9 November 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report.

Dear Friends of Emerald High,

Christmas is appearing on the horizon and our Year 12s are on the final lap of the external exams. Next week will be their very last week at school and their graduation ceremony - an exciting but also sad time for them and for us and their families. Their next big adventure awaits!

Awards Night is also next week, where we will acknowledge the academic and extra-curricular achievements of so many of our students. We look forward to welcoming our awardees and their families to this very special night. We will see lots of students cross the stage! A reminder that it is important that all students are in complete and correct uniform.

Our Year 11 Biology students have just returned from an amazing excursion to North Keppel Island. From all reports it was a fun and engaging activity and the conduct of our young people was, as expected, exemplary. A huge well done to Ms Wyatt and Ms Whybird for their leadership of this super activity.

Some exciting but also sad staff news. One of our wonderful teachers, Mr Jaksen Brose, has been successful in being appointed as a Head of Department at Calliope SHS and will be leaving us in Week 8. Jaksen has contributed much to our school over the years, not least being his leadership of Year 12 cohorts as Year Level Coordinator and the running of the most amazing Year 12 formals and gradation imaginable. All the very best at Calliope Jaksen – you will be missed!

I had the opportunity this week to take a number of other school principals for a walk around our school, visiting a number of classes. They communicated to me after the tour how impressed they were by the range of learning activities that our students were experiencing and the courtesy, respect and engagement of our young people. I felt very proud indeed!

Student leader speeches have been given and our new generation of school leaders will be announced shortly. There is again a very impressive list of candidates!

Information about the Laptop Hire program has been emailed home to parents of Years 7 - 9 students. We are very excited about the program as it gives our students much greater access to technology and a range of online learning options at no additional cost to families. There will be a parent information evening at the school on Thursday 24 November at 6:00pm for anyone who wishes to find out more.

Thank you again to everyone who contributes to making our school the great place it is!

“Take pride in how far you’ve come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don’t forget to enjoy the journey.”
- Michael Josephson

Have a fantastic fortnight
Mr. Sean Maher
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Middle School.

Assessment Time is Approaching

As the Christmas holidays approach, so too does exam time. Remember to keep an eye on assessment due dates and refer to your term planner to make sure that you can prioritise your time and no assessment creeps up on you. Term planners are sent to student email accounts at the end of Week 3 each term and are available on Q Parents. If you cannot locate your term planner, please email me on dluch4@eq.edu.au and I will email it to you.

In addition to being prepared for your scheduled exams, make revision of classwork part of your afterschool routine, even on days when you have no homework, get plenty of sleep the night before and eat a healthy breakfast before school.

SET Plan Interviews and Selecting Subjects for 2023

It was lovely to meet so many parents at the Year 10 SET Planning interviews conducted at the end of last term and early this term. Most Year 10s and Year 9s have now selected their subjects for 2023. Please continue to have those discussions at home. Research career information on the internet. Have realistic discussions with your students about their strengths and lesser strengths. Is their current work ethic and practices going to be enough to get them where they want to go? What small changes could they make now? By Year 10, not all students will know exactly what they want to do after school but all students should be giving it some thought. For more careers advice, scroll towards the bottom of the ESHS website and select the “Careers” tab.

PBL Focus of the Week

This week’s PBL focus is to “Follow the correct processes, procedures and policies of the school.”

In particular we are asking students to:

• Make sure that bags are placed in the correct places
• Remain in the room until released by the class teacher
• Ensure that no food or drinks are taken into the classrooms
• Sign in and out correctly, through the attendance officer window, when arriving late for any reason or when leaving the grounds.

A Reminder About Parents Also Following the Procedures of the School

If a parent needs to contact their child during school hours, this must only be done through the school office. Should a student need to go home due to illness or any other reason during the school day, the school will contact parents to coordinate arrangements. In urgent circumstances, students can ask permission to contact parents/carers and use the phone in the administration office. At no time is a student to use a personal mobile device to call a parent and arrange to be collected. All students leaving early or arriving late need to see Kim at the attendance window and sign in and out correctly. Thanks for supporting us with this.

