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NEWS FROM 6A
In 6A we are learning about positive and negative numbers. We played a game of Race to Zero on a number line. This has helped us read Cartesian Planes. It also taught us that we never want to see negative numbers in our bank accounts.
ACE STUDENTS- Attend, Confident, Engaged
SCHOOL ATTE3NDANCE- Every day counts
A WONDALL SCHOOL DAY- Daily schedule
FACILITY UPGRADES- Check out what’s new around the school
NAPLAN- Test Schedule
REGLIGIOUS INSTRUCTION LESSONS –Fortnightly 30 minute lessons begin in Week 5
2026 PREP ENROLMENTS- Upcoming transition events
Reminder- Meet the Teacher Event- This afternoon 3:20pm and 4pm in your child’s classroom!
WONDALL SCHOOL 2025 ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Each year, schools identify priority areas that will shape the direction of the teaching and learning in the school. Our two key priorities for 2025, are listed below and will be unpacked as we progress through the school year.
Did you know… that all students from Prep to Year 6 are taught systematic synthetic phonics, supported through explicit instruction and decodable readers, appropriate to their learning needs!
ACE STUDENTS
This year we continue to focus on all of our students being ACE students. All of our staff will be working with students around the importance of attendance, building confidence and resilience and also engaging in, and owning, their own learning.
ATTENDANCE
At Wondall Heights State School we know students need to attend school regularly to achieve success in engagement and learning. Regular non-attendance has a significant impact on a student’s academic achievement, as well as their ability to make and sustain relationships with their peers. Regular absences can lead to anxiety and stress, which in turn can lead to further absence.
School staff set an example for students by encouraging attendance and punctuality. School absenteeism is monitored closely and regular contact will be made if high levels of absenteeism are detected.
It is also important to send children on time to school, with the school day beginning at 8:50am and a lot of important learning – particularly around Synthetic Phonics – being focussed upon first thing in the morning. If you are having trouble getting your child to school EVERY DAY by 8:50am, please reach out to our staff, so we can support you!
A WONDALL SCHOOL DAY
Our school hours are 8:50am-3:00pm. Teaching and learning begins at 8:50am, please ensure students are at school and ready for learning by this time.
Please read the schedule to find out more about our school day.
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8:00am |
School office opens |
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8:30am |
Students may arrive at school Students who arrive before 8:30am, must report to outside the Administration Block to wait quietly. After 8:30am students must go to the Arena for supervision. This includes students accompanied by a parent. Students will be released between 8:40-8:45am to move to their classrooms. Prep parents must follow current pick up/drop off advice from the school. (Students arriving prior to 8:15am must attend WOSHC). |
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8:45am |
Class preparation bell for 8:50am start |
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8:50am |
Morning Session commences for all year levels |
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10:00-10:10am (time varies for classes) |
Brain Break – Students are encouraged to bring a healthy snack such as cut up fresh fruit or vegetables or a boiled egg. The purpose of brain break is to refuel our brain for learning and to encourage healthy eating.
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10:50-11:30am |
First Break – (25mins play, 15mins eating) |
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11:30am |
Middle session commences |
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1:00-1:40pm |
Second Break - (30mins play, 10 mins eating) |
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1:40pm |
Afternoon session commences |
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3:00pm |
School day finishes Parents/carers collect students from waiting areas – follow current advice from the school. WOSHC commences Motorists may collect children from Stop, Drop and Go (2-minute parking only, supervised until 3:30pm). |
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3:30pm |
School office closes – answering machine activated. |
FACILITY WORKS
We are excited to share some pictures of our refurbished C Block classrooms. As part of the asbestos removal program, the 4 classrooms received full refurbishments including new ceilings, teaching walls (whiteboards, shelves and TVs) , flooring and electrical fittings. These updates make both ends of classrooms useable for students, including extra storage.
The funds raised from the disco held in 2024 were put to good use, with the purchase and installation of a bubbler in the hall. This will provide students and hall users with immediate water and bottle refills!
NAPLAN – TEST SCHEDULE
The NAPLAN test window starts on Wednesday 12 March and finishes on Monday 24 March 2025. Schools are advised to schedule the tests as soon as possible within the testing window, prioritising the first week.
