Dear Parents/Carers,

TEACHER AIDE APPRECIATION WEEK

Last week, Queensland celebrated Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. The children will make some small gestures of appreciation this week as we regard our teacher-aides as educators at this school, so our community and P and C celebrate them beside our teachers on World Teachers' Day in October. 

From helping a learner with a tricky question to offering a word of encouragement, they are the quiet heroes of our classrooms. Their patience, kindness and unwavering support create a space at Jamboree Heights were every learner can feel seen and successful. We are incredibly lucky to have these professionals as part of our team and school family. It is not uncommon for learners when grown as adults, to mention a teacher-aide as an essential part of their support and success at primary school. We thank them for all that they do, every single day.

PLANS FOR 2026

We are currently making our staffing arrangements for 2026 and next term we will turn our attention to forming classes. 

At this time we would appreciate any information from those families who have made plans for their children to attend another school in 2026. Additionally, if your children are returning late, please advise so we can ensure we maintain a place in a class for them. 

Please submit your responses through this survey.

USE OF PLAYGROUNDS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

Recently, we have had some accidents occur before or after school through the use of playgrounds. During playbreaks, there are some very specific guidelines that our staff use to ensure the safety of learners. These playgrounds differ to those available in council parks. Please be aware that school playgrounds are designed for supervision by staff at lunchbreaks and that using them outside school hours without the parameters set by staff,  is a risk. We are blessed with some great playgrounds closeby that give parents and children in our school community an opportunity to connect.

Have a good week,

Kathy

Chaplain Father's Day Sausage Sizzle

A big thank you to Chappy Harry for hosting our Father’s Day Sausage Sizzle last week. It was wonderful to see so many dads, grandads, and special friends join us to celebrate. The afternoon created a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our school community to come together, enjoy a sausage, and share in the spirit of Father’s Day.

We are grateful to Chappy Harry for his organisation and enthusiasm, and to everyone who came along to make the event such a success.

Father's Day P&C Stall

A big thank you to our wonderful P&C for hosting this year’s Father’s Day Stall. Special thanks to Rebecca Dove for her organisation and to the volunteers who gave their time to help make the stall such a success.

It was lovely to see the learners choosing gifts with excitement, and we are grateful for the effort that went into creating this opportunity for them. We hope all fathers and father figures enjoyed a special day on Sunday!

Interschool Sport Year 5 & 6 

Our Year 5 and 6 learners had a great time kicking off their first week of interschool sport! With Touch Football, Volleyball, AFL, and Basketball on offer, there was plenty of fun, energy, and excitement on the fields and courts.

It was wonderful to see learners giving new sports a go, cheering on their teammates, and simply enjoying being active together. Smiles, laughter, and a few close games made for a fantastic start to the season.

We can’t wait for our next round of Interschool Sport this Friday!

Prep Sports Day

It was awesome to see our school oval awash with community and colour for our recent Prep sports days. Jamboree C&K joined us for these days as we ran 60m races, held egg and spoon races, sack races, ran the obstacle course, played with the parachute and participated in long jump and throwing activities. A big thank you to our student leaders who were amazing helpers on the day, along with Mrs Foreman, Mr Castle, teachers and parents who assisted with set up and pack up. There were smiles galore and some very tired learners by the end of the day.

Prep 2026

The next stage in our transition to Prep for 2026 is our interviews. These will be held on Friday, October, 24. For those parents who have completed their enrolment forms and are in our catchment area, you will receive an email with further information and a link to book your timeslot. If you do not receive an email by the end of this week or cannot attend on that day, please call the office on 3725 5666.

• Prep Interviews: Friday 24th October
• Prep Orientation Morning: Friday 14th November - 9:00-11:00am

Lunchtime Clubs and Activities

For Term 3, we continue to offer a wide range of clubs and activities designed to engage and support our learners. With something on offer for everyone, we’re confident your child will find an activity that sparks their interest.

Please note that some clubs have updated times this term. Refer to the Club Overview Term 3 (V 22-8) for full details of what’s available. A few key changes to note:

• Self-Care is a new student-led club for 3 to 6s
• AFL jnr is a new club for Year 2 & 3s being run by Mrs Ridley with some more details below
• Dance –  don’t forget Dance is still running  - we have had a few Wednesdays off and it is back on!
• Lego Club has moved to Friday 1st break (previously Wednesday)
• Maker Space will now be held only on Tuesday 1st break – open to all year levels
• Conservation Club – now confirmed to be open to Year 1 to 6 learners

We encourage you to explore these options with your child and support them in trying something new. If they’re unsure about joining a club, we suggest they attend at least once—it might be just the right fit!

