14 February 2025
Woree State School – Vision & Values
Principal’s Report
Tania Kaitara
Principal
Welcome back to the 2025 School year! I hope you all had an amazing break over the holidays. It has been lovely to see all of our students return renewed and refreshed with endless stories of adventures, play dates and amazing experiences. I hope that all of our parents and carers enjoyed a break from the routine of getting ready for school and not making school lunches every morning.
I was incredibly excited to be joining the Woree State School community last year and commence in 2025 leading this wonderful school. I have been overwhelmed with the incredibly warm reception I have received and have loved meeting parents and families at the gates.
Our staff started the year with 3 days of professional learning during the Pupil Free Days. These days provided an opportunity for teaching teams to work together in readiness for the teaching and learning that will take place this year. Teachers investing in this time to sharpen their curriculum knowledge and develop rich learning experiences for all students is invaluable and something that all staff engaged in with great passion and excitement.
Our school currently has approximately 540 students enrolled and is continuing to grow every week.
Class Changes:
Class changes may occur in the coming weeks. Information regarding these changes will be shared by class teachers or the Deputy Principal.
Importance of Daily Attendance for Learning:
Attending school every day is crucial for student learning and development. Regular attendance helps ensure that students keep up with lessons, build consistency in their learning, and stay engaged with their peers and teachers. Missing school can result in gaps in learning, which can impact long-term academic progress. Parents and guardians are encouraged to prioritize regular attendance to support students’ growth and success throughout the year.
Thankyou for your support with daily attendance.
Restructuring of the Executive Leadership Team:
There has been a restructuring of the Executive Leadership team for 2025:
- Deputy Principal (Prep to Year 3): Mrs. Michelle Hanlon
- Deputy Principal (Years 4-6): Mrs. Emma King
- HOSES (Head of Special Education Services): Mrs. Lisa Wright
Parade Times:
Parade times have been altered this term. Prep students will begin attending parades commencing Term 2 each year, giving them time to settle into school routines and learning.
Parade occurs every Friday
Year 4 – Year 6
1:40pm – 2:20pm
Year 1 – Year 3
2:20pm – 3:00pm
The school community looks forward to working together with students and families over the course of the year.
Bell Times:
First bell – 8:55am (class starts 9am)
First lunch – 11:10am – 11:50am
Second Break – 1:10pm – 1:40pm
End of day – 3:00pm
Student Resource Scheme:
Supporting Parents with Cost of Living
Due to the cost of living pressures, Woree State School has made the decision to remove the Student Resource Scheme. Therefore there will be no year levy fees for 2025.
Thankyou to all the parents positive comments and feedback in relation to this decision.
Enrolment Management Plan Ceased
The Departments rescindment of Woree SS’s Enrolment Management Plan, (EMP).
Due to Woree SS’s student enrolment being at 56% it has triggered the rescindment of the schools current EMP. By rescinding the schools EMP it will enable Woree SS to enrol students from outside of the school’s catchment zone, allowing Woree SS an additional tool to increase the student enrolment numbers. We are looking forward to growing our school community at Woree State School. For inquires please phone the office and enrolment meetings will take place as soon as possible.
Tania Kaitara
Principal
Enrolment
Woree State School is currently taking enrolments. Please contact the office or visit our website for more information.
Ph: 4054 9111 Email: info@woreess.eq.edu.au Website: https://woreess.eq.edu.au/
Events
Parent Teacher Meetings
Woree State School will be conducting student progress meetings on Tuesday, 25th February from 3.15pm to 6.00pm. Meetings are highly recommended as they allow you the opportunity to meet with your child’s class teacher, ask and receive information about your child’s progress so far this year and to set shared goals. As well as the classroom teacher, you are also able to book meeting times with your child’s specialist teachers which may include:
- The Arts – Miss Alzoubi
- Health – Ms Grossmann
- ICT – Miss Downs
Meetings will occur in the school library (prep to year 3) and the eLearn building (year 4 to 6) and are of 15 minutes in duration. If a teacher becomes fully booked, an alternate date may be made by contacting your teacher.
