Pelican Brief Issue 2/3, Term 2

Mrs Birchley

Celebrating Connection, Curiosity, and Community Growth 🌱🎭📚

What a busy and exciting term it’s shaping up to be here at Birdsville State School!

We recently celebrated Under 8’s Day in partnership with our local SES, Police, and Ambulance services, Bedourie State School, and our amazing community — and what a day it was! Science-themed fun, hands-on learning, and a shared morning tea made for a joyful celebration of curiosity and connection. Huge thanks to Khalli, Liv, and Lesley for their creativity and enthusiasm in bringing the science magic to life!

🌿 Garden Growth & Grounds Update
Our garden is thriving, with basil and tomatoes making surprise appearances across the greenhouse and playground. Thanks to Lesley, who continues to plant and nurture even more — scroll down for her garden update!
Meanwhile, we’ve been decluttering and refreshing our school spaces to create a more welcoming environment. The toilet block is undergoing a minor upgrade, including repairs and a new urinal. And we’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of the replacement pool shade sail which will occur any day now. 

👋 New Faces Incoming
You’ll soon notice two new team members preparing to step into cleaning and groundskeeping roles. We’re excited to welcome them and appreciate your support as they settle in.

🔍 What’s Coming Up:

🎭 Shake & Stir Performance
We’re thrilled to be welcoming a production from the talented team at Shake & Stir Theatre Co., who will be performing for our students and staff very soon. It’s always a treat to bring high-quality, live theatre to our school, we can’t wait! Bedourie SS will also be joining us again for this. 

🎉 Queensland Day BBQ
Mark your calendars, Queensland Day is just around the corner, and we’ll be celebrating with a school BBQ. Keep your eyes open for your official invite!

🥋 Taekwondo
This week’s taekwondo sessions are in full swing, helping our students build strength, confidence, and focus through movement. Thank you, Debbie, who has flown all the way from Perth to deliver this.

🏃‍♀️ Windorah Sports Camp
Coming soon, the always exciting Windorah Sports Camp! It’s a great chance for students to try new sports, build friendships, and make active memories.

📚 Boogie & Books
Boogie & Books is inviting community members to come and read to students and Little Red’s Playgroup. Keep an eye out for an invitation, either face-to-face or via email, and join us in sharing stories with our young readers.

🍽️ English Curriculum Showcase + End of Term Café
We’re especially excited to introduce our very first English Curriculum Showcase, which will be tied in with our end of term café. Families will be invited to sit back, relax, and enjoy student-led presentations of their learning and creative work, it’s a celebration you won’t want to miss!

There’s so much to celebrate, so much to look forward to, and so many ways our students are growing in learning, confidence, and community. Thank you for being part of the journey, it’s a great time to be at Birdsville State School! 

Miss Liv

Dear Birdsville Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,

It has been an absolute pleasure teaching at the beautiful Birdsville State School. From the moment I arrived, the community has been incredibly welcoming, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every part of the experience so far.

This year, I’ve had the opportunity to teach Science, Japanese, Health and Physical Education, and Music. It has been a joy to guide students in these areas and watch them grow, learn, and flourish. One of the highlights of my teaching journey has been seeing students reflect on what they’ve learned—particularly in Science. We've been exploring living things and their habitats, and it’s been so rewarding to hear students discuss and apply these concepts with genuine curiosity and excitement.

Across my lessons in Health and Physical Education, Science, and Music, I’ve also been incorporating key literacy components, including writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. As one of our school’s goals is to strengthen student achievement in English, I’ve been embedding these elements throughout my teaching to support and extend students’ literacy development in meaningful ways.

This term, we have the Windorah Sports Camp, and I’m excited to attend with our students. It will be a great opportunity to put into practice the sporting skills we’ve been learning in HPE, and to enjoy the day together as a team.

I’ve truly been enjoying my experience here in Birdsville and am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a special community. I look forward to continuing to learn, teach, and build meaningful connections with students, families, and staff.

Just a quick note to let you know that I will be away from Thursday, 30 May to Thursday, 12 June. I’ll be looking forward to returning refreshed and ready to continue all the wonderful learning we’ve been doing together.

Warm regards,
Miss Olivia

Miss Lesley

Miss Lesley has been busy in the garden lately. After we helped get the two spare garden beds ready for planting, she planted parsley, silver beet, mixed lettuce, cauliflower, and baby broccoli. We are even having a go at growing red onions and brown onions! We also have baby snow peas in pots too. We still have the mint and thyme plants to put into their new garden beds. And last of all we have four strawberry plants to put in the square garden bed, when Miss Lesley fixes it up!

We even planted some flowers in the greenhouse and out the front of the school.

Our basil is going really well!! Mrs Birchley gave it a haircut on the weekend! And our cherry tomatoes grew back and we can’t wait to taste them when they grow.

Dan and Liam the plumbers, fixed the watering in our greenhouse and now we don’t have to worry about forgetting to do the watering. It all comes on by itself.

See ya next time….

Harmony & Elle

Greenhouse progress

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements. The theme for 2025, Bridging Now to Next, urges us to look ahead and continue to push forward as past lessons guide us. It also calls for Australians to step forward together. This is a time for growth, reflection, and commitment to walking together.

Have Your Say

The safety, health and wellbeing of all children who attend education and care services is a priority. Now is the time to have your say on options to improve child safety in the education and care sector. Consultation is open until 11 June 2025.

Everyone is encouraged to give feedback, especially educators, staff and volunteers, as well as families, parents and carers (and their children). Click here for the parent, carer and family survey.

Visit https://content.deloitte.com.au/ChildSafetyReview for more information.

Parentline service supporting parents and carers

Parentline is a free, confidential counselling service available for all Queensland parents and carers.

If you need support navigating challenging situations, Parentline offers qualified counsellors who can help with expert advice, emotional support and referrals when needed.

Parentline’s services include:

• practical parenting resources on their website

• live webchat with professional counsellors

• phone support for immediate assistance (1300 30 1300)

• the option to pre-book ongoing sessions with the same counsellor

• online counsellor-facilitated parenting forums for shared support

• referrals to other family support services when additional help is needed.

Visit their website (parentline.com.au) for more information today, or give them a call on 1300 30 1300.

Look Before You Lock – every single time

Distractions, stress and changes in routine can lead to devastating outcomes. A child left in a car, even briefly, is at serious risk. Temperatures rise quickly and can be fatal. Always check the back seat—every single time.

💡 Tips for families:

– Place your bag in the back seat

– Use a mirror to see your child

– Say a mental checklist: baby, keys, bag

Look Before You Lock. Every. Single. Time. Please help us share this life-saving habit. For more information: www.qld.gov.au/lookbeforeyoulock.

Disaster legal help service

Legal Aid Queensland offers a free disaster legal help service for anyone affected by natural disasters like floods or cyclones. The service can assist with legal issues such as insurance claims, housing, financial hardship, family law and more.

If you or someone you know needs support, call 1300 527 700.

Free resources are also available on the Legal Aid Queensland website: www.legalaid.qld.gov.au.

School student broadband initiative (SSBI)

Do you qualify for free home internet to support your child’s education? To ensure all students have equal opportunity for online learning, the Australian Government has extended the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) to continue free NBN broadband access until 30 June 2028.  There are limited places available nationally. For more information or to check your eligibility, please contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 or visit http://www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.