2025 Newsletter Term 2 Week 8

From the Principal – Maja Bogicevic

‘Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.’

Helen Keller

I continue to be impressed by the strength of our community connections and the effort our people put in every day to provide a wholistic support for our students to engage with learning. These connections are built with a wide range of people and agencies who can support us on this journey.

The Community Hub at Kruger State School provides support for our families who may have limited knowledge of the English Language, limited access to resources to support their family, or who just want to meet new families with younger children. The Hub provides a range of activities which make a positive difference to anyone who attends.

To acknowledge the great work of our Community Hub, run by Kym Alexander, we had a visit last Thursday from Member for Bundamba, Lance McCallum MP, who spent time with our staff and families conversing about the service and their impact. We are proud of the work our Hub staff do to support the local families. One of the newest initiatives they are running is a Toy Library, which allows families to borrow toys for a period of time for their children to play with. I encourage you to visit the Hub to find out more about this.

Today is the last day of Gala Days and we are so proud of our students’ achievements on the sporting field. Thank you to all the parents and families who were able to support our students by being present at the games cheering our teams on. Go Kruger!

During Term 3, I will be going on leave to visit my family overseas. Darren Russell, an experienced principal and School Improvement Coach, will be replacing me during this time. Darren is looking forward to leading Kruger State School and learning more about our beautiful community. I will return at the start of Term 4.

As always, thank you for being our partners in education.

Contact Email: mbogi4@eq.edu.au

What's Coming Up at Kruger!

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning - Elena Finlay

Kruger Preps Continue to Excel with Their Reading

Our Prep students continue to shine in their reading journey! At both the Week 7 and Week 8 Parades, Prep students (Brenda and Khang (Prep A) and Luna and Salama (Prep B) pictured below) confidently demonstrated their developing reading skills to the Prep to Year 2 audience.

Students proudly showed how they track print by following the letters as they read and displayed impressive sounding and blending skills. They are currently reviewing the letter–sound relationships for the following letters: a, s, t, p, i, n, m, r, h, e, d, c, f, l, g, o, u, b—and using these sounds to read and write regular three-letter words. They are also beginning to read and write simple sentences using these letters.

In addition, students are learning their heart words—words that are recognised by sight and often include irregular spellings. These include: a, I, the, is, as, has, his, of.

If you have any concerns about your child's reading progress or would like some ideas for supporting them at home, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Contact Email: efinl9@eq.edu.au

At the Week 8 Parade, Ariel (pictured below) from Year 5 proudly shared an update on the exciting learning happening in the Flexispace class. Students have been busy in Science and English, focusing on endangered Australian animals. In English, they are writing detailed information reports about these animals, exploring their unique adaptations that help protect them in the wild.

Ariel chose to study the Mountain Pygmy Possum as her endangered animal and shared some interesting facts about it with the audience.

She also took the opportunity to recommend a book she thought would appeal to students in Years 3 to 6.

Finally, Ariel highlighted the impressive efforts of the students participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, showcasing the enthusiasm and dedication within the Flexispace learning community.

We are excited to announce that next term, Kruger State School will be launching a Reading Mentor Program on Thursday afternoons from 1:30pm to 2:30pm.

If you have a student currently attending Bellbird Park State Secondary College who would like to volunteer as a Reading Mentor for our Junior School students, we would love to hear from you!

Please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) at efinl9@eq.edu.au for more information or to express interest.

On Tuesday and Thursday morning, Kruger State School welcomed a visit from Starlab, an exciting mobile planetarium experience. Students in Years 2, 3, and 5 had the opportunity to step inside the inflatable dome and journey through the wonders of space.

Throughout the sessions, students explored fascinating topics such as the night sky, constellations, the movement of the Earth and Moon, and our place in the solar system. This immersive experience sparked curiosity and wonder, perfectly complementing their current Science units and deepening their understanding of key concepts.

A big thank you to Mr Jess (pictured below the Starlab Giant Dome) from the Starlab team for bringing the universe a little closer to our classrooms!

