Welcome to the 2025 school year. How quickly the school has settled into the routines of school life.

I would like to welcome new Camp Hill families to our school. I am sure that you will quickly make connections within our community and I look forward to meeting you in the near future. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you may have – it is important that you have clear understanding of school life.

As you will be aware the school is busy with a number projects across our facilities: new Junior campus playground; upgrades on Junior campus to build in disability toilets and disability access from the carpark on Wiles Street and painting. The school had considerable storm damage from the localised storm that hit Camp Hill in the latter part of the school holidays – the impact was quite considerable. Our support staff have been working on securing the site in readiness for the students' return – which took the team away from their planned activities to prepare the grounds after the vacation. Our focus was on safety, and having such large grounds did present some issues.

We recieved great news today, witht he hand-over of the new Prep playground. Thank you to the P&C for purchasing this great resource for us. We need to wait for the grass to establish. However, next week will see the Prep students being taught how to safely play on the playground. The Year 1 students (had input into the design and colour of this playground last year when they were in Prep), so their teachers will organise time for them to play on it throughout the term. The fencing will be removed by the end of next week allowing Prep students to play on during playtimes. 

As we do every year, the school is closely monitoring our enrolments in preparation for the Department of Education Day 8 enrolment audit. Data from Day 8 informs (confirmed) staffing allocations to all State schools in Queensland.

This year we welcome new staff to our school:

+ Erin Hulmes (Year 2)
+ Angela Gilpin (Year 3)
+ Steven Torrance (Year 6)
+ Richard Knippe – Physical Education (from Week 6/Term 1)

We will also be saying farewell to Mr Bourke from his role in Physical Education as he moves to northern Queensland. Mr Richard Knippe will take up the role of PE teacher from Week 6 this term. We will send out additional information to families regarding PE lessons in the near future.

Please ensure that you introduce yourself to the new members of our school community.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome I have received since returning to work after the motor vehicle accident last year. It is just so nice to be back at school!!

I wish you the very best and look forward to meeting families in the coming weeks.
Best wishes
Deborah
Deborah Driver (Principal)

SOME HOUSEKEEPING

1. Medication

If your child requires medication at school please see the administration staff in either campus to ensure that we have all the necessary paperwork to administration the medication.

2. Medical conditions
The school requires families to notify us of any medical conditions that your child may have so that we can ensure appropriate responses if required. A Health Care plan is also required.

3. Allergies
Please notify the office if your child has an identified allergy. We require a Health Care plan with current medication to ensure that your child receives the most appropriate care during school hours.

4. Legal paperwork
We ask parents to provide any legal paperwork, Court Orders, to the office so that we can enact the Court directives. These documents are held in a confidential place and I encourage you to speak with Mrs Wills (DP Senior Campus); Mrs Tuckett (DP Junior Campus) or Mrs Lloyd (DP Inclusion) if you have any concerns.

5. Munch and Crunch
This is for new families to our school  – the school (like most schools in Queensland) has a Much and Crunch session each morning. We ask that you provide food for Munch and Crunch separate to your child/ren main lunch. We have found that the students (particularly younger ones) are hungry in the first session and this food boost certainly is appreciated.

6. Pick Up and Collection of students
Thank you to our families for being so efficient with the drop off and collection of your children. Prep students are required to be dropped off and picked up (except in the case of others attending OSHC) by an identified adult. This is for the children’s safety and comfort (they do like to know who is collecting them).

If you arrive after the commencement of the school day you are required to go to the administration office (Junior or Senior campus) and collect a late slip for your child. This is a safety measure.

Likewise, if you wish to collect your child before the end of the school day it is important to go to the relevant administration office to arrange for their collection. Please do not go to the classroom. The office staff will then log in their early exit.

7. Safety Drills
Each term the school will conduct an Emergency Drill and a Lock Down drill. These practices enable the students to gain confidence in the necessary responses if an occasion occurred during the school year. In Term 1, these drills are announced prior to the drill to ensure that the students are aware of the expectations of them. I have to say that I have always been so impressed with our community response to these drills.

