Week 4, Term 3 2025
Principal Pen
2025 Annual Implementation Plan Focus
School Priority 1
Maximise engagement and wellbeing through a clear vision that increases student engagement, staff morale and community connection.
School Priority 2
Improve LOA in English for all students (P-6) through a focus on lesson planning and delivery
Dear Parents and Carers,
Karibu kwa wiki 4.
Bienvenue à la semaine 4.
Wadda Mooli, Welcome to Week 4, Term 3 2025.
It’s been a busy and exciting start to the term, and it’s been wonderful to see our students return full of energy and enthusiasm.
We’ve had a number of fantastic events and learning experiences already this term. Interschool sport has been happening each Friday, with our students competing in both touch football and soccer. We’ve seen some great results on the field, but more importantly, plenty of teamwork, effort, and school spirit.
Our students also represented Aitkenvale at the Interschool Athletics Carnival—running, jumping, and throwing with pride and determination. We had some standout performances and even a few winners, but what stood out most was the way everyone gave their best and supported one another.
A real highlight so far this term was the Challenge Games—a truly special two-day event. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces, laughter, and memorable moments shared. The stories and smiles that came back with students and staff say it all. Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a success.
We also celebrated NAIDOC Week with great pride and respect. The event was filled with special guests, cultural performances, and hands-on activities that deepened students’ understanding of and connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise such a meaningful and engaging event. It was a fantastic celebration of culture, community, and country.
In the classroom, learning has remained as rich and engaging as ever. Our Year 1 students were treated to a visit from the local fire brigade, which sparked plenty of excitement and learning about safety and community helpers. Meanwhile, our Year 5 students attended their annual Leadership Day with Paluma Outdoor Education. It was a great opportunity for them to develop leadership skills, build resilience, and strengthen their peer connections in a supportive, outdoor setting.
Next week is shaping up to be another exciting one, with our Year 5/6 students heading off to Magnetic Island for their much-anticipated camp. We’re sure it will be a memorable experience full of learning, adventure, and teamwork. We also look forward to celebrating Under 8s Day on Friday. A fun-filled morning of play-based activities for our youngest learners!
As always, our commitment to inclusion and student wellbeing remains central to all we do. Whether in the classroom, on the sporting field, or during special events, we strive to create an environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and supported.
Thank you once again for your continued support and involvement in our school community. We look forward to a fantastic term ahead with more learning, growth, and celebration to come.
Updates from the Admin Office
Office Hours 8:00AM - 3:30PM
Supervision on gates begins at 8:00am
Gates Close at 2:50pm - all remaining students will then be escorted to the office to await collection.
Important Dates
- ⛺ Year 5 and 6 Camp Final Payment - Due Now
- 🎶 Musical Instrument - Payments Due Now
- 🚌 Red Track Bus Payments- Due Now
- 😋 Tuckshop - 1st Break every Friday
- 🧒 Under 8's Day - Friday 15th August - 8:45am - 10:20am
- 🏕️ Year 5 & 6 Magnetic Island Camp - 13th - 15th August
- 🖋️School Opinion Survey - open between 28 July and 22 August 2025.
Important Update: Consent Forms Now Available via QParents or Email
We would like to inform all parents that, moving forward, consent forms will no longer be printed. Instead, they will be sent home electronically through QParents or via email.
This change will help us streamline communication and reduce paper waste. Please ensure you’re signed up for QParents or keep an eye on your email for any upcoming forms.
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact the school office.
Reminder: No parking allowed at any time in the administration entrance driveway. Please use the designated car parks for all pick-ups and drop-offs.
Tuckshop Reminder
Don’t forget that our school tuckshop is open every Friday during 1st break! Orders can be conveniently placed online through Flexischools, making it easy for families to plan ahead. Simply log in to your Flexischools account, choose from the menu, and place your order before the weekly cut-off time.
With Flexischools, you can easily order and pay for tuckshop items online – no cash, no queues, and no need to visit the tuckshop in person.
To get started, download the Flexischools app from the Apple or Google store and follow the steps to create an account.
Already using Flexischools? Just tap the Profile icon in the app and +Add New Student.
Please note:
🕛 All orders must be placed by 12pm each Thursday.
❌ No late orders will be accepted.
School Opinion Survey
Each school family has received one email invitation from the Department of Education to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey. The survey is anonymous, and individual responses cannot be identified by the school. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey, which can be accessed using computers, tablets, or smartphones with an internet connection. For those without internet access, school computers or tablets will be available for use. If you experience difficulties accessing the survey, you can request a new one by emailing the School Opinion Survey team at schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au. It’s important that as many parents and caregivers as possible take part in the survey, so we ask that committee members help raise awareness and encourage others to participate.
The suite of 2025 School Opinion Surveys will be open between 28 July and 22 August 2025.
Additional information about the surveys is located on the School Opinion Survey FAQs page.
Out Fortnightly Wrap Up
Homework Club
Our Homework Club is buzzing with focus and fun! A big thank you to our dedicated staff and volunteers who continue to support our students each week — your time and commitment make a real difference. This term, students are enjoying a variety of learning rotations, including:
Reading & Literacy
Art- STEM
Numeracy
We’re excited to share that Homework Club is now full for this term, and we look forward to another great season of learning, creativity, and connection.
Year 5 Leadership Program with Paluma Teachers
Last week our Year 5 students had a fantastic opportunity to participate in a leadership program run by visiting teachers from Paluma. Through fun and engaging activities, students explored what it means to be a leader, work as a team, and build confidence.
A huge thank you to the Paluma Environmental Education Centre team for inspiring our future leaders!
Hands-On Learning with Lifeskills!
Last week we had a fantastic visit from Lifeskills, who worked with our students to build their very own planter boxes! 
