Emerald State High School
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Old Airport Drive, P.O. Box 419
Emerald QLD 4720
Subscribe: https://emeraldshs.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: the.principal@emeraldshs.eq.edu.au
Phone: 07 4988 2222
Fax: 07 4988 2200

14 September 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report.

Dear Friends of Emerald High,

Term 3 has almost rolled to an end. Our Year 12s have completed their mock exams and will now have some good data to help guide the focus of their studies as they move towards the external exams next year. Good luck Year 12s.

Our Years 12s are also about to have their Formal on Thursday night, one of the highlights of the Year 12 calendar. As usual, it will be a night of glitz and glamour and celebration.

Our Years 10s have been doing their Senior Education and Training Plans (SET Plans) over the past week or so and I have been impressed with the quality of the conversations that have been occurring and the interest that our Year 10s are showing in planning their future pathways. Thanks to all teachers who that have been involved in leading these meetings often in their own time.

On Wednesday a number of our Year 7, 8 ad 9 students participated in a Global Youth Forum at the school, where they had the opportunity to explore ways in which Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) can be used to create change and how technology can be leveraged to enhance people's lives. Thank you to Mrs Van Hees for facilitating this opportunity.

Many of our science students had the opportunity last week to participate in a very interesting and challenging 'forensic science' activity, in which they had to work in groups to solve a perplexing murder. They were all very highly involved in this activity and worked out the name of the murderer in quick time. It was Paul!!

Our volleyball students have returned from the very first CH Volleyball Championships undefeated and our basketballers have also returned undefeated after three rounds in competition against Emerald Marist. Great work volleyballers and basketballers - you are doing us proud!

The school commemorated 'RUOK Day' last Thursday, in which all members of our school community are encouraged to look out for each other and be prepared to ask those around us 'Are you OK?" if things don't seem right. We all have an obligation to look out for other, no matter who we are.

A number of our Hospitality students served at the recent 'Taste of Central Highland' dinner under the guidance of celebrity chef Alastair McLeod. From all reports they did an amazing job. Thank you to Anshu Sharma for supporting them in this endeavour.

On a very different note, Queensland is currently very short of Industrial Technology (Manuals Arts) teachers. For this reason, the Queensland Government has established the new 'Trade to Teacher Program' to support people interested in a career change from a trade to become teachers. The following link provides more information for anyone who is interested -

https://teach.qld.gov.au/scholarships-and-grants/trade-to-teach-internship-program

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”

Bob Marley

Have a fantastic fortnight and a great break
Mr. Sean Maher
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Middle School.

PBL Focus

This fortnight, the PBL focus has moved from showing respect at school to showing respect in the community. During the holidays, we will focus on respectful relationships with parents, employers, neighbours, sporting coaches, business owners and workers, as well as friends and strangers. How we treat others is a reflection of our character and helps form our reputation as a person.

Respect is treating someone how you and they want to be treated. It is caring about the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, opinions and rights of others. Students are reminded to also show respect for themselves. Remember that you are valued and you matter. What you think and feel is just as important as what somebody else thinks and feels.

End of Term Rewards

This week, those students who consistently show that they are polite, prepared and participate will be rewarded with a pizza party or a pizza vouchers for Dominoes Emerald. Term 3 End of Term Rewards will be given out at year level parade on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

In Term 4, the reward for 10 weeks of good behaviour will be a trip to the movies or the pool in Week 10.

Report Cards

Teachers are busy marking student work and entering results for student reports. Report Cards will be emailed to parents’ email addresses on Friday the 16th September. They will also be available through Q Parents.

Students, start your holidays by reflecting on your grade and also the effort and behaviour results awarded. Celebrate your successes and your hard work this term. There will not be parent teacher interviews at the beginning of Term 4, however, teachers are happy to discuss concerns or answer questions via email or phone. Please make contact as needed.

For students in Year 10, once we have your Term 3 results finalised, we will be having discussions around those students who are eligible for a Junior Certificate of Education by the end of the year. If students are not on track for a JCE, we will have them working with their House HOD and setting goals in order to attain the necessary points to be eligible.

SET Plan Interviews and Subject Selection

It has been so nice to sit with each Year 10 student and their parents to consider future pathways and subject choices over the past week. Career planning is not something we do on a regular basis but it is very important, as the Year 10 students enter the senior phase of learning.

