Welcome to the halfway point of Term 2! It’s been a full and vibrant start to the term, from the outset, students and staff have demonstrated great energy and enthusiasm, embracing classroom learning, extra-curricular opportunities, and the many events that make our college such a dynamic and inclusive place.

We have all heard the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, this means that an entire community of people must interact with positive purpose with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. I would like to extend a thank you to everyone involved in the lives of our students for working to ensure our students have the support they need to ensure they have a life of choice and not a life of chance.

This term marks the beginning of our second quarter—a fitting time to reflect on our shared goals and reaffirm our focus for 2025. Our school priorities—Educational Achievement, Wellbeing and Engagement, and Culture and Inclusion—remain central to all that we do. By working together as staff, students and families, we continue building a community where every learner is supported to succeed.

As we move into the second half of the term, we look forward to continued growth, shared celebrations and strong community partnerships. Thank you for your support—your engagement helps make WHSC the connected and caring place it is.

Join Us for Our Upcoming Twilight Expo!

We’re excited to invite all current and prospective families to our Whites Hill State College Twilight Expo (Open Night) on Monday 26 May from 3:15pm to 5:30pm.

This is a special opportunity to experience the spirit of our P–12 College firsthand and discover what makes our learning community unique. The event will feature interactive displays and engaging activities from across Primary and Secondary, showcasing everything from classroom learning and curriculum innovation to the arts, sport, and languages.

Whether you're a current parent wanting to see what’s ahead for your child, or a new family considering joining our College, the Twilight Expo is a fantastic way to meet our passionate staff, tour the grounds, and see our students in action. There will be information booths, performances, hands-on exhibits, and opportunities to speak with teachers, leadership staff, and student leaders. Our popular French Bilingual Program will also be featured, along with primary and secondary learning area and subject displays, co-curricular offerings, and specialist programs that make WHSC a truly dynamic and welcoming place to learn.

Guided Campus Tours: Our passionate staff and students will be your enthusiastic guides, leading you through our well-equipped classrooms, state-of-the-art facilities, and captivating learning spaces. Get a firsthand glimpse into the vibrant atmosphere that makes Whites Hill a wonderful learning environment.

Performances and interactive demonstrations: Enjoy performances by our national award-winning Sports Aerobics teams. Immerse yourself in the wonders of learning as you witness engaging demonstrations by our talented students and passionate educators. From science experiments to inspiring displays, each showcase will reveal the dynamic and engaging nature of our curriculum.

Meet our Enthusiastic Staff: Engage in meaningful conversations with our highly skilled educators and support staff. They will be available throughout the evening to answer any questions you may have.

Connect with the Whites Hill Community: Our Twilight Expo is a fantastic opportunity to interact with our warm and inclusive community of educators, parents, guardians and students. Engage in conversations with current and prospective families.  We certainly have a wonderful “village” at Whites Hill.

Refreshments and Treats: Thank you to our Student Council and P&C volunteers!

We extend a warm invitation to prospective families, and all members of the community. Our Twilight Expo is the perfect occasion to explore the possibilities that await your child. We can’t wait to see you!

Richenda Wagener
College Principal

As we reach the middle of term 2, I am proud of our students and how they have demonstrated respect by greeting staff and offering to help when needed. Respect is one our of CARES values and one we speak to students most frequently about. Which leads me to a quote by Dalai Lama that I would like for our whole school community to reflect and enact, Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.

School drop-off policy

Be advised that students are not to be dropped off at school before 8:15 am. Supervision of students does not begin until 8:30am, and it is important to ensure that children are not left unattended on school grounds before this time.

If a student arrives prior to 8:15am, families may be contacted to return to school or make alternative arrangements for supervision until that time.

Any primary student on school grounds before 8:15am may be directed to the Main Administration Building (Burn Street) and will be asked to wait; a follow up message will be sent to parents as a reminder of our school’s supervision expectations.

We understand that mornings can be busy, and we appreciate your cooperation in making alternative arrangements for your child to be supervised before 8:15am.

Social Media

In today’s digital age, our children are growing up in a world where communication, friendships, and self-expression often happen online. While social media and digital platforms offer many benefits, they also come with risks and responsibilities. As parents and caregivers, it's important to be aware and involved in your child’s online life—just as you are in their everyday life.

While much use of social media is harmless, it is essential to stay alert to how they are communicating, what they are saying, what they are sharing and with whom.

