19 February 2020
Newsletter Articles
- Principal’s Report
- From the Deputy Principal – Junior School
- From the Students
- From the Head of Department – English
- From the Head of Department – Maths
- From the Head of Year 8
- From the Arts team
- From the Science team
- From Instrumental Music
- From the Sports Master
- Work Experience & Unique Student Identifier
- From the Positive Behaviour for Learning Team
- Community Notices
Principal’s Report
Dear Friends of Emerald High,
We are now well into Term 1 with students well settled into their studies. Classrooms are energetic and exciting with lots of amazing learning occurring.
I saw a junior class this afternoon working through ways in which muddy water could be most effectively filtered to get mud and solids out of the water. Filter paper, cotton wool, cups with holes and funnels were all being used in a variety of ways to seek the best result. It was great to seek scientific process in practice!
The PBL (Positive Behaviour for Learning) Team also conducted a lunchtime indoor soccer match in our Under Cover Area with students and staff playing together for the glory of the sport. I also had the opportunity to play a few games of chess against one of our delightful students (we won a game each). There are lots of great things happening every day in our school!
Our student numbers have grown significantly, with 828 students enrolled currently, up from about 773 at the same time last year - an increase of exactly 50. This will mean extra staff, extra funding and the ability to offer even more opportunities to our young people.
We are now in the process of seeking four more teachers to help spread the load for our teaching staff, enabling us to reduce class sizes and support more programs for our students. We hope to have these teachers in place in the next few weeks.
On the weekend, the Sunday Mail released a list of schools OP1-5 results and I am delighted to say that Emerald High has performed exceptionally well, with a significantly higher ranking than almost all of the schools around us and in the Rockhampton Area, both public and private. This is a credit to the quality of our school, our staff, our students and our school community.
Attendance is a focus at the moment as has is one of the biggest impacts on student outcomes and is something that has not been one of our 'highs'. An attendance of 90% should be the very minimum we should be seeking. Even 90% equates to one day away a fortnight which is enough to have an impact on student results.
These are the current attendance figures.
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
Year 12 |
|
Attendance Rate |
95.5% |
93.1% |
91.3% |
91.4% |
89.5% |
89.4% |
I spoke with the Year 11s and 12 last week about the things that make the greatest difference to success at school.
We talked about lots of things - the importance of attendance, effort in class, completing homework and studying, being organised and ready to learn (PREPARED), getting involved in our learning (PARTICIPATE), having a balanced/healthy lifestyle – exercise, relaxation, friends, diet, and having quality relationships with teachers and friends (POLITE).
We also discussed a study that was conducted a few years ago. A large number of OP1 students were surveyed to try and determine the sorts of behaviours that helped them to achieve excellence. There were lots of common characteristics, but there was one that was common to all of them.
And what was it?
They had all decided to give Social Media away during their senior years in order to focus on their study.
Isn't that interesting? Food for thought.
Have a fantastic fortnight
Mr. Sean Maher
Principal
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us" Ralph Wadlo Emerson
From the Deputy Principal – Junior School
Week 4 already, how time flies. I would like to outline some information about how behaviour incidents are managed at the school. You may be aware that in the main office on the wall next to the display board are green and blue forms. The blue form is an incident statement and the green form is a witness statement. Any student in the school is welcome to fill out these forms when necessary. I will outline below the steps I will usually take to deal with a behaviour incident reported on these forms. This is a brief summary of the process, for full details see our Responsible Behaviour Plan available on our website.
Approach the main office desk to ask for a clipboard and pen to fill out an incident statement. This usually occurs during lunch times.
Student fills out the blue Incident Statement form, this needs to be a true account of what occurred.
The student may bring a couple of witnesses to the incident with them, they will fill out a green form, this needs to be a true account of what occurred – but only what they witnessed, not what they heard from others.
If Deputy Principals are not available, the forms will be given to the office, at next opportunity the Deputy Principal will read the forms handed in and assess the urgency of the incident.
If urgent, the Deputy Principal will call students down the original students who wrote the statements and additional students if necessary. If not urgent, it may be followed up the next day or may be delegated to a Head of Year to follow up.
