Hello Everyone

At Freshwater State School, we believe that together, everyone achieves more – because we are a team! In our classrooms, students are not just learners, they are teammates, each bringing their own strengths, talents, and ideas to help each other grow. Just like in a sports team, every role is important and every player matters.

Our teachers act as coaches, guiding and supporting our students as they develop the skills they need to succeed – both in the classroom and in life. Whether it’s solving a tricky maths problem, working on a group project, or cheering each other on during a game, we learn the value of collaboration, encouragement, and trust.

But our team doesn’t stop at the classroom door – our whole school and wider community is part of the team too! Parents, carers, staff, and community members all play a vital role in helping our students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

As always, we are proud to be Safe, Respectful Learners, and proud to be a part of a school where teamwork is at the heart of everything we do.

As we progress through the term our students are demonstrating team work through their work in class, sporting activities, music and of course athletic trials. Our students have demonstrated resilience, stamina and consistent effort.  Keep up the good work.

With a few weeks to go, we are working hard to ensure our students continue to work towards their goals, which will be demonstrated in end of semester reports. 

Have a wonderful fortnight of teaching and learning.

Yours in Learning,

We’ve officially reached the halfway point of Term 2, and what a vibrant and energetic few weeks it has been in the Lower School! It’s been wonderful to see our students so engaged in their learning and showing such resilience and curiosity each day.

Classroom Highlights

This past fortnight, our classrooms have been buzzing with creativity. In literacy, many classes have been exploring report writing, with students crafting reports with excellent choices in vocabulary and detailed descriptions when labelling their scientific drawings. It’s been delightful to hear students share their reports with such pride and enthusiasm. Our Preps also enjoyed sharing with me this week so be sure to click on the link below to hear from our talented Prep students.

In mathematics, our focus has been on developing number fluency and problem-solving skills. Teachers have been incorporating hands-on activities and games to help reinforce key concepts—thank you to those families who are supporting this learning at home by accessing Mathletics as an extension to weekly homework. If you haven’t accessed Mathletics from home yet and would like to, please speak directly with your classroom teacher who will provide you with the log in details to access this wonderful resource from home.

Wellbeing and Kindness

We continue to place a strong emphasis on kindness and emotional wellbeing. This fortnight, my conversations with students in the playground have focused on including others, being kind and using kind words. In the next fortnight I’d like to start a ‘Kindness Challenge’, where each class aims to complete small acts of kindness throughout the week. Whether it will be helping a friend and being an upstander, including someone new in a game, or offering encouraging words, I’d like to challenge our students to demonstrate how thoughtful and caring they can be at Freshie.

Reminders and Notices

Uniform: Please ensure your child has a hat for school every day. I’m noticing more and more students coming to school without their hat and this limits their access at play time. Please encourage your child to pack their hat each day so they can enjoy the lovely weather and the ability to run around and stretch their legs on the top oval and play spaces.

Reading Logs: A reminder to continue reading regularly at home and recording this in the student reading logs. Every little bit helps build strong reading habits. Last week at assembly we acknowledged some amazing students who have now reached 100 nights of reading. Congratulations again and keep up the great reading.

Looking Ahead

We’re looking forward to our Under 8’s Day Event on Thursday 26^th June. Parents and carers are warmly invited to attend and celebrate this fun morning with your child. We’re also preparing for 100 Days of Prep later in the term so stay tuned. 

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It’s a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated community of families, staff, and students.  

Have a great weekend,

Finance

There are a small number of families with overdue invoices, including annual Student Resource Scheme (SRS) fees, who have been sent reminder notices in the last week. If you have signed an SRS agreement (this is offered to all students at enrolment) and/or excursion consent form, then the school is of the expectation that you will pay the corresponding invoice, and students will participate.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, or have had a change in circumstances, please contact the school office to discuss options, including payment plans.

Enrolments

Our enrolments are now open for 2026. If you have a child starting next year, pop into the office for our forms, or click here to download them.

Chorale Fanfare

It was lovely to see so many parents attend the Creative Generation Choral Fanfare competition at Edge Hill State School on Friday 16^th May. If you weren’t able to attend, a video of this excursion was produced by Mrs Miller (Year 4 teacher) and is currently on our school facebook page, link below. 

https://www.facebook.com/FreshwaterSchool/videos/669398959239556

Both of our choirs achieved a ‘Silver Award’ in recognition of the excellence and commitment displayed during their performances and we are very proud of their efforts. All participating students have received an award certificate and an acknowledgement at our junior and senior school parades.