As we approach the final weeks of Term 2, students are actively engaged in completing a range of assessment tasks across all learning areas. Please continue to encourage your child to do their best and to seek clarification if they are unsure about any tasks.

Regular attendance is especially important during this time to support the successful completion of assessments and ensure continuity of learning.

Report cards will be emailed home on Wednesday of Week 10.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact their classroom teacher.

Each Wednesday and Friday afternoon, Year 5 and 6 students at Kruger State School participate in a diverse range of electives, including sport, technology, percussion, drama, and reading with younger year levels.

It’s particularly inspiring to see the Reading with Prep elective thriving, with 38 students enrolled. This strong interest highlights the leadership and care our senior students show as they support the reading and writing development of our youngest learners.

We’re proud of the way our Year 5 and 6 students are embracing these opportunities to learn, lead, and give back to the school community.

Well done Kruger!

Left to Right: Malachi Prep B and Braxton 5A; Jak Flex5 and Alexander Prep B.

The Premier's Reading Challenge has been underway for the past five weeks, and we’re thrilled to share the fantastic progress so far!

As of the end of Week 7, 38 students have already completed the challenge—an outstanding achievement! 4D is currently in the lead, with 8 students completing their first reading form, closely followed by 3C with 7 students.

All students who complete the challenge are celebrated on the Premier's Reading Challenge Wall of Awesome in Student Services and the Main Administration Office.

The reading period continues until 22 August, so there’s still plenty of time to get involved and log more books. Students who complete the challenge will receive a certificate signed by the Premier, and those who go above and beyond by completing more than one form will be recognised for their efforts during a special celebration in Term 4.

To support student participation, the library is open every first break for borrowing, returning, and extra reading help. A special thank you to Parker and Charlotte from 2A, who have generously volunteered their time each break to assist students.

Keep up the fantastic reading, Kruger students—let’s see how many more forms we can complete before the finish line and work together to ensure every Kruger student completes the challenge!

We warmly invite all families to join us for our Celebration of Learning on Monday 23 June. Classrooms will be open from 2:15pm, giving you the opportunity to view your child’s work and celebrate their achievements this term.

Please join us for a Celebration BBQ afterwards.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing in your child’s learning journey!

The office is now taking names for Prep enrolment in 2026. If your child turns 5 years by 30 June 2026, they are eligible to start Prep next year!

Interviews and transition activities will begin next term.

If your child attends a kindy or day care, we have already begun providing videos of Kruger staff reading stories to support the transition to Prep.

In the last fortnight, our Principal, Mrs Bogicevic, read the delightful picture book Guff by Aaron Blabey. Please check with your child’s kindy or day care to see if they have received a ‘Transition to Prep Kruger Reading Video’. If not, we would be very happy to provide one.

Please contact Mrs Elena Finlay, Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning, efinl9@eq.edu.au if you would like your child’s kindy or day care to receive a ‘Transition to Prep Kruger Reading Video’ or if you have any questions about enrolling in Prep for 2026.

Deputy Principal Student Engagement - Peta Jackson

Our students have a lot of opportunities at Kruger State School to enjoy time out of the classroom, participating in play, social skill and sport programs and other learning activities. This is just a reminder of some of the items that keep the children safe at school.

Sun Safe Hats: All students are required to wear sun safe hats when outside. Please ensure your child has an appropriate hat for protection against the sun. We recommend bucket hats, broad brimmed hats and Legionnaires hats. The P&C sell hats at the tuckshop.

Safe Footwear: Students are expected to wear safe footwear to school, like runners or joggers. Lately there has been an increase in students wearing Crocs to school. These are not shoes to wear in a school environment, as they do not provide adequate support and safety. If you are unable to provide safe footwear for your child, please contact the school so we can try to assist you.

School Uniform: Students should be wearing their school uniform which includes green shirts and shorts. However, considering it is winter time, the school will allow any green track pants or jackets you can purchase from local department stores at affordable prices. The P&C have shirt, short and skirt options for sale at the tuckshop and are working on a process to borrow second hand uniforms in the future.

