7 February 2025
Principal’s Update

Dear Parents,
Welcome back to school! We have had a very positive start with a great vibe across the school. Our teachers are well planned for the term ahead and loving this time of getting to know their new students.
This year will be tagged as: 2025, the best year ever for engagement and learning success!
Our strategic improvement focus will be increased levels of engagement across our school community along with a focus on teaching practice that challenges, motivates, engages and caters for the diverse needs of all students. I very much look forward in sharing this journey with our community this year.
The following information is some of our latest key messages for all of our families to note.
- Holloway Street: I strongly discourage parents using Holloway St for drop off and pick up. The street is very narrow and not safe for children weaving in between cars. The school gate on Holloway St should only be used by children attending before and after school care. All other students and parents should enter the school using Gate #1 – Dianella Drive or Gate #2 – Brightwater Blvd.
- Parking: There is available parking around the school that we ask families to use rather than parking in bus zones or on yellow lines. Parking is available on the vacant block of land on Brightwater Blvd, front carpark on Dianella Dr and the sporting field beside the school on Heliconia St. Parents who choose to park in no standing zones risk being fined by local traffic officers.
- Stop and Go pick up zone: This pick-up system is available to families who register with our front office staff. You will receive a NAME CARD that goes onto your dash board when collecting your child. This area is not a parking zone. Cars should continue to move through and staff will assist your children to get into the car.
- 2025 Parent Engagement & Contact: Our three main tools for school and home digital communication this year will be: Seesaw, QParents and email. Detailed information about how each of these will be used will be sent home to all families next week. These methods are in addition to parents engaging in parent / teacher progress meetings, volunteer work within the school and school events.
- Junior Playscape: As a result of our P&C Association leading fundraising work, I am delighted to let you know that construction on our new playscape between Yr 1 & Yr 2 will commence in early March. Details regarding areas that we will not be able to access during the construction will be communicated to families as we get closer to the start date. A huge thank you to our P&C Association and families for contributing funds to bring this vision to life.
Last week we inducted our 2025 student leaders. They are a wonderful group of young people who I know will be outstanding role models for their peers this year. Scroll down to the Deputy Principal news to see their names and pictures.
Regards,
Robyn Taplin, Principal
Deputy Principal News

Hello Parents and Caregivers,
A Great Start to 2025!
My sincere thanks and appreciation to all our staff, students, parents and carers who have ensured such a smooth start to the new school year. It has been wonderful to see routines remembered quickly and learning already taking place. We are fortunate to have such a well-deserved and great reputation in and around the community with a very knowledgeable, professional and approachable staff, supportive parents and carers and awesome students. With high standards and high expectations, I am confident 2025 will continue to see our school grow and achieve, as we all work together towards our school motto: A bright beginning to life long learning.
Prep Parent Homework Session
Prep Homework will begin to come home in Week 5. This is not to be an onerous task and should only take a maximum of 15 minutes a night. To support our wonderful prep students, our Prep staff will be running a Prep homework session for parents/carers on Monday 24 February from 2-2.45pm. This session is to explain the Prep homework routines and allow parents/carers to ask questions, including some tips and strategies to allow your child to flourish and grow by practising what they are learning at school!
Prep homework information session will be in the Prep block, please follow the signs that will be out upon your arrival. Gates will open around 1.45pm to allow you to get a seat.
2025 Meet the Teacher Afternoon
We would like to invite all parents to visit their child's classroom and meet their teacher on Tuesday 11 February. The afternoon will commence at 3:00pm and conclude at 4.00pm. The aim of this afternoon is for you to hear about your child's year ahead, including routines, expectations, and curriculum. All parents will receive a newsletter after the Meet the Teacher afternoon, which contains all the relevant information that was shared. We look forward to seeing you all next week.
Regards,
Kristin Hill, Deputy Principal


Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome back everyone to the new 2025 school year. We are excited to see our returning families and warm welcome to our new families that have begun their beginning to lifelong learning at Brightwater.
Student Leaders for 2025
We had our investiture on Friday last week, whereby we were able to congratulate and badge our 2025 student leaders. It is a wonderful process and we are excited to see the growth and development of these young people in their bestowed roles for 2025. Within their positions they have a responsibility to uphold our school rules and values; be a positive role model to those around them; display a great attitude with all that they do and contribute ideas and actions to make our school a great place to be!
Congratulations to
Dhanesh, Lani, Mahirah and Grady - School and Vice Captains
Thomas and Arabella (Pegasus House), Emmett and Eveleyn (Draco House), Oscar and Maddison (Phoenix House), Max and Emily (Centaurus House) - Sports Captains
Suze and Dustin - Band Captains
Nate and Naomi - Student Council Captains
Indigo and Ashanti - Performing Arts Captains





School Uniforms
We have our distinctive Brightwater Uniform and we are impressed with the strong start with having correct uniform. Students should feel proud putting on our uniform and walk tall as we are a fantastic school to be a part of. Reminder that all black shoes (no differing colour stripes etc.), studs/sleeper earrings, school colour ribbon/ties are all part of our uniform policy which families are aware of and agree to adhere to upon enrolling. If there are any concerns/hardship in relation to this please contact the school to discuss.
Yr 6 Camp
This year the Yr 6's will head to Maranatha (Yandina) for their annual Yr 6 Camp experience. This 3 day/2night experience will be filled with fun and challenges. Camp notes to be handed out soon.
NAPLAN 2025
NAPLAN will begin in week 7 of this term. Each year students in Yrs 3 & 5 participate in this National assessment. Families are able to withdraw their child from this assessment for various reasons and need to contact their child's teacher and the school for appropriate paperwork that is required to be completed. If your child is participating all that is required is the NAP Lock Down Browser to be added to your child's device (in particular Yr 5).
BYO-X Program
We are in the process of finalising the fleet of school-based computers that we have available for students in Yr 4-6. Please note that the fleet is aging and we may not have the same number of laptops available as in previous years due to IOS updates changing. We endeavour to provide for returning forms however it is encouraged that families are able to provide their own device. Any queries please contact me.
Religious Instruction
RI will start in Week 4 for Year 2, 4 & 6 and will be held on Thursdays.
Yours in gratitude,
Phil Theofanes, Deputy Principal
Student Engagement and Celebrations
Welcome to our new Brightwater families and welcome back to our existing Brightwater families. The Brightwater State School’s behaviour expectations are underpinned by four values that form the basis of our school standards. Students are regularly reminded of the acronym STAR (Safe, Thoughtful, Active Learner and Responsible) and are explicitly taught the behaviours required to be a STAR through our behaviour matrix. In the first few weeks of this term students have been busy in their new classrooms setting up routines and expectations in alignment with our Brightwater Star Values Matrix.

Why not ask your child how they have shown STAR behaviours at school today.

