8 August 2025

Principal’s Report

Thank You for Your Support

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our school community for your understanding and support during the recent industrial action. We recognise the impact it can have on families, and we truly appreciate your patience and cooperation.

Supporting Literacy and Numeracy at Home

Practising literacy and numeracy every day at home helps your child build confidence and reinforce the skills they are learning at school. Here are a few simple ways you can support this at home and on the go:

• Reading: Read together each night—this could be a bedtime story, signs on the way to school, or even the shopping list!
• Writing: Encourage your child to write letters to family, keep a journal, or write a shopping list with you.
• Number activities: Count steps, cars, or snacks; play card or dice games; involve your child in measuring ingredients when cooking.

These quick, everyday activities can make a big difference in your child’s learning.

Morning Drop-Off Reminder

Please remember that students should not be at school before 8:30am, as staff supervision does not begin until this time. For families who need care before 8:30am, Helping Hands operates our Out of School Hours Care service on-site. Website:  

Dropping children off before supervision begins places them at risk, and we thank you for helping us to keep all students safe.

E-scooters and e-bikes

Does your child ride an e-scooter or e-bike? Did you know that only children 16 and over are allowed to ride e-scooters unsupervised? Is their e-bike legal? If your child’s device has any of the features below, it is illegal to ride in public, and they (or you) may be subject to significant penalties. 

Click this link to get information on e-bikes and e-scooters

Jeff Jepson
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Book Week Parade

We’re thrilled to invite families and friends to our Book Week Parade on Friday 15 August at 8:45am in the school hall. This year’s Book Week theme is “Book an Adventure”, celebrating the magic of stories that take us to new worlds, spark curiosity, and inspire our imaginations.

Even more exciting, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Book Week in Australia – a special milestone in honouring the joy and power of reading!

All students are encouraged to come dressed as a favourite book character or as an explorer ready for an adventure! Whether it’s a curious creature, a brave hero, or a wild wanderer, we can’t wait to see the creative costumes on Friday morning.

Families are warmly invited to attend and celebrate this special morning with us.

When:    Friday 15 August
Time:      8:45am
Where: School Hall

Let’s make this year’s Book Week a journey to remember!

Kim Creek
Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Mount Archer Day Fortnightly Focus

At Mount Archer, our new Fortnightly Focus is called Value Our Learning Time. We are encouraging all students to show through their actions that they value their learning by actively following the Mount Archer Day expectations. This includes arriving on time, staying at their desk to complete their work, asking permission before leaving the classroom, and wearing their lanyard when they do. Parents can support this focus by helping their child arrive at school before the bell, talking about the importance of staying focused in class, and reminding them to follow classroom routines each day.

Week 2

4LG and 2R are our Week 2 Mount Archer Day Fortnightly Focus winners for excellent following of instructions. Congratulations teachers and students.

Week 3

6E and Prep C were the Fortnightly Focus winners for demonstrating to all that they value their learning

Erimus Winners

Week 2

Go 3S! Erimus winners on parade today for excellent listening skills.

Week 3

Prep B was awarded Erimus for their excellent listening and attention during parade.

Date Claimer: Year 6 Graduation and Awards Ceremony

My Hero and Me

Respectful Relationships Education

Next week our Year 6 students will be involved in a relationship and sexuality education program run collaboratively with True Relationships and Reproductive Health and the Year 6 classroom teachers. All information in the sessions is part of the HPE Australian Curriculum and Respectful Relationships Education.

The many benefits of relationship and sexuality education include supporting the development of a healthy self-esteem, a positive attitude towards sexuality, information to care for bodies and the development of skills to make healthy decisions.

The best way for children to learn about sexuality is by receiving small amounts of age appropriate, factual information from parents/carers and teachers in a gradual and ongoing process.

We recognise that you are the primary sexuality educator of your child.  Parents/Carers and schools can work together to encourage healthy behaviours and attitudes about sexuality & bodies. The following information may be useful to start discussions with your child, so that you have the opportunity to reinforce appropriate behaviours, new skills and discuss your family’s values, attitudes and beliefs about these topics.

Year 6

• Body parts – names and functions
• Body changes – physical, social and emotional changes of puberty
• Reproduction and pregnancy
• Healthy relationships
• Decision making
• How to find accurate information on bodies

Each Year 6 student will receive a leaflet outlining the information that they learned in class, allowing families to continue conversations at home.

Respectful Relationships Education and Safety

At Mount Archer, we’ve been talking with students at parade about the importance of sticking to their going home plan each afternoon. We’ve reminded them that if something changes—like the person picking them up hasn’t arrived—they must go straight to the office for help. That’s the smart and safe choice.

We ask parents and carers to please talk to your child about their regular going home plan and remind them what to do if it changes. A quick conversation at home can make a big difference in helping your child feel confident and safe at the end of the school day.

Safety is also an important part of the Respectful Relationships Education program, and this term we are focusing on safety as a whole school through our Mount Archer Day and Fortnightly Focus. We want our students to be able to recognise when something doesn’t feel safe, and then know how to respond in a way that helps solve the problem and keeps them safe.

Enjoy your week,

Julie Griffin
Deputy Principal

Head of Special Education

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

Please contact the school if you have any questions about the NCCD.

Amy Runham
HoSES

Finance- Student Credits on Accounts

We would like to inform you that any available credits on your account will be automatically applied to your upcoming invoice(s). This will reduce the total amount due accordingly.