Clubs in the spotlight

Discover the Heart of Our School: The Library!

• Before School: Mon–Fri, 8:15–8:40 for Prep to 6 (Prep students welcome with a parent)
• Break Times: Mon–Fri, 1st & 2nd Breaks for Year 1 to 6

Looking for a vibrant, welcoming space to relax, connect, and explore? Look no further than our school library — the ultimate destination before school and during both breaks!

Every first break, we welcome an average of 40–50 students who come to enjoy a variety of activities. Whether you're teaming up for a board game, diving into a world of creativity with colouring-in, building in Minecraft, or simply curling up with a good book (my personal favourite!), there's something for everyone.

The library isn’t just a place for quiet reading — it’s a hub of fun, friendship, and imagination. Come and see what all the buzz is about!

Understanding ADHD: What Parents Need to Know

What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a common neurodevelopmental condition. It’s linked to structural and chemical differences in the brain, which affect a set of skills called executive functions. These skills help us plan, stay organized, control impulses, manage emotions, and get tasks done — even when they’re boring or hard.

For children with ADHD, these skills develop more slowly (often around 30% behind their peers). This means they may struggle to follow instructions, manage emotions, or complete tasks, not because they’re lazy or naughty, but because their brains work differently.

One way to think about this is the idea of a “just get it done button.” Most of us, when faced with something we don’t want to do, can press this imaginary button and push ourselves through. For children with ADHD, that button doesn’t work the same way. Because of differences in brain development, they find it much harder to self-regulate — to control their thoughts, behaviour, and emotions in line with expectations. This lag in executive functioning is long-term, which is why many children with ADHD continue to experience challenges into adulthood.

Myths and Facts

• Myth: Kids with ADHD can’t pay attention.
  Fact: The challenge isn’t a lack of attention, but difficulty directing it to less interesting tasks. Many children with ADHD can actually hyperfocus on things they find rewarding.
• Myth: ADHD is just about hyperactivity.
  Fact: Some children show hyperactivity, but others present mainly with inattention — forgetfulness, distractibility, and difficulty with organization.
• Myth: Kids with ADHD are lazy or just need to try harder.
  Fact: ADHD isn’t about motivation or effort. Children with ADHD are often trying their hardest, but their brains make it harder to regulate attention. Telling a child with ADHD to “just focus” is like telling someone who’s nearsighted to “just see farther.”
• Myth: Kids will outgrow ADHD.
  Fact: While some symptoms may lessen with age, most children don’t simply grow out of ADHD. The condition often continues into adulthood, though it can look different over time — for example, hyperactivity may fade, while difficulties with organisation, focus, and planning often remain..

At School
In the classroom, ADHD often shows up as more than just being “distracted.” Difficulties with executive functioning can impact learning, organisation, social interactions, and even a child’s sense of time. These challenges are not always obvious, which is why understanding and support are so important.

Although originally created for teachers, the resource Explaining ADHD to Teachers (see attached) may also be helpful for parents. It highlights both the visible and hidden aspects of ADHD and provides valuable insight into the challenges children may face at school.

At Home
Parenting a child with ADHD can be more challenging, because the usual strategies that work for other children may not be effective. It often requires a shift in approach — guiding rather than controlling, staying compassionate and connected, and focusing on principles rather than rigid rules. Importantly, parents should remember that their child’s difficulties are not deliberate misbehaviour, but the result of genuine brain differences. Even with the right strategies, parenting a child with ADHD can be harder, and that’s not a reflection on you as a parent.

Want to Learn More?
Here are some helpful resources:

• Dr. Russell Barkley on Parenting Principles
• Thriving with ADHD: Minimising Meltdowns
• 30 Essentials About ADHD (Video)

Cartoons taken from Life With ADHD Illustrated In 24 Comics 

Do you want your child to play an instrument beginning in 2026?

Expressions of interest have closed for applying to join Band or Strings in 2026. If you missed this please email Mrs Brydon ASAP dbryd1@eq.edu.au

Here is the timeline for the recruiting process. If you have any questions please email Mrs Brydon dbryd1@eq.edu.au.