With safety first—goggles on and hammers in hand—students learned how to use tools like nails and hammers, while working together to bring their designs to life. 
It was hands-on, fun, and full of learning—and just look at how great the finished planter boxes turned out! 
Thanks to Lifeskills for the visit and for helping our students grow both skills and confidence
Ability in Action: Challenge Games Highlights
A number of our students proudly represented Aitkenvale State School at the Challenge Games held at the Townsville Sports Reserve. We are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and outstanding effort throughout the event.
Well done to all who participated—you represented our school with pride!
Courage and Team Spirit on Show at the Magpie Cup
A huge congratulations to everyone who represented our school at the Garbutt Magpie Cup! Your teamwork, determination, and outstanding sportsmanship truly made us proud. 👏
You have represented Aitkenvale with great pride — well done!
Year 6 Explore Coding with Ozobots
This week in Technology, our Year 6 students had their first hands-on experience with Ozobots—tiny robots that make learning to code fun and interactive! Using colour codes, students programmed their bots to follow paths, make decisions, and complete challenges. It was wonderful to see so much creativity and problem-solving in action!
Year 4 HASS Excursion to the Material Recovery Facility
As part of their HASS unit on sustainable waste management, our Year 4 students recently visited the local Material Recovery Facility. During the excursion, students had the opportunity to see what happens to the contents of our recycling bins after they are collected by trucks. They observed how materials are sorted, processed, and prepared for reuse, and gained a deeper understanding of the importance of recycling correctly. The experience helped bring their classroom learning to life and encouraged them to think more critically about how we manage waste in our communities.
Representing Aitkenvale with Pride at the Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to all the students who proudly represented Aitkenvale State School at the recent Interschool Athletics Carnival! Our athletes demonstrated great sportsmanship, determination, and school spirit as they competed in a variety of track and field events. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school in the wider community. Well done, team Aitkenvale!
Interschool Sports Reports
Camp Australia Newsletter
Student of the Week - Weeks 3 & 4
Neil | For joining Prep A ready to learn and give things a go. Welcome to Aitkenvale |
William | For your huge improvement at staying focused and trying your best to complete your work. Keep it up! |
Grayhill | For always giving his best and setting a wonderful example for others. |
Texas | For showing great dedication and motivation towards learning this week in all learning areas. |
Nehemie | For his beautiful handwriting and always trying his best when completing writing tasks. |
Jovia | For her effort in writing her spelling words. |
Desmond | Demonstrating responsibility by staying in the classroom and staying focused on learning. |
Sadia | For expressing her ideas using her writing. |
Issa | For consistently giving 110% in all curriculum areas all year. |
Addison | For always working hard and being a quiet class achiever |
Xavier | For making a positive start to the Term and being a focussed learner this term |
Yonis | For completing all of his tasks to the best of his ability. |
Epiphanie | For being a diligent student who has been trying hard in all activities showing persistence in her learning. |
Zichael | For always having a positive attitude and willingness to participate |
Grant | Perseverance, patience, and providing positive peer support |
D’Jondre | For showing great concentration and a hardworking attitude in class all week. |
Kodah | For scoring 100% on his reading test. |
Nicole | Excellent listening and applying herself to her work. |
Sadaf | For great participation in her first week of Pathways classes, and for helping to teach the class to say Good Morning in Pashto. Welcome Sadaf! |
Jomo | for demonstrating courage in Pathways class - standing up and presenting a talk in front of his classmates. Well done! |
Prince | For excellent participation and listening in Pathways lessons |
William | For excellent participation and always trying his best in Pathways lessons. |
Rodina | For being a good sport and playing our games fairly |
Asiya | For being brave when getting up to practice her presentation. |
KC | Excellent peer tutoring with origami |
Cooper | Great counting in Japanese with a kamifuusen. |
Beau | Beau is easy going. Always ready to help and consistently kind to his friends. |
Noraya | For being kind, helpful and always pitching in – especially when packing up. She consistently gives her best and support others with a smile. |
Ekyochi | For increased confidence with writing tasks. |
Archie | For giving lots of great details in your retell about our 100 days of prep celebration. You are a star! |
Zahra | For settling in well to her new school and class. |
Fatouma | For working hard on her writing skills this week placing focus on the lines and using correct letter formation. |
William | For his contributions in science when describing push and pull by using items around the room. |
Beau | For his awesome effort with his character speech using the examples from the story to match the characters traits. |
Kyrie | For coming to school ready to learn. |
Abigail | For showing resilience and respect, in and out of the classroom |
Jean | For working hard in class and on assessment. |
Koubra | For being a supportive and encouraging class member. |
Bradwyn | For being resilient and working hard on his reading activities |
Masen | For being an excellent example of how to follow instructions first time, every time. |
Declan | For working well in reading groups. |
Zuena | For being a kind and conscientious member of the class. |
Jessie | Independent, industrious, inclusive and initiating |
KC | For consistently demonstrating motivation, dedication, and a strong work ethic in all aspects of learning |
Fayssal | For being resilient with his learning and writing |
Falmata | Persisting with fraction work in maths and learning to be more resilient. |
Gabriel | For consistently trying hard, joining in and encouraging others – great sportsmanship. |
Emmanuella | For having a go at new things and trying hard. |
Important Information for Families
Our whole-school target is to reach 88% attendance this year, and currently, we are sitting at 86.3%. Every day at school truly makes a difference. Consistent attendance is essential for student achievement as it supports steady learning progress, helps maintain strong connections with peers and teachers, and develops skills that are valuable both inside and beyond the classroom.
Parents are key partners in this effort by establishing positive routines and addressing any attendance challenges early. Teachers contribute by delivering engaging lessons and fostering a warm, welcoming environment that motivates students to attend. Ultimately, students themselves are at the heart of this goal—their dedication to