Important questions to ask yourself as a parent and to open face to face communication with your child:

• Do you know what apps your child is using?
  Take time to explore the platforms together. Are they of a legal age to be using the app?
• Who are they talking to?
  Remind them never to communicate with strangers or share personal information. Do they understand what a friend is? Often online ‘friends’ are strangers who they have connected with through social media or gaming.
• What are they posting or sharing?
  Photos, videos, and even comments have a lasting digital footprint.
• How are they treating others online—and how are others treating them?
  Cyberbullying, exclusion, and online harassment are real concerns.

How to be a supportive and responsible parent

• Open the Lines of Communication
  Talk regularly about your child’s online activities without judgment. Create a safe space where they feel comfortable sharing both positive and negative experiences. Listen, not react.
• Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries
  Establish age-appropriate rules around screen time, privacy settings, and acceptable content. Encourage them to think before they post.
• Stay Informed
  Familiarise yourself with the platforms your child uses. Consider using parental control tools or monitoring apps, but pair them with trust and conversation.
• Model Healthy Digital Habits
  Children often mimic adult behaviour. Demonstrate respectful and mindful social media use yourself.
• Teach Empathy and Responsibility
  Remind them that there are real people behind screens. Kindness, respect, and consent should extend to their digital interactions.

Being involved in your child’s online world doesn't mean invading their privacy—it means guiding them toward safe and respectful digital behaviour. With your support, they can learn to navigate social media with confidence and care.

Let’s work together to ensure our children are not only safe online but are also kind, thoughtful, and responsible digital citizens.

The following point is an important one to be aware of:

• When student conduct on social media disrupts the good order and management of the school, brings the school into disrepute, or qualifies as bullying behaviour, the Whites Hill Student Code of Conduct will be used to address this behaviour.

Videoing and photographing on school grounds

We kindly remind you that filming or photographing on school grounds is not permitted, particularly when it involves other students. While we understand that capturing special moments is meaningful and provides lasting memories, we must prioritise the safety and privacy of all children in our care.

Many students do not have parental consent for photography or video, and in some cases, this is due to important child protection reasons.

School assembly and Student of the Week

As PBL (Positive Behaviour for Learning) and CARES continues to be the behaviour framework in the College, we will no longer be doing Student of the Week awards. The success of students will be acknowledge and celebrated through CARES assemblies. 

We will be moving to a model of CARES assemblies, similar to high school, again for ‘College-ness’.

School uniform

The weather is getting cooler and we’re starting to see jumpers being worn. I would encourage you to check the college uniform policy which is available on our website. Information about the uniform shop is available on our website. Gloves are not part of the school uniform and students will be asked to remove them.

Class newsletter – Term 2

These have been sent to all parents, and they provide an update as to the learning and assessment focus in a year level or class for term 2. Please check with the administration if you have not received an email (check your junk folder) and we can confirm your email details.

Briohny Cuskelly
Head of School - Primary

As we reach the midpoint of the school year, Term 2 has been a time of reflection, growth, and renewed focus on the values that make Whites Hill State College a place where every student can thrive. Guided by our school motto — Imagine, Believe, Achieve — we continue to foster a learning community where every individual is supported to reach their full potential.

This term, we have placed a strong emphasis on Respect — for ourselves, for each other, and for our learning environment. Respect is one of the core values of our CARES framework, and it underpins the way we interact, learn, and grow together as a college community.  Respecting ourselves means taking pride in who we are and the goals we set for our learning and behaviour. It’s about making positive choices, maintaining high standards, and striving to be the best version of ourselves, every day. Respecting others is just as important. At Whites Hill, we celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, kindness, and cooperation. Whether it's in the classroom, on the sports field, or in the playground, showing respect through our words and actions helps to build a safe and supportive environment for all. At our recent Small Steps for Hannah day all of our students engaged with the HALT Program.  Respect is at the core of the HALT Program.   This program provides a research-based, age-appropriate approach, to respectful relationships education for students in years 7 to 12. Through the facilitation of interactive conversations, the program supports young people to explore what safety and respect means for their community, so they can collectively build the path toward it. The robust conversation sand presentation acknowledges the hurdles young people may encounter, while providing practical skills to overcome them. Together, through cooperation, achievement, respect, enthusiasm, and safety, we are building a school culture where students not only imagine and believe in their future — but actively achieve it. Thank you to all students, staff, and families for your ongoing commitment to these values.

