Montville News - Term 1 ~ Week 8 ~2025 - Issue 27
Principal Update
As we approach the end of Term 1, I want to take a moment to reflect on what a fantastic and productive term it has been at Montville State School. It has been wonderful to see our students embracing their learning, engaging in school activities, and demonstrating respect and kindness towards one another.
Our recent Interhouse Cross Country was a great success! For the first time in a couple of years, the weather allowed us to hold the event as scheduled—despite the cyclone threat just weeks prior! It was fantastic to see our students giving their best effort, cheering each other on, and embracing the challenge of the course. A huge congratulations to all who participated—you should be incredibly proud of your effort and sportsmanship.
I would also like to commend our Year 3 and Year 5 students for their positive approach to NAPLAN. Their focus, determination, and behaviour throughout the testing period were exemplary. We are proud of the effort each student put in, and we look forward to using the insights from these assessments to continue supporting their learning journey.
Another important event coming up is our Parent-Teacher Interviews on Tuesday, 25th March from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, celebrate achievements, and set learning goals moving forward. We encourage all families to take part in these discussions—we look forward to seeing you there!
Upcoming Dates – Term 1
- Small Schools Volleyball – Friday, 28th March
- Parent-Teacher Interviews – Tuesday, 25th March, 3:00–6:00pm
- Small Schools Cross Country – Tuesday, 1st April
- Final Day of Term 1 – Friday, 4th April
As this will be our final newsletter for the term, I want to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff, and families for their ongoing commitment and support. It has been a pleasure seeing our school community working together to create a positive and enriching environment for all. If I don’t get a chance to see you before the holidays, I wish you all a safe and enjoyable break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting Term 2!
Warm regards,
Iljas Memedovski
Principal, Montville State School
Regular Student Attendance
Did you know? Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Regular school attendance will mean that your child gets a better chance at life. Your child will achieve
better when they go to school all day, every school day:
• they learn better
• they make friends
• they are happier
• they have a brighter future.
Why must I send my child to school?
Under Queensland law, you must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all
day, every school day unless they have a reasonable excuse. Illness, doing work experience, competing
in a school sporting event or going on a school excursion are reasonable excuses for being absent
from school.
Principals decide if the excuse given for your child’s absence is reasonable.
Avoid keeping your child away from school for birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, if
they sleep in, looking after other children, minor check ups or care such as hair cuts.
Routine medical or other health appointments should be made either before or after school or
during the school holidays.
What should I do if our family is going on a holiday in school time?
You are encouraged not to schedule holidays during school time. If your family holiday is during school
time, let the school know in advance and talk about what arrangements can be made for your child.
Depending on the circumstances the school may be able to provide tasks for your child to complete
while they are absent or assist you to organise an exemption from schooling.
Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away from school?
Yes. You must let the school know the reason why your child is absent from school – either beforehand,
on the day of the absence, or as soon as practicable after your child’s return to school
Hello! My name is Sandra, and I am excited to join Montville State School as a new Student Welfare Worker.
I am passionate about supporting students, listening to their concerns, and helping them navigate challenges. I believe in creating a safe and positive environment where every child feels heard and supported.
A little about me: I’m originally from Spain, but I’ve been living in Australia for over 5 years now. I have a background in Criminology (specialised in Psychology) and I am currently finalizing my Master's in Social Work at USC. I have over two years of experience in disability support work. I also have worked as a Guidance Officer Assistant in a Public High School in Noosa.
Beyond work, I’m a kind, creative, and adventurous person who loves painting, sports, and staying active. I’m looking forward to connecting with both the students and the community to make a positive impact here at the school!
Prep/1
Hello, Prep and Yr 1 Families
Well, it is very clear the Preps and Yr 1's have settled well into the school year and have been doing a great job with their learning and making new friends.
It has been very exciting watching everyone share their ideas about the imaginative stories we have been reading. Some of the kids have been very animated in their ideas when sharing them with peers, putting on a costume is helping with the delivery of their ideas and thoughts.
Data collecting has been a focus during Math sessions, this information is very important as our planned Ice-Cream Day is fast approaching. Nothing is more powerful than a kid with a clip board gathering information from friends.
History And Social Science (HASS) has been a delight this week, we have loved seeing and hearing about everyone's special events and objects. If your child hasn't shared this week we will have more time for more sharing next Tuesday.
WE NEED SHOE BOXES!! over the next few weeks, we will be making our own Landscape Diorama. We will be focusing on landscape features along with day and nighttime features and animals. If you have any boxes suitable, please send them our way and we will get one more use out of them before they get recycled or sent to land fill.
Thank you to our parents who have given up their spare time to help out in our classroom during Literacy Groups. Your support has been amazing, the kids love having you in our room as do Jake and myself.
Our new 'Secret Student' has been a success this week, it is very encouraging to see the kids so excited about who it is each day. Congratulation to the students who have managed to receive this new award.
Not long until we move into school holidays. Let's finish off the term strong and confidently.
Thank you for your time
Miss Sheree and Mr Jake
Year 2/3
2-3 Probability, Data and Chance
We were a little derailed in some of our classroom routine with the predicted Cyclone Alfred, then the severe weather event following. But, as 2-3 were studying data and chance, we used what we knew about cyclones and made predictions about what we might see and experience. We used a cline to predict possible events as “impossible, unlikely, possible, likely, or certain”. Many of our predictions were different, based on where we lived and the sorts of threats our yards might pose.
