Primary Bulletin

Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Thank you to our families and friends who attended the swimming carnival on Tuesday. It was wonderful to see the students participate with smiles on their faces and support for one another. We loved our new venue and look forward to future carnivals in this space. Special thanks to Ms Amy Lewin - Primary Sports Coordinator and Mr Tim O’Rourke - Year 6O/HPE Teacher for their coordination of the event, and our fabulous teaching staff who braved the warm conditions!

'Pal’entine’s Day – Henderson House Fundraiser

On Friday 14 February, Henderson House will be hosting ‘Pal’entine’s Day’ in support of MS Queensland. MS Queensland is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to empowering researchers in their mission to treat, prevent, and cure Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as well as supporting those in our community affected by this disease.

MS is a chronic neurological condition that affects over 25,000 Australians, and through our contributions, we hope to make a positive impact. To show your support, students can wear red accessories on the day. We encourage everyone to participate and help raise awareness for this important cause. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Please see the link below for more information about MS Australia.

All students are invited to wear a red accessory on 'Pal’entine’s Day, with full school uniform. Please note, students do not need to bring a gold coin donation for this day. If you would like to donate online, however, please follow the link below.

The College App

The College App is an important part of the communication process at Clayfield College. Please make sure your subscription is correct to receive all notifications. If you are having difficulties, our IT staff will happily meet with you. They are located in the Lower LRC.

Volunteers Needed

A big thank you to all the parents and carers who have already volunteered as Class Parent Coordinators or Primary Working Party Leaders/Helpers! We are still seeking volunteers for the following roles:

• Parent Coordinator: Class 4R
• Parent Coordinator: Class 6O
• Lead Person for the Mother’s Day Stall

If you can assist, please complete your details using this form link or email swyer@clayfield.qld.edu.au. Your support is greatly appreciated!

WhatsApp Guidelines

Through the Class Coordinators, the Friends of Primary Group facilitate a WhatsApp Group per year level for any parent who wishes to join. This informal platform shares social events and practical information. This is a parent-based community platform which is run independently from the College; however, a staff member is included in each class group. Positive and friendly communication is encouraged.

The Class Parent Rep Leader for 2025 is Beatrice Peters (6C Parent). She will reach out to the Class Coordinators with this information.

Commencement Chapel Service

It would be lovely to see our Primary families come together for our Chapel Commencement Service on Wednesday 19 February at 4:30pm. If you are attending this service, students must be accompanied by their parents and students are not to be left alone at school between 3:10pm to 4:30pm. Students are permitted to wear casual clothes or school uniform.

Excellent Start Parent Workshop

In Week 6, on Tuesday 4 March at 8:45am in the Lower LRC, Pre-Prep to Year 2 parents are invited to come and learn about our Excellent Start in the early years at Clayfield College. At this workshop, you will learn how to support our programs in Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Numeracy, by assisting in the classroom and at home. You will find out how to ask comprehension questions following reading, what are reading strategies, ways to practise spelling words, developing ideas in writing, and why number sense is important.

Please register your attendance via this form link.

Year 6 Outdoor Education Camp

In Week 7, Year 6 students will attend their Outdoor Education Camp which will be held from Wednesday 12 March to Friday 14 March. Please mark these dates in your calendar, with camp information and requirements to be emailed to parents.

Primary Assembly

Parents are invited to attend our Primary Assemblies each fortnight. This year, Assemblies will take place on Tuesdays in B Weeks, from 2:20pm, which we hope will make it easier for parents to attend. If your child is receiving a specific award, you will be emailed either by their class teacher or by Mrs Miriam Bryan - Dean of Primary.

If you attend the Assembly, you are welcome to take your child home afterwards; however, we ask that you sign them out with their class teacher in the following locations:

• Prep: Outside the Assembly Hall, towards the Let Your Light Shine ramp
• Year 1: Outside the Assembly Hall, on the piano side
• Year 2: In the Amphitheatre
• Year 3: In the Tuckshop Courtyard
• Year 4:  Outside the Swimming Pool
• Year 5: In the Amphitheatre
• Year 6: At the Year 6 lockers

Please collect your youngest child first before collecting older siblings. If you are not attending the Assembly, then normal pick-up routines at Circular Drive or Bayview Terrace apply. We look forward to welcoming you next week.

Term 1 Class Leaders

Congratulations to our Term 1 Class Leaders who received their certificates and badges in last week’s Assembly.