Our students are about to enter a very busy time of the term.  Week 6 to 9 is assessment time.  Assessment is an essential component of the learning cycle, and its purpose is to communicate a student’s level of understanding and skill. Assessment is also a powerful feedback tool.  Assessment communicates what learners have done well and how they can improve.  Feedback provides the constructive dialogue required to help learners have agency over their own learning and therefore their success.  During times of increased workload and stress some students may find it challenging to manage competing priorities and complete the volume of work required to achieve the results or goals that they were working towards.   In these times of increased demand, it is essential for our learners to understand the ingredients of success, so that they can push through the uncomfortableness of challenge and develop resilience and self-belief.  On the surface it is easy to label learners or people as successful, smart, and talented.  However, for each successful outcome, there will be less obvious contributions to success that aren’t readily identified.  With each success that is achieved, there is a story that goes with it; it is often the story of sacrifice, failure, hard work, discipline, disappointment, dedication, persistence and sometimes failure.  What matters is not how many successes we chalk up, but how we handle the invisible elements of success.  Managing the invisible obstacles to success is proof that learners have a growth mindset.  They understand that worthwhile learning is not comfortable, and it is this uncomfortableness that makes learning dynamic and a rich experience that ultimately contributes to their development as a whole person, not just a student of a particular subject. 

During peak times of assessment, it is essential that students are looking after their physical and mental health.  The list of tips below may help students keep everything in perspective and work towards their personal best while keeping stress levels low and productivity high. 

1. Plan a study timetable, and stick to it

• Create a routine and have it visible somewhere in your study space
• Give attention across a variety of your subjects when revising.
• Work on your most difficult pieces, at times of greatest alertness
• Plan ahead for the next day

2. Being organised operationally, will help you be organised mentally

• Organise your home work space – clean, clear and quiet
• Have appropriate stationery on hand
• Ensure you have good light to avoid eye strain
• Keep a snack and water bottle on hand
• If it doesn’t help you study, it shouldn’t be on your desk

3. Be healthy: eat well, sleep well and maintain physical movement

• Keep your mood and energy levels up, and your stress levels down by taking the time to eat healthy meals, maintain appropriate sleep times (7-9 hours) and patterns, avoid caffeine and screen time right before bed
• Exercise or continue activity patterns through this period

4. Minimise distractions

• Avoid procrastination by just thinking about starting tasks, not necessarily completing whole tasks in one sitting
• Break your work up into manageable chunks that are appropriate for the timeframes you have available
• Seek feedback to keep you on track, and motivate your progression

5. Take breaks and reward your invested efforts

• Set goals for yourself and reward your efforts when you reach them
• Consistent and/or well-timed breaks will help you be more productive in the long run
• Creating a balance in your approach to lesson revision, exam preparation study or assessment completion, will help you establish great habits in all your future learning

If students require extra support at any time of the year, they can connect with our School Based Youth Health Nurse.  At Whites Hill we are blessed to have Esther McCall on site each Monday.  Students in years 7 to 12 are able to book an appointment to see Esther using the QR code.  The graphic below outlines the support that a school-based youth health nurse can offer.

Enjoy the second half of term 2.

Samantha Hawkins
Head of School - Secondary

New resources

Thanks to your voluntary contributions towards the Primary French Bilingual Program, we have been able to purchase a set of dictionaries. Learning to use the dictionary and order words in alphabetical order is part of the Year 2 & Year 3 French curriculum.

New French learning assistants

As well as having a full-time French teacher aide in our Prep class we have now also welcomed two new French learning assistants, Florence and Celine. Florence and Celine will be working with our Years 1 to Year 3. Learning assistants provide invaluable in-class support in the form of small group work and one-on-one support to students.

French Bilingual Teachers recruitment process

We acknowledge and understand the families’ feelings of uncertainty and concerns around the recruitment of French Teachers.

It has been frustrating — for students, for families, and certainly for us as a school. We want to assure you that we are not only aware of the impact these changes have had, but we are also actively and urgently working to stabilise the situation.

While many factors remain outside of our immediate control, we are continually advocating strongly at every level — locally and systemically — for long-term staffing solutions.

We are actively working to appoint a French-speaking teacher who meets the Department of Education’s requirements, for a position in our French Bilingual Program.

