2025 - Term 1, Week 6 Newsletter

Calendar

Welcome Back

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

At the end of this term, our classroom teachers will be offering parent teacher interviews to all families. Interviews will take place from the 24 – 27 March. While it is only early in the year, the interviews are an excellent opportunity to learn more about how our children have started the 2025 school year. The interviews will give you an insight into your child’s strengths and future areas to focus on for improvement throughout the year.

At Buderim Mountain State School, we use an online booking system for parent interviews (Schoolzine) which will be open for bookings from 7:00am on 17 of March to 3:00pm on 21 of March.

To book your interview time, click on the link below to open the browser.  You will be required to enter your email address (this email needs to be the email that you have provided to the school and is the email that your newsletter/school communication is emailed to). You will be asked to set up a password, and once your password is verified, you will be able to select your child/s teacher/s and book relevant interview times.

The link for booking an interview is below:

https://buderimmountainss.schoolzineplus.com/Term12025

Please look out for an invitation from your child’s teacher and we look forward to your attendance.

Free Dress Day

At BMSS we are fortunate to have the Story Dogs program visit students to assist with their reading skills throughout the year. Our Student Leaders support this each year by holding a free dress day and donating the takings to support the continued implementation of the Story Dogs program. We will be holding our free dress day on Friday 28 of March. Our Year 6 Student Leaders have chosen the theme of, ‘Dress up with your friends day’  which encourages students to wear clothing to support Harmony Day. Student Leaders will talk with students at parades over the coming weeks about different ideas they can use to help choose their free dress on the day. Children are also asked to make a gold coin donation.

Mr Jenkins

Principal

School Photos

School photos were held on Wednesday last week for sibling, class and individual portraits for Prep to Year 5.  Wednesday March 12 will be our photo day for Year 6 class and portrait photos and our catch up for any individuals or siblings who were absent on Wednesday March 5.  All photos need to be ordered online via Advanced Life Photography. 

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ms Chester of 1/2EC who was the winner of the Salt 106.5 radio Kindness Project!

Ms Chester was nominated in the Kindness project run by SALT 106.5 radio station. Last week they announced the winners and runner’s up. The school congratulates Ms Chester on being recognised for encouraging her class in the quest for kindness and empathy and creating kindness within her classroom. Thank you to the Ockey family for nominating her and following up with the radio station in organising the presentation at our Year One Parade.  

In Our Classrooms

Prep LW

We have been very busy settling into Prep and are having lots of fun! Here are the things we have each enjoyed from the first 5 weeks of Prep:

Max – I like going to get the tuckshop.

Delilah – I like building towers with magnets.

Roman – I like playing with the toys.

Edie – I like playing with the Bluey stuff.

RJ – I like colouring in.

James – I like playing outside with my friends.

Darcy – I like building houses.

Ellie – I like doing craft.

Marlie – I like making new friends and playing with them at lunch.

Isla – I like playing in the book area.

Zaith – I like playing with the cars and marbles.

Polina – I like playing with the pet shop toys.

Imogen – I like going to the library and getting a new book.

Vincent – I like doing craft.

Evie L – I like learning new things.

Oliver – I like playing in the café.

Fabian – I like playing outside with my friends.

Willow – I like painting.

Elliott – I like playing with my new friends.

Alisa – I like playing with the magnets.

Scarlett – I like seeing my teacher.

Atticus – I like learning about letters.

Evie T – I like drawing.

2BR

In Year 2, we are learning about life cycles in Science. We have mealworms and caterpillars in our classroom to observe how they change through their different life stages. Some caterpillars are already in the shape of a J which means they are ready to turn into a chrysalis.

The mealworms have shed their skin but they haven’t changed into pupas yet.  The mealworms like to dig and they eat a lot. These changing stages are called metamorphosis. When the mealworms are finished going through metamorphosis, they will become darkling beetles.

By Charlie and Archie

3AM

In English, we are learning how to write a short book review so we can tell people about some great books we are reading such as the one below called Stupid Carrots.  We are trying to use lots of interesting language that will convince you to read the stories too.  Please see one of the book reviews written by Seb and Addison.

Stupid Carrots by David Campbell

Good morning everyone. Our names are Addison and Seb.

We recommend this amazing, colourful book to the age group of prep to year ones because little people sometimes don't like carrots. Also, they will think it's really funny.

In the beginning, there was a very fussy rabbit named Betty who did not like carrots. Instead, she wanted other types of food, like hot dogs or hot dog pizza! But then she saw other animals eating other yummy food. She shouted “carrots make me sick”. Then she was extremely hungry. She had never been that hungry in her life. She did not feel in the mood to eat any food, but her mum pulled out some cooked yummy carrot soup. Betty didn't know what the mysterious soup was, so she just took a little sip of the soup and in the end she absolutely loved it.

