From the Principal
It’s hard to believe that we are now into Week 4 of Term 1. How quickly this term is going.
Last week our Student Leaders, House Captains, and Student Council Representatives were presented to the school community at our Special Leaders Parade. Ms Mona Anau, Acting Principal at Dalby State High School was our special guest who presented the 2025 Student Leaders with their badges of office. Following this special presentation parents and friends were invited to join the students for a morning tea. I would like to congratulate our Student Leaders for 2025!
- Next Monday, the 24th February will be the Bunya Swimming Carnival, at the Dalby Aquatic Centre. Congratulations to the following swimmers who will represent our school at the Bunya Zone trial: Nicholas Summerville, Tanner Cummings, Noah Feuerheerdt, Joey McGovern, Addison Ehrich, Addison Brandt, Karlos Partridge, Emily Forbes, Harriet Edwards, Hayley Darbey and Imali Draper.
- Our Student Leaders will be attending a Student Leader Workshop at Highfields next Tuesday, 25th February. The Student Leaders will be attending the GRIP Student Leader Workshop. This is a valuable day for the students as they get to participate in activities and learn what is needed to be a leader!
- Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th February are our School Photo Days.
- Then on Thursday will be the first Creekside Markets Meeting for 2025. This will be held from 3.30pm in the Year 1/2 Eating Area. This is a great opportunity for you to get learn more about the Creekside Markets and how you can help out on the day of the markets.
- Words Out West excursion is on Tuesday 4th March at the Dalby Events Centre. Year levels will be participating in various shows across the day.
- Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 11th March, at 6.30pm in the Admin Building. Our teachers are working diligently to implement the latest version of the Australian Curriculum, in English and Mathematics.
- There are a number of representative sports being called this term. If you need further information about any upcoming sporting events please speak with Trina Little or Nikita King.
NAPLAN Online
This year, Dalby State School will continue to participate in the NAPLAN online test (Year 3 & 5 Students). NAPLAN test window will open from Wednesday 12 March – Monday 24 March. If you are after an exemption, please contact the office and speak to Mrs Beth Minter (Head of Special Education).
Your child will do the NAPLAN tests online
Online NAPLAN tests provide more precise results and are engaging for students. The tests are tailored (or adaptive), which means that each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses. This helps students remain engaged with the assessment.
Tailored testing allows a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and measures student achievement more precisely. A student’s overall NAPLAN result is based on both the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly. Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging; they may be taking a more complex test pathway.
Participation in NAPLAN
NAPLAN is for all Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. ACARA supports inclusive testing, so all students have the opportunity to participate in the National Assessment Program. Adjustments are available for students with disability who have diverse functional abilities and needs. Schools should work with parents/carers and students to identify, on a case-by-case basis, reasonable adjustments required for individual students with disability to access NAPLAN. Adjustments should reflect the support normally provided for classroom assessments. To help inform these decisions, you may consult the NAPLAN public demonstration site, the Guide for schools to assist students with disability to access NAPLAN (PDF 96 KB), and our series of videos where parents/carers, teachers and students share their experiences in using NAPLAN adjustments.
In exceptional circumstances, a student with a disability that severely limits their capacity to participate in the assessment, or a student who has recently arrived in Australia and has a non-English speaking background, may be granted a formal exemption. Your school principal and your local test administration authority can give you more information on adjustments for students with disability or the process required to gain a formal exemption.
What can I do to support my child?
Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Some explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests; however, it is not necessary for parents/carers to do this. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance.
See the types of questions and tools available in the online NAPLAN assessments at the public demonstration site.
What if my child is absent from school on NAPLAN test days?
Where possible, schools may arrange for individual students who are absent at the time of testing to complete missed tests at another time during the school’s test schedule.
NAPLAN timetable
The NAPLAN test window is 9 days. This is to accommodate schools that may not have the capacity to complete the tests in a shorter time frame.
Schools will schedule the tests as soon as possible within the testing window, prioritising the first week.
See Key dates or NAPLAN test window for more information.
Have a great week,
Regards Scott