Dear Families,

As we round out the first weeks of Term 2, it has been a joy to reflect on the rich learning experiences and community moments that have already taken place at Rochedale South State School.

Our ANZAC Day Ceremony was a heartfelt occasion, with students showing great respect and understanding of its significance. We were especially proud of our school's presence at the Springwood Tri-Services ANZAC ceremony, where our Vivo Voices choir beautifully led the National Anthem. Their performance was a powerful tribute and a reminder of the values we share as a school and community.

A special highlight has been the participation of 25 of our senior students in the Rochedale State High School Science Extension Program—a wonderful opportunity that ignited curiosity and critical thinking through real-world scientific exploration.

We’ve also celebrated fantastic results at the District Cross Country, with our students showing resilience, team spirit, and determination on the course. Thank you to our staff and families for your support of these events.

Our Mother’s Day Stalls brought joy to many of our young shoppers and heartfelt smiles to families. Likewise, the energy and fun of our Democracy Sausage Sizzle not only celebrated civic responsibility but also supported the incredible work of our musical production team.

We continue to stretch our learners to be ‘Empowered to Excel’—our school motto in action. This term, students across Prep to Year 6 have been actively engaging in mathematical learning routines through our partnership with The Learner First and under the guidance of global education expert Rob Proffitt-White. These routines are helping to strengthen our learners' reasoning, estimation, generalising, and real-world problem-solving skills. Rich routines such as Open Ups, Move & Prove, and Recall & Reason are now a regular part of our classrooms, challenging students to think deeply and articulate their mathematical understanding. We’re already seeing the benefits in student confidence and conversation around Maths—see some snapshots of this learning below!

We also acknowledge and thank Mrs Jennifer Bampton, who will be stepping into the role of Deputy Principal for Years 3–6 while I commence parental leave as we await the arrival of our fourth child. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Rochedale South community for your ongoing support. Over the next seven weeks, I look forward to seeing many of you on school grounds in a new capacity—as a parent! I have full confidence in our leadership team as they continue our deep systems work to support the growth and learning of every student.

Finally, the excitement continues to build around our upcoming musical production of Matilda Jr. Led by the talented Mr Jeff Hogan and our Performing Arts team, this production has drawn strong community support and energy. Funds raised through our Democracy Sausage initiative have been directly invested into stage sets and high-quality audio-visual equipment to amplify the experience for cast and audience alike. With professional instruction in music, dance, and design, our students are gaining a level of performance experience that few schools can offer. The dedication of staff and students promises that Matilda Jr. will be one of our crowning achievements this year.

Thank you again for being a part of this rich and supportive school community. I look forward to the rest of the term with joy, pride, and gratitude for all we are achieving together.

A thank you from my family to yours.

Engagement in Focus: Teaching Students to Know What it Feels Like to Learn

This year, our Rochedale South team has embraced a bold and meaningful challenge to deepen student engagement and strengthen agency across every classroom. More than just a buzzword, engagement is at the heart of learning. But what does it look like? What does it feel like? And how can we help students recognise it in themselves?

We’ve turned to the powerful work of Dr. Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey, leading researchers in education and authors of Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity and All Learning is Social and Emotional. Last year we partnered with Swtich4Schools to systematise the explicit teaching and check-ins for students and their emotions. Dr Fisher's research has helped frame engagement as more than simple compliance—it is a complex mix of emotional, behavioural, and cognitive involvement in learning. When students are truly engaged, they’re invested, empowered, and willing to take risks as learners.  

To support this, we’re using Amy Berry’s Student Engagement Scale from Prep to Year 6. This tool helps students reflect on their learning behaviours—whether they’re focused, curious, or pushing themselves to grow. It’s helping us build student awareness and ownership of learning.

When students understand how they learn best, they gain agency—the ability to make decisions and drive their progress. And when students feel they belong, they’re more likely to be motivated and successful.

As parents and caregivers, you can support this work by asking your child not just what they learned today, but how they learned it. Did they feel challenged? Focused? Proud of what they accomplished? These reflective conversations extend our classroom focus into your homes and continue to build students who are empowered to excel.

'The Rochedale South Community

A Gratitude Letter to Mr S from Rachael H (past parent)
Celebrating Marcus Stilianos – Our Unsung Hero

At Rochedale South State School, you’re lucky to have many dedicated educators, but today I want to take a moment to shine a light on one of the brightest – Mr Marcus Stilianos, affectionately known to most as Mr S.

Mr S is far more than just a Physical Education teacher or sports coach. He’s the friendly face walking the school grounds, offering a smile, a high-five, or a few words of encouragement to every student he passes. For many, he’s also a mentor, a motivator, and the heartbeat behind one of your school’s most memorable programs – Interschool Sport.

This program, built from the ground up with inclusion and community in mind, has become a cornerstone of the school’s spirit. Mr S has spent countless days – and many nights – coordinating fields, managing teams, and ensuring that every student who wants to participate has a place to play. Come rain or shine (and yes, even rain days!), Mr S is there, turning disappointment into joy with a quick pivot to binball or another creative game so the kids still get their Friday fun.

His quiet achievements may go unnoticed by some, but for those who know, Mr S has been integral to Rochedale South’s success – on and off the field. Whether it's the excitement of Sports Day or the energy of Cross Country, he creates events that bring joy, pride, and lasting memories to students and families alike.

The recent announcement that Interschool Sports will now be played on your own fields is a huge milestone – not just for Mr S, but for the entire community. These Friday games are more than just games. They are the result of hours of training, tireless organisation, and pure passion. Mr S sees the bigger picture – the confidence, teamwork, and growth these moments bring to every child who participates.

I’d also like to send a big shoutout to Mr Hill, the amazing groundsman, for his work in making sure the fields and courts are always ready for game day!

To all families: if your child is part of this program, I encourage you to come down on Fridays, cheer from the sidelines, and witness the magic for yourself. Let’s show our appreciation by supporting not just our kids, but the incredible effort behind it all.

And next time you see Mr S around the school – in one of his signature bright soccer jerseys, moving fast with a grin on his face – give him a wave, a thank you, or even better, a high five. He deserves it.

Congratulations, Marcus, on your continued success. With heartfelt gratitude.