If your student is in Year 10 and has not yet completed the SET Plan interview, please call the administration team to book a time as soon as possible.

Safe Holidays to all

I sincerely hope you all have a relaxing and safe holiday. May the weather be perfect and the time spent with family help you to rest up and recharge, ready for a short but successful Term 4.

Regards
Mrs. Deanne Lucht
Deputy Principal – Middle School

From the Head of Year 10.

It has been a great term for the Year 10 cohort. ‘Love Bites’ seminar will be rescheduled for later in the year, more information about this in Term 4. A massive thank you to the staff who have facilitated SET plans during Week 9. After chatting with parents, carers and students it is encouraging to hear students have thought about the future pathway they are working towards. A reminder that subject handbook information can be located on the school website, the link below:

https://emeraldshs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/senior-secondary

I encourage you to read through the subject handbook, if you are unsure about the requirements of any subject. In addition, a number of students will receive an end of term reward this week for their exemplary behaviour this term. The reward for this term is pizza. As a PBL school, we encourage students to make positive choices and follow the key values, namely, polite, prepared and participate. Finally, the community PBL focus for Week 10 and the holidays is ‘Showing respect in the community’. Please encourage your child to act as a positive role model in the community over the holidays. If you are going away over the holidays, stay safe and have a relaxing and enjoyable break.

Regards
Mr. Peter Sanson
HOY – Year 10

From the Head of Year 11.

We are now getting to the pointy end of Year 11. Unit 2 has almost been completed in all subjects. Students will be starting Unit 3 in Term 4, which signifies the ‘beginning of the end.’ Unit 3 and Unit 4 are the units which must be passed to enable the subject to count towards their final ATAR score.

Leadership applications have been received and we are currently going through the process of reading these. Mrs Shaw and Ms Lucht will be reading and assessing them based on the IMAGE scale (Inadequate, Marginal, Acceptable, Good and Excellent). This scale will also be used by Mrs Shaw and Megan Daniels, one of our local councillors, when interviewing the students. In the interest of transparency, I have decided not to be a part of this process, as I am also a parent of an applicant.

Jerseys will need to be ordered by the end of Week 1 of Term 4. Please keep an eye out on your emails for the order form. Students who are eligible to order jerseys have been notified. Students were made aware that they were required to have 90% attendance, as well as all school fees paid. If you are concerned your student has been overlooked, please feel free to contact either myself or Tanya Shaw.

Should you have any concerns regarding the welfare of your child, please do not hesitate to email me on ljarv26@eq.edu.au .

Regards
Mrs. Lauren Jarvis
HOY – Year 11

From the Head of Year 12.

Term 3 is almost at its end and with it, our senior students have only a few hurdles left to scale. They have just completed their mock exams, which were a very important stepping stone towards their proficiency on their external exams next term. These mocks set the tone and help the students and teachers understand what areas of knowledge need to be brought up to speed before the end of the year.

It is extremely important that you express to the students the need for consistent revision. A number of tips concerning how to revise can be found at the link below. Furthermore, it is even more important that our students are getting enough sleep before exams, so that their young brains are able to function with clarity and to avoid sleeping in and entering the exam late. We need to be giving these students the best chance they can to do well.

https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-resources/exam-prep/revising-for-exams

Some last-minute notices about formal

  • Formal is to be held on the 15th of September.
  • Students are helping to set up on the 14th and 15th and help to pack up on the 16th.
  • Students are to find their own way to and from the Town Hall.
  • Drive-ins start at 5:00pm and students in their cars are to head to the car park on Yamala Street between Emerald State School and St. Patricks. There they will be organised and corralled by staff. Students are aware of their drive-in times.
  • The event will run approximately from 6:30pm until 9:30pm, with entertainment and music on the night.

This will be a big night for our senior students and we appreciate all of the support being offered by their families.

If you have any questions or concerns with formal, exams or school in general, please send me an email at jbros33@eq.edu.au or contact the school.

Regards
Mr. Jaksen Brose
HOY – Year 12

From the Cooee Corner.

Disability Standards for Education: Resources for Students/Parents/Carers

The Australian Government Department of Education has worked with Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) to co-design a new range of resources to help young people with disability and their parents and caregivers to understand their rights under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Standards).

