20 March 2025

FEATURE STORY: FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL

Signing Off as Acting Principal

As my time as Acting Principal comes to an end, I want to take a moment to reflect on what an incredible journey these last 16 months have been. Stepping into this role while the remarkable Mr Adams took time to prioritise his health has been an experience, I will forever be grateful for. It has been both an honour and a privilege to lead our College community during this time.

To our amazing staff, students, and families—thank you. Your support, dedication, and commitment to our shared vision have made this journey both rewarding and inspiring. Together, we have continued to uphold the high expectations of our college, always putting students first and striving for excellence in everything we do.

Our college is a special place, built on strong relationships, a passion for learning, and a belief that every student can achieve their best. I have no doubt that this commitment to success will continue under our new Principal, and I look forward to seeing our college go from strength to strength.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of this chapter. It has truly been a privilege.

Mr Adams Goodbye Parade

It is with deep respect and heartfelt emotion that we follow up the announcement of our extraordinary Principal, Mr Stephen Adams, finishing his time at TPC in order to prioritise his health. After 23 years of remarkable service to the Talara community, it is only fitting that we organise a goodbye that reflects his outstanding dedication and service.

As you can imagine, bidding farewell to someone who has had such a profound influence on the lives of students, staff, and parents is an incredibly challenging task. How does one truly convey the depth of gratitude and appreciation for a man who has dedicated so much of his life to shaping and inspiring us all?

A special parade & clap out just for Mr Adams will be held on the last day of term in our Performance Hall. We encourage you all to join us Friday 4 April at 11.30am for a very special goodbye for an incredibly special person 😊 

Office Closed

Our Administration office will be closed on Friday 4 April from 11am – 1pm for Mr Adams goodbye parade.

As all staff and students will be attending this parade please note, our school phones will be switched over to voicemail. If parents are wanting to collect students during this time please arrange collection before or after this parade. Where possible there will be no students leaving during parade.

Parent Teacher Interviews

A big thank you to all of the parents who attended an interview with their child’s class teacher during the week. I trust that these interviews have been informative and that you have had a chance to share with the class teacher how you feel 2025 has commenced for your child.

If you were not able to make an interview last week, please contact the teacher to organise an alternative time and collect your child’s behaviour report.

Parents and Citizens Committee

Last Tuesday night, the Talara Primary College P&C held their Annual General Meeting.  It was wonderful to see some new faces join the committee, a committee which is absolutely invaluable to our school community.  

A special thank you to our ever energetic and passionate President, Beth Bonney who has committed to the role as President. The leadership Beth continues to bring to our committee and whole school community is invaluable. We are so lucky to have such a generous President who just loves this school and parent community. We are super thrilled to announce our 3 Vice Presidents to our Executive committee this year. A very special thank you to Nicole, Heidi and Jess, I know these ladies will continue to be a wonderful asset to our Executive team.

Congratulations to our Executive team for 2025:

President – Beth Bonney
Vice President – Nicole Noy
Vice President (Community) - Heidi Davies
Vice President (Business) - Jessica Simpson
Secretary –  Kylie Cerda
Treasurer – Kylie Burns 

There are a lot of great ideas for activities to take place during the year, including many special events to bring members of our wonderful school community together. For all these great plans to come together, this committee really needs many helping hands to make them possible.

There was a strong support for a parent Trivia Night, so start to get your teams together for TPC Trivia Night Friday 16 May.

P&C meeting dates occur the Tuesday of week 3 and week 8 each term. That means the dates for P&C meetings this year will be as below with start time as 6:30pm, in the IAC.

Term 2
Tuesday 6 May and Tuesday 10 June

Term 3
Tuesday 29 July and Tuesday 2 September

Term 4
Tuesday 21 October and Tuesday 25 November

NAPLAN

Last week our Year 3 and Year 5 students all participated in the 2025 National Literacy and Numeracy tests - NAPLAN. Our staff and students have done an awesome job in being ready to undertake this task on the digital platform. I know our whole teaching team do an incredible job every day delivering the Australian Curriculum with clarity and rigour, whilst building our students’ confidence and resilience.

