Please click the link for responses to frequently asked questions. 

https://bellmeress.eq.edu.au/Ourschool/Contactus/Pages/FAQs.aspx

Dear Parents/Carers,

This week, we say good luck to Mrs Grimsey who begins maternity leave next week. I wish Mrs Grimsey all the very best with the up and coming birth of her child.

In week 10, parents will be receiving their student's report cards for Semester 1. Each year, schools are required to do this twice a year (at the end of Term 2 and at the end of Term 4). We also offer parent teacher interviews (beginning of Term 2 and beginning of Term 4).

The report will include student’s achievement against the reporting scale, behaviour and effort and a general comment.

Student achievement is graded on a 5-point scale (See Below).

Working With / C is the expected level for students. This should be celebrated with your child. A and B grades mean that students have a greater understanding of their expected year level.

As we are all aware, setting boundaries for our children by saying no is hard work but the benefits pay off. As parents and as teachers, our job is to develop children to grow and develop to be positive citizens in society.

I found this article that sets up why it is important to say no sometimes.

Why Parents Should Feel Good About Saying ‘NO’ to Their Children by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services https://melbournechildpsychology.com.au/blog/why-parents-should-feel-good-about-saying-no-to-their-children/

Saying ‘no’ frequently to your young children may be the opposite of your parental instincts.

But according to Georgia Manning ‑ counsellor, psychotherapist and the director of Wellbeing For Kids ‑ saying ‘no’ to your kids is one of the best things you can do for them.

Manning puts this down to the fact that many parents have shied away from saying ‘no’ to their children because of the ‘self-esteem movement’, where anything that could potentially damage a child’s self-esteem was frowned upon.

But as a result, ‘the pendulum has swung too far’.

‘We’ve gone from not being emotionally attuned with our children to thinking that protecting them from any discomfort or things that they don’t want to do is a way of showing love.’

But as we always insist, a key focus of ‘good’ parenting is setting up your children with long-term life skills.

It’s the idea of ‘short-term pain for long-term gain’…

While your children may be disappointed when they hear the word ‘no’, it will make them much more prepared for the reality of adulthood, where we all have to hear that word more often than we’d like.

Not convinced?

Here are 5 more reasons from Manning as to why you should say ‘yes’ to saying ‘no’.

1.Kids need to feel discomfort.

Protecting them from uncomfortable situations or feelings will set them up with unrealistic expectations for the future.

Not only will the discomfort they inevitably encounter in adulthood come as more of a shock to them, they won’t have the coping skills to deal with it productively.

‘Avoidance grows anxiety because it tcaches them that the thing they are anxious about is so bad that the person who is in charge of their life thinks they can’t possibly manage it.’

2.Kids need to learn to wait.

Delaying gratification is one of the most important factors for success in life, according to Manning.

By constantly saying ‘yes’ to our children’s every whim, we are again setting them up with unrealistic expectations.

As adults, we have to work hard to get what we want, and in very few instances does this happen instantaneously.

So our children should learn this very important lesson early on, even if the waiting time is comparatively very short. For example, play time comes after homework, dessert comes after dinner is finished, and so on.

If we give our children everything they want exactly when they want it, we risk raising entitled children, rather than supporting their development into ambitious and driven adults.

3.Boundaries make kids feel secure.

This is a concept that our staff psychologist Dani discussed recently for news.com.au, and on our blog.

And while negotiating with young children seems like a healthy approach, it can sometimes serve to confuse these boundaries.

Uncertainty and inconsistency can produce anxiety in adults, and it’s the same for children.

If kids never know where they stand or what response they are going to get from you, it can make them anxious and they can lose trust in you and your authority.

‘Children always push for boundaries, they are pushing for those “nos” and it’s our job to give it to them’, says Manning.

These ‘nos’ can be comforting for them, because ‘they know that there are limits and they feel cared for and safe’.

4.Kids need to know their parents are in charge.

Negotiating or pleading with your kids upsets the hierarchical parent-child dynamic.

And ‘psychologically, it’s really important for kids to know that the person looking after them is in control’.

So replace the bargaining and polite requests with a firm ‘no’.

Young kids know that they don’t know everything about the world or how to take care of themselves, but they believe that you do.

Being assertive will reassure them that you do, and will make them feel safe.

5.Kids need parents to be parents, not friends.

Manning says that she sees many parents who worry their children won’t love them or like them if they’re too strict.

So in response, they try to be more like friends than parents, and more often than not, friends don’t say ‘no’.

But there’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that loving but firm parenting will break your bond.

On the contrary, it is more likely to create and sustain a healthy and mutually respectful relationship with your child as they grow up.