8. P&C school calendar
Our wonderful P&C have produced a 2025 school calendar for all members of our school community. The calendar enables families to forward plan across the year and I know is highly valued. A special thank you to the P&C for allocation time, effort and finances towards this project.

9. Mobile Phones
All families would be aware of the Queensland Government policy on mobile phones at school. At Camp Hill, students are required to drop off their personal device at the school administration office upon arrival at school and to collect them at the end of the school day. The administration team will ensure that any messages are sent to the child’s class.

10. Stop Drop Go Zone (Ferguson Road)
The school provides supervision of the Zone each afternoon until 3.30pm. At that time, any remaining students will go to the school administration office and parents contacted.

11. OSHC
Please ensure that you share any OSHC related message with the OSHC team directly. The team our exceptional in the management of their program.

12. 2026 Prep
We will be taking applications for enrolment (in-catchment and out of catchment) 2026 Prep year from Monday 3 February. Please contact the office if you have any queries. We look forward to welcoming our 2026 prep families.

13. Step Up
Our highly valued Step Up program does not commence until Week 3 of term and the staff are supporting students and classes across campus for the first two weeks of term.

14. Water
Thank you to all families for providing your child/ren with appropriate water containers – they are certainly appreciated and being well used during the hotter days.

15. Meetings with teachers
There will be both a year level Parent Information Session and Meet Your Teacher session for all families this term. If you wish to meet with your teacher out of these sessions, please contact them to arrange a mutually convenient time as teachers are unable to have meaningful conversations while supervising their classes. If you wish to arrange a time to meet with a member of the school leadership team, please contact the administration office to arrange a mutually convenient time.

16. New families to our school 
In 2025 we have a number of families new to our school  – I encourage families to reach out to the newer members of our school community. I know that our community has a very strong (and well-deserved) reputation for being supportive and caring. This is something that I admire greatly.

17. Creative Dance
In 2025, the school staff will be teaching the Australian Curriculum Dance unit. The Department of Education provides instruction, at no cost, for all assessable units of the Australian Curriculum – which Dance is in 2025. In recent years the school worked with an outside provider to deliver the Dance unit across all year levels. There was a cost to parents for their child/rens participation in the unit. As the Dance unit is an assessable unit this is no longer an option.

During the year students will have the opportunity to participate in incursions and excursions which support, or consolidate, units within the curriculum. These incursions and excursions are to enhance the units of learning within the Australian Curriculum and are not used as part of their assessment. Parents have the option of including their child/ren in these additional activities.

School Principal

Starting School – Helping your child start confidently.

Staring Prep, or returning to school, can mean some students experience anxiety. This is, of course, quite normal and common. Experiencing anxiety helps children learn to trust in the world, trust themselves, and trust others. Everyone experiences different levels of anxiety at different times in their lives, whether it’s starting school, starting a new year level, beginning a new job or other experiences.

Separation anxiety is developmentally normal for children. It often peaks when they are around 18 months and generally starts to ease off between four and five years of age, as they enter the school years. It can reoccur at different ages and stages of schooling and can even fluctuate day to day, with some children feeling happy to be dropped off at school one day, then find if harder the next. Below are some tips that may help make those morning drop offs a little easier.

1. Expressing to our children our positivity about school helps us them know that school is a safe place to be.
2. Be ready to go: Reduce stress and the sense of rushing by having bags packed, uniforms ready, and lunch organised. Involve your child in prepping these things.
3. Share stories: There are great books about being away from family and going to school to read together, check out the library or online for ideas on this topic. You could also share your own experiences of school so they can learn from you.
4. Practise and prepare: If they are in prep or have started somewhere new, do practice runs so they become familiar with environment, or show them photos so they know what to expect. Point things out that they might like: “Look, they have monkey bars!”
5. Play a game: Role play the morning routine with their favourite toys. Let them pretend to be the teacher – many kids love to take charge! Try to keep role plays brief if they are getting the hang of it, so it doesn’t become a chore.
6. Calm, consistent and fun: Keep mornings as calm and consistent as possible. Children thrive from predictable routines. You may want to create a picture schedule of what they need to do to get ready. You could also have some fun on the way, ride a bike, listen to favourite music for the car trip there with a sing along!

