24 July 2025

Principal’s News

Welcome Back to Term 3!

A warm welcome back to all our wonderful Kenmore South families as we begin Term 3.

It’s been heartwarming to see students settling so smoothly back into classroom routines. Whether they’re chatting with friends, laughing on the oval, playing handball or kicking a footy, there’s a joyful energy across the school that reminds us just how special this community is.

Our students continue to engage deeply with our Tree of Growth, striving to be their “new best” every day. It’s a privilege to be part of such a vibrant, caring school where kindness and connection are truly at the heart of all we do. That sense of belonging is felt through the actions of our students, staff and families alike.

We’re especially proud of our student leaders and class representatives, who are setting a wonderful example by looking out for others and building a stronger school community through their everyday actions.

On Thursday we saw this community spirit in action again as students and families dressed in yellow and brought donations for our “Strive to be Kind” day. A big thank you to everyone who contributed—your generosity will make a real difference. Donations are still welcome throughout this week.

When we come together with a shared purpose, there’s no limit to what we can achieve. The positive impact we’re making together is something truly special.

Celebrating Our New K Block!

On Wednesday we celebrated the official opening of our new K Block Learning Building and classroom and outdoor improvements to our school.

We welcomed the Honourable John-Paul Langbroek MP, Minister for Education & the Arts and Dr Christian Rowan MP, Member for Moggill and Assistant Minister to the Premier, special guests from Wiley – the building contractors, our P&C President during the build, Peta Wilson and newly elected P&C President Gemma Kent, Mike Kitto, Department of Education Principal Project Coordinator, Evan Willis, School Supervisor Metro North, parents, staff and students.

On behalf of the whole school community I thank these many people for their tireless efforts in bringing the works to life. Because of this project, we now have a fantastic new building, renovations to our older classrooms and better parking and outdoor spaces. It’s a big step forward for our school. We appreciate how this project has modernised our campus, making it more accessible and welcoming for everyone. This isn’t just a new building—it’s a place that will support our students to learn, grow, and enjoy school even more – we have certainly achieved our building “new best!” 

We’re sincerely grateful to the Department of Education for supporting this project. Thanks to their investment, our school now benefits from a modern new building, refreshed learning spaces, and improved parking and outdoor facilities.

These upgrades have helped make our school even more welcoming, inclusive, and ready to support students in their learning journey. This isn’t just about bricks and mortar it’s about creating spaces where students can thrive, grow, and love coming to school.

Holiday Facilities Upgrades

Our sincerest thanks goes to the wonderful Kenmore South P&C for their generous donation to the school to enable upgrades to the Nature Playground, cricket pitch and nets which occurred over the school holidays. Additionally upgrades to concreted area around the school to ensure accessibility and safety have been undertaken. The school is looking amazing!

Lunchbox Mural

A special mention to Tash Westmore for her mural at our Lunchbox! What a beautiful and vibrant design.

100 Days of Prep

Our very excited Prep students celebrated 100 days of being at school. Our wonderful teachers and teacher aides created some great activities with the students to celebrate such a great day. Each student received an acknowledgement of their 100^th day of Prep! So much learning has happened throughout these days and more to come. Well done students and Prep staff! And did you see the Prep “Glam Ma’s”?

P&C President Update

Congratulations to our new P&C President, Gemma Kent, who was elected at this week’s P&C meeting. We look forward to working together to bring community together and create enhanced opportunities for our students and school.

Community Care

Please consider adding your name to the Community Care Meal Train or contacting Chappy Denise at dko10@eq.edu.au if you can make a meal or contribute in some small way to some of our families who are experiencing difficult times due to illness.

Senior Years Deputy Principal News - Natalie Thomas

School Opinion Survey

The suite of School Opinion Surveys is undertaken each year by the Department of Education to obtain opinions about our school from families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11). The surveys will help identify what we are doing well and understand where we can improve. The survey invitation will be emailed in the week beginning 21 July and is titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2025. The survey will close on 22 August.