Everyone should read this amazing and funny book because it teaches a lesson- to eat your vegetables. Betty was very fussy about carrots and she would never eat a carrot in her life. Her attitude was speechless when she asked what’s for dinner and her mum would say carrots.

Thank you for listening to our book review, I hope you enjoyed it.

In Maths we are collecting data and putting the information into graphs.  We can then answer questions about the information we gathered. We have had fun in Science with our unit on Heat and Energy – we even got to have popcorn to look at what happens when the heat energy travels through popcorn seeds. We have also learnt about Communities in HASS.  It has been an amazing start with our Amazing teachers and friends in 3AM!

4KP

The Year 4’s have been enjoying reading the entertaining and wacky book, The Twits. We are learning to write book and film reviews and are looking forward to presenting our film reviews to our class towards the end of the term. In Maths we have been learning about symmetry, mapping, and decimal fractions. We have been learning about erosion in Science and about how our landscapes are constantly changing due to weathering and erosion. We have discovered that our school has many examples of erosion. In HASS we have been learning about Rules and Laws as well as our Identity and what makes us, us.

We are really looking forward to our excursion to Australia Zoo in term 2.

5SV

The start of year 5 has been amazing with all our class settling in nicely. We’ve had so much fun already and it's only week 7!

In English we’ve been looking at the book Fire by Jackie French. Jackie French is an Australian Author who writes books for both children and adults. Our assessment task is to make a podcast of our own focusing on the book Flood, also by Jackie French.

In Math we’ve been looking at fractions and decimals and putting them onto a number line. The fractions we’ve been looking at are mixed and improper and the decimals we’ve been looking at are tenths, hundredths and thousandths.

In Science we’ve been looking at physical and behavioural animal adaptations. For our assessment task we must create our own animals according to their environment.

In HASS we’ve been looking at Australian states and territories. We’ve also been looking at countries in Europe and North America. For our assessment task we must find Sweden and Mexico on a map.

We love year 5 so much and the rest of the year will be great!

-By Ava B and Sophie W

6AJ

Over the 6 short weeks we’ve been in Year 6AJ this year, we have already learned so much! I am going to briefly outline some of our subjects and what we have learned so far.

Science - In Science, we have been learning about the states of matter and the different phase changes that occur to different substances. It has been exciting to have many investigations and experiments in the lab this year!

HASS - In HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences), we have been learning about the Australian Federation and the path that led us to it. We also have learned about the Influences on Australia’s system of Government, such as the Magna Carta.

English - In English, we have been listening to lots of different short stories and will soon be participating in a Book Club for our assessment. In Aspire+, we have been learning about Analysing texts and Comprehension.

Maths - Lastly, Maths. In the classroom, we have been learning about Cartesian Planes and integers. We have just moved into Prime, Composite and Square numbers and we are also looking at the Order of Operations.  In Aspire+, we have been learning about index notation, advanced fractions and the Base 10 system.

Thank you for reading. Hopefully, Year 6 just keeps getting better!

By Isla J

GRIP Student Leader Conference

On Tuesday 25 February, all of the student leaders participated in a captivating conference about Leadership. The key things we learned were how to be a leader who thinks about others first, how to get others on board with a new idea, the three L’s (Left out by others, Look up to you and Like-minded), and the four H’s (Hear others’ opinions, Help with the little things, Happiness and Humility). The conference went for the whole school day. We had ten-minute breaks called ‘Loud Noises’ where we played fun games such as ‘the Hunted’, where we had a couple of volunteers go up to the stage, to try to hunt out specific items from the crowd. This was just one of the many enjoyable games we participated in.

At the beginning, we were all given a booklet that had different activities and quizzes for us to do, to help us to remember what we had learnt throughout the day. It included sentences for us to finish and different questions for us to answer, to test our understanding. It was a great opportunity for us to get to know and interact with leaders from other schools, ask any questions about leadership and also to get to know each other as the Buderim Mountain 2025 leadership group. We thank the organisers of this event for creating such an engaging and informative presentation.

Nambour District Swimming Trials

On Friday 28 February, 31 students from Years 4-6 participated in the Nambour District Swimming Trials at the Sunshine Coast Grammar Swimming complex. All students who represented Buderim Mountain State School are to be congratulated for their great attitude, support of others and incredible efforts, especially in hot conditions. These students were:

Year 4: Emere A, Matthew B, Lydia N, Lila F, Imogen F, Deacon N

Year 5: Chanel D, Eli G, Imogen H, Elka S, Olive W, Hugh W, Ava B, Thomas D, Indiana H,

               Archie K, Sinead M, Sophie W

Year 6: Fergus A, Hudson O, Ruby F, Heidi L, Tannyn M, Oscar A, Sannah B, Max M, Lewis P,

              Frida F, Penny S and Isla W

Many great times were swum, and many swimmers were successful in placing at least 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd in their races. Thanks also to all the parents who came along to support the swimmers and to Fergus, Tannyn and Imogen’s mums, who generously volunteered to time keep.  One amazing event was the 11 years girls 50m backstroke where Buderim took out the top 5 placing – 1^st to 5^th. Congratulations also go to the 10-year-old swimmers who competed at their first district trials, coming away with the most representatives from our school. Imogen and Elka will be busy at the Regional Trials with 4-5 races each over 50m and 100m.