If separation anxiety continues

While helping children separate confidently can happen quickly for some, it can take some time for others, and may require a lot of support and a lot of time for others still. If separation anxiety persists, and, at worst, becomes excessive, it can interfere with a child’s daily functioning, emotional regulation and learning. For children who are repeatedly distressed, it can be an emotionally draining experience for everyone. Using a step ladder approach can be a useful analogy to help your child develop the skills they need to feel less anxious. As parents you play an integral role to help your child build confidence to engage in the world around them, and participate in school. However, if you do find separation anxiety persists, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

What is the stepladder approach for anxiety?

The stepladder approach is a step-by-step way of helping children learn to handle anxious situations.

It works like this:

• Start with a situation or thing that causes your child the least anxiety. Sometimes your child might need to practise the situation a few times until they feel comfortable with it.
• Move on to another situation that makes your child feel a bit more anxious. Again, go through it a few times until your child can handle it. Practice is important.
• Work with your child on tackling situations that gradually get more challenging.
• Give your child plenty of praise and reassurance.
• Know your child’s emotional triggers and how these affect you.
• Be patient and persistent, and focus on small gains not the final goal.

Taken from the Australian Parenting website

• https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-stepladder-approach

For more related information about separation anxiety

• (https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/mental-health-issues-and-conditions/separation-anxiety)

• https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/separation-anxiety

Playground Equipment

Playground equipment can only be used during school time when students are supervised by school staff. Our playgrounds are designed from certain age groups, student abilities and other factors like height. For the safety of all, please don’t let you children (school-age or not) play on any playground equipment.

Before and After School

A reminder that school commences at 8:55am each school day. It is not good practice for parents to come to school too early.

On the Senior Campus, all students are required to sit under the covered area near the library until 8:30am, after which time a member of administration will supervise until 8:55am when the first bell rings. Please note, there is not supervision on the Senior Campus until 8:30am.

On the Junior Campus:

• All Prep students must remain with and be supervised by a parent or carer outside their Prep classrooms until their classroom is opened by their teacher, normally by the first bell at 8:55am.
• All Year 1 and 2 students and all other siblings, are required to remain seated and under the care of a parent/guardian until a staff member arrives at 8:30am to supervise until the first bell rings at 8:55am.
• At 8:30am, all Year 1 and 2 students can play on the rubber area or sit under the Year 1 block. Year 2 students must move up to this area.
• Students or younger siblings are NOT permitted to play on any school equipment before or after school unless a staff member has been rostered to supervise.

Students are not to arrive at school prior to 8:00am unless they are enrolled at OSHC or participating in an Instrumental Music Program or another school-based program.

Our students are very excited about the building works happening on the Junior campus.

Looking for practical advice to help support your child’s learning and wellbeing? The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) has worked with clinical psychologist Dr Judith Locke to create a series of short videos offering tips and strategies for parents and carers.

These videos cover key topics such as:
• fostering independence and resilience
• establishing homework routines with your child
• maintaining balance and wellbeing.

Whether your child is starting prep or tackling the challenges of Year 6, these videos provide practical guidance for every stage of their schooling journey.

You can watch the videos here ?

https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/parents-carers/advice-from-dr-judith-locke

Reporting Absent Student

It is important that you contact the school administration before 9:30 am if your child is absent for any reason or will be late to school. This includes absences for a school event where the students make their own way to the event.

QParents

Website: Our School > Absences

email admin: admin@camphillipss.eq.edu.au 

Please state your child's name, class, the date and the reason for the absence.

Updating Student Information

During the school year, there can be occasions when it is important that we make immediate contact with parents. We are unable to do this if our information is not current. Please help us to provide care and consideration for your child by updating your family records whenever a change occurs.

• If there is a change in your emergency contact phone number, email, or other emergency contact persons details.
• If you change your address.
• If any significant changes occur with regard to your child/children's health or medical details e.g. Health Plan or medication.
• If there are any changes regarding custody or access to your child/children.
• If you feel we should know of any other changes which relate to your child.

Welcome to the 2025 school year. The You Can Do It program promotes the social-emotional wellbeing and achievement of all children.