Wondall Heights State School NAPLAN 2025 Schedule
If you wish to withdraw your child from NAPLAN please contact Amy Cocciolone on 3906 6444 to complete the relevant paperwork.
For further information, please follow the links below:
NAPLAN Information for Parents and Carers - 2025
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
Religious Instruction lessons commence next week. Students in Years1-6, who have permission, will receive a 30-minute lesson every fortnight on a Tuesday.
Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs. Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, schools are to provide Religious Instruction (RI) if approached by a faith group seeking to provide RI and students of that faith attend the school.
RI informs students about the beliefs and values of a particular religion. It is delivered by volunteers of a faith group using instructional materials approved by that faith group. RI is required to be consistent with legislation and Department of Education policies and procedures. At Wondall Heights State School, RI is delivered by volunteers of the Baptist, Anglican and Christian faiths.
All RI instructors must hold a blue card and participate in compulsory Student Protection and Code of Conduct training. RI instructors are only entitled to deliver the RI program outlined below. A school staff member will be present during the delivery of RI.
Participation in RI is not compulsory. Any student (except Prep students) may participate in RI if a parent has provided written instructions to the school.
Students are allocated to RI based on information provided by parents on the completed Application for student enrolment unless other written instructions have been provided to the school.
Note: This consent remains in effect unless the parent informs the school otherwise in writing.
Other Instruction
Students who are not participating in RI will be provided with other instruction in a separate supervised location. Other instruction must relate to part of a subject area already covered in class and may include:
- personal research and/or assignments
- revision of class work such as creative writing or literacy and/or numeracy activities which could include online programs currently accessed by the students of that school
- wider reading such as independent reading appropriate to the student.
Parents will be advised of any changes to the RI and other instruction programs to ensure they are able to make an informed decision on their child’s participation.
HANDY HINTS – WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
We are running a Storytime & Play Session for enrolled and waitlisted children in late February (date to be released via direct email invite). We are encouraging early enrolment, so that children have plenty of opportunities to transition throughout this year. If there are any families in the Wondall Heights SS catchment who have not yet enrolled, we urge them to do so, so they receive an invite. Families who are not in-catchment are welcome to join our waitlist and will also be invited.
If you know of any family, friends or neighbours with Prep aged children in 2026, please feel free to share this information and the attached brochures so they don’t miss these special events.
Week 3 and 4’s PBL focus lesson is expressing emotions appropriately. This lesson revisits the calming strategies introduced during Connection Week and reinforces the idea that all emotions are valid, but they should be expressed in a way that keeps everyone safe.
What does PBL look like at Wondall?
- At Wondall we have three school expectations: Safe, Respectful and Responsible.
- We have the mantra: Wondall learners are: Safe, Respectful and Responsible.
- Each fortnight the school has a behaviour focus. The focus behaviour is explicitly taught and positively reinforced.
- Positive reinforcement through verbal feedback, receiving Dougie Dollars and Dougie Stamps.
What are Dougie Rewards?
Behaviour is reinforced when provided with something of value following a desired behaviour. This may be verbal praise, non-verbal acknowledgement, earning of tokens, provision of tangible rewards, or opportunities to perform a task or participate in an activity.
- Dougie rewards are free and frequent reward points.
- Students receive Dougie rewards in the classroom and the playground.
- Dougie Dollars are awarded outside of the classroom. These points go towards a class total and a school total.
- Dougie Points are awarded during class time. Students earn reward vouchers at the following increments.
- Students go to the Dougie Shop (open every Friday 1st Break in the Library where they can select their reward)
Our PBL Captains have been surveying our students to hear what vouchers they would like to receive this year for our Dougie Rewards!
ONLINE THIRD-PARTY SERVICES CONSENT & MEDIA PERMISSIONS
Thank you to all of the families who have completed the Online Third-Party Services Consent and Media Permissions Consent in QParents!
For those families still to complete these forms, they are available in QParents until midnight Friday this week.
Students who do not have their Online Third-Party Services Consent completed may not be able to access all curriculum programs and apps used in lessons after Friday.