Regards
Mrs. Deanne Lucht
Deputy Principal – Middle School

From the Cooee Corner.

The last term of 2022 is rushing by and the end of the school year will soon be upon us. Emerald State High School follows a policy of inclusion, which means that almost all our students are completely integrated into their age appropriate cohort. Cooee Corner is mostly utilised as a learning support space, where small groups of students can receive support in areas of need. It can also be a relatively quiet space where missed exams can be caught up on, or those students who need extra time to complete their exams can be supported to do this.

All students are encouraged to participate across all subject areas. Here William is participating in a science class.

Regards
Mrs. Stephanie Begg
Teacher

From the Science team.

Year 11 Biology Camp Reflection

The Year 11 Biology students had an incredible time at North Keppel Island Environmental Education Centre collecting data for their IA2 – Student Experiment assessment piece. We left Emerald SHS Tuesday afternoon and arrived into Yeppoon to stay at our caravan accommodation for the night before the bright and early start at the Roslyn Bay Marina on Wednesday. The students partook in a jampacked program over the 3 days, including data collection and assessment. Wednesday saw the students get straight into the water and complete their first snorkel at Reef Beach and Gull Reef to collect data on the coral species present. The students were completing a sampling technique called a Belt Transect, where they ran a 30m measuring tape along the reef, and placed a quadrat every 5m to take a photo of. This allowed the students to determine how the amount and type of species change in different locations amongst the Keppel Bay Islands.

Thursday was a huge day on the bay where we headed out to Great Keppel Island and completed two snorkels amongst the islands. The students snorkelled their second site, Monkey Reef and Big Peninsula, which was known to be a more undisturbed environment and it was interesting to see how the abundance and the species present have changed. That night the students walked along Maize Bay where they learnt about the history of the Woppaburra people and saw many sea creatures.

It was fantastic to see our students engaging in every session to their best of their ability. They worked with each other to collect the data and identify the coral species as well as engaged with each other in free time activities such as playing volleyball, table tennis and card games. The teachers were very impressed with the work they put in, with so many of the students having done a large chunk of their assessment whilst on the Island. A massive thankyou goes to the Parents/Caregivers of our Year 11 Biology students who have supported them throughout the year, the ESHS Science Department, the KIEEC Team for their hospitality and of course to our Biology students who were fantastic whilst on the camp. The students certainly made Emerald SHS proud and we cannot wait for our 2023 Year 11 Biology cohort to have the same experiences our 2022 cohort have had.

From Around the Grounds

Year 7: The Year 7s are about to dive head first into their research assessment on Earth and space. This is ongoing for the next three weeks in their little rocket ships, zooming through the sky! Little Year 7 Einsteins. So, strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride.

Year 8: Having a blast learning about cell biology and the systems of the body, the Year 8s are gearing up for their final exam for the year. This exam is happening soon, good luck Year 8s!

Year 9: The Year 9s are currently learning about all things Earth which includes volcanoes, earthquakes, tectonic plates and the ‘Ring of Fire’. Have a guess at how many times the Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash has been sung in class!

Year 10: This guy by the name of Newton has been talked about a fair bit recently in Year 10 Science, something about have a few important laws? They are quickly accelerating, with a lot of force, towards their exam.

Regards
Mr. George Brown
Teacher

From the English team.

Our Year 7 English classes are having a blast finishing off their animation creations and getting into the thick of our editorials for Black Snake. Animation students have created some engaging work and have shown great improvement in their collaborative skills in preparation for Year 8. The Black Snake editorials pose some interesting and persuasive opinions around the reputation of the infamous Ned Kelly, and teachers have thoroughly enjoyed students use of language.

