23 October 2025
From the Principal – Karen Herburg
Dear Parent/Carers
I’m thrilled to have stepped into the role of Acting Principal this term. It’s an honour to lead our school and continue building on the strong foundations we’ve established together. Our systems and processes are a testament to the hard work of our staff, students, and families, and I’m committed to maintaining and enhancing these as we move through Term 4. I look forward to working closely with you all to ensure our school remains a safe, inclusive, and high-achieving environment for every child.
Learning in Full Swing
Term 4 has begun with a wonderful sense of purpose and excitement. Across all year levels, students are engaging deeply with their learning, and our teachers are delivering rich, curriculum-aligned lessons that challenge and inspire. Whether it’s imaginative writing in English, hands-on investigations in Science, or collaborative problem-solving in Maths, the quality of teaching and learning is something to celebrate. Our classrooms are vibrant spaces where curiosity is encouraged, and students are supported to achieve their best. Thank you for continuing to support your child’s learning journey at home, it makes a real difference.
School Review – What It Is and Why It Matters
Every four years, schools participate in a School Review as part of the Department of Education’s commitment to continuous improvement. This process allows us to reflect on our progress, celebrate our successes, and identify areas for growth. It’s a valuable opportunity to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our students and community, and to set clear goals for the future.
Our review will take place on Tuesday 28 October, Wednesday 29 October and Thursday 30 October. During these three days, we will welcome a team of four reviewers who will spend time in classrooms, speak with staff and students, and observe our school in action. Importantly, they will also want to hear from parents and carers. You may be approached at drop-off or pick-up times for a brief conversation. Your insights are incredibly important and help shape the direction of our school. We encourage you to share your thoughts openly and honestly.
Prep Students – What a Journey!
It’s been truly heartwarming to see how far our Prep students have come since the beginning of the year. From learning how to walk respectfully around the school to understanding what it means to be a learner, their growth has been remarkable. They are now confidently navigating routines, engaging in classroom activities, and showing increasing independence. Their enthusiasm and resilience are a credit to their teachers and families, and we are so proud of the learners they are becoming. Watching them flourish is one of the great joys of our school year.
Writing Celebrations in the Office
One of the true joys of my role is when students come into the office to proudly share their work, and lately, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some fantastic writing and students who have learnt how to sound out, and blend words. These moments, where students light up with pride and excitement, are absolutely priceless. Their creativity, effort, and growth are evident in every piece they share. It’s a privilege to celebrate these achievements with them, and I encourage all students to keep striving and sharing their learning.
Year 5 Student Leadership Program
We are proud to announce the launch of our Year 5 Student Leadership Program! This initiative is designed to nurture leadership skills in our senior primary students and prepare them for future responsibilities. Students selected for the program have already shown great potential, and next Wednesday, they will participate in a Leadership Day filled with workshops, team-building activities, and opportunities to reflect on what it means to be a leader in our school. This is a fantastic chance for them to grow in confidence and develop the skills they’ll need to lead with integrity and empathy.
Year 6 Graduation Preparations
Our Year 6 Graduation planning is in full swing, and we’re working hard to ensure this milestone is celebrated in a meaningful and memorable way. Graduation is a time to honour the achievements of our Year 6 students and acknowledge their journey through primary school. It’s also a moment to look ahead to the exciting transition to high school. We’ll be sharing more details with families soon, including dates, times, and how you can be involved. We can’t wait to celebrate this special occasion with you.
Attendance – Every Day Counts
As we approach the end of the school year, it’s more important than ever for students to be at school every day. Regular attendance ensures your child doesn’t miss out on essential learning, assessment opportunities, and end-of-year events. It also helps maintain routines and supports social connections with peers. If your child is well, please make every effort to have them at school. Let’s work together to finish the term strong and give every student the best chance to succeed.
Behaviour Expectations – A Shared Responsibility
We are committed to providing a safe and respectful learning environment for all students and staff. To do this, we need your continued support in reinforcing appropriate behaviour. It’s important that students understand that swearing at teachers, physical misconduct towards peers, and disrespectful behaviour towards staff are not acceptable under any circumstances. These behaviours disrupt learning and impact the wellbeing of others. We ask that you have conversations at home about respectful behaviour and support us in upholding our school values. Together, we can ensure our school remains a positive and inclusive place for everyone.
Connecting with Classrooms
One of the most important parts of my role as Principal is staying connected with what’s happening in classrooms. I believe that being visible and present in learning spaces helps build strong relationships with both staff and students, and gives me a clear understanding of the teaching and learning taking place. Even in a busy schedule, I will be prioritising time to visit classrooms regularly, check in with teachers, and engage with students in their learning. These moments are invaluable and help ensure that our school continues to thrive academically and socially.