Singfest

Our Senior Choir had a fabulous day at Singfest last week. Their behaviour was impeccable. They set the tone for everyone there and Mrs Brydon was impressed. She observed our learners offering for the children from other schools to join in their activities at lunch time, encouraging them and offering them kind words. Our school spirit and values were on show all day. It was also great to see how far the Year Six learners have come in their ability to focus and their singing ability since the first time they went to Singfest 2 years ago. They are absolutely to be congratulated.

Book Week – Andy Griffiths  

What an amazing Book Week we had! The effort and imagination that went into all the costumes was outstanding. Our Book Week costume parade is always so much fun, and even more so this year with Australia’s number 1 children’s author, Andy Griffiths, watching on. Andy was blown away by the costumes and reading culture in our school. He commented that the staff are all so supportive and the students are so engaged and interested. He was very impressed by the staff and students who had designed costumes based on one of his books.

Our year 6 captains started us off with a fun skit to put us all in the mood for books, stories and fun! Our library captains did a great job of introducing Andy Griffiths. Andy entertained us with his presentation, captivating the audience from Prep to year 6, as well as staff and parents. Many of the adults present grew up with Andy’s books, especially the “Just” series. It was an honour to host such a well-known author at our school. Many thanks to Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop for offering us this opportunity. We are fortunate now to have hosted a number of author visits – meeting an author brings books to life for students as they see the real person behind the story. It also inspires students to have a go at writing their own stories or read books they may not have considered previously.

The Andy Griffiths display table in the library is nearly empty, as students have all been asking for Andy’s books all week, including his older titles (Treehouse Series, Just Series etc.). I am still seeing many students walking around the school and in the library with their own copies of Land of the Lost Things and the Peanut Butter Beast book – it’s great to see such engagement with reading as a result of Andy’s visit. Andy was booked from 9am-12:30pm but ended up staying until nearly 2:30pm signing books and chatting to each and every student who came up to the tables. Many thanks to our school community for purchasing over 400 books from Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop!

Many thanks to Mr Matthews, Mrs Ivory-Lisle, Mrs Denner and Mrs Brydon for helping to organise everything to make this author visit and the Book Week Parade such a great experience for all. As I said at the parade, this one will be hard to top in 2026! For those who like to get organised early with costumes (haha) – the theme for CBCA Book Week 2026 has been announced - “A Symphony of Stories”!

CBCA Book of the Year

The winning books in each category are shown below. You can find all these books in our school library; they are all available for borrowing now.

Congratulations to our Book Week competition winners:

• Guessing the bookworm lollies in the jar: Ryan in 4M
• Guess the book from the suitcase clues: Evie in 4J, Lucy in 3D, James L in 2M
• Bookmark design competition: Heather in 5W, Emily B in 5S, Lucy Z in 3B & Charlotte in 5S. Designs will be sent for printing, we hope to get these bookmarks out into the library during Term 4.

Published Author

Congratulations to Krutir in Year 5 who has recently had two of his short stories published. Storyland Express Volume 1, a compilation by Puja Talesara Bhandari, features stories from seven young authors, including Krutir. The stories range from time-travelling adventures and pirate escapades to heartfelt lessons in kindness and self-belief. Krutir and his family have kindly donated a copy of the book to the library. It will be available on the shelves in the coming weeks – come in and check it out, or read it in the library! Well done, Krutir.

Questions?

If you have any questions, email Ms Edwards – gedwa16@eq.edu.au

You can access our school library catalogue here. Parents are welcome to become library borrowers, too. Drop in and see us if you’d like to sign up.

Sports Representatives

Huge congratulations to Hudson, Becky, Will, Mackayla, Emmie, Edie, Zara and Abby who represented JHSS in the Northern Eagles District athletics team last week! There were some outstanding performances on the track and in the field. Special mention to Edie and Emmie who both jumped above the Met West Regional qualifying height in their High Jump events. Well done to all our athletes who gave their best effort representing the school and the district with pride!! 

Interschool Sport

We are looking forward to our second round of Interschool Sport this Friday! Our teams have been training hard and are excited to compete against the other schools in the region. We are very proud to have had wonderful reports from both staff and the bus drivers about our learners' kindness, politeness and sportsmanship!

Running Club

This week (Week 9) will the last week of Running Club for the term. We hope everyone who had come along this term has enjoyed some running fun! Running Club will continue next term.