The Year 8s are also working on their editorials, culminating their knowledge from the texts Wall-E and Trash. Students have investigated the social issues apparent in these texts such as pollution, poverty, sustainability and corruption and have demonstrated a significant understanding of the effects these issues have on society.

Regards
Miss. Kayla Franklin
Teacher

From the Hospitality & VET team.

The Hospitality and VET teachers have had a busy year with many exciting learning opportunities, excursions and functions.

Year 10 Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Training

Students have been working hard towards completing all units of competency to ensure they gain their Certificate. This Certificate not only provides students with a qualification, but also provides students with 4 QCE points to use in Year 12. Students have completed a block of work experience, learnt various skills to apply in the workplace and investigated different types of career pathways.

Year 10 Certificate I in Workplace Skills

Students enrolled in the Certificate I in Workplace Skills have been working hard to ensure they received their Certificate by the end of the year. This Certificate course has allowed students to learn basic business skills around the following topics:

• Operate digital devices
• Apply communication skills
• Participate in sustainable work practices
• Use business resources
• Work effectively in business environments
• Plan and prepare for work readiness

We are excited to introduce a Certificate III in Business (Year 11) next year for students to have the opportunity to further their business skills and knowledge.

Year 10 Business

Congratulations to Maddy and Macey in the construction of their business pitch ‘The B Ball Bin’ making it as runner up in the semi-finals and are now showcasing their idea in Brisbane in the Future Anything National Grand Final on Monday 21st November at The Triffid in Brisbane!

The B Ball Bin is an innovative solution to pollution, by combining a popular sport (basketball) with a worldwide problem (pollution). They have prototyped their business idea and are getting ready to tackle the world.

Many hours have been put into their idea and the extra time they have committed to this outside of school hours, and we are proud of the innovation and excitement they bring to Emerald State High School. Thank you so much for your hard work Maddy and Macey. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for you both and how you both go in the showcase later in the month.

Year 11 Certificate II in Hospitality

The Year 11 Hospitality students assisted Emerald Bites to serve at the Year 12 Formal last term. The students had a great night and were all able to show their skills learnt over the year. Check out the delicious entrée below put together by Emerald Bites staff and volunteers.

Some of the Year 11 students also had the opportunity this year to serve at the ‘Taste of Central Highlands Dinner’ alongside celebrity chef Alastair McLeod. This was an experience that demonstrated effective hospitality skills, interacting with invited guests and making great connections while serving our local community.

Food Specialisation

Currently the Year 9 Food Specialisation classes have been working on creating ‘Freak Milkshakes’. Check out some of their creations below:

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

This year we have had many students sign up for an Apprenticeship or Traineeship across various industries. We love growing our connections with local businesses and seeing our students succeeding. If students are looking for an Apprenticeship or Traineeship in either Years 10, 11 or 12, they are encouraged to see Alarna Wills in the library staffroom.

Regards
Mrs. Jacinda Stefaniuk
HOD

From the Technologies team.

Digital Technologies is hustling along this term, with a lot of interesting projects being undertaken across the board. Students will be most likely approaching their final projects and portfolios to round out Term 4.

Year 7 and 8 Digital Technologies

In the rotation of Years 7 and 8 Digital, students have been understanding the problem-solving process, identifying the different types of stages and looking at how they can use this process to solve everyday issues. They then look at creating a mobile phone application through utilising their skills they’ve learnt throughout the unit.

Year 9 Digital Technologies

Year 9 Digital have been studying text-based coding through the use of Python. Students have been looking at how to represent code using text and how functions can influence computers. We have looked at how code is incorporated into systems with the use of flowcharts to illustrate this process and will complete an exam to demonstrate knowledge.

Year 10 Digital Technologies

Students in Year 10 have been diving into the world of Esports and in particular learning the skills required to market a gaming event. Students have been creating a variety of mini-projects, using skills such as sound design and video editing to create a promotional trailer for an event.