Matters of Consideration – Coming Soon
Later this term, we will be sending out a Matters of Consideration Form to families. This form gives you the opportunity to share any thoughts or considerations regarding your child’s class placement for 2026. While we cannot guarantee specific requests, we do take your input seriously and use it to help guide our decision-making. Please keep an eye out for this form and take the time to complete it thoughtfully.
Final Thoughts
As we move through Term 4, I want to thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. It’s a privilege to lead our school community, and I’m committed to ensuring a smooth and successful end to the year. Let’s continue working together to support our students, celebrate their achievements, and prepare for an exciting 2026.
Regards
Karen Herburg
Deputy News Prep – Natalie Arthur
Term 4 is in full swing, and classrooms are buzzing with the sounds of students actively engaging in their learning.
Term 4 is always a very busy and exciting term here at school, as students finish their learning for the year and teachers start preparing our students for Year 1.
The process of moving from Prep to Year 1 is a big step for our students. As the term progresses our teachers start focussing on students being increasingly independent with all aspects of their day, so they are less reliant on our additional staff members, like our wonderful Teacher Aides, as students in Year 1 do not have this support. Any practice parents can do at home to build student independence with simple daily tasks will also be supportive.
On Monday 8th of December, we have a Step-Up Day morning across the school and Step-Into-Prep morning for our incoming cohort of Preps. This is an opportunity for our students to visit their future classroom, meet their teacher and classmates and to mentally prepare for the move to Year 1. We also have some additional transitions planned for some students to support their move and help them to familiarise with new and unfamiliar teachers and spaces.
As parents, you can help set your child up for success, by talking positively about the move out of Prep and into Year 1. You can remind them that they are now grown up and experienced at school and well prepared to be amazing learners in Year 1.
Yes – there will be change – but speaking positively to your child about their new classroom, teacher and classmates will help to set them up for success.
Prep C
It’s Week 3 already, and we’re looking forward to a wonderful and fast-paced term ahead! The jacaranda tree in our Prep playground is in full bloom, filling our space with beautiful purple flowers. Inspired by this, the children made their own jacaranda wands to use in maths lessons. They’ve been busy counting and comparing collections, making meaningful connections to the real world as they explore numbers through hands-on learning. It’s such a lovely time of year in Prep, filled with curiosity, colour, and lots of joyful learning.
Prep F
Prep F has had a very busy start to Term 4! Students are working towards being able to create a short written retell of a familiar imaginative text for the Prep English assessment task.
Whole class and small group teaching and learning has consisted of students learning about characters and settings and recalling key events that happened at the beginning, middle and end of a story.
In groups, students have been creating story maps, and retelling stories using puppets. It has been exciting to see students draw pictures of key events and write their own retell of a story with some support. Students have enjoyed sharing what they like about stories and have created some amazing artwork!!
Morayfield East Mini’s Playgroup
Prep 2026 Enrolments
If you have a child born between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2021 then they are eligible for Prep in 2026. Families are encouraged to contact the school and book their enrolment interview as soon as possible, so you and your child can participate in the Orientation Days.
Date claimers in our Prep calendar.
Wed October 22nd - Prep 2026 Orientation Session #2
Friday October 24th - Grandparent’s Day afternoon in Prep
Monday 27th to Friday 31st October - Prep Swimming Program
Friday October 31st - Day for Daniel and World Teacher’s Day
Wednesday November 5th - Prep 2026 Parent Information Sessions – 9am & 6pm
Wednesday November 12th - Prep 2026 Orientation Session #3
Wednesday November 19th - Show Case in the Hall – Murri Club and Gymnastics
Wednesday November 26th - Prep 2026 Orientation Session #4
Tuesday December 2nd - Santa Around the World – Prep Incursion
Monday December 8th - Step-Up Day across the school
Thursday December 11th - P&C Disco
Friday December 12th - Final day of 2025 school year
Deputy News Years 3 & 4 – Sue Clifton
Welcome back to Term 4.
I hope you all enjoyed the break and were able to spend some time with family and friends. Our teachers and students are back in the swing of teaching and learning for a very busy term ahead.
Students in Years 3 and 4 recently participated in a disaster resilience education workshop run by Australian Red Cross, called Pillowcase.
Designed to help children prepare for, cope with and respond to an emergency, the workshop included a discussion about the importance of being prepared, as well as interactive activities to help students prepare their minds for an emergency and consider what to pack in an emergency kit. Each student was given a pillowcase to decorate and take home, to start their own personal emergency kit.
Whether your child participated in the workshop or not, Red Cross would encourage all of us to get prepared for the emergencies that life throws at us. They have also stressed how important it is to not only make an emergency plan but to discuss and practise that plan with children.
