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

Pillar Champion Awards

Each term our school community acknowledges the outstanding contribution of students, staff and parents in our strategic pillars.

• Curriculum
• Inclusion
• Innovation
• Wellbeing

Congratulations to our term 1 Pillar Champions:

Curriculum

Sue Cuthbertson, Deb Joynson, Markus V, Aira T

Inclusion 

Tara Kennedy, Chyann 

Innovation

Ethan Fleming, Bea K, Nicole F, Jack W, Lachy M, Arthur P, Eli H

Wellbeing 

Shalini, Maya-Rose W, Claire B, Olivia Morrish

NAPLAN

Thank you to Mr Curby, Ms Schmidt and Year 3 & 5 classroom teachers for ensuring this year’s testing period was implemented and supported well.  Thank you also parents for supporting students during this period to ensure students were settled and at easy with testing situation.  For our Year 3s this is a new experience and they did very well.

ANZAC Day Ceremony

Thank you to Ms Dixon, Mrs Maslen and Mrs Campbell for coordinating and preparing teaching materials for this year’s ANZAC Day ceremony.  A big thanks also to all our staff, students and community members who support this significant event each year.  Everyone is welcome to attend our service on Thursday 24 April 9:30-10:30am in the memorial area.

SCHOOL PHOTOS – please remember to wear correct school uniform on Wednesday 23 April for our annual school photos. 

Staffing Update: Mrs Bradley is returning from A/Prin role and re-joins us in term 2.  A huge thanks to Ms Schmidt for her role as Deputy Principal during Mrs Bradley’s absence.  Mrs Baker (Inclusion) is on leave for Term 2.  Ms Schmidt has been appointed temporarily to Inclusion Coach role for Term 2.  Mrs Chambers continues on leave for the first 3 weeks of term 2.  In her absence Ms DeBoer will continue in RWI / EALD coach role for T2 and Ms Andrews will continue as Student Engagement for Wed T2.

Safe and Relaxed Easter Break

After a busy term 1, I hope students, families and staff enjoy a restful Easter break. I look forward to seeing everyone back for Term 2 starting Tuesday 22 April. A reminder that term 2 begins with a short week with public holidays on the Monday and Friday.

Important Dates:

Last Day Term 1 – Friday 04 April

Easter Monday public holiday – Monday 21 April

Term 2 begins – Tuesday 22 April

ANZAC Day public holiday – Friday 25 April

Loren Schmidt

As part of staffing changes, we are excited to welcome Mrs Bradley back to New Farm at the start of Term 2.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the time I have spent as Acting Deputy Principal at New Farm, it has been a pleasure getting to know the wonderful New Farm community and work closely with the students.

I am looking forward to transitioning into the role of Inclusion Coach at the start of Term 2 and continue to work with the New Farm students and community in this capacity.

Due to the weather conditions, we are postponing our Cross-Country event scheduled for tomorrow, April 3rd, 2025. The event will be rescheduled in Term 2, date to be confirmed, and will enable us to move the event back to New Farm Park (the park has been unavailable in Term 1 due to impacts from the cyclone). 

We want to assure you that safety is always our top priority. For many years, the cross country was run around the streets surrounding our school and the safety measures adopted have always been well considered and robust. As with all extra-curricular activities, the following measures are completed:

• Risk assessments
• Familiarity or adjustments to the course to ensure student safety
• Notified residents in the area of the upcoming event
• Review of student medical needs and first aid provisions

We greatly appreciate the interest and assistance from everyone in keeping all students safe and look forward to a safe and enjoyable cross-country next term.

We have liaised with regional sports advisor to request an extension to our submission for district selection.

Improving Safety at Beeston Street School Entrance

Many families will be familiar with the pedestrian refuge at the Beeston Street entrance to New Farm State School. Over the past few years, this entrance has seen a noticeable increase in both traffic and the number of children walking to school—making safety at this crossing a growing concern.

After raising the issue with Brisbane City Council, I’m pleased to report that they have been very responsive to requests for action. Once the concerns were identified, Council promptly arranged for trees and overhanging branches to be cleared to improve visibility and upgraded the signage around the crossing to enhance driver awareness.

Following a formal traffic and pedestrian count in November 2024, which confirmed significant foot traffic during school drop-off and pick-up hours, Council began considering a longer-term safety upgrade. While the existing refuge allows pedestrians to cross in two stages, it offers no traffic control and can be confusing for both children and drivers.

In exciting news, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has now agreed in principle to fund school crossing supervisors, subject to the installation of a proper Children’s Crossing.

Council is now moving to the design phase, with a Registered Professional Engineer assessing whether a Children’s Crossing (with red and white poles, fluorescent flags, and stop lines) can be implemented using the current island, or if additional physical works will be required.

This is a big step forward in making the Beeston Street entrance safer for our students. Thank you to everyone who has supported this process so far. We’ll keep you updated as the plans progress.

—
Paul Scott
Beeston Street resident and parent

Our tuckshop now offers Birthday Buckets – a fun way to celebrate birthdays with the whole class by sharing ice blocks!

To help keep all students safe, especially those with food allergies, we kindly ask that outside food is not brought in or shared for birthdays. However, families who wish to celebrate at school can order Birthday Buckets through the tuckshop

If you prefer that your child does not receive an ice block during these celebrations, please complete the opt-out form below.

