8 November 2017

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to this fortnight’s newsletter edition. Last week we had a most enjoyable Awards evening, and I wish to congratulate all of our awards winners and participants on the evening. I wish to publicly acknowledge all the work Mr Shannon, the HODs, year coordinators and staff completed towards the presentations. This week our year 12s commenced their block exams on Monday and our year 10s finished their business enterprise projects on Tuesday.

Also this week many of our school leaders will be engaged in training to prepare for the new Senior Assessment and Tertiary Education (SATE) changes that commence in 2019. These senior school changes are the most significant in 40 years of Queensland education. All senior school subjects are being re-written and new subjects are coming on board whilst some will be phased out. Queensland will also start implementing external examinations in year 12, and introduce the national ATAR system replacing the OP university entrance system. Since it will be such an enormous shift, we have to prepare well to ensure our seniors transition smoothly into the new system. More to come on this in the future.

Currently our hall is in the update process, we have been using alternate venues for our school parades. Hopefully, it will be finished by early February 2018.

Special Mentions

• Congratulations to Mrs Ross and her history class’s Death Penny project. They won a national ANZAC award for their website.
• Congratulation to Claire Reinke, of Year 7 who won the Principal’s Award and was placed in the top 6% across the state for the ICAS English Testing.
• Special Mentions to P&C executive for running a great Oktoberfest.
• Congratulations to Mr Dawson, Ms Comollatti and Mrs Carter who won Acting HOD roles into next year in the positions they are already in.
• Congratulations to Mr Ryan for winning the position of Principal at Miriamvale to commence in 2018.

“People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins they wonder whether they are not taking cold.” John Jay Chapman (1862–1933)

Have a safe weekend,

Ray

Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Senior School

The 2017 Awards Night success served to affirm just how amazing the students are at Emerald State High School. Over 200 students were recognised for their academic, sporting, community service or vocational education accomplishments this year. Particular congratulations must go to Georgia Weatherley, Riley Raynes and Jacob Firth who received the Dux, Dux Proximus and Caltex All Rounder Awards respectively.

Caltex Allrounder

Upcoming Events

There are many upcoming events the affect the whole school. The most notable of these are:

• Year 12 Exam block from 6th November – 8th November
• Year 12 Formal on 15th November
• Year 12 Graduation, at the PCYC, on 17th November at 9:15 am
• Year 10 & 11 Exam block 20th – 23rd November

Notably, in these dates, is the relocation of the Year 12 Graduation to the PCYC at 9:15am. This is due to the Under Cover Area not being available at school due to renovations and no other suitable shaded area to hold this at the school. The plan for the day is to have all students find their own way to the PCYC for the start of the day, those students who cannot do this will walk with a teacher from school to the hall. After the ceremony Years 7 – 11 students will catch buses back to the school. We value our tradition of the whole school farewelling the Year 12s so we look forward to all our students being at this event. I look forward to celebrating this event where we will formally present the Graduating Class of 2017.

Brendan Shannon
Deputy Principal – Senior School

From the Head of Department – Vocational Education & Training

As Year 12 students are looking forward to life beyond school it is great to see all the opportunities and experiences available to students this term. Ms Lawson had the pleasure of accompanying three of our Year 12 Business Communication & Technologies students to the Central Highlands Development Corporation’s gala dinner and awards night recognising Business Excellence in the Central Highlands. They enjoyed a beautiful dinner at Town Hall and fireside chat hosted by Steve Baxter from Channel 10’s Shark Tank.

The Year 12 Certificate II Hospitality students recently catered the QRRRN afternoon tea at the Emerald Art Gallery.

For all year 10 students the completion of the Certificate II in Workplace Practices is of high importance. The annual Market stall day 7th November assesses the unit Undertake an individual or team enterprise project. The day is shaping up to be lots of fun with a variety of entertainment and food stalls planned. To fulfil the course requirements students must complete work experience and log their hours towards the course’s 80-hour requirement. Students can also log hours completed at their part time job or work experience completed outside school hours. If your student requires help to meet the 80 hour course requirement they should see myself or Ms Wills in Support Worx as a matter of urgency.

