9 June 2025

Executive Principal News

I recently read an article which started with an interesting sentence which made me stop and think.

So much of what we do to children is justified by predicted future disaster.

The author of this statement, Eliza Fricker is an illustrator and author and has a very popular blog called Missing the Mark. 

If we don’t make them sit still, they’ll never stop bouncing.

If we don’t make them do phonics, they’ll never learn to read.

If we don’t impose consequences, they’ll never understand why it’s wrong to hurt others.

If they don’t get used to doing things they don’t like, they’ll never be able to hold down a job

She reflects that:

 We justify spending their childhoods making children do things they don’t enjoy and don’t see the purpose in.

We console ourselves with the thought that they’ll thank us when they’re older.

They’ll ‘get it’ and they’ll be grateful that we didn’t allow them to run around in circles and roll in the mud.

Of course, parenting is a minefield of experiences for us all.  Schools throughout Europe have always advocated for the play-based curriculum which gives children the opportunity to be children now, and still grow up later.  Many parents I’m sure would agree that playfulness and spontaneity don’t need to be squashed, and children should be able to spend their childhood doing the things which have purpose to them now.  A childhood doesn’t need to be sent rehearsing for adulthood, but should be valued for the unique time that it is.  In the blink of an eye, our children grow up and become adults.

Children often just love to doodle and scribble. I’m pretty sure a lot of my school and university exercise books would have been covered with drawings and doodles of all kinds, as this drawing provides us with an outlet for our inner world and feelings.  Sometimes doodles are actually the beginning of formulating and exploring much bigger things.  In today’s professional world, speakers often employ a ‘doodler’ to capture what they’re speaking about to their audience in a way like no other.

How can we dial down the pressure for our children is an interesting question, whether that be at school or in the home environment.

There is no one easy answer to the question of behaviour when it comes to parenting. How do we get them to do this? Why won’t they do this? There’s a lot of advice out there around how to control children’s behaviour, whether that’s through use of consequences, setting clear boundaries or even praise and approval.

But then along come children who haven’t read those parenting books their parents are reading.  They refuse to go to the ‘naughty corner’, and never calm themselves down in Tine Out. The firmer their parents are, the firmer their children are in response, and family dinner times can quickly become dominated by conflict.  Parents wonder what they are doing wrong and feel terrible.

The answer is, you’re not doing anything wrong. For some children, most of the usual techniques just don’t work, and can often make things worse.  Dr Naomi Fisher believes in a low demand approach, a different tool for parents to use.  Sometimes it’s just a different way to connecting, rather than a set of strategies. Words are powerful.  They can reassure, encourage and excite.  The tone of our words can sound disappointed, frustrated, loud, angry and excited. Sometimes our young person just needs support to remove that sense of pressure.

Low-demand parenting is an approach to parenting that emphasizes reducing the number and intensity of expectations placed on a child, particularly when those expectations cause stress, anxiety, or conflict.  It’s important to prioritize connection over compliance. The parent-child relationship and emotional safety are more important than enforcing rules or expected behaviours. Connect rather than correct.

Children are seen as individuals with valid needs and limits. Their “no” is respected more often, and their choices are honoured when possible. It’s not about removing all structure, but adjusting expectations to match the child’s capacity and needs. Children are very quick to detect authenticity in adults. We see that every day with our teachers in the classroom, and in the relationships children form with staff across the entirety of our College campus.

Good luck as you ride the wild, messy, beautiful rollercoaster of parenting—you're doing better than you think, and you've totally got this!

Until next time,

Jan Maresca
Executive Principal

Illaweena Campus Principal News

As a Principal, I don’t always have the opportunity to get into classrooms. Over the last term however, I have taken the opportunity to get into classrooms to connect with students. During these walk throughs I have been very impressed by the way students have been engaging in their learning. I have also been impressed by the way in which students can talk about what they are learning, and how this relates to their assessment.

For parents, engaging with their child’s learning can sometimes be tricky, particularly when students are reluctant to talk about their school day. I’m sure there are many parents who ask their child how their day was, and the answer may simply be “Good”. I realise that this is a generalisation and know that there are many students who love to talk about their learning within the home environment.

With that said, here are some questions to provoke conversation with your child about their learning.