Each school family will receive one email invitation from the Department of Education to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey. The survey is anonymous, and the results are reported in ways that an individual’s response cannot be identified by the school. Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with an internet connection. For Parents/Caregivers who do not have access to the internet school computers/tablets will be available.

Parents/Caregivers who experience difficulties accessing the survey can request a new survey from the School Opinion Survey team via email schoolopinionsurvey@qed.qld.gov.au.

Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.  More information about the survey is available at www.qld.gov.au/schoolopinionsurvey.

ThinkUKnow Cyber Safety Sessions

Our wonderful Adopt-a Cop, Senior Constable Georgia Wheatley, will deliver important and entertaining cyber safety sessions for all of our students on Monday 4 August (Week 4). Each year level will have a tailored session about how to protect themselves online, appropriate to their age. Topics include Cyber-bullying, Online Grooming and Sharing Personal Information. For more information visit https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

Strive to Be Kind Day

Today we wore yellow to celebrate 'Strive to Be Kind' Day and students donated non-perishable items to 'Helping Hands' for people in need. Once again, the Kenmore South community has shown their immense generosity in supporting this worthy cause. Anthony from 'Helping Hands' collected the donations this afternoon and will deliver them to people in the Ipswich area. Thank you to our wonderful Student Council Representatives, Mrs Sewell and Mrs Adriaansz for organising this worthwhile fundraiser.

5D Art Experience

The talented artists in 5D had a fantastic time exploring clay work as they created their own coil pots. With impressive focus and creativity, students carefully shaped and layered coils to form unique designs. Throughout the process, they learned the step-by-step technique of building a pot and enjoyed experimenting with different patterns and textures. The end results were detailed, imaginative, and a wonderful showcase of their artistic efforts! Thank you so much to Sarah for giving up her time to come and share her artistic knowledge with 5D.

Warm regards,

Nat Thomas

Junior Years Deputy Principal News - Andrew Sellick

Dear Kenmore South families,

It’s been a fantastic start to the school term, with students settling in well and classrooms busily learning!

We’re also excited to remind families about our Prep–Year 3 Sports Day happening this Friday. Students will kick off the day with sprint races in the morning session, followed by fun and engaging rotation activities during the middle session. Be sure to grab your morning coffee from the coffee van, which will be set up on the oval from 8:15am.

A huge thank you to Mrs Shields for her outstanding planning and coordination of this special event—we can’t wait to see our youngest students give it their all on the track!

Looking a little further ahead, make sure to check out the details in this newsletter about our upcoming Arts Week in Week 9. This biennial celebration, brought to life by our dedicated Arts Committee, will finish with a vibrant community event on the Friday night—a highlight not to be missed!

A reminder too, that next week, those Preps who have consent will participate in the Prep Vision Screening process by our Regional School nurse team. 

Have a great rest of the week!

Regards,

Andrew

Arts Week 2025

Save the Date – Arts Week and Community Arts Fair!

We’re excited to announce that Arts Week at Kenmore South State School will be held from Monday 8 September to Friday 12 September, with the Kenmore South Community Arts Fair taking place on the evening of Friday 12 September from 5:00–8:00pm.

This is a much-loved school tradition that brings our community together to celebrate creativity, imagination, and the incredible artistic talents of our students.

Arts Week Workshops – Volunteers Needed!

Do you have an artistic skill you’d love to share? We’re looking for parent and community volunteers to run short workshops for students during Arts Week (8–12 September). Workshops will run from 11:00 to 11:40am each day.

If you have a current Blue Card, access to your own materials, and a passion for art, we’d love to hear from you!

Please email thearts@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au to express your interest.

Community Arts Fair – Stallholders Wanted!

The Community Arts Fair on Friday 12 September (5:00–8:00pm) will feature food trucks, local artist demonstrations, market stalls, and student artworks on display. You’ll also be able to view entries in the student Art Competition—more details coming soon!

If you're a parent or community member who owns a craft stall or food van, we’d love you to be part of this special evening.

Please get in touch via thearts@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au.

Art Competition!