Lost Property: We have a large amount of lost property here at school. To help keep track of your child’s belongings and to prevent items becoming lost, please ensure that all clothing and personal items are clearly labelled with your child's name.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment at school. We do understand at times that children may not have a hat, safe school shoes or uniform for a number of reasons and sometimes this can be financial. If at anytime you are struggling, please contact the school office and we try to assist you as best we can.

Attendance: Being at school every day counts. If your child is absent one day per week, this quickly adds up to two months of missed school in a year. Attendance is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, regular attendance helps students keep up with their learning and school work, understand the subject information better, and accomplish more in assessment tasks. Missing classes can lead to gaps in knowledge. School is a key environment for developing social skills. Attending classes allows students to interact with peers, make friends, and learn teamwork and communication skills. Overall, attendance matters, for every student, every day.

Contact Email: pmjac0@eq.edu.au

Head of Special Education Services - Regina Birchley

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

The NCCD tool is used by all schools nation-wide to collect data for students with a diagnosed disability or imputed disability. Whilst data collection is on-going throughout the year, the NCCD census date is the first Friday in August each year. The NCCD enables schools and educational authorities to better understand the needs of students and how they can be best supported at school.

Data from NCCD is used to support schools by:

• Reviewing learning and support systems: The NCCD allows schools to better understand the functional needs of their students with disability. It captures the work of schools in providing personalised learning and support for students with disability who require adjustments due to the functional impact of their disability.
• Providing greater understanding: The NCCD helps schools gain a greater understanding of their students with disability and identify areas of need for both students and staff.
• Developing professional judgement: The professional learning available to support the NCCD process helps build the professional judgement of school teams who are required to provide educational adjustments for students with disability without relying on a medical or clinical diagnosis alone.
• Recognising support and adjustments provided: The NCCD helps to formally and consistently recognise the support and adjustments provided to students with disability as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability and will have no direct impact on your child, and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

A fact sheet for parents/carers is provided in the link below. Translations are provided in Arabic, Chinese, Dinka, Greek, Japanese, Persian and Vietnamese. https://www.nccd.edu.au/tools/fact-sheet-parents-guardians-and-carers

Contact Email: rbirc14@eq.edu.au.

Head of Department Student Engagement - Ahmed Jalloh

Student Engagement is all about the enthusiasm and connection our students show towards their learning and the school environment. This fortnight, we are thrilled to recognise those students who have exemplified our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) values. These students have been selected by their class teachers and other staff members for their outstanding efforts in upholding our school rules, whether it's by taking care of their peers or striving to do their best and be safe, respectful, honest or dedicated learners. Congratulations to all our award recipients—keep making Kruger proud!

Parental and carer support plays a crucial role in enhancing student engagement. We warmly invite you to join us for our assemblies to celebrate the achievements of our incredible learners.

Assembly Schedule:

• Senior Assembly (Year 3 to Year 6): Mondays at 9:00am

• Junior Assembly (Prep to Year 2): Mondays at 10:00am

Please note, there will be no assembly in Week 9 due to school photos and Week 10 due to Celebration of Learning.

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out via email at asjalo@eq.edu.au. We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating our students' successes together!

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Head of Department Student Engagement - Mathilda Holt

Year 6 students have attended a Leadership Camp at Runaway Bay Sports and Leadership Excellence Centre – Gold Coast. This facility was the training ground for the previous Commonwealth Games. It was an incredible facility. Some of students’ favourite activities were stand up paddle boarding at the beach (long walk to get there), archery, and outdoor team challenges (with a balancing bridge and jungle swing). Students enjoyed playing beach and Indigenous games in teams, and played in Amazing Race, solving a variety of problems to be the winning team.