• "What was the most interesting thing you learned today?"
• "What was the hardest part (or challenging) of your day at school?"
• "What's one thing you're really curious about learning more about in [subject]?"
• "What's one thing you've learned today that surprised you?"
• "What's a goal you're currently working on with your learning?"
• "What's one mistake you made in class today and what can you learn from it?"
• "What's one thing you're proud of yourself for learning today?"

The Illaweena Campus continues to be busy this term. There are many opportunities for students to engage in activities at Stretton, from competing as a team in the Pedal Prix program, to participating in Robotics and E-Sports. We have also had success on the sports field with several students competing as part of Met West at State Championships.  at the Ipswich Pedal Prix race. This is the second race for the year and it is great to see younger students engaging in these events. Our Science Ambassadors have also been busy running the Illaweena Campus Science Fair, and also running science activities at the recent Under 8’s Day held on the Gowan Campus.

Later this term, we will see students participate in World Scholars Cup, instrumental music students will perform as part of their Gala Concerts, and some of our Year 12 students are busily preparing and training for the 48km Kokoda Challenge held next term. We have also had success with several instrumental music students participating in MOST (Musically Outstanding Students) a prestigious residential music camp for students across the state. Over the holidays we also wish Brianna Watters all the best as she travels to Scotland for the National Youth Wind Ensemble program. This is an outstanding achievement for Brianna and we wish her the best.

Brad Stewart
Illaweena Campus Principal

Year 10 Deputy Principal

We’ve reached the business end of the term with assessment starting for our Year 10 cohort. Good luck to all students over the next couple of weeks. Just a reminder that students must follow the AARA process and make early contact with teachers and HODs if they are absent for any assessment.

Year 10 Semester 2 Subject Changes

We are entering the final week for Year 10 students to submit their applications for Subject Changes for Semester 2. The request form has been emailed home to all students and parents/caregivers and there are hard copies of the forms available in Mrs Brown’s office. All forms need to be received by Friday 13 June to be considered.

SET Plan Interviews

Students are currently working through their Careers unit in Connect Ed in preparation for their SET Plan interviews in Term 3. SET Plan interviews are an important part of a Year 10 student’s education where students and parents/caregivers are given the opportunity to meet with a member of the College leadership team to discuss student’s future pathway and subjects for Year 11 and 12. SET Plan interviews will occur on Monday 18 August between 8.00am and 4.00pm. There will be no classes running on this day and students will be required to attend only for their scheduled interview time with a parent/caregiver.

Jodie Brown
Deputy Principal – Year 10

Year 8 Deputy Principal News

The Best Learning Occurs at the Point of Challenge

As Semester One draws to a close, we’re proud to celebrate the many successes of our Year 8 students. Across all learning areas, they’ve demonstrated creativity, curiosity, and persistence—whether tackling complex problems in STEM subjects, expressing themselves in the arts, or engaging in thoughtful classroom discussions in Humanities. These achievements reflect more than just academic progress; they show our students growing as thinkers and learners.

At Stretton, we want our students to focus on learning rather than work completion, on process rather than product, and on the long game rather than short-term gains. We believe that learning occurs at the point of challenge for our students, and that making mistakes is a necessary part of the learning process. We challenge our students to think beyond society’s expectations that mistakes are failures that reflect badly on us and must be avoided, and instead encourage them to embrace struggle, particularly academic struggle, as a pathway to learning, brain growth and connectivity. We can show our students that we value their growth by asking them questions that focus on their stretches in learning, rather than being solely results focused in our conversations. When you sit down with your child to review their report card this semester, consider using it as a springboard for meaningful reflection. Rather than focusing only on the results, explore the thinking and effort behind them. Here are some questions to guide a discussion:

“What part of your learning are you most proud of this term?”

“Where did you have to stretch your thinking or try something new?”

“What did you find difficult, and how did you work through it?”

“Is there something you’d like to do differently next term?”

“What kind of learner do you think you’re becoming?”

We don’t want our students to see our school as a place to ‘prove’ their intelligence, but instead see Stretton as an exciting place of learning filled with challenge, growth, and an abundance of opportunities for all kinds of learners. True success takes many forms: showing persistence in a challenging subject, contributing thoughtfully to a group discussion, asking a meaningful question, or learning from a mistake. This semester, we celebrate the growth of all of our Year 8 learners, some of which will not always be captured in a traditional report.

As always, if you have any questions or queries about your child’s learning, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Year 8 Team at any time. Thank you for being a vital part of the learning community with us.