Swimming in PE term 4

We are excited to return to the pool for swimming in term 4. Swimming is an important life skill, part of the PE Curriculum which is assessed and we are very proud of the development of our learners over the two swimming terms. Learners will require togs, towel, cap, goggles, rashie and thongs (class dependent). Please make sure all swimming gear and school uniform pieces are named. More information will follow regarding individual year levels swimming lessons.

Before School Play

• Before school each day, all students must be sitting in the Junior Shed unless sitting with a parent near their classroom. We insist on NO play on the various playground structures or playing handball before school even if parents are supervising as it entices others to join in, and we have no formal supervision in place before school.

Allergies

At Jamboree Heights State School, we have a number of students who suffer from a range of allergies. For some students, these allergies can be life-threatening. Therefore, we ask the following of parents of children with an allergy:

• Discuss your child’s allergy with their teacher as soon as possible and consider giving permission to share your child’s medical condition with other students and families
• Ensure all medical records are up to date on our school system
• If your child suffers from Anaphylaxis, please ensure their Action Plan and Epi-Pen are current and renewed annually
• Continue educating your child about allergy management
• Plan with the teacher for camps, excursions, sport, cooking at school, and special occasions throughout the year

For all other families, we ask the following:

• Find out from teachers if there is someone with an allergy in the classroom
• Try to consider children with allergies when sending in special treats like birthday food
• Educate your child about allergies, not sharing food, washing hands, and finding help if a friend is showing the symptoms of a reaction
• Be mindful of lunchbox contents such as foods containing nuts and eggs and the impact it may have on children with an allergy. We have a NO SHARING policy!

Finally, our school staff are educated annually on the topic of allergies and also undertake training in the use of Epi-Pens.

Homework

Our school’s policy on Homework:

At Jamboree Heights State School homework will include nightly reading (using appropriate levels and text types) and Computer or iPad tasks such as Reading Eggs, Reading Eggspress, Mathletics, Maths Seeds, Mighty Maths, etc. and occasional alternative tasks such as research, sight words, unit-based tasks, etc. but NO weekly homework sheet or grid, etc. If parents wish for their child to be given NO homework or only certain aspects above, then they can make a formal request in writing (or email) to the teacher. If computer or iPad access at home is difficult then students can make arrangements with their teacher for additional access before or after school or during breaks.

QParents

QParents allows parents to connect instantly with us to access and manage their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer. 

• Attendance and absence details, as well as the ability to notify the school of an absence 
• Academic report cards 
• Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online 
• Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address 
• Enrolment details 
• Online excursion permissions

For more information see the QParents page on our website.

School Payments

Please note that payments must be made by due dates to ensure your child can attend the various extra-curricular events. Departmental financial practice dictates that we must immediately write off invoices for non-payment and therefore notify numbers based on this. At the end of each term we are required to provide Debtor Statements to those with outstanding invoices attached to their account, so it is very important that invoices are removed in a timely manner for each excursion/incursion or event.

Full details of payment methods can be found on the school website.

Messages from Parents

Requests for messages to be relayed to students during school hours, particularly regarding afternoon pickup arrangements interrupt both the office staff and teachers in the classroom. It is a good idea to confirm with your child each morning what the plan is for the afternoon, and have a regular meeting spot for them to go to if they are ever unsure. While some appointments and changes of plans are inevitable, we would appreciate your efforts in keeping these to a minimum.

The Administration email address is admin@jamboreeheightsss.eq.edu.au.

• All student mobile phones MUST be signed in at the office each morning.
• Students are NOT permitted to have any medication on them, all medication MUST be held at the office.
• Jewellery is NOT permitted except ear studs, watches and medical bracelets/necklaces.
• Playgrounds are NOT available to students before school.
• CLASSES START AT 8:50am EVERY DAY! (late arrivals impact on the learning and teaching).
• Student Absence Email Address: We now have an email address for notifying the school about student absence if you find email more convenient than phoning the school office (absentees@jamboreeheightsss.eq.edu.au).
• Payments: We are no longer able to accept cash payment. Both QParents and BPoint are easy, convenient online payment options. Full details of payment options are available on our website. Our office is currently open for payments from 8:00am-9:30am or 2:30pm-3:30pm, Monday to Friday.
• Office Hours: Please note the office hours below. Whilst staff are in attendance before and after these advertised times, these are the times that are available for our community to access office staff:
  
  • 8:00am to 3:30pm