5 September 2025

Principal’s Report

My Hero and Me – Under the Big Gum Tree

This year we had a very special afternoon celebrating the important men in your lives – dads, uncles, grandads, brothers and family friends. 💛💙
A big thank you to all the visitors who came along and made the afternoon so memorable for our children.

We would also like to thank the wonderful male students from North Rockhampton State High School who joined us to spend time with children who didn’t have a visitor for the afternoon. Your kindness truly showed the power of community in helping guide our young learners to grow into positive and caring members of society.

School Uniform Reminder

It’s important that students wear their school uniform every day. Wearing our uniform shows pride in our school and keeps us looking smart and ready for learning.

Our school uniform is:

• Royal blue skirt, skort or shorts
• Mt Archer yellow and blue polo shirt
• White socks
• Closed-in shoes/joggers
• Royal blue broad-brimmed hat or legionnaire cap

✨ If you are unable to afford a uniform, please contact the school office. We may be able to organise a second-hand uniform to help out.

Arriving at School

Students should arrive at school between 8:30 and 8:40am each day.

• 🚫 There is no supervision before 8:15am, so please do not drop children off earlier.
• ✅ If you need to drop children off early, we encourage you to use the Helping Hands Before School Program, which operates safely on our school grounds.

Let’s all work together to make sure our children start the day safely, happily, and ready to learn!

Friday Afternoon Sport Update

We would like to inform you of a significant change to our Friday afternoon sport program.

After much reflection and discussion, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Friday afternoon interschool sport for Season C this year, and most likely Season A in 2026. This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand it may come as disappointing news for some families.

There are several reasons behind this change. Over time, we’ve noticed a steady decline in student participation, and many students who do attend are not contributing to the cost of bus transport. On top of this, poor weather conditions have led to multiple cancellations in recent seasons, reducing the value of the experience. With bus prices continuing to rise, it has become increasingly difficult to justify the financial and logistical strain on the school.

Another challenge has been staffing and supervision for students who remain at school during interschool sport. Balancing these competing demands has proven increasingly difficult.

However, we want to reassure you that Friday afternoons will still remain an active and engaging time for students. We are exploring new ways to deliver sport and physical activity at school, with a focus on ensuring all children are involved in movement and fitness. This may include class-based activities or staff-led sport rotations across different age groups.

Over the coming week, I will be working closely with our Year 5 and 6 teaching team to plan a meaningful alternative program that continues to promote health, teamwork and fun. We look forward to sharing more information with you soon.

As someone who fondly remembers participating in Friday sport as a primary school student myself, I am genuinely disappointed that this change has become necessary. That said, I am confident we can create a new model that better meets the needs of our students and the school community.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.

Jeff Jepson
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Mount Archer Day Fortnightly Focus

Over the past fortnight, our MAD Focus has been on keeping hands and feet to self. Students have been learning strategies to solve problems by using the Hi-5 Hand: Ignore, Talk Friendly, Talk Firmly, Walk Away, or Report. We are also teaching the importance of using “I” statements for clear and respectful communication. Students are encouraged to report if they cannot solve the problem themselves or if they ever feel unsafe. Thank you for supporting these important conversations at home.

Erimus Winners

Week 6

Week 7

Year 6 Camp – Brisbane!

Last week, our Year 6 students enjoyed an action-packed and memorable camp in Brisbane, filled with learning, fun and adventure. Highlights included visiting the Mt Cootha Planetarium and Botanical Gardens, where students explored the wonders of space and nature, before experiencing hands-on science at SparkLab. A night ride on the Wheel of Brisbane and a breathtaking view from the Mt Coot-tha Lookout gave everyone a chance to see the city lights of Brisbane City. Students also visited the Brisbane Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, and another city museum, engaging with history, art and culture. A thrilling day at Movie World added plenty of excitement to the week. Our students represented our school with excellent behaviour and a positive attitude, throughout the week. A big thank you goes to our dedicated staff for their care, organisation, and support, which ensured a safe and successful camp for all.

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Date Claimer: Year 6 Graduation and Awards Ceremony

Enjoy your week,

Julie Griffin
Deputy Principal

Lost and Found Reminder

Our Lost and Found box, located near the office, is overflowing with items—particularly school jumpers! We encourage parents to stop by and check the collection for any missing belongings. Please take a moment to have a look, as all unclaimed items will be cleared out at the end of the term.

Student Council News

Classroom Foyer Displays

Prep B

Prep C

Prep C have been exploring picture books and making them come to life. This week we read possum Magic, however Hush the possum turned invisible. We went all around Australia trying to make Hush visible again by eating many foods. The children ate a vegemite sandwich and made his tail appear. They then ate some Pavlova and his legs and body appeared and finally they ate yummy lamingtons and his head appeared. We were all very happy our friend Hush was visible again.

Bookwork Superstars

Congratulations to our Week 7 Bookwork Superstars. We are seeing some amazing writing.

Week 7

2H

4RG

Helping Hands Holiday HQ

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).

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

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.

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.

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

NRL League Stars Holiday Clinics!

Megan from the NRL here! We have your students covered this holidays with not one, but two NRL League Stars Holiday Clinics coming to you! Whether you want to rip in with us on the beach, learn some surf safety and development your rugby league skills at Yeppoon Main Beach, or you want to get all the action in town at North Rockhampton State High School, we’ve got something for you 😊 Please see details below and share with your school community!

NRL League Stars x Yeppoon SLSC

Friday 26^th September 2PM – 4PM

Yeppoon Main Beach

Register Here:

NRL League Stars Holiday Clinic

Thursday 2^nd September 4PM – 5:30PM

North Rockhampton State High School

Register Here: 

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.

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