4 April 2025

Principal’s Report

As we wrap up Term 1, we want to take a moment to congratulate our students on their incredible achievements over the past few months. Their dedication to learning, particularly in literacy and book work, has been truly impressive. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm, effort, and progress in the classroom.

Parent-Teacher Meetings: Booking Information for Parents

Parent-Teacher Meetings will be held in Week 2 and Week 3 of Term 2. These meetings provide a great opportunity to discuss your child's progress and learning with their teacher.

How to Book a Meeting

From Friday 4th April, you will receive a booking code to schedule your Parent-Teacher Meeting through School Interviews.

• Visit: School Interviews
• Enter the provided booking code.
• Select a suitable time slot.
• Confirm your booking.

Bookings will remain open over the holidays and will close on Tuesday 22nd April (Week 1).

Meeting Details

• Meetings will run for 10 minutes.
• Appointments are available in 15-minute intervals.
• Meetings will be held before and after school.

On Wednesday 23rd April, the booking system will close, and final schedules will be shared with teachers. No further bookings will be possible unless approved by the teacher.

We encourage all parents to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with teachers and discuss their child's progress. If you have any questions or require assistance with the booking process, please contact the school office.

We look forward to seeing you at the Parent-Teacher Meetings!

Supporting Your Child’s Safe Access to Social Media

As Australian parents, navigating the digital world with your children has become increasingly complex. With the rise of social media platforms, it’s essential to understand the current legislation and the potential impacts on young users. This article aims to provide you with the necessary information and strategies to support your children in this digital age.

Understanding the Legislation

In November 2024, the Australian Government introduced the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, establishing a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accounts on certain social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This legislation requires service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from creating accounts on these platforms. Non-compliance can result in civil penalties, highlighting the government’s commitment to safeguarding young Australians online. (eSafety Commissioner)

Potential Harms of Social Media for Young Children

While social media can offer opportunities for connection and learning, it also poses several risks for young users:

• Mental Health Concerns: Excessive use of social media has been linked to anxiety, depression, and body image issues among children and adolescents. Constant exposure to curated images and lifestyles can lead to unhealthy comparisons and diminished self-esteem. (Cleveland Clinic)
• Cyberbullying: The digital environment can sometimes facilitate harmful behaviours such as cyberbullying, exposing children to harassment and negative interactions that can have lasting psychological effects. (eSafety Commissioner)
• Exposure to Inappropriate Content: Despite platform guidelines, children may encounter content that is not suitable for their age, including explicit material, violence, or misinformation. Studies have highlighted that a significant percentage of comments on children’s videos contain toxic content, underscoring the importance of monitoring online interactions. (Australian Institute of Family Studies)

Strategies for Supporting Your Children

To help your children navigate social media safely and responsibly, consider the following approaches:

1. Open Communication: Engage in regular discussions about their online activities. Encourage them to share their experiences and educate them about the potential risks associated with social media use. (Raising Children Network)
2. Set Clear Boundaries: Establish rules regarding screen time and the types of content they can engage with. Utilise parental controls and privacy settings to restrict access to inappropriate material. (Australian Government: eSafety Guide)
3. Promote Digital Literacy: Teach your children critical thinking skills to assess the credibility of online information and the importance of maintaining their privacy. Encourage them to question and verify the content they encounter. (ABC Education)
4. Lead by Example: Demonstrate healthy online behaviours and set a positive example. Your approach to social media can influence your children’s attitudes and practices. (Australian Psychological Society)
5. Stay Informed: Keep up to date with the latest developments in social media trends and legislative changes. Understanding the digital platforms your children use enables you to guide them more effectively. (eSafety Commissioner)

By proactively engaging with your children’s digital lives and staying informed about the evolving online landscape, you can play a pivotal role in ensuring their safety and well-being in the realm of social media.

Wishing You a Happy Easter!

As we approach the Easter holidays, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all our families a joyful and restful break. Easter is a wonderful time to come together, celebrate, and enjoy quality moments with loved ones.

We hope that this holiday period brings you happiness, relaxation, and plenty of Easter treats! Whether you are travelling, spending time with family, or simply taking a well-earned rest, we encourage everyone to make the most of this special time.

A reminder that school will resume on Tuesday, 22nd April. We look forward to welcoming students back, refreshed and ready for the term ahead.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable Easter holiday!

