8 August 2025

What’s Happening

Principal’s Report

The past fortnight of education at Southport State School has been amazing. It makes me immensely proud of our collective efforts as I roam the school, observing students trying their very best, our musical students rehearsing prior to upcoming Eisteddfods, teachers displaying high yield pedagogies such as their vocabulary instructional routines, our Support Staff providing before school intervention or getting heavily involved during Multicultural Day yesterday. We really are a wonderful community and a hive of activity.

School Opinion Survey

This year’s School Opinion Survey runs from 28 July to 22 August. Parents, carers, students in selected year levels, and staff have been emailed a link to participate. Your feedback will help us understand our school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Survey responses are confidential. Find out more on the School Opinion Survey webpage or contact school administration.

National Science Week (9–17 August)

Celebrate National Science Week (9–17 August) and check out both in-person and online events for the whole family. The National Science Week website also has lots of DIY experiments and activities to conduct at home. Find out more: www.scienceweek.net.au.

Below are the events being put on here at school:

Parentline: Support and advice for all Queensland parents and carers

Being a parent can be rewarding—but it can also be challenging. Whether you’re trying to support your child with school issues, friendship challenges, behaviour, or tough moments at home, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about what to do next.

Parentline is a free and confidential service available to all Queensland parents and carers. No problem is too big or too small—and reaching out early can make a real difference.

Parentline offers advice and support on a wide range of parenting topics, including:

• bullying and friendship issues
• parent–child relationships
• parenting strategies and behaviour management
• mental and emotional wellbeing—for both children and parents

You can speak with a trained professional by phone or webchat (6am-midnight), seven days a week.

An online bullying support forum is also available. This is a safe, moderated space to connect with others, ask questions, and share experiences.

📞 Call 1300 30 1300

💬 Visit parentline.com.au

Because parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but help is here when you need it.

Last week, I was surprised with the plethora of well wishes I received for Principal’s Day as pictured below – a day that I attempted to hide under the radar. Thank you to all students and staff who provided their thoughts. It certainly brightened up my day and made me feel valued for the efforts that I put in daily to ensure Southport State School is the very best it can be. Have a great fortnight.

Andrew Stewart
Principal

Deputy Principal Senior Report

Celebrating Instrumental Music Success

A huge congratulations to all of our talented Instrumental Music students who have already performed at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod this term - we are so proud of your efforts and commitment. Best of luck to those students still to perform in the coming weeks. We’re cheering you on!

A special mention to Yukari, who achieved 2nd Place for her solo violin performance — an incredible achievement!

Year 4 Camp

We wish our Year 4 students and staff all the very best as they head off to Camp Goodenough from Monday to Wednesday next week. We know they'll represent our school proudly while building great memories, teamwork, and resilience. Have an amazing time!

Age Champion Announcements – Week 6 Senior Assembly

A reminder that we will be announcing our Age Champions from our recent Sports Carnival at our Week 6 Senior Assembly on Wednesday 20 August at 2:15pm in the hall. Families are welcome to attend and celebrate our students' achievements.

David Capill
Deputy Principal Senior School

HOPL Report

High School

Attention parents of Grade 6 students

This term, we as a school begin our discussion with high school feeder schools to share information regarding transition and support requirements for your child. It is important that you enrol your child as soon as you know which school they will be attending as this will allow them to participate in planned transition days and support. Please ensure you do this at your earliest convenience.

Poppy Verrall
Head of Personalised Learning

Head of Curriculum

Inform and Empower

Our students will participate in an Inform and Empower session again this term. Here is information about the topics covered for each year level. There are also parent information sheets that provide further information and support.

Prep: Learning this term will focus on navigating the online world more safely. We will discuss how not all places on the internet are safe. We will explore how trusted adults can help us stay safe online.

Year 1 and 2: Learning this term will focus on the importance of creating strong usernames and passwords and not sharing personal information online. We will also discuss how not everyone online is who they say they are.

Year 3 and 4:  Learning this term will focus on developing strategies for navigating uncomfortable situations. We will also explore what it means to be an upstander and discuss help-seeking strategies.

Year 5 and 6: Learning this term will focus on navigating uncomfortable situations. We will explore strategies for being an upstander as well as how and where to seek help. We will also discuss the importance of consent in online interactions.

Tania Biddulph
Head of Curriculum

Music

Choir Eisteddfod

The Southport State School Choir is performing at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod.

DATE: Tuesday,12 August
TIME:  All students need to be at GLOW by 5.15pm. Our section begins at 6pm. We are 1^st in the section.
WHERE: GLOW, 10 Energy Crt, Robina
TRANSPORT: All students will need to be transported to and from GLOW by parental transport.

All students are to be dressed in full school uniform. This includes SSS music polo shirt. Music shirts can be purchased from the uniform shop.

As it is an out of school time event, permission notes do NOT need to be handed in.

I kindly request that ALL choir students attend. We have been working consistently on our songs and every child is a part of our TEAM together. Every child is important.

You can purchase tickets at the door, but as it is an after school time, there will be many parents attending also from other schools.  You can also purchase tickets online at the link below.

If you have any enquiries, please email me jburn251@eq.edu.au

Thank you for your support.

Julie Burnett

Guidance Officer

Anxiety

Last newsletter discussed the importance of attendance. We know there are times when coming to school may be a challenge. It is normal that, at some stage in life, every individual will feel anxious when faced with a difficult situation. Each individual will cope with anxiety in different ways. During difficult times, you can support your child to cope with anxiety in effective ways and by doing so, enhance their resilience. Anxiety becomes a problem when it is persistent and prevents them from enjoying normal life experiences for a long period of time.

Did you know?

• Approximately 1 in 14 children and teenagers in Australia experience anxiety.
• Children with anxiety symptoms that are left untreated may be at a higher risk to perform poorly in school and of developing other mental health difficulties like depression, eating disorders and self-harm.
• Anxiety disorders that start in childhood often persist into the teenage years and early adulthood.

What can parents do?

It is important not to dismiss your child’s anxiety, but to help them see that the situations they are worried about may not be as bad as they think.

Free online program on Anxiety

The BRAVE Program which is a free, online, self-directed program that helps children with anxiety difficulties learn to manage their worries. There are age-appropriate child and teen programs, and separate programs for parents of children and parents of teens. The child and teen programs focus on anxiety management strategies. In the parent versions of BRAVE, parents receive training in the same strategies, so they can help their child use what they have learned in the program.

BRAVE Self-Help is made up of 10 sessions (each session is 30-60 minutes duration) for children and teens, while the parent programs are shorter. This program is free and may be done in the privacy of your own home.

Register using the link below.

Marisa Anderson

P&C News