Swimmers who were successful in qualifying for the Nambour District Team to compete at the Sunshine Coast Regional Trials are: Chanel D, Fergus A, Hudson O, Imogen H, Elka S, Hugh W, Deacon N, Indiana H, Heidi L, Isla W

All the best at the next stage.

Mrs McCormack, Mr Hawes and Miss Hemmingway

Curriculum Corner

Year Level Planning Meetings

We are heading into our year level planning days towards the end of this term in preparation for the Term 2 curriculum delivery. Teachers from each year level will spend a full day unpacking the curriculum requirements and the summative assessment tasks. We will discuss and brainstorm ways to aim for the ‘A’ and ‘B’ descriptors in the assessment tasks.

The planning days are vital in ensuring continuity across all classes in each year level. They give our students the best possible access to the Australian Curriculum, while also differentiating curriculum and teaching strategies based on our students’ academic needs.

Semester 1 Academic Reporting

Please ensure the office has your latest email addresses in the database. These addresses are linked to the emailing of academic report cards, which will be sent to parents Friday Week 1, Term 3.

Specialist Learning Areas

The Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework outlines the minimum reporting requirements for learning areas/subjects. Reminder: Please note the academic reporting process for HPE, Music, Performing Arts (Dance & Drama) and Technologies are on the Yearly Curriculum Overview for each year level. These are located on the school’s website.

Learning in these specialist areas occurs more frequently than assessment and reporting. For example, in Technologies, students will experience learning in design and digital technologies even if they are not being assessed that semester or year. We have ensured all curriculum elements are being covered as per the requirements from the Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework.

Frequently asked questions:

Does my child still learn those subjects/learning areas even if not assessed and reported on?

• Yes – they are still learning in those areas, but we are assessing and reporting at least the minimum requirements and, in some cases, more often.

(As per the Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework - CARF)

Why has BMSS made this change?

• Our specialist teachers were finding it very difficult to teach all of the required curriculum thoroughly and then assess in time for reporting. Therefore, we analysed the CARF for reporting requirements and decided by making this change, the specialist teachers would have more time to teach the students the content more thoroughly and then assess. This new way gives your child a better chance to perform at their best rather than rushing to get through curriculum, assessing and then reporting.

Our Yearly Curriculum Overviews are located on the website.

https://buderimmountainss.eq.edu.au/curriculum/teaching-and-learning

Kristie O’Keefe

(Head of Curriculum)

ANZAC Day 2025

While this is not until after the school holidays, it does come up at the end of the first week of Term 2.  An invitation has been extended to the staff and students at Buderim Mountain SS to participate in the 2025 ANZAC Day ceremony and march. 

Students are encouraged to participate in the march and the service.  The march will leave Woolworths at 8:30am on Friday April 25. Students are asked to be at the long car park aisle closest to Woolworths by 8:15am and be wearing full school uniform including school hat. The students are most welcome to wear their relatives’ service medals. The correct protocol in this case is for the medals to be worn on the right side of the chest.

The ANZAC Day Service, following the march, will be held in the pine forest at Buderim Mountain State School from 9:00am.

Parents are asked to please pick up their children from the pine forest at the conclusion of the march. Students will be seated in year levels to assist with collection. The Student Councilors will be handing out participation certificates at the end of the parade.

QParents

Our school has been using QParents in recent years for all year levels. All new families should have received an email inviting you to register for QParents.  If you have not received this email, please check your spam or junk box, and if you cannot find the email, please contact the school office so we can assist.  In order to register for QParents, you will require the regular 100 points of ID.  Attached to this newsletter is an outline of the types of ID accepted. QParents is a simple way to pay for any school excursions or fees without having to send money or paperwork back to the school. Parents can also gain an update on your child’s attendance and submit absence information. Finally, parents can update personal details automatically and student's past report cards can be accessed via QParents. If you have not received an invitation, please advise us immediately.

If you are an existing parent and have yet to register for QParents, please either call the office on 54772777 or email info@buderimmountainss.eq.edu.au

To register for Qparents, you will need to follow 4 easy steps

1. Check that you have received your unique invitation code sent to your email. This also includes your child’s EQ ID number (if you haven’t received this, email our HR team to assist via resources@buderimmountainss.eq.edu.au),
2. You need an active email account
3. Access to 100 points of ID to verify your identity. (See table below)
4. Go to https://qparents.qld.edu.au and register

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

To ensure the safety of our students, we kindly remind you of the procedures for dropping off late students and picking up children early.