You will receive notification via text and your invoice as usual, the credit will appear as a line item deduction.  If you do not wish for the credit to be applied to your invoice/s and require a refund you will need to contact the office to arrange.

If you have any questions or would like to review your account balance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Classroom Foyer Displays

1P

Year 1P is currently investigating the features of 2D shapes. We have explored 2 dimensional shapes being flat shapes with only length and width dimensions. We have learnt 2D shapes have straight and curved edges and compared the number of corners of different shapes. We used our knowledge of the features of squares and rectangles to create a Mondrian inspired art piece.

1L

My New Gallery

Bookwork Superstars

Congratulations to our Week 3 Bookwork Superstars. We are seeing some amazing writing.

Week 3

Prep A

Prep C

1P

Positions Available

Relief Teacher Aides and Cleaners

We are currently seeking reliable and enthusiastic individuals to join our pool of relief school cleaners and teacher aides for on-call and backfill opportunities.

Roles Available:

• School Cleaners – Maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming school environment.
• Teacher Aides – Support teaching staff in delivering high-quality education and care to students.

Requirements:

• A current PAID Blue Card
• Willingness to consent to a criminal history check
• Flexibility and availability at short notice
• A genuine interest in working in a school environment

Ideal Candidates Will Be:

• Punctual and dependable
• Able to work independently or as part of a team
• Respectful and professional in a school setting

If you’re passionate about supporting students and school communities, we’d love to hear from you!

To apply or express interest, please send your CV and a brief cover letter to:

The Business Manager
Mount Archer State School
242 Thozet Road
Koongal QLD 4701

For further information please contact the Business Manager on 49 235 222

Parent and Community Code of Conduct

Supporting our school’s Parent and Community Code of Conduct

Parents and visitors help keep everyone safe by communicating and behaving appropriately at school and during school events.

In support of this, we have adopted a Parent and Community Code of Conduct so that all visitors to our school can understand what is expected of them.

The Parent and Community Code of Conduct sits alongside our Student Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service which applies to all staff.  

A copy of the new Code can be found below.

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

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).

Tuckshop

Normal Operating Hours

Operating hours: 8:20am to 1:10pm Opening Days: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Tuckshop Menu

Tuckshop orders and payments can be handed daily into the tuckshop directly by students in a brown paper bag.  Online ordering is also available through the QKR App.

School Dental Clinic

The School Dental Clinic will be based at Mount Archer State School commencing on July 15 2025, offering full dental treatment for students enrolled here. Parents can scan the QR code below for access to an electronic permission form.

Helping Hands

Please find attached a flyer with our QR code for making bookings. By scrolling down on the website, you'll find all the details regarding our fees and other important information.

Also included is our CCS flyer for your reference.

If anyone needs assistance with their enrolment, they are more than welcome to visit us during our sessions or give us a call — we’re happy to help!

Every Day Counts

We continue to emphasise the importance of regular school attendance. Being at school each day helps students stay connected, keep up with their learning, and develop the skills and relationships that support long-term success.

We appreciate your ongoing support in making sure your child attends school every day and arrives on time—unless they are genuinely unwell.

If your child is facing any challenges that make attendance difficult—whether they are medical, emotional, or practical—please reach out to us. Our staff are here to help and can work with your family to find solutions and provide the support needed to help your child attend regularly and thrive.

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 7:30–9amand 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

CQU Health Clinics

Our Health Clinics deliver a range of health services to staff and students, as well as the general public. With state-of-the art health facilities, the Health Clinics provide practical learning environments for students under clinical supervision by registered health professionals.

Person-centred care is embedded into CQU Health Clinics and throughout all of the Standards developed by the Commission, including the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards, reflecting its importance to the safety and quality of health care.

Person-centred care is widely recognised as a foundation to safe, high-quality health care. It is care that respects and responds to the preferences, needs and values of patients and consumers.

No referral is required.

Life Education Qld

Qld Touch Football

Season Details

Start: 9th August

End: 22nd November

We will break for the school holidays and resume games on 11th October.

Saturdays: U6s through to U12s

The weekly draw will be posted by Rocky Touch on their Facebook page (and hopefully their website).

Games are played at the Cyril Connel Touch field located at 78 Reaney Street.

Typical time slots run (TBC):

• U6s – 8:00am
• U8s – 8:40am
• U10s – 9:20am
• U12 Girls – 10:00am
• U12 Boys – 11:20am

Registration & Fees

Fees will be as follows:

• $75.00 – Rocky Touch Fee
• $30.00 – QTF Membership (annual, July 2025–June 2026)
• $22.00 – TFA Insurance (annual, July 2025–June 2026)
• Total: $127.00 per child
• Sibling Discount: 3rd child is free, please email admin@rockytouch.com with the name and team of the 3rd child, plus their siblings names and teams to register your 3rd child.
• Playing Multiple Divisions/Teams: If your child is playing in more than one junior team, contact Rocky Touch directly to nominate them for their second junior team. Please only register into one junior team per player. This includes school teams.

Junior Touch Football Season 

Friday Nights (U14s):

• Start: Friday 8 August
• Grand Final: Friday 21 November
• Note: Games will play on 19 September, break for holidays, and resume on 10 October (*subject to team availability due to All Schools).

Saturday Mornings (U6–U12):

• Start: Saturday 9 August
• Grand Final: Saturday 22 November
• Break for holidays after 20 September, resume on 11 October.

Nominations will open mid June and close Friday 1 August.