Furthermore, something that Manning doesn’t mention, but that is incredibly important, is the life-skill of being able to say ‘no’.

Many people have difficulty saying no to friends, employers, or colleagues, and end up doing things they don’t want to do as a result.

If your child grows up with the healthy boundaries that come from hearing ‘no’, then it’s much more likely they will be able to create these boundaries for themselves and their adult relationships.

So don’t shy away from saying ‘no’ to your children – they may not realise it, but they want and need to hear it every now and then!

Jamie Tactor, Principal

Happy Week 6 to our Bellmere Community,

PCL Update:

Commencing this week there has been an update to our Reflection Room processes. Reflection Room will now be occurring at both breaks daily. This enables prompt follow up and restorative conversations to occur in a timely manner. There will still be communication home with parents if their child has attended Reflection Room on any given day.

Under 8’s Day

We had a wonderful morning celebrating our Under 8’s Day on Wednesday 21 May. Students and staff from Prep to Year 2 participated in many fun and engaging activities. It was wonderful to have Bellmere Early Learning Centre join us for this event.

Prep Vision Screening

This screening was completed at the end of Week 4. All reports and follow up referrals have been sent home to parents and carers by our Prep team.  If you registered your child for this service and have not received your child’s report, please make contact with the office.

Prep 2026

Our second and final parent information session is fast approaching. We look forward to welcoming many more of our new and current families and students. We will continue to share further information over the coming weeks in preparation for Prep 2026.

Our final parent information session is occurring on:

* Tuesday 3 June @ 4:30pm

In catchment enrolment interviews have commenced. Interviews are booked through SOBS, the online platform for all participation registration, like the parent information sessions and future exploration sessions. Current interview availability is:

Greetings to our Bellmere Community,

Under 8s Day

On Wednesday, 21 May, our school community came together to celebrate Under 8s Day—a joyful occasion filled with fun, laughter, and learning. It was truly heartwarming to see so many smiling faces as students, families, and staff enjoyed a wide variety of engaging activities together.

Events like this don’t happen without a great deal of planning, teamwork, and passion. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic team, led by Mrs Martin, who worked tirelessly to bring the day to life. A huge thank you and shout-out to the amazing staff at Bellmere—your creativity, energy, and commitment made the day a memorable experience for all.

Attendance

If you are experiencing difficulty with your child attending school, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or your year level Deputy Principal.

Mrs Candy Martin - Prep & 1

Mrs Tanya Lyons - Years 2- 4 or

Mr Terry Caudwell - Years 5 & 6. 

We would like to work with you to support your child to attend school. 

Our attendance rate at Bellmere:

Yours in Education,

Tanya Lyons

Greetings to our Bellmere Community,

World of Maths

We have our World of Maths incursion on Thursday 12^th, Friday 13^th and Monday 16^th June. Each class will have a one-hour fun Maths session with World of Maths, where students will have the opportunity to engage in Maths exploration, problem solving and games that develop their numeracy skills, team work and critical thinking.

Payment of $8.50 and permission is due Friday 6^th (next Friday).

Upcoming Noteworthy Dates This Fortnight

• P-2 Assembly – Wednesday 28^th May from 2:10pm
• Year 1 excursion – Thursday 29^th May
• Bella Buck Afternoon Tea – Thursday 29^th May (one student from each class)
• Gala Day – Friday 30^th May
• Student Leader Forum (selected Year 6 students only) – Tuesday 3^rd June
• P/1E and 1/2F excursion – Tuesday 3^rd June
• Year 3-6 Assembly – Wednesday 4^th June from 2:10pm
• Gala Day – Friday 6^th June
• Senior Athletics Carnival – Tuesday 10^th June
• P&C meeting – Tuesday 10^th June 5pm
• Junior Athletics Carnival – Wednesday 11^th June

Until next fortnight,

Terry Caudwell

STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME PAYMENTS

Thank you to all parents who have made payments towards the Student Resource Scheme for 2025.

Payments can be made at anytime using the invoice BPoint link (amount can be changed to suit), via the QKR! App, direct deposit into the school bank account (BSB- 064-405  ACC – 10700604 using surname and SRS as reference) or by EFT in the office. If you made an instalment arrangement, the 3rd and final payment was due back in Week 10 of Term 2.

We are happy to arrange alternative payment plans or Centrepay deductions if this method is not possible. Please email Sue Taylor, Business Manager, on stayl375@eq.edu.au or admin@bellmeress.eq.edu.au to arrange this. Students will be able to receive their resources once a payment has been made.