I am immensely proud of how all of our students demonstrated their resilience, persistence and confidence throughout this week. There is often significant media attention given to the stress caused by NAPLAN, however it should not be so. Watching our students undertake NAPLAN this week is an excellent example of Talara students not only being academically prepared but just as importantly, being emotionally prepared and knowing it is just about giving it their best.

Parents, it is critical that we reflect this confident and resilient approach to our students for all new tasks that come before them as this is what so much of life is about, seeing an opportunity, having a go and doing your best.

The official tests are now completed for 2025. We can expect to see NAPLAN results in Term 2. The overall results will be good evidence for our school to reflect on, to see how our different curriculum and support programs are working in literacy and numeracy. For an individual student though, these are just a snap shot on a given day, on a very narrow aspect of the rich and diverse learning that our students engage and thrive in. I trust all parents will treat the results in this manner and know that the best indicator of how their child is progressing through school is by their report card and communicating with their class teacher.

Prep to Year 6 Cross Country

All of the students are getting very excited about the upcoming whole school Cross Country, to be held at 9am, Tuesday 25 March. This is always a fantastic event where every student gets in and has a go, completes the running course to the best of their ability and crosses the finish line gaining points for their sports house. I have been super impressed with the hundreds of students who have been very actively training for the event and joining our before school running club. Come Tuesday, we will have war cries, cheering, tumbles and victories, but most importantly we will have that amazing Talara Team spirit and encouragement of each other on display.

On Cross Country Day, students will be required to come dressed in their sports uniform which consists of a plain coloured t-shirt in the colour of their sports house, running shoes, school shorts or skorts and the school wide brimmed hat.  Students are also recommended to bring a school shirt and their black shoes, to change into after the cross country.

Parents are very welcome to attend as we would love you to be here, to help cheer on our enthusiastic runners.

Parade of Excellence

Our Term 1 Parade of Excellence will take place Friday morning 28 March, commencing at 9am in the hall. This is a whole school parade where we will recognise students from across the College who have excelled throughout the term. All parents and community members are very welcome to join us. A reminder also, that there are no normal weekly parades in the last week of term.

Open Afternoon

On the last Monday of Term 1 and Term 3, we open our classroom doors and invite parents and the community to come in and join the students in the classroom. Our Open Afternoons are a chance for you to come in and see the work the students have done throughout the term, as well as participate in a learning activity or two where the kids can show you just how smart they are!

Open Afternoon for Prep-Year 5 is Monday 31 March, 1:45pm to 2:45pm, invitations should be coming home next week, we hope you can make it. Year 6 will hold their Open Afternoon on Friday afternoon 28 March, due to Yr 6 camp in week 10.

Year 6 Mapleton QCCC Camp

Our Year 6 students are gearing up for an unforgettable experience at Mapleton QCCC, our new camp destination! This exciting adventure will challenge students, build teamwork skills, and create lasting memories as they take part in a range of outdoor activities in a stunning natural setting.

From high ropes and archery to bushwalking and team-building challenges, there’s something for everyone at Mapleton. This camp is not just about adventure—it’s about developing resilience, confidence, and friendships in a fun and supportive environment.

A huge thank you to our dedicated teachers and support staff who give up their time to attend camp with the students. Without their commitment and enthusiasm, these incredible opportunities simply wouldn’t be possible. Their willingness to step away from home, support students, and create a positive experience is truly appreciated.

We can’t wait to see the smiles, hear the laughter, and watch our students step outside their comfort zones at Mapleton QCCC!

Free Dress Day

For our final day this term, the students are able to come to school dressed in their best Mr Adams themed clothes as long as they bring a gold coin for charity. These days are coordinated by our Student Council, where our student leaders identify different charities they would like to see our community giving back to. Each year the Student Council choose a local charity, a state charity and an international charity. Please see the full article in today’s newsletter with all of the details.

ANZAC DAY Commemorations

Early Term 2, a very significant event takes place with our annual ANZAC Day Commemorations. This year the school service will take place on Thursday 24 April (Week 1 of Term 2) at 1:30pm in the Performance Hall.

This is always a very moving and special parade where the memory of the ANZAC’s and the wonderful ANZAC spirit is celebrated.