The resources provide easy-to-use information about the Standards and offer practical advice on how to navigate the education system.

You can find the resources on the Department’s website here:

https://www.education.gov.au/disability-standards-education-2005/students

What are the resources?

There are four new resources:

  • Explaining the Disability Standards for Education – this resource outlines what the Standards are and what they are designed to do.
  • Milestones and Transitions – this resource is to help students and their parents and caregivers make their way through their education journey.
  • Advocating with and for your child: Primary School – this resource is for parents and caregivers of primary school students.
  • Disability Standards for Education in Practice: Action Plan – this resource is for students who are in high school or tertiary education.

Each resource is available in ‘Easy Read’ format and Auslan and translated into Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Farsi, Hindi, Khmer, Korean and Vietnamese.

How the resources were developed

The content of the new resources was created by students with disability and their parents and caregivers, with help from CYDA. Development was informed by consultation with a range of disability organisations and with input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability and people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The new resources respond to Recommendation 1 and 12a of the 2020 Review of the Standards . These recommendations were developed to provide individuals with an understanding of their rights under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Standards.

Next steps

We are partnering with CYDA to develop more resources and we will let you know when these are available. These will include resources aimed at supporting specific communities such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background.

If you have any questions for us

A copy of the media release from the Hon Anne Aly MP, Minister for Youth, and the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Government Services, about these resources can be found at the following link:

https://ministers.education.gov.au/aly/new-resources-support-children-and-students-disability

For further information on these resources, please contact us at disabilitystrategy@dese.gov.au

Regards
Mrs. Sarah Somerville
HOSES

From the English team.

Term 3 has been an extremely busy and productive time in the world of English at Emerald State High School. The entire faculty couldn’t be prouder of the effort we’ve seen from the students across all year levels! We have seen some of the highest results for academic achievement ever, and we know this level of achievement will continue into Term 4. A quick reminder for parents, carers and students that even if the teacher hasn’t set homework, it is still expected that students spend 20-30 minutes revising the content they have covered in class. Also, studies have consistently shown that a mere 15 minutes of reading each day increases a teenager’s vocabulary by 26% year on year, compared to teenagers who don’t read daily, so get reading!

Year 7

In Year 7, half of the English cohort have been studying the novel ‘Black Snake’, which focusses upon Ned Kelly and features a variety of perspectives, primary sources, and exciting anecdotes and historical facts. The other half cohort of Year 7 English students are working on a unit of animation, where they have examined different types of animations. they have also created their own animation, in a group, to show their understanding of the different techniques an animator can use to create a climactic moment.

Year 8

Our Year 8 students have just finished their unit of work studying Indigenous songs, where they completed a portfolio of tasks as their assessment. In this unit, students have studied the achievements of Indigenous artworks, culture in modern Australia, poetic devices used in Indigenous music and a variety of Indigenous texts. Following this work, the students are about to move onto their next topic, which will be an in-depth study of the novel ‘Trash’.

Year 9

The ESHS Year 9 English cohort have now completed their study of ‘The Hunger Games’. In this Unit, the students read the novel, broke down the perspectives it housed. They have also studied the societal structures and symbolism contained in the novel, as well as the figurative and literary devices that the author has used. All of this work has culminated in an analytical essay as the students’ assessment task. Now, the students are about to begin their study of the play ’12 Angry Men’.

Year 10 English & English Extension

In the sphere of Year 10 English, the students have been studying ‘The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas’, which tells the story of the naïve son of a Nazi Concentration Camp commandant, who befriends and imprisoned Jewish child. With this study, the students have completed a series of diary entries for their assessment task, which has allowed them to dive into the values, attitudes and beliefs of the characters associated with such a dark part of human history. The other half of the Year 10 cohort, in Extension English, are studying ‘The Book Thief’, another novel associated with the atrocities of the Second World War. With this study, we have seen some incredible discussion in class, and a lot of empathy from our students!

Year 11 General, Literature & Essentials

This term, our Year 11 General English classes have studied the classic Australian novel ‘Jasper Jones’, alongside the SBS documentary ‘Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta’. Here, the students have used these texts as a basis for their creative writing, which culminated in a creative story, written under exam conditions as their assessment task.