• Late Arrivals: If your child arrives late to school, please bring them to the Health Room to sign them in. This helps us keep accurate attendance records and ensures your child is properly accounted for.
• Early Pickups: If you need to pick up your child before dismissal, please go to the Health Room and bring a valid photo ID. The Health Room staff will call your child’s classroom, and your child will meet you there.

These procedures help us maintain a safe and organized environment for all students. Thank you for your cooperation!

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

To start the year, we have had feedback from community members and our current parents in relation to the following:

• Ensuring the driver remains in the vehicle at all times when dropping off and picking up students in the Elizabeth Street Stop, Drop and Go Zone. There are 6 x 2 minute zones in Elizabeth Street where the driver must remain in the vehicle as well as other regulated parking along the street.
• Only crossing at the lights when the green walking image is displayed. Please do not cross at crossings when the red walking image is displayed.
• Only parking legally around the school - all parking is well signposted and will show drivers when and where you can park. There are a number of cameras installed on Main Street, Elizabeth Street and Clithero Avenue, which can result in parking fines issued by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council if parked illegally.
• Not parking on private property or in front of driveways (private businesses, church grounds, private residential properties etc)
• Only crossing at the lights on Gloucester Road – please ensure you walk up to the Main Street lights to cross Gloucester Road if using this exit to the school.

Our students learn from adults modelling how to follow safety rules outlined in the information above. We appreciate all parents and carers being good role models to our children by assisting with this.

Student Mobile Phones & Smart Watches

This year the State Government is continuing with their Mobile Phone and Smart Watch policy of  “Away for the Day”.  With this initiative, students are to keep mobile phones switched off and not on them during the school day.  All of our year 5 and 6 classrooms have safes, where students are to place their phone when arriving at school.  Students in lower year levels are still to hand their mobile phone to the school office staff upon arriving at school.  All students can collect their phone from the safe or office when school finishes at 3pm.  Wearable devices, such as smart watches must also be switched to School Mode so phone calls, text messages and other notifications cannot be sent or received during the school day. 

A reminder also to parents that should you need to send an important message to your child during the school day, it should be done via the school staff.  A big thank you to all parents and carers for ensuring Smart Watches are set to ‘school mode’.

2026 Prep Enrolments

Enrolments Open: Tuesday, 28th April 2025

Children born between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2021 are eligible to enrol in Prep for the 2026 school year.

Early enrolment assists the school with planning, so we encourage families to submit applications as soon as possible.

How to Enrol:
✅ Enrolment packs are available from the school office.
✅ Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the school website.
✅ All required documentation must be submitted with the enrolment form for processing.

Know a family with a child eligible for Prep?
Please share this information with them so they don’t miss out!

Prep Tours

📅 When: Every Monday at 9:30 AM, from Monday, 28th April – Monday, 27th October 2025
📞 Bookings Open: 31st March – Call 5477 2777 or visit the school office to secure a spot.

Prep Tours are very popular, so we encourage families to book early to avoid disappointment.

For any questions, please contact the school office. We look forward to welcoming our new Prep students for 2026!

Cross Country

Exciting News: School Cross Country!

We are thrilled to announce that the whole school Cross Country event will be held on Monday March 31! On this exciting day, all classes will come together at the oval to run specific distances. Not only will this be a fun and active day, but it will also help us select the U10, U11, and U12 school teams to represent our school at the Nambour District Trial on May 2.

Key Information:

• Year 4 Students born in 2015: If your child can complete a 2km run in under 8.5 minutes, they are invited to compete in the morning session against other 2015 runners. Please note, if they choose this option, they will not run again with their year level later in the day.

We are also inviting parents and families to join us for this exciting event! Come along to cheer on the students and be a part of the action. It’s sure to be a fun day for everyone!

Further details, including the full day's program, will be emailed soon. Please note that this year's course is different to last year's. Please carefully review the maps below.

We look forward to seeing all the students participate and cheer on their classmates in this exciting event! Stay tuned for more information.

Term 1 Surf Report

Back in Week 3, thirty students hit Mooloolaba Beach at 6 am ready for their first surfing lesson. The progress that the students have made in the first three weeks has been pretty impressive. Lots of resilience and patience is required because for every successful wave caught there can be a couple of wipe outs as well.

Finally, a big shout out to the parents who get their children up pretty early on a Friday to attend these sessions. I am an early bird myself and I do believe the morning sunrise is the best time of the day.

Term 4 Surfing notes will go out at the end of Term 3 for those students who might be interested in trying it out at the end of the year.

Thanks

Mr. J

Curriculum Corner

NAPLAN: The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy

There is information below relating to NAPLAN 2025. Students in Years 3 & 5 will sit these tests Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13March (Friday 14 March for catch-up tests). All tests will be conducted online except for Year 3 writing.

