17 August 2017

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to this week’s newsletter. I have been reviewing the initial NAPLAN data figures and Emerald SHS rated much like many high schools nationally. We improved very well in writing, the hardest area to improve, and we went down slightly in reading. Some may argue if we put too much of our efforts in one area, the others suffer, however I don’t see it that way. I know from personal experience that we can improve in all areas if the right structures and processes are in place. It will take us another two years before we will have a strongly embedded literacy and numeracy program spread right across our curriculum. In that time we should see continuing high level results in all NAPLAN areas.

Over next few weeks, we are focusing heavily on good attendance, and focussed effort in class. This time of the year is crucial for our year 12s and as they commence working through the end of term assessments. Our 11s have just had OP predictions given to them and semester one subject reviews. So we enter the busiest time of the year for our students, and parents, and good support will assist them to gain the best results they can achieve.

Coming up

• ATAP competition – Emerald Town hall, 17 & 18th August
• Year 6 Transition Day, Friday 25th August
• Subject Expo 9-10, 10-11Monday 28th August, -
• Eisteddfod 30 Aug – 1st September
• QCS Test Tuesday & Wednesday 29th &30th August,
• Arts Showcase Thursday 31st August
• Seniors Exam Block – 1st September to 6th September
• SET plans 4&5 September
• Works Experience – 4th - 8th September
• Colour Fun Run – 10th September

Special Mentions

• Ms Wilcox, Miss Prior, Miss Royal, Miss Fehlhaber, Mr Horsfall, Mrs Jones, and all the other staff involved in leading the school musical. A wonderful show that our community should be proud of.
• Mrs Van Hees and Mr Sanson for leading our Geography senior through the Capital last week.
• Mrs Firth is organizing our Colour Run and doing a fabulous job.
• Mr Horsfall who is organizing our Octoberfest for 2017 and doing a great job.
• Alex and Jacob who did a great job representing the seniors in “The Battle of The Bands”

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

Collecting data on students with disability helps teachers, principals and education authorities support the students with disability to participate in schooling on the same basis as students without disability. All Australian Governments have agreed to work together on the annual collection of data on school students with disability. Please be reassured that the Department will not provide to another organisation any data that can identify an individual student. The only data being collected at the school level to be reported nationally is the:

• Number of students in the school who are provided with an adjustment to address a disability;
• Level of adjustments we provide for those students; and
• Broad category of disability.

Information and fact sheets are available at Department’s website or Australian Government Department of Education website. Should you have any concerns regarding this or require a hard copy of the fact sheets please contact Catherine Mahoney (Acting HOSES).

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” - Elizabeth Andrew

Ray

Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Middle School

Hi all, you may have heard that I have recently taken on the role of Deputy Principal for year 9 and 10 for the remainder of the year. Previously this I was Head of Department for Humanities. I have found this new role both challenging and rewarding. Students in years 9 and 10 will be taking steps towards planning their future pathways over the next few weeks. I would like to share with you a few key times and dates that are relevant to years 9 and 10 for term 3. Below is the text of a letter that all children in years 9 and 10 will receive on 17/08/17.

In addition to the information contained in the letter above all children who are currently in year 10 will be having a Senior Education and Training Plan interview (SETP). These interviews will occur on the 4th and 5th of September. This information will also be sent home in letter-form with all year 10 students next week. It is of vital importance that students are up to date in their SET Plans, they have been working on them in their year 10 VWO subject.

If you wish for any clarification please contact Mr Van Hees on bvanh2@eq.edu.au.

Ben Van Hees
Deputy Principal – Middle School

From the Head of Department –Technology

35 students in Years 10, 11 and 12 have enrolled into a Certificate II Salon Assistant. This is the latest Vetis program offered in Secondary schools for students to access fee free training while completing their senior years. Students are trained in a salon-simulated environment and are currently offering services to the public, which include head, neck, or shoulder massages followed by a shampoo/conditioning basin service and finished off with a blow wave and straightening or a blow wave and braid. Clients can book a service for $5 on the Emerald State High School Facebook page.

Harley Kowald-Dawson
Head of Department – Technology (Acting)

From the Head of Year – Year 11

The year 11s have been very busy this term. The new hairdressing class has really begun to pick up some momentum and some excellent hairstyles have been popping up around the school. The new senior jerseys have been designed and I must say, they are looking very trendy. A year 11 group will be attending Relay for Life this weekend. It is wonderful to see support from the senior students for a great cause! Exams are approaching and it is time to start studying. Good luck!!!

Jesse Bowcock
Head of Year 11

Special Education Program News

This term our new staff include, Miss Catherine Mahoney as Acting HOSES for the remainder of the year and Mrs Melanie Radloff as SEP Teacher. Below outlines the Case Manager teachers for this Semester. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact anyone of the staff below.

We have had a busy start to term 3. In mathematics, students have been learning about measurement and exploring the use of informal and formal units in a variety of contexts. The students have been measuring the height of each other using blocks and comparing this to their measurements in metres and centimetres.

Over the last few weeks, students have worked hard on their art assessment making necklaces, bracelets and display pouches to sell these items in the near future.

A driver education course for students wanting to gain their learners licence will be occurring on August 23rd. A note with further information regarding this will be sent home.

Library News

Word Mania

Over the last 2 weeks, all students in Years 7-9 had the opportunity to play 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. In the first week, our Year 7 students topped the Central Queensland participation leaderboard for participation in their cohort and in the second week, our Year 8 students came second for their cohort! On the Central Queensland skills leaderboard, our Year 7, 8 & 9 students sat at 4th place. Congratulations to the students that have applied the participation component of the 3Ps!

BILBY Awards

Earlier in the year, students across Queensland nominated their favourite book for the BILBY (Book I Love Best Yearly) Award. The shortlist has been created and students can now vote for their favourite until September 15 via the link below. The school library has a number of books from the list for students to borrow.

Book Week

The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week is on August 19th – 26th. There will be various activities that students can participate in during lunch breaks in the library with prizes up for grabs!

School-based Apprenticeship/Traineeship/Work News

Emerald State High School would like to congratulate the following students signing with local businesses to complete a School based apprenticeship/traineeship.

Week 9 this term will see the year 10 students entering the workplace to complete their last round of work experience as a part of the workplace practices class. This gives students the opportunity to see what the industry of their chosen field is like to work in and will assist with choosing the subjects they would like to study in year 11 and 12 later in the year.

Alarna Wills
Workplace/SATS Co-ordinator/Salon Assistance Trainer

School Opinion Survey

Attention ALL Parents/Caregivers

2017 Annual School Opinion Survey

The Parent/Caregiver Survey form with your online access codes were handed out to the eldest student of your family in the week commencing 31st July 2017 to bring home to you. Parents/Carers from year 7 to year 12 are invited to have a say about what ESHS does well and how we can improve.

Online Survey opens Monday 31st July and Closes Friday 25th August.

If you do not have online access at home, you are most welcome to complete the survey on an ESHS school computer. Survey queries, requests for translations and requests for access to school computers can be directed to Gai Van Hees on 4988 2222. If you have not received a blue form, please contact the school.

Community Events

Road Safety Shorts with Dr Bridie