Next week we will celebrate our Student Council Representatives and Chapel Leaders.

NAPLAN 2025 

Parents of students in Years 3 to 5 should have received communication from Mrs Cavaliere on behalf of Mrs Lakshmi Mohan, Deputy Principal – Academic/Head of Secondary, with regard to this year’s National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy.

Next week, students will be supported to download the NAP Lockdown Browser onto their device. If your child is in Year 5 and has previously taken part in these assessments, please uninstall the old NAP Lockdown Browser from their device, as we will need to install the new app. If your child is unable to download apps to their device without a permission code, please ensure that Mrs Bryan is aware of this code before Tuesday 18 February.

Please also ensure that your child’s device is fully charged each day next week and that their wired headphones are also in school. Once we have uploaded the app onto everyone’s device, we will undertake an online practice test, which familiarises both staff and students with the platform requirements.

If you did not receive this letter, which contains a large amount of additional information, please reach out to Mrs Bryan – mbryan@clayfield.qld.edu.au.

External Providers Co-Curricular Activities

As previously provided in the Welcome Letter/Primary School News, the activities listed in the attached are managed and run by external providers and available for Term 1. Prep to Year 6 students will be met at Circular Drive by their external provider and taken to the activity. Pre-Prep students continue to be picked up from their classroom. Please let your child’s teacher know of any after school activities you have booked for your child.

Please be prompt when collecting your child from after school activities. Please contact the provider directly for bookings and information. Mrs Humphrys is the College contact for any questions you may have at studentservices@clayfield.qld.edu.au.

Outstanding Approval in Parent Lounge

• 2025 Student Excursion and Activities Permission Prep to Year 6
• 2025 Student Technology Agreement

An email has been sent to families who have not yet completed this important requirement. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. If you have any issues, please don't hesitate to contact the College.

Illuminate: The House Spirit Showcase

During our major events this year, such as Interhouse Carnivals and Arts Day, we will be asking each House to submit a photo demonstrating their House Spirit. The best photograph of each event will be publicised in The Collective and on Assembly.

An award will be given to the House that has the most points for their photos by the end of the year.

Foundation Day - Games Carnival: Gibson House Spirit Photo

This week the spirit and excitement across the College was palpable with much for us all to be grateful for.

The Foundation Day Assembly was a heartwarming occasion, where students, staff, and Old Collegians came together to celebrate our vast history and the achievements of our community. The atmosphere was filled with appreciation for our journey thus far and the promise of a bright future.

The enjoyment continued at the Foundation Day games where our school spirit shone through with students across the campus getting involved in the games, the sausage sizzle, and the opportunity to celebrate our birthday.

"Technology is not just about innovation - it’s about empowering students and teachers with the right tools for success."

As the new Head of e-Learning at Clayfield College, I'm excited to work alongside our community as we navigate this era of digital transformation together. I first joined the College in 2023 as Head of STEM, teaching in the Technologies Learning Area, and this year, I continue to teach Year 11 and 12 Design and Engineering. My passion lies in harnessing technology to enhance learning experiences, and I’m thrilled to take on this role to further support our students and teachers.

One way we enhance the learning experience is by integrating Atomi into our curriculum. This platform offers engaging, curriculum-specific videos and interactive content that simplify complex topics, making them more accessible to students. By incorporating Atomi, we provide our students with valuable resources that support their academic growth.

Throughout the Primary and Secondary School, we offer the application Sora, which provides students with access to a vast collection of age-appropriate ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and comics. Sora's user-friendly interface allows students to borrow and read digital books from our College’s Learning Resource Centre, enhancing their reading experience. 

My role includes ensuring that our academic digital tools are relevant, user-friendly, and truly enhance learning. I’m part of the College’s Teaching and Learning Leadership Team, where we collaborate to trial and evaluate all e-learning initiatives before implementation, ensuring they align with our educational goals and enhance student learning at Clayfield College.

With the ever-evolving influence of AI, we will also be focusing on AI in education, working with our teachers to explore, evaluate, and implement AI tools that align with our curriculum and values. While we firmly believe the single greatest impact on student learning is the classroom teacher, it is also our aim to provide our teachers with additional tools in their toolkit, to further personalise the learning journey of each student at Clayfield College.

I look forward to working with our staff and students as we embrace new possibilities in digital learning at Clayfield College.