These include:

• Native-level fluency in French
• Successfully passing the academic IELTS English language assessment or ISLPR
• Holding the appropriate working visa

Only then can a candidate apply for teacher registration with the Queensland College of Teachers and submit an application through the official Queensland State Schools recruitment system.

We share this detail to help you understand the complexities involved and to reassure you that our priority remains to find a permanent, qualified teacher who can meet the high standards of our bilingual program.

Secondary students' excursion to ‘Les Misérables’

Next week a small group of secondary students from the French Bilingual Program and some students who learn French as a second language will be going to see the musical of the French classic ‘Les Miserables’. Thank you to our French Bilingual Progam teacher Laury Perombelon and the secondary Head of Languages, Gerri Courtney for your initiative and work to make this excursion possible.

Meeting with Anne Genetet

On Thursday 24 April, I had the privilege of meeting Anne Genetet, Member of Parliament for French citizens abroad (11th constituency) and former Minister of Education, during her visit to Brisbane. This meeting, facilitated by the Honorary Consul of France in Brisbane, Alain Etchegaray, was part of her meeting with French associations in Brisbane and provided a fantastic opportunity to share about our French Bilingual Program and its expansion into Whites Hill State College.

French Theatre

The Brisbane French Theatre has a new play coming this winter!

“Big news—Brisbane French Theatre is making its long-awaited return!

Mark your calendars for 19, 20, and 21 June 2025 for a full-scale theatre production performed entirely in French, with English subtitles projected above the stage: Du foie gras sous le sapin (“Eat your heart out”)

It’s been nearly three years since our last big show, and we’re beyond excited to bring you an unforgettable night of French theatre.”

More info and bookings on their website: https://brisbanefrenchtheatre.org/whats-on/

Le Festival

Mark your calendars, Le Festival will be back in Southbank from July 4^th to 6^th this year.

Information on this year’s event will be available on their website: www.lefestival.com.au   

Emma Van Cuylenberg
Head of Department – French Bilingual Program | Coordinatrice du programme bilingue français

At our special ANZAC Day Assembly, our College community gathered to reflect on the courage and sacrifices made by Australians and New Zealanders, who lost their lives during war and those who continue to serve our countries in the armed forces. Students and staff paid tribute to family members during our Roll of Honour and laying of the wreaths.

Thank you to our special guests and WHSC community for commemorating ANZAC Day with us.

On April 25, our College Captains, students and staff proudly joined local schools and community groups to gather at the Camp Hill Commemoration Service to honour the sacrifices of those Australian and New Zealand service men and women who have served, past and present.

Thank you to our WHSC community for joining us for this very important event. ‘Lest we forget’.

Our clever Preps have been working hard on their reading and writing. Recently, Prep A took a big step by writing their very first independent sentence. They were so proud of their efforts – and so are we!

We ended the term with our Happy Hat parade and some of the hats were spectacular thanks to the creativity of parents. After the Easter break, the rain finally held off long enough for us to challenge ourselves at Cross Country. There was a sea of pink with face painting and hair spray to raise money for ‘Small Steps 4 Hannah’. Since the holidays, we have welcomed 6 new students to our classes from around the world and country. Along with thousands of students across Australia, we listened to the adventures of “The Truck Cat” for National Simultaneous Storytime. Our celebration of Under Eights’ was heaps of fun with lots of different activities to experience - petting zoo, dream catchers, face painting, kite making, Science experiments and much, much more.

Year 3 have certainly shown enthusiasm and embraced every opportunity this term! It's been a busy and meaningful few weeks, filled with learning, creativity, and community spirit.

We began the term with a strong sense of purpose, celebrating and commemorating important events together. For Anzac Day, students created beautiful wreaths and took time to honour family members who have served, showing great respect and understanding for the significance of the day.

Our students didn’t stop there—when the time came for the school cross country, Year 3 laced up their shoes and gave it their all! With cheers of encouragement and a lot of determination, everyone ran with pride and perseverance.

In the lead-up to Mother's Day, the classrooms were filled with excitement as students carefully selected gifts from the Mother’s Day stall, then made special bags and heartfelt cards. It was a lovely way to show love and appreciation for the amazing women in our lives.

We also participated in the Small Steps 4 Hannah initiative by wearing pink, having our faces painted, and even getting our hair sprayed! The joy was contagious, and all for a fantastic cause—raising awareness and funds to support families and build safer communities.

Environment Club gave us another chance to get involved, as we rolled up our sleeves and planted trees, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for our school and community.