Why do students do NAPLAN?

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

The assessment provides parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the tests. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance. NAPLAN also provides schools, education authorities and governments with information about how education programs are working and whether our students are achieving important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

What does NAPLAN assess?

NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through their regular school curriculum. All government and non-government education authorities have contributed to the development of NAPLAN materials. Students are assessed on the same literacy and numeracy curriculum content.

What can I do to support my child?

Your support to ensure your child has had a good night’s sleep, substantial breakfast and arrives on-time will assist them on the testing days. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for and students are not expected to do so. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is just one part of their school program, and by reminding them on the day to simply do their best.

ACARA does not recommend excessive preparation for NAPLAN or the use of services by coaching providers. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance.

See the types of questions and related functionalities available in the NAPLAN Online assessment: nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site

Please see the NAPLAN parent information via the link below:

https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf

Typing Skills

Typing skills are important to develop for our students. While our classroom teachers support the development of improving typing skills at school, it would be wonderful if you were able to continue such practice at home (if possible). Speed and accuracy are skills which require development over time.

The following website is a free typing program, which will support your child’s development of typing skills.

https://www.typing.com

Kristie O’Keefe

(Head of Curriculum)

PERKS

Week 7 is KINDNESS WEEK at BMSS. It is the “K” in PERKS. We will all be reflecting on our behaviour and communication to practise being a DOLPHIN and spread KINDNESS.

Please help by talking to your children about this at home. There are also lots of great picture books in our library that promote kindness.

Library Lounge

Thank you to everyone who ordered books from Book Club this term. The library received $900 in rewards to purchase new books for the library.

Book Fair will take place in Week 3 Term 2.  It will be open for students and parents to purchase books from 7 to 9 May. More information will come closer to the time. Book Fair will replace the normal online Book Club in Term 2.

Book Fair Theme is “Reading Oasis – A Cool Place to Discover Hot Books”

LIBRARY RULES

Listen to your teacher/library team.

Inquire (ask) if you need help.

Be respectful of others.

Read and talk quietly.

Always walk never run.

Return books to their proper places.

Your manners are appreciated.

Happy reading,

Library Team

Chappy News

Every Tuesday we have Brekky Club and it is much more than toast and a drink. It’s also an opportunity to create, make friends, play Gaga Ball or connect with other students before school from 8am until the bell. For some it is a place where they can grow in their confidence and serve others collecting plates and helping with clean up. For some it is working alongside younger students and helping them with an art piece. Our Brekky Club makes for a great start to the day creating a joyful, happy environment. 

Parenting Support

There are many opportunities for extra support should you ever feel overwhelmed. Our Parent Talk and Chat Club is held every Wednesday morning from 8.45-9.30 on the verandah outside the new hall.  Please see the below flyer to see the upcoming topics, and our meetings are a great way to support your parenting journey.

Absence Text Messaging System

All Queensland public schools are required to implement a text messaging system to follow up on unexplained absences. Effectively, if a child has not arrived at school and a parent has not informed the school, it is a requirement for the school, to send a text message requesting a reason for the absence on a daily basis.

We ask that parents assist by ensuring all absences are explained on a daily basis. From time to time, we predict that we may make some errors with texts and ask for your support as we fulfil this process. It would be appreciated if parents can still respond by text to let us know. While we will aim to not have any errors, with over 1170 students at our school, this may occur occasionally.

The following options are currently in place to contact the school regarding absences with QParents being the preferred option. To avoid unexplained absences, please report the absence before 8:00 am.

• QParents: https://qparents.qld.edu.au/   This is our preferred method to report reasons for absences to the school.
• Student Absentee Call Line (5477 2760)

Emails and Notes: We are aware that absences can be reported via emails and notes, but we encourage parents to use QParents. Emails and notes can be processed but are often delivered at varying times or double-handled by teachers and other staff. This may cause a time-lag in accurate roll marking. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Keeping our Students Safe

To assist with keeping all of our students safe, we would like to remind everyone our playground equipment is not permitted for use before or after school, even under parent supervision. The equipment requires a teacher on duty to supervise all children for safe play. We appreciate your support with following school procedures and to ensure our children are safe.

Buderim Badges and Awards

Cumulative Awards

Our school has a Cumulative Awards system which continues throughout each student’s time with us.  These awards are presented on each year level’s parade.