While at camp, students had the opportunity to earn VIP cards which they could later redeem for either first meal or first shower (which was a favourite for the girls). Surprisingly, students were all fast asleep by around 10:30pm both nights (after devouring all of their hidden candy). The disco night was a blast, with students making song requests and exhausting themselves through dance. Movie night was watching Lilo and Stitch – although they were pretty chatty and just enjoyed laying around with their friends. In our free time, we had access to a huge beach volleyball court and played volleyball. Some students also enjoyed the basketball court. We packed up the lodges this morning and will add lost property to the items back at school.

All staff on camp (from KSS and the facility) have been very impressed with the engagement of students. There has been no time for any problems, and we have watched old friendships grow, and new friendships form. Thank you to all parents and carers for supporting your children to attend – we understand it can be daunting when they head off to camp, and we have enjoyed being there to support them.

Thank you for your patience and understanding from a very tired group of teachers! ~ Mrs Pitcairn, Mr Murray, Mr Moran and Miss Holt. 

Please note that due to photo permission and consent requirements, we are unable to share all camp photos.

Contact Email: mxhol8@eq.edu.au.

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Guidance Officer - Allen Weynberg

As a professional supporting students and working in the school community I see help seeking behaviour as essential to building resilient people.  We all need help in life, the mechanic fixes my car, the plumber stops the dripping tap and help with mental health is no different.  I fill my office with leaflets and factsheets and my computer has many documents that signpost the way to get help.  Sometimes the burden of support is heavy and I’ve taught myself to reach out and make calls or send emails when I need to.  Often the first few calls lead to those people reaching out to their networks and enlisting others who may be able to help.  Below is a factsheet – “Managing Mental Health Online” it has contact numbers and a brief explanation of each service and how they may help.”

Business Manager - Melissa Henderson

Student Services Office is located at Block 2

Reminder, for all student matters including late slips, picking up students early from school etc please proceed to the Student Services Office located at Block 2.  Follow the green painted line on the concrete from Admin.

The Office in the Admin Building continues to be staffed for all non-student enquiries. 

Please see below for services offered at each location.

Contact Email: admin@krugerss.eq.edu.au

Teaching and Learning

Prep

Prep A have been learning to write a full sentence with a capital letter, finger space and full stop. We have also been learning about different animals to write an information report on. Check out our awesome writing!

Year 1

This Term we have been investigating materials and their properties with science investigations.

Last week 1C scientists made predictions on the strength of many different materials then tested the materials.

This week 1C scientists made predictions and tested whether materials were waterproof or not.

We will continue or investigations of materials looking into which materials float. We have learnt lots of new vocabulary such as, float, waterproof, strength, soft and hard plastic, metal, rubber, crepe paper, paper towel, cardboard and wool. Javnish bravely volunteered his woollen gloves to test wool for waterproofness.

Pictured Left: Testing wood for waterproofness on wood. Pictured Right: The water ‘beads’ on top of the wood not soaking in. Proving to students that wood is waterproof.

Year 2

This term, the Year 2 classes have been exploring the topic of space. Students have been learning about the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars through engaging lessons and hands-on activities. To support their learning, they participated in exciting Starlab incursion. Inside the inflatable dome, students experienced simulated night skies and discovered how the Earth moves in space. They were fascinated by the constellations and how astronauts live and work in space. The incursions helped bring the space unit to life and sparked lots of curiosity and great questions from all the classes.

Year 3

This week, to conclude our learning experiences on different cultures, the Year 3 team was delighted to welcome our Indigenous Community Coordinator, Mr Ruska, into our classrooms. Mr Ruska generously shared his knowledge with the students, teaching them about Indigenous language, traditional foods, and cultural celebrations. A highlight of the visit was learning to sing "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" in Mr Ruska’s language, which the students thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderful opportunity to deepen our understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture.

Over the past two weeks, our classrooms have been buzzing with focused energy as students have been working through their English assessments. These assessments include a reading comprehension test, where students are given the opportunity to showcase their understanding of a text by answering questions that assess their ability to infer, summarise, and make connections within an information report.

Our students have approached these tasks with great perseverance and attention to detail, and we are proud of the effort they are putting into demonstrating their growth in reading and comprehension.

