5 September 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to this fortnight’s newsletter. Right now our Year 12 OP students are commencing their Core Skills Test, the second last one that will occur in QLD. I always enjoy having breakfast with the 12s before they commence this testing regime, which lasts for two days. We all wish them well with this endeavour. After next year, our students doing general subjects (previously Authority subjects), will be doing external exams likes the rest of the Australian states and will receive an ATAR score out of 100. Ops, which are 1 to 24, will be phased out. Yes, again significant curriculum, changes are soon here, as is what happened with the move of Year 7s into high schools.

I have recently been working with facilities people and am pleased to announce that our library will receive a $500,000.00 upgrade to freshen it up, hopefully commencing before the end of this year. This will be a good thing for our library and our school.

Please note I will be absent for the next two weeks on long service leave, so I wish to thank our staff for their efforts this term, which again has been a very hectic one. Mrs Saunders will act as Principal and Ms Comollatti will act as Deputy Principal.

Academic and Sporting Awards have been reviewed by key stakeholders and our final draft is completed. We now have a document that clearly outlines the criteria for school awards. This will be a document that provides greater transparency of awards and I thank the P&C for having input.

Special Mentions

Our Year 7 and 9 students improved as separate cohorts in Grammar & Punctuation, Reading and Numeracy on the 2018 NAPLAN compared to last year. Congratulations to the students and their teachers!

Thank you to Mrs Carter, Mrs Gilbert and Ms Aubry who lead the Hospitality students and are catering for the seniors for their Core Skills Test breakfasts. They do a wonderful job!

Thank you to our HPE department for coordinating sport for our students this year so far. All of them are coaches for CH Teams and are integral to sport in Emerald.

Thank you our P&C executive who have made significant achievements this year that the whole school community will benefit from in future years.

The New QCE – Some FAQs

How do I plan my senior study?

In Year 10, your school and family will help you plan what to study in Years 11 and 12. You’ll discuss what jobs or careers you are interested in and then choose the subjects and courses that will enable you to achieve a QCE and work towards your goals.

What subjects can I choose?

In the new QCE system, you can study a wide variety of subjects:

• QCAA General subjects — currently known as Authority subjects
• QCAA Applied subjects — currently known as Authority-registered subjects
• Vocational education and training (VET) courses
• School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
• University subjects completed while at school
• Workplace learning
• Certificates and awards such as those issued by the Australian Music Examinations Board or Duke of Edinburgh program.

“An old belief is like an old shoe. We so value its comfort that we fail to notice the hole in it.” – Robert Brault

Have a lovely spring weekend,
Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Middle School Deputy Principal

2019 Subject Selection timelines

Term 3 Week 9: Year 9 students will complete a “wish list” of subjects that they wish to study in 2019, along with a reserve list should subjects not run due to low numbers. This will be undertaken during student’s history/geography lesson with Mrs Saunders.

Term 3 Week 10: Mrs Saunders will create lines for the timetable with assistance by the Heads of Departments.

Term 4 Week 1: Monday per 4 in VWO class Year 10 students will complete Year 11 subject selection.

Year 10 SETPlan interviews to take place

Students have completed surveys, career aspriations in their VWO (Cert II Workplace Practices) classes. Students can access these over the holidays.

Interviews will be with a Deputy Principal or Head of Department, year 10 student and parent or guardian, of 30 minutes duration.

Times set aside for this will be:

Wednesday 10 October 8am – 11am
Thursday 11 October 4pm – 7pm
Friday 12 October 9am – 3pm
Tuesday 16 October 4:30pm – 7pm
Wednesday 17 October 8am -11am and 3-7pm

Bookings for these will take place in Term 4.

Year 8 Electives and Year 9 electives

Students currently in year 7 or 8 will have the opportunity to select their electives for 2019 from Week 3 in term 4.

REPORTING & PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Reporting at the end of Term 3 is a cumulative report (with no comments) and will be emailed on the last day of term 3. Please ensure that we have your correct email address. This report is also used to calculate students’ eligibility for Academic Awards.

Parent-Teacher interview bookings will open in Week 10 of Term 3 and are made via SOBS. Bookings will be closed over the school holidays and reopen on Monday 8 October (first day of term 4). Parent interviews will occur for all year levels on Tuesday Week 1 of Term 4, 9 October. This is our last formal organisation of parent interviews for the year.

