26 June 2025

ADMIN NEWS

As we come to the close of another busy and rewarding term, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the many achievements and experiences that have made this term so memorable.

Our students have continued to demonstrate their commitment to learning, curiosity, and kindness each day. From classroom projects and assessment milestones to excursions, special events, and sporting competitions, it has been a joy to witness their growth and enthusiasm.

Thank you to our dedicated staff, who continue to provide engaging and supportive learning environments for every child. Your passion, hard work, and professionalism make a lasting difference in the lives of our students.

I’d also like to extend my sincere appreciation to our families and wider school community for your ongoing support. Whether you’ve helped out in the classroom, attended events, or partnered with us from home – your contributions are deeply valued and help create a strong sense of community and shared purpose.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Parent Relay Team – Thank You! 🎉

A huge thank you to our amazing Parent and Staff Relay Team for stepping up and showing off your speed, spirit, and school pride at our Athletics Carnival! 🏅 Your energy, enthusiasm, and sense of fun were the perfect way to wrap up a fantastic day of competition and community. We loved seeing you out on the track – you were crowd favourites for a reason!

Thank you for being such great role models for our students and for making the day extra special.

Go team Pomona!

District Cross Country carnival

A fantastic effort by Riley L at the recent District Cross Country Carnival! Riley represented our school with determination, resilience, and true sportsmanship, tackling the course with grit and a positive attitude.

We are proud of your achievement and the way you carried yourself on the day — well done, Riley!

Report Cards

Semester One report cards for all students will be emailed on Friday.  These report cards provide a comprehensive overview of your child’s progress.  Sharing your child’s report card with them and reflecting on their learning journey is a crucial factor in establishing expectations and front ending success for Semester Two.  This is also a time to celebrate their accomplishments and use this opportunity to set goals together for the upcoming semester.  By involving your child in this process, you empower them to take ownership of their education and foster a positive growth mindset.  At the end of Term Three, parent teacher interviews will be held and you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with their classroom teacher.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning BEFORE school from 8am.  The Breakfast Club window must close at 8:40am.  Students are not served after this time as that is the start of the school day.  Please ensure your child arrives before this time to ensure they are able to be served and finish their breakfast before the school day begins.  We thank the many volunteers who support the breakfast at our school.

Absences

Don’t forget to get in touch with us to let us know if your child will be away from school for any reason. Leave a message on the absence line and we will ensure your child’s attendance record is updated without having to call you to check in to ensure all is well.  Please ensure you leave a reason for the absence.

Ensuring your child attends school on time everyday sets them up for a great start to the day.  Arriving with plenty of time to put their belongings in the correct spaces within the classroom allows for a smooth transition to learning.

Absence letters have been sent home for Term 1 and 2, please complete and return to your child’s teacher or the office.

High School Transition Information

On Friday 27^th June all Year 6 Students with their class teachers will attend a transition to high school day at NDSHS – Pomona Campus.  There is no charge for this excursion, all students need to be in correct school uniform with hat, water bottle, morning tea and lunch.  Students will travel via bus from our school to the Junior Secondary Campus and return to our school at the end of the school day.

Prep 2026

Do you or someone you know have a Prep aged child starting school in 2026?  Join us for a tour every second Tuesday. 

Upcoming Events in Week 1 Next Term

First day of Term 3 – Monday 14^th July

Dion Drummond Performance – 17^th July

Keep a Watch on our School these holidays

Parents and students can help take care of our school by reporting any suspicious after hours activity to School Watch on 13 17 88.  By keeping an eye out, we can work together to create a safer school community and help to reduce vandalism, theft and arson in our school.  If you see something suspicious, please don’t intervene.

Call the School Watch number and let the local police or State government Protective Security Service deal with the matter.

The cooler weather is definitely here and the clear crisp days are beautiful and inviting.  As we head into the holiday break, I encourage all students to rest, recharge, and enjoy quality time with loved ones. Whether you're travelling or staying local, may your holidays be safe, happy, and filled with moments to treasure.

