21 June 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to this week’s newsletter. We are now in the exams period and I am surprised by the low number of students attending homework club which is on Mondays and Wednesdays. Normally we have vast numbers of students attending however they are down at the moment. We have plenty of teachers who volunteer their time for this to run, so please make a note of this, as it is an important extra that our school affords its community.

The past fortnight has been very busy with students and teachers completing assessment and exams for the end of term. At the same time, excursions, guest speakers, presenters have all visited our school. One person I didn’t get the chance to formally thank was Arthur Conlan. Arthur came last week to work with our indigenous and non-indigenous students to create a magnificent gallery of indigenous murals for our new hall.

Attendance

Good parents, as the end of term comes to fruition, it is crucial that your child’s attendance is up to state average. Currently we are below and this has huge implications for any student who is below the state average of 91%. Look at this diagram below. It has one clear consequence, if your child misses enough days they will be severely disadvantaged in the long term.

Special Thank Yous

• Nurse Josie for organising the senior health program that ran last week
• Mrs Paton for supervising the Paluma Camp and program
• Mrs Wills for organising 120 Year 10s for work experience last week

Coming up

• Year 11 & 12 Exam Block commenced on Friday 15th of June
• 25th/26th June: QCS practice Year 12s
• 29th June: End of Semester 1
• 29th June: Reports emailed. Printouts are available for those without email.
• 16th July: Term 3 Commences

What is a QCE & why is it so important?

The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) is Queensland’s senior secondary schooling qualification.

Students don’t get a QCE simply by “finishing” year 12 they have to earn it by successfully completing their chosen course of study.

Some important QCE information:

• The flexibility of the QCE means that students can choose from a wide range of learning options to suit their interests and career goals.
• Most students will plan their QCE pathway in Year 10 when choosing senior courses of study.
• Our school will help them develop their individual plan that we call a SET Plan.
• There is a significant role for parents to play in the planning process.
• If you would like some more detail on the new QCE click here

From the Police

The police have informed us that they have received complaints from some residents around Old Airport Drive that have stated that parents are parking across driveways during school drop-off and pick-up times. They will be conducting additional patrols of the area to prevent this occurring.

"I must do something" always solves more problems than "Something must be done!" – Author Unknown

Have a safe weekend,
Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Attendance Officer

AUTOMATED TEXT ABSENCE MESSAGES

Parent notification for a student’s unexplained absence via text message is a legal obligation for all state schools to ensure our students are safe.

Students who are dropped off before school commences, at 8:50am for their PC Class BUT for whatever reason do not attend their PC class will be marked absent. A PC Teacher will not mark a student present if they do not present in their PC Class Room or on their Year or Whole School Parade (Tuesday). If a child is late for parade they must physically report to their PC Teacher so he/she can mark them present. A student is late after 9:00am. All late students must sign in Late to Class (LC) at the Attendance Office (AO) Window (facing E Block) so their attendance is activated electronically for that school day.

All school classes and activities have student rolls, and the majority are marked electronically. Teachers mark rolls for every class (PC/P1/P2/P3/P4), parades, excursions, for example: Religion/Fanfare (Band)/Camps/Interschool Chess Comp/Rep Sport and whole school events.

If a Teacher does not physically “have eyes on a student” in their class room they will be marked absent or late to class (LC) when they do present. It is very important your child/ren are punctual for all their curriculum based learning and other school events, including: Cross Country, Swimming Carnivals etc. Text messages are generated automatically from the electronic PC Rolls. Parents will receive a text message if a Student has an unexplained absence.

Parents can notify ESHS of student absence/s via the following options:-

• Send a brief reply text stating the reason for Student Absence.
• Student Absences E-mail: absences@emeraldshs.eq.edu.au
• Student Absences Phone: (07) 4988 2222
• Voice Mail: Please state your name and mobile number, student’s full name, class, reason for absence.
• QParent access, update & utilise 24/7!

State School Student Rolls are a legal document. Teachers have a legal obligation to record student presence or absence accurately for all scheduled curriculum-based learning (PC/P1/P2/P3/P4 & variations to their timetable) every school day.

Please ensure your Parent Information/Emergency Contact Details are current.

BUS INFO

We want all students and parents to be vigilant when travelling on or near buses. A significant number of school students in Queensland travel on buses to attend school. All students have the right to a safe and enjoyable journey, and their safety is our number one priority. To ensure the safe travel of students on or near buses is a shared responsibility, which brings together the efforts of students, their parents/caregivers, schools, bus drivers and bus operators.