A very special component of the parade is the opportunity for students to share and present their feelings regarding ANZAC Day and what it means to them. Each year we run a special competition for students, this year we are asking students to write a poem expressing the spirit of the ANZAC’s. Three students are then chosen to read their poem during this parade in front of the whole school. Full details are included in the flyer attached. This is an out of school activity as we would really like to encourage parents to discuss this important day with your children and support them to undertake this piece of writing.

Community March

Then on the morning of ANZAC Day, Friday 25 April at 8:30am all students are invited to represent Talara in the Caloundra Community March. Our students are to arrive in full school uniform and form up at Stockland Shopping Centre carpark in Oval Avenue (at the rear of Kmart). A map of the route is attached. At 9:00am the parade steps off and we finish at the Caloundra RSL.

A Friendly Reminder: Before-School Waiting Areas

As we settle into the term, we’d like to remind parents that before-school time is an important period for our teachers to prepare for their busy day ahead. To support this, we kindly ask that parents do not wait outside classrooms or in the courts attached, before school.

Each year level has a designated court area (senior, centre, junior, prep) where students can wait before the school day begins. Supervision in these areas is available from 8:20 am, ensuring a safe and structured start to the day for all students.

We appreciate your cooperation in modelling this routine for your children. Encouraging them to use the designated waiting areas helps reinforce independence and allows our teachers the uninterrupted time they need to prepare engaging lessons for the day ahead.

Thank you for your ongoing support in making our school a great place for learning.

Driving into school grounds

A very clear reminder to all parents that under no circumstances should you be driving your car into the school grounds. Our driveways are major access points for our students before and after school, and any parent choosing to drive into the grounds is significantly risking the safety of so many students. Please be thoughtful, responsible and caring and do not drive into the school grounds.

Date Claimers

So much is happening over the next few weeks, here are a couple of dates to make sure you have on the fridge calendar:

• 25 March - Talara Prep to Year 6 Cross Country
• 28 March - Announced FIREDRILL practice 12.45pm
• 28 March - Year 6 Classroom Open Afternoon
• 28 March - Term 1 Excellence Parade 9am
• 31 March - 2 April - Year 6 Mapleton Camp
• 31 March - P-5 Classroom Open Afternoon
• 3 April - Gold Pass Day
• 4 April - Mr Adams Farewell Parade 11.30am
• 4 April - Last day Term 1, Free Dress Day
• 4 April - 21 April - School Holidays

Term 2 

Term 2 starts Tuesday 22 April. The day after Easter Monday 😊

Our very special ANZAC Day service will take place in the Performance Hall Thursday 24 April at 1:30pm and then the public march in Caloundra is on ANZAC Day. Please be aware of the public holidays this term - Friday 25 April ANZAC Day, Monday 5 May Labour Day and our Maleny Show Holiday Friday 30 May.

I trust the last two weeks of Term 1 go really well for all of our students and I hope you all have a safe and happy Easter break.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

P&C Update

Thank you to everyone who attended the General Meeting and AGM, and to our HOD Jody Johnston for her informative presentation. We look forward to another incredible and productive year ahead.  

Mega Draw Raffle   

We’re kicking off the year with our first major fundraiser, and it’s going to be HUGE! With an ambitious goal of raising $40,000 this year, we’re more excited than ever to get started and we need your help to make it happen!  

Thanks to the support of some amazing local businesses, we’re thrilled to announce a prize pool of over $7,100! The prizes are incredible, and we are incredibly grateful for their support.   

Ticket books will be coming home this week!  

Mark your calendars, gather your friends, and get ready to join us for a fundraiser that will make a real impact! Every ticket you sell brings us closer to reaching our goal of $40,000.  

Stay tuned for details on how you can win a prize for the more books you sell!  

91.1 Hot FMs School of the Year 

91.1 Hot FM’s $10,000 School of the Year is back! It is time to get behind Talara and VOTE, every day. Simply head to https://911hotfm.com.au/win/91-1-hot-fms-10000-school-of-the-year-voting/ to cast your vote.  

We need your help to take out the top prize. Spread the word, share with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours. EVERY vote counts in the tight race to win $10,000 and the title of School of the Year. This would be an incredible way to celebrate Mr Adams’ final year as Principal and leave a lasting legacy, with the winner announced on his very last day at Talara! If we win, the $10,000 will go towards much-needed sandpit shading for our Prep & Year 1 students.  Lets do this Talara!  