The Early Childhood You Can Do It Program incorporates a variety of brain-based social-emotional learning activities, which:

1. Increase the type of positive, interactive, social learning activities to heighten dopamine levels at the beginning of many lessons.

2. Incorporate visually stimulating images, props, and discussion prompts that arouse students’ curiosity (producing Dopamine). The release of dopamine due to their curiosity is what hooks their attention as dopamine motivates them to want to pay attention and be able to stay alert.

3. Include more re-coding activities that aid students’ processing and memory of new content via different learning modes.

4. Include relatively challenging tasks that require students to exert some effort and develop their pre-frontal cortex.

5. Help students see the lesson content and skills as meaningful and relevant to their own lives and prior experiences.

6. Help students connect new social-emotional knowledge and skills with what they remember about similar previously learnt content.

7. Incorporate activities to increase student awareness of ways to regulate their amygdala when stressed (e.g. slow, deep breathing).

The mission of the You Can Do It program is to strengthen the five social and emotional skills and values which all children need to manage their own learning and behaviour, including Confidence, Organisation, Getting Along, Persistence and Resilience. Developed by Professor Michael E Bernard, these are regarded as the “5 Keys” for success and happiness and emphasise the importance of teaching children’s different ways of thinking.

The main characters in the program who promote the 5 Keys are Connie Confidence, Oscar Organisation, Gabby Get Along, Pete Persistence and Ricky Resilience. The program is delivered through stories, puppetry, a variety of activities, along with fun and engaging songs.

Library Matters

Our School Libraries

Welcome back! Camp Hill is very fortunate to have two libraries, one on each campus, allowing timely access to great learning resources and a place to relax in our busy school day. Having two separate libraries allows us to tailor our resources specifically for each age group, and provide appropriate books for each stage of development. The Library is also where Years P-4 will be learning about Digital Technology.

Our Libraries are managed by full-time staff - myself, a qualified and experienced Teacher Librarian; and a Library Assistant. This year our Library Assistant role is shared by Mrs Sam Worboys and Mrs Melissa Hadlow.

Our Junior Library will continue to open each morning from 8:30am. Parents are welcome to come in and read with their children. Families can also borrow up to 5 additional books before school. If Year 3 – 6 parents would like to borrow extra books please email us and we can have them ready for your child to collect from the Library. Our 24/7 online Library catalogue is also great for selecting books and requesting them from the library.

To enable your children to escape into the world of books and stories, please ensure they bring a Library bag to transport their books home safely. It is much easier to return loans to students who have their book in a bag with their name.

All students have access to either the Junior or Senior Library every week to borrow with their class. There are also times during breaks or before school for extra Library visits each week. These times will be communicated in coming weeks.

Class readers and decodables are now also circulated through the Library borrowing system. If you receive a message about an overdue book, it may be in a Reading Folder, not a Library bag.

Book Club

After discussion with the P & C last year, we will be trialling a new local Book Club for 2025. There will be only one issue each term. All students will bring home a Reading Explorers Book Club brochure for Issue 1 in Week 3. Each family has the opportunity to order online by Week 5. Books will be delivered to the school in Week 7. This is a trial for this year using a local independent bookshop.

Talking about books and stories, and perusing these catalogues is a great way to find out your children’s interests. Many students enjoy circling their favourite books in the catalogue while in the Library, which assists me in acquiring new titles for our Libraries. Our school also benefits with credits towards classroom and library resources.

Book Fair

Our annual Book Fair will be held in the first week of March. Due to room allocations Book Fair may be on the Senior Campus this year. This will also coincide with our Grandparents’ Day morning on March 7. More information coming in the next few weeks!

Images
Peta de San Miguel
Teacher Librarian

Term 1 PE – Swimming

This term all our Year 1 – Year 6 students will participate in swimming as part of their PE curriculum.

Students will come to the pool with a range of experiences - from swimming lessons at an early age, to those with limited exposure to water.

The swimming unit in Term 1 focuses on swimming and survival activities, based on the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework.

Parent volunteers are requested to help support the supervision of lessons. Year 1 – Year 3 classes, would require in water support.