Sasha McDonald
Deputy Principal – Year 8

Year 7 Deputy Principal News

Year 7 Camp

Next week our Year 7 students will attend Year 7 camp at Camp Warrawee, northwest of Brisbane. This camp will be a wonderful opportunity for students to develop and build strong relationships with students and teachers. Students will have the opportunity to experience a wide range of adventure activities in picturesque setting. The camp will be from Tuesday to Friday and was postponed from term one due to Cyclone Alfred. If you have any questions about the camp please email our Year 7 Dean of Students, Mr Collins at gcoll63@eq.edu.au or Mr Hornagold at ahorn62@eq.edu.au.

Report Cards 

As we head into the final weeks of semester one, it is important to reflect on the success of our students throughout their first semester of high school. While many students would have adjusted quickly to the changes they faced at the beginning of the year, for some, navigating high school life can be a challenge. Add to this new curriculum offerings and modes of assessment it can become overwhelming very quickly.  

It is also important to recognise that success can look very different for each of our students. While it is easy to look at a report card and question the number of A’s on a student report, often it’s the level of effort recorded by teachers that paints a clearer picture. For some students, simply passing a subject is successful for them. On the flip side of this, some of our students might receive an A for achievement, but only a B for effort. The story behind this scenario is often one of a student coasting by on ability and the concern is for the future when subjects become more difficult, will they have the resilience to put in the hard yards to maintain their level of achievement.  

Ultimately for our students, it is important that we judge them on what success should look like for them, and not compare them too critically to their peers or siblings.  I hope all of our students find something to celebrate in their report cards this semester and also look for opportunities to improve for the future. 

Semester 2 Elective Changes 

As you may already be aware, our Year 7 students will change to a new rotation of elective subjects after the holidays for term 3. If your child has studied the Arts, they will move to the technologies in Semester 2 (Digital Technologies and Design) and vice versa. Your child will receive their Semester 2 timetable via email to their student email during the holidays. Please ask them to check this so they know what their new elective will be in term 3. 

Please ensure your child is prepared with the required resources for their new subject next term. All other subjects remain unchanged.  

I wish everyone a very safe and happy winter break and I hope to see everyone in term 3!

Adam Hornagold
Deputy Principal – Year 7

A Message to Year 7 students

A message for Year 7 students - Find Your Tribe

Everyone wants to fit in, feel safe and have fun in High School.  Having a group of friends that you can count on will help you make the most out of your High School experience.  Think about the kind of friend you need?  What kind of friend can you be?

All friendships have ups and downs and not all friendships last a lifetime. Some tips on friendships and finding your tribe:

• Surround yourself with people that make you a better person.
• Think about who has your back – in good and tough times.
• Aim to be friends with all different kinds of people.
• Don’t change for others.
• To have a good friend means being a good friend too.

You might find that friendships change in High School.  Allow yourself to be open to new friendships and opportunities. These experiences will help you discover the traits and qualities you value and appreciate. Friendships are important.  Treat them with respect.  Surround yourself with people who inspire you to live boldly!

Stella Peters 11J

Year 6 Deputy Principal News

Athletics Carnivals

What an incredible two days of athletics, Stretton SPIRIT and sunshine we’ve had recently at our Year 4–6 Athletics Carnivals!

A huge congratulations to all our students for their outstanding participation, perseverance, and effort across both days. It was a joy to see everyone giving their best and supporting each other throughout the events.

Thank you to our amazing HPE team for their wonderful organisation and planning and to all our staff and families for their wonderful support.

Our P-3 is fast approaching on Tuesday 17 June on the Gowan Campus top oval.  Students in Prep to Year 3 have been working hard in their PE lessons to develop their Athletic events and would love to showcase all of these skills on the day.  Parents, grandparents and carers are most welcome to attend!

Social Media

It has recently come to our attention that a number of Year 6 students are accessing social media platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok. As digital technology continues to play a significant role in young people's lives, it is essential that we work together to ensure their online experiences are positive and safe.

In November 2024, the Australian Government passed the Online Safety Amendment (social media Minimum Age) Bill, which prohibits children under the age of 16 from using certain social media platforms. This includes Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), among others. These new laws are expected to come into effect later this year, allowing time for platforms to comply by taking “reasonable steps” to exclude users under 16. For more information about these changes, please visit the eSafety Commissioner website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions

Parents and carers play a crucial role in guiding children's online behaviour. As a child's first teachers, you are in a unique position to support safe and responsible digital engagement. Educating children from a young age is especially important, given the accessibility of technology across all age groups. We encourage you to have regular conversations with your child about online safety and to set clear expectations around their use of social media.