A huge congratulations to the Freshwater State School Senior Choir who has also been selected to perform in the Choral Fanfare Regional Finals on Friday 13^th June at Cairns Performing Arts Centre alongside Whitfield, Parramatta, Edge Hill State Schools and Cairns State High School. The Regional Final will take place at 6:30pm and is expected to finish at 8:00pm. An email will be sent home to parents regarding uniform requirements and meeting times at the venue. We would love to encourage all of our parents and school community to attend this event to support our students and our wonderful school. Tickets can be purchased from Ticketlink and prices are as follows. If your child is performing they will not need a ticket as they have a seat allocation in the theatre.

https://www.ticketlink.com.au/ticketlinkEvents/school-events/creative-generation-choral-fanfare-2025

$15 Adults, $9 Child/Senior/Government Benefit Concession, $25 family (2 Adults, 2 Children).

Yours in Music,

Sheree Howell
Specialist Teacher - Music

National Simultaneous Storytime

Last week, all classes had the opportunity to participate in the Australian Library and Information Association’s annual National Simultaneous Storytime. Students were able to watch the recording during borrowing time, of Jacek Koman, reading with an Auslan interpreter. On Wednesday at 12 noon, our Prep students watched the author, Deborah Frenkel, read The Truck Cat live across Australia with over 2 million other children! Click here for more information from the official National Simultaneous Storytime 2025 wrap up.

4TP watching the recording during class borrowing.

3TP watching the event live on Wednesday.

Reading Passports – Term 2 only

An outstanding effort to those students who have already completed their Reading Passport. With only 4 weeks left, remember to borrow, read and return to Freshwater State School Library. 

End of Term Paper Copy of Overdue Library Loans

In week 8 a paper copy of overdue Library Loans will be sent home with students. If you are unable to locate loaned items, please make contact at aglas28@eq.edu.au

‘Soon we must all choose

between what is right

and what is easy’.

-Albus Dumbledore -

Yours in literary adventures,

Amanda Glaspy
Library Officer

Congratulations

Congratulations to Rose K (6NL), Tahlee R (6NL), Lexi W (5KT) and Skye B (6NB) for being selected in the TCN Girls Soccer team. They will now represent the district at the upcoming Peninsula trials. Well done and good luck to you all.

Schools Gala Days

Well done to our Year 4, 5 and 6s who have represented Freshie at the recent AFLQ Schools Gala Days and Smithfield High School Fast 5s Gala Day. You were great representatives of our school! 

Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival 

Kristen Knight

Specialist Teacher - P.E

Thank you

Thank you to Roaming Wild for visiting Year 1 for our incursion this week. The students thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and hands on experience getting up close and personal with our little visitors. They learned so many interesting facts about different animals and their habitats to help with their learning in English and Science.

Please click on below link for highlights of the day: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BmVUpoNY7/

An exciting day in Year 3!

The Year 3’s had a fantastic day out at CPAC recently, seeing the David Walliams story ‘Ratburger’ come to life on stage. Thankyou P&C for your contributions to make this event happen. The senior choir performing at Fanfare had a successful day too – Thankyou Mrs Howell!

Here are some recounts from 3TD of the day…

Thank you to Cairns Regional Council for visiting Yr 4 last week to share the importance of recycling our waste and providing such valuable information. The students were very enthusiastic and engaged during this hands-on incursion. Congratulations to 4MW for winning the recycling challenge with a score of 20 closely followed by 4AM and 4TP on a score of 19.

This week the Year 4 cohort visited the Cairns City Council Rediscovery Centre where they saw some amazing products created from Cairns residents' waste. Students thoroughly enjoyed observing the machinery and the process that recycling undergoes at the Rediscovery Centre.

A big thank you to the Cairns City Council and Mr Patterson for having us, and the teachers, teacher aides and parent helpers who assisted 

Thank you to the P&C 

Thank you to the P and C for their wonderful, generous donation of sporting equipment for our students to use at lunch times. It certainly is a hit and being put to good use!

Monty’s Colour Fun Run: Friday 27 June

Revised Event Information

Friday 27 June – last day of term 2

From 1.30pm on the Top Oval

Wear a white shirt and old clothes to make the colour pop!

Please think about how your kids will get home – you might need a towel in the car or in their bag for the bus

Each student will also receive a pair of sunglasses and a headband!

Students are required to wear closed-in shoes

Students will be covered in non-toxic, biodegradable colour powder and slime! 

For further information, please contact the P&C via fundraising@freshwaterpandc.com.au

From Your Friendly P&C Fundraising Committee

Donut Day 

National Donut Day will be celebrated at the tuckshop on Tuesday, 3rd June. 

School24

Mel, Gail, Tomo and Kat

Tuckshop Team