14 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to this fortnight’s newsletter, as I write this, I am thinking about our current year 12s and the new phase of life they are about to enter, the workforce or further education. They are a group of wonderful young men and women, and our school community can all be proud of them, especially when they arrive for their senior formal this Wednesday evening and Graduation on Friday. All the best for this week 12s!

As we are at the halfway point of term 4, it is timely to discuss with your son or daughter about their progress over this term, as this is the time of year where students can disengage from their educational program and quietly finish their year up early. A clear study timetable and planning for social or sporting events can ensure your child is “on track” to finish the year with good results.

Our Year 6 into 7 transition commences on Monday and Tuesday as we welcome next years students into what will a year of reflection and hopefully one of continuous successes. Yes, 2019 is our 50th Jubilee Year and I wish to put out a yearlong invitation to the Emerald community. Our school is open and we wish for you to visit us or be a part of our extensive events program that will run throughout the year.

Upcoming events

Special Mentions

Taylor Chant – degree scholarship for Bond University awarded last week – wow and congratulations Taylor!

Congratulations to Mrs Comollatti who is now our permanent Head of Department for Health and LOTE.

Special thank you to Riley Pustak for his extra efforts helping people at our wonderful awards evening.

“In our busy 21st century life the one commodity that seems to be going extinct is time and we forget that healing takes time.” – Dr. Frank Lipman

All the best & have a relaxing weekend,
Ray Clarke
Principal

From the Senior School Deputy Principal

It has come to that time of year where things come to an end. At the end of week 6 we will be farewelling the graduating class of 2018. These students will be remembered for genuine smiles and happiness as well as uniting the school together with Spirit Week. A reminder that QCS results will be published in Student Connect on Wednesday 14th November. Year 12 students do not receive a report card from the school but will receive their certification from QCAA from the 14th of December. OPs will be released for eligible students on the 15th of December. I wish them luck for the futures in the big wide world.

With endings also comes new beginnings. Last week I had the privilege to interview our candidates for School Captain and SRC President as well as listening to their speeches on parade on Tuesday. All students presented their speeches well with just the right amount of humour, commitment and promise. The 8 students who we interviewed all spoke with compassion and a drive to make our school better. I look forward to working with our 2019 seniors next year. Year 11s will receive their report cards on the 7th of November. OP eligible students will also receive a copy of their predicted OP with their report card. If you have any concerns regarding your student’s results please contact me.

This week we start the SET Planning interviews for the current year 10s moving into the senior school in 2019. In the interviews, we ensure students are set for a successful transition to senior school and future pathways. Students must ensure they have chosen subjects that: interest them, they are good at and that lead to future pathways.

Regards
Tanya Shaw
Deputy Principal – Senior School

From the Head of Year 10

This term is always a busy one for Year 10 students as they finalise their studies and begin the next stage of their education journey. Students are working hard to complete their final assessments ready for the end of Week 8, which is when Year 10 students finish school for the year.

Presently, students are preparing for their Set Plan Interviews with their parents and a member of the school leadership team. All current Year 10 students across the state participate in these interviews, even those who do not intend to continue their studies into Year 11 and wish to pursue the path of employment. Timetables of interview times for each student have been sent home and can be found published on the ESHS Facebook page.

As the year draws to an end, students are encouraged to reflect on their attendance, achievements and the choices they have made throughout 2018 in preparation for success next year. 2019 brings many new and exciting opportunities for our current Year 10 students and I look forward to continuing to work with our students and their families in the New Year.

Melinda 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 Positive Behaviour for Learning Team

MOBILE PHONES ARE BANNED ITEMS AT EMERALD STATE HIGH SCHOOL

PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IF A STUDENT IS FEELING SICK AT SCHOOL.

It has come to our attention that a number of students are using their mobile phones to text/ring parents if they are feeling sick. This is not our policy.

All students have been reminded that should they feel sick, they are to come to the office and let the absentee officer (or office staff) know that they are feeling unwell. These ladies will then ascertain if a parent should be called (usually if they are extremely sick this is when they present at the office, otherwise they may monitor and call in 10minutes). Therefore it is extremely important that we have the best contact information for parents and emergency contacts of persons who are able to collect students in lieu of parents.

Should a student contact their parent using their own phone, this will be counted as a breach of our policy for having a banned item at school and they will face consequences for having a banned item.

Week 5 and 6 – Positive Behaviour Lesson

Our focus for these two weeks is: STAY ON TASK AND BE AN INDEPENDENT AND RESILIENT LEARNER.

Please find the attached PowerPoint that we will be using as the lesson to teach students this.

This would have been taught period 1 on Monday of Week 5 and referenced for the rest of the fortnight.