Emma Webber
Deputy Principal – Years 6

Year 4-5 Deputy Principal News

Men’s Shed

Men’s Shed is an exciting playtime program that has been designed to give identified students an option at playtime to come and learn a range of fun building and technology skills.  Students learn how to safely use tools whilst constructing different items to be used around the school.  Through the program, students build confidence, communication skills, and teamwork. Over the last few years, the students have constructed a beehive, a possum box, built Science resources for classroom activities, and learnt how to service bikes.  Our last project was a range of garden signs that are now proudly on display in the Prep Garden.  It is wonderful for our young students to see their hard work on display and the connection from the workshop into our school community.

School Attendance – Let’s aim for 95%

Did you know that children who attend school every day are more likely to succeed in both their academic learning and personal development? We aim for every child to have at least 95% attendance throughout the school year.  Primary school is a crucial time for building the foundations of literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Each day introduces new ideas and opportunities to practise what’s already been learned. When children miss school — even just a day or two — they miss out on important lessons that are often hard to catch up on.

Regular attendance also supports important routines, friendships, and social development. Being part of the school community each day helps children feel connected, secure, and supported. These relationships are key to building resilience and a love of learning.  Let’s make every day count — because every lesson matters, and so does your child’s future.

Year 5 Camp Currimundi

This week information about our Year 5 Camp has been sent home to families.  Camp Currimundi provides Year 5 students with an engaging experience designed to test and develop student's physical, mental and emotional capabilities in a fun and supportive environment. This camp aims to inspire students through an adventurous setting to increase their resilience, become more independent and develop their leadership skills. This camp will provide an opportunity for students to build their Stretton SPIRIT and to embrace opportunities, interactions and environments that will empower them to use growth mindsets and agile thinking with confidence. The camp is being held from Tuesday 26 August to Friday 29 August.  Please note that places are limited on this camp.  To be eligible, full payment of camp fees with up-to-date SRS fees will be needed to secure and confirm your child's place. Once numbers are full, a waiting list will be compiled in date and time order of payment.  We look forward to another great year of fun in the sun with the Year 5 students!

Lauren Highman
Deputy Principal- Year 4/5

Year 2-3 Deputy Principal News

Our Year 2 students had an exciting and educational experience last week during the Wild Rangers incursion. Students learned interesting facts about habitats, diets, behaviours, and special adaptations of Australian animals. These real-life encounters sparked curiosity and inspired thoughtful questions from our budding young zoologists. This hands-on learning will directly support their current English unit, where students are preparing to write an informative text about an animal of their choice. The knowledge they gained from the Wild Rangers visit will help them select an animal to research and write about with confidence and enthusiasm. We can’t wait to see the creative and informative pieces our Year 2 students produce.

My New Gallery

Year 3 students participated in an incursion presented by the Brisbane Urban Environmental Education Centre. Throughout this half day experience, students described the observable properties of soil types in our school environment. Through investigation, collection of data and observations they made predictions and drew conclusions about healthy soil. Here’s what some of our Year 3 students had to say;

On the Save Our Soil incursion I enjoyed going to the ELA and collecting a soil sample by digging loam in the garden. We put the soil in a tube and did an experiment. We observed how much water the soil absorbed. We used a funnel, beaker and measuring jug in the experiment.  We learnt that loam absorbs water making it a good type of soil to grow plants in - Haris

Did you know that clay doesn’t absorb water? Water stays on the top of the clay soil. In our experiment no water dripped through the funnel because the clay did not allow it to pass through. Plants that like lots of water grow well in clay - Kyan

On our incursion I learnt all about 3 types of soil - sand, loam and clay. Desert plants can grow in sand because they don’t need much water. Sand does not absorb water, so it is not good for most plants to grow in. The best soil for plants to grow in is loam because it absorbs water and is full or nutrients - Anika

Our students will continue to develop their scientific understanding as they investigate the growth of three plants in these different soil types. Students from each class have planted; Creek Mat Rush, Hop Bush and Dune Fan Flower in loam, clay and sand. They have made predictions, will collect weekly data and draw conclusions about the impact of soil type on the growth of different plants. We look forward to hearing what our scientists discover!