We will welcome all students back on Monday 14^th July, refreshed and ready for another exciting chapter of learning and growth.

Have a great break,

Alyson

REMINDER TO CHECK QKR APP DETAILS FOR TUCKSHOP ORDERS

As we continue to process tuckshop orders through the QKR app, we kindly ask that you take a moment to check that all details currently entered into the app are correct before placing any new orders.

Please ensure your child’s name and class are accurate. This helps us make sure that all students receive their orders correctly and without delay.

Unless your details have changed, the only update typically required each year is your child’s class.

Thank you for your attention to this and for helping us keep the tuckshop running smoothly.

FROM THE CURRICULUM DESK

As we move into the final weeks of Term 2, our students are engaging in a range of assessment tasks across key learning areas. This is an important time for them to demonstrate their growth and learning progress. We encourage all families to support their child by ensuring consistent attendance each day, as every moment of learning counts—particularly during assessment periods.

I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting classrooms over this last fortnight and have a conversation with students about their individual learning goals.  It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm and pride when discussing and showing me how they are going to achieve it and where they are at so far. 

DATE CLAIMERS

IMPORTANT DATES

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

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Pomona State School’s 2025 Athletics Carnival was a fantastic event filled with energy, sportsmanship, and school spirit. Held under beautiful blue skies, students from all year levels participated in a range of track and field events, including sprints, relays, long jump, high jump, shot put and ball games. The atmosphere was electric as house teams competed for points, cheered on by classmates and families. A huge congratulations to Lawson, who claimed the Athletics Shield after two days of determined competition and impressive performances.  Many students achieved personal bests, with two (Xander N and Amos H) breaking long-standing school records. The carnival was not just about winning, but about trying your best and supporting one another, a true reflection of Pomona’s values.  A big thank you to the staff, volunteers, and families who helped make the day such a success.  We’re incredibly proud of all our students for their efforts and positive attitudes throughout the day. Congratulations to those who qualified for the district carnival, we wish you all the best!

• Mr Bremner

E-SAFETY HUB

This e-Safety hub is designed to support parents and carers with up-to-date, practical advice on keeping children safe in the digital world. From managing screen time to understanding social media and online gaming, you’ll find tips, tools, and resources to help your family navigate the online world with confidence and care.

ICAS NEWS

Pomona State School will once again be participating in the world-renowned ICAS competitions this year.

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies.

ICAS results are in-depth and meaningful, and ICAS evaluates student performance against other competition entrants across the state and nation. The data reveals student strengths and weaknesses and can help you recognise and support your child's academic journey. Learn more about ICAS here: (icasassessments.com/products-icas/).  

ICAS results and certificate

Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in each subject area, and online results report to track development each year. Top performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals.

Your child’s ICAS certificates will show their results and the login details, “TAP ID and Pin”. - Use these to enter the Results Portal (https://orti.icasassessments.com/ortiStudent). 

How to participate in ICAS

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please go to the Parent Portal to register for your chosen subjects.

You can do this by clicking on the link below:

1. Direct login link – faster!

Use this link to log directly into the shop to register and purchase test papers. https://shop.icasassessments.com/ 

Click in the ‘Buy as a Parent’ box and use the Parent Code below:-

Parent Code: WXP415

Registration for all subject areas closes on Monday 28 July at 11:59pm.

This year, our students can elect to sit the following assessments:

Subject Sitting Date Cost (AU$)

• Digital Technologies Tuesday 5 Aug $20.95
• Writing Tuesday 5 Aug $24.95
• English Tuesday 12 Aug $20.95
• Science Tuesday 19 Aug $20.95
• Spelling Bee Tuesday 19 Aug $20.95
• Mathematics Tuesday 26 Aug $20.95

Please note, we cannot facilitate refunds or make alterations as all money is paid directly to ICAS Assessments. Read the terms and conditions here: (https://www.icasassessments.com/icasa-terms-and-conditions/#icas-parents). 

