Browns Plains State School

1-29 Mayfair Drive
Browns Plains QLD 4118

Phone: 07 3809 6222
Fax: 07 3800 3042

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The Magpie’s Call

The magpie appeared on the original BPSS school badge in 1983. The badge was a black and white production created by the first principal, Mr Dave Gray in our first year. In 1986 colour was added to it by Mr Darryl Sampson (original and long term teacher of BPSS) using a computer called an Atari 1040 ST along with the help of the Atari software program, Degas Elite.

In 1983 the school was completely surrounded by bush with no houses to be seen anywhere. There was only a small bitumen track that connected BPSS to Waller Rd. This track just happened to be at the very end of Waller Rd and was an afterthought when it was realised there was no actual road access to the actual school just weeks before the school was opened for its first students in January 1983. Parts of that track still exist today and can be seen near the inside of the fence next to the school bus stop on Mayfair Drive.

The magpie was a common visitor to the BPSS grounds along with many other animals and birds including koalas, possums and different types of parrots. Snakes and lizards regularly visited the school grounds and there was even talk of a platypus living in the creek which was bordering the fence at the bottom of the school grounds. It was never seen. It was the magpie that gained pride of place on the school badge/logo because its song and its presence was a regular part in the beginning of our school’s life.

Sport Houses

Our Sport Houses names and colours originated from athletics who competed and won in the 1982 Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane.

Curry - Lisa Curry (swimming) - Blue
Boyle - Raelene Boyle - (sprinting) - Green
Decastella - Rob DeCastella - (marathon) - Red

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Newsletter

30th May 2025

IMPORTANT DATES
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
FROM THE DEPUTY
FROM THE DEPUTY
FROM THE HEAD OF DEPT - STUDENT SERVICES
FROM STUDENT WELLBEING
ADMINISTRATION NEWS
FINANCE NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, June 2- Prep to Yr 2 Assembly
Tuesday, June 3- Prep Vision Screening
Monday, June 9- Yr 3 to Yr 6 Assembly
Wednesday, June 18- Wear your State of Origin Colours
Friday, June 20- Crazy Hair Day, Gold coin donation
Monday, June 23 – 800m for Year 4-6
Tuesday, June 24 – Senior Sports Day
Wednesday, June 25 – Junior Sports Day
Friday, June 27 – Under 8's Day
Friday, June 27 – Final day of Term 2

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As the temperature cools, I encourage all students to wear a named, school coloured jumper to school. Whilst generally our winter days warm up nicely, it is often a bit chilly at school early in the morning. We want to ensure that all students are comfortable at school and expect that daily attendance occurs, even when it is cold in the morning.

Under 8's

We will be hosting our Under 8's Day on Friday, June 27. This wonderful event is a lot of fun for all of our students in Prep to Year 2. It is not an event for older students, who have previously had the opportunity to participate in Under 8's Day events. Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, we have seen some parents sign out their older children to bring them along to the Under 8's Day event. This is unfair for our students who are under 8. Whilst we encourage parents and caregivers to participate alongside their child, we ask that older siblings remain with their class.

School Review

Next term, our school will undergo a school review. This process occurs every 4 years and supports the school in shaping its strategic direction. Our review is scheduled for August 5 to August 7, 2025. Further information on the process can be found in the document below, School Reviews – information for parents and the community.

National Chaplaincy Week

National Chaplaincy Week is celebrated from June 1 to June 8. We are fortunate to have Chappy Lachlan in our school who works quietly behind the scenes to support staff and students. If you see Chappy Lachlan around, be sure to thank him for the work he does.

parent_community_factsheet.pdf

FROM THE DEPUTY

Learning in Year 1

In Science, 1A has been learning all about materials and how they can be changed in different ways for multiple purposes. Intensive learning has been focused on the actions of bending, stretching, twisting, squashing, folding, rolling, ripping, and cutting.

Applying this knowledge to real world practice, students were required to build a playdough creation of their choice and label where each action was used. This was to demonstrate their understanding of the actions and how they can change the simple material of playdough to a detailed masterpiece. . . and they loved it! Check out the fantastic playdough creations designed!

Learning in Year 2

This term, Year 2 students have been writing information texts on a variety of animals. They have researched to find important information from texts. They are also focusing on using noun groups and descriptive language to create detailed and interesting descriptions. It makes animals come to life in their writing!

Under 8’s Day - Friday, 27^th June from 10am to 1pm

Excitement is building for this year’s Under 8’s Day for students in Prep, Year 1 and Year 2. Each year this is a fabulous community event and a celebration of learning in the first years of school. Families of these students are most welcome to attend. Just a reminder that this event is only for students from Prep to Year 2 and older students/siblings will not attend.

We look forward to seeing you there.

National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually around Australia. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in by millions around the country.

Last week, our school joined in the fun as this year’s book, “The Truck Cat”, was read by the author and then followed the illustrator in drawing characters from the story.

Showing images 1 - 8 of 9

Enrol for Prep 2026

Enrolment have begun for Prep students for 2026. Do you have a child born between July 1^st, 2020 and June 30^th, 2021? Enrolment packs are now available from the office. GET SET FOR PREP transition days will be held in Term 4. This is an important opportunity to support a comfortable and confident start to Prep. Book a time for your enrolment interview as places will fill quickly.