Year 11 Digital Solutions

Senior students have begun Unit 3 and the quest for digital innovation. This entails the creation of a database management system utilising SQL and PHP to connect and manage elements of web applications. We are beginning to look at the first task of Year 12 which is their technical proposal.

Year 11 and 12 Information Communication Technologies

In ICT, students are continuing to learn to use Photoshop and InDesign, in preparation for their Magazine Publishing unit. They have been exploring photographic composition, and how to edit photos. The class will then write a design brief for their own genre of magazine where they will compose, take and edit their own images for use in the publication. This unit will be split into two tasks, the design brief and the portfolio.

Regards
Mr. Lachlan Praed
Teacher

From the Sports Master.

On Thursday 10th November, following delays due to the weather, we will celebrate the amazing school sporting achievements of our students in 2022. There will be a barbeque in the amphitheatre before our awards night, which begins at 6:00pm. Here, we will crown our Senior and Junior sports persons of the year, along with the recipients of the Spirit of Sport, Spirit of Rugby and Wayne Parsons Memorial Shield. It’s sure to be a great night with some incredible sporting achievements from our students.

As this brings our year of sport to an end, I would like to thank all parents, carers and volunteers who have helped out throughout the year. From umpiring, coaching, scoring and managing to filling in 101 permission forms and media release forms, and getting students to where they need to be – we couldn’t do it without all your support.

Can’t wait to see what 2023 brings for sport here at ESHS!

Regards
Miss. Angela Johnson
ESHS Sports Coordinator

From the Learning Support/EALD team.

The Learning Support Department provides support to students with a wide range of disabilities that impact their access to the curriculum. These could include:

At ESHS we collaborate with students, teachers and parents/carers to implement reasonable adjustments to support curriculum access. Supporting students with a dyslexia diagnosis has been one of our professional development focuses this year. Symptoms can be varied so multiple strategies are used within our classrooms to support all students.

Should you have any concerns regarding the learning needs of your child, please do not hesitate to email Alisa (afinn22@eq.edu.au) or Lauren (ljarv26@eq.edu.au).

Regards
Mrs. Lauren Jarvis
Learning Support Coordinator

From the Indigenous Education team.

Welcome to the middle of Term 4! As with previous terms this year, we continue to support our Indigenous students at Emerald State High School with in-class support for our Years 7 – 10 students (provided by our teacher-aide, Miss McKeon) and academic coaching for our Years 11 – 12 students (provided by Miss Ferrara, HOD Indigenous Education). Congratulations to all the students who passed all their subjects at the end of last term – well done!

We patiently wait to hear from QATSIF (Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) about the possible success of our QATSIF Scholarship applicant. The scholarship helps with costs associated in gaining a QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education). Emerald State High School will be notified as to whether our QATSIF application has been approved in November.

Have a great week!

Regards
Ms. Lucy Ferrara
HOD

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 5 and 6 of this term.

Behaviour Focus

Our current behaviour focus is “Follow correct routines, policies and procedures.”

Student of the Week

Week 5

Year 7: Chloe Mccallum For always being on task and being a role model for his peers.

Year 8: Cody Ryan For participating in all learning activities and encouraging his peers to adopt a positive attitude towards learning.

Year 9: Jayla Grant For being a helpful and respectful member of our school.

Year 10: Takoda Moore For working to the best of his ability in classroom tasks and encouraging his peers to do the same.

Year 11: Lawson Ryan For his positive attitude to trying new things and his consistent participation.

Week 6

Year 7: Ruby Smith For always completing set tasks to the best of her ability.

Year 8: Jacob Sullivan For continually working hard to complete all set tasks in class.

Year 9: Ava Smith For always completing set tasks to a high standard and being a role model for her peers.

Year 10: Hayden Maguire For working hard to complete set tasks in class. It is great to see a positive attitude.

Year 11: Samantha Dudman For being is a trustworthy and reliable student who always strives to do her best. She is always polite, prepared and participates well in class discussions. Samantha is a pleasure to teach.

Community Notices