Tucker Shack   

Did you know Talara’s Tucker Shack will be serving locally sourced Groundskeeper Willie coffee during Cross Country. Why not grab a fresh baked muffin deal while you are there.  

Sushi Day 

Thank you for your understanding with the postponement of the Sushi Day during Cyclone Alfred. The new date will be 27 March. Any orders already placed will be carried over.  

Uniform Shop   

Cross Country is on Tuesday 25 March, and the Uniform Shop has house shirts and a range of hair accessories in house colours available for purchase.  

Beth Bonney
P&C President
Talara Primary College

Cross Country Carnival - Tuesday 25 March

The Talara Primary College Cross Country Carnival is a whole school event that enables all students an opportunity to excel in long distance running. All students will be engaged in training sessions prior to the day to ensure adequate physical preparation for the event. Each class will also walk the course prior to the day, allowing students to mentally prepare for their individual races.

NOTE: To be eligible to make the school Cross Country team (Year born 2013, 2014 & 2015), it is a requirement that you are present and compete on the day of the Cross Country unless you are representing the school at another event.

Students must wear:

House shirt (available at Uniform Shop)
School shorts/skorts or black/navy bike pants
Appropriate footwear for running
Sunscreen
Named water bottle
Named hat

Course Design:

Please find attached the course designs for each age group.
Please note; students in Year 4 who are born in 2015, must choose between running the Year 4 race (no district selection) or the DOB 2015 race to be eligible for District selection.

Please note the below times are approximate and may vary on the day, it is recommended to allow at least 15 minutes either side of your child’s race.

Student Council Free Dress Day

On the last Friday of Term 1, Talara Students and Teachers will participate in our Free Dress Day by coming dressed as Mr Adams or as themes Mr Adams loves.  For example - surfing, turtles, footy, camping. Student Council will be raising money to support Ex Cyclone Alfred Recovery. We are asking everyone to dig deep, donating a gold coin to contribute to organisations and people who are still struggling to get back on their feet after this extreme weather event that impacted many parts of Queensland.

Sponge Throw

On Wednesday 2April and Thursday 3 April, Week 10 Student Leaders/Councillors will be conducting a Sponge Throw Fundraiser during lunch breaks.

We are raising funds to support Variety Club the Children’s Charity. We are very passionate about this fundraiser after hearing our very own Kylie Lilley come share with us what Variety Club is about and the support that they offer so many children throughout Queensland.

This is an opportunity for all students to join in some end of Term fun by throwing a wet sponge at their Teachers, Student Leaders and Deputy Principals. This is one is not to be missed.

Bring $5 to have 3 throws of a wet sponge. All funds raised is going to Variety Club.

ANZAC Day Badges for Sale

Week 1 Term 2, (Tuesday 22 April to Thursday 24 April) Student Leaders will be selling ANZAC DAY BADGES before school on the main path leading to centre court. There will be $2 badges available for purchase. We look forward to seeing all our Talara Students and Community wearing their ANZAC DAY Badges with pride showing our respect for all past and present service men, women and animals.

All money raised is being kindly donated to LEGACY that supports families of those who served and sacrificed, providing the essential social and financial support that these families need.

Harmony Week

Harmony Week runs from Monday 17 March to Sunday 23 March.

Harmony Week celebrates inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for all Australians from the traditional custodians of the land to those who have come from many countries around the world. And celebrating that no matter where you come from, we're united by the Australian values of freedom, respect, fairness, democracy and equal opportunity. 

Student Council Members alongside Student Leaders, did a tremendous job within organised various Harmony Week activities.  Talara students really enjoyed the opportunity to unite with other cohorts of students learning more about cultural diversity and inclusiveness. Thanks to all our 2025 Student Council & Student Leaders for your positive contributions and leadership demonstrated.

Extension and Enrichment Program

46 students from Grades 2-6 were invited to participate in our first EEP day for 2025.

We started the day immersing ourselves in all things GAMES!

Students had the opportunity to look at all their favourite games with a critical lens. We investigated if games required strategy, skill or were simply a roll of a dice. We looked at the rules of games, the number of players required, the equipment needed and of course, the fun factor!    

The challenge was set: Work collaboratively to create our own game!