Annette Carter
Head of Department – Vocational Education & Training (Acting)

From the Head of Year – Year 10

The end of the year is fast approaching and our year 10 cohort have a few busy weeks before they leave school. This term is a shortened for senior students and the year 10s finish school at the end of week 8. The first three days of week 8 will be exam block for year 10s where they will only need to attend school if they have an exam scheduled. Students are expected to spend their time outside of school studying for their upcoming assessment.

Over this term there have been a number of apprenticeship positions advertised particularly for students heading into year 11. Students wanting to follow a VET pathway next year should be seeing Alarna Wills in Supportworks to find out more about these positions. Students can also seek the help of teachers to assist with writing resumes for apprenticeships and other positions.

There are a number of year 10 students who have not completed the required amount of hours to achieve their workplace practices certificate. Please ask your son or daughter if they have handed in their work experience journal and if they have not completed 80 hours to go and see Mrs Carter who will come up with a plan so students can complete their hours.

I wish students and parents a safe and exciting holidays.

Adam Heath
Head of Year 10

Hospitality News

This is always a busy time of year for home economics and hospitality students. Finalising assessment items and working many functions to complete their work experience hours. It can also be a very rewarding time. Many of our Year 11 Hospitality students are really looking forward to helping make the formal a wonderful send off to our year 12s. They are busily finalising dessert preparations for the dessert buffet. In addition, they are polishing their plate carrying skills in preparation for delivering and collecting entrée and main plates for over 300 people at the formal (15 November). This will be a late night for our year 11s so it is important they get to bed early the night before and eat well throughout the day to fuel themselves well. It is a fabulous real life experience for our Hospitality students, especially working with Luv-a-coffee staff who are an excellent example of professional caterers. A quick summary for year 11 Hospitality parents for the formal on the 15 November. Student are required to wear black pants or a knee length black skirt. Students can wear a plain black shirt or borrow one from their Hospitality teacher, if required. Closed in, covered black shoes are also required. Students are required at the town hall from 12 noon till 2pm. They can then go home and will be required from 6pm – 11pm. Please ensure a family member collects students.

The year 12 Hospitality students certainly finished their studies on a high. Our Mayor, Kerry Hayes, specifically requested them to cater the Junior Art Gallery exhibition opening. They conducted themselves in a professional manner and produced a very high quality range of food.

Finally, a couple of reminders for Mrs Master’s classes:

• HEC 9A had their practical cooking of Hamburger with Caramelised Onion last Friday, period 3 and written assessment task is due on 17th of November.
• HEC 8E written assessment task is due on the 17th of November.
• HEC 10A Project Planning Folio for the Christmas Gift Hamper is due on the 10th of November, Friday.

School-based Apprenticeship/Traineeship News

The start of Term 4 has gone off with a BANG with 8 sign ups into apprenticeships and traineeships. Emerald State High School would like to congratulate the following students signing with local businesses to complete a School based apprenticeship/traineeship.

Styles & Smiles Salon would like to thank Ensham Mine for funding the purchasing of 2 advertising signs that are now displayed in the salon and the outside of the building.

Library News

Textbooks

As Year 12 students finish their school subjects, they are reminded that they need to return all school resources to the library by the end of this week (November 10th). This includes graphics calculators as well as textbooks, novels, magazines and other research texts.

The TUH ‘Big Thank You’ Giveaway

Just by saying a ‘Big Thank You’ to our teachers and librarians, you can help our school/early childhood centre win one of five $1000 prizes. Your child can also win one of 100 $50 gift vouchers just by entering. All they have to do is visit the link below and say in 50 words or less how their teacher or librarian helps to inspire a love of reading (parents can help younger students with their entry). The ‘Big Thank You’ Giveaway is proudly sponsored by TUH, a health fund that was founded in Queensland 45 years ago to serve the education community. TUH is also the proud principal sponsor of the 2017 Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Community Events

Scripture Union Wet n Wild water ski camp

What a way to kick off the new year in style! Water skiing, tubing, knee boarding and wakeboarding to your heat’s content! Meet new people and learn about Jesus in the process.

When: January 8-12, 2018
Where: Fairbairn Dam, with accommodation at Emerald Christian College
What: a week to learn about Jesus, and to improve or learn how to ski, wakeboard, tube, or kneeboard!
Who: high school students who’ve finished grade 7-12 in 2017.