Through it all, Year 3 have continued to work hard in the classroom, showing curiosity, resilience, and a positive attitude in all areas of learning.

We are proud of every student for their efforts and commitment this term. What a fantastic example of learning, growing, and giving back!

Our Primary students displayed great sportsmanship and CARES values on April 23. The long distance can be a challenge, however with the cheering of their peers, staff and families, students put in a great effort and had a lot of fun along the way. Congratulations to all place getters and age champions.

Thank you to our Primary families for sharing in the morning and a big thank you to our student helpers, staff and volunteers for your assistance in ensuring this event ran so smoothly.

In the end it was a very tight race in Primary! Final points were: 3rd place Mitchell on 117 points, 2nd place Cunningham with 150 points and 1st place went to Oxley with 153 points! Well done everyone!

Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser – THANK YOU

We raised a little over $3000 towards at our recent Sports Aerobics program fundraiser. These funds ensure our students can access the Nationals or Futures in July/August.

It was really heart-warming to see so many familiar faces at the fundraiser coming along and buying a sausage, even having some of our athletes perform an impromptu demonstration of what sports aerobics is all about - the community could see what a great college we have on the Hill.

Congratulations

Well done to all students who competed at the Lytton District Cross Country this term. Great effort!

Katie Stankovic
P-6 Physical Education Teacher - Whites Hill Academy of Sports and Performance Coordinator.

Our Primary Homework Centre is available to Year 1-Year 6 students on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3.00pm-4.30pm.

Bookings open Thursdays at 9am and close on Mondays at 9am.

Senior Cyber Career Excursion 

By special invite, and due to our strong connections with the Queensland University of Technology, Whites Hill State College were invited to bring 5 senior students (Year 10-12) along to a cyber career panel discussion where students could learn about future pathways in the IT industry. Students were selected based on their current career planning documents and interests, and after requesting to bring a few more than 5 (9) Mrs Russell took them into the city this week to visit QUT at the Gardens Point Campus. This was a valuable day for the students involved, and allowed them to imagine life as a university student and a career in IT. 

Year 12 Biology start learning about DNA 

Year 12 Biology students have turned their focus on to Unit 4 and an exploration of DNA over the last few weeks. In this unit, students investigate different factors that affect cellular processes and gene pools. They examine different patterns of inheritance and the genetic basis of the theory of evolution through natural selection to analyse the use of predictive models in decision-making. Recently their studies have included making models of DNA (that were edible!) and extracting DNA from strawberries and kiwifruit. 

Hands on learning like this really helps solidify concepts that are less concrete and tangible, in this case due to their microscopic size. 

Year 7 Kick of Unit 2 

Year 7s this term are focussing on states of matter and correct terms for different types of mixtures. Students are applying this knowledge into an assessment where they will focus on filtering a mixture into its simple parts. To further prepare for this assessment, they have started experimenting with and learning about how filter paper works. This week’s investigation is “which folding technique made a more effective filter”. 

Emma Scotney
Head of Department - Science and Technologies

Our annual Cross Country is a wonderful opportunity for students to have fun, challenge themselves and participate in physical activity. On April 23 there was an abundance of team spirit on display and we saw some amazing performances as students showcased their athleticism. It was a great afternoon. Congratulations everyone!

Interschool Sport

Week 4 of Term 2 saw the finals for the Summer Season of the South District Interschool Sport Competition. The Junior Girls Touch Team did very well throughout the Season and came 3^rd in the competition. All other teams played well and were great representatives of our College.

Week 5 and Week 6 of Term 2 sees our College getting organised and ready for the South District Winter Interschool Sport Competition starting in Week 7. Whites Hill will have teams in Basketball, Football, Mixed Touch Rugby League and Volleyball. All the best students for the Winter Season.

District Trials and Met East Sport Trials

District trials for a number of sports for both Lytton District, South District and Met East have already taken place. Whites Hill has had a number of students trialling for these teams. Congratulations to Shinto who successfully gained selection in the Met East Hockey Team. A great achievement.

District Cross Country

Whites Hill State College had 17 students represent the college at the South District Cross Country. All students participated to the best of their ability, and all had an enjoyable day. Thank you to those students who represented the College.

Carina Tigers Netball Tournament

On Tuesday 23^rd April, Whites Hill SC had a team compete in the Carina Leagues Tigers Netball Tournament at Coorparoo. Although the ladies didn’t make it to the finals, they all represented the college with pride and had a fun and exciting day. Well done Ladies!

Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Week 10 of this Term will see our last Interhouse Competition for the Year – Athletics. This is a 2 day Carnival with the Field Events and 1500m being held on Thursday 26^th June and the Track Events on Friday 27^th June. Thursday will be by nominations only and Friday is the whole school. Looking forward to 2 days of fun and competition.

Please feel free to contact myself with any questions/concerns with regards to sport here at Whites Hill State College- Secondary.

Mardi Johnson
Culture and Engagement Coordinator - Sport

WE ARE VERY PROUD OF BLAKE

Blake represented the region in the 2025 QRSS 13-19yrs Boys and Girls Softball State Championships and his team gained first place. A fantastic achievement! Congratulations Blake!

The Resilience Project is a part of our everyday at the college. The Resilience Project (TRP) is embedded in every year level.

The Inspire Parent/Carer Hub content is designed to help families engage in the program. It includes information about the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy, along with the benefits of regularly practising these. Additionally, it offers activities that families can practise at home to support your wellbeing.

Accessing the Hub

The Hub can be accessed via the secure link below, with no account setup or login required: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2025-parent-carer-hub-inspire-3/

We’re proud, long-term champions of TRP and the associated GEM chats.

Watch this video to learn why this is a College centrepiece. https://fb.watch/zIVTDeosbO/

Mary-Anne Hollands
Head of Department - Student Services

Each day within our College community we strive to uphold our CARES values of Cooperation, Achievement, Respect, Enthusiasm and Safety. The PBL approach to behaviour and learning means we have clear and consistent expectations for behaviour which are explicitly taught to our students. Our staff work to establish positive classroom environments as this leads to a greater connection between our students and their education.

Many of our wonderful students have received CARES points this year, have been awarded their bronze badges and are now working to achieve their silver badge. Have you asked your student how many CARES points they have earned?

Each fortnight, we focus on one of our CARES values. During the fortnight, our expectations are taught and are regularly revisited throughout the year. When a value is being explicitly taught, teachers and students may discuss the following:

• What it looks like to be cooperative; how do I show cooperation at school? At home?
• How we can achieve to our potential; how do we celebrate success?
• Ways of creating a respectful environment; wearing our uniform with pride
• Engaging in opportunities enthusiastically and trying new activities
• Ensuring we are working/playing in a safe way; supporting the wellbeing of everyone.

Our values are not only a wonderful framework at school, they are also values for life outside school.

The PBL Team

As a host provider, you provide a secure family environment with a bedroom, study area, three meals a day and contribute to the brilliant reputation Queensland has of providing the perfect Aussie cultural experience.

Homestay families are a smorgasbord of diversity. They are married couples with or without kids, singles, singles with kids, dog people, cat people and grandparents too.

You could earn up to $1400 a month for welcoming an international high school student into your home! To find out more contact our Homestay Coordinator on 39008318 or email: international@whiteshillsc.eq.edu.au

Congratulations to Maddy who has begun her school-based Cert III in Hairdressing with Bridge and Sodah. This is a wonderful opportunity for Maddy to continue her school studies and gain hands-on experience and training while attaining a nationally recognised qualification. Congratulations Maddy!

School-based apprentices and trainees, typically in years 10, 11 and 12, are trained in the workplace and with a training organisation, in their chosen apprenticeship or traineeship while continuing to study towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (Senior Certificate or equivalent).

If you would like further information on School-based apprenticeships and traineeships, please email Mrs Taylor mtayl505@eq.edu.au

Men’s Health Week 9-15th June

The School Based Youth Health Nurse talks about…Men’s Health Week

Men's Health Week focuses on not just physical health, but also men's mental health and emotional wellbeing with this year's theme being 'Shoulder-to-Shoulder, Connecting for Health’.

It is an annual event that focuses on raising awareness about men’s health and to encourage them to prioritise their own wellbeing.

It is important for school communities to pause and reflect on our young men who attend our schools and to offer support if and when it is needed.

For more information, visit: Men's Health Week 2025 - AMHF - Australian Men's Health Forum

To make an appointment to see the nurse, students can:

Email: nurse.whiteshill@health.qld.gov.au

Self-Refer via this link: School Based Youth Health Nurse - Young Person Self-Referral (Page 1 of 6) (office.com)

Visit your School Based Youth Health Nurse office on Mondays, located upstairs in C Block.

