Dear Families,

What a joy to see our students, families and staff enjoying the Ball Games competition on Friday. This tradition at Yeronga State School is one event on the school calendar that has been held with much relish over decades. Mr Bateman has led the event each year. I reflected with a few parents and staff on Friday, what it is about the event that is enduring? Firstly, the dress ups, secondly, the lass team comradery and thirdly, the ‘just right’ and inclusive nature of the challenge. What joy!

Last week I met with members of the Annerley-Stephens History Group at the new Co location of the Yeronga Community Centre with the view to establishing a partnership between the group and the school. Over the course of our meeting, it became evident that working together is a wonderful opportunity.  Especially in supporting the educational and social purpose of both entities. Did you know…

• The Annerley-Stephens History Group (ASHG) engages with the local community and finds and shares stories of our local area through events, talks, walks, books, displays and online. 
• The group covers the suburbs that were included in the former Stephens Shire which was amalgamated into Brisbane City Council in 1925. The suburbs include Annerley, Fairfield, Holland Park West, Tarragindi, Tennyson, Yeerongpilly, Yeronga and parts of Greenslopes, Moorooka and Mt Gravatt.
• ASHG’s aims to weave together stories told, memories shared, archival records, family histories, physical and social landscapes, and various forms of creative expression. The perspective of First Nations people is fundamental to their work.
• ASHG is a voluntary member-based organisation. It has its first permanent home in the new Yeronga Community Centre in Villa Street. There is a public drop in morning each Wednesday.
• The group has published five books: Stories of Stephens, Echoes of Stephens, Stephens and War, Women of Stephens and the newly launched Memories of Stephens. The books can be purchased for $25 each. The Children of Stephens is a small book produced through an internship with the Australian Catholic University in 2022. It focuses on the games that generations past played.

For more information;

email: annerleystephenshistorygroupin@gmail.com

Web address: annerleystephenshistory.org 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashgInc 

Please look out for the ASHG flyer in the Community News section of this newsletter.

This past week, I completed with Stef Kirk and Clare TRIGGELL the Berry Street Education Model training. The Berry Street Education Model is a trauma informed strengths-based approach to support students in the school setting through principles of positive psychology and trauma informed practices. The training was outstanding and we look forward to bringing all Yeronga State School through the training over 2025 and 2026. Please follow the link for a brief overview of the BSEM approach.

We look forward to seeing all our students back safe and well after the September holiday break for a great Term 4.

Sincerely,

Eunice