Parliament House Visit – Student Leaders

Our student leaders were extremely fortunate to be invited to Parliament House last week by our State Member, Mr Hermann Vorster. It was an outstanding day filled with memorable experiences. Students not only learned a great deal about the workings of Parliament and what it takes to be an MP, but they also enjoyed an exquisite à la carte lunch and had the rare opportunity to meet the Premier. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr Vorster for his generosity in hosting us and for his ongoing support of our school.

Communicating with your child’s school guidelines

At Palm Beach State School, we value open and respectful parent/carer communication, to support your child’s learning and engagement. Recently, the Department of Education released the Communicating with your child’s school guidelines. These guidelines are designed to support respectful communication between parents/carers and schools to promote positive school engagement. The guidelines outline clear, consistent expectations for how parents/carers can engage with their child’s school, including appropriate contact channels, response timelines, and processes for raising concerns respectfully.

Thank you to our P&C

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our P&C for their generous support in funding the purchase of our new cold water bubbler in the tuckshop undercover area. It not only looks outstanding but will also be a valuable asset for our students, especially as the weather warms up again. The new bubbler ensures that students have access to refreshing, chilled water throughout the day, helping them stay hydrated and focused. We truly appreciate our P&C’s commitment to enhancing our school environment and supporting our students’ wellbeing.

We are incredibly grateful to our P&C for their generous $20,000 donation towards the purchase of new technology for our school. With their support, we were able to purchase a class set of iPads, which will significantly enhance learning opportunities for our students. These new devices will allow students to develop their digital skills, explore creative learning activities, and engage in more interactive and collaborative lessons. We truly appreciate the P&C’s ongoing dedication to providing resources that enrich our students’ educational experiences.

Roof Replacement – F Block

I would like to inform families that the roof of F Block is scheduled for replacement over the coming holidays and the first two weeks of Term 3. As a result, classes in this block (2O, 1G, 1H and 1N) will be temporarily relocated to other rooms to ensure learning continues uninterrupted. We will provide families with further details about these arrangements closer to the time, once the finer details are confirmed. Thank you for your understanding and support during this important upgrade.

Painting in PAC

Starting from 9 June, the internal walls of our Performing Arts Centre (PAC) will be repainted. This project is expected to take approximately 2.5 weeks. While some areas may be temporarily unavailable during this time, we will ensure that activities and events are minimally impacted. We appreciate your understanding as we work to refresh and improve this important space for our school community.

Mrs Devine

We are thrilled to share that our Head of Department – Curriculum, Mrs Devine, has been offered and accepted an exciting opportunity as a Small School HOD-C, working out of the South East Regional Office. Over the next 18 months, she will be supporting small schools in the Scenic Rim, bringing her expertise and dedication to a broader educational community. While we know she will do an outstanding job in this new role, she will be deeply missed at our school during this time. We look forward to welcoming her back in 2027. Congratulations, Mrs Devine!

Smart Watches at School

In line with the Department of Education Queensland’s policy on mobile and smart devices, we kindly remind families that smart watches are not to be used by students during school hours. If your child needs to bring a smart watch to school, it must be signed in at the office upon arrival and collected at the end of the day. Alternatively, we recommend leaving smart watches at home. This helps minimise distractions and supports a focused learning environment. Thank you for your support.

Supporting Children Through Anxiety

It's natural to want to protect our children when they feel anxious, but research tells us that the most effective way to help them manage anxiety is by gently encouraging them to face their fears—rather than avoid them. This approach, often used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), is known as exposure therapy, and it works by helping children learn that they can cope with their anxious feelings and that the feared situation often isn’t as bad as it seems.

While it can be tempting to make things easier in the moment—like letting your child stay home from school or avoid a challenging task—this can unintentionally reinforce their anxiety. Instead, we encourage parents to support their child with calm reassurance and help them take small, brave steps forward. Facing fears gradually, with support, builds resilience and confidence. If you’d like further resources or ideas for how to support your child through anxious moments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

kind regards

Mr Ande

Beach Buzz Palm Beach State School

Issue 5 · 30 May 2025

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