Newsletter Term 2 Week 3

From the Principal

Newsletter Week 3

Students are in class settled and busy working. Over the last couple of weeks, I have visited several classes and watched the learning taking place. I am also grateful to have many students come to the office and share with me, the great work they are doing.

Anzac Day Parade and Service

What a fabulous, even it a little damp, morning at the Sunnybank RSL ANZAC Day march and service. Thanks Mrs Schooth and Mrs McNamara for coordinating and supporting the students who came to represent the school. It was lovely to have staff present and to have families bring their children to the march and stay on for the service. Thank you to the three school captains who represented our fabulous school so well, proudly laying the generously donated wreath from Saflowers.com.au. Lest we forget.

Pickup and drop off zone

One of our biggest challenges as a school is the safety and efficiency of the Drop-Off and Pick-Up procedures for our students. We thank our families for their understanding and adoption of practices currently in place around the school – in particular, before and after school. Below are listed some reminders for our families at these busy times of the school day.

• The school’s Drop-off and Pick-up Zone is only a 2-minute zone. Please be aware that the purpose of this zone is purely to: “Stop – Drop – Go”. Make sure your child has their bag ready so that they can get out of the car quickly. Stopping to get bags out of the boot, put jackets on and etc., slows the traffic down and adds to congestion.
• During supervised times 3.00pm - 3.30pm, a staff member will direct children exiting the school to the cars.
• It is important not to ‘cut in’ to a space you think is available but wait in the line for cars to move forward. We are aiming to make this a safe area for all families moving in and out of the school.
• Please remember that the Drop and Go Zone is a two-minute zone. Any longer than this and you are likely to be asked by a staff member to move on and re-enter the Pick-up queue.
• During supervised times, parents are asked to move off from the Drop-Off Zone straight away.
• Please do not park in the drop of zone and leave your car. This causes delays and frustrations for other families.
• Please do not wait across driveways whilst in line or double park
• Please remember, NO three point turns from the pick-up line. ​This is extremely dangerous and causes a halt to the collection process.

We are very conscious of the safety of the students and ask that families keep reminding their children that they need to be alert and be thinking of others at these times of the day.

Mother’s Day

Sunday 11 May is Mother’s Day.  We wish all our amazing mum’s, grandmas, aunties and carers a fabulous and happy Mother’s Day.  I know we all wish for happy kids on this day so I hope your wish comes true. 

Meg McClure

From the Deputy Principal

125 Year Celebration Preparations

The date has been set for Runcorn State Schools 125 Year Celebration Term 3 Week 2 Friday 24 July 2026.

Thank you to all who voted for the theme for our Celebration, we now have 3 shortlisted themes for final voting from the community and staff which are:

If you could please take the time to vote for one of these shortlisted themes for our celebration by clicking here to vote.

We require volunteers to sort our accumulation of archives that includes photos, books, reports, trophies, medals. Please let Roberta know if you are available to sort the archives so that we can prepare them for display next year.

 Roberta Matlock.

From the Head of Department - Curriculum

National Simultaneous Storytime  

In Week 5, Runcorn State School will be participating in National Simultaneous Storytime. National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.

This year the chosen story is “The Truck Cat” written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell. Deborah Frenkel is a writer of books, billboards, and the words on the back of cereal boxes, which to date is probably her most widely read work (and certainly the crunchiest). Her picture books include the award-winning Naturopolis (2022) and The Sydney Harbour Fairy (2023). She's based on Bunurong land, in Melbourne’s Inner West, but spends most of the time squinting at horizons in her imagination.

As a child Danny Snell was a reluctant reader, so it was pictures rather than words that drew him to the wonder of books. Danny went on to study graphic design and illustration at the University of South Australia and he now works as a picture book illustrator and author. His book shave won a number of awards.

 We will all be stopping to read The Truck Cat together at 12.00 pm, Wednesday 21 May. 

Jillian Chittenden

Head of Department - Inclusion

Guidance Officer Week!

From April 28 to May 9, 2025, we celebrated Guidance Officer Week!

We’d like to introduce you to our Guidance Officer, Catherine Atkin. Catherine is at our school every Thursday and on alternate Wednesdays (during even weeks of the school term). She also provides support across Eight Mile Plains State School.

In her role, Catherine serves as a “helping professional,” working closely with students, parents, and staff to support and advocate for the academic, social, and emotional well-being of our students. She often acts as a bridge between external services and our school.

Catherine is a vital part of our school community, and we deeply appreciate the dedication, compassion, and hard work she brings to her role. To get in touch with Catherine, please contact the school-based Inclusion Team through your child’s classroom teacher, or directly via the Head of Inclusion.

Julie Schooth

Norman's News

My dogness this term is flying by already but I wanted to take some time today to talk about something I sometimes see in my work at Runcorn. It shows up quietly sometimes, like a shadow creeping across the floor, and other times it bursts through the door like a gust of wind. You might know the feeling: your chest gets tight, your thoughts race ahead of you, and your body feels like it’s trying to run without moving. Sometimes our little people have these feelings too and so here’s some things which I have learned as a therapy dog.

When the world starts to feel big—too big to handle all at once—it can be overwhelming. You might want to curl up in a blanket burrito (I highly recommend this), or maybe your stomach gets fluttery like you swallowed a whole flock of butterflies. Sometimes it’s hard to explain, even to yourself. That’s okay. I get it.

When I feel that way, I like to find something steady. For me, it’s usually a warm lap, the sound of a familiar voice, or the smell of peanut butter. I breathe in slow and deep, and I remind myself that I’m safe. That I’m loved. That I can do hard things. That not everything has to be solved right away.

I think that sometimes humans forget that it’s okay to pause. To sit down. To lean into a moment without trying to fix it. You don’t have to do anything special. You don’t even have to talk. Just being still with someone (or some-dog) who understands can help more than you think.

Here’s something else I’ve learned in all my tail-wagging days: feelings change. They don’t last forever. The tightness eases. The noise quiets. And when it does, you might notice a bit of space inside you again—a spot where calm can stretch out and nap in the sun.

Until next time,

Big licks and tail wags,

Norman

Resource Centre News

Book Fair is coming in Week 7!

Step into a world of adventure, imagination and discovery with …

• a wide range of books for every reader
• graphic novels plus a great range of fiction and

non-fiction titles

• art, craft and science activity packs
• every purchase supports our school Resource Centre

More details coming your way soon!

Under 8s Day

We are very excited to welcome Prep to Year 2 families and younger siblings to celebrate Under 8s Day with a special morning of play on Friday 23 of May Week 9 from 9.00am - 11.00am.

Parents, carers and younger siblings are more than welcome to come along and spend the morning enjoying the activities. Students are welcome to wear sun-safe free dress that is likely to get messy. We hope to see you there! 

Music Matters

Instrumental Music- Karawatha Music Workshop

Karawatha is coming up for Band and Strings students in Week 5. A reminder that students need to be dropped at Runcorn State High School in the mornings and not at Runcorn State School. Please make sure they have everything: instrument, music, accessories (reeds, oils, rosin, neck strap, etc), and their lunch and water bottle.

• Monday & Tuesday: Intermediate Strings and Band
• Wednesday: Intermediate Strings ONLY
• Thursday: Beginner Strings (except 1^st years) and Band
• Thursday night: everyone for the concert, arrive by 5pm for a 6pm start.

Also, please do not bring Music stands along to Karawatha as they will be provided.

ANZAC Day- Choir and Band

Congratulations to our Senior Choir and Senior Band who performed beautifully at the Anzac Day ceremony last Thursday. Thank you for all your hard work in preparation for this important event on our school calendar.

Year 3 Choir on Parade

Our amazing Year 3 students gave us a wonderful performance at our special assembly on Tuesday. You sounded so good! It was great to see all your hard work in Choir rehearsals paying off with this performance for our school and families. Congratulations Year 3 Choir!

Year 1 and 2 Music

The Year 1 and 2 classes have been learning to play songs on the chime bars in their Music lessons this semester. Students began with 2 note songs as a revision from last year and are now working on playing 3 and 4 note songs with rests, gradually increasing in difficulty. Students are learning to perform in small groups of 2-4 performers, working on staying in time with each other and keeping a steady tempo, even when there are silent beats in the music!

Mrs Alison Murray (amurr51@eq.edu.au)

Sports News

Welcome to another busy fortnight in the sporting world at Runcorn State School! 