As part of our biannual KSSS Art Fair on Friday 12 September, students from Prep to Year 6 are invited to enter an artwork that reflects the theme Love of Self, Family & Community.

Each year level will have four awards:

Golden Brush Award

Category: Technique & detail
For a student whose work shows exceptional craftsmanship, precision, and fine artistic skill.

Creative Spark Award

Category: Imagination & originality
For a student whose artwork demonstrates fresh ideas, inventiveness, and bold creativity.

Art with Heart Award

Category: Theme connection - Love of self, family & community
For a student whose artwork deeply reflects the theme, expressing care, belonging, or positive relationships.

Colour Crafter Award

Category: Use of colour
For a student whose artwork shows outstanding use of colour to enhance mood, meaning, or visual impact.

All entries will be displayed during the day, with judging held at lunchtime. Winners will be announced in the afternoon, and all participants will receive a Certificate of Appreciation.

Look out for a note going home soon with all the details!

Sporting News

Records Fall at the Athletics Carnival!

Following on from our Athletics Carnival coverage, we’re excited to celebrate some outstanding record-breaking performances.

Khloe M set not one, but two new records in the 11yrs girls sprint events — the 90m (adjusted to 95m) in 14.16 seconds, and the 200m in 31.39 seconds.

In the field events, Lauren J delivered a powerful throw to smash the 12yrs girls shot put record, launching the shot an incredible 9.06 metres — more than a metre beyond the previous mark!

Congratulations to both athletes on these remarkable achievements!

The success continues from our younger runners!

Three of our talented students represented the school with pride at the QA State Cross Country Championships held in Toogoolawah over the last weekend of the school holidays.

Delilah P led the charge with an outstanding performance, taking gold in the Under 7s. Harrison P showed incredible grit, finishing 4th in the Under 10s, while Indi M also impressed with a strong 7th place in the Under 10s division.

Congratulations to all three runners for their determination, resilience, and fantastic results on the state stage!

Thank You – Poolwerx Moggill Marathon Donation

Kenmore South State School sincerely thanks the organisers of the Poolwerx Moggill Marathon and the Lions Club of Brisbane West for their generous $1,000 donation to our school, in recognition of our involvement in this wonderful community event.

In addition to this, our school community raised a further $185 through participation and support. We are proud to have been part of such a successful event, which saw 1,250 participants from across Australia and overseas, raising a total of $48,531 to support Bravery Box, local schools and community groups.

Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make this event such a success. We look forward to next year’s Marathon on Sunday 17 May 2026!

National Archery Success for Ruth!

During the holidays, Year 6 student Ruth C, represented her club in the Australian Indoor National Archery Championships and achieved outstanding results. Competing in the Under 14 Female Compound division, Ruth finished first in her category, securing a national title. 

In an impressive display of skill, her score was so high it would have also earned her gold in the Under 14 Male and Under 16 Female divisions. 

Ruth came incredibly close to setting two new Queensland state records - missing one by just a single point and the other by only two. While records must be broken to be official, this achievement is a strong reflection of the progress she has made in her training. Ruth has dedicated the past six months refining one particularly technical aspect of her shot process, and her hard work is clearly paying off. 

Congratulations Ruth, on an outstanding performance!

NCCD Parent Fact Sheet

Brisbane City Council Safer Schools Program

School Zone Parking

Parking in accordance with all road rules and signage is important to keep our children and other road users safe. Unfortunately, Brisbane City Council has received an increase in the number of reports of illegal parking around our school. As a result, our school has been added to Council’s Safer Schools Program this term.

What does this mean?

Brisbane City Council’s Parking Compliance Officers will be actively patrolling the streets surrounding our school over the coming term to encourage safer parking behaviours. These patrols will be conducted on foot and in highly visible Community Safety and Regulation vehicles that can identify alleged offences using Automatic Number Plate Recognition and GPS software. Please be kind – they have a job to do.

What are the common parking signs around schools?

A guide to common parking signs around school zones can be found on Council’s website by searching the term ‘School Parking’.

We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all students and other road users. If you wish to discuss the matter further, please contact Curtis Boyle, Parking Supervisor, on 3027 4337.

