31 January 2018
Newsletter Articles
From the Principal
Welcome to our first newsletter of the year. Well it has been a different start with our undercover area unavailable. Hence our need for smaller assemblies. I am informed that the hall will ready for us at the end of February; fingers crossed! Delays will occur because of the extensive hall renovations; for example the Student Leader Investiture at this point in time will be delayed until week 6 when we expect the hall to be ready. So please be patient as we are doing our best to work around the construction.
I wish to welcome the new staff to our school: Simon Taylor, Riley Neill, Maggie Pembroke, Roshni Wamadewan, Tim Deffner, Ed Hanson, Rajiv Bahr, Ian Proud, Crystal Brunetto and returning staff: Deanne Lucht, Samantha Hokins and Amanda Dean. They will add to what is already a very competent and hardworking staff.
This week we are focusing on induction principles and moving straight into learning as all year levels have achievement targets that we wish to achieve and time is of the essence. We wish for every student to taste success at Emerald State High School. On Monday it was a good feeling when we all returned and renewed friendships and acquaintances. I hope we maintain that healthy and fresh atmosphere throughout the year.
Great News
25% of our OP Year 12 students from 2017 achieved an OP between 1 and 5. What a fantastic result and congratulations to all those students! Congratulations to all their teachers who pushed them to those wonderful results. Indeed, nearly 90% of the Year 12 students from 2017 achieved on OP between 1 and 15.
Special Mentions
- Well done to Georgia Weatherley who smashed it to achieve an OP 1!
- Congratulations to students Chris Juett and Ben Gregg-Macdonald for being nominated for Young Citizen of the Year as a part of the Emerald & Gemfields Australia Day Awards. We also congratulate teacher Jacinda Fehlhaber, who won the Young Citizen of the Year for 2018.
- Congratulations to our tuckshop coordinators Melinda and Claudine for fitting uniforms throughout last week as well as making food for hungry students.
“A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be”. Douglas Pagels
Ray Clarke
Principal
From the Deputy Principal – Middle School
Welcome to 2018
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mrs Gaye Saunders. I started work at Emerald State High School in July of 2012 as Deputy Principal and after a period of 2 and a bit year’s leave, I am happy to be back. I am currently line managing Year 9 and Year 10 students.
Timetable
A number of students will have been to see me in order to change their electives. No changes will be made after week 3. Any student in year 10 who wishes to change either Maths or English classes will need to see either Mr Nazim (in D block for Maths) or Mrs Weatherley (in F block for English)
Student Diaries 2018
All students have been issued with a 2018 student diary. Please take the time to have a look at the list of items prohibited listed in the diary on page 13 of the student diary. In particular, please note that mobile phones are NOT allowed here at school.
School Photos 2018
School Photos will be taken by MSP photography on Thursday 1 February. All payments are to be made directly to the company. These photos are used to create Student ID cards (which are useful for obtaining student discounts for travel as well as photo ID for Learner’s licences).
Contact me:
Should you need to contact me – please phone the staff in the office (4988 2222) to book an appointment or alternatively email me on gsaun25@eq.edu.au.
I look forward to a happy and productive school year.
Gaye Saunders
Deputy Principal – Middle School
From the Deputy Principal – Senior School
Hello parents and guardians,
Welcome back for 2018! I hope that our senior secondary students are well rested and prepared for the year to come. I am Miss Debbie Lawson and will be relieving as Senior Secondary Deputy Principal. Mr Adam Heath is continuing as Head of Year 11 and Mr Callum Tyack is stepping into the role of Head of Year 12.
Together, with Guidance Officer Ms Valda Fitzergald, our various Heads of Departments, the Attendance Officer Ms Trudy Hunt, and Youth Support Coordinator, Ms Janene Vale, we will be working collectively as a team to ensure each of our Year 11 and Year 12 students are on track to attain their Queensland Certificate of Education. We will also be working together to provide guidance and support to our students who are working hard towards their Overall Position for entry into Tertiary studies.
By the conclusion of week 2 of this school term, our senior students will be receiving a Senior Agreement and Expectations letter. This letter will carefully detail information regarding their academic commitment towards Years 11 and 12, attendance and behaviour expectations, terms and conditions of signing out for early departures and late arrivals during their allocated study lessons, driving and parking on school grounds and also, attainment of their Senior jersey and invitation to Graduation, Year 12 Formal celebrations and Leadership camps. All students and their parent/guardian will sign and return this letter back to the school.
We hope to undertake our Senior and Junior Secondary Student Leadership Induction ceremony when the refurbishment of the UCA facility is fully completed. It will be one of our first major celebrations for the year. Our Year 11 and Year 12 cohorts will have their first Year Level Parades after Day 8 of the school year when school enrolment processes are finalised.
Deb Lawson
Deputy Principal – Middle School
Library News
Textbooks
Students will soon be able to collect their textbooks from the library, once we’ve received the necessary stickers. When students receive their textbooks, there are 2 stickers that they will need to complete:
- In each textbook, there is a sticker where they record their name.
- Students will also be given a sticker to put in their diary to record which copy of each textbook they have received. Students will bring this sticker back when they return their textbooks for me to sign it off.
This process should reduce problems at the end of the year, as students can be sure that they are returning their copy of a textbook and which items they still need to return. Students will need to have paid their SRS fees or begun a payment plan to collect their textbooks.
Something to check with your child is that they have returned all items that they borrowed in previous years. If your child is unsure whether they have outstanding items, they need to check this at the library. All items will need to be returned so that current students can access them.
Community Events
Emerald Photographic Club is celebrating its 35th Birthday in 2018. To help commemorate this event Emerald Photographic Club is hosting the Photographic Society of Queensland’s Annual Conference from 5th to 7th May 2018. ‘Gems of the Outback’ will be an exceptional event for photographers and creatives throughout the Highlands and beyond. We have in place an outstanding line up of national and international award-winning presenters, who will also conduct workshops and share their extensive knowledge.
STUDENTS CAN WIN A FREE CONFERENCE ENTRY VALUED AT $250
As part of the event, various partners have sponsored the youth of the Central Highlands and are offering high school students invitations to attend ‘Gems of the Outback’ PSQ Conference 2018. The ‘GOTO’ Youth Photography Competition will give entrants the chance to win one complimentary entry to the conference. This competition is for Central Highlands high school students only. Below are the entry requirements and an entry form for any student wishing to participate. This is an exciting opportunity for students to attend a world class event in our own region. For further information please contact emeraldpsq2018@gmail.com or phone 0499 779 946.
