22 August 2025

What’s Happening

Principal’s Report

Welcome to our Week 6 newsletter. So many proud moments have occurred over the past 2 weeks which really consolidate what a unique school environment we exist within once again. As a relatively small school comparatively speaking, we hold our own weight and then some when we represent at various competitions. It is so humbling to see our students trying their very best at all times. Recently, our choir performed wonderfully at Eisteddfod which I was personally witness to, I have visited our Year 4 campers where I received feedback from camp owners as to how great they were as a group and our District Athletics and Chinese Speaking contestants who achieved high levels as celebrated below.

QParents

We have had a strong response for registering for QParents with around 250 students being registered. We still have another 300 registrations to go with QParents, and there will be a slight change in how we organise incursions and excursions. You will first receive the permission form online through QParents. You will have up to 2 weeks to provide consent. We will then email invoices to those students who are attending the incursion/excursion. You will have up to 4 weeks to pay the invoice. 

Broadwater District Athletics

Thank you to Mr Milloy and Mrs Tones who supervised and encouraged the following students who qualified and competed:

Toki, Lewis, Miles, Diego, Bay, Shelby, Zoe and Luca.

A special congratulations go to Diego and Toki, who will move onto the next level as Toki received 2^nd in discus and Diego received 1^st in the 200m and 2^nd in the 100m.

Deputy Principal Junior Report

Our school is now taking enrolments for the 2026 school year, please get your enrolment forms in early, if possible, to inform school planning. Should you know of friends or family looking to join us at Southport State School, please inform them to visit our school website or contact the school for further information and to obtain an enrolment package.

Prep 2026 – Prep Information Session

If your child is starting in Prep in 2026 we will be holding another Prep information session for those families who have either not attended the Prep Open Day or the Prep Information Session that was held in May. 

Tuesday 2 September 9.15am school Library.

Make your booking here:  

Prep 2026 – Welcome Aboard Discussions

Prep 2026 Welcome Aboard Discussions have now started. You can book into these and our Prep 2026 ‘Meet Your Crew’ sessions held in Term 4 via our school website, or using the SOBs booking system.

Make your booking here -

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

At Southport State School, we promote and encourage the following values which have been identified by our school community. These values are upheld by both students and staff:

“I am a Learner, I am Respectful, I am Safe”

Each week students engage in a PBL focus lesson. These lessons promote the school values and we talk to students about the behaviours associated with them.

What are the benefits of using the PBL framework?

• PBL helps schools to be consistent in the way they support and respond to behaviour.
• PBL enables schools to develop clear expectations and boundaries for behaviour and ensures that behaviour support is differentiated according to need.

The week 5 & 6 PBL focus value was Learner.

Southport State School is committed to providing quality education for all in a safe, respectful and disciplined learning environment. We believe these values teach and promote our high standard of responsible behaviour.

Gabrielle Baldwin
Deputy Principal Junior School

HOPL Report

Executive Functioning

Executive functioning refers to a set of mental skills that are crucial for managing and regulating behaviour, emotions, and thoughts. These skills enable children (and adults) to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. In children, executive functioning is vital for academic success, social relationships, and overall well-being. Here's a breakdown of the core components:

1. Working Memory
   What It Is: The ability to hold and manipulate information in mind over short periods.
   Example in Children: Remembering the steps to solve a problem or keeping track of instructions.
2. Inhibitory Control (Impulse Control)
   What It Is: The ability to control one's impulses and resist distractions or temptations.
   Example in Children: Waiting their turn in a game, not shouting out answers in class, or resisting the urge to grab a toy from a sibling.
3. Cognitive Flexibility
   What It Is: The ability to adapt to new situations, switch perspectives, or think about things in different ways.
   Example in Children: Adjusting to changes in routine, shifting from one activity to another, or finding a new strategy when a preferred one doesn’t work.
4. Planning and Organization
   What It Is: The ability to set goals, develop strategies, and manage time and resources effectively.
   Example in Children: Organizing schoolwork, planning out how to approach a project, or setting goals for improvement in sports or academics.
5. Self-Monitoring
   What It Is: The ability to assess one’s own performance and behaviour, recognize mistakes, and make adjustments.
   Example in Children: Noticing when they’ve made an error in homework and correcting it, or realizing they need to study more for a test.

How can I support my child’s Executive Functioning Development at home?

Structured Routines: Consistent schedules and routines can help children develop planning and organizational skills.