We were divided into mixed year level groups and began the design of our own game. Being in mixed year level groups provided a unique challenge to our EEP students. Many of our older students needed to ensure they were providing opportunity for the younger students to contribute, while many of our younger students got some practice ensuring their voice was heard and their ideas were considered.  Working collaboratively is a skill we will continue to develop during our EEP sessions.

Students raced against the clock to ensure their game was ready for our adult visitors at 2pm. When adults arrived, we briefly welcomed them and then invited them have a go at our games and provide feedback. Students received great feedback from their adults on the feedback forms.

Our Term 2 EEP day will be on Wednesday 28 May. The Term 2 focus is LENS ON LITERACY. Students will be required to read a target text before the EEP session. During the EEP session we will explore the author’s style followed by a group publication task. Parents & carers of EEP students are invited to be an audience member as we showcase our finished project. Please join us in the library at 2pm.

Year 7 2026 Scholarships

The Principals of the Coalition of State Secondary Schools, invite Year 6 students to apply for Year 7 Scholarships for 2026. Application forms can be downloaded from each State Secondary School’s website. Each Secondary School has its own scholarship selection criteria and process. Parents are advised to contact our Coalition State Secondary Schools for further information.

• Scholarship Application Period opened on Friday 28 February.
• Scholarship Application period closes THIS Friday 21 March.
• Successful & unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email by Thursday 1 May (Term 2 week 2)

Representative School Sport

It has been a busy start to the year with our Coastal District trials commencing in Week 3. Eden 5G represented Talara at our first Regional trial of the year in the 10-11 Girls Netball, however this was unfortunately postponed half way through the first day. We wish her all the best at the rescheduled carnival representing Coastal District!

Addy 6A, Curtis 6G and Willow 4M were all set to attend the Regional Swim trial on Monday 10March, which was cancelled due to the weather. Students selected into the Regional team were based off of swimming times. Goodluck to Willow who is off to represent Sunshine Coast Region at the upcoming Swimming State Championships in Brisbane!

Ayuna 6B and Mia 6Y are busy training for their upcoming Girls AFL Regional Trial, with only 2 more weeks to prepare! Good luck girls!

Kobe 5G, Beau 5M and Lennox 6G have just been selected into the District Rugby League team, great work boys! They will be off to Redcliffe in late April for their Regional trial.

Cyclone Alfred postponed quite a few of our District trials, we appreciate the patience and support from our families while working through these updated trial times. I look forward to acknowledging these students at our upcoming Parade of Excellence.

Secondary School Catchment Information

The Caloundra Coalition of Secondary Schools, wish you and your student a successful, productive and memorable final year of state primary education.

During this year, coalition primary schools will work together with the four local state secondary sites – Baringa State Secondary College, Caloundra State High School, Kawana Waters State College and Meridan State College, to provide a comprehensive and supportive program to assist both you and your student to make the transition to junior secondary schooling. At this early time of the year, we would like to provide you with important information regarding coalition enrolment processes for students transitioning to high school:

• Similar to primary school, all four coalition secondary sites have an Enrolment Management Plan (EMP) and corresponding catchment boundary.
• Parents can determine in which catchment they live by using the EdMap website (http://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/maps/edmap/ ). This is the method used by all coalition secondary schools to determine if a student is living ‘in-catchment’.
• Students are guaranteed enrolment at the school that is indicated by this web site as their ‘in-catchment’ school. This is determined by the student’s residential address. Proof of residency is required when lodging an enrolment application with a coalition secondary school and catchment status will be verified upon enrolment.
• The ‘in-catchment’ secondary school is the site that the student is assumed to be attending for Year 6 Transition Days in June and December.
• If a student has an older sibling already attending at an ‘out-of-catchment’ secondary school, the Enrolment Management Plan allows for the student to enrol at that school as long as certain conditions are met.
• Students may enrol in an ‘out-of-catchment’ school if they are successful in gaining a place in a scholarship program or Program of Excellence at that school.
• Parents may lodge a written Expression of Interest to enrol in an ‘out-of-catchment’ school for consideration by the Principal. ‘Out-of-catchment’ enrolments are granted at the sole discretion of the Principal and are subject to available enrolment capacity at the school after all ‘in-catchment’ enrolments have been accommodated.
• Details of each secondary school’s Enrolment Management Plan can be found on the school’s website.
• Each school has an Enrolment Officer who can be contacted to provide further information and advice.

