country Team.
Playgroup (Age-Appropriate Play Based Activities)
Mrs Erica Clark and Mrs Donna Norman will be teaching Playgroup this term.
Wednesdays 9am to 10:30am. Follow the Red Flags at the Prep Precinct. Bring your GREAT Mates hat, morning tea and a water bottle (and a parent)!!
This term our little mates have been discovering more about the animals at the Show. This links to our monthly theme of Nature Play.
We recently had a visit from Play Matters Queensland representatives, and they were very impressed with our program, inclusion of the wider community and our wonderful space to play, play, play!
Mrs Norman and I are looking forward to celebrating and creating thank you gifts for our Wonderful Mums this Wednesday.