If you are able to help support, please contact your child’s classroom teacher to register details. Unfortunately, no younger siblings or other children will be allowed at the pool for safety reasons.

Students will need:
• Swimmers
• Sun shirt / rashie
• Swimming cap (available for purchase from uniform shop)
• Goggles (Optional but recommended)
• Towel
• Water proof bag (to carry wet swimming gear and towel home)

Please ensure all swimming belongings are clearly marked with your child’s name. Writing their name on their cap is also helpful.

Metropolitan East Swimming Trials

Students turning 10–12yrs old in 2025 (Born 2015, 2014 or 2013), that are interested in nominating for the Metropolitan East swimming trials must express interest to Mrs Lloyd. To be nominated, children must meet qualifying times as set by the region.

Events include:

50m, 100m and 200m in Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly.

200m Individual Medley

400m Freestyle

400m Individual Medley.

Term 1 Lytton District Sport Trials

Our school is one of many in the Lytton District school sport cluster. Students turning 10-12yrs old in 2025 (Born 2013, 2014 and 2015) have the opportunity to nominate in Lytton district sport trials, which is the first stage of representative school sport. If successful, students then compete in the Met East regional trial. If students are selected in a Met East team, they play in the QLD state carnival.

Trials can be during or after school hours. Please note that these are not participation-based opportunities and children at these trials would need to have a high level of ability and/or experience to be involved. Schools are usually limited to 4 nominations for each district sport trial.

Below are the considerations when nominating:

- Is the correct age to trial (Born 2013, 2014 or 2015).

- Usually children turning 12yrs old, would get priority over younger students.

- Has prior playing experience and skills in the interested sport.

- Their physical skill level and ability to trial in a representative opportunity.

- Safety suitability. Some children turning 12yrs old have developed physical size. Children under 12yrs old (Born 2014 and 2015) would need to demonstrate the ability to compete with older children at a representative trial.

Term 1 sport trials on offer are:

* Swimming is a straight Metropolitan East trial. No Lytton District trial.
* Squash is a straight Metropolitan East trial. No Lytton District trial.
* Boys’ Hockey is a straight Metropolitan East trial. No Lytton District trial.

Students interested in these opportunities, should see Mrs Lloyd to register interest.

Hi and welcome everybody. I hope the holidays were enjoyable for all and you are recharged and ready for the new year.

Some new additions to our menu this year:

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Banana Bread $2.00
Hash Browns (2 per serve) $3.00
Croissants can be found in the Sandwich Section of the menu

REMINDERS:

• Cut off for Flexischool ordering is 8am. No late orders, phone orders or counter orders will be accepted.
• Birthday orders need to be placed 7 days in advance to ensure stock is on hand.
• Discuss with your children that if they have a problem with their lunch, which sometimes happens, to come straight to the tuckshop so it can be fixed.
• If you are having issues with Flexischools the parent line is 1300 361 769.

VOLUNTEERING IN TUCKSHOP

• You get to decorate your child's lunch bag
• Make new friends
• All the tea and coffee you can drink
• Learn new skills like mastering the apple slinky machine
• Find out what's happening around school
• MOST IMPORTANTLY BECOME PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
• YES, WE HAVE AIR-CONDITIONING

As always, we rely on volunteer help in the tuckshop. If you have a couple of hours to spare, please consider helping in the Tuckshop. No experience needed. No cooking involved. Come to the Tuckshop and speak with Sharyn or Lisa if you would like to know more or click the link below and join the Camp Hill Tuckshop community.

Click the link below to sign up.
https://volunteersignup.org/444JA

Sharyn – Tuckshop Convenor
Tel: 07 3900 9429 Email: tuckshop@camphillpandc.com.au

That went quick!

Welcome back and a warm welcome to all our new families. We hope you had a lovely break, albeit it seemed to go very quick!

Our 2025 P&C Calendar has been delivered to the “youngest sibling” from the teachers on the return to school.