1. Achievement Awards are presented each week on parade to students in each class for a range of significant achievements, based on our three school expectations of; Be a Learner; Be Safe and Be Respectful, or PERKS. Teachers choose these awards based on classroom achievement.
2. 3 Achievement Awards = 1 Principal’s Award Students are asked to submit their 3 achievement awards (they don’t have to all be received in 1 year) into the box outside the Health Room and they will then be presented with a Principal’s Award on parade. Students will continue receiving achievement awards throughout their years. Awards should be submitted by the Wednesday in the week prior to the Principal Award presentation (i.e. by the Wednesday in Week 4 if the awards are being presented in Week 5).
3. 3 Principal’s Awards = 1 Banner Students are asked to submit their 3 Principal’s Awards into the box outside the Health Room and they will then be presented with a Buderim Banner on parade.
4. 2 Banners = 1 Medallion Students are asked to submit their 2 banners into the box outside the Health Room and they will then be presented with a medallion on parade. Due to the time it takes to have medallions engraved, these need to be handed into the Health Room by Monday the week before Principal Awards – Monday week 4 and Monday week 9.

Buderim Badges

As well as our cumulative awards scheme at Buderim, we also present 5 different badges (sew on) to students for the following categories:

Academic:

Years 1 to 4 - 3 ‘A’ achievement ratings on report cards, in the academic subjects, each semester.  Academic subjects are English, Mathematics, Science and HASS.

Years 5 to 6 -  4 ‘A’ achievement ratings on report cards, in the academic subjects, each semester.  Academic subjects are English, Mathematics, Science, HASS and Japanese.

Work Effort:

Students need to receive a Very High (P-2) or Excellent (Years 3-6) Effort rating for all but two subjects reported on within the report card, for the semester.

Service – for helping, leading or teaching others e.g. library, playground, sports equipment, ANZAC day, working bee.

Sport – for representing the school at district, regional, state or national level

Cultural – for representing the school in the areas of Arts and Humanities e.g. performing troupe, orchestra, strings ensemble, Planeteers, Performing Troupe etc.

Parades

Parades will continue each week, in our new school hall, at the following times with parents welcome to attend:

Parades include the presentation of weekly awards, messages and occasional performances.

Principal’s certificates, banners and medallions are usually presented twice per term. Any awards that are submitted by the Wednesday in the week prior to the dates shown below will be presented on these parades:

School Zone Safety

With school back for 2025, we need to keep safety top-of-mind when travelling through active school zones and around our school community.

School zone times have been standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for most school zones in Queensland are 7–9am and 2–4pm, with some operating all day between 7am–4pm.

Speeding remains a significant concern, contributing to fatalities and injuries, and police will be on the lookout for speeding motorists. Keeping below the signed speed limit in school zones helps keep everyone safe. This simple adjustment may have minimal impact on travel time but has the potential to significantly contribute to saving lives.

Children's crossings are identified by children's crossing flags, displayed near crossings before and after school hours. 

When the crossing is supervised, you, as a motorist, must:

• Wait until all pedestrians, bicycle riders, or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath.
• Abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.

Please keep our children safe by staying alert, slowing down and obeying our school crossing supervisors who are there to help kids cross the road safely.  

You can also help children become more road safety aware by:

• Showing them how to look for vehicles coming in and out of driveways and discourage them from playing behind parked cars, or with toys or balls when walking to school. 
• Ensuring your child knows the safest route to and from school. This is usually the way with the least traffic and the fewest roads to cross and teach your child to always walk on footpaths. 
• Showing your child how to cross at traffic lights when the green 'walk' sign is showing at pedestrian crossings when vehicles have stopped and at supervised school crossings when the supervisor has signaled it is safe to do so. 
• Accompanying children when walking or riding to school until they are old enough to understand road safety (usually around 10 years or older). 
• Teaching your child if they catch the bus to never cross in front of or behind a bus; wait until the bus goes before crossing the road. 
• Making sure wheeled devices (bicycle, scooter, skateboard, or rollerblades) used to travel to school are well maintained and that the appropriate protective and safety gear (for example, helmet, visible clothing, knee and elbow pads) are used. 

Please see the attached flyers for additional information on road safety around schools or visit the Street Smarts website for more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.

Dog Owners

Recently, we have had enquiries from members of our school community in relation to bringing dogs onto the school grounds. While the State Government doesn’t allow dogs on school premises at any time, we try to work in with the Buderim community and ask all families and community members to assist with the following guidelines.

Buderim Mountain State School, including the oval, is not a designated off-leash dog park.  No dogs are allowed on the premises:

• Between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm school days
• When the school oval is being used by someone paying to hire the oval before 7:30am and after 4:00pm
• When students from Buderim Mountain State School Outside School Hours Care are using the oval or playgrounds before 7:30am and after 4:00pm

We ask dog owners to please clean up after your dog and remove all dog droppings from the school site (do not leave in school bins).

From the Office

Upcoming events and payment dates

Please make sure that you have paid the amounts in full by the due dates. Payment for excursions can be made via:

• QParents
• BPoint
• Payment window- open Wednesday 8:00am-9:30am

QParents Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I owe?

• QParents enables you to view invoices as well as details of paid invoices. Click the ‘To Pay’ checkbox next to any invoice to make a payment.
• Note: If you are viewing the payment screen within the combined student view (accessed through the Payments tile on your home screen), click on the student name which will navigate you to the individual student profile where you can make a payment.
• Watch this video for an overview of the payments screen and making online payments in QParents.