State schools are great schools! Our secondary schools have planned a wide variety of whole day, before school and after school events that showcase the new and exciting opportunities available to Year 7 students. We urge you to take advantage and participate as much as possible in the Year 6 Transition Program this year. A summary of key dates is included on the back of the attached letter for your reference. Further details for each event will be provided closer to the day.

Born Wired: Privacy and Your Child

You can help your child to stay in control of their personal information, online photos and social media identity.

What are the risks?

When your child shares information like their phone number, personal email address, the name of their school, or home address online, there is a risk it could be used in ways they may not have thought about. 

Personal information gathered online can be misused and result in things like spam, scams, fraud, identity theft or grooming and unwanted contact potentially leading to child sexual abuse online.

Photos of your child that are posted online or shared through social networks might end up travelling more widely than intended or they could be ‘harvested’ from social media or other websites and used for unintended purposes.

It is important that your child is aware of where and how information that identifies them is available online. They should also think about who can access it, what others may be doing with their information and the impression they are leaving for others to find.

How can I protect my child’s privacy when they are online?

Get involved and explore the online world alongside them

Sit down together and check privacy settings on social media accounts, apps and devices — ensure they have selected the highest privacy setting.

Play alongside them in online games to see what kinds of information they may be sharing. Get to know the apps and devices your child is using.

Respect their privacy

Think before sharing or tagging photos of them.

If you are concerned that a photo or video of your child has been posted online without your permission, ask for it to be removed.

As a first step, you can ask the person who posted the photo or video to remove it. If the person refuses, or you do not know who posted it or do not feel able to contact the person, you may wish to report the content to the site or social media service it was posted on.

If the photo has been posted through your child’s school or a sporting club or other group, contact the organisation directly to raise your concerns. They should be able to refer you to their social media policy, which should provide details about the type of photos that can be posted, the way they will be used and how they obtain consent from parents or carers.

Involve your child

You do not legally have to ask your children for their consent, but involving them in decisions about what to post or share will give you the opportunity to demonstrate good practice.

Think before you share

• Avoid sharing photos and videos that contain personal details, such as full names, personal contact information, or uniforms that identify particular schools or locations.
• Avoid adding comments to photos that identify locations, for example street addresses, the name of your child’s school, or even identifying features in front of your home.
• Ensure schedules of children’s activities are not shared online.
• Only share with people you really know and trust. Rather than posting to all of your friends on social media, you can be selective and use the privacy settings on your social media platform. Also, be aware that if one of your friends likes your picture, it may also become visible to their friends.
• Always check with other parents before posting, sharing or tagging images that include their children.
• Remember that the information and photos you share contribute to your child’s digital reputation.

For more information, visit: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/issues-and-advice/privacy-child  

Parent TV

All you need is Love – The Connection and Love Cup

Children don’t “attention seek”, they “connection seek” to fill their Love and Belonging Cup. Much like the “Bucket Filling” we talk about at school.

We all know the saying ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup” and when it comes to children, giving so much of our time and energy to these little people can really ‘empty our cups’!

But what if, just like us adults, our children have cups too, and by identifying their different cups (or needs) we can better understand their behaviour?

For more information, watch the below videos by Sandi Phoenix

Student of the Week

Tuckshop

TuckerShack

FAQs:

• Our Tucker Shack service operates 5 days per week, both breaks.
• All main food can be ordered using the Qkr! app and is delivered to your child’s classroom.
• Please check dates and times are correct when ordering lunches.
• Ice blocks and other treats can be purchased over the counter with cash for all Year 1-6 students.
• Preps will get an opportunity to visit the Tucker Shop in Term 4.
• There are four convenient Birthday Treat options to choose from, each one is for a class set and is organised with the teacher on the day.
• We love volunteers in the Tucker Shack - it’s the only way we can keep the service affordable and ensure we are serving fresh, house made delicious food

If you have any questions and would like to get in contact with us, please email talaratuckshop@gmail.com

Community Notices

The Caloundra Cookery School

Seahawks Hockey Club

Primary School Gala

School Calendar