When travelling on or near a bus, there are some safety tips you should follow to ensure a safe journey — (please see website below for more information about safe bus travel). http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/travel-information/school-travel/safety-tips-for-students.pdf . A Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses is also available to provide students, parents and caregivers with information about how to travel safely on buses. To view the code and more information, visit

From the Head of Department – Arts & Indigenous Students

Arts Department

This term has been a busy one for the Arts Department! We held our annual Pie Drive Fundraiser earlier in the term and raised just under $800 that we contributed to the Arts Camp to Brisbane. The camp was very successful and students had the opportunity to engage in a range of learning experiences. The highlights were the University tours, Gallery of Modern Art, QPAC Tour, Carmen and The Firebird ballet and Eat Street Markets. We were very impressed with the impeccable behaviour shown by our students throughout the tour.

Our Band Campers also went on tour earlier in the term and travelled to Yeppoon to spend a few days learning new repertoire and skills. Thank you to Mrs Jones and Miss Fehlhaber for giving this opportunity to our students. Our Instrumental Music Program is holding a fundraiser on Saturday Night 23rd June, Hot Curry Cool Jazz. If you haven’t already, you can purchase your ticket at the front office for $35.

Indigenous Education

Three of our students travelled to Paluma Environmental Education Centre on Monday 4th June for a weeklong camp to complete their practical component for their Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management. The students were engaged in a range of activities such as walking track maintenance, weed control, re-vegetation, team building activities, maintenance of wildlife habitat and using relevant equipment. They interacted with local rangers and land conservation specialists. These students now have the qualifications to apply for work in conservation or land management.

Last week we had Arthur Conlon visit us and work with our students to create art works that are now on display in our new hall. The students did a great job and the new paintings bring life to our hall. Thank you to Arthur for his expertise.

Rachelle Paton
Head of Department – Arts & Indigenous Students

Humanities News

It has been a very busy term for the Humanities Department with all the usual assessments and the extra projects that pop up in term 2. Geography subjects have been busy this term, with year 7 finishing off their reports after going on an excursion around town. Years 8 and 9 have also been researching city development and multinational corporations respectively. All geography students have been developing their skills further before the junior classes swap subjects in the new semester. This year, all junior classes were divided into two groups with half studying geography and the other history. In the new semester, the classes will be rotating, giving all students the opportunity to study with teachers trained in and passionate about their subject areas.

Senior students in Legal, Geography and Ancient History are also preparing for their exams. We encourage them all to remember to plan ahead and organise their study spaces and notes, utilising flow charts and diagrams where appropriate. Don’t forget a big nutritional breakfast every day of their exams and above all answer every questions to the best of their ability.

Finally, the term began for the year 10 Modern History class organising and running the school’s Anzac Service. This year, it was even more important as the year 10 class, with other volunteer students from the junior years, also helped to create a museum display containing a variety of military artefacts from World War One all the way through to the modern UN forces. As a part of the year 9 studies on the First World War, all students will have an opportunity to engage in a “white glove activity”. This semester’s history student have already spent a lesson with Mrs Ross handling a variety of artefacts from the Anzac display and the remaining year 9 students will do the same in term 4. Due to the hard work of the students designing the Anzac Display, the year 10 class entered the small museum in the annual DVA competition, which the school won last year, which encourages all schools throughout the country to honour, in their own unique way, the Anzac Spirit. We will find out later in the year if they were successful. The next project for the History Department is the refurbishment of the existing school’s war memorial, thanks to a DVA grant we’ve only just been awarded and donations from local companies and the Central Highlands Regional Council. It is planned to have the project finished and unveiled in time for Remembrance Day in November this year.

English News

Year Seven students are using the most powerful words they know to persuade the editors of a well-known Australian publishing house, to include the lyrics of their chosen song or poem into a contemporary anthology that is about to be compiled. These persuasives delve deep into the power of words to cause lasting and positive changes in the world. Two such examples, Blue Sky Mine and I Was Only Nineteen, earned workers and returned war veterans the support and compensation they deserved through a powerful voice. Students are sure to be convincing with the delivery of their speeches.