If I pay an invoice does that mean my child can attend the event?

• You will also need to give your ‘consent’ (permission) for your child to attend. In the past, we have sent out permission letters however, we now use QParents to gain your consent. It is important that you provide consent (your permission for your child to attend the event) as well as pay for the invoice.
  
  

I notice QParents has ‘Consent Management’. What is this?

• Consent Management is a new feature in QParents. It enables you to provide consent (permission) for events/excursions. This is a great feature as it removes the paperwork previously required for every school event your child would attend (please note, you still need to pay for the event as well as give your consent- two part process).

2025 SRS

The Student Resource Scheme (SRS) includes curriculum resources that are not funded by the department (such as text books, equipment for students' personal use and items used by the student in the classroom). The SRS provides parents with a convenient and cost-effective alternative to individually sourcing curriculum resources and educational programs (i.e. Mathletics, Mathseeds, Reading Eggs).

The scheme ensures that students have the resources required for them to engage with the curriculum for their education, and saves parents time and money in sourcing the prescribed materials elsewhere. Savings are gained through the school’s bulk purchasing practices and hiring arrangements. The scheme is not used to raise funds for other purposes, and revenue collected through the scheme is applied only to the resources and operation of the scheme.

The scheme’s operation, resource inclusions and participation fees were approved by the school’s P&C Association at the meeting held on 19 November 2024.

Resource Inclusions

• All resources included in the SRS are detailed in the attached SRS Resource list. This list is also available on the school’s website. This is a comprehensive list of all resources included in the scheme and their associated costs
• All invoicing for the 2025 SRS has been issued via QParents

2025 Facility Hire

If you are interested in hiring our facilities (outside of school hours) in 2025, please complete an Expression of Interest.  Facilities that are available include: oval, pool, library courtyard, hall and the tennis courts.

Position vacant - Casual School Crossing Supervisor

A position exists for a Casual School Crossing Supervisor at Buderim Mountain State School.

• A School Crossing Supervisor must be able to work in all-weather conditions,
• Maximum of up to 1 hour and 30 mins per day - a maximum of up to 5 days per week (on a rostered basis).
• Relief opportunities on your rostered days off.
• Pay Rate $37.10 per hour.

Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a health assessment.
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position).

Please contact Road Safety Officer on 07 5452 1823.

BMSS P & C News

P & C Events and Special Dates

TICKETS CLOSING SOON! “Back In Time” Trivia Night

Themed "Back In Time, the BMSS Trivia Night on 22 March 2025 is an opportunity to celebrate the 150th anniversary of BMSS while dressing-up, testing your general knowledge and trivia facts, and enjoying good food amongst the school community!

You'll also be helping to raise money for Chappy's fund. This includes programs, resources, and initiatives that directly support the welfare and wellbeing of BMSS students, families, and teachers. 

Tickets are $55 each or $500 for a table of 10.​

Buy your tickets now at: https://www.bmsspandc.org/trivianight

Ticket sales close on Friday 14 March,

Please note that, if you buy single tickets, we will seat you on a table with your class or year level to meet new families.

​Dinner is included - view the menu on the Trivia Night webpage. Drinks are available (at extra cost).

​Further enquiries and bequests, please contact the BMSS P&C Operations Manager, Rachel O'Brien, on email: admin@bmsspandc.org

Mother’s Day Stall

The iconic Mother’s Day Stall is coming in May. If you are interested in being a stockist at the stall, please email Margie at marketing@bmsspandc.org

150th Anniversary Celebrations – save the date!

The BMSS 150^th Anniversary celebrations are on the weekend of 21 June. Details to come- stay tuned!

150^th Anniversary Student Art Competition

Attention BudDING artists! Announcing the BMSS student Art Competition for our 150^th, with the chance to have your artwork featured on a commemorative tea towel, and on display during the celebration weekend in June! You will not only have your design printed on souvenir tea towels, but you’ll also receive a framed copy of your masterpiece.

The competition is open to all BMSS students from Prep – Year 6. The theme is: ‘Buderim Through My Eyes’. Entries close on the last day of term one.

To enter:

• Collect your paper and entry form from the Uniform Shop or office (A4 paper provided, but you may also use your own art paper – just keep it to size A3 or smaller please).
• Create your masterpiece! Any medium is ok, including pencils, markers, paint, collage – think about something that will last through to exhibition time.
• Be sure to take a photo or save a copy of your artwork, as we may not be able to return originals.
• Fill out your entry form and Artist Statement (grown-ups are most welcome to help with this for younger students). Keep with your artwork and return to the Uniform Shop or P&C office in the plastic sleeve provided.

