27 June 2025

From Taylor Haley, Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

As Term 2 draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who makes Surfers Paradise State School the vibrant and welcoming place it is. This term has been filled with memorable moments, meaningful learning, and strong connections between students, staff, and families.

From exciting excursions and camps to our athletics carnivals and interschool sport, our students have embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and pride. Our classrooms have been buzzing with energy, from persuasive speeches and engaging projects to assessment tasks that showed just how far our learners have come. It’s been a time of real growth, both academically and personally.

What stands out most, though, are the moments that happen quietly every day, the small acts of kindness, the words of encouragement, and the support shared between students, staff and families. These are the things that truly shape the essence of our school. They are what make our community strong and what make our school a place where every child feels valued.

I would like to acknowledge our dedicated teachers and support staff who work tirelessly to provide rich learning experiences and create a safe and caring environment for every student. Your passion, patience and professionalism make all the difference.

To our parents and carers, thank you for your ongoing support. Whether it’s helping with homework, attending school events, or simply checking in on how your child is feeling each day, your involvement matters. We’re grateful to work in partnership with you to support every child’s journey.

As we head into the holidays, I encourage all our students to take time to rest, recharge and reflect on their achievements. Whether you’re travelling or enjoying some downtime at home, I hope the break brings moments of joy and connection with loved ones.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for a fantastic Term 3.

Semester 1 Reporting

At Surfers Paradise State School, assessment and reporting are key parts of our teaching and learning process. As part of the Queensland Education system, we are committed to providing clear, consistent, and meaningful information about each student’s progress and achievement throughout the year.

This week, families will receive their child’s Semester 1 report card. These reports are a formal reflection of your child’s academic performance and effort across all learning areas, based on the Australian Curriculum. They also provide valuable insight into your child’s behaviour, engagement, and attitude toward learning.

While the report card is an important milestone, it is just one part of our broader approach to communication and feedback. Ongoing discussions between teachers, students, and families through parent-teacher interviews, classroom updates, and informal conversations all contribute to a shared understanding of each child’s growth.

The overall comments included in the report not only celebrate student achievements but also outline areas for further development. This helps us work together to set goals and support continued learning in the second half of the year.

We thank our teachers for the time, care, and professional judgement they bring to the reporting process, and we encourage families to take the opportunity to talk with their child about their successes and next steps.

Regards, Taylor Haley

Calendar term 3

This calendar is for reference only and is subject to change. Please check with your child’s class newsletter for any changes to times and dates. If you are unsure, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or the school office during business hours.

Learning Conferences (Parent Teacher Meetings)

Our second formal opportunity for parents to meet with teachers will occur in Weeks 2 and 3 of Term three (Monday 21/7/2025 to Friday 1/8/2025). These meetings will now be called ‘Learning Conferences’ to further support our school move to include students as active participants in these meetings.  Please encourage and expect your child to come with you to the meeting.

Please click here to make a booking

Research indicates that when students are actively involved in meetings with their teacher and parent, it can significantly improve their academic engagement, self-awareness of their learning progress, and overall relationship with both parents and teachers, leading to positive impacts on their academic performance.

Key findings from research on student involvement in parent-teacher conferences:

Increased student ownership

When students participate in conferences by presenting their work and discussing their learning goals, they feel more responsible for their academic progress, leading to greater motivation and self-regulation. 

Improved communication

Student-led conferences facilitate open communication between parents, teachers, and students, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the student's strengths and areas for improvement. 

Enhanced parent engagement

When parents are actively involved in discussions where their child is leading the conversation, they are more likely to stay engaged and provide meaningful support at home. 

Development of self-reflection skills

Preparing for a student-led conference encourages students to critically analyse their work, identify areas for growth, and articulate their learning process. 

Positive impact on academic achievement

Studies have shown a correlation between increased parental involvement through student-led conferences and improved student academic outcomes. 

Athletics timetable – Senior Events **

Please refer to timetable below for next term’s athletics events for year 4, 5 and 6 senior students **.

** Event detailed above may be subject to change due to unexpected weather conditions.

Eisteddfod Music Timetable

Please refer to details below for the Eisteddfod timetable.

If you have queries, please contact your child’s music teacher.

Calm Children Learn Best

From our Psychologist, Georgia Blackwell

Have you ever tried to talk to your child about homework or behaviour right in the middle of a meltdown? If so, you’ll know it doesn’t usually work. That’s not because they’re being difficult—it’s because their brain literally can’t take in information or solve problems when they feel stressed or unsafe.

When children are overwhelmed, their nervous system kicks into “protection mode.” This is part of how the brain keeps us safe: it tells the body to fight, freeze, or flee when it senses threat—even if the “threat” is just a hard math problem or a misunderstanding with a friend.

But here’s the good news: calm is contagious. Research by Dr. Stephen Porges (2011) shows that when a child feels emotionally safe with a parent, teacher, or carer, their nervous system starts to settle. Their breathing slows. Their muscles relax. Their thinking brain (the prefrontal cortex) can switch back on—and that’s when learning, problem-solving, and emotional growth become possible again.

Try this at home:

• When your child is upset or dysregulated:
  Instead of asking them to explain or calm down right away, pause. Get down to their level. Try a soft, steady voice: “It looks like you’re having a really hard time. I’m right here with you. We’ll figure it out when you’re ready.”
• Use co-regulation tools:
  Sit quietly next to them. Offer a hug, hold their hand, or sit back-to-back. If they can’t talk, that’s okay. Just being there calmly helps their body start to settle.
• After the storm passes:
  When your child is calm again, gently revisit what happened—not to scold, but to build understanding. Try: “That was a big feeling. What do you think made it feel so hard?”
  “Next time, what could we try together?”
• Name and normalise the feeling:
  Try: “I get angry too sometimes. That feeling doesn’t last forever, and I’m here to help you through it.”

Interested in reading more?

Article: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/connecting-communicating/connecting/parent-child-relationships

Art Show

The theme for our 2025 Art Show is ‘Art is an Adventure’.

Story Dog

This term in year 2 we have been incredibly grateful for our lovely volunteer Judi and her gorgeous pup Jonti from Story Dogs, who generously give their time each week to support our students with their reading. Her warm and encouraging presence helps create a calm and positive environment where students feel confident and excited to read. The children look forward to their sessions and have made wonderful progress thanks to her patience and gentle guidance.

Keebra Park State High School Sports Excellence 2026

Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 (in 2026) – Female & Male Athletes

Apply now to be part of our elite Sports Excellence Program!

Students wishing to apply need to register via the link below, and email their Excellence/Academy and scholarship applications to enrolments@keebraparkshs.eq.edu.au

Register your Sports Excellence Application: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TRSHR35

Excellence and Academy form:

https://keebraparkshs.eq.edu.au/SupportAndResources/FormsAndDocuments/Documents/OOC%20%20Academy%20Application%20editable.pdf

Scholarship Application form:

https://keebraparkshs.eq.edu.au/SupportAndResources/FormsAndDocuments/Documents/scholarship-application.pdf

*Students wanting to trial for Rugby League and Rugby 7s need to register for Girls Sport Academy and Rugby League Academy*

Community Notice Board

The school is happy to advertise some local events and business ventures. However, we do not necessarily endorse them to you. It is the responsibility of individual parents/caregivers to ensure that they themselves are satisfied with all services offered before they involve their children.