This term, the Literature class has studied ‘Intertextuality’, with a focus upon the theme of familial deterioration, where they have read, acted and viewed a variety of plays and film texts. The students in this class have now finalised their creative written assessment task, which means the students have now completed Units 1 and 2, or in other words, they have finished their assessable work to Year 11. The Literature students are now working on building foundation knowledge for the remainder of Term 3, in preparation for their commencement of Unit 3 in Term 4.

The Year 11 Essential English classes have spent Term 3 studying the Netflix documentary series ‘Last Chance U: Basketball’, which details the struggle for disadvantaged youth hoping to achieve college admission through their passion for basketball. This study has culminated in an assessment that sees the students create a PowerPoint presentation that features multimodal elements, including voiceover.

Year 12 General, Literature & Essentials

It has been a massive Term 3 for our Senior English students! This term, the General English students have now completed their mock external exam, to help them prepare for their own externals to occur in Term 4. Currently, the students are deep into their study of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, the ultimate tale of deception, murder and nature out of balance. Good luck General English students, you are going to do wonderfully!

In the Literature sphere, the Year 12 students have been deep diving into their external text, ‘The Poisonwood Bible’. Here, the students have read an extremely complex and engaging story of colonialism, religion and personal growth. The students have now sat their mock exam, which has given the students an understanding of the structure and type of questions they will need to respond to next term when they sit their actual external exam. A reminder, that over the holidays, the Literature students will have revision lessons provided to them, and it is an expectation that they do complete study whilst they are away from school. The end is in sight, but that doesn’t mean we can slack off too much.

Our Year 12 Essential English students have just finished studying diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here, the students have taken a deep dive into a variety of social and cultural representations across the MCU, and have engaged with this topic with gusto! Well done Year 12! Now that they are moving on, the next challenging area of study for the Essential English students in Year 12 will be an examination of the children’s animated series ‘Bluey’, where they will decide if the series accurately represents modern Australia.

Regards
Mr. Graham Fandrich
Teacher

From the Hospitality & VET team.

Food Specialisation

We have been cooking some very interesting and exiting food in Food Specialisation this term, with Year 9s finishing their Functions of Ingredients unit on a sweet note: Chocolate Eclairs with cream and custard. Our Year 10s are demonstrating their knowledge of Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats by making Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni.

Hospitality

A big thankyou to Ms Sharma and the year 11 and 12 Hospitality student who assisted Chef Alastair McLeod at the Taste of Central Highlands event on Saturday. The students did a wonderful job of serving guests and preparing food.

Regards
Miss. Tanya McIntosh
Teacher

From the Gym Club.

This term in Gym Club, we guided the students through their choice of three set workouts. Over the term, students have made noticeable improvements to their technique and strength. Next term we will be diving into more dynamic circuit training workouts, this is to ensure students don’t get bored of the gym and continue to enjoy seeing progress for their hard work. We welcomed a few new members, but are always looking for new faces to help achieve their fitness goals. For those interested, grab a permission form from the gym during first break Tuesday and Thursday. We’re excited to continue to see the students develop in the gym.

Regards
Mr. Louie Beatty
Club Coordinator

From the Positive Behaviour for Learning Team

At Emerald State High School we are:

  • Polite,
  • Prepared, and we
  • Participate.

Please see the attached power point of the lesson taught on parade and throughout Weeks 9 and 10 of this term.

Behaviour Focus

Our current behaviour focus is “Showing respect in the community.”

Student of the Week

Week 9

Year 7: Scarlett Berry For always being polite, prepared and participating in her learning.
Year 8: Cienna Dougan For always being polite, prepared and participating in her learning.
Year 10: Ian Obst For his participation in extracurricular activities. Ian is a positive ambassador for the school.
Year 11: Shannon Bean For constantly applying herself in class and being diligent in her learning.

Week 10

Year 7: Rachel Hilder For always being polite, giving her best effort and coming prepared to class.
Year 8: Yehan Fonseka For putting in 100% effort this term in all his subjects and always showing respect to his peers and teachers.
Year 10: Jasmine Busst For her dedication to completing assessment to a high standard.
Year 11: Amber Collie For consistently showing the 3Ps both within the school and in the wider community.

Community Notices