Edition 70
Principal's Message
Welcome back to the final school term of 2025. After today, there are only 45 school days remaining of this year.
Staffing update
We have had a few changes to staffing for Term 4.
At the end of Term 3, we farewelled Mr James Morley who has taken up the position of Acting Principal at Sunset State School in Mount Isa. A recruitment process to replace Mr Morley is in progress. Mrs Danielle Martin continues acting in Mr Morley’s position.
As our student enrolments continue to rise, a third Deputy Principal has been appointed. We welcome Mr Grant Pyke to this new permanent role. Mr Pyke has extensive Deputy Principal experience and as such brings a wealth of knowledge to our school community.
Ms Shelbie D’Amico (2E Teacher on Monday and Tuesday) has been replaced my Miss Lily Hird. Miss Hird returns to Everleigh State School from maternity leave.
Mrs Angela Erbacher has joined the Everleigh State School Inclusion team on Mondays and Thursdays, supporting our senior students. In addition to Mrs Erbacher, Ms Jae Stephens has also joined our growing staff. She will providing non-contact time on a Wednesday and supporting our Year 3 students as an Inclusion teacher on Fridays.
I am also very proud and pleased to announce that Mrs Candice Moodley, 5/6E Teacher has successfully completed her PhD. This is a tremendous achievement and as recognition of this achievement, I proudly present Dr Candice Moodley. Staff, students and the community will now acknowledge Mrs Moodley as Dr Moodley.
2026 Planning
With only 9 weeks remaining of this school year, 2026 staffing and class allocations is at the front our minds.
To assist in planning for 2026, please inform Administration if your child will not be returning to Everleigh State School in 2026.
If you have child starting Prep in 2026, and yet to enrol, please do so as soon as possible. We currently have 180 (and counting!) Prep students enrolled for 2026.
Recruitment for additional teaching staff is also underway.
Year 5 and Year 6 camps
On Monday, our Year 5 students head off to Camp Goodenough for three (3) days, returning on Wednesday. Ms Jo Suter, Miss Emily Raphael and Miss Soobyn Kim will be attending. Ms Tanya Conway will attend the camp on Monday, with Mrs Danielle Martin joining the group on Tuesday and will return on Wednesday. Mr Grant Pyke will accompany Ms Martin on Tuesday.
On Monday, 35 Year 6 students will depart for a five (5) day trip to Canberra with Mr Damion Douglass, Mrs Orienne Morgan-Melenhorst and I. This is our second Canberra trip, the first of what will be an annual Year 6 trip.
Mrs Teneale Harker will be acting Principal in my absence.
Keep an eye on Facebook for updates!
QParents
From 2026, Report Cards will be released via QParents only. Please take the time to prepare for this change and register for QParents if you are yet to do so.
All consent forms (excursions, online services, etc) will also transition to QParents.
Information on how to register and set up your QParents account is published in all of our newsletters.
Changes to Kangaroo Parking Zone
For those of you who use the Kangaroo pick up/drop off zone should have noticed a change to the 2-minute parking zones. This signage is now time specific. Between 8.00 am and 8.30 am and 2.15 pm to 2.45 pm, the pickup/drop off area of the Kangaroo carpark is strictly 2 minutes. This means anyone who parks in this zone for longer than 2 minutes can be fined. Outside of these times, there is no time limit for parking.
There has also been a change to the exit of the Platypus pick up/drop off zone. All traffic exiting this zone must turn left. I popped out on Tuesday afternoon to monitor. Thank you to the near majority of drivers who took note of this new signage and turned left.
Deputy Principals' Message
Deputy Principal’s message
Welcome Back to Term 4!
Welcome back to Term 4! We hope everyone had a restful break and is ready for the exciting final stretch of the school year. This term marks the culmination of all the hard work, learning, and growth our children have achieved throughout the year. It’s a time to celebrate progress, reflect on achievements, and prepare for the transition into the next stage of their educational journey.
Term 4 is always a busy one, filled with special events, celebrations, and important milestones. From end-of-year performances and excursions to graduation ceremonies and report writing, there’s a lot happening across the school.
To help stay organised, we encourage all families to mark key dates in their calendars and keep an eye on communications from the school. Staying informed will ensure your child doesn’t miss out on any of the wonderful opportunities coming up.
A Reminder About Access to Upstairs Areas
We kindly remind families that only students and staff are permitted upstairs during morning and afternoon transitions. This policy is in place for several important reasons:
- Student safety – Limiting foot traffic on the stairs helps ensure a safe environment for all children.
- Independence – Encouraging students to manage their own belongings and transitions supports their personal growth and confidence.
- Focused classrooms – Minimising distractions during learning time helps students settle into learning more effectively.
Prep families are reminded to wait in the designated parent waiting area during drop-off and pick-up times. Your cooperation helps us maintain a calm, safe, and productive start to each day.
The Importance of Sleep
Our recent wellbeing data shows that many students are not getting the recommended amount of sleep each night. Sleep plays a vital role in children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, and academic performance. A well-rested child is more focused, better able to regulate emotions, and more engaged in learning. During Term 4 students fatigue more quickly and can be more emotional you can support them by safeguarding their rest and recovery time.