Student of the Week Awards

Prep A: Benjamin S
Prep B: Jasper W
Prep C: Elsa B
Prep D: Sidney O
1A: Clementine L
1B: Frankie B
1C: Amari C
2A: Quinton B
2B: Jaxon C
2C: Tina L
2D: Nick M
3B: Eli J
3C: Josiah Y
3D: Caleb O
3E: Harriet C
4A: Theodore C
4B: Alejandro G
4C: Riley D
4D: Marie H
4E: Flo L
5A: Archer C and Mat TN
5B: Felix K
5C: Ethan H
5D: Nathan L
6A: Slava K
6B: Sophia B and Misha L
6C: Hannah R
6D: Eden KM

Each week, Student of the Week Awards are handed out in class by our Junior and Senior Deputy Principal's. The awards recognise a student from each class from the previous week. 

Principal Lunch

Term 3 Week 2

P & C News

What’s Coming Up? 

Colour Fun Run – Tuesday August 12^th

Father’s Day Stall – Wednesday September 3rd

Please reach out if you would like to be involved. All support is appreciated, whether it’s behind the scenes assisting with planning, helping with a single task or as little as an hour during the event, or helping us pack up afterwards.

Kind regards,

Gemma Kent
P&C President
E: pandc_president@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au

Help Us Make the Colour FUN RUN a Success!

Remember to create a profile page at www.myprofilepage.com.au and share your profile with family & friends to receive online donations. Simply raise $10 to receive your first incentive prize, there are 15 prizes to collect. Become a Fundraising Monstar and receive a Monty Handball by completing all your online virtual badges! We’re excited to be planning this year’s Colour FUN RUN on Tuesday 12^th August – a vibrant, energetic event the students always look forward to! To make it a day to remember, we need the support of our wonderful parent community.

If you're interested in being part of the fun, please sign up at: https://volunteersignup.org/99BMD
Thank you for your support – events like these wouldn’t be possible without you!

2026 Year 6 Senior Shirts

Very exciting news, we have a winner of the design for the 2026 senior shirts!

Please ensure that you have completed both of the following items by Fri 1 August 2025

• Returned the name permission slip for your child's name to be added on the shirt
• Placed an order on QKR if you are wishing to purchase a 2026 yr 6 senior shirt for your child.

Now on Qkr! — Voluntary donations can be made directly through the app, and every contribution makes a real difference! These funds help keep vital parts of our school community running — like the tuck shop and uniform shop — and support the employment of our amazing staff who work hard to make these services possible. To donate, simply open the Qkr! app, find our school, and select “Voluntary Donation”. 

P&C Meetings – Join the Conversation! 

Our General P&C Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month, starting promptly at 7:00pm in the school staffroom. It’s a great chance to stay connected, share your thoughts, and be part of the amazing things happening in our school community. 

Next Meeting: Tuesday 12th August, 2025 – 7:00pm in the staffroom 

Contact Us 

Follow Us on Facebook: If you’re not already in the group, here’s the link to join: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AXuyTbXjL/?mibextid=wwXIfr  

P&C Contact Emails:  

President – Gemma Kent: pandc_president@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au
Vice President – Laura Tromans: pandc_vice_president@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au 
Treasurer – Lezanne Van Der Vyver: pandc_treasurer@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au 
Secretary – Clemence Ville: pandc_secretary@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au   

Term 3 Lunchbox Volunteers

We thank all our ongoing lunchbox volunteers for your ongoing support and assistance. Our lunchbox would not be able to run without you!

Have you ever thought about volunteering for our lunchbox?