We have continued to prepare for the upcoming sports carnival (19 and 20 June) with the first two weeks of this term focusing on sprint training for all year levels and have now begun 2 weeks of Long Jump training for all year levels. 

Our gross/fine motor lessons focus for Prep to Year 3 has been moved from 2 weeks of egg and spoon races and plus sack races to Captain Ball,  

It is pleasing to see how well the students are utilising the techniques associated with each discipline and am enjoying the friendly healthy competition some groups are having. 

Wednesday of Term 2 Week 2, 31 students competed at the Eastern Taipans District Cross Country Trials.  All 31 students displayed determination to do their best in some trying conditions. 

Special mention to the following students who excelled in their races:

• Tia who came 16^th out of 73 competitors
• Luley who came 17^th out of 90 competitors

Eastern Taipans District Sports Trials for Term 2

Week 4 – 10–12-year-old Tennis, Wednesday 14 May – if interested, please email before Saturday 10 May!

Week 5 – 10-12-year-old Softball, Friday 23 May

Week 6 – 10-12-year-old GIRLS Rugby League, Friday 30 May

Week 7 – 10-12-year-old BOYS Cricket, Wednesday 4 June

Week 7 – 10-12-year-old GIRLS Cricket, Friday 6 June

If parents could forward any photos of the trials to me, it would be appreciated.

If your child plays for a club in any of the above sports and is interested in trialling to make the district team, please email me ASAP.

As always, if you have any questions, please email me.

Have a great fortnight!

Mr Brady
lbrad101@eq.edu.au 

Health Happenings

Our assembly awards focus this fortnight are the Getting Along Key and the Collaborator Learning Asset.

Getting Along at Runcorn State School looks like:

• Students working cooperatively with each other in and out of the classroom
• Students solving/resolving problems in a calm and friendly manner
• Students making responsible choices
• Students being friendly and patient to those around them
• Students listening while others are speaking
• Students helping those in need

Effective Collaborators at Runcorn State School are:

• Empathic
• Compassionate
• Reliable

Staff across Runcorn State School will be actively looking for students displaying skills of getting along and collaboration. Congratulations to all students who have been acknowledged so far! Getting along and collaboration makes Runcorn State School a better place to learn and grow.

Sheridan Stirling
sstir16@eq.edu.au

Farewell to Novica Grujicic – A Fond Retirement Send-Off

Last Friday marked the end of an era as we bid farewell to our much-loved cleaner, Novica Grujicic, who retired after many dedicated years of service. The students held a special parade on Friday morning to thank Novica for his work at the school. He has been a constant presence in our school grounds and classrooms, always greeting colleagues and students with a kind smile. His attention to detail and pride in his work helped make our workplace a clean, welcoming environment for everyone.

More than just a colleague, Novica was a valued member of our team and a friend to many. His sense of humour and steady presence will be greatly missed, but we’re thrilled for him as he enters this well-earned new chapter.

On behalf of all of us, thank you, Novica, and enjoy every moment of your retirement!

From the Administration Office

Outstanding Permission Forms

If you have any of the below outstanding forms can you please return to the office as a matter of urgency

- Student Resource Scheme

Student Resource Scheme

We would like to thank all of our families for supporting our Student Resource Scheme.  The monies raised helps purchase learning materials used in each of our classrooms and specialist lessons.  Your assistance enhances our student's learning outcomes.

Attendance

Runcorn State School's Admin team are available between 8.00am and 3.30pm each school day. You can contact us on 3323 8777 if you have any queries.   Student absence texts can be sent to 0429 928 611 or a voice message can be left on 3323 8777 and press option 1.

If students arrive to school from 9.00 am onwards they are to present to the office to collect a late slip.  This ensures that our rolls are marked correctly and prevents parents from receiving incorrect absence texts. 

First Aid Processes

If children are injured or become ill at school they will receive treatment within the classroom or in the Health Room. Parents/Carers will be contacted if necessary. Please note that staff must give Parents and Carers a courtesy contact home for all head related injuries (no matter how minor).   

When a student is considered too unwell to remain at school, parents will be contacted to collect their student in a timely manner.  If a student's condition deteriorates while waiting to be collected an ambulance may be called if deemed necessary. 