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/chqSBYHN

Esther
School Based Youth Health Nurse

During Guidance Officer Week we celebrating the wonderful work of our Guidance Officers – Kylie Robertson (Secondary) and Melissa Berning (Primary). Our Guidance Officers deliver a wide range of services to our college community – and we’d like to thank them for the wonderful support and guidance that they provide to our students and staff! Thank you!

Phone – 3900 8333
Email – admin@whiteshillsc.eq.edu.au

EASY ONLINE ORDERING FOR CANTEEN & UNIFORM SHOP

WHSC offers easy online ordering for our canteen and uniform shop through the FlexiSchools system.

Registration is easy:

Go to www.flexischools.com.au

1. Select ‘Register here’ and enter your email address
2. You will be emailed a link to complete the registration form with username, password, contact details and credit card information
3. Nominate how much you would like to put into your online canteen account
4. For each of your children select ‘Add a Student’ and enter the school and class

You can then login at any time and order.

Canteen orders must be in by 9am each day.

The uniform shop packs online orders only on the days the uniform shop is staffed – Monday, Wednesday & Friday

 2025 STUDENT PHOTOS

Phone – 3900 8304
Email – accounts@whiteshillsc.eq.edu.au

EXCURSION / EVENT CUT OFF

Please be aware that every event – excursion or incursion – comes with a final date for permission and payment.

This is so final numbers can be advised to the businesses involved and payments made to them.

Please login to QParents to grant permission, make payment or to check if you have already done so. https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/login

Contact: Kylie Harris (Convener)
Phone: 07 3900 8325
Email: whscuniforms@gmail.com
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8.00am – 1pm

WINTER UNIFORMS NOW IN STOCK!

For known sizes, please order online or students may walk in without appointment between 8.00-8.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Online orders preferred – www.flexischools.com.au

Flexischools allows you to purchase new uniforms and text books via the app or website that will be delivered to either the main admin (Secondary) or to Primary classrooms. If you wish to purchase second-hand uniforms, you can email whscuniforms@gmail.com and use the pre-payment option to pay for items.

Should you be unable to visit the college during the uniform shop opening hours and require an appointment outside the opening times, please contact college administration via email admin@whiteshillsc.eq.edu.au to arrange.

If a fitting is required, please make an appointment by clicking this link or scan the QR code:

For further information including uniform policy & prices please visit the website:

Welcome to Term 2!

Has this year already flown by or what! The beginning of this year has been super busy and super exciting for all of us here at AWH.

2025 Enrolment

Our team at AWH couldn’t be happier with the number of new enrolments we have received and completed for this year, it has been the highlight of our year creating new relationships with all our children and families that have started with us these past few months. Please ensure all your information on your enrolments is up to date, including immunization forms and any forms of ID that you have.

Preps 2025

What an absolute pleasure it has been watching all our Preps grow into such beautiful people.  Our preppies have settled in very well have formed so many wonderful friendships. Our Preppies are amazing with our current routine at OSHC. We will continue to assist them in any way that they may need whilst in our care. Our staff members will continue to collect the prep and year 1s from their classroom after school to ensure they are getting to the OSHC room nice and safely.

Staffing

The team here at AWH is growing and we have another new Educator Jordan. Jordan is fitting in really well and all our children are taking the time to get to know Jordan. which is so exciting!

We have 3 staff away on Prac but they will return to us in the next few weeks.

We all miss them.

Quest Football

As most families are aware, we are continuing to do Quest. From the children that have started doing it, they are giving great feedback about it. Quest is running every Friday afternoon in 2 separate groups. As we have a few families started already, we do currently only have a few spots left! Please see below the bottom for the link.

Our Program

The AWH program is a fun, exciting, educational program which is created by our entire team. Our staff are paired up with one another each week to ensure we join all the ideas that we have and put them into the best program possible for our children to enjoy!

We are super excited for you all to see our upcoming vacation care program!

Story Park

It’s great to see how many parents are now actively involved with what we post on our Story Park.  If you haven’t already, please accept our Invitation for you to join.  We also want to assure families this is only for our Service to see.   This is an easy-to-use online service that is very private.   We do require permission prior, and this is what you have indicated on your Enrolment Form. Please note this can be changed at any time.

We also use this platform to notify special events, holidays and our Monthly Service Bulletin.