Jeff Jepson
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

ANZAC DAY
ANZAC DAY Parade

As we end this term, I would like to thank our community for their ongoing support in sharing the educational journey of their children with us.  Term 2 begins with a very short week.  Monday 21April is a public holiday as it is Easter Monday and Friday 25 April is ANZAC Day. 

At the end of this short week, we invite you all to join us for our ANZAC Parade on Thursday, 24 April, at 1:45 PM in the school hall. Our school captains will lead the parade with all classes laying a wreath.  Together with special guests from North Rockhampton High School and Councillor Hilse, we will honour the service and sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand Defence Force personnel.

We also encourage as many students as possible to represent our school at the ANZAC Day March on Friday, 25 April. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to show their respect and appreciation for those who have served. Let’s aim for a record number of attendees this year! More details about the march will be shared soon.  To see the faces of the service personnel as watch the next generation march passed is really very special.

Lest we forget.

ANZAC Day March

Students are invited to represent our school in the ANZAC Day March. Participants are encouraged to wear their full school uniform, and medals belonging to family members or friends should be worn on the right side. Younger students may be accompanied by a parent/guardian, who should dress appropriately for the occasion.

March Details:

• Start Time: 9:57 am
• Meeting Point: Intersection of Archer and Alma Streets
• Route: Archer Street → Victoria Parade → Quay Street
• Dispersal Point: Carpark between Derby and Stanley Streets

Transport Information:

• Bus Drop-off: Cambridge Street or Archer Park Rail Museum
• Bus Pick-up: Quay Street (Stanley Street road closure area)
• Parent Pick-up: Quay Street carpark

Please ensure students wear full school uniform including hat, bring water, and apply sunscreen for the event. Thank you for your support in honouring this important occasion. We look forward to seeing our students represent the school with pride.

Kim Creek
Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Olympian Visit Inspires Students!

On Wednesday this week our Year 4 to 6 students were thrilled to welcome Alec Danelutti, an Australian Olympian in BMX Freestyle Riding, for an inspiring visit to our school. Alec shared his journey, encouraging students to pursue their passions with dedication and perseverance. A huge well done to our sports captains, who played a key role in ensuring the event ran smoothly, from welcoming Alec to expertly comparing the session. It was an unforgettable experience that left our students motivated to chase their own dreams!

Anzac Day March

Next term we are encouraging all Mount Archer students to proudly represent our school in the upcoming Anzac Day March on Friday, 25th April. This is a special opportunity for our students to honour the courage and sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women.

We encourage all students to wear their full school uniform and assemble with our school group before the march. More details regarding meeting time and location will be shared soon.

Your support in encouraging your child’s participation is greatly appreciated as we come together as a school community to show our respect on this important day.

Julie Griffin
Deputy Principal

Online Consent and QParents

Mount Archer State School is moving towards an online consent system for all school-related permissions and communications. This transition will not only streamline processes for our staff but also make it more convenient for you as parents.

To ensure a smooth experience, we highly encourage all parents to sign up for QParents. QParents will be your one-stop shop for all student-related information and permissions, making it easier than ever to stay connected with your child's school activities, view and update important details, and submit consents quickly and securely from the comfort of your home.

Why QParents?

Simplified access: No more paper forms. You can give consent for excursions, events, and other activities with just a few clicks.

Real-time updates: Stay informed with up-to-date information on your child's attendance, reports, behaviour and progress.

Convenience: Access everything you need in one place, 24/7, using your smartphone or computer.

We believe QParents will significantly improve communication and make managing your child's school-related matters much easier.

If you need any assistance with signing up for QParents or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office. We are more than happy to help!

Thank you for your cooperation as we make this transition to a more efficient and convenient way of managing school consent.

Read more about QParents at https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/about

Help and more information

Further help with registering for QParents can be found on the QParents Help page at https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/help

If you have any other questions or require some assistance with the registration process, please contact the Service Centre on 13QGOV (137468).

Mount Archer Day and Erimus Winners

Week 8

A huge congratulations to Prep A and 4NJ for being our Mount Archer Day winners in Week 8! Your efforts in following end-of-play expectations were outstanding!

A special shoutout to 3J for being Erimus on parade and showing fantastic listening skills.

Great job, kids and teachers! Keep up the amazing work!

Week 9

A big shoutout to 1L and 3L for being voted the classes that best demonstrated our eating time expectations!

Because of their fantastic efforts, they’ve earned the Mount Archer Day trophies for Week 9!