Volunteer here: https://volunteersignup.org/MMP3H 

Lunchbox: pandc_lunchbox@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au
Uniform Shop: pandc_uniform_shop@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au 

Term Dates 2025

Term 1: 28 January to 4 April
Term 2: 22 April to 27 June 2025
Term 3: 14 July to 19 September 2025
Term 4: 7 October to 12 December 2025

Upcoming Dates

Friday 25 July - Jnr Sports Carnival

Friday 1 August - HRE Years 5 and 6

Friday 8 August - Active School Travel Bus to school morning

Tuesday 12 August - P&C Colour Run

Wednesday 13 August - Ekka Show day (School Closed)

Tuesday 19 August - Prep Trevena Glen Farm Excursion

Thursday 21 August - Year 2 Wolston Farm House Excursion

Friday 22 August - Year 2 Wolston Farm House Excursion

Thursday 28 August - Tour and Talk

Friday 3 September - Student Free Day

Wednesday 10 September - Gala Day

Friday 12 September - Arts Night

ICAS

Every year, Kenmore South offer students the opportunity to participate in the ICAS Assessments. These internationally recognised assessments provide valuable insights into student learning and encourage academic excellence across a range of subject areas.

What is ICAS?
ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) is a suite of online competitions designed to assess higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies. These assessments are developed by education experts at Janison, an Australian-based assessment company with over 40 years of experience.

Why participate?
ICAS provides an excellent opportunity for students to challenge themselves, measure their progress, and gain recognition for academic achievement. Every student who participates receives a detailed performance report and a certificate acknowledging their level of achievement. High-performing students may also receive medals and special awards.

Who can participate?
ICAS is open to students in Years 2 - 6, other than Writing, which starts in Year 3. Each assessment is tailored to the student's year level and aligns with curriculum standards in Australia and internationally.

How to register
Registration and payment are made directly by families using the Parent Payment System (PPS). To register your child:

1. Visit the ICAS Parent Payment System: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

2. Enter Kenmore South's unique access code: WRP178

3. Select the assessments you would like your child to participate in

4. Complete payment online
   

Please ensure you register before the closing date for each assessment. Late entries cannot be accepted.

Key Dates and Subjects Offered

All ICAS assessments take place in the library before school on the following dates.  Students are expected to arrive by 7:45am for an 8:00am start.  All tests require the use of a device.

School Communication and Publicity

All requests for articles or information to be placed in the school’s newsletter, Facebook Page or school website are to be directed to Publicity@kenmoresouthss.eq.edu.au Deadline for the school newsletter is the Friday prior to distribution. Newsletters are sent out on the Thursday of every even week during the term. File types submitted are requested to be in .jpg format for photos and Word format for text.

Community News

RHEE TAE KWON-DO KENMORE SOUTH BRANCH

THE FAMILY MARTIAL ART THAT HELPS FUTURE-PROOF YOUR FAMILY!

Would your family like to spend more time together, get fitter, develop important life & self-defence skills all whilst having fun? Well now you have more opportunity to do so.

Rhee Tae Kwon-Do is pleased to advise our new Branch will be conducting classes at Kenmore South State School from 6.15-7.15pm on Wednesday & Friday nights starting Wednesday August 6.

We would like to invite students at Kenmore South State School to come & join us for an UNLIMITED FREE TRIAL.

Founded in 1970 by World Master Chong Chul Rhee, Rhee Tae Kwon-Do is Australia’s first, largest, and most respected Martial Arts Academy.

Rhee Tae Kwon-Do is a traditional & non-competitive martial art that anyone can learn, irrespective of age, level of fitness or experience. Our underlying message is to promote a Sound Body & a Sound Mind through practice, discipline & physical Activity.

Some of the benefits of training in Rhee Tae Kwon-Do are:

Promoting a Sound Body & a Sound Mind – Through practice, discipline & physical activity.
Confidence & Self-Belief – Empowering students to achieve their best.
Respect & Discipline – Helping students to build a strong character and leadership skills.
Fitness & Self-Defence – Stay active while learning practical techniques.
Positive Community & Role Models – Surrounding students with supportive friends & Instructors.
Focus & Perseverance – Aiding students to Excel in school, work, or in their daily life.
Indomitable Spirit – A never give up attitude.

If you are looking to take the first step in the journey to change your life, you can find details about the Kenmore South Branch or any of our other local branches (Brookfield, Chapel Hill, Fig Tree Pocket & Moggill) at www.rhee.com.au.