Jo Rothwell,
Head of Student Services
Sport News
The School Sports Committee would like to welcome our new parents and welcome back to those that are returning. We have an amazing year ahead of us for both school and representative sports.
Our first major event this year will be the Coastal District Swimming Trials with the Year 2 & 4 and Year 3 & 5 Water Safety and Swimming programs, Representative pathways and Cross Country being held later in this term. Details about the Swimming program and Cross Country will be out later in the term in the newsletter. This year Brightwater State School’s HPE teachers are Prep to year 4, Buntie Pettifer, Steve Smith year 5 and 6 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
This year to make sure that we are considerate of the environment, information about upcoming events will be posted in the school newsletter and notes for Health and Physical Education and School Sport will be emailed out, so please make sure that your contact details are up to date at the school office.
Swimming and Water Safety
This year our Water Safety program will continue to be split between Term 1 and 4 with our year 2 & 4 and 3 & 5 students attending in Term 1. Our years 2 & 4 program will run during week 8 and the year 3 & 5 program will be during week 10. During this program students will attend 5 X 40-minute swimming lesson at Mountain Creek Aquatic Complex under the instruction of qualified swimming instructors and supervision of their classroom teacher.
Term 1 H.P.E
During this term in H.P.E students will be exposed to units in both the areas Physical Education and Health specific to their year level. All students from Prep - Year 6 will also be learning and practicing the school Cross County course. Throughout the semester students will also be participating in running, jumping and throwing events in preparation for our school Athletics carnival which will be held in Term 2.
Below are the Health and Physical Education Units that students will be working on this term.
Prep
Health - ‘I am Healthy, Safe and Active’. Students will be learning to identify ways to be physically active at school and home. They will be identifying areas that they can play safely at school and home and learning ways to be healthy. They will also be learning how to respond and ask for help in different scenarios.
Physical Education – Focusing on movements through active play working on locomotor and non-locomotor skills (rolling, balancing, sliding, jogging, running, leaping, jumping, hopping, dodging, galloping, skipping). Students will also focus on object control skills (bouncing, throwing, catching, kicking, striking)
Year 1
Health - ‘About me’. Students will be learning to describe how they have grown and changed since birth. They will be writing and drawing about personal achievements and identifying their own strengths. Students will be identifying and describing significant relationships.
Physical Education - Focusing on minor ball games involving running, throwing, striking, kicking, following game rules and looking at being safe.
Year 2
Health - ‘Cooperative games’. Students will be using movement skills to participate positively in games. They will be learning how the body reacts to physical activity and exercise and learning cool down strategies. Students will also be exploring areas inside and outside of school that they can be physically active.
Physical Education - Focusing on cooperative games involving running, sprinting, throwing, striking, kicking, following game rules. Students will also work on teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Year 3
Health - Good friends. Students will explore the impact of positive social interaction on self-identity. They will investigate different types of friendships; examine the qualities we look for in a friend; as well as their roles and responsibilities.
Physical Education - Cooperative Skills. Mini games where student will focus on locomotor and non-locomotor skills (balancing, jogging, running, leaping, jumping, hopping, dodging and skipping). Students will also play games involving object control skills (bouncing, throwing, catching, kicking, striking).
Year 4
Health - Healthy eating. Students will identify strategies to keep healthy and improve fitness. Students will understand the importance of a balanced diet and how health messages influence food choices. They will create meal plans that reflect health messages.
Physical Education - Students will be play stick ball focusing on cooperative games and skills that involving running, jogging, striking, sliding, dodging and fair play.
Year 5
Health - Students will investigate theirs and others contributions to health, physical activity, safety and wellbeing. Exploring identity and the influence of emotions on behaviours and how we interact.
Physical Education - Students will be training and participating Athletics - Track and field events including high jump, long jump, sprints, endurance running and shot put. Focusing on locomotor and object control skills jogging, running, leaping, jumping, hopping and throwing.
Year 6
Health - Impact of physical activity on health and wellbeing
Physical Education - Students will be training and participating in the sport of volleyball focusing on digging, setting, serving, dodging/fainting, running, jumping, striking, throwing, game strategy and fair play.
Coastal District Swimming Trial
Last year in Term 4 the school held it's Competitive Swimming Trial for nomination time and selection. The Coastal District trial will be held on Friday 28 February 2025 at Sunshine Coast Grammar School. If your child is a competitive swimmer born in 2013, 2014, or 2015 and was unable to attend the 2024 school trial parents are invited to submit a Paper nomination with registered times from Swimming Australia in the current swim season. Paper nominations will be compared to the 2024 District qualifying times. If your child is a competitive swimmer with registered times with Swimming Australia and wish to nominate, please email sports@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au with child's name, class, D.O.B. and contact number for a nomination package. All nominations are due Monday 10 February 2025. Late nominations will not be considered.
Representative pathway for school sport
The Sunshine Coastal School Sport Office, together with Coastal District School Sport, continues to offer a representative pathway for our students to attend district, regional, state and national school sport trials/championships. Brightwater State School is a member of ‘Coastal District 10-12 Years School Sport’. Coastal District School Sport is the first level in the representative school sport program.
This year students born in 2013, 2014, or 2015 can nominate to attend trials for the Coastal District sporting trials. These highly competitive representative teams that compete against other districts in our area being made up of top students from 13 schools from Mooloolaba to Golden Beach.
To be eligible to participate in this program, students must demonstrate a very high level of ability in their chosen sport. The representative pathway is not a participation or ‘come & try’ program. Students should be the top players in their club and meet the sports criteria for sports with limited club opportunities. Through this process students and parents are responsible for checking dates of trials, submitting nominations, ensuring payments and that they are able to make the time commitments to training and attending all competitions and events. Late nominations will not be considered for nomination or trial
If you are interested in nominating your child for a Coastal District Sports trial, please complete to online form:
Or clicking on the QR Code below:

