Community News

School Zone Safety

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The Queensland Government is writing to inform you that Ironside State School is committed to ensuring the safety of students travelling to and from schools and will install flashing school zone signs (FSZS) in 100 school zones across Queensland, during the 2025–26 financial year. 

As part of this rollout, that Ironside State School will be receiving FSZS in the Ironside Street school zone.

Installation of FSZS at Ironside State School will improve visibility of the school zone and serve as an active reminder for motorists to slow down when children are out and about.

Several important factors are considered when assessing school zones for flashing lights, such as crash history, traffic volumes, pedestrian movements, the speed limit and visibility.

This ensures FSZS are delivered to priority sites across Queensland. FSZS have been a success since the program was introduced in 2012. Since then, FSZS have been installed at more than 1499 Queensland school zones.

Child safety is paramount, and illegal parking within school zones remains a significant concern for parents, residents, and schools. Limited parking spaces around peak drop-off and pick-up times often leads to competitive and potentially dangerous parking behaviours.

While we understand the challenges parents face in navigating school zone drop-off and pick-up, it is crucial to prioritise safety. 

Over the coming term, Council officers will be conducting regular patrols around your school to monitor parking compliance. 

Our enforcement approach will use a combination of foot patrols and our highly visible Community Safety and Regulation vehicles that can identify alleged offences using Automatic Number Plate Recognition and GPS software. Compliance action will be taken on any observed breaches.

School zone signs are displayed as you approach the school and shows both the speed limit and the times you need to reduce your speed around the school. Children's crossing are identified by children crossing flags, which are displayed near crossings before and after school hours.

When the crossing is supervised, you as a motorist must:

• wait until allpedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath

• abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.

   

If the crossing is unsupervised, you as a motorist must:

• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a children’s, pedestrian or marked foot crossings
• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a road you’re turning into
• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on a slip lane
• give way to pedestrians in a share zone

• travel at a speed allowing you to stop safely at a crossing if needed

   

As a driver, it's important to make sure you give way to all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders such as skateboards, e-scooters.  

You must also give way to pedestrians using a motorised mobility device such as a motorised wheelchair or a mobility scooter.

Some of our most vulnerable road users are children getting to and from school, so it’s important to slow down and abide by the crossing rules, as it won’t make much difference to the trip time, but it could very well save lives.

Visit the Street Smarts website to find more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.

Kokoda Youth Foundation's Digital Detox Program

Kokoda Youth Foundation's Digital Detox Program (DDP) gives young people the opportunity to "hit reset" on their technology use, and encourages them to build healthy, balanced digital habits.

Our 8-day adventure camp, held over the school holidays, offers a device-free environment that lets students unplug, reconnect with nature and themselves, build self-confidence through outdoor adventure challenges, and learn mindful technology use through interactive workshops. The program is fully funded and at no cost to students and their families.

We're now accepting applications for our next Digital Detox intakes:

If you know a 12–14-year-old student who could benefit from this program, we encourage you to share this opportunity with their families and encourage them to apply below:

DDP APPLICATION FORM

      https://www.instagram.com/p/DT03nO6EwVh/

Update 2025-26 Parish Sacramental Preparation Programme

The ‘Sacramental Preparation Programme’ in our ’Community of Communities’ will run over two years; commencing with Confirmation (generally year 3),

then followed by First Penance (Reconciliation) and First Holy Communion (generally year 4).

Those children who were enrolled via Flocknote in 2025 for 'All Sacraments (Confirmation/Eucharist/Penance)' and child received the Sacrament of Confirmation

(at St Ignatius Church, Toowong) are automatically enrolled into this year's two preparation programmes for Sacrament of First Penance (Term 1) and First Holy Communion (Term 2).

However, if your child has received the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Holy Communion in another Parish and only requires Sacrament of First Penance please register today and submit enrolment form so we can support your child's sacramental journey. 

~ Enrolments for Sacrament of First Penance are now open.

Any new enrolments deadline is 3.00pm Friday 6 March. 

All enrolments are to be completed via Flocknote —.

Step 1: Check my family contact information via link: www.stignatiustoowong.flocknote.com/register

Step 2: Submit child’s enrolment application— https://fs12.formsite.com/archbne/toowongsacraments/signup

We are pleased to provide information & date claimers for your perusal, for this short preparation programme.

Term 1: Sacrament of First Penance (Reconciliation) –

Parent Information session Thursday 12 March at 5.30pm at St Ignatius Church, Toowong

Rite of Enrolment   at Masses 14/15 March (may be offered at 3 masses depending on enrolments) 

Preparation Class for children & parents: Thurs 19 March at 3.45pm at St Ignatius Church, Toowong

Sacrament of First Penance - Tuesday 24 March at 4.00pm at St Ignatius Church, followed by 5.30pm Mass

All enquiries to Janine Curcuruto, Sacrament Co-ord. (Fridays) via email: pw.toowong@bne.catholic.net.au

Full details on preparation programmes is available via https://www.stignatiustoowong.org.au/our-sacraments/

Dear Parents/Guardians

Welcome to the continuous journey of faith for your child/ren. We have made some changes to the program, so please keep your hearts and minds open with us while we all transition. This is just a reconfiguring of the Sacramental programme, in the hope it can be less demanding for all families. There is no change to cost and what you are receiving is the same. One reason we have made these changes is to have the programme simplified however remain as meaningful. 

We thank families for taking this time to familiarise themselves with this updated structure for 2026, and look forward to journeying with you and your children through these important milestones in their faith. The church holds you, as parents, in very high esteem and calls parents the “First Educators” of the faith. So, your role is vital, not because of what you know, but because of who you are, authentically living out your faith amongst the trials and tribulations of everyday life. You are not alone! In Baptism, we are initiated into a Community of Faith that can never be undone.

Attendance by at least one parent/guardian at the information session for your child’s Sacrament is essential. This ensures we come together as a family, together with our parish and community, to fully support them. 

What to expect:

• Parental Involvement: parents play a vital role in nurturing their child’s faith. We would expect you to assist them in the completion of the workbook at home, attend the information session, and Rite of Enrolment masses. The Rite of Enrolment is way of committing to the journey of the Sacrament. Your child will receive a special blessing during the mass, and promised the prayers of our community.

• Preparation Class: Each Sacrament has 1-2 preparation classes, and the children and one parent must attend. We are blessed to be supported by Archdiocesan Ministries to help us engage the children-and yourselves! to assist them to grow in their faith. 

   

Note: if your child is not yet baptised, please contact us. 

I thank you with a humbled heart for the privilege and joy of sharing in your child’s and family’s spiritual journey in our Catholic faith, for a deeper understanding of the Sacraments and with prayers for it to remain in their hearts forever. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any queries. 

Janine Curcuruto

Sacramental Co-ordinator