Gaye Saunders
Deputy Principal – Middle School

From the Head of Year – 10

As part of their Worplace Practices class, the Year 10s hosted their annual Market Place event in the school sails area. This event was hugely successful and was enjoyed by staff and students alike. The Year 10s planned, advertised and carried out their various stalls, which included meals for lunch, sweet or savoury snacks, games with prizes and novelty items. Overall, the event was largely successful with many members of the school community commenting on the variety of stalls, the value for money and the friendly service of the students.

Coming up in Week 9 of this term is the next round of work experience. Students are reminded to ensure that their paperwork is signed and returned before beginning their work experience placement. The previous two rounds of work experience saw many of our students commended for their attitude, initiative and punctuality while on placement. We are looking forward to the next round and thank all of those involved in the school and wider community for making it the success that it has been in the past.

Mel Prior
Head of Year 10

From the Attendance Officer

CHANGE OF PARENT CONTACT DETAILS

Do you have a new mobile phone and number? Do you have a new job? Is your child/ren’s medical information current? Have you moved house? Are you using a new email address? Have any of your contact numbers changed? Are your Emergency Contacts current? Especially if you are leaving the country and your children are staying with a family member or friend. If any of these apply to you, please fill out the attached Change of Parent Contact Details Form then email or drop it off at the office and we will update our records so your details are current. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details change.

LATE ARRIVAL / EARLY DEPARTURE

Arrival

Emerald State High School’s Warning Bell sounds at 8:45am. All PC Classes or Parade/s commence at 8:50am. If a student arrives after 9:00am, they must present to the office to receive a printed late slip to supply to their Period 1 Teacher. This will activate their electronic roll as per their timetable.

Off Campus Students, if your scheduled training program is cancelled or for whatever reason you present at school please sign in at the office so your timetable can be activated for roll marking.

Departure

When a parent/carer is collecting a student during the day, please call in at the office first. The student/s will be signed out electronically. Please advise if returning to school.

STUDENT MESSAGES

Administration cannot guarantee that a student message will be passed on if phoned in after 2:00pm.

From the Head of Arts

Term three has been a busy one for the Arts. From Festival of the Bands to our Year 7 Fairytale Performances at Emerald State School for Book Week then the Cultural Train workshops with our music students. We are now heading in to Eisteddfod time and the final performances for our senior music and drama students and Visual Arts in Practice craft stall at our annual Arts Showcase. We will then finish up with auditions for our bi-annual musical. Stay tuned for more information! Thank you to our teachers and students who have been working very hard to create memorable experiences.

Rachelle Paton
Head of Department - Arts

Positive Behaviour for Learning News

Our next focus is: COME PREPARED WITH NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

This is for all of WEEK 8 AND ALL OF WEEK 9. THE LESSON WAS TAUGHT IN PERIOD 1 TUESDAY AND will be referenced for the rest of the fortnight. My role as leader of PBL is to introduce the topic that forms the focus for the coming fortnight. This focus is based on data collected from the previous 2 weeks.

At this point in the year, students pens are running out of ink, books are filling up. Please ensure that your child has replacements. Heads of Year have a small supply of pens for students who find that their pen is out of ink.

The Heads of Year (HOY) are:

Year 7: Ms Deighton (J Block staffroom)
Year 8: Ms Royal (C Block staffroom)
Year 9: Mrs Bland (F Block staffroom)
Year 10: Mrs Prior (F Block staffroom)
Year 11: Mr Heath (J Block staffroom)
Year 12: Mr Tyack (F Block staffroom- closest to the car park)

The expectations that are also clearly outlined in the student diary are:

• In your pencil case you should have: 2-3 working pens, a pencil, eraser, sharpener, ruler, calculator, glue, scissors highlighter, whiteboard marker for show me boards and any specialist items that you need for a subject (ask your teachers if unsure). DOUBLE CHECK THESE EXPECTATIONS WITH YOUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
• You should have a school diary, and a notebook for EVERY SUBJECT (5 subject books are NOT recommended in case a teacher needs to collect your work).
• Your work should be in order, and neat and tidy.
• In PE (and lessons outside), you will need a hat.
• It is highly recommended to bring a water bottle and fill it before each lesson. You are not allowed drink breaks during lessons.

School diaries were issued to all students. These cost $15 each and are provided as part of the Student Resource Scheme.

Thank you for your assistance in keeping our students prepared!

Mrs Gaye Saunders
Deputy Principal

English News

Students in all years are currently well underway with assessment.

Year 9 English students have been busy with creating scripts and developing comprehension skills for their assessment. They had to read the play Twelve Angry Men and develop their own additional act demonstrating a character’s perspective on the issues raised in the text. Over the last few weeks, we have been listening and comprehending a range of text structures to construct meaning and position audiences.