Driving up to OSHC Building

Thank you to everyone for helping to keep our children safe by not driving up to the OSHC building.  There are some exceptions so if you do see someone driving up, please know that we are aware in the Office. 

Our Next Vacation Care commences:

30^th June – 11^th July !!

The program has been sent to all families. Please, if you require bookings for vacation care,  bookings can be made via the app, if these bookings are made after week 8 of term, they will be casual bookings. Our team also require 2 weeks’ notice for any cancellations for vacation care, after this deadline, you will receive an absent fee.

Failure of Notice of Absence

We ask that if you are away if you can please notify us as soon as possible.  We need to account for all children who are booked in, and this can take some time contacting families.

We are unfortunately needed to charge a non-communication fee if we are having to make calls/texts.

Absences need to be given to the service the Friday prior to the following week, during term, or an absent fee is charged.

Sharon Seagrott – Service Coordinator
YMCA Queensland – Outside School Hours Care YMCA Whites Hill
Gate 6 Abbott Street, Camp Hill
M 0439 510 335 E awh@ymcaqueensland.org.au
W http://www.ymcachildcare.com.au/services/outside-school-hours-care.html

To stay updated and to support our P&C (Parents and Citizens Association), please follow their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/whscpandc

Join our Heads of School for a College Tour.

Tours depart from the main administration office at 9:15am.

• Wednesday, 27 August
• Wednesday, 22 October

To book online please scan this QR Code or contact our office on 39008333.

INCLUSIVE SPORTS EXPERIENCE 

Bowls Student with a Disability Pilot event 

The inaugural Bowls Invitational is coming to Queensland in 2025—and it’s set to bring together school-aged students with a disability from across the nation for an unforgettable celebration of sport, friendship, and fun.

This is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of participation, camaraderie, and the incredible spirit of school sport.

Whether you're brand new to lawn bowls or a seasoned player, this is your chance to shine on the green and be part of a truly national event.

Event Details:

Location: Pine Rivers Bowls Club, 1/11 Sparkes Rd, Bray Park QLD 4500
Visit Website

Dates:

• Opening Ceremony: 3:00pm, July 26 at Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
• Practice Round: July 27, 2025
• Competition Days: July 28–30, 2025
• Championship Team Experience: July 29, 2025 (details TBC)

Format: Two bowl triples, two sets of five ends

Teams: Final teams determined after entries close

Times & Draws: To be confirmed

Registrations close: 21 June 2025

To register your interest, please complete the online form.

For further information, feel free to reach out to:Michael Devine   MICHAEL.DEVINE@det.nsw.edu.au  Kristen Paludetto Kristen.Jansen@qed.qld.gov.au

Let’s bowl together, celebrate achievements, and build lasting memories on the green!

SCHOOL CROSSING SUPERVISORS NEEDED

Have you ever thought about becoming a School Crossing Supervisor? Transport and Main Roads want to hear from you!

Transport and Main Roads are always looking for School Crossing Supervisors to help keep our students safe.

Diane Budworth – 40 years

I started as a Crossing Supervisor at Whites Hill State School in 1985 when our daughters were in Preschool and Grade 1. Much has changed since then. The school is now a College, the traffic has increased considerably and our work schedule is vastly different. I have outlasted a succession of teachers and principals over the years, and am now crossing children of mothers who started at the school themselves as preschoolers. I enjoy the social aspect of the job and the feeling of contributing to the safety of the pupils in our school community.

For student and staff safety, college gates will be locked daily between 9:00am and 2:45pm.

All late arrivals, parents, visitors and contractors attending the school, while the gates are locked, are asked to use the administration gate on Burn Street.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe.

 

Important information regarding parking

DO NOT ENDANGER THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS BY DRIVING ONTO COLLEGE GROUNDS

Please note: Our College parking is for staff only. No parent / carer access is permitted unless prior arrangements have been organised.

The college has 4 disability parking spaces within the grounds.  These have been designated for specific families of our school.  If access is required please contact administration otherwise please keep this access completely clear every day. 

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe.

 

 

 

 

We can’t wait for our Open Day (also known as our Twilight Expo) on Monday, 26 May.

Our Twilight Expo is always a wonderful opportunity for current and future families to explore our college offerings and facilities. Highlights are our Primary and Secondary guided tours where visitors can tour classrooms, participate in a range of activities and enjoy performances and musical acts. We hope to see you there!

To book follow this link or for further information phone our office on 39008333.