Dear Parent/Caregiver,

A very warm welcome back to all new families and staff joining us for the 2025 school year. It has been great to get back to school, reconnect with staff, students and parents and begin to implement our plans for the 2025 school year here at Baringa SPS.  Despite the recent hot and humid weather, we’ve had a smooth and successful start, and it has been a privilege to meet our new students and parents over the past few weeks. A particularly sincere welcome to our new Prep students and their families as they begin their journey at Baringa State Primary School! Visiting classrooms and spending time in the playground has been a pleasure, and it’s wonderful to see how well the children have settled into their new classes. They all seem eager to learn, happy, and excited to be part of the Baringa SPS family! I look forward to getting to know each of our new families as the year progresses.

Last year saw the school obtain its strongest academic results to date for students across the school and the staff and I are very keen to maintain this trend. Please see our end of year results for 2024.

Priority Measures in English and Mathematics results below:

Starting Strong (Prep – Year 2)                      

English                             95.3% C+             69.6% B+

Mathematics                     96.4% C+             72.2% B+

Building on Foundations (Years 3-6)        

English                             92.7% C+             54.5% B+

Mathematics                     91.9% C+             58.4% B+

As you can see from these results the students are progressing very well with their learning and meeting the requirements of the Australian Curriculum. Congratulations to students and staff on this amazing achievement – let’s see what we can do in 2025!

2025 Annual Improvement Plan

This year our 2 key focus areas for school improvement include:

• Curriculum / Pedagogy Focus - The development of agreed practices in the KLA of English with a particular focus on reading. Our goal this year is to focus on extending students knowledge and skill in the areas of English and Mathematics.
• Wellbeing Focus – The formation and implementation of a shared understanding of the Baringa Wellbeing Framework and its integration across the broader school context to positively impact whole of school wellbeing and improve social / emotional and mental health outcomes.

These areas will be discussed in more detail at our first P&C meeting in February. 

2025 Initiatives

I am excited to announce that the following new initiatives will be introduced into the school this year which align with our academic focus on extension and wellbeing for students and staff.  See below an overview of these activities.

With high percentages of students meeting the expectations of the Australian Curriculum in both English and Mathematics across the school we are introducing an extension program to support those students with extension opportunities.

Baringa Elite Minds Academy

The Baringa Elite Minds Academy is for high achieving students designed to provide academically gifted and talented students with opportunities for further intellectual growth, enrichment, and exploration beyond the standard curriculum.

This program aims to challenge and nurture the cognitive, creative, and emotional development of students who demonstrate advanced capabilities in English, Mathematics and Science. BEMA commences Term 1 for identified students in Years 5 and 6.

Please note this program is invitation only for identified students. Our first BEMA Day will be held at Baringa State Secondary College with a focus on digital technologies / robotics and drones.

Martial Arts Lunchtime Program

The school is excited to introduce a special opportunity for selected students as part of the school’s wellbeing and positive engagement focus. Commencing in Week 5 of Term 1 a school-based Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program is being introduced for students in Year 3. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaching program will be structured to provide a well-rounded introduction to martial arts, incorporating elements of discipline, physical training and character development. Students are required to meet specific criteria in order to participate in these weekly martial arts sessions.

‘Wizard of Oz’ – School Musical

With so much talent in the Arts area the school has decided to run a school musical this year. Thanks to the support of our fabulous P&C and Arts staff, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ musical will be performed by our students in Term 3 at Baringa State Secondary College. Planning and auditions are already well underway for this event. Stay tuned for more information relating to auditions for roles, dates, tickets etc as the year progresses.

School Routines

We have had a really positive start to the school year in terms of school routines. Please see below a reminder of our operating times for your consideration and action. It is very important for your child to be at school, prepared and ready to learning by 8.40am each day. Students arriving prior to 8.15am are required to assemble in the 2/3 Eating Area. Ipads are not to be used before school or at break times.

First Bell                          8:40am

School Starts                    8:45am

First Break                       10:55am

Second Break                    1:10pm

School Finishes                 2:45pm

Office Hours:                                     8:00am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday

Suggested morning routine:

• Children arriving before 8.15am are to assemble in the 2/3 eating area
• At 8.15am students may enter the buildings to drop off their bag
• Rolls are marked electronically between 8:45am and 9.00am
• If children arrive after 8:45am they must come to the office for a ‘Late Arrival’ Slip as the roll may already have been marked by the time they reach the classroom.

School / Home Communication

In 2025, one of our goals is to enhance communication processes and streamline our operational methods to ensure a consistent approach across our school community. While many communication channels such as newsletters, Facebook posts, videos, emails, calendar updates, and our website serve their purposes effectively, we recognize the importance of a personal touch, especially when addressing behavioural, social, and emotional concerns. We believe that direct, one-on-one communication often yields better outcomes than email exchanges in such cases.

Here's an overview of our comprehensive communication plan for the year:

School Newsletters: Our newsletters will be sent home in Week 3, 6, and 9 of each term, keeping you informed about important updates and events.

School Website, Calendar, and Apps: Our website offers a wealth of information, including policies, documents, and enrolment forms. The calendar is regularly updated with school events, assemblies, and excursions. We highly recommend using QParent and QSchools apps for convenient access to notifications, attendance records, permissions, and financial matters.

Class Emails / Seesaw: Classroom teachers will attempt to reply to your email within 48 hours of the email being sent. Up to 72 hours after 2:45pm on a Friday, or on the weekend. Teachers are not required to respond after hours or while engaging in teaching with students. Emails sent during vacation periods generally will not be answered until the return of school the following term. Teachers use Seesaw to make announcements only. Announcements will be used to engage parents with ‘classroom activities’ and to keep parents up to date with events/general reminders. While emails serve well for general communication, we understand that they may not be suitable for addressing behavioural or social and emotional concerns.

School Emails: These will be utilized throughout the term to supplement class emails and newsletters, ensuring that important information isn't overlooked.

P&C Communications: The Parent-Teacher Association (P&C) plays a vital role in our school community. You may receive emails from them regarding meeting times and school events. We encourage parental involvement and support in P&C activities.

If you encounter any issues or have concerns throughout the year, please don't hesitate to schedule a meeting or speak directly with your child's teacher. Alternatively, you can reach out to our administration office via phone or email to arrange a meeting. Our contact details are as follows: Phone: 53 90 2333, Email: admin@baringass.eq.edu.au.

We value open communication and collaboration between home and school, and we're committed to providing the support and resources necessary for your child's success.

Meet N Greet

A big thankyou to those parents who were able to attend our P&C and teacher ‘Meet and Greet’ evening on Thursday. Communication between the home and school is really critical to the successful education of each child and it was great to see so many parents here meeting their classroom teacher and showing an interest in their child’s education. Special thanks to the P&C for the sausage sizzle and Tuckshop samplers.

Have a great weekend.

Mick