19 July 2017

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to our first newsletter of the term. It was great to see all the fresh faces of your students and teachers for the start of the new term. Parents, we really worked hard at the end of last term finalising our reports. So if you still haven’t received an emailed report we will mail them out to you if you ring the office. Looking through them it is clear our new Year 10 curriculum is a winner with the students. They scored the best results of all year levels and had high effort and behaviour levels. Well done Year 10s and also to your teachers who designed the new subjects that are now very closely aligned to Years 11&12.

This week is another busy one with excursions and much planning for the new semester already underway. The best thing you can do with your son or daughter is to discuss with them their study times and academic goals for each subject. If they have a plan they will be so much better equipped to succeed at school.

Special Mentions

• Congratulations to Leila Doyle who gained selection in the Capricornia team for 11-12 year old Girls Rugby League Team.
• A huge thank you to Mrs Wills for organising guest speakers from various industries to talk to our Year 10s about future careers and pathways last Wednesday.
• A huge thank you to Mr Grierson, Ms Wilcox and Ms Hawkesworth for organising and running the Elders luncheon last week. It was a well-attended event.
• Congratulations to our student council who sponsor students overseas, through Our Rainbow House. A representative, Katoba, visited our school last week and was very grateful for the opportunities our students provide.

2017 Early School Leavers survey

The Queensland Government is conducting its annual statewide survey of students who left school in Years 10, 11 and prior to completing Year 12 during 2016. The Early School Leavers survey is a short, confidential survey that collects information about what young people are doing the year after leaving school. Between July and August, students who left school in Years 10, 11 and prior to completing Year 12 last year can expect to receive an invitation to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office to complete the survey. Please encourage them to take part. For more information, visit the link below or telephone toll free on 1800 068 587.

Have a safe weekend,

Ray

Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Junior School

Key dates for Year 7 in 2018 transition

If you require an additional information about the transition timetable or enrolments, please contact Deputy Principal Hayden Ryan on 4988 2222.

Hayden Ryan
Deputy Principal – Junior School

From the Head of Department –English

Semester Two is in full swing with all engines running full steam ahead. This term we have a number of events happening and it will be quite busy.

Upcoming Events:

English ICAS- Some of our students will have the opportunity to participate in the English ICAS testing. This is paid for out of our English budget.

Year 12 QCS test- Our senior students will be sitting the QCS testing on the 29th and 30th of August.

Set Plan Interviews- Year 9 students going into Year 10 in 2018 will have the opportunity to complete their Set Plans and discuss their subject choices for their senior schooling. In year 10, students will have the opportunity to choose from two English electives.

• Option 1- English- this subject will be offered to those students who are currently in year 9 who are achieving a C+ or higher. This subject will allow you to continue along the ATAR pathway and prepare students for further study after high school.
• Option 2- English Essentials- this area of study is designed to support students who are heading down the vocational pathway and planning to seek a traineeship, apprenticeship or job after they complete school.

Assessments:

Junior Secondary

This term, students in Years 7-9 have commenced using SPECS and SLIMS to analyse a variety of texts. In week 6/7 they will be completing an exam based on what they have been learning this term.

Year 7 – This term all year 7 students have started using SPECS and SLIMs to analyse a variety of ballads. When using this analysis tool, students analyse ballads to locate information regarding subject matter/purpose, structure (stanzas etc), and imagery (similes, metaphors).
Year 8 – Students have commenced listening to a variety of protest songs. They have been reading the lyrics of a variety of protest songs and analysing these songs using SPECS and SLIMS.
Year 9 – Using SPECS and SLIMS, students have been analysing a variety of Indigenous poems. They have also been reading and responding to a number of Dreamtime stories.
Year 10 – This term the students are writing short stories (narratives) in response to a stimulus. Throughout the term students will be focussing on the use of language and how to use figurative language effectively to enhance their writing.

Senior Secondary

In my last newsletter I spoke about the importance of students using their time effectively and being prepared. Please talk to your child/ren and ask them what they are learning in English and what their assessment task is and when it is due. Have a calendar at home that is visible. Write draft and final submission dates on the calendar as a visual reminder of when they need to be prepared. The majority of students who meet with me to discuss why they have failed English all tell me a similar story. This is a story of not utilising their time effectively or submitting a draft on time. Some of these students miss too many days from school and then struggle to catch up. At Emerald State High School, students can achieve success if they participate and they are prepared.