If a student presents to the health room with a suspected allergic reaction, parents/carers will be contacted.  As per Education Queensland policy, if a student requires an EpiPen to be administered parents will be notified.  An ambulance must be called and the student will be transported to hospital for further treatment.   Children with known allergies will have their own school based EpiPen.  We also hold a school EpiPen for any unforseen emergencies. 

Medication must be prescribed by a doctor or dentist and may only be administered to students by school staff. The medication must be taken to the school office in its prescription container and administered according to the doctor’s instructions.

Non prescribed oral medication such as Panadol and cough mixtures can only be administered by school staff with a pharmacy label and medical authorisation. Education Queensland prohibits students from carrying their own medication to school and requires Parents/Carers to deliver the prescribed medication to the office and collect after school or before weekends as needed. A school register of all medicines administered is kept.

Incursion/Excursion/Camp Payments

Runcorn State School is now a cashless school.  Thank you for continuing to pay for your children's incursions/excursions/camp payments via our preferred methods:-  BPoint and EFTPOS.  If you require any assistance paying via BPoint, please contact the school office. Unfortunately we are unable to accept payments over the phone.

DID YOU KNOW?..... that using BPoint is a convenient and secure way to pay for your child's school invoices. BPoint is a user-friendly online payment platform that enables you to pay your school invoices quickly and easily, without having to worry about sending cash or cheques through the mail or visiting the school in person. It can also be done by phoning the school on 3323 8777, choosing Option 2 which will redirect you to the BPoint payment platform.

By using BPoint, you can make payments from the comfort of your home or office at any time, day or night. You can also track your payment history and receive email receipts for each transaction, making it easier to keep track of your expenses.

BPoint offers a secure and reliable payment system, ensuring that your personal and financial information is protected. It also helps reduce administrative costs for the school, which ultimately benefits the entire school community.

We strongly recommend giving BPoint a try for your next school invoice payment. It's an efficient and hassle-free way to pay your school fees.

We have also included some easy to follow instructions. If you still require further assistance with the process please contact our friendly Admin team!

Newsletters

Don't forget that you can always collect a hard copy of the current newsletter from the office.  You can also view/download it from our website: https://runcornss.schoolzineplus.com/enews?nid=23  You can also download the Schoolzine App from your App Store.  Once downloaded, search for Runcorn State School and use password 4109, when prompted.  Happy reading.

P & C Association

Election Day BBQ

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the Runcorn State School Election Day BBQ. We were blown away by the turnout and are thrilled to share that we raised just under $1,200 for the school — what an incredible result.

A special thank you to our dedicated volunteers who gave their time and energy to help make the day such a success – Christal, Evelyn, Aaron, Quan, MeiWei, Mel, Jenny and our school staff Julie, Jenni, and Wendy also volunteered time on their weekends to support our school.

An extra special thank you needs to go to:

• Our amazing Vice President Ella for leading the event once again.
• The Campbell family, who braved the chilly 6.30am start to get the BBQ going and ensure everything ran smoothly throughout the day.
• The Chiu family for their generous donation of onions — every sausage sizzle needs them.
• Jenny, our Square Payments Queen, your expertise kept everything running smoothly.

We couldn’t have done it without you all — thank you for supporting our school community.

Mother’s Day Stall

Students will be able to purchase something for their mothers, aunties, grandmothers, or other maternal figure. Allocated class times for the Mother’s Day Stall are in the table below.

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous donations:

• Councillor Kim Marx for 450 handmade Mother’s Day cards
• Officeworks Mt Gravatt for some Fujifilm Instax film to make memories for our Photo Corner
• a group of inspiring young thalassemia patients and families for lovingly creating 200 handmade succulent pot plants in recognition of International Thalassemia Day, which coincides with our Mother’s Day Stall on 8th May 2025 — a day dedicated to raising awareness for thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that affects thousands around the world, including children and families in our own communities.

Let’s come together as a community — to celebrate our mums, support our school, and shine a light on a meaningful cause. Students can pick out the perfect gift to show appreciation for the wonderful women in their lives.

P&C Meetings

Our next P&C General Meeting will be held on Monday 2 June at 4.00pm in the school Resource Centre/Library. This is your opportunity to stay informed, have your say, and be part of the decisions that help shape our school community.