Bec Solomon
Deputy Principal – Years 2 and 3

Prep/Year 1 Deputy Principal News

CELEBRATING our Stretton SPIRIT

Each fortnight, we award individual students with a Stretton Star Award.  This award is presented at our P-3 Assembly and recognises students’ efforts in demonstrating the Stretton SPIRIT.  Staff members submit nominations at any point in the fortnight to the Deputy Principal.  From this list students are selected and presented with certificates, Stretton Star capes and a book.

Although there are many nominations, Mrs Peters can only pick four Stretton Stars.  So how can you be nominated?  How do you demonstrate the Stretton SPIRIT and strong values?

Have you:

• Worked together honestly and maintained a genuine strong bond with your peers? This is Sincerity – the spirit of honesty and working as a team
• Practiced a sense of determination and strength of character in all that you do? This is Perseverance -   the spirit of self-determination and never giving up
• Demonstrated loyalty and are you dependable in all interactions? This is Integrity- the spirit of being truthful and reliable
• Owed your actions and behaviours?  Are you respectful to others?  Do you follow rules and work hard following expectations? Are you responsible for the choices you have made? This is Responsibility and Respect- the spirit of owning our own actions and being admirable in our behaviours
• Embraced all people regardless of race, religion, personal limitations, gender and socioeconomic status?  This is Inclusivity – the spirit of including others and accepting difference.

• Treated others in a manner in which you wish to be treated?  All community members must strive to help those in need.  This is Thoughtfulness - the spirit of being considerate

Encourage your child to reflect on how they may demonstrate the Stretton Spirit each and every day!

UNDER 8s CELEBRATION

Our Prep – Year 3 students and staff celebrated Under 8s day last week.  Families and community members joined this yearly event to engage in a variety of science activities.  Our P-3 Staff, led by Mrs Bryant, organised this event with great zest and enthusiasm.  This event also highlights the P12 connections we have.  Our Year 12s, hospitality, volunteers and Instrumental students all contributed to this special day. We appreciate everyone’s feedback on this event and the support you have shown to our Early Years team.

Families are encouraged to enrol early for 2026 to ensure you receive information on our Pre-Prep transition opportunities. Invitations to attend STRETTON SPROUTS – our Pre-Prep transition classes - will be distributed soon.  All enrolment information may be found on our College website and must be submitted to our enrolment officer via email. 

Terra-Lee Peters
Deputy Principal – Prep & Year 1

Senior Schooling

As we hit week 8, Senior Schooling is humming along and students are making the most of the opportunities that are afford to them- which is fantastic! We are heading towards the end of term so Year 11s are finalising Unit 1 and Year 12 starting their IA3s there is much happening in the Senior Schooling space.

Our off-campus students are continuing to shine. We have a number of year 12 students who have started their post schooling pathways while at school through apprenticeships and traineeships and we are shinning the light on these amazing students. There are a variety of pathways which is very exciting and we recognise the following students: Alex Vernon (Certificate III Electrotechnology at Riviera), Ethan Freckelton (Certificate III Commercial Cookery at Moo Moo Restaurant), Jesse Dixon (Certificate III Hairdressing at Oscar Oscar), Shae Levett (Certificate III Hairdressing at Kyanne Rose Bismark), Ebony Eggers (Certificate III Locksmith with Lothian Group), Kayzon Key (Certificate III Electrotechnology at EGR Electrical), Jack Jefferies (certificate III Retail at McDonalds), Lewis Price (Certificate III Business at Parkinson Aquatic Centre), Ayat Diab (Certificate III Childcare at Good Start Childcare) Alex Symonds (Certificate III Electronics and Communications with Leading Dental) and Neefa Jenny (Certificate III Health Services with OSMAC). We are so proud of our students and excited for them and their futures in their chosen fields, congratulations Year 12 and continue to shine! 

For many Year 12 students, they are heading into their final internal assessments before External Exams. For others, they are working on their VET and Applied subjects to finish out the year. It is important that all students make sure that they are attending school and meeting all assessment deadlines in this final and crucial push to the end. Students are reminded that they need to be at school every day and be on track for their QCE, up to date with their VET and meeting attendance requirements in order to be eligible for the Formal. Please keep encouraging your students to attend so they don’t miss out on vital in class content and tips in the lead up to exams.