This wasn’t just about connecting our learning about probability to real life events, but also about being able to talk through some of our concerns, and thinking about how likely they were to happen. For those events that were likely, we could discuss things we could do to help minimise our worries, like helping with packing things away so they were safe, and looking after pets. We realised before the cyclone that the events we were the most concerned about were only ‘possible’ and many were ‘unlikely’.
After the cyclone that didn’t quite make it, and the torrential rain, which did make it, we then reviewed our predictions to see how accurate we were.
After the rain, we used the book ‘Flood’ by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley to help us discuss the flooding and how it affected us. We thought about the things we could see inside our house and outside. Inside our house, many of us reflected on what we were doing to pass the time. All of us had different experiences outside our house. Drawing what we saw and sharing our experiences was a great way to process the rain and flooding and help us reconnect to the classroom.
Miss Glenna
Year 3/4
3/4's first kitchen cooking was a success! With the help of the amazing hardworking Miss Agarta, 3/4 ventured to the kitchen to create Pesto Pasta, Savoury Pancakes, Pizza, and chocolate brownies. The class used produce from the school garden to prepare these delicious meals, while gaining practical cooking skills. In the kitchen each group experimented with different recipes fostering creativity and teamwork. With the help of our beautiful parent volunteers, the class worked collaboratively, with each student taking on different tasks, from prepping vegetables, to mixing and preparing the meals.
Once the dishes were ready, the students set up a communal dining space, excited to share the fruits of their labour. As they sat down together to enjoy the meal, the students savoured not only the delicious food they had created but also the sense of accomplishment that came from working as a team. The experience of cooking and sharing a meal reinforced the importance of healthy eating, teamwork, and the joy of eating food created together. The class ended with smiles and laughter, as everyone reflected on how fun and rewarding it was to create and share a meal they could all be proud of.
Mrs Deans
Yr 5/6
We have had a busy few weeks in 5/6, but the students have been amazing! In English, we've been finishing off ‘Wonder’ and getting creative by writing our own alternative ending, it's been awesome seeing everyone's different takes on the story. In Maths, we had a blast taking part in ‘Miss Free’s Carnival’, where we played games, collected data, and turned it into graphs. It was such a fun way to learn about data collection and the students loved it! We've also spent lots of time with our buddies, which has been a highlight for everyone. Whether it's reading together, working on activities, or just having fun, we've really loved getting to know them better!
Miss Free
Learning Support News
Being a Good Friend to Everyone
Friendship can be tricky for all kids at times. Everyone benefits from kindness, patience, and inclusivity. These simple tips can help all students build strong, supportive friendships!
Tips for Being Friends
- Be Patient: They may need extra time to respond or understand social cues.
- Include Them: Invite them to join in—sometimes they just need a little encouragement.
- Respect Boundaries: Loud noises, touch, or changes might be overwhelming. Ask what helps.
- Help with Rules: Games and conversations can be tricky—clear explanations help.
- Celebrate Their Interests: Show interest in what they love and share their excitement.
- Be Kind & Supportive: Lead by example and help others be inclusive too.
A little understanding makes a big difference in friendship!
https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/behaviour/friends-siblings/supporting-friendships
Camp at Marantha Park - Boulder Creek
Students from Year 3-6 will be attending camp from Wednesday 7th May to Friday 9th May. Only 6 weeks away!!
If you wish to set up a payment plan you are most welcome. Full payment to be completed before camp commences.
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen & Garden
Garden classes have started for 2025! The garden went a bit wild over the summer so we got stuck right in. Lots of weeding, mulching, planting and harvesting. Year 5/6 & P/1 harvested sweet potatoes last week and planted out some beautiful new vegetable seedlings. Basil was cut to use for Kitchen cooking where students cut and crushed to make pesto and make fragrant pizzas!
Health & PE
Interhouse Cross Country was held on Monday 17th March at Russell Family Park. Congratulations to all our students on participation and to the winning house - BLACKALL!!
Selected students from year levels will be participating in the Small Schools Cross Country to be held at Mapleton State School on Tuesday 1st April.
Small Schools Volleyball will be held here at Montville SS on Friday 28th March
Montville State School will again be hosting the inter-school volleyball day. All students in grades 3-6 will participate in fun social volleyball against other small schools in our area. We have modified rules for ability levels to allow for fun social games.
Activity details:
- All students will travel to school as normal and attend their class
- Cost – FREE
- Teams will consist of approximately 10 students (8 on the field at a time with 2 x substitutes)
- Mixed teams will compete in separate competitions for Year 3/4 and Year 5/6
- Students will wear their full school uniform, closed in shoes and broad brimmed hat on the day
- Please apply sunscreen and bring water bottle
The competition starts at approximately 10:00am and finish at approximately 1:45pm (draw dependent).
We look forward to all students participating in this fun inter-school sports day, that provides students with the ability to socialise and connect with students from other schools.
Cross Country 2025
Is your family eligible for free internet access?
Families with school-aged children who do not have current internet access at home, may be eligible for the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). To ensure all students have equal opportunity for online learning, the SSBI offers eligible families free nbn broadband access. For more information or to check your eligibility, call the National Referral Centre (Monday to Friday) 1800 954 610 or visit the SSBI website.
School Watch
We love our school and want to come back after the holidays knowing that our school is safe and ready for learning.
The School Watch program is a partnership between Education Qld, the Qld Police Service and State Government Protective Security Service. It aims to reduce criminal activity in Qld Schools and encourages everyone to look out for after hours crime in our schools. If you see anything suspicous, plese don't attempt to inverene.
Call the School Watch number - 13 17 88
Lets work together to help create safer school communities.