Whilst Year 9 students have left behind the world of hybrid, speculative fiction, they have embarked on an equally creative endeavour writing imaginative memoirs. Drawing on the familiar and weaving it into the sights, sounds, smells and emotions of the past, students have told short stories with a universal message for the reader. Are we really a product of our past generations? Is music the universal language? Do we judge appearances before we get to know someone? How important is family, kinship and belonging? These and other questions will challenge readers of the memoirs! Students have been issued with the challenge to keep a diary called Life’s Big Moments, and to read regularly for enjoyment. With several reading challenges running at the moment as well, the books in the Resource Centre seldom have time to collect dust.

Mrs Hawkins
Junior English Teacher

Student Council News

The SRC have had a busy term two. Filled with sparkle following Emerald Shines, students sprung into a series of sporting events. The annual staff vs student origin game was a great event. The staff team won 5 tries to 1. The game was organised with a corresponding fundraiser for Mark Hughes Foundation and their research into brain cancer. Students were encouraged to wear their favourite team jersey. The school was a sea of colour as students showed pride in their team.

Following the recent year 12 Biology camp, students were amazed at the damage plastic is having in the world’s oceans. World Ocean Day was a great opportunity to raise student awareness of the damage plastic is having on marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The tuckshop ran a plastic free day and students made ocean themed cupcakes to raise money for Sea Shepherd (ocean conservation organisation).

It was great to see students and staff support these worthy causes and their initiative towards making a difference on a local and global scale.

We finish the term with a stationary drive for Rainbow House. This will run mid-way into Term 3 and will culminate in a donation to Our Rainbow House and the incredible work they do with school children in Zambia.

Library News

Reader’s Cup

On June 19th, 5 students braved a cold morning to head to The Cathedral College in Rockhampton to participate in the 7/8 Capricornia Reader’s Cup. Throughout the term they’ve been reading 5 novels (The Cut Out, The Goldfish Boy, Frogkisser!, Flora’s War, & Gangsta Granny) in preparation to answer questions about them along with 15 other teams from 8 other schools across the region. The competition was very close, often with only ½ a point between positions. Although the students didn’t win the competition, Gladstone State High School did, the students did have fun (saying it was the best day of the term!) and increased their reading for pleasure, which is the real prize.

Bookweek

BOOKWEEK is coming! August 18-24 is The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s book week where libraries across Australia celebrate the best books published in the last year. The theme for 2018 is Find Your Treasure. Emerald State High School library will again be hosting a dress-up parade so start thinking about your costume NOW. Last year the turnout was brilliant with a range of book characters coming to life through the involvement of both staff & students… let’s see if we can do even better this year!

We’ve been sent the below career’s advice which we’d like to share with students.

Community Events

Young people invited to be engaged

Central Highlands Regional Council wants young people to be a part of the community engagement process and one way to do that is by joining a community reference group (CRG). Mayor Cr Kerry Hayes said that young people are a vital part of the community now and in the future. ‘We have many passionate and engaged young people that work with council to bring to life youth events and tell us what young people in the Central Highlands need and want,’ he said. ‘The fine ideas we recently heard at the Mayoral Student Leader Summit are just one proof that young people have valuable opinions, voices and ideas that we’d like to hear. ‘We hope to inspire young people to become a part of council’s community engagement processes and learn about their community and council.’ By joining a CRG young people can find out what’s happening in their community, learn about what council does and the people that work in council, hear about council’s latest projects and have a say about what’s important to them. There are thirteen CRG’s in the region that meet regularly to work together with community, government, business and industry to partner in advancing initiatives and have a say in the communities’ long-term future.

Let council know what you want in regards to galleries, museums, libraries, workshop spaces, meeting spaces, performance areas and other ideas at

Emerald State High School turns 50 in 2019 and we want your help!

The jubilee committee have commenced work on a book of memories from the last 50 years. We would like to invite you to submit your recollections for possible inclusion in the book. We are calling on past and present administration, teachers, teacher-aides, ancillary staff, tuckshop volunteers, bus drivers, P&C members, students and parents to contribute their memories. The first cut-off date for submission swill be Friday the 21st of September 2018. Contributions don’t have to be long, perfectly written or correctly spelt. All contributions will be subject to editing to fit into required spaces and we can’t guarantee inclusion of each and every item. Photos are also very welcome. Scanned and sent by email is preferred but please let us know if we can help you in this process. Please also include the year/s you were present and any names and former names of individuals in your memories/articles. We may also be putting together a short video presentation so please let us know if you have video footage. Please don’t hesitate to contact me by phone or email, if you would like further information or guidance.

Yours sincerely,

Samantha Elsden
Jubilee Secretary
emeraldshsjubilee@gmail.com