Year 11s are heading towards the completion of Unit 1 and start of Unit 2. A reminder that subject changes are limited and require Head of Department approval. If you need a subject change, you will need to book an appointment with Ms Garvie or Mrs Boreland for this. Subject changes are not guaranteed and priority will be given to students who are currently not successful in their subjects. Students are reminded that they need to be attending all classes and completing all draft and assessment tasks for their subjects.

A reminder for Year 11 and 12 students who are currently behind in their VET subjects may be required to stay on a Wednesday afternoon in period 4 instead of leaving early. Students will be required to stay until they have caught up all their work. Both students and parents will be notified if they are required to stay and students will be able to leave early once the Head of Department for that subject has deemed them up to date. Students who do not attend these sessions and leave without a reasonable excuse will face consequences as per the Student Code of Conduct Policy.

Year 10 are progressing well with their SET Plan and career information that they are undertaking this term. A reminder that ALL year 10 students will also need to create a Unique Student Identifier (USI) number before their SET Plan interview and email it through to either myself or through the forms link in their SET Plan modules in QLearn. Thank you to all those students who have already sent them through. Congratulations to the Year 10 students who were successful in gaining a place in the TAFE Trade Taster program. We had a large number of applications and are very excited that so many gained entry to the program. We wish them the best as they undertake this opportunity to try some trades to support their pathways moving forward!

It is important that students are focussed and engaged in their learning and attend every day. If you have any questions or queries regarding any aspects of Senior Schooling, feel free to contact us.

Thank you for ongoing support and look forward to working with our amazing staff and students. 

Vanessa Garvie
HOD Senior Schooling

Italian News

Our diligent year 8 students of Italian have been hard at work preparing and revising for upcoming assessment.

Who would have thought revision of verbs could be so much fun under the glorious Queensland sun.

Year 8 Italian Teachers

My New Gallery

Library News

Donations Needed: Stretton Great Book Swap- Give a book, buy a book, support Indigenous Literacy
This year Grades 6-12 will be participating in the annual Stretton Great Book Swap to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. We are seeking pre-loved book donations in Term 3. Please see below for more information:

Stretton Libraries Bookmark Design Competition

Students from Prep to Grade 12 are invited to enter our annual Stretton Bookmark Design Competition. The winning students will have their design printed professionally onto bookmarks, as well as winning a prize pack.
This year we are asking students to design their bookmark related to one of the following book genres: Graphic Novel, Humour, Science Fiction, Mystery, Spooky or Adventure.
This is an optional activity, and entries are due back to the library by 19^th June.
The top 3 entries will be voted on by students to determine the winner.
Entry forms can be collected from Illaweena or Gowan library.
If you would like an entry form emailed to you or if you would like to digitally submit your design, please email us at library@strettonsc.eq.edu.au
We look forward to seeing some creative and inspirational entries!

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is now underway.
Students in Prep to Grade 9 are encouraged to select a range of fiction and non-fiction books suited to their reading ability and record books read during the reading period, 6th May to 22nd August.
A reader record form can be collected from Illaweena and Gowan library.

To complete the challenge:

• Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books
• Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books
• Years 5 to 9 must read at least 15 books.
  

Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories, or reading picture books.

Years 5-8 Library Passport Program

Students from grades 5-8 are invited to collect a Library Passport and complete each of the reading and library related tasks over the course of the year. Students can collect a passport from Illaweena or Gowan Library or from their teacher. Bring your passport to the library each time an activity is completed to be stamped.
Books on your passport must be books that are borrowed from our Stretton State College Library that you have not read before. Once all of the tasks have been completed, our lucky students will get to select a book prize!

Book Club

Scholastic Book Club catalogues for students in Prep- Grade 6 have been sent home. Additional catalogues can be collected from Illaweena or Gowan Library. You can view the online catalogue and place your order online via the Scholastic Loop website: https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Register.aspx

Orders are due by 13^th June.

Happy reading,

Sara Effron                                                      Kelly Norman
Teacher Librarian                                            Librarian
Gowan Library                                                Illaweena Library

Gowan Music

CHOIR REHEARSALS – REHEARSAL DAYS

Choral Fanfare

On Tuesday, our Senior Choir and Year 3 Choir travelled to MacGregor State School to compete in the bi-ennial Choral Fanfare competition. This competition is held every 2 years and allows state school choirs across Queensland to perform for an audience, receive adjudication from a choral specialist, and hear other choirs perform. Choirs are given an award based on their individual performance, and not compared to other choirs. Well done to our Year 3 Choir who received a Silver award, and our Senior Choir who received a Gold award! A big thank you to all the choir students for their efforts throughout the year, and to Ms Leona Dangaard from the Illaweena campus who accompanied the Senior Choir.