Privacy collection statement The following information is a privacy notification about how your child’s data is kept private and secure. ICAS Assessment is owned by Janison Solutions Pty Ltd (We, Us, Our). To deliver assessment products, Janison will require your child’s School to obtain your consent to provide Janison with certain personal information of students. Janison will collect, store, use, disclose and otherwise deal with such personal information in accordance with its privacy policy (below). We are aware of our responsibility to protect personal information related to children and students from being disclosed when we deliver an ICAS Assessments product. Unless you, as the child’s legal guardian consents, we will not:

• collect any personal information or data of children other than the information we need for the successful completion of an assessment, test, or exam.
• transfer any personal information we obtain from a child in the delivery of assessments and tests to any jurisdiction outside of Australia.
• share any personal information relating to children with any third parties (except for those third parties necessary for us to carry out our Services or provide our Products e.g., medal engraving).
• use any personal information or data relating to children for marketing purposes.

You can view our full privacy policy at https://www.janison.com/privacy-policy/. 

We may retain personal information and data relevant to a child for their future purposes or for research purposes by Janison for the duration of the school life cycle of the child. However, if you or your child at any time wish to have their personal information or data removed from our systems, they or you may opt out by simply contacting our Privacy Officer at privacy@janison.com or by contacting icasassessments@janison.com. 

We are proud to be offering ICAS to our students this year and encourage you to consider entering your child. Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions. 

Kind regards,
Kathy Lavender klave17@eq.edu.au
ICAS Co-ordinator

CAMP AUSTRALIA

We had had an exciting two weeks at OSHC where children created Bold and Colourful Mother’s Day Gifts.  We also had an excellent response and involvement in our OSHC Master Lego Challenge.

We have Four Winners

Lachlan A for The Toxic Waste Container (9 yrs) with a movable door.

Honourable Mentions

Mila H - The Cat Tower
Theo B - The Great Creation
Leo d - Stranded on an Island
Zeca G - The Attacked Castle
Ivy M - The Tower of Mountain
Harriet H - The Cat Tea Party
Poppy H - The Pet Shop
Madeline B - The Pet Escape
Molly H - The Rainbow Square

YOUR CHILDREN AND THE DIGITAL WORLD

In today's digital world, children are spending more time on screens than ever - often with access to platforms that are not designed for their age or wellbeing. While legislative reform is underway, families need practical tools now.

This webinar will explore:

• How algorithms and screen time impact mental health and development
• Why real-world experiences matter more than ever
• What parents can do today to set healthy boundaries and build connection
• How to talk to kids about digital risks
• Live Q&A – a chance for parents to ask Dr Coulson their biggest questions directly

Dr Coulson is one of Australia's most trusted parenting voices, and this free session is part of our commitment to supporting families in school communities.

A very big thank you to Gympie Bunnings, for donating glue for our Sensory Garden craft and construction days.  It’s much appreciated! 

These days are run on a weekly basis in the Sensory Garden and are very popular!  It’s great seeing younger students working with their older ‘buddies’ and children sharing their ‘engineering technics’ with others.             

Construction crafts are important for kids because they foster creativity and problem-solving skills.  This encourages them to think critically and find solutions to building challenges. Children develop an understanding of basic concepts like math, science and engineering.

It can introduce concepts like balance, gravity and develop their ability to visualize and manipulate object in space as they build structures.  Manipulating small objects and tools during construction strengthens fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. 

Building together with others can improve social skills, including sharing, negotiation and collaboration.  Seeing their creations come to life and being proud of their accomplishments boosts children’s self-esteem and can be a safe and enjoyable way for children to express their feelings and emotions.

Happy building!!!

Shaylene Brock & Wayne Voss
Sensory Garden coordinators

DAN WARLOW MUSIC

QUESTACON