If a teacher has witnessed the incident, the Deputy Principal will receive a notification of a referral on One School (Behaviour Management Database).
All students are permitted at any time to contact their parents participate in the interview process. Deputy Principals may also contact parents at any time during the process but most likely at the conclusion of the incident.
Upon reaching a decision based on the available facts (blue and green statements) a consequence will be issued if deemed necessary. This could include an apology, a detention, litter duty, watering duty, or a suspension. In the event a suspension may be warranted, the Principal will become involved and make an informed decision, parents will be contacted and offered the opportunity to examine the facts and the final consequence will be issued.
The blue and green statement sheets underpin all of our work with behaviour incidents involving students and are important to ensure due process. If you child informs you of an incident that has occurred at school and are not sure how to report it please encourage them to fill out a blue form and if there is a witness encourage them to fill out a green form.
If you have any questions regarding Year 6, 7 or 8 students, please don’t hesitate to contact me at bvanh2@eq.edu.au
Regards
Mr. Ben Van Hees
Deputy Principal – Junior School
From the Students
This year at Emerald State High School, Year 11 students, myself included, are studying a variety of new and familiar subjects. The subjects I have chosen in 2020 are Maths, English, Legal Studies, Tourism, Science in Practice and Drama, each and every one of these subjects have different skills and needs to complete their set assessment tasks. Speaking from personal experience, the supportive teachers in my subject areas are always open and willing to give help when needed.
My personal favourite subject is Legal Studies, as I have a strong passion to work in the police force after school. Legal Studies is an eye-opening subject that pushes me to strive for the best result. OneNote is a new ICT program that we are being introduced to, which is very helpful, as all the lesson content are all in one area and if for any reason someone is absent or has fallen behind, it is easy to look back on anything you have missed or don’t understand. Tourism is a new subject edition this year; in Tourism, we are learning about employment in the tourism industry.
The upgrade in classrooms in F-Block is convenient for the English classes, as it is now easier to concentrate on the lesson content, as the noise from the other classrooms is not travelling through non-permanent walls, as we are trying to learn.
Regards
Miss. Chloe Hughes
Emerald SHS Student (Year 11)
From the Head of Department – English
In the first few weeks, teachers have given every student a letter that explains the texts that we will be studying in English in 2020. If you have any concerns, or you did not receive this letter, please contact me either on 4988 2222 or via email: ghunt55@eq.edu.au.
Our juniors are studying a range of different texts. The focus for Year 7 and 9 students is persuasion. Eventually they will construct a persuasive speech. The Year 8 students are studying 'Rabbit Proof Fence', along with a range of other Indigenous Australian texts.
Our Year 10 General students are currently reading Shakespeare’s 'Romeo and Juliet'. Soon they will complete an analytical essay. Year 10 Essential students will be analysing different media texts, in preparation for their exam.
In senior news, our Year 12 English Essentials and General students have begun their first assessment item. Essentials students are investigating an issue that the media has focussed on recently. General students are constructing a feature article that compares The Great Gatsby to a text of their choice. Year 11 Essentials and General students have begun learning the skills necessary to have success for their ATAR. The work that they complete over this year mimics the skills necessary for Year 12.
A reminder that Year 7-9 and Year 11- 12 students have four English lessons a week. During this extra 70 minutes, students complete a range of literacy activities that assist them in becoming literate learners. The activities cover things like reading and reading comprehension, grammar and punctuation, and spelling.
Thank you for your support this year.
Regards
Mrs. Gabby Hunt
HOD – English
From the Head of Department – Maths
Welcome parents/guardians, students and the Emerald community to our first Maths segment for 2020. Hoping the Christmas break was an enjoyable one for all.
Curriculum News
Years 7-8: This term we are looking at developing targeted teaching practices within these year levels. Years 7 and 8 will be using their four lessons each week in the following way:
- Three lessons of class time to be spent on 'Maths Mentals' books together with teaching of curriculum.
- One lesson per week will be used as a consolidation lesson.
We believe the consolidation lessons will provide students with an opportunity to spiral through concepts consistently. These lessons will promote thorough recall and mastery of what the students have had previously learnt.
Year 9: The Year 9s use their three lessons a week in a similar manner. The addition of NAPLAN style questions in Year 9 is an attempt to provide the extra rigour that Year 9s need for their future Maths.
Our teachers are busy analysing data from 2019 together with some pre-test data from 2020 to design programs that suit individual needs. Hence, a data driven approach to teaching.
Our teachers will also use that data, to differentiate learning experiences for our students. Differentiation ensures individual needs are addressed.
Year 10 -12: The new QCE system has now being rolled out fully, with our Year 12s preparing for their first external exams. At Emerald State High, we have been preparing for this change over the last two years. As a result, transition into the new QCE system has been very smooth.
General News
MATHLETICS Honours: The Year 7, 8 and 9 Honours classes have been rolled over into the MATHLETICS program. This is an online Maths program that Emerald State High is providing at no extra cost to the students. MATHLETICS is responsive to individual student’s needs. The highlight of this program is that it can be worked on independently or together with the teachers. ICT is a focus at Emerald State High and we hope with the introduction of such programs, our students will be better prepared with 21st Century skills.
MATHS CLUB: The Maths Club was created last year and will continue to run this year. Maths Club is on at first break every Tuesday and Wednesday. The Maths Club is hoping to target students in Years 10-12. The club’s purpose is to provide extra Maths help to students who may not be able to attend our homework club. The Maths Club will be run by the Maths Department staff. From Week 4 the Maths Club will be operational.
Closing:
I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of goal setting. Goal setting is a great tool for both students and adults alike. There is a lot of research around brain theory that supports the role of goal setting in our lives. I have included a snippet of some recent research below. It is encouraged that you visit the website to read the full article.
“Goal-setting literally alters the structure of your brain so that you perceive and behave in ways that will cause you to achieve those goals. Challenging goals that have strong emotional resonance will alter your brain structure more quickly and effectively than weak goals.”
https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/what-goal-setting-does-to-your-brain-why-its-spectacularly-effective.html
I would like to thank you for your continued support to the school. Looking forward to a productive 2020.
Regards
Mr. Nahroon Nazim
HOD – Maths
From the Head of Year 8
Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome back to 2020. It has been a positive start to the year. The students have settled in to their classes well and there has been some positive learning happening. We are approaching the halfway mark of the term and with that being said assessment will be starting soon. All students have a diary and should be using their diary to record important dates including homework and assessment. Please check-in with your child to see if they have any assessments coming up soon. In addition, assessment calendars for all students have been emailed. These will provide parents and students with information for semester one in relation to assessment dates. If you did not receive your assessment calendar, please contact the office staff.
The positive behaviour for learning focus for this fortnight is ‘Positive Rewards VIVOs’. All students have a VIVO login and can download the VIVO app to check their balance. If your child has any questions about VIVOs they can see myself or Yvonne O'Neil in the office. It has been great to see students buying vouchers from the VIVO store.
Finally, the Junior School soccer competition is up and running again. It has been great to see students from Year 8 get involved and participate in the competition. The competition will run until the end of Week 8.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Regards
Mr. Pete Sanson
HOY – 8
From the Arts team
Welcome to 2020 and all things ART! We hope you all had a wonderful break and are feeling refreshed for the New Year. We welcome to our team Ms Amy Cochrane and Ms Nikki Wouters, our two talented Visual Art teachers. In 2020, we have a jam-packed year full of fun and exciting things.
We are excited to announce that there is an Arts Camp this year from 30th April – 4th May. We will be travelling to Brisbane exploring curriculum outside of the classroom. We will be seeing a live performance at QPAC, exploring universities, galleries and even going to Movie World! It is a camp that should not be missed! If your child is interested and is in Years 9-12, studying an Art class it would be great to have them join us. We have strictly only 50 spots available, so it is essential you get in quick. Permission forms were handed out last week and need to be returned with a deposit of $100 by Friday 21st February. Please let any of the ARTS team know if you have any questions. Below is the attached note.
Curriculum News
We are also up to some fun in our classrooms. Here is a sneak peak of what our students have been busy working on so far.
7 DRAMA: 7F are the lucky ones to begin their electives off with DRAMA! They have been busy learning about the elements of drama, stage space, improvisation, physical theatre and having a lot of fun along the way. We will be starting our script-writing task this week.
DRAMA: In Senior Drama, we are starting off with a performance task. They will be presenting in Week 7 Friday. They are busy working on their blocking and rehearsing of their selected scripts. We are also excited to announce that Mashed Theatre will be coming to Emerald on Friday 21st February to perform exclusively to our Senior Drama (10-12 students). They will be provided the opportunity to watch two live performances and engage within a workshop. This will be a great opportunity for them!
ART: This term Year 8 will be exploring how artists connect to the landscapes they know and love. Then we will create a mixed media collage using images we have taken around the school.
MUSIC: Music classes are tracking along positively. All grades are learning and revisiting musical elements and working towards their first piece of assessment. The topics that each grade are covering are:
- Year 7 – Rock Music
- Year 8 – Popular Music
- Year 9 – Fusions
- Year 10 – Contemporary Music
- Year 11 Applied – Practical Music Skills
- Year 11 General – Designs
- Year 12 General – Innovations
Students are encouraged to arrange a lunchtime with their classroom teacher to rehearse their performances and work on their compositions.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: The Instrumental music department has started the year in full swing. Many new students have joined the program with over 70 students already signed up. Symphonic Band had their first performance at the Senior Leader Induction after only one performance. There are still places available if any student wishes to learn an instrument. Please see Mrs Jones at K Block on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
That is all from us in the Arts Department! We hope you have a fantastic week.
Regards
Miss. Chloe Prior
Teacher – Arts
From the Science team
The focus for Year 7 is around the water cycle, water purification and separation techniques. They are conducting filtration experiments in order to prepare for their assessment in which they will separate a mixture into its component substances.
Year 9s have just finished examining concepts on heat; see if your child can recall the three types of heat transfer, an example of each and explain how each type works! They are now investigating light and the electromagnetic spectrum. The assessment this term is a test on these concepts as well as sound.
Year 10 Chemistry are delving into concepts on elements, atomic structure and periodicity; the fundamentals of chemistry. Along with a variety of experiments, the students will be analysing data in preparation for their data test later this term.
Year 12 Chemistry students have just been handed out their formal assessment instrument #2 – a student experiment. Students will modify and expand on experiments done in class to delve deeper into the concepts these experiment target. The students will be experimenting in Weeks 5 & 6 so they need to have their risk assessment done on https://www.riskassess.com.au/ A.S.A.P.! The final report will be due midnight Sunday the 3rd of May, Week 2 term 2, online via blackboard on the learning place.
https://learningplace.education.qld.gov.au/


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Regards
Mr. David Horsfall
Teacher – HPE
From Instrumental Music
The Instrumental Music department is in full swing, with a busy start to the year. We have welcomed over 25 new students to the program. Many new students are learning instruments for the first time and are keen and enthusiastic.
Symphonic Band had their first performance in Week 3 for the Senior leader induction after only one rehearsal.
I am busy organising our Yeppoon Band workshops, to be held at Yeppoon PCYC 28-31 May.
The symphonic band has welcomed 15 new members. I am very encouraged by the dedication and enthusiasm of all of the new students, and hope they all have a fun and rewarding time as being members of the music program.
We have a number of students accepted to attend the regional ‘State Honours Ensemble Program’ (SHEP) to be held at Rockhampton in March. I congratulate these students on their achievement on being accepted into the program. I know they will learn plenty at this exceptional program.
There are still vacancies available for any student who would like to learn an instrument. Please come and see Mrs Jones in K Block on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Being in the band is great fun and has many benefits. Believe it or not it is a proven fact that music helps in all other school areas.
“Remember you don’t have to be smart to learn an instrument but you will be smarter if you do.”
Joneda… (famous conductor)
Regards
Mrs. Dana Jones
Emerald SHS’s Instrumental Music Teacher
From the Sports Master
Sport at ESHS has been pumping since the school gates reopened in late January. We have had bucket loads of students signing up to trial for the Central Highlands sporting teams over a large variety of sporting disciplines. We would like to congratulate those students who have already been successful in representing not only ESHS, but CH as well. We wish them the absolute best of luck at the next trial.
Student Name |
Age |
Sport |
Phillip Wilson |
U18 |
Cricket (CH) |
Charli Ryan |
U16 - 19 |
Netball (CH) |
Cori Gilliland |
||
Ryan Spargo |
U18 |
Squash (CH) |
Sophie Polt |
||
Bethany Esmond |
||
Dalton Bean |
U18 |
Touch Football (CH) |
Kaden Renwick |
||
Keven Williams |
||
Nateisha Keller |
||
Lillie Walters |
||
Cori Gilliland |
||
Sky Whittaker |
||
Tommy Green |
U15 |
|
Riley James |
||
Ethan James |
||
Xavier Samson |
||
Tayla Shields |
||
Amalia Samson |
||
Caitlyn Edwards |
||
Hady Whittaker |
||
Leo Fanuatanu |
U12 |
Rugby League (CH) |
Zac Anderson |
||
Jett Mattingley |
Week 6 will host the first ESHS sporting endeavour being HPE Week. This will see students represent their house for the first time this year and showcase a variety of lunchtime sporting competitions such as fitness testing, volleyball and a teacher vs. student game. We will conclude the week by taking over the Emerald Park Run on the Saturday morning (March 7th) and supporting engagement in physical activity in the community.
On Thursday the 19th of March, we will hold our annual swimming carnival at the Emerald Aquatic Centre. This year will see some new traditions emerge including 400 VIVO points awarded to each age champion and the inclusion of novelty races. The junior and senior captains have begun planning some new war cries to support the Hawaiian theme chosen for the day. Students are encouraged to pull on their hula skits and lei’s in blue, yellow, red and black & white.
Thank – you for your support for sport at ESHS so far. Please continue to check the Facebook page for updates and encourage students to listen to the daily notices and sport updates on assembly.
Regards
Miss. Maggie Pembroke
Emerald SHS’s Sports Master
From the Positive Behaviour for Learning Team
Behaviour Focus
Our current behaviour focus is “Positive Rewards.”
Student of the Week
Week 2
Janika Beasley 7D For challenging yourself in school activities and giving it your all in the U15 Netball trials.
Georgia Barnes 8F For consistently following the 3Ps in all of her subjects and being a pleasure to teach.
Isabelle Williams 8D For following key values of ESHS and being a role model for her peers.
Patrick Whipp 9E For assisting new students and being well prepared with all necessary equipment for class.
Luke Gissel 10E For being proactive in class, polite and participating in activities and class discussions.
Eduan Ruthven 11B For following the key values of the school and staying on task.
Molly Boland-Green 12C For being tirelessly polite and courteous in and out of class
Week 3
Cadence Briggs 7E For your enthusiastic attitude, coming to every class prepared and participating fully!
Jett Palmer 8D For consistently participating and engaging in learning activities.
Taya Benson 9D For starting the year strong and consistently demonstrating the 3Ps.
Patrick Shearman 10C For making an excellent start to the year by giving his best effort in all of his new subjects.
Ethyn Grimshaw 11A For following teacher instructions and committing himself to all required tasks.
Shara Van Hees 12 For taking initiative and leadership in her schooling and extra-curricular activities.
Week 4
Menisch De Beer 7B For always arriving prepared and going out of her way to help other students.
Lillian Goodwin 8F For being polite and prepared with all resources for class and a role model for peers.
Tegan Sprought 9A For consistently following the 3 Ps and actively participating in class.
Jazzie Casey 10C For being polite every lesson and ensuring all work is completed to the best of your ability
Ella McLean 11D For her contribution to class discussion and positive attitude towards her learning.
Joshua Sauer 12F For actively helping out his classmates to achieve their goals.
Community Notices