Year 4 Choir

Well done to the Year 4 Choir who performed Yuggera Djarra-Na at our Gowan Reconciliation Week assemblies. They will be performing on assembly in Week 9, and have an upcoming excursion in Term 3. Information about these dates will go home to families.

Year 2 Choir

The Year 2 Choir will be starting next term, and rehearsals will be on Mondays at 1^st break. These rehearsals will be in the music block, where Year 1 Music lessons were held last year (they will not be in the ELC). More information will be communicated closer to the end of term.

Australian Girls’ Choir

Girls who enjoy singing are encouraged to look into joining the Australian Girls’ Choir. Below is a flyer with details about their upcoming Open Day.

If you have any questions about choir, please contact the relevant choir teacher via email – chorn63@eq.edu.au for Mrs Claire Hornagold, and tsand162@eq.edu.au for Miss Tia Sandilands.

Yours in music,
Mrs Claire Hornagold and Miss Tia Sandilands

2026 Enrolments

Enrolling at our school 

Families wishing to enroll at Stretton State College are required to complete the enrolment application. Families can download, print and complete an enrolment application (PDF) the email back to enrolments@strettonsc.eq.edu.au

Please note, we only accept in catchment enrolments. Our catchment map is located on the following link: https://strettonsc.eq.edu.au/enrolments/catchment-area Siblings who now reside outside of our catchment area will be placed on a waiting list depending on capacity.

We do not accept any shared living applications.

Kelly Mooney
Enrolment Officer

Qparents

Reconciliation Week

In 2025, Reconciliation Week provided Stretton students, educators and families with an opportunity to reflect and connect with stories, values and the culture of Indigenous people past, present and emerging. As Harmony in Year 6 shared, "we all play a big part in reconciliation, and we carry the future as a present living legacy in Bridging Now to Next." Stretton is committed to unity through learning about Indigenous history, sharing stories and celebrating the cultural values and beliefs of these peoples throughout the college. 

During Reconciliation Week, the students listened to our First Nations students share their thoughts on 'What Reconciliation Means' to them, listened to Dreamtime stories, learned about Bush Toys and Bush Food, as well as enjoyed Indigenous painting, face painting and rock art. Through participation in these activities, as Addison from Year 5 stated, "non-Indigenous people are learning the truth about the history of Indigenous Australian's, which is what Reconciliation Week is about."

Jocelyn Marentis
Classroom Teacher

Sport News – P-3 Sports Fun Day

We would like to invite you to Stretton’s P-3 Sports Fun Day to be held on Tuesday 17^th June on the Gowan top oval.  Students in Prep to Year 3 have been working hard in their PE lessons to develop their Athletic events and would love to showcase all of these skills on the day.

As the name suggests the day will focus on the students having fun and maximum participation.                        There will be no points awarded or an overall winner.  The relaxed non-competitive atmosphere is aimed at students participating for enjoyment rather than winning. 

Students will work through a series of modified Athletic activities at the following times:

• 45-9.45am Prep
• 45-10.45am Year 1
• 30-12.30pm Year 2
• 30-2.30pm Year 3

Students are encouraged to wear their house-coloured shirts on the day (Hollows Hawks – Yellow, Paterson Panthers – Red, Cowan Crocs – Green, Bradman Bulls – Blue). It is also important that all students and parents have the following on the day:

• Hat
• Full Water bottle/s
• Sunscreen (applied at school or home).

PLEASE ENSURE ALL YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS ARE MARKED CLEARLY WITH THEIR NAME AND CLASS.

Thank you
Joel Aston – Gowan HPE Teacher

Sports News – Football Academy

QFSL – Balmoral Round

On Thursday, the Illaweena Football Academy travelled to Balmoral State High School to compete in the latest round of the Queensland Football Schools League (QFSL). It was a busy and exciting day of football, with all squads showcasing excellent skill, teamwork, and determination.

Our teams represented the academy with pride, delivering strong performances across the board and finishing the day with some outstanding results:

• Junior Boys: Won 1–0
• Junior Girls: Won 4–1
• Intermediate Boys: Won 3–2
• Senior Girls: Won 3–2
• Senior Boys: Won 6–1

Congratulations to all players and coaches on a successful day!