The year 11 English Communication students have been studying Australian identity and stereotypes this term and will continue to next term. Students had to take on the role of a film critic and analyse a range of Australian films in terms of how characters display the qualities of ‘Aussie’ stereotypes. That knowledge is now being used to create board games with an Australian focus, which they will then make a sales pitch for in a Shark Tank scenario.

Year 12 English Communication students have been focusing on issues around empathy and apathy. Students are in the process of creating a multimodal oral presentation on extreme issues. Their focus is on current issues in today’s society that focus on people demonstrating apathy. They have been able to explore a range of issues and discuss whether it is acceptable or unacceptable to demonstrate apathy.

Maths News

As Term 3 draws to a close, students are encouraged to ensure that they have completed and submitted all assignments. The year 11 and 12 classes will have their exam block in Weeks 8 to 9. Junior Maths classes are expected to complete their various assessments in weeks 8 to 9 as well. Students are advised to consult their various Maths teachers and attend study club (Monday and Wednesday afternoons in the library at 3-4pm) in preparation for the upcoming exams.

On Thursday, 16th of August, Emerald State High School hosted the inaugural local round of the QAMT Year 7/8 Maths Quiz. The quiz is a state-wide competition where teams of 3 students compete to earn the most points across 5 sessions. Winners of local rounds have the opportunity to progress to the State Final in Brisbane. At our local round, 6 teams competed from a range of schools including Capella State High School, Springsure State School, Emerald Christian College and Emerald State High School. Students had to answer challenging questions in variety of formats, from spoken rapid-fire to exam conditions, over the course of two-hours. All students (and their parents!) got into the event and enjoyed themselves immensely. Congratulations to both Emerald State High School teams for taking first and second place. Special thanks to Mr Rajiv Bhar for organising this event.

The Mathematics Department wishes all students success in their Term 3 exams.

HPE News

This term in Health and Physical Education, grades 7, 8 and 9 have been competing against each other in AFL. Each grade has been participating in this as part of their wellness lessons. AFL has been a bit of a challenge to the students as it is such a new game to them all. The students have really come a long way, learnt new skills like; kicking on the run and handballing and have gained a new appreciation of this Australian sport.

Year 7 HPE – This term in class, they have completed a unit on nutrition and making the right food choices. Outside they have learnt the game of Touch Football.

Year 8 HPE – This term in class, they have completed a unit on healthy relationships and how to speak respectfully to each other online and face to face. Outside they have learnt the game of Touch Football.

Year 9 HPE – This term in class, they have completed a unit on alcohol and drugs and the importance of understanding the effects they have on the body. Outside they have learnt the game of Touch Football.

Year 10 HPE/Fitness – The HPE students have understood the importance of using biomechanics when completing a skill and badminton. The Fitness students have been creating and participating in fitness circuits.

Year 11 and 12 PE – These classes have just completed a term of skill acquisition and the importance of understanding how to learn a skill in Badminton.

Year 10 Recreation – These classes have been going out for Ultimate Disc as well as heading over to the Emerald Bowls Club to play lawn bowls. In class, they have been learning how to promote Ultimate Disc to the residents of Emerald.

Year 11 Recreation – This class has also been going to the Emerald Bowls Club to learn lawn bowls. They are also working in the gymnasium learning how to work out effectively and without risk.

Year 12 Recreation – This class has been playing Touch Football and creating an 8-week training program for an elite Touch Football team.

Finally, we would like to once again, encourage all students to bring a hat, water bottle and appropriate footwear to their practical lessons. Sunscreen is always available and we promote sun safety in all of our lessons.

Library News

Bookweek

The Bookweek theme for 2018 was Find Your Treasure and indeed students did find treasure in the library! They were able to complete different activities in the library during lunch breaks each day: acrostic poems, crosswords, find-a-words and chatterboxes with a focus on the Great Barrier Reef, a national treasure. The festivities culminated with a dress-up parade on Friday. The turnout was brilliant with a wide range of book characters coming to life through the involvement of both staff & students. Congratulations to Lara who won the Junior School category dressed as Coco’s grandmother, Lauchlan who won the Senior School category as Light Yagami, and Mr Calvert who won the staff category as Tinky-Winky. Congratulations also to Kristie, Isaac, Bridget and Jacqui who received prizes for their participation in the daily activities. Thank-you to the Student Representative Council and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority who donated prizes.