Getting your household prepared:
Red Cross have provided a checklist of actions to prepare our households and children for emergencies. I encourage you, if you haven’t already, to complete these as a household.
- All the children in our house know what an emergency is (a serious, dangerous and scary situation where help might be needed)
- All the children in our house know how to stay calm by ‘breathing with colour’ (slowly breathing in their favourite colour and then slowly exhaling their least favourite colour to regulate their breathing)
- All the children in our house know how and when to call for help (For guidance visit triplezero.gov.au)
- We have a safe meeting place outside our house and have practised how to get there
- We know who to call if we can’t find each other
- We have an emergency kit packed ready to go if we have to leave our house quickly.
For further guidance or to create a household emergency plan you can download Australian Red Cross’ Get Prepared app or visit redcross.org.au/prepare.
Year 3
In 3E students have been diving into narrative texts, exploring how to create engaging summaries that focus on characters and events. Students have been working both independently and collaboratively using the 5W's (who, what, when, where & why), identifying key language features and supporting their ideas with evidence from the text. It's been so wonderful to see everyone building their skills!
3A enjoyed learning all about disaster readiness with the Red Cross Pillowcase Workshop! Students sorted what was a "need" vs a "want" to go into their readiness bags. They then designed their own pillowcase, with items they would put inside such as canned food, water, batteries, blanket, first aid kit, torch, pet supplies etc.
Year 4
4A students have been highly engaged in their English and Mathematics learning. In English students have been exploring the text Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda — discussing characters, summarising key events, and uncovering the story’s themes of courage and teamwork. Students have enjoyed connecting the text to their own ideas and sharing thoughtful responses in class discussions and written tasks.
In Mathematics, students have been practising balancing equations, using their knowledge of number facts and operations to find missing values and check for equality. This has helped strengthen their problem-solving skills and deepen their understanding of mathematical relationships.
It’s been fantastic to see 4A showing curiosity, persistence, and teamwork across all areas of learning!
In 4E, Mrs C’s class, students have hit the ground running this term and it’s already shaping up to be a busy and exciting term! In English, students have started reading the class novel Rowan of Rin. Students have been working together to read each chapter, explore the characters and share their thoughts about the story. They have also begun recording themselves reading Chapter 12 as part of their assessment — and what a fantastic job they are doing! Alongside this, they are learning how to summarise stories and write their very own creative narratives. It is wonderful to see everyone so engaged and enthusiastic about their learning!
Have a great week.
Sue Clifton
Deputy News Years 5 & 6 – Kellie Connell
Dear Parents and Carers,
My name is Mrs Kellie Connell, and I’m delighted to introduce myself as the Deputy Principal for Years 5 and 6 for Term 4.
It’s a privilege to be working alongside our talented teaching team and with your wonderful children—many of whom I already know through teaching Year 5 this year, coaching the Gala Day netball teams across Years 4 to 6 in Term 3, and working closely with the Student Council throughout the year. These experiences have given me a great insight into the enthusiasm, kindness, and leadership potential of our students.
Term 4 is always a special time, filled with celebration and reflection as students complete their final term in their current year level. It’s also a time of exciting transition, whether that’s preparing for high school or stepping into leadership roles as our future Year 6 leaders in 2026.
I bring with me a broad range of experience teaching across all primary grades, from Year 1 to Year 6, and have worked closely in developing spelling and literacy programs to support student growth. I also have a strong passion for sport and love connecting with students to learn more about their individual interests and strengths.
I have been out and about the school grounds this week, connecting with the classes and I have to commend the teachers and students on returning with calm and a clear focus on learning.
I’m looking forward to meeting many of you over the coming months and working together to ensure your child has a successful and memorable end to their school year.
Deputy News LEAP – Alistair Watt
LEAP UPDATE
The LEAP students have had a great start to term 4. The students have settled in well after the holidays and have been engaging in some exciting activities in the classroom.
The Year 3/4 class has been reading the book Kumiko and the Dragon. They have been focusing on the development of characters and events throughout the story and have completed independent writing by completing a summary of each chapter.
Term 3 Walking Club Winners
Congratulations to the term 2 Walking Club winners. A reminder that walking club is on the oval every morning starting at 8:15am. Students should remember to bring their QR code each morning to ensure that their laps are counted each day.
Prep
1st: Isobel – 166 laps
2nd: - 120 laps
3rd: Piper – 101 laps
Year 1
1st: Jasmine - 39 laps
2nd: Levi – 10 laps
3rd: Zoe & Piper – 8 laps
Come on Year 1 students!
We want to see more of you out on the oval this term. Let’s show everyone what you’ve got and see if you can beat the other year levels! Ready, set, go!