Metro Futsal Finals – Nissan Arena

On Tuesday, several teams from the Illaweena Football Academy proudly represented the College at the Metro Futsal Finals held at Nissan Arena.

Congratulations to the Year 7 Girls, Year 8 Girls, Year 10 Girls, and Open Boys teams who were all crowned Metro Champions

State Titles

The Football Academy was proudly represented at the Under 15 and Under 19 State Titles by several of our talented players selected for Met West. Despite the challenging weather and a last-minute venue change, our students showed resilience and skill throughout the tournament. Emma Warren, Nadia Holley, and Holly Flett were key members of the Under 15 Girls Met West team, while Chloe Hine represented Met West in the Under 19s competition. A huge congratulations to Emma, Nadia, and Holly, who brought home the gold after an outstanding performance. Well done to all four girls on their incredible efforts and achievements

Met West Trials

A number of Stretton students proudly represented the Southern Scorpions District at the Met West Football trials for the 10–12 years age group. It was a highly competitive day filled with skill and determination, and we are thrilled to announce that the following students have been selected to represent Met West at the upcoming State Titles: Luca Amaya, Hugo Ichino, Megan Chong. Congratulations to Luca, Hugo, and Megan on this fantastic achievement! We wish you all the best as you prepare to compete at the next level.

Douglas Neill
Head Coach – Football

Sports News – Volleyball Academy

Volleyball Academy Achievements

Earlier this term the 16-19 Years State Championship was help at Boondall. Stretton SC had 6 students and 3 staff involved in this event as players and coaches. The Met West Girls team finished in 4^th place whilst the boys finished in 5^th place. All our representatives played well throughout the championship and 3 of our girls were selected in the QLD Honorary Merit team:

Kodah Stowers, Annie Ryan and Breanna Carrington

Breanna was also named MVP for the tournament. Congratulations to all players and officials for their proud representation of Stretton Volleyball Academy.

Our volleyball girls continued their success competing in the SEQ Metropolitan Finals Summer Season. Our Year 8s, 9s and 10s teams all made it through to finals day with our 8s and 10s securing Metropolitan Finals Winners trophies and our Year 9 girls placing 2^nd. Well done to all players and coaches.

Finally, over the last weekend, our Year 9 and 10 teams participated in the QLD Intermediate Schools Cup event held at the Gold Coast. Schools from all over the state come to be part of this tournament and match themselves against the best in Queensland. This year Stretton SC entered 6 teams in ISC, 4 teams in the highest division - Honours Division (10 Boys, 10 Girls, 9 Boys, 9 Girls) and an additional 2 teams in Division 1 (10 Girls, 9 Girls). Firstly, a massive thanks to our coaches for all the time and effort they have devoted to preparing our students and their additional commitment over the weekend. Your expertise is certainly appreciated, and our players are very fortunate the have the high calibre of coaches that we have at Stretton SC. 

Mr Stroud (10 Girls Div 1 – 6^th Place)
Kodah Stowers and Mr Mo (9 Girls Div 1 – 15^th Place)
Ms Schulz (9 Girls Honours – 6^th Place)
Mr Collins (9 Boys Honours – 8^th Place)
Mr Chant (10 Girls Honours – 4^th Place)
Mr Holliday (10 Boys Honours – 3^rd Place)

We have seen improvement in outcomes and results for our teams and this is testament to the hard work from players and coaches in development throughout the year. With continued desire to improve, our Volleyball Academy will continue to turn heads at these events and impress all who watch. We already had many officials commenting on the great team spirit shown by our players across the event. Congratulations for some outstanding efforts and some great results.

Domnic Aguiar
Head Coach – Volleyball Academy

Sports News – Glow Golf – St Lucia Mini Golf

Glow Golf is coming this June – July!  
When the sun sets, the course comes to life with glowing fairways, neon obstacles, and an electric atmosphere. It’s mini golf like you’ve never seen it before – the perfect night-time activity for families, friends, or a fun evening out.

Event Details:
📍 St Lucia Mini Golf
📅 June–July (select evenings)
🌌 Glow in the Dark Mini Golf – fun for all ages!

🎟 Special Offer:
Use code GLOWUP for 10% off bookings – valid until 31 May.

P (07) 3870 3433

Stretton State College Events 2025

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