Attendance FAQ's

What if my student is unwell?

Any child who is showing signs of illness or feeling unwell, should stay at home.
If a child is showing signs of illness at school, the school will contact the parent or carer to collect the child.

Does School Plus automatically know we are away?

No. If you have a regular booking with School Plus Outside School Hours Care, it is your responsibility to notify them directly if you need to cancel or amend a booking, will be away or if your student is absent due to illness.
Please phone 0458 052 153 or email newfarm@schoolplus.com.au 
If you fail to notify School Plus of an absence Police may be notified in accordance with the 'Missing Child Policy'.

What if my student is attending a school activity somewhere else?

If the school transports students to an activity via bus or walking groups, the school will mark a roll and account for the students.

If you transport your student to the activity, please notify the school they have arrived and are participating in the activity. 
To advise of an off campus activity, you can:
1. email absences@newfarmss.eq.edu.au 
2. phone student absence line (07) 3358 7333 option 1
3. QParents app via 'Notify Absences' tab

How does the Absence SMS from school work?

If your student is not present at 9am roll marking and the office has not been notified they would be away, an SMS is generated and sent to parents. You are able to reply text to this SMS. 

If your child/ren have a medical condition requiring regular or emergency administration of medication, please make sure you have supplied school with the following:

1. All medications must be in the original container and have clear chemist labels with the students name
2. Any allergy/asthma/anaphylaxis plans must be completed and signed by a GP
3. All parents must also complete a consent to administer form that aligns with the GP directed plan - there must be a form completed for each medication

IF YOUR CHILD/REN SELF ADMINISTER THEIR MEDICATION THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DISPLAYED IN BOTH THE LETTER FROM THE DOCTOR AND IN THE ACTION PLAN

Parents are also required to provide a letter detailing their consent for their child/ren to administer their own medication.

Parents are welcome to drop medication to the Admin Office between 9am – 3pm daily.

Students are not permitted to transport their own medication. An adult must attend and provide medication and complete any require consents.

For all emergency medication, once it has been received and recorded by administration, all medication (e.g. asthma medication, anaphylaxis medication) will be put into a labelled box and stored in the administration building First Aid Room.

If your child/ren’s medical status changes (e.g. asthma action plan no longer relevant, allergy severity decreased etc) please let the school know via email through firstaid@newfarmss.eq.edu.au so that we may update our systems.

Dr Carmel McGrath

School Closure - Weather Event

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is predicted to produce significant rain, strong winds and flash flooding in our community. This weather is expected to continue over the coming days.

I am writing to inform you that New Farm State School will be closed tomorrow, Thursday 6 March and Friday 7 March due to safety concerns and transport networks not operating.

Please keep your child at home on Thursday and Friday.

As part of our disaster management protocol, we follow the advice of emergency services. We always act in the interests of the safety of students, staff and the wider community. This decision is based on an assessment of the current conditions and risks associated with movement in and around our community.

We will continue to provide updates and information to our families via our Email, Class Dojo and Text Message regarding arrangements for Monday 10 March.

Student absences

Absences due to emergencies and natural disasters and when a school is closed, will not be recorded on a student’s report card.

School re-opening

I will continue to liaise with the Department of Education and emergency services and I will keep you informed of any developments, including when we expect our school to re-open.

Up-to-date information on school closures is available from closures.qld.edu.au. Early childhood service closures are available on the service and temporary closure information website.

Monitoring the situation

Please continue to listen to our local ABC Radio service and monitor emergency services’ social media accounts for updates and advice. Information about current weather conditions can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology website at www.bom.gov.au. If you need immediate help, call Triple Zero (000) and remember, if it’s flooded, forget it.

It is incredibly important that you take time to look after yourselves and your families. I encourage you to access the information available for parents and students to support health and wellbeing during these difficult circumstances.

Thank you for your ongoing support and I trust that the impact of this event on our school will be minimal.

Look Out Program

Thank you to students who are waiting so respectfully each afternoon in the Annie Street pick up zone.  Prompt arrival and clearly displayed name tags in cars, are really assisting in this area working well for all. 

The one issue I would like to see improved is the pedestrian crossing on Annie Street. Unfortunately, some parents are still crossing the road with their children at the bottom of the stairs and going between cars. This is very dangerous and distracting for staff who are trying to help students get into cars using the pick-up zone. My main aim is to support students to learn to use the designated school crossing and to have a safe place to cross with our crossing supervisor.  Thank you for your cooperation in this area.

Evacuation and Lockdown Drills for Term 1

Each term we conduct both Evacuation and Lockdown drills in our school.  Last week we held our evacuation and lockdown drills. I commended the staff and students for the orderliness with which they proceeded to the evacuation assembly point on the oval. It was very impressive for only a few weeks into the year and our preppies did a wonderful job. 