School-Based Apprenticeships/Traineeships & Work Experience News

Emerald State High School would like to congratulate the following students on their achievement of being signed up for a school-based apprenticeship/traineeship.

Student Representative Council News

The SRC have had an incredible term supporting a variety of causes. At the beginning of term, the SRC organised a stationery drive to gather much-needed stationery supplies for Our Rainbow House and the work they do in Zambia. The generosity show by the students and staff of ESHS community was overwhelming and a formal donation was made to Alison, the Director of Rainbow House.

The school community also showed their support for CQ farmers impacted by drought. A BBQ was held to raise money for the Buy a Bale organisation that provide much-needed supplies to farmers impacted by drought. The BBQ was a sizzling success with inspiring generosity shown by the school community.

In addition, the SRC wanted to show recognition towards a local charity and organised a pet food drive for CQ Pet Rescue. Students and staff donated pet food and a formal donation was made to CQ Pet Rescue. CQ Pet Rescue is run by volunteers and the organisation do amazing work looking after and supporting animals from all walks of life. The pet food drive culminated in a Wellbeing and Wellness Day. With senior exam block starting and junior school assessments at the forefront of teaching and learning, stress levels for staff and students are at a peak. Students had the opportunity to cuddle a dog or cat and alleviate their assessment anxiety to enhance their personal wellness and wellbeing.

Finally, the last day of term will be jeans for genes day. A great charity that continues to search for treatment and cures for childhood genetic diseases.

Community Events

Emerald Community Drought Relief Operation

Central Highlands Tools has decided to facilitate helping our neighbouring country folk around the district’s towns, who are currently struggling with this drought. We would like to invite as many businesses, families and local organisations to jump on board and join us in assisting them with fodder for their animals, cash loaded cards, and non-perishable items of food and household items for families. The cash loaded debit cards are a great way to ensure the money is spent in these local towns businesses as they are struggling too.

To kick off the assistance we have organised a road train load of hay and the cartage has been donated by local company Ingram’s Transport to deliver both the non-perishables and this hay; but we are also seeking assistance with the cost of fuel to cover this delivery. Also, we are keen to raise some more funds to purchase more hay and the transport to the needed properties.

We have decided to keep this generosity in our region rather than giving it to a larger organisation as we know that this will be helping families directly within our community. The region, in which we would like our donations to be assisting, is Barcaldine through to Emerald.

This will be coordinated with the local support organisations in the affected towns within the region, who are on the ground and know who currently needs this much-needed assistance.

Times have been extremely tough for them over the past few years and we would like to show them that Emerald is behind them in their time of need.

Any donation would be greatly appreciated, whether big or small. We have also been in contact with the local Lions Club in Emerald to help us with our mission of helping our famers.

Any items of donation can be dropped into Central Highlands Tools on 8 Clermont Street so we can then deliver out to our farmers.

We would like to thank everyone in advance in assisting some of our district’s farmers in dire need.

If you would like any further information or like to contact us to discuss this further please don’t hesitate to contact Kerrie on 4982 1322 or on 0438 576 200.

Kind Regards

Emerald State High School Turns 50!

BE A PART OF EMERALD STATE HIGH SCHOOL FOREVER!

As part of the jubilee celebrations in 2019, an area in the school has been identified to be paved with personalised pavers. You can select a single or double paver for you or your entire family. If you need more pavers for a large family we can make sure they are placed together. Your name and the years you attended will be a great way to put your stamp on the school. Orders must be placed and paid for by the 9th of November. Please download and complete this form. You can hand it to the school administration or email to emeraldshsjubilee@gmail.com.

WOULD YOUR BUSINESS LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE JUBILEE?

The P&C and Jubilee Committee have developed a range of sponsorship levels that offers businesses a unique opportunity to support the school and celebrate its history. Your commitment to the Emerald State High School jubilee will also present a significant opportunity to promote your business to 50 years of students, teachers, administrators, ancillary staff, invited dignitaries, and the whole Emerald community. If you are interested in sponsoring, please read the attached package and return the form. Businesses can also be a part of the paver project with their logo placed within the paved area. Individual families also have the opportunity to donate towards the history book. Your name will appear in the list of donations in the history book once produced.

SUBMISSIONS FOR THE HISTORY BOOK STILL REQUIRED!

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 submissions is ONLY A MONTH AWAY on 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 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 via email if you would like further information or guidance.

Yours sincerely
Samantha Elsden
Jubilee Secretary
emeraldshsjubilee@gmail.com