Dear Fernbrooke Families,

As we approach the end of Semester 1, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been an eventful and rewarding first half of the school year. Together, we’ve navigated a range of experiences—from weather events like flooding, school closures, and cyclones, to celebrating community and culture through special events such as our Easter Hat Parade, ANZAC Day commemorations, and the Ipswich Show long weekend.

Despite the challenges of the semester, our students, staff, and families have shown remarkable resilience and positivity, truly embodying our school value of Exceeding Expectations. Whether on the sporting field, in the classroom, or during special events, our Fernbrooke Stars have continued to shine.

Prep Gate Closure – 8:30am SHARP
A reminder to our Prep families: for student safety, the pedestrian gate near the Prep area will now close promptly at 8:30am each morning. Please ensure your child arrives at school with plenty of time to settle in before the learning day begins. Arrivals after 8.30am must be through the front gate.

Senior Sports Days – Day 2 this Friday

I would like to congratulate and thank our PE teachers for the effort they have put into running our Senior Sports Days this week. Day 1 on Monday was a huge success and we are expecting Day 2 on Friday to be the same. Parents are welcome to attend and support their child/ren as spectators. We hope to see you there.

School Disco Update
Please note there will be no school disco this term. A decision has been made to hold discos in Terms 1 and 4 this year due to operational considerations. We look forward to a fun-filled disco in November.

Hats – Uniform Reminder
It is important for all students to wear the correct uniform hat to school each day. The only acceptable hats are:

• The official Fernbrooke school hat, or
• A plain black bucket hat

We have seen an increase in students wearing football or cultural heritage hats, which has unfortunately led to unnecessary conflicts during playtime. We ask all families to support us in ensuring our students wear appropriate hats in line with our uniform expectations to maintain a positive and respectful school environment.

Label Your Child’s Jumper
As the cooler months continue, we are seeing a growing number of unnamed jumpers in lost property. To help us return lost items to their rightful owners, please ensure your child’s name is clearly labelled on their school jumper. This small step goes a long way in keeping track of belongings and reducing our lost property collection.

Students of the Week – Congratulations!
A big congratulations to all our Fernbrooke Stars who received Student of the Week certificates throughout the semester. Your efforts in learning, behaviour, and living our values have not gone unnoticed. Well done! If your child has not yet received a certificate, they have a chance to demonstrate our school values in Semester 2.

Celebration of Learning Day – Next Friday
We are excited to host our Celebration of Learning Day on the last day of term next week. This is a special opportunity for students to share their achievements and celebrate the fantastic learning that has taken place throughout Semester 1.

Semester 1 Reports
Semester 1 reports will be emailed to families next Thursday. Please ensure your email details are up to date with the school office to avoid any delays in receiving your child’s report.

Academic Excellence and Achievement Ceremony

This will be held on Thursday 26^th June 2025. Letters advising parents/carers that their child will receive an award have been sent home with students.   

• The Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 (3-6) ceremony will be held at 9.00am in the Hall.
• The Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 (P-2) ceremony will be held at 11.30am in the Hall.

The criteria to receive an award is as follows:

• Academic Excellence Award – students must have received As (Applying) for English, Maths AND
• Academic Award – students must have received at least 2 As (Applying) and 1 B (Connecting) across English, Maths and Science.
• Behaviour/Effort Award – students must have received an A Overall and A or B effort for every learning area.

We look forward to seeing parents/carers at this event to acknowledge the achievement of our students.

Bon Voyage, Mrs Parker!
We wish the wonderful Mrs Theresa Parker a very safe and happy holiday as she heads off on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Africa next week. Mrs Parker will be swapping her office for wide savannahs, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs and maybe even a lion or two (hopefully from a safe distance). Her favourite animal are elephants, and she is absolutely bursting with excitement to see them in their natural environment—especially as she plans to visit an elephant orphanage and spend time with the elephant calves in their care. We expect plenty of photos and maybe even a few elephant-themed souvenirs when she returns. Mrs Parker will be away until Week 3 of Term 3, and during this time, her Prep – Year 2 juncture will be in the capable hands of Ms Kasey Curwen.

Thank you once again for your continued support throughout the semester. We are proud of our students, grateful for our dedicated staff, and appreciative of our strong community partnerships. I hope everyone enjoys a safe and restful holiday break. It has been my pleasure to fill in as Acting Principal in Scott’s absence while he has taken a long awaited and much deserved family holiday in Weeks 8 and 9. He will be back with us on Monday for the start of Week 10, rested and ready to finish the semester.

Have a safe and happy winter holiday.

See you on the crossing.

Warm regards,
Shane Hancock

Acting Principal
Fernbrooke State School