Everyone is welcome, and we would love to see as many parents and caregivers there as possible. Whether you’re a regular or it’s your first meeting, come along, get involved, and help make a difference! If you have any questions, please contact Nadera at rsspcsecretary@outlook.com

Our meetings usually occur on the Monday afternoons in weeks 2 and 7 of each school term at the current time of 4.00pm, however we would like to invite feedback about the P&C meeting times to improve inclusivity of more families who would be interested in attending: Please click here to fill out the poll showing what time you prefer to attend.

Can you do ‘Just One Thing’ to make our school better?

As a community, we can all do ‘Just One Thing’ to help achieve great outcomes for our school. Many hands make light work! Please take a few minutes to complete the following questionnaire:

Alternative hyperlink:  'Just One Thing' volunteer questionnaire

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Become a P&C member!

It is FREE to join as a member of the Runcorn State School Parents and Citizens Association (P&C).

You can pick up a form from the school office, or request a copy of the form by contacting Nadera (Secretary) at rsspcsecretary@outlook.com, who can also answer any questions you may have about becoming a member of the P&C.

Benefits of joining the P&C:

• Get to know your school community better - meet more people and make new friends
• Feel a stronger sense of belonging to the school community
• Be informed of what happens at school, including any changes
• Keep up-to-date with the various school-related events and activities
• Vote at P&C meetings about school-related decisions (including spending of P&C funds) to improve our students’ schooling experience
• Receive the minutes/notes after each P&C meeting
• Receive the reports and reminders before each meeting
• Share your talents, skills, ideas, and expertise to help achieve positive outcomes for your school
• Get involved as little or as much as you like – being a member does not automatically mean you have to volunteer or have extra jobs to do
• See our students benefit from our efforts

Membership is essential if you want to be involved in any P&C decisions during the year, including how the money we all raise is spent.

Uniform Shop

Get ready for School Photo Day

Our School Photo Days are coming up on Thursday 5 June and Friday 6 June – make sure your student’s uniforms are photo ready to avoid last minute stress.

Winter sale on now.

We're excited to offer some amazing discounts on essential winter items. Don't miss out.

• Jacket: Now only $50 (was $55) - Limited sizes 16 and 18 available.
• V-neck Jumper: Only $25 (was $30) Limited stock, so grab yours while you can.
• Knit Sweater: Just $35 (was $40) Limited sizes available.
• Trackpants: Now just $20 (was $25) Stock is limited, so get them before they're gone.

Whether your kids need to stay warm for school or for weekend adventures, we have everything you need at great prices. Hurry, these items are only available while stocks last. Thank you for supporting the Runcorn State School P&C Association by purchasing through the Uniform Shop.

Tuckshop

Contact: Sally - tuckshop@runcornss.eq.edu.au

Opening hours: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (8.30am to 1.45pm)

How to order:

1. Via Flexischools (see image below), or
2. Over-the-counter purchases can only be made Wednesday to Friday where students can bring cash.

Birthday orders: Don’t forget that cupcakes and ice blocks (Zooper Doopers) can be ordered via Flexischools. Please note that these are only available Wednesday to Friday, and all birthday orders must be placed at least two days prior.

Jersey Day Meal Day

Details coming soon.

Volunteers Needed in the Tuckshop.

You don’t need cooking or kitchen experience to help in the Tuckshop. Under the guidance of our friendly Tuckshop Convenor Sally, you can help in one or more of the following ways:

• Putting sticker labels on bags
• Sorting bags into categories (Hot Food, Sandwiches etc.)
• Filling drink orders
• Preparing and heating up food
• Making salads and sandwiches
• Peeling apples (and even using the slinky machine!)
• Baking
• Placing hot food items (e.g. potato gems, chicken nuggets) in bags, ready to pack into orders
• Placing hot meals (e.g. lasagne, spaghetti, fried rice, pizzas) into bags, ready for sorting into delivery boxes
• Placing orders into class tuckshop delivery boxes
• Washing up

It’s an excellent way to help out in your community by providing an important service to students and staff. To volunteer: email tuckshop@runcornss.eq.edu.au with your preferred days and times that you can assist.

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Community News

Jabiru offers before and after school care and vacation care at Runcorn State School. Our team includes a range of friendly people who are into craft, sport and outdoor exploration, so there’s something for everyone at Jabiru Runcorn.