25 June 2025

Principal’s Report.

I hope that you are well and that you are excited for the ensuing holiday break.

The end of Semester is upon us and reports will be on their way home shortly.

It has been a relatively quiet few weeks, with assessment being the key activity across most classes.

Our Preliminary NAPLAN 2025 Data has been uploaded to QCAA Portal. I have included the Performance Trends for Year 7 and Year 9. Whilst we are still a little below the state, we are improving from last year. I look forward to sharing our banded data when it is released. Onwards and Upwards!!

There are lots of great things happening early next term. Parent-Teacher Night is on the Tuesday 29 July (Week 3), Subject Selection evening is on Tuesday 22 July and our NAIDOC Elders' Luncheon is on in Week 2. SET Plan interviews are on for Year 10s in Week 7, there is a Student Free Day on Friday 5 September and, of course, our Year 12 Formal occurs on Thursday 11 September. Term 3 is always big and busy!

With subject selections occurring soon, it is timely to remind everyone again about our 'ESHS Careers Website' that links from our school website or more directly from https://www.emeraldshscareers.com.au/. This is an amazing resource to help young people explore the world of work, university, trades, apprenticeships and post-school study. I would encourage everyone - students and parents - to have a look! It is a really good tool!

Now is an opportunity for all students to take a well-earned break, relax, refresh, and get ready to go for the second half of the year!!

“Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

• Mark Twain

Regards
Mr. Troy Sanson
Principal

From the Garnet Deputy Principal.

PBL focus

This week’s PBL focus is to use all modes of transport safely.

The focus centres on our students being safe and respectful members of our community, from the second they leave our school gates and is aimed to keep them safe over the holidays.

Children and young adults represent approximately 24% of lives lost on our roads. Understanding road safety is important in establishing responsible attitudes, perceptions and behaviours. This leads to responsible pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and passengers.

PBL Rewards

In Term 1, we had 350 students who qualified for our End of Term Reward of a free slushie at Hoopers Store. These students need to be congratulated as they had perfect behaviour and over 80% attendance for the term. In Term 2, the reward will be a pizza party with their friends.

Uniform Expectations

As the weather has cooled down, our uniform standards have dropped. A reminder that jumpers with hoods, beanies, blankets and jeans are not uniform items. If any student is having trouble sourcing a uniform jumper, please see your House Deputy Principal. We are happy to help you obtain a school jumper. Plain black tracksuit pants are also ok on cold days. Big W has a good range at the moment at affordable prices.

For more information on uniform expectations, please see pages 14-15 of the student diary.

School Immunisation Program

The Year 10 Immunisation Clinic will be held on Thursday the 24^th July as part of our Annual School Immunisation Program. All Year 10 students are being offered free vaccinations, as recommended by the National Immunisation Program to protect against Meningococcal ACWY.

Your participation in the Immunisation Program is entirely up to you. Under no circumstances would the school be allowing vaccinations of any type without express parental approval. Only those students whose parents have completed the online consent forms will be able to get their free immunisation at school.

If at any time you wish to change your consent decision or have questions, please contact Ozcare Emerald, directly by ph: (07) 4937 4260.

If your child misses the school immunisation day, there will be a catch-up day on Wednesday 30th July, held at the school. Alternatively, you can make a private appointment with your GP.

Junior Certificate of Education

At the end of Year 10, most students will receive a Junior Certificate of Education or a JCE. This is a school based junior schooling qualification awarded to eligible students at the end of Year 10 on completion of the junior phase of learning.

At Emerald State High School, the JCE is designed to:

• Be a tool to track, recognise and celebrate student progress and engagement.
• Teach students to track their progress in preparation for the QCE process in Senior School.
• Provide a qualification to add to a student’s portfolio to present to an employer.
• Reward hard work and commitment to studies in the middle years of schooling.

To be awarded a JCE, students need to achieve a significant amount of learning, at a set standard, in both core and elective subjects. At the end of this week, you will receive a report card for Semester 1. Once we have the first semester’s results, HODs will work with students to check on progress towards a JCE and monitor this for the remainder of the year. If successful, JCE Certificates are sent out at the end of the school year.

Subject Selection for 2026

Although it feels like the year is just gaining momentum, we have already started working on the 2026 school timetable. Our Heads of Department have been developing new subjects to be offered in 2026 in order to engage more students in subjects that interest them and prepare them for future pathways. We are also able to offer a wider range of subjects designed to prepare students for the subjects they plan to take during the senior phase of their learning.

Subject Information Books will be published for parents and students soon, and a Subject Information Evening will be held for families on Tuesday 22nd July, which is in Week 2. Following this, students in Years 8, 9 and 10 will start choosing subjects for 2026.