A massive 'Thank You' to our fabulous Sponsors for 2025:
Southside Milk & Foods, Tow Trucks Brisbane, Jaida Developments, Cr Fiona Cunningham, NumberWorks‘nWords, Steve Minnikin MP, Chris’ IGA, Cr Lucy Collier, Jose Peralta at Ray White Carina, Di Farmer MP & Steve Ashton from Astute Financial

Fundraising has started!

Our annual start to the fundraising calendar kicked off for February. Bring along your loose change you have and drop into the tubs in your classrooms for the whole month of February.

Remember that the class from each campus that raises the most money, wins an Ice Block Party. Also, the top three fundraising classes will win their funds back to purchase resources for their class.

Date Savers for February

• Sunday 16th Feb – Prep Welcome BBQ – please all prep families RSVP by Mon 10th

• Tuesday 18th Feb – P&C Meeting 7pm in the OSHC Hall

• Wednesday 19th Feb - Free Dress – Gold Coin Donation

                                    Theme: Silly Socks with school uniform

• Wednesday 26th Feb – E-Koalas Ice Cream Day – Years 3-6 only

From our P&C President

Welcome to the new school year. I hope everyone is settling into new routines and enjoying new experiences.

The uniform shop has certainly been a busy place of late, but I am now back to "normal" days/hours (see below) and online orders can now be delivered to classrooms (as will happen for the remainder of the year).

When ordering please remember to update your 2025 class details as no class information is retained on the system and without this information I cannot deliver to your classroom.

Orders will be filled and delivered on the next uniform shop day after order is placed online, so Tuesdays & Thursdays!

If you have made an online order in the last few weeks and have not been to collect from the uniform shop, they will be delivered in Week 3.

As always, if you have any questions or need my help with uniforms/supplies please come in and see me during open hours or contact me via email and I will do my very best to help however I can.

www.schoolshoponline.net.au/camphillipss

NORMAL UNIFORM SHOP TRADING HOURS
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:15 – 9:30 am
(under D Block, Senior Campus)

Kerri Rook - Uniform Shop Convenor
Tel: 07 3900 9328
Email: uniforms@camphillpandc.com.au 

Welcome to all our new OSHC families and of course welcome back to all our existing families. It was great to meet a lot of our new families during the January holiday break. We hope the transition to the new school year has been seamless.

Just a reminder to our OSHC community that we still have wait lists on Tuesday to Thursday afternoons so we ask that if your circumstances have changed and you do not need care anymore please let us know. We have already helped many families off the wait list so thanks to those families who have contacted us with their changes.

Love from the Camp Hill OSHC team

We welcomed back all members to the pool last Friday where we are now offering a “Family Entry Card” which allows 10 weeks of entries in one purchase. See the entry gate volunteers or one of the Committee Members for more information.

This weekend, Saturday 8 February will have the Crocs participating in a new Inter Club Carnival with Wishart and Coorparoo. Go the Crocs!

Meanwhile the committee and a legion of volunteers hosted a working bee over the break and hung all the new pool Signage which looks amazing! Check it out next time you are at the pool.

Next Week, week 3 will have our next Tiny Tots/Sibling Race at Club Night. If your little one would like to swim, please have them ready (with caps and optional Goggles) at the blocks for a 6.20pm start.
.

Swim with the Crocs! 

TENNIS HOT SHOTS – ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN FOR TERM 1 2025!

Limited places are still available for term 1 tennis lessons and Fixture Leagues.

ENROL ONLINE at www.tennisforkids.com.au

PRIVATE AND SEMI-PRIVATE LESSONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Should you have any questions please contact Tennis for Kids on info@tennisforkids.com.au or 0408 187 741.

ALL NEW CHILDREN ENROLLING IN TERM 1 WILL RECEIVE A FREE JUNIOR TENNIS RACQUET!

Tennis For Kids is a FairPlay activity provider and therefore can accept Government FairPlay Vouchers - www.qld.gov.au/fairplayvouchers - please email us if you wish to use your voucher towards enrolment.

PICKLEBALL SESSIONS AVAILABLE

We are excited to announce that Pickleball sessions will be offered at Camp Hill Primary school in Term 1. Social play sessions are available for both adults and children. Children and parents from all schools are welcome to at-tend any of the sessions listed online.