Jellybean Playgroup

Come and join us Wednesdays – 9:15-10:45 am in the hall room. At playgroup, your child can:

enjoy early learning activities
develop friendships and social skills
build school readiness

. . . as well as a great opportunity to meet and share with other parents.

Starting Prep in 2026?

Kindergarten is a part-time educational program for children in the year before Prep. Kindy is 15 hours per week, 40 weeks per year and is free for Queensland children attending a government-approved kindergarten program.

In Kindy, children have great opportunities to make friends, explore new environments, build confidence and have fun learning. Kindy offers meaningful experiences and interactions that support your child's early learning, wellbeing and development and give them a great start to school.

You can find more information about free Kindy programs here.

Leesa Warwick,
Deputy Principal

FROM THE DEPUTY

School Crossing

We kindly remind all parents and carers of the importance of modelling safe behaviours when using the school crossing. It is vital that children wait until the school crossing supervisor (our wonderful Lollipop person) blows the whistle before stepping onto the crossing. Unfortunately, we have noticed several students walking across before this signal is given. By taking a few extra seconds to wait and watch, and by setting a good example, parents can play a crucial role in reinforcing safe habits that protect all members of our school community. Your cooperation helps us ensure every child gets to and from school safely.

Always Learning

Our students have been working extremely hard in their classrooms as they begin preparing for their upcoming assessment tasks. A special mention to Denvah-Jade who has been drafting her information report on the significance of Chinese New Year. I was fascinated to learn that oranges are gifted during the celebration, symbolising wealth, good fortune, and prosperity in Chinese culture. Well done, Denvah-Jade!

Environmental Club Seed Drive Success

A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Environmental Club by donating seeds during our recent free dress day. The event was a massive success, with a large bag now filled with a wonderful variety of seeds. We’re so excited to see what will grow in our school gardens in the coming weeks! A very big thank you to Mrs Farrell for organising and leading this fantastic initiative.

Show Your Colours – State of Origin Event

An exciting event is just around the corner! On Wednesday 18th June, students and staff are invited to wear maroon or blue to show their support for their favourite State of Origin team. To add to the fun, from 2:15pm to 3:00pm, we’ll be hosting Staff vs Year 6 Students touch rugby league game on the school oval. Parents are warmly invited to come and cheer from the sidelines. A designated viewing area will be marked to ensure the safety and supervision of all students during the event. We look forward to a fantastic afternoon of school spirit and sportsmanship!

Theresa Kooyman,

Deputy Principal

FROM THE HEAD OF DEPT - STUDENT SERVICES

Congratulations to the classes listed below for their attendance over the last fortnight.

Please ensure your children are at school every day if they are well. If your child is absent from school, provide a reason for their absence using one of the methods listed below.

Phone: 07 3809 6222
Reply to the text message sent by the school on the day of your child’s absence
Return the Unexplained Absence letter with a reason and signature

Unexplained Absence letters are generated and distributed to students each fortnight. These letters provide dates of your child’s absences which have not already been explained. If you receive one, please fill in the reason/s for your child's absence/s, sign and have your child return it to their class teacher. Please work with us to reduce the number of unexplained absences in 2025!

Jess Galbraith,

HOD-Student Services

FROM STUDENT WELLBEING

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Our fortnightly PBL focus is ‘I follow instructions the first time’. This supports our school value of ‘Always Learning’. Students have engaged in class discussions and listened to stories about the importance of following instructions. Students were explicitly taught what it looks like to follow instructions

Activity to do with your child:

Read the examples below - thumbs up if it demonstrates following instructions the first time or thumbs down if it does not.

The teacher has asked you to:

Time to pack up, but you keep playing on the iPad.
Come and sit on the floor but you run around the room with your friend.
Get your spelling book, you get it and go sit at your desk quietly waiting for the next instruction.
Come back inside but you run away from the classroom.
Come and speak to him/her but you ignore.
Walk inside quietly but you walk in and make silly noises.
Keep going with your maths task but you draw instead.

Reboot

This term in social skills, students have been unpacking the ‘Wild Brain’, which is the Brain Stem. The Wild Brain takes care of our basic survival needs: breathing, movement, thirst and hunger, all the things that we don’t need to think much about. In situations of enormous stress, the Wild Brain shuts down to ‘play dead’ and freezes. This might feel like being ‘zoned out’, day-dreaming, having blank moments or unconsciously holding your breath. The Wild Brain has no capacity to conceive of the logic in things or construct a narrative of events or memory. Rather it has deeply unconscious drives and responses.

This fortnight, students have been exploring the concept of the ‘Wild Brain’ (Brain Stem) and the triggers that can activate it. Through guided discussions and activities, they’ve begun to unpack the emotional and physical responses associated with these triggers, such as increased heart rate, tense muscles, or a racing mind. In addition to reflecting on their own experiences, students have also been learning to recognise the external signs that someone else might be in their Wild Brain state. This includes observing changes in body language, tone of voice, and behaviour. These insights are helping students develop greater emotional awareness and empathy, as well as strategies to self-regulate when they find themselves in a heightened emotional state.

ADMINISTRATION NEWS

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 on 3809 6222 or admin@brownsplainsss.eq.edu.au so we can update our records. These details include parent/carer’s name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details change.

Absence notification process

Please remember to call the school on 3809 6222 or email at admin@brownsplainsss.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 3809 6222 to let us know where your child is. We will follow-up with parents if no response is received.