Year 6 Leadership Ceremony – Monday 17 March 9-10:30am in Hall

Due to a clash with another Year 6 excursion, we had changed this year’s Induction and Badge ceremony to Monday 17 March. We warmly welcome Year 6 Parents and families to attend this year’s Leadership Ceremony where students will receive their Year 6 leadership badges and recite their oaths for the school and parent audience. Students should attend neatly dressed in full school uniform for the event. We look forward to seeing you all there and celebrating the induction of our 2025 School Leaders.

Homework Review

Following the launch of our Digital Teaching and Learning Strategy 2024, we committed to a program of works which includes components such as (1) our Financial Model, (2) Teacher Capacity Building, (3) Well-Being, (4) Curriculum, (5) Tech Support and (6) Digital Learning Partners.  This week I am highlighting work within the Curriculum Component, where this term we focused on 2 key actions:

1. Providing more clarity of the selection and purpose of Digital Teaching and Learning within the Curriculum and this can be now seen on the Term Overviews which are sent home to parents at the beginning of each term.
2. Homework Term 1 is Tech Free. We made this commitment at our DT&L launch in 2024.  Our HOD is currently leading the consultation and review of our HW policy and procedures and parents will be have an opportunity for feedback during this term. 

I look forward to sharing more of this work as our program continues to roll out.

Loren Schmidt

Uniform Expectations

Thank you to families for reinforcing our uniform expectations at home. I am noticing a reduction in students wearing colourful socks and elaborate accessories in their hair. Can we please continue to support your child/ren at home to wear the correct socks and plain hairstyles each day.

I have noticed that several students are wearing jewellery to school. This unfortunately, has not always been in line with our Uniform Policy. The following jewellery is permitted to be worn at school:

• studs or small hoop earrings
• jewellery of personal religious significance
• a digital or analogue watch, for timekeeping and step monitoring.

Could I ask parents/carers to have a conversation with your child/ren about the appropriate jewellery that can be worn. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office to discuss.

Pillar Awards

Each term, we celebrate members from our school community who have exemplified the qualities that represent our school pillars. 

• Curriculum & Pedagogy: Maximise learning growth and academics for every student through differentiated support. 
• Innovation: Ensure students become creative, curious, connected and engaged learners of the future. 
• Wellbeing & Engagement: Create a sense of belonging and a positive environment of learning and teaching. 
• Culture & Inclusion: Embrace a culture of inclusion and diversity by valuing all students, staff and community voices.

If you would like to nominate someone for one of our prestigious awards, please use this link. The link will close on Wednesday of Week 9.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy and Procedures

We are very fortunate to be able to offer the BYOD program for our students in Years 4-6. We use iPads in our classrooms as a tool to engage, enhance and enrich learning activities across all learning areas. For iPads to be an effective tool for learning in our classrooms, we are asking families to work with us to support students to follow our BYOD rules and procedures. One of these rules is that students are required to bring their iPad to school each day fully charged. It is not reasonable for teachers to facilitate the charging of iPads during class time and so we ask that families create routines at home that encourage students to develop independence in managing this task each day. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use and Participation Agreement. 2025_BYOD_iPad_Terms_ofUse_and_Participation_Agreement.pdf

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for our Year 3 and Year 5 students begins next week. 

Assessment Details:

Below is the detailed schedule including session times, materials required, and the specific dates for each test domain:

An introductory session of approximately 15 minutes will precede each test.

Technology Requirements:

To facilitate the digital aspects of the assessments, all Year 5 students are required to have the NAP Locked Down Browser app installed on their iPads. This app is essential for accessing the test.

Preparatory Measures:

We encourage ensuring your child is well-rested and nourished on the day of the test. A positive approach towards the assessment is beneficial.

Withdrawal Process:

Should you wish to withdraw your child from the NAPLAN assessments, it is necessary to complete a withdrawal form available from the office. Simply keeping your child at home does not suffice as formal withdrawal.

Additional Resources:

NAPLAN assessments are an important tool in assessing educational progress. They are not a pass/fail test but a means to understand and support your child's learning needs.

For any further questions or clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact our office or classroom teacher.

Week 6 Classroom Awards 

In light of this week's weather event, Camp Quality Puppet show has been postponed. This will now be scheduled for Friday 4th April. Times will be as previously mentioned.

Join the Kingfishers Swim Club!

Looking for a fun, friendly swimming club where every child is celebrated? Welcome to Kingfishers!

We're a community-focused swim club where participation and encouragement matter more than performance. If your child can swim 20m with a kickboard, they're ready to join the fun!

Who can join?

• Primary school children (including Prep)
• Younger siblings welcome
• Open to all schools in our community

What makes us special?

• Supportive, encouraging environment
• Focus on fun and participation
• Lots of cheering and celebration
• Family-friendly atmosphere

Every club night includes:

• Swimming activities for all abilities
• Delicious sausage sizzle and snacks
• Refreshments for parents (including beer and wine)

When: Every Friday until end of Term 1 Arrive: 5:15 PM Start: 5:30 PM Finish: 7:00 PM

No pre-registration required - just come along and join in!

Questions? Email Paul at pf_scott@yahoo.com

Join our friendly community where every swimmer belongs!