Study Club: If your child is struggling with their assessment task, then please encourage them to attend Study Club which is held each Monday and Wednesday afternoon in the Library. Students will have the opportunity to receive assistance from a variety of teaching staff. Students can also ask their own teacher to attend if they arrange a suitable time.

Upcoming changes:

We are currently in the middle or reorganising our year 7-9 English units for 2018 as we will be following the National Curriculum C2C units. In 2018, we will implement the Australian Curriculum through the development of the Curriculum into the Classroom (C2C) units. Each unit will consist of general capabilities. They encompass the skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to develop and apply to content knowledge. They help young people become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. The seven general capabilities are:

• Literacy;
• Numeracy;
• Information and communication technology (ICT) capability;
• Critical and creative thinking;
• Ethical understanding;
• Personal and social capability; and
• Intercultural understanding.

Cross curriculum priorities are embedded in the content descriptions and have a strong but varying presence depending on their relevance to the learning areas. Cross-curriculum priorities are incorporated within each of the learning areas. The three areas include:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures;
• Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia; and
• Sustainability.

Helpful tips and resources for parents and carers to support their child’s education can be found on the Department’s parents and carers page at the link below:

SATE- (Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance) changes

The Queensland Government is introducing new senior assessment and tertiary entrance (SATE) arrangements, which will commence for students who enter Year 11 in 2019. Some of our English staff will be attending the first of many professional development days in Rockhampton this month to find out how to implement these changes. There will be significant changes to the senior syllabus and the assessment system. In English, a new subject entitled Literature will become available for students to study.

Until next time,
Regards,
Terri Weatherley
Head of Department – English

From the Head of Department – Mathematics

Firstly, I would like to thank parents/caregivers for their valued support to our school so far. The year has certainly flown by. We successfully completed semester 1 and now are quickly going through semester 2. The last few weeks of semester 1 saw our students and teachers finalise all assessments resulting in the completion of reports which were received by all last term. These report cards at this time of the year provide us with an opportune time to pose a few questions to our students. Researcher James Nottingham is quoted to have said “Proving is good, improving is better.” At this stage as parents/caregivers we should pose questions such as “Have you improved?”, “What evidence is there to say that what you have been doing has led to improvement?” (Note: this is a resourceful website for teachers and parents alike (visit the link below)): The benefits of posing these questions are two-fold. Firstly, it provides an opportunity for the student to reflect. Killion and Todnem (1991) defined the term reflection-for-action as thinking about future actions with an intention to improve or change. The second question intentionally leads to a student reflecting on their efforts that they have been putting in and the result that has provided them. Reflection is a characteristic of deep learning. I would encourage you to engage in conversations with your child especially, regarding their plans to improve going forward.

New Syllabus News

Over the next few weeks some of our senior school teachers are out at professional development programs with regards to the implementation of the new senior school curriculum. This curriculum is due to come online in 2019. Our school is heavily invested in being part of the new system. This is to ensure we provide the best opportunities for our students when the syllabus is implemented. Subject selection for our years 9 and 10 for next year are coming up this term as well. We will keep everyone updated as soon as the dates are finalised.

Building on the success of last semester we are very confident that we will keep making progress going forward. Here’s to a positive semester 1 and greater successes for the rest of the year!

Nahroon Nazim
Head of Department - Mathematics

From the Head of Year – Year 7

Year 7: Prepared People are Positively Perfect

The end of Semester One ended on a high for most of our year 7s with the school athletics carnival held in the last week of school. The year 7 cohort is to be congratulated on their attendance at the carnival. It was pleasing to observe so many of our year 7s participating in events and encouraging their team. Their politeness and enthusiasm on the day was noticeable and is to be commended. Students who achieved a place on the day have been invited to participate in the CH carnival and were required to collect letters home in this regard.