In addition, we continue to nurture a love of reading every single day. Each class sets aside dedicated time for silent reading, where students are encouraged to choose a book of interest and enjoy some uninterrupted reading time. This routine not only supports students in developing reading stamina and fluency, but also gives them a chance to explore genres, authors, and topics that truly excite them.

By combining targeted assessment with meaningful reading experiences, we aim to build confident, thoughtful, and enthusiastic readers. Thank you to our families for continuing to support reading at home – whether it's a shared bedtime story or a quiet moment with a favourite book, it all makes a difference! 

Year 4

Over the past two weeks, our classrooms have been buzzing with focused energy as students have been working through their English assessments. These assessments include a reading comprehension test, where students are given the opportunity to showcase their understanding of a text by answering questions that assess their ability to infer, summarise, and make connections within an information report.

Our students have approached these tasks with great perseverance and attention to detail, and we are proud of the effort they are putting into demonstrating their growth in reading and comprehension.

In addition, we continue to nurture a love of reading every single day. Each class sets aside dedicated time for silent reading, where students are encouraged to choose a book of interest and enjoy some uninterrupted reading time. This routine not only supports students in developing reading stamina and fluency, but also gives them a chance to explore genres, authors, and topics that truly excite them.

By combining targeted assessment with meaningful reading experiences, we aim to build confident, thoughtful, and enthusiastic readers. Thank you to our families for continuing to support reading at home—whether it's a shared bedtime story or a quiet moment with a favourite book, it all makes a difference! 

In Year 4 Art Electives, students have been enjoying rotational activities each week. Our emerging artists explore painting, guided drawing, craft and chalk drawing. It has been inspiring to watch students foster new friendships and share their creativity with each other.

Year 5

As we near the end of term, we are all super busy completing assessments and assignments and looking forward to the mid-year break.

Last week, the Year 5’s took part in the Starlab Education incursion. An amazing experience where we entered a huge dome-type classroom, and the lessons were displayed across the walls and roof of the inside of this dome.

Here are some snapshots of what it looked like:

Day and Night

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were all projected above our heads as we learnt some interesting facts about each planet.

We had a close-up look at the moon too. We were able to see all the craters and crevices covering its surface.

It was such an awesome experience!

Flexi Space - Jenni Atkinson

In FLEXISPACE last week we were thinking of others as we packed toiletries for people in Brisbane that are sleeping rough. The students engaged in meaningful conversations about how individuals and families find themselves in situations where they are need of support for a variety of reasons.

The items were supplied by charities Let's Give and Umbrella and have been returned to them for distribution. Altogether the Flexi students, in particular Paul, Khloe and Indi sorted and packed nearly 200 kits.

Here are some activities that Mrs Mango ran with our FlexiSpace students – knitting and card making. Students have made free Greeting Cards for the Staffroom and Community Hub to be used for Shout Outs for friends and colleagues.

HPE - Orhan Memedovski and Lachlan Bowser

Senior Athletics Carnival 2025 – Let the Games Begin!

Get ready for an action-packed day of energy, house spirit, and athletic excellence! On Wednesday 18 June, students in Years 3–6 will take to the oval and hall for our annual Senior Athletics Carnival. It’s a chance for students to showcase their speed, strength, and sportsmanship across a variety of track and field events. With house points on the line and plenty of cheering to be done, it promises to be a memorable day for all!

8:30AM – 8:40AM – Teachers will need to mark the roll at class and walk with their students up to the oval. The students will need to move into their house groups and wait for the event announcement.

8:45AM – 8:55AM – Mr. Bowser and Mr. Memedovski will announce what will be happening in the day and will direct all students to where they need to be. Announcements will be made throughout the day to instruct students to move to the next activity.

First Rotation 9:00AM – 10:30AM

FIRST BREAK (10:30AM – 11:15AM) – Students will return to house areas at 11:15AM to begin the next rotation at 11:25AM.