To learn more, go to: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGgjgifuPE/bIYScqDx3NunSTpmSAYJWw/watch

Winners will be announced early in term 2. We can’t wait to see Buderim through the eyes of our students!

P&C Annual General Meeting - You Are Invited

Please join us for the 2025 AGM of the Buderim Mountain State School Parents & Citizens’ Association.

Date: Tuesday 11 March 2025

Time: 5.00pm (followed by our general meeting)

Venue: BMSS Library or via Zoom 

RSVPs essential: secretary@bmsspandc.org

All Executive Officer positions will be open for nominations at the AGM. Forms can be returned to Sophia (secretary@bmsspandc.org). Please contact Rachel (admin@bmsspandc.org) for more information about executive positions or head to: https://www.bmsspandc.org/jobs

We look forward to seeing you there 😊

Uniform Shop News

Arts Polo Shirts

Orders for Arts Polos have been placed with our supplier with delivery expected by the end of term. Please keep an eye on Flexischools notifications and signage around the school for our second round of orders opening in the coming weeks, for any ensembles still being finalised. Please note the BMSS Arts Polo is an optional additional uniform item.

Instrumental Music

For your convenience, the Uniform Shop now stocks a small supply of clarinet and saxophone reeds. Available in store or on Flexischools.

Secondhand Uniforms

Donations are always welcome for preloved uniform items that are still in good condition. Secondhand racks are located just inside the doorway of the uniform shop – feel free to pop in and browse.

Banksia Cafe News

Take Home Meals - Coming Soon!
Introducing delicious, nutritious and convenient meals for your family coming soon from Banksia Café!

What’s on Offer?
🍲 Fresh or Frozen Family Meals
💚 Made with Love & Quality Ingredients
🌟 Limited Quantities – Order Early!

Pick-Up Times:
Tuesday - Friday | 7:30 AM - 2:45 PM

How to Order:
✅ Order via Flexischools
✅ Purchase Over the Counter at Banksia Cafe

Keep an eye out for our delicious meal options coming soon! Stay tuned for photos from our upcoming photo shoot!

Outside School Hours Care

OSHC Autumn 2025 Vacation Program - Out Now!

We are excited to welcome bookings for the Buderim OSHC Autumn Vacation Care program these coming Easter school holidays. We are confident the Vacation Care program will be a great opportunity for your children to make new friends, explore new experiences and develop their skills.

Check out the program to see the fantastic array of activities, incursions and excursions in store, including a visit to Flip Out in Caboolture, an excursion to Aussie World, an Easter party, a Mad Hatters Tea Party, a Legoland incursion, exploration of Martin’s Creek and more!

Here’s what you need to know about the program and how to get your kids into the action:

- Bookings & Enrolments: To create bookings, please do so via the OWNA app.
Cancellations & Absences: 1 weeks' notice is required for the cancellation of days (without charge).
- Food & Drink: The service will provide a light morning tea and afternoon tea, but children are required to bring a packed lunch (preferably nut free due to allergies within the service).
- Clothing: Children are required to wear sun safe clothing; no singlets and midriff tops to be worn. Children are also to wear enclosed shoes while at the service and on excursions.
- Finances and Childcare Subsidy (CCS): All financial information (including statements) is accessed via the OWNA Home app.
- Excursions: If your child is booked on an excursion day, they must attend the excursion as we do not offer an alternative program at the service.

For more information, or to access programs, forms and links, just head to: www.buderimoshc.org or email: oshc@bmsspandc.org.

Thank You, Megan Colless!

Our highly valued P&C Treasurer, Megan Colless, is stepping down as Treasurer at our next AGM on 11 March 2025, after serving in the role for five years.

Megan became Treasurer at the start of February 2020 just as Covid was rolling in. Together with Rachel, Megan navigated our P&C through one of its most turbulent periods, successfully landing crucial covid payments for our business units, before going on to develop and implement our tuckshop restructure.

Her commitment to volunteering her time and energy does not go unnoticed, and BMSS has been so fortunate to have someone like her on board. Thank you for all the behind-the-scenes effort you put in Megan to keep everything running smoothly!

Join the Team

With the 2025 school year well underway, are you looking for a new role to fill your days while the kids are at school? Why not consider one of the roles available within our school community.

At present we are looking for a new P&C Treasurer. Our current P&C Treasurer, Megan Colless, will step down from her role this term after five years of loyal service! Megan has been truly instrumental for the P&C team and BMSS community, and will be very much missed. However Megan will be on hand to help and advise you if you are keen to step into her shoes in 2025. To learn more about the Treasurer role and to apply, please contact: admin@bmsspandc.org

To stay up to date with jobs available at BMSS, head to: https://www.bmsspandc.org/jobs

BMSS P & C Socials

Follow Us on Socials

Stay up-to-date and make sure you follow us on social media.  Our accounts always have lots of great information.

Access our website and socials using the links below: