28 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

The school term is quickly coming to an end. This week we farewell the year 10s and 11s for the year. The 7s to 9s and staff still have 2 weeks to go. For all students, completing assessment is a priority at this stage. For staff, marking and report card writing is the priority. Report cards will be emailed home to all families with email contacts recorded. If you have changed your email or we do not have it on file can you please contact the office ASAP for these changes to occur. Reports cards will be emailed on:

• Yrs 10 and 11 – Friday 7th December
• Yrs 7 to 9 – Wednesday 12th December.

At the beginning of the week we had over 140 year 6 students in the school completing their final transition days. The students completed two full days of their proposed timetable for 2019. They were able to meet the teachers that they are likely to have and orientate themselves with the school.

We have finalised our school leaders in both junior and senior school for 2019.

We wish all these students the best for their roles and look forward to working with them in 2019.

All students returning in 2019 should have received a re-enrolment pack from their PC teachers. Can you please fill these in and have them returned to the school for processing. School resumes for 2019 for students on Tuesday 29th January. The school office will be open from 21st January 2019.

I wish all families a safe and merry holiday.

Tanya Shaw
Principal (Acting)

From the Head of Year 9

Well we are in the final stretch and Christmas is just around the corner!!! All Year 9 students have now undertaken subject selections in preparation for Year 10 next year and classes and numbers are being finalised.

Students are in the final weeks of assessments and should be working hard to get the best results for all their classes. As the year draws to an end, students should take the time to reflect on their own personal experiences and achievements in preparation for next year. I constantly remind students that schooling will be over in the blink of an eye and before they know it they will be in the workforce as young adults. Reflecting is something we should all do throughout our life, as it helps guide our knowledge and understanding of life and others.

On a personal note, I would like to take this opportunity to let you know I am leaving Emerald at the end of this year to take a teaching position at Blackwater High School. It has been my absolute honour and privilege to be Year Manager to such a fantastic cohort of students; and I will miss them all. I have promised the students I will attend their formal in 2021 and I expect to see them all smiling and super proud of their achievements. Congratulations to the new Year Manager Ms Jacinda Fehlhaber, who I know will do a fantastic job looking after the students and guiding them through school.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and stays safe. Hopefully Santa is kind to you all.

Cheryl Bland
Head of Year 9

From the Attendance Officer

Year 12 Jersey’s / Year 12 Formal / Interest re School Based Apprenticeship (SBA) / Future Leaders Senior & Junior

Attendance is paramount for students who wish to partake in the above highlights during their high school years. Leadership positions, acquiring a senior jersey and going to the Year 12 formal all require 91% attendance or above to participate. Did you know that your attendance counts as a reference if you wish to pursue a school based apprenticeship with a prospective employer? Please be mindful that every day counts and follow our 3Ps. Parents please ensure all absences are explained.

ROLL MARKING IN STATE SCHOOLS

The holidays are fast approaching. While it may be tempting to let your child stay home for the last day, or even the last week of term, our school would prefer to see every child on every day of every term. We strongly believe children need to attend school every day to receive the most benefits from their education. Did you realise that skipping the last day of every term adds up to more than a whole term of schooling missed throughout a child’s education? Skipping a whole week of school each term means your child will miss more than 15 months of their education!

2019 Continuing Student Enrolment Forms

Booklets are being sent home this week to all continuing students. Year 10 & 11 students need to return their completed booklets as soon as possible prior to or on Friday November 30th. Year 7, 8 & 9 students need to return their completed booklets no later than Friday December 7th.

Parents, all outstanding invoices need to be finalised by Friday December 7th so that student subject selection is not affected for 2019.

From the Head of Vocational Education & Training

Every year 9 student needs a USI number and here’s why. The USI (unique student identifier) is a reference number made up of ten numbers and letters that:

• creates a secure online record of your recognised training and qualifications gained in Australia, from all training providers you undertake recognised training with
• will give you access to your training records and transcripts
• can be accessed online, anytime and anywhere
• is free and easy to create and
• stays with you for life.

In 2019 every year 10 student at Emerald State High School will complete FSK20113 Certificate II Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways. If a student doesn’t have a USI they will not receive their qualification or statement of attainment. To create a USI go to the link below. Make sure the number is supplied to Alarna Wills in the Library staff room.

Annette Carter
Head of Department – Vocational Education & Training

Sports News

On the 18th of October the 1st Annual Sports Awards were held in the UCA. It was a fantastic night with students rewarded for their sporting excellence throughout 2018. Congratulations to the following award recipients.

EMERALD STATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS (MERIT)

ALL SCHOOLS TOUCH FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS

KAREN MURPHY CUP TEAM MEMBERS

RUGBY UNION 7’s TEAM MEMBERS

VICKY WILSON NETBALL TEAM MEMBERS

EMERALD DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE (MERIT)

CRICKET

CROSS COUNTRY

NETBALL

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY UNION

TOUCH FOOTBALL

TRACK AND FIELD

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REPRESENTATIVE (BRONZE)

BASKETBALL

CRICKET

CROSS COUNTRY

FOOTBALL

NETBALL

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY UNION

SQUASH

SWIMMING

TOUCH FOOTBALL

TRACK AND FIELD

EMERALD STATE HIGH SCHOOL CARNIVAL CHAMPIONS

SWIMMING CARNIVAL AGE CHAMPIONS

TRACK AND FIELD AGE CHAMPIONS

CAPRICORNIA REPRESENTATIVES (SILVER)

CRICKET

CROSS COUNTRY

NETBALL

RUGBY LEAGUE

RUGBY UNION

SQUASH

SWIMMING

TRACK AND FIELD

QUEENSLAND REPRESENTATIVES (GOLD)

RUGBY UNION

SPORTING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

SPORTING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

SPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR

JUNIOR SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR – Nat Mackay

SENIOR SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR – Jasmine Walters

Hospitality News

The Hospitality and Home Economics team have had a very busy November! This term our Grade 12 students finished their Certificate II in Hospitality by serving the morning tea charity event at Alison Ray’s Our Rainbow House. The year 12 students served canapés and treats for community members and supported a great cause. Our year 11 students have worked overtime, serving at the formal and graduation morning tea. They have blown away our expectations and have done a fantastic job!

As a department, we have made the move to try to be a more sustainable classroom by replicating real world standards and trying to encourage our students to think of their carbon footprint. To do this, we need some help from our community. We are looking for families and students to donate any kind of containers that could be suitable for storing. Anything like ice cream containers, yogurt, butter or margarine containers would be greatly appreciated! These containers will be washed and reused by students.

Library News

Library items

As students finish their schooling year, they need to ensure that all library items are returned. Students in Years 10 & 11 MUST have all items returned this week, while students in years 7-9 have until December 7th. It is recommended that students wait to have their items scanned to ensure that they are returning their own copy of a text and not someone else’s. Students who are doing Year 12 OP English in 2019 will need to borrow The Book Thief before they go on holidays as need to have read it before the beginning of the new school year. These students will only be able to borrow this novel once all of their other library items are returned.

ICAS Results

Last term students in Years 7 – 9 sat the English and Mathematics ICAS tests. The results are back and are to be celebrated!

Congratulations to all students who participated, but especially to Declan Neville & Thomas Penberthy who received the Principal’s Award for the English and Mathematics ICAS respectively, for achieving the highest in our school.

Student Representative Council News

Year in Review

It has been a busy, but amazing year for the SRC. The students and staff at Emerald State High School have been involved with a plethora of events and activities. Students have supported a range of local, national and international charities. These have included, Dolly’s Dream Foundation, Buy a Bale, Beanies for Brain Cancer, World Ocean Day and World Polio Day to name a few.

The SRC have also hosted a number of events throughout the year including Emerald Shines, Spirit Week, Wellbeing and Wellness Day and a Halloween party. These events have provided opportunities for students and staff to show their school pride and spirit. The SRC have worked hard to foster a strong sense of community amongst students, staff and parents.

As the SRC coordinator, I have enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside students and staff that are committed to the school’s vision. The resilience and passion demonstrated by the student leadership team is admirable and has certainly been a key highlight this year. I will be assuming a new role next year as Year 7 head of year and I look forward to continuing to work with students to enhance school spirit.

Peter Sanson
Student Representative Council Co-ordinator

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