The ice blocks included in Birthday Buckets contain:
Reconstituted Fruit Juices (Apple, Orange, Strawberry, Mango, Pineapple, Raspberry, Passionfruit, Blackcurrant), Acidity Regulator (303), Colours (110, 102), Natural Flavours, Preservatives (202, 211, 223), and Thickener (466).

Birthday Bucket Iceblocks

Wear Blue for Autism Friday 4^th April 

Autism is a variation in how people experience the world. It influences how individuals communicate, learn, and interact with others. Autism is not an illness or something that needs to be cured—it’s a unique way of thinking and being. Children with Autism bring their own strengths, perspectives, and challenges, and with the right support, they can thrive in their own way. By increasing awareness and understanding, we can create a more inclusive community for everyone.

This Friday, Friday 4^th April we invite all students to Wear Blue for Autism to show support and raise awareness! A gold coin donation is required, with all funds going to the AEIOU Foundation, which provides early intervention and support for children with Autism and their families.

Let’s stand together in support of autism awareness—wear blue and make a difference! 

DO YOU HAVE A RELATIVE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN WORLD WAR 1?
              WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THEIR STORY?

As part of our ANZAC DAY commemoration (Term 2, Week 1), the Anzac Committee is organising a poster display in the school hall, and we are very interested to include New Farm SS families’ stories from the Great War. It can be as simple as a (named) photograph of the person and/or a medal he/she received, or you may have more information to share.

Please bring your posters to school in Week 10 this term or at the start of Term 2 Week 1.

We look forward to sharing your stories.

Anzac Committee NFSS

Parent-Teacher interviews are coming up in Term 2! They will be held on Tuesday 13th & Wednesday 14th May in the school hall. Each interview is 10 minutes long, providing an opportunity to discuss student progress and next steps.

Bookings will open Monday 28th April and close 8 AM, Friday 9th May. Please keep an eye out for the booking link which will be sent via Schoolzine at the start of Term 2.

As broadcast via Dojo recently, below are the latest upcoming trials for sport teams run by the City District.

Please contact Mr Rainbow if your child is interested and fits the following District Criteria for consideration:

*"a minimum of 1 year playing at club level or above."
*"those born 2015 would need to be of exceptional ability to be considered."

Those with highest level club representation will be considered firstly.
If then necessary, pre-trials at NFSS will follow after the above expression of interest deadline to determine our quota of 5 nominations.

Further forms and details will be forwarded then.
If more than 5 students are fitting the criteria, then we will organise trials at school to determine who is able to go to the District trial.

1. Rugby Union – 11-12 yrs
Born 2013 & 2014
Trial Time: 9.00am to 12.30pm – Registration from 8.30am
Trial Date: Wednesday 23 April 2025
Trial Venue: Norths Rugby Fields – Shaw Road
Expression of interest due Wednesday 19 March - to Mr Rainbow.

2. Tennis – 10-12 yrs – Boys

Born 2013, 2014 & 2015
Trial Time: Boys: 9.00am to 2.30pm – Registration from 8.30am
Must be Playing/Training Yellow Ball
Trial Date: Tuesday 29 April 2025
Trial Venue: Shaw Park Tennis Centre
Expression of interest due Wednesday 26 March - to Mr Rainbow.

3. Tennis – 10-12 yrs – Girls

Born 2013, 2014 & 2015
Trial Time: Girls 9.00am to 2.30pm – Registration from 8.30am
Must be Playing/Training Yellow Ball
Trial Date: Thursday 1 May 2025
Trial Venue: Shaw Park Tennis Centre
Expression of interest due Wednesday 26 March - to Mr Rainbow.

It’s coming!

The New Farm State School Fete is coming in 2025!

Every two years, NFSS holds a key fundraising event for the whole community to enjoy - the NFSS Fete - and this year is one of those years! This year the fete will be held in Term 3 on Saturday 23rd August. 

The NFSS Fete is a P&C endorsed event run by a sub-committee of the P&C, the Fete Committee. 

Over the coming weeks and months, you will notice expressions of interest to join in, calls for services, sponsors, raffle prizes, class stalls, general volunteering shout outs, and more! 

So many ways to get involved! 

If you would like to be involved in ANY way for this year’s school fete, please get in touch and let us know (big or small, any help, service or volunteering is really appreciated!!) 

Feel free to contact us directly on fete@nfsspandc.com.au. 

Whether you’d like to be involved in the Fete Committee in a key role, assisting with a particular activity such as marketing or logistics, organising a class stall, helping with fundraising efforts, selling raffle tickets in the lead up, baking treats for the bake stall, assisting with lifting and moving in set up and pack down, or volunteering at the BBQ or a stall on the day, we’d be happy to hear from you!  

Contact us directly or sign up to be involved or volunteer via SignUp Zone here: https://signup.zone/DPo3LrY6ayWbQJSJz 

In the lead up to the fete, keep an eye on Class Dojo for update posts, shout outs and calls for assistance. 

Give us a share, a like and a follow online here: 

Instagram handle: @newfarmfete

Facebook page: New Farm State School Fete 

Get involved and join in the fun of the fete! 

Contact: fete@nfsspandc.com.au 

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!