For school-aged children, experts recommend 9–11 hours of sleep per night. Establishing consistent bedtime routines, limiting screen time before bed, and creating a calm sleep environment can all help improve sleep quality.
We encourage families to review their child’s sleep habits and make adjustments where needed. A good night’s sleep sets the foundation for a successful day at school. If you are looking for support with this Parent Line offers a range of free services for Queensland families and may have advice and suggestions to support https://parentline.com.au/ or phone: 1300 30 1300).
Messages From the Executive Services
2026 Senior Polo Shirts – Term 2 delivery
Senior polo shirt ordering has now gone into round two. As these are a custom order, this is the final chance to place an order. Please see special ordering details.
Final Round Orders Close: 11th Feb 2026 - Delivered during term 2 2026
Year 6 Student Departure Forms
Departure to high school forms have been sent home with your year 6 students this week. Please complete these and return to the school office as soon as possible.
Year 6 high school enrolment packs
For parents & carers of our Year six students, we have enrolment packs for Park Ridge State High School and Flagstone Community College available at our school office. Please feel free to pop in and collect one if needed.
Spare change of clothes reminder
With the colder weather, students are experiencing more toileting accidents. Please ensure you have a spare change of clothes in your child’s bag just in case. Please include underwear, black shorts/skort/pants and socks.
Change of contact details
Please advise Executive Services if any of your details have changed. For example:
- Address
- Best contact phone number
- Work details
- Emergency contacts other than parents/carers
Please use the QParents app, or you can pop into the office to complete a change of details form, or email admin@everleighss.eq.edu.au to update your details.
Lost property
Name labels make all the difference in helping us to returned lost items to the correct students. We kindly remind parents to name hats, jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles, etc. We really appreciate your assistance with this. Any lost item that is labelled is returned directly to the classroom.
All unclaimed, unnamed items are disposed of or donated at the end of each term.
Lost Property
Attendance records:
Attendance data for Term 3 2025 will be extracted by Central Office on Friday 31st October. It is important that any outstanding unexplained absences are updated. We kindly ask you to update any outstanding unexplained absences via QParents, or by responding to our follow up sms’s or letters sent home, as soon as possible.
If your student will be absent, parents/carers have a legal obligation to notify the school office, including advising the reason for the absence. We kindly request you let us know by 9am on the day of the absence. We have two preferred methods for advising absence:
- Via the Q-Parents App – please see reception if you require information on this.
- Via our dedicated Student Absence Line – (07) 2899 5160, where you can leave a message any time of the day or night. Please save this number in your phone.
Year 5 & 6 Reminders
A few important reminders for our Year 5 and 6 families as we head into a very busy fortnight!
Year 5
- Swimming payments are due next Friday, 17th October.
- Camp Goodenough will take place next week (Monday 13th – Wednesday 15th October).
- Please ensure your child’s medical form has been submitted — this is essential as it includes swimming ability and dietary information.
- Don’t forget to finalise all camp payments by the due date.
Year 6
- Our Canberra trip runs next week (Monday 13th – Friday 17th October).
- Any remaining payments for the trip should be completed as soon as possible.
Brisbane Parliament House
All Year 5 students and any Year 6 students not attending Canberra will take part in an excursion to Parliament House on Friday 17th October.
We appreciate your prompt attention to these deadlines. More information will be shared soon about the End-of-Year Celebration and Year 6 Graduation.
- Year 5/6 Classroom Teachers (Miss Raphael, Miss Morgan-Melenhorst, Mrs Moodley, Ms Sutter, Mr Douglass and Ms Van)
QParents
Q Parents
We remind all parents and carers to set up their Q Parents app. It is a simple way to quickly access and keep on top of all our services, such as:
- Attendance/absences
- Report cards
- Consent forms
- View outstanding invoices
- Pay invoices
- Update contact details
If you require any assistance to set this up, please contact Executive Services.
Message from The Guidance Officer - Mrs Mel Bashford
Mental Health Week 2025
Next week, Everleigh will acknowledge Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is “Connect for Mental Health”, highlighting the importance of strong relationships and community connections in supporting positive mental wellbeing.
At Everleigh State School, we believe that building supportive connections—with friends, family, teachers, and community—helps students feel safe, valued, and ready to learn. Throughout the week, we’ll be encouraging students to explore what connection means to them and how they can build and strengthen the relationships in their lives.
What’s Happening During Mental Health Week?
In addition to our usual wellbeing practices such as morning check-ins, mindfulness sessions, and class circle time, we’re excited to introduce extra activities to help promote connection and fun:
- Before-School Activities – there will be wellbeing activities in the hall from 8:05am each morning.
- Lunchtime Fun– Students can take part in art activities with a theme of wellbeing
These activities are designed to bring students together in positive, supportive, and enjoyable ways.
How Families Can Support
We encourage families to talk about the importance of mental health at home. A simple chat, a walk together, or playing a board game as a family can go a long way in helping children feel connected and supported.
If you or your child ever need support, please know that help is always available.
Support Services for Children and Families:
- Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
(24/7 counselling for young people aged 5–25) - Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
(Support for anyone feeling anxious or low) - CYMHS (Child and Youth Mental Health Service) – Contact your local service via your GP or hospital referral
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
(24/7 crisis support for anyone in distress)
Let’s work together to create a school community where every child feels heard, supported, and connected.