Modelling and Practice: Demonstrating tasks, breaking them down into steps, and providing opportunities for practice can strengthen executive functioning.

Games and Activities: Engaging in games that require memory, planning, and flexibility (like puzzles, strategy games, or Simon Says) can boost these skills.

Positive Reinforcement: Encouraging and rewarding efforts to use executive functioning skills can motivate children to continue developing them.

QParents and StarLab Incursion: Year 3 and 5

Next term, the Year 3 and 5 students will have the opportunity to participate in a StarLab incursion to support their science learning. Permission forms will be sent out through QParents at the start of September. This means that you will receive a convenient, online permission form.

QParents is a free and secure online application that enables Queensland state schools to provide parents and carers with digital access to permission forms and report cards. Southport State School launched QParents last Friday. Pop into the office if you are having difficulties registering.

Poppy Verrall
Head of Personalised Learning

Head of Curriculum

Science Week Competition

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Science Week Competition. We had excellent entries this year!

Here are just some of them...

Year 1/2 winner: Harriet
Year 3/4 winner: Eshan and Krishna (partners)
Year 5/6 winner: Andre

Thanks to Mrs McAlister, Mrs Bennett and the other Science Sparks who made Science Week a huge success!

Tania Biddulph
Head of Curriculum

News from the Office

QParents

QParents has now launched at Southport State School. Register online now at https://qparents.qld.edu.au using the unique invitation code attached to the email sent to you on Friday 15^th August.

If you need assistance with the registration process, please contact the office for support.

Thank you to all those parents who have registered for QParents. Registration requests are currently being processed and parents will soon enjoy having their children’s student information at their fingertips, along with the convenience of time-saving functionality. If you would like more information on QParents, please visit 

QParents will provide you with easy access to update student absences, access information for excursions and provide permission to attend, and make payments for the event. You will also be receiving your child’s report card via QParents from Term 4 this year.

Please click on the link below for information on how to register:

Kylie Sztama

Guidance Officer

Parents Have Needs Too

As parents, a great focus of our time and energies is spent on ensuring that our children’s needs are met. We do this out of love for our children. Sometimes though, it is easy to forget our own needs. When this happens it usually leads to a feeling of discontent which certainly impacts on all members of the family.

Many parents have common needs that, if fulfilled, will help greatly in the enjoyment of family life. Here are some suggestions:

• Take time away from the kids.
• Enjoy your job – whether your job is caring for your family, you are self-employed or work for someone else. If you don’t accept/like what you do then this will impact on not only your own health and well-being but your families as well.
• Be healthy – eating well and exercising helps both physically and mentally
• Take time to relax – don’t wait for a holiday use weekends well. Take time out every day to unwind (even if it is 5 minutes)
• Pursue an interest – whether it be a leisure interest, friendship group or community involvement.
• Let others support you when you’re down
• Educate yourself on being a better parent – often our only model of parenting may have been what our parents did. It is worthwhile attending parent classes, seeking advice, talking to other parents to ensure you are well equipped for the challenges that children provide. More info on this next newsletter.

Remember: We are all important. No one is more important than the next person. Just as children require their needs to be met so do parents. So, factor in time each day to meet your needs – Happy parents can only benefit the entire family.

NOTE:

If you require support, contact PARENTLINE:- 1300 301 300 (8am-10pm, 7 days a week).

Online learning Opportunity

Triple P is a world-renowned parenting program that can help you learn simple but proven ways to parent more effectively and give your children the best opportunity to reach their full potential.

Triple P can help you

• Encourage behaviour you like
• Deal with your child’s problem behaviour
• Feel confident as a parent
• Be realistic about parenting
• Take care of yourself

Triple P offer a free online program you can do in the privacy of your own home and it is free to Queensland parents.  LINK: 

Marisa Anderson

Mind Matters

Circle of Control

Sometimes kids (and adults!) spend a lot of energy worrying about things they can’t change such as the weather, other people’s choices, or what might happen tomorrow. This can leave them feeling frustrated or powerless.

Learning to focus on what is in their control, like their own actions, words, effort, and attitude, helps children feel calmer, more confident, and capable. It gives them a sense of agency, even when life feels unpredictable.

Talking about “what I can control vs. what I can’t control” helps kids build resilience and problem-solving skills. Instead of getting stuck in worries, they can put their energy toward making positive choices in the areas they do have power.

Kiana Bresic
School – based Psychologist

P&C News

Student of the Week Award – Week 2

Student of the Week Award – Week 3