BOOK CLUB
Each term we have two issues of Book Club to send home. Parents are able to order Book Club through Scholastic’s Loop online ordering system. Sometimes the second issue of Book Club in a term may come home before the previous order has arrived, as the catalogues may arrive at school in the same week that the previous orders close.
| Excursion | Consent Due | Payment Due | Cost |
| Yr 5 & 6 Parliment House | 7th Feb | 19th Feb | $13.00 |
| Prep Minibeast Incursion | 7th Feb | 21st Feb | $ 9.00 |
Consent must be given before an invoice is issued for payment. Payment plans are available, please contact Business Manager. Ph: 39066444
DISTRICT SWIMMING TRIALS
Good luck to the following students who will be competing at the Bayside District Swimming Trials tomorrow.
Participants – Penny C, Fraser M, Lucas V, Astrid M, Maeve O, Harrison S, Harper G, Victoria C and Archie W.
FITNESS CLUB – YEARS 3-6 (THURSDAYS – 1ST BREAK)
*Please note it will not be on this Thursday as Mrs B will be at The District Swimming Trials.
ALL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY AND QUEENSLAND ATHLETICS
If your child enjoys running and Athletics, please consider signing them up for the upcoming All Schools Cross Country. Nominations open on 5 April. For more information please contact Queensland Athletics.
Queensland All Schools Cross Country Championships
Date: 10th May 2025 – 9am -5pm at Nudgee College
Japanese language learning with Sensei
Yokoso! Welcome to the “Year of the Snake.”
I am excited to be offering Japanese language and cultural learning to all Year 3 to Year 6 students.
Year 3 and 4 students will be learning to use Japanese language to explore Japanese character descriptions.
Year 5 and 6 students will be learning to use Japanese language to communicate ideas and information related to their own family context.
This year, Sensei will be offering two lunchtime clubs. These will be the “Japanese Extension Club” and the “Origami Club.”
Arigato, Sensei
Hi everyone, I would love to introduce myself and welcome you all to 2025!
My name is Lydia and I am the chaplain (aka ‘Chappy’) here at Wondall Heights State School. I love being a part of this school community and find my role here incredibly rewarding, and I am extremely passionate about supporting the wellbeing of our students here at Wondall.
I am at Wondall on Wednesdays - Fridays each week, two of these days are funded under the National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) government funding, and one day is funded by external fundraising and donations received from the community - and I would love to say a HUGE thank you to the P&C for their continued generosity and support in contributing in 2024 and 2025!
A little more about what my role involves -
- Providing social and emotional support to students, being a listening ear and caring presence, and assisting with overall student wellbeing
- Providing focussed and individualised support to students at risk
- Supporting the emotional wellbeing of students experiencing hardships such as changes in family structure, illness or loss of a loved one, bullying, self esteem issues, mental health concerns and friendship/social issues
- Running various groups with students around topics such as friendships, resilience, anger management and social skills
- Organising food packages and necessities for families in need
- Helping with school extra-curricular events such as excursions, camps and sports days
- Running fun and inclusive lunchtime activities for students to participate in
If there is anything I can do to support you or your child, please feel free to get in contact via the school office.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT- Woolworths Fresh Fruit Friday
This year Wondall has been nominated by a wonderful parent from our school, to be a part of the Fresh Fruit Friday Program. The school will collect the fruit from our local Wynnum Plaza Woolworths each week and students can collect a piece of fruit from the Arena each Friday morning.
We want to again thank Woolworths for their support and look forward to this partnership throughout the year.
SCHOOL ZONE PARKING
Parking in accordance with all road rules and signage is important to keep our children and other road users safe. Unfortunately, Brisbane City Council has received an increase in the number of reports of illegal parking around our school. As a result, our school has been added to Council’s Safer Schools Program this term.
What does this mean?
Brisbane City Council’s Parking Compliance Officers will be actively patrolling the streets surrounding our school over the coming term to encourage safer parking behaviours. These patrols will be conducted on foot and in highly visible Community Safety and Regulation vehicles that can identify alleged offences using Automatic Number Plate Recognition and GPS software. Please be kind – they have a job to do.
What are the common parking signs around schools?
A guide to common parking signs around school zones can be found on Council’s website by searching the term ‘School Parking’.