Second Rotation 11:25AM – 12:45PM

SECOND BREAK (12:45PM – 1:15PM) – Students will go back to class to have the roll marked then will return to house areas at 1:25PM to begin the final rotation at 1:30PM.

1:30PM – 1:45PM – War Cries

1:45PM – 2:00PM – Sprint Finals

2:00PM – 2:15PM – Presentations

2:15PM – 2:30PM – Clean Up

We can’t wait to see our Senior students give their best effort and cheer on their classmates. Parents and carers are warmly invited to come along and enjoy the excitement. Let’s make it a day to remember!

Mr M and Mr Bowser

Junior Sports Carnival - Prep to Year 2

Get ready for a fun-filled and exciting day at our Junior Sports Carnival on Tuesday 24 June! This year’s carnival is packed with exciting new initiatives, fun games, and a great opportunity for our students to earn points for their House. Parents and carers are warmly invited to come along and cheer on our young champions throughout the day!

All events will be held on the Bottom Oval. Parents and carers will be guided to designated viewing areas for both the morning activities and afternoon races.

Event Schedule

🕣 8:30am – Arrival at school
🕘 8:45am – Classes meet on the bottom oval for instructions and overview
🕘 9:00am to 10:30am – Students rotate through 6 exciting game stations
🕥 10:30am to 11:15am – First Break (Bottom Oval off limits)
🕦 11:15am – Students reassemble on the bottom oval in House areas
🕧 11:30am to 12:45pm – Sprint Races: 50m for Prep, 80m for Year 1 and 2

🏆 House points will be awarded throughout the day for participation, teamwork, and race results!

Game Station Activities

What to Bring

Students must bring their hats, House colour shirts and drink bottles to stay sun-safe and hydrated.

Parents and carers, your support on the day is greatly appreciated. We can’t wait to see you there, cheering on our students and celebrating their enthusiasm, energy, and commitment to giving their best.

Let’s make it a memorable day full of fun!

Mr M and Mr Bowser

The Community Hub - Kym Alexander

Community Information

These school holidays Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds are hosting six exciting clinics at Nissan Arena across three days — 30 June, 1 July 1 and 2 July, from 9.00am to 3.00pm each day.

• Woolworths NetSetGo Clinics (Ages 5-10)
• Jump to Juniors Clinics (Ages 9-12)

These sessions are designed to be fun, social, and active — offering a safe environment for kids to build skills and confidence in netball.

Some Queensland Firebirds players will be dropping in during the clinics for signing sessions and Q&As — a fantastic chance for young netballers to meet their heroes!

About the Clinics:

• Woolworths NetSetGo is the perfect introduction to netball for 5–10-year-olds, catering to all abilities—no prior experience required! Kids will develop fundamental skills in a fun and inclusive setting.
• Jump to Juniors is ideal for 9–12-year-olds who are ready to transition to competitive netball, however no experience is needed! Led by trained coaches, sessions include skill-based activities, minor games, and modified match play.

Clinic Registration Links – Nissan Arena:

June 30

• Woolworths NetSetGo (Ages 5-10) 
• Jump to Juniors (Ages 9-12) 

July 1

• Woolworths NetSetGo (Ages 5-10) 
• Jump to Juniors (Ages 9-12) 

July 2

• Woolworths NetSetGo (Ages 5-10) 
• Jump to Juniors (Ages 9-12) 

The Bubble Canteen is bubbling its way to SPARK Ipswich Festival!

Step into a magical installation where the air shimmers with 20,000 bubbles per minute—from delicate floating whispers to gigantic, gleaming orbs. Created by the delightfully eccentric sisters Beryl, Annie & Fredia, The Bubble Canteen is a playful escape from the ordinary, connecting people of all ages through joy, wonder, and laughter.

WHERE:
Nicholas Street Precinct, Ipswich

WHEN:
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 July
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 July
Session Times: 4.30pm & 6.15pm

FREE. FUN. FOR EVERYONE. 

Presented by Ipswich Festivals, proudly produced by The Mask Family, and originally commissioned by Brisbane Festival.