Successful applicants will receive a Nomination Package detailing a step-by-step process for 2025 trials and all required paperwork. For all events the school is only able to send a limited number of students. For events with multiple nomination a school trial or request for a Sports Resume will be required to identify the best candidates.
District Trial Calendar: District Trial dates and information will be advertised through the Sports Notice board and on the Sunshine Coast School Sport website:
District trials will start in the week commencing 10 February 2025 (Week 3).
It is a parent/student’s responsibility to register online and complete the required steps and paperwork before attending a district or regional trial. If you have any questions in relation to these processes or nomination, please email bspet0@eq.edu.au
Club and Community Sport
If you are looking for your child to play a Club sport, sign ons are now happening for the upcoming 2025 season. Most sports are starting soon with registration so make sure you check out our local sporting organisations for sign on days. Please see below some of the sports available for your child in our area this year.
Rugby League
If your child has played in our school Rugby League Gala Days, they may be interested in joining one of our local Rugby League clubs; Kawana Dolphins or Maroochydore Swans. These clubs support our school rugby teams, providing coaches and equipment to help our students to attend these competitions. Please visit https://www.playrugbyleague.com/ for more information or visit the clubs for more information.
AFL and AusKick
Mountain Creek Sharks AFL Club is still looking for players and Auskick. Registration for the 2025 season and Term 1 programs is closing soon. For more information, please see attached flyer with details and QR code for registration.




Soccer
Buddina United Soccer Club is still looking for players. Registration for the 2025 season is closing soon. Their home ground is next to the school at Brightwater Sport fields for more information please visit Buddina United Soccer Club
Cricket
We look forward to an amazing year of sport, so please keep an eye on our school’s newsletter for upcoming events and competitions.
Buntie Pettifer and Steve Smith
HPE Teachers


School News

Brightwater State School Office team
Welcome back for the 2025 school year. Amy (Mrs Hansen), Bonnie (Mrs Holland), Juliette (Ms Beverley) and Cheryn (Miss Downing) have enjoyed seeing the children back at school with smiles on their faces and visiting us during break times to say hello. We are also enjoying seeing and helping our parents. Thank you for your smiles and laughs.
Teacher Aide First Aid Officers
For Semester 1 Tracey (Mrs Baker) and Kim (Mrs McPhee) will be our First Aid Officers. Tracey or Kim will be available to help with questions about medication from 8am each morning. Their role is to support students with medical conditions which need monitoring, administering medication at school, sick bay and first aid for injuries which may happen during the school day. Our First Aid Officers are trained in providing First Aid.
Click on the link for the Queensland Health Time Out Poster which can help you decide if your child should stay home and rest due to illness.
You can contact our First Aid Officers via phone, 5438 3111 or email office@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au
Office enquiries: Our school office is always a hive of activity with our busiest times being between 8am to approx. 9.15am and then again from around 2pm. Ways to help us assist you quickly are:
- notifying student absences via our absence line or email office@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au
- utilising the BPoint system for making payments. This is a very easy system to use from your original invoice, click on the link at the bottom of your original invoice.
- checking your emails including junk mail for email communication sent home. Unfortunately sometimes our emails go to your junk mail.
Please note:
- the email address for requests of our office staff is office@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au this includes student absence notifications. If you are sending emails to an alternative email address, including admin@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au, these may not be received or actioned in a timely manner. For example with student absences you may receive an absence text message if the office has not received notification of your child’s absence.
- emails which require the attention of the Principal or Deputy Principals please send to admin@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au
- our finance hours are 8am to 10.30am. The Department of Education is encouraging schools to move towards cashless payment therefore our preferred payment methods are online via BPoint or in person at the office using EFTPOS.
We do understand some parents prefer to come into the office to see us and we are always happy to see you 😊 We appreciate your patience when in the office during our busy times.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with your enquiries either via phone, email or in person. We are here to help you. We value your time and aim to assist you as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Late arrivals / Early departures: Parents of students arriving late or being collected early are required to sign their child/ren in or out at the school office. For early pick up, once signed out at the office, parents will collect their children from the classroom. Collecting children from the classroom has the least amount of impact on learning time. If a person other than the parent/carer is to collect a child early from school, authority to do so will be required in writing. Proof of identity may also be required before a child is released.
Updating contact details: If you have had a change in contact details please provide these to us in writing. You can email office@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au or collect a change of details form from the office.
2025 Student Resource Scheme (SRS): This year the SRS remains at $130. We are planning to invoice over the next couple of weeks. As participation in the scheme is voluntary if you wish to change your participation to opt out, or in, for 2025 you will need to complete a new form. You can collect this from the office or request a copy via email office@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au For families who do not wish to participate, in the coming weeks you will be provided a list of items to provide for your child’s learning. Please click on the link for more detailed information about the 2025 Student Resource Scheme.