SET Plans (Senior Education and Training Plans)

Next term our Year 10 students focus on career planning and will each develop their SET Plan. All Year 10 students are required to develop a SET Plan in consultation with their Deputy Principal and parents/carers. Planning your senior pathway requires significant thought and consideration. This starts with reflecting on their own interests, skills and personal attributes. Students will set goals and explore possible careers and pathways. They will then choose subjects for Year 11 that align with their aspirations and abilities.

The SET Plan process is started during their VVP class and finalised once subjects are chosen for Year 11 and 12 in consultation with parents. The SET Plan maps out a plan of action for students to achieve their education goal or intended learning option (ILO) and supports students to remain on track for success in senior secondary and meaningful post-school pathways. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their SET Plan and to review and revise it at regular intervals during Years 11 and 12 to ensure they remain on track.

Contact with Students During the Day

All personal technology devices (mobile phones, MP3 player, Bluetooth headphones, and all similar devices) are not to be used, seen or heard during the entire school day, either inside or outside the classroom. This includes before school, during all breaks, on excursions and until the end of the school day.

If a parent needs to contact their child during school hours, this must only be done through the school office. Should a student need to go home due to illness or any other reason during the school day, the school will contact parents to coordinate arrangements. In urgent circumstances, students can ask permission to contact parents/carers and use the phone in the administration office. Every attempt will be made to contact students should parents/carers need to get an urgent message to students. At no time is a student to use a personal mobile device to call a parent and arrange to be collected. We ask our parents to support us with this. We need to know where our students are.  Recently, arrangements have been made to collect a student, without signing them out, and we then spend time searching the school, looking for the student. All students leaving early or arriving late need to see Miss Kristy at the attendance window and sign in and out correctly.

If you know in advance that you will be collecting your child early, please text the absence line on 0426 305 991, with the reason, so that you are not kept waiting too long while we sign the student out.

Safe Holidays to all

I sincerely hope you all have a relaxing and safe holiday. May the weather be perfect and the time spent with family help you to rest up and recharge, ready for Semester 2.

Regards
Mrs. Deanne Lucht
Deputy Principal – Garnet

From the House Support Coordinator – Garnet 2.

Happy Week 10!

Athletics Carnival was a huge success for Garnet in 2025. The final results haven’t been released yet; however Garnet made a dash for the finish line on the day. Sitting in 4th place at lunchtime, Garnet was announce tied for 1st by the end of day. Well done to all Garnet participants that earn themselves house pints on the day.

The days have been colder lately, a reminder for uniform policy at ESHS. Jumper options are school jacket, plain black or green crew neck or zip jumpers. Absolutely no hoodies or logos. HSCs have been contacting students out of uniform and making contacts home for those continuously out of uniform. These holidays are a good opportunity to purchase the appropriate options.

Have a safe, enjoyable holiday. We will see you in Term 3!

Regards
Mr. Slade Blunt
HSC – Garnet 2

From the Cooee Corner.

As we wrap up another vibrant and busy term, Cooee Corner is excited to share some of the wonderful things we’ve been working on with our amazing students and staff!

One of our highlights this term has been getting our hands dirty in the school garden! Students have been learning practical life skills, whilst enjoying the fresh air and the satisfaction of growing their own plants. From planting herbs, to pulling weeds and caring for our veggie patch, the garden has been a fantastic space for connection, sensory exploration, and confidence-building.

A big focus this term has been continuing our support for students working toward their Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA). We’ve been collaborating with classroom teachers to support students personalised learning goals and collect evidence of student progress. It’s a joy to see students building their independence and achieving their best.

Our team has also been busy with ongoing case management, providing tailored support to students across the school. From classroom check-ins to one-on-one sessions, we’re proud of the positive relationships we’ve built with students, families, and staff. These partnerships are key to ensuring every student feels seen, heard, and supported on their learning journey.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding the support your student/s are receiving or are requiring additional support, please contact the below people:

• Head of Special Education Services: Sarah Somerville ssome17@eq.edu.au
• Garnet case manager: Ashley Stoker axsto14@eq.edu.au
• Sapphire case manager: Erika Tsai pxtsa0@eq.edu.au
• Zircon case manager: Kate Deighton kmdei0@eq.edu.au
• Topaz case manager: Jessica Perryman jmorr473@eq.edu.au
• English as a Second Language: Erika Tsai pxtsa0@eq.edu.au

Regards
Mrs. Ashley Stoker
Teacher

From the Science team.

Our students have been working hard across all year levels this term, engaging with hands-on experiments, research tasks and rich class discussions. Here's a snapshot of what’s been happening in Science at ESHS.