QPARENTS

QParents  links directly with One School, the program used by the school to store student information including personal details, absences, all report cards and finance information. Registration will need to be completed on a computer and then all further interactions can be done through the App on a phone or tablet. New parents will receive a QParents invitation code in the next week or two and current parents should already have received theirs previously. This link will guide you through the registration process. The fact sheet is provided for your information. If you cannot find your invitation email please send a request to admin@bellmeress.eq.edu and a new email will be sent to you. Your child’s EQ id is on the invoices we send you, directly below the address box at the top left of the invoice.

UNIFORM SHOP

The uniform shop will be open after school on Tuesday’s from 3:00-3.30pm.

However, QKR! ordering will remain the same and orders will still be delivered to your child’s class on Monday’s, Wednesday’s & Friday’s.

SIGN OUT PROCESS

We will continue the same sign out process for when children are leaving school early. Parents will need to come to the office, sign their children out on the iPad in the reception area. Parents will receive a printed slip which they will show the office staff who will let them through the office door. Parents will then go to the child’s classroom, give the printed slip to the teacher and collect the child. At break times the child will be called over the load speaker as it is difficult to locate the child during break times.

There will be a specialist timetable on the wall near the iPad so parents can see where their child is located in the school. Also, teachers will have a notice on their door to indicate where the class is. Eg STEM, MUSIC, PE, Library.

Steps to sign children out early:

1. Sign your child out on the ipad in the foyer.
2. Collect the printed sign out ticket.
3. Show the office staff the ticket, they will let you into the school.
4. Walk to your child’s classroom.
5. Give the printed ticket to the classroom teacher.
6. Collect your child and exit via the office administration.

It is very important that the school is notified of any student absences.  The Department of Education requires a reason for each and every absence.

The methods for advising absences are as follows:

By email - admin@bellmeress.eq.edu.au

By telephone - 5498 0666 - there is a dedicated absentee line where you can leave a message 24 hours per day.

Q Parents - if you have registered for the Q Parents app, you can advise absences this way.

School Photo Days – Term 3 Week1 – Thursday 17^th & Friday 18^th July 2025

Save the date!! The School photo days are just under 8 weeks away!

Orders can be placed directly through the Advanced Life website now. Various packages are available and can be viewed on the website.

Sibling photos are available again this year! These need to be pre-ordered so if you would like a sibling photo taken, please ensure it is ordered online prior to photo day.

Orders can be placed right up to photo day and remain open for 1 week afterwards. A small number of paper order envelopes will be available from the school office for families who prefer not to order online. Please note that these envelopes must not be returned to the office—they should be handed directly to the photographer on photo day.

We’ll send out a reminder closer to the date with specific details about when each class will be photographed.

If your child is not to be photographed with their class group or individually it is important that you make contact with your classroom teacher and the office to advise. On enrolment, if you indicated that you do not want your child’s image or name shared online please also contact the office to advise your preference with school photos.

Thank you for your support, and if you have any questions about the photos, the Advanced Life website has a FAQ page that might answer your question. If not complete an enquiry form and they will get back to you.

We will also send further information about scheduling and uniforms closer to the date.

Rainbows and colours!

We’ve been learning all about colours and rainbows!
We read books and did a fun experiment—when we added dye to water, we watched the colours swirl and change. It was like magic! Then we poured the colourful water and fluffy shaving cream into the sensory tray. It was so much fun to mix, squish, and explore all the colours with our hands—super smooshy fun!

Celebrating World Bee Day 20 May 2025!

We had so much fun making our own bees and beehives. We used our fingers to hold pencils and scissors—great for our fine motor skills! In the sensory tray, we played a fun game of “Can you find the bees?” Buzz, buzz! In the home corner, we were busy cooking yummy pretend food. On the floor, we built amazing creations with blocks! Outside, we had a blast with the pipes and balls. We even played a game of ten pin bowling!
In the sandpit, our trucks were hard at work digging and driving around.

Next week at KindyLinQ we will have the Early Years Place joins us!

What is the Early Years Place?

Early Years Place support families with children aged from birth to eight years of age. Families can access multiple services, or referrals to specialist services, for their children and themselves.

Each Early Years Place has a different mix of programs including playgroup, early childhood education and care, health services, and family and parenting support.

Located throughout Queensland, find an Early Years Place.

School Crossing Supervisors must be available for work in both morning and afternoon shifts on a rostered basis (in all weather conditions).

In return we offer the following:

• Casual pay-rate starting at $37.10 per hour
• Relief opportunities on your days off
• Long service leave entitlements

Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a pre-employment health assessment
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position)

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, give us a call on (07) 54521829 to speak with your local Road Safety Officer or email CSB.SEQN.RoadSafetySunshinecoast@tmr.qld.gov.au for more information.