Gaye Saunders
Deputy Principal – Middle School and Positive Behaviour for Learning

Humanities News

This semester, students in years 7, 8 and 9 at Emerald State High School have swapped their humanities subjects, meaning that those who studied Geography in semester one, will now be studying History, and vice versa. Our year 10 cohort are continuing with their chosen field of study, either Legal Studies, Ancient History or Modern History. And our senior humanities students are either halfway through their coursework in year 11 or are rounding out their final assessments in year 12.

So what subjects are currently on offer to students at Emerald State High School? In junior years, students must undertake a semester of History and a semester of Geography, before they choose the subjects they will study in their senior years, namely: Legal Studies, Ancient History, Modern History or Geography.

Currently, our junior Geographers are investigating a range of different Earth systems and human interactions with these systems. To do this, the year 7 Geography classes have been studying the water cycle, thereby learning how water connects people and places, alongside the dangers present. Our year 8 Geographers have been investigating the Earth’s landscapes and landforms. In this way, they have gained a solid understanding of the natural hazards, which can occur across the globe, and the processes that shape Australian landforms including monoliths such as Uluru. Students in year 9 Geography classrooms have been investigating the Murray Darling River Basin. Here, the students have learnt of the importance of the world’s third largest river system, in relation to our nation’s food security.

Conversely, Emerald State High School’s junior Historians are investigating the past from ancient times to our species’ most recent accomplishments. To this end, the year 7 History classes are examining the development and similarities between Ancient Egypt and Ancient China, as a way to understand the development of civilisations. Our year 8 Historians have been looking into the Japanese Samurai, and how they ruled Shogunate Japan. Finally, Emerald State High School’s year 9 History students have been taking an in-depth look at the lead up to, events of, and overall cost of World War 1. Here, the students have learnt not only the causes for catastrophic conflicts, but also the national impact this conflict had on Australia as a burgeoning nation.

Our senior students at Emerald State High School are deep in their assessment cycle at the moment, with year 10 students completing fieldwork in Legal Studies, Ancient Historians are prepping for their Mongols exam and our Modern History students are arguing the impact Custer had on Native American relations. Emerald State High School’s graduating seniors have now completed all of their assessment and are bracing themselves for the real world, where their study of humanities will have prepared them for careers in the legal field as lawyers, barristers and political office, as actual historians working as educators, museum curators and genealogists. And our senior Geographers are busy finalising their plans to become urban planners, climatologists and GIS specialists.

That’s the thing about studying humanities at Emerald State High School… it’ll take your places!

P & C News

Emerald State High School prepares for its 50th year! (From CQ News)

It was a blast from the past when Lynne Spackman (Dahlenburg), Donna Lewis (Mattingley), Gayette Shaw (Sager) and Andrew Hawkins recently walked through the gates of Emerald State High School. Part of the original year 8 cohort that started at the school in 1969, they were invited to the school for a tour run by current year 7 students in preparation for the 50th jubilee celebrations next year.

Donna Lewis remembers that the class all walked from Emerald State School (where the secondary department had been) and were counted off into three separate classes. Back then, only A and B blocks were constructed and C and D were built during the first year. Some students enjoyed cream buns and pies for lunch at the tuckshop and some walked across the road to the corner store for lunch.

Andrew Hawkins remembers boarding at the CWA Hostel (building near the hospital) during school time. He also spoke about how they were all billeted out to homes that were lucky enough to have televisions so they could all watch the moon landing.

The year 7 students who all have a long family history of attending the school, Madison Powell, Indie Logovik and Declan O'Sullivan, made the perfect tour guides, showing off the different rooms and what had changed over the years. Of particular interest was the computer labs (which used to be the only classrooms), the gym, the newly renovated hall as well as the hospitality and industrial skills rooms. The group also had a private performance from the school symphonic band, something that was not yet available in 1969.

The guests reminisced about the subjects that were on offer when they were at school which included an academic stream of mostly science subjects, a commercial stream that included short-hand, typing and home-economics or a manual arts stream that included woodwork, metal work and tech drawing. They were impressed that the range now includes more technology, physical education and creative arts options.

Finally, the group viewed the area set aside for the jubilee paving area. This will provide a unique opportunity for individuals or families to have their name engraved onto a paver to be placed in the school. Individuals and families also have an opportunity to contribute stories and pictures to the history book that is being created. Please email emeraldshsjubilee@gmail.com with anything you may have.

The jubilee committee have been putting plans in place for a weekend of catching up and remembering the times at Emerald State High School. An evening reunion event will be held on the 28th of June. Tickets will be on sale early in the new year. An open day at the school for past and present students, staff and the whole community will be held on Saturday the 29th of June. Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and more information can be found on the Facebook page

Community Events