Many of your year 7s appear excited for a new semester after a well-deserved holiday. Hopefully students were pleased with the Semester One results and received valuable feedback from their reports. This is an opportunity for students to identify their strengths and set goals for this term to make improvements where necessary. Teachers are always willing to work with students and parents in identifying key areas to improve.

The attendance of the year 7 students has continued to be excellent, but if your child is absent please ensure you contact the school that day so students are not ‘unexplained’. If it is a planned absence, please let the school know prior to that time so the student’s teachers know and any assessment can be either brought forward or extended so they don’t miss out.

As the weather remains cool in the mornings, students are reminded to ensure they are in the correct uniform. Furthermore, labelling clothing can assist with finding lost property as students tend to shed their jumpers as the weather warms of an afternoon.

Students are encouraged to organise themselves for the new term by marking key dates on diary calendars and ensure they are prepared for class. Prepared students are less likely to feel stressed or overwhelmed by completing set tasks. It is fantastic that so many of our year 7s have embraced the values of the school in being polite, prepared and enthusiastically participating in school life.

Mia Gibson
Head of Year 7

Guidance Officer News

Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is a centralised tertiary application service that assesses course applications based on entry requirements and makes offers to successful applicants. A staff member from QTAC will be at the Emerald State High School Library on Tuesday the 25th of July (1:30pm – 2:30pm) to give a presentation to Year 12 students and interested parents. Students will be given their QTAC 2018 Year 12 Guide for further study at this time.

The QTAC presentation will discuss the following topics:

• Key timelines;
• How to find out about courses and institutions;
• How to get into courses (for OP eligible and ineligible students);
• How to order your 6 preferences;
• Pathway courses;
• How to apply;
• Bonus and Special Admissions Schemes;
• Costs and financial assistance; and
• Responding to your offer.

Questions from students and parents are welcome.

2017 Upcoming Tertiary Studies Expo, University Experiences and Open Days

Townsville Careers Expo

Monday 7th August 10am to 1.30pm & 4pm to 7pm Townsville Stadium – Murray Sports Complex

Australian Catholic University

Open day, Brisbane – Saturday, 22nd July - 9am to 2pm

Bond University

Open day, Brisbane – Saturday, 22nd July from 2pm

Central Qld University

Open day, Rockhampton – Sunday, 20th August - 9am to 1pm
Campus Connect Program, CQU Emerald Campus – Wednesday 23rd August 9.30am to 2.00pm (Year 10)
Open day, Emerald – Saturday, 2nd September - 9am to1pm
Open days for online chats Wednesday, 2nd August - 3 to 6pm (Need to Register)

Christian Heritage College

Open day, Brisbane – Saturday, 5th August - 2pm to 6pm

Griffith University

Open day, Nathan, South Bank and Gold Coast – Sunday 23rd July

James Cook University

Open day, Townsville – Sunday, 13th August 2017 -11am to 3pm

Queensland University of Technology

Open day, Gardens Point – Sunday, 30th July - 9am to 3pm

The University of QLD

Open day, St Lucia – Sunday, 6th August - 9am to 3pm
Open day, Gatton – Sunday, 20th August - 9.30am to 3pm

The University of Southern QLD

Open day, Toowoomba – Sunday, 13th August -10am to2pm

The University of the Sunshine Coast

Open day, USC Sippy Downs – Sunday, 23rd July - 10am to 2pm

The Guidance Officer will be focusing on assisting students with QTAC applications during the last five weeks of this term.

Library News

Word Mania

All students in Years 7-9 have been registered for Word Mania 2017. Word Mania is a free online competition that challenges students to race against the clock to build as many words as possible in three minutes using a board of 15 letters. To participate, students simply log on (passwords will be distributed at school) to their Literacy Planet account at the link below or they can download the free app, Word Mania 2017, available for iOS and Android. Students will receive a certificate for participating and are in the running for prizes. The dates for Word Mania are:

• Practice until July 30th
• Round 1: July 31st – August 4th
• Round 2: August 7th – August 11th
• Final Round: August 16th – August 18th

Students can play as many times as they like and are encouraged to do so as prizes are based on numbers of words created, number of games played & scores achieved. If students have any questions, they should see Mrs Galea in the library.

Community Events