Year 2
1st: Chris & Ryan - 300 laps
2nd: Maggie – 227 laps
3rd: Jakiyah – 174 laps
Year 3
1st: Casey – 210 laps
2nd: Harley – 171 laps
3rd: Sierra – 170 laps
Year 4
1st: Celine – 94 laps
2nd: EJ – 81 laps
3rd: Paulie –70 laps
Year 5
1st: Deep – 174laps
2nd: Riley – 140laps
3rd: Ollie – 70 laps
Year 6
1st: Eli – 247 laps
2nd: Sonny & Diezyl – 219laps
3rd: Jonathan – 178 laps
Date Claimers
27 October | P&C Meeting – Hall – 3.15pm |
27 October – 31 October | Prep Swimming $60.00 payment due 21/10 – classes go on a roster system |
28 October | Bricks for Kids Incursion 1C, 1E, 1F - $18.00 payment due 21/10 |
29 October | Bricks for Kids Incursion 1A, 1B, 1D, 1L - $18.00 payment due 21/10 |
31 October | Gala Day 5 Day for Daniel World Teachers Day |
5 November | 2026 Prep Parent Information Day/ Night CMT / EOY Concert |
7 November | Colour Run World Tuckshop Day |
12 November | 2026 Prep Orientation Session 3. 9.30am CMT EOY Concert and BBQ |
14 November | Gala Day 6 |
17 November | Last P&C Meeting – Hall – 3.15pm |
Health Room
Chappy Rachel
Exciting Announcement!
We are thrilled to welcome our new School Chaplain – Chappy Rachel – to our school community!
Chappy Rachel brings warmth, compassion, and a heart for supporting students, staff, and families. As our Chaplain, she’ll be here to offer a listening ear, provide encouragement, and help build a caring and inclusive school environment.
You’ll see her around the playground, in the classrooms, and getting involved in school life – always ready for a chat, a smile, or just to lend a hand.
Please join us in giving Chappy Rachel a big, warm welcome! We’re so excited to have her as part of our school family.
Music – Sound Cave News
Students across the school are currently studying different decades of music starting with the 1950s in Prep up to the 2000s in Year 5, so don’t be surprised if your child comes home wanting to have you play a retro song from the years gone by. Both Mrs Hughes and Mr Goldsmith will be looking forward to hearing some amazing performances from students over the next couple of weeks as they perform some of these memorable songs in small groups for their classmates.
Watch out for the pictures on Facebook!
P&C News
Hello, Morayfield East Families and Friends!
We hope everyone had a wonderful break and enjoyed some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Now, it is time to finish the year strong!
P&C Term Highlights
We have got an exciting, fun-filled term ahead and can’t wait to share what is coming up — including our Colour Fun Run, which will be held on Thursday, 7th November at 2:20pm down on the oval.
PAINT ME COLOURFUL AND CALL ME MESS – COLOUR RUN!
Friday 7th November – 2:20 PM
Get ready for the most colourful event of the year! Students have received their sponsorship booklets and can now create their fundraising profiles at:
www.myprofilepage.com.au
To participate: Students need to raise a minimum of $10
But why stop there? Share your profile with friends and family – there are awesome prizes up for grabs! Or, if you prefer, donate to a cause instead. The choice is yours!
Important Notes:
- This event is run by the P&C, not the school.
- Parents must create the fundraising profile (bonus only one email required per family!).
- No profiles can be set up after Wednesday 5th November, so don’t leave it too late!
- Let's make this a day to remember – full of colour, fun, and community spirit!
- Parents pay on the day at the oval if they want to participate - $10 (This $10 does not count toward your child's tally or prizes.)
If you haven’t set up a fundraising profile yet, now is the perfect time! We are looking forward to a colourful afternoon of fun with you all.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the schools Facebook page for updates on more events happening this term!
If you are interested in volunteering and helping with any of our upcoming events or wanting more information, please don’t hesitate to email us at:
- fundmess@outlook.com (Fundraising and Events)
- messpandc@gmail.com (General Enquires)
Our next general meeting will be held on Monday, 27th of October at 3:15pm in the Hall. These meetings are a great opportunity to stay informed on what is happening around the school, contribute your ideas, and help shape upcoming events and initiatives. Whether you are a regular or it is your first time, everyone is welcome!
Warm Regards,
The MESS P&C
News from the Tuckshop
🎉 Great News – Our Slush Puppie Machine is BACK! 🎉
We’re excited to announce that the Slush Puppie machine is up and running again!
Order yours now for just $2.50 and let’s see if we can beat our Friday record of 106 Slushies!
Wednesday = Pizza Day!
Students can grab a hot, delicious pizza for only $5.00 – don’t miss out!
Want something on the healthier side?
Choose from our fresh options:
- Chicken or Ham Salad Bowl
- Chicken Tender Wrap
- Chicken Caesar Salad
Order now - a treat for your child!
Community News
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