Year 7 students have been exploring the diversity of living things through biological classification. They’ve also been learning about ecosystems and food webs, including the impact of human activity on the environment. They used concepts to analyse and construct their own food chains and webs to demonstrate the flow of energy through ecosystems.

Year 8 students are diving into the world of energy in their Physical Sciences unit. They’re investigating different forms of energy—including kinetic, heat and potential energy—and exploring how energy can be transformed and transferred in systems. Their assessment this term involved an experimental report where they investigated how energy is transformed in everyday systems.

Year 9 have completed their Earth and Space Science unit on plate tectonics and are now studying the structure of atoms and natural radioactivity.

Year 10 are continuing their studies in Chemistry. They’ve been learning how the structure of atoms and the arrangement of elements in the Periodic Table relate to chemical properties. The focus now is on different types of chemical reactions and the factors that affect their rates.

Year 11 Chemistry students have been focusing on VSEPR theory and valence shells to understand molecular shapes and bonding.

Year 11 Biology students are learning about homeostasis and how the body maintains a stable internal environment. They’re investigating feedback systems and exploring how these processes can be disrupted.

Year 11 Physics students are analysing linear motion and force and will be working on their student experiment reports.

Year 11 Psychology students have now completed Unit 1: Individual Development. Their studies culminated in a student experiment investigating the impact of divided attention on performance, allowing them to experience psychological research first-hand.

Year 12 Chemistry, Biology, and Physics students are in the midst of their IA3 research investigations. Chemistry students are researching polymers and their applications in modern industries, while Biology students are investigating topics related to DNA technologies. Physics students are exploring the fascinating concepts of Einstein’s theory of special relativity. These tasks form a key part of their Unit 4 internal assessment and will help consolidate knowledge in preparation for their external exams in Term 4.

It’s been another exciting term for Science here at ESHS, and we look forward to continuing to support our students in their learning journey!

Regards
Mr. Garrick Brown
Teacher

From the English team.

As we approach the end of Term 2 at Emerald State High School, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning in English.

Feedback, both during the drafting process and after final assessment, provides powerful insights into how students can improve their writing, communication, and critical thinking skills. Using this feedback to refine work and set meaningful goals is an essential part of the learning journey. As we move into new units next term, students who actively engage with feedback and goal setting will be best placed to grow in confidence and ability.

Together, let’s make reflection a habit for success.

Regards
Miss. Ashley Fogwell
Teacher

From the Hospitality and VET team.

Over the past two weeks, both classes of Year 11 Certificate II in Hospitality hosted successful three-course sit-down dinners for their families and staff. These two events provided students with valuable hands-on experience in catering and delivering an alternate drop dinner service in a real-world setting. These events also allowed us to soft launch our new commercial kitchen and restaurant spaces (Stay tuned for our Grand Opening later this year!)

Both evenings were a resounding success, showcasing the students’ professionalism, teamwork, and culinary skills. Not only did it provide an excellent opportunity to engage with our school community but gave them the opportunity to try new recipes and ideas that they aren’t able to achieve in a standard 70-minute period. Some of the dishes included:

Entrees:

• Garlic bread (with both bread and garlic butter made from scratch)
• Teriyaki chicken skewers with rice salad
• Focaccia served with a trio of dips (again, all made from scratch!)

Mains:

• Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
• 5-hour slow-cooked BBQ Ribs
• Gluten Free and Dairy Free Nachos
• Chicken Parmesan
• Crumbed Steak
• Beef Wellington

Desserts:

• Lemon Cheesecake
• Chocolate Brownie (Served with sugar bowls and ice-cream)
• Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Gluten Free Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Regards
Mrs. Michelle Watkin
Teacher

From the Interact Club.

Our school’s Interact club has got one busy month ahead!

It all starts on the 27th of June for four lucky members, who have been sponsored to sail a tall ship on a 10-day voyage from Gladstone to Mackay. They will be embracing their inner pirates by climbing the rigging and swabbing the deck, they’re even peeling the spuds. It should be an amazing experience for them.

This month Interact is also managing the gates at the community’s rodeo on the 12th of July, helping at McIndoe Park in the canteen, as well as helping Bites by waitressing.

Finally, Interact is running its annual Christmas in July lights and market festival at the Emerald Rotary Park opposite the hospital on the 19th of July. Members will be setting up lights in the park, as well as running the Rotary train and holding markets. Anyone interested in holding a market are to contact Mrs Ross.

All this in only one month!

Regards
Ms. Leanne Ross
Club Coordinator

From the Positive Behaviour for Learning Team.

At Emerald State High School we are:

• Polite,
• Prepared, and we
• Participate.

Behaviour Focus

Our current behaviour focus is “Participate: Use all modes of transport safely.”

Community Notices