Kids on Keyboards – change of location
Kids On Keyboards will move to the SC2 (Senior learning block C room 2) this term. Classes resume on Tuesday 11/2/2025 at 7:45-8:30am.
Dental Van
The Dental Van is still on site at Brightwater State School this year. Last year the older grades were offered care. We are in the process of issuing consent forms for the younger students in Grades 1 & 2. Prep students will receive forms at a later date.
The school dental service is a free service to Brightwater students that hold a current Medicare card. We provide dental checks and most treatment on site.
Please complete the oral health consent form on both sides and return to the school office as soon as possible.
School Dental Van Staff – PH: 0418 708 141
P&C News
Greetings all Brightwater School parents, grandparents, guardians and carers.
Welcome back everyone and welcome to our new Brightwater families.
Don’t forget it is time to renew your 2025 membership. It is Queensland P&C legislation that membership forms are completed every year. You must also complete a form to have access to our Facebook page. We will be removing members who have not completed forms so complete the form attached and email this to pandc@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au or grab one from the office, uniform shop or Café.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE P&C IS NOT A COMMITMENT TO GET INVOLVED; IT ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOL.
Our AGM will take place on March 17 at 6:00 pm. Nominations are welcome for positions on the committee. All positions become available at the AGM and we always welcome new applications.
Café
Don’t forget to get your morning coffee from the School Café. Full barista coffee is available.
Uniform Shop
The second-hand uniform shop is open every Monday & Tuesday morning from 8:15 to 8:45. Our second-hand Uniform shop is run by your P&C Association and is another source for us to raise much needed funds for the school. The uniform shop is always in need of uniforms (formal, sports, other) jackets, jumpers, hats. All sizes needed. Please check your cupboards for uniforms that no longer fit and please donate back to the uniform shop.
Container for Change – Number
If you want to use your containers as a way of donating to the school P&C you can do so by quoting the following number C10005823 when you drop off your empty drink containers. We are looking to provide container bags for pupils to take home in order to make it easier for people to donate their containers.
Have a great fortnight!
Kind regards,
Anne Newland-Nell President
Brightwater State School P&C Association
Contacting the P&C Association
Email: pandc@brightwaterss.eq.edu.au
Facebook: search Brightwater SS P&C Association or visit the link below.
Date Claimers
Tuesday 11 February | Open Classrooms 3pm - 4pm |
Friday 21 February | Newsletter |
Monday 24 February | Prep Parent Homework Session 2pm - 2:45pm |
School Information
Administration Office Hours | 8:00am to 3:30pm |
Finance Hours | 8:00am to 10:30am – Payment via EFTPOS preferred |
School Hours | 8:40am to 2:45pm |
School Uniforms | The School Locker |
Café | Monday to Friday 8:00am to 1:30pm Phone 5438 3159 |