To book meeting times, please go to the following URL and book your preferred time with your child’s teacher/s:
If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the school office (ph: 40549111), office staff will be able to book an appointment time for you over the phone.
We look forward to discussing with you your child’s educational development.
2025 School Photos
NQ School Photography will be taking our school photographs on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th February, week 5, term 1. Students are to wear full school uniform.
Orders can be made online at www.nqsp.com.au using this code: 6JQUZE3N or pay cash with correct money in the paper envelope provided. The purchasing of photos is made directly by a parent or caregiver with the external photography company. Woree State School has no control over the purchasing or issuing of student photos.
Sibling photos will be held in the library, LL1 and order forms are available from the school office. Siblings are responsible for making their way to the photographer.
NAPLAN at Woree State School
From the 13th-25th March, Woree State School year 3 and 5 students will participate in NAPLAN (National Assessment Program, Literacy & Numeracy) testing, as will all other year 3 and 5 students across Australia.
Across these days, our students will participate in a total of four tests; Numeracy, Writing, Reading and Conventions of Language (grammar, punctuation and spelling). All students across the country will complete NAPLAN online, meaning they will complete their testing on computers, with the exception of Year 3 Writing which is completed on paper.
A major benefit of our students completing testing online, is that the testing is tailored to each student, so the test automatically adapts to a student’s test performance, giving questions easier or harder depending on the student’s answers at juncture points. In questions where reading is not being tested, such as the Numeracy test, students also have the option of pressing a speaker button to have the questions read to them.
NAPLAN tests are constructed to give students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge they have learned throughout their school curriculum journey, across their years of schooling, and NAPLAN tests are treated as just another routine assessment in our school assessment calendar.
Students at Woree State School are well prepared for NAPLAN through the intensive school focus on reading and writing, the teaching of language conventions and spelling our focus on daily writing and the explicit maths lessons occurring daily in their classrooms.
If you are interested in seeing the types of questions students encounter in NAPLAN, please visit https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site where you can view sample tests that you can do with your child.
Prior to NAPLAN our year 3 and 5 students will participate in a practice test to enable us to ensure our computers and systems at school are ready for the actual test. This practice test is not scored or marked, and students are encouraged to play with the functions and the other assistive options in the testing platform, to gain familiarity before NAPLAN tests.
If you would like further up to date information regarding NAPLAN generally, please visit the ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority) NAPLAN website at www.nap.edu.au . A parents and carers information brochure is available on this website at https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf and information regarding the privacy of student data is available at https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-student-privacy-notice.pdf
If you have any queries regarding NAPLAN at Woree State School, please contact me via the school office.
Michelle Hanlon
Deputy Principal
Nurse Practitioner
Welcome to the School Nurse Practitioner Clinic!
Did you know that Woree State School has a Nurse Practitioner available every Tuesday? Nurse Practitioners (NPs) can assess, diagnose, and manage health conditions right here at school.
She can help with:
✔️ Asthma, allergies, and skin conditions
✔️ Learning Challenges and support
✔️ Growth, development, and nutrition advice
✔️ Chronic conditions (diabetes, bowel concerns, etc.)
📍 Clinic hours: 9am – 4pm - contact the school on 4054 9111 to book an appointment now
Community News
Tripple P’S
TRIPLE P'S PARENTING TIPS FOR POSITIVE SCHOOL DROP-OFF
We understand that school goodbyes can be tough, both on kids and parents. It is common for children to be clingy, especially during transitions like starting school, changing schools, or moving up a level. To help, we wanted to share with you the latest article from the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program. It has some practical, proven to work ideas that you can try to help children cope and settle well at school, keeping in mind that you know best what might make goodbyes easier. Read more at: triplep-parenting.net.au
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