Keep up the great work, everyone!

A huge congratulations to 5W for being Erimus on parade and demonstrating the best listening skills on Friday! Your fantastic effort and respect have earned you the honour of using the special seating at the next parade!

Bookwork Superstars

Congratulations to our Week 8 and 9 Bookwork Superstars. We are seeing some amazing writing.

Week 8

Year 4

Year 5

Week 9

Year 1

Year 4

Year 6 

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Classroom Foyer Displays

5/6M

In 5/6M we have been learning about the Geography of places in Australia. We have explored different landforms across Australia like mountains, deserts, coastlines and river systems and understood the influential relationship between people and the environment.

Students were tasked with researching the place where they live and comparing it to a place in Australia with a different climate. Throughout this process, students did a deep dive into Rockhampton, where we learnt about major landforms, the traditional land owners and how the environment influences how people live in this place.

6A

Tessellation Wall- A shape can tessellate if it can be placed next to the same shape continuously in a pattern with no gaps and no onerlaps.

Community Hub Coordinator

Thank you everyone for a lovely term at the Hub! We will be back with our Hub activities in week 2 next term. See some photos from our time at Playgroup and Relaxed Roots this term.

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Have a safe and happy Easter - looking forward to seeing you all soon!"

Thanks,

Hannah Patson
Community Hub Coordinator

WHAT IS QPARENTS?

QParents is an online portal that is free for Queensland state schools to use and allows parents at your school to:

• view attendance details, behaviour information, report cards, timetables, invoices and a history of payments
• provide digital consent, reasons for unexplained absences and to notify the school of future absences
• view and pay school invoices online
• update student details including residential and postal address as well as medical conditions.

Read more about QParents at https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/about

Help and more information

Further help with registering for QParents can be found on the QParents Help page at https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/help

If you have any other questions or require some assistance with the registration process, please contact the Service Centre on 13QGOV (137468).

Upcoming Events

Contact Details & Absences

Contact details

• There are times when we may need to contact parents and carers. Do we have your most up to date contact details? If not, please contact the school office on 07 49235222 or alternatively email - admin@mtarcherss.eq.edu.au and complete the attached form, so we can update our records. These details include parent/carers’ name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details. Please contact the school if any of these details change.

Absence notification process

• Please call the school on 07 49235222 or send an email to admin@mtarcherss.eq.edu.au early in the morning if your child is going to be away or late for school so your child’s absence can be recorded correctly.

Same day notification

• Our school will contact parents as soon as practicable on the day if a student is not at school and we don’t know why. If you are advised by the school that your child is away without a reason, please contact us as soon as possible by replying to the Absentee SMS or on 07 49235222 to let us know where your child is. We will follow-up with parents if no response is received.

School zone parking and pick-up

• School zone times have been standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for most school zones in Queensland are 7:30–9am and 2–4pm.
• School zones are areas around schools where, during certain times, reduced speed limits apply. Speed limits and drop-off, pick-up and parking rules exist to keep children, parents and carers safe and to minimise speed and traffic jams around schools.

Community, Sporting and Cultural Events

headspace Rockhampton Family and Friends

We are growing our 'Family and Friends’ reference group to make a difference.

headspace Rockhampton is welcoming parents, carers, family members, siblings and members of first nations, multicultural, LGBTQI+ communities to share their expertise, perspective, and ideas to shape our service delivery.

Meet with us in a relaxing atmosphere for a chat, light refreshments provided.

5:00pm - 6:00pm
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
155 Alma Street
headspace Rockhampton

If you can't make it, but are interested in participating call headspace Rockhampton PH: 4911 6040

Doug’s Dojang

We are pleased to let you know that two physical activity workshops will be available for primary-aged children on the upcoming school holidays.

These sessions are being delivered by Doug’s Dojang with the support of the Frenchville Sports Club Community Partnerships Program. Both events are free to attend.

Strong Communities

Strong Communities has free parenting programs available in Term 2. These programs provide valuable support to families and individuals, helping to strengthen parent-child relationships and equip caregivers with practical skills.

We have three programs available:

• Circle of Security – Supporting parents to better understand their child’s emotional needs.
• Tuning in to Kids – Helping parents develop emotional intelligence in their children.
• CQ Dads for Kids Program – A dedicated program for fathers, with weekend and online options available.

We also have Play & Connect sessions held during the school holidays in the Rockhampton Region.