27 April 2023

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report.

Dear Friends of Emerald High,

Welcome back to Term 2!

We started the year with a very meaningful and thought-provoking ANZAC Day service, which was held on our basketball courts last Friday. As usual, I was enormously impressed with the respect shown by our students on this most meaningful occasion. My thanks to Leanne Ross for her work in making this service something really special and to all the staff and students who assisted her.

Some great student news to start the term…

Congratulations to EEFC player Abbie Keeley who has won an all-expenses paid football trip to the UK, home of the Premier League, in 2024! The trip includes return airfares, accommodation, training at some of the best academies, tickets to EPL games and much more! This is an outstanding achievement - well done Abbie!

Term results are in, with all year levels doing well. Years 7, 8, 10 and 12 in particular have all broken some records. Rates of As and Bs are particularly impressive, totalling 54.2% of all results - the highest we have on record! Effort and behaviour results across the school are also very high. Well done students!

Mrs Shaw and I had a session with the Year 11s the other day, emphasising that the key elements for success are effort - it is those of us who work hard who reap the rewards that flow. Sadly, there are not too many free tickets in life. We also talked about the value of having a sensible balance between work, leisure and rest (particularly with respect to keeping the part-time work we do within reasonable limits), the value in being organised and the need to be regularly reinforcing learning at home. It is recommended that students in Senior School are doing a minimum of 10 hours homework a week to maximise their chances of achieving their potential.

Attendance at school is one of the biggest impacts on student outcomes and is something that has not been one of our 'highs' however - we are sitting at an average attendance rate at the moment of 84% which is far below where it really needs to be. 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.

This week sees our amazing musical 'Rock of Ages' on show for our community. I am very confident that this will be a sensational show with an extraordinary amount of work being done by our staff and students under the guidance of Director, Kayla Gamer. Get along if you can to see something really special!!

“The only thing that ever sat its way to success was a hen.”

- Sarah Brown

Have a fantastic fortnight
Mr. Sean Maher
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Senior School.

Welcome back to Term 2 studies. This term is usually known for its shortness due to the many public holidays that occur within it.

QCE Tracking

Term 1 report cards were issued via email on the last day of Term 1. In the Senior School these reports give a good indication of whether a student is on track for a QCE.

For students at Emerald State High School to receive a QCE, students must meet the following four conditions:

1. Literacy – students must pass a unit of an English subject (either General English, Literature or Essential English)
2. Numeracy – students must pass a unit of a Maths subject (General, Methods or Essential)
3. 20 credits – students accumulate credits by banking 1 credit per subject each unit where a “C” grade or better is awarded
4. Core Credits – 12 of the 20 credits must come from 3 subjects studied continuously (from Year 11 to Year 12).

For parents of students in the senior school, you can access your child’s eligibility by looking at the report card and checking:

• Have they passed their Maths and English subject (C or better)?
• Have they passed 5 of their 6 subjects (5 subjects * 4 semesters = 20 credits)?

If you have answered no to any of these, then your child is at risk of not receiving a QCE and it is important that the situation is reviewed. In the next 3 weeks, I will be meeting with all students who are at risk of not getting a QCE.

Last week Mr Maher and I spoke to the Year 11s about their Term 1 progress. We showed them the data for where they are at as a cohort and have given them strategies to think about moving forward.

Attendance

I am concerned about the lack of attendance of some students in the Senior School. At present, the Year 11s attendance for the cohort is 83.0%, for the 12s it is at 86.9%. At 80%, students are missing 1 day per week, which is the equivalent of 8 weeks per school year. At 90% students are missing 1 day per fortnight, which is the equivalent of 4 weeks per school year. This is on top of our school holidays.

The biggest issue with regards to attendance is students signing into school late. Each late arrival is a ½ day penalty. As we are trying to transition students to the workforce, I would appreciate your support in having students attend school on time.

This term I have set the students the goal for being on time each Monday and Tuesday. I am also meeting with students to see how I can support them in getting to school on time.

Year 11 Subject Changes

As the Year 11s are getting close to finishing their Unit 1 studies, now would be an appropriate time for them to start the subject change process. If they are looking to change into other subjects they need to discuss this with their current teacher when Unit 1 ends and the new teacher for when Unit 2 starts. All students wanting to change subjects must meet with Mrs Fitzgerald (Guidance Officer) to complete the paperwork.

Regards
Mrs. Tanya Shaw
Deputy Principal – Senior School

From the Emerald State High School staff.

Passing of a Great Leader and Colleague

It is with sadness that we share the news that David Sampson passed away on Tuesday 25th April. Dave came to Emerald High at the beginning of 2005 as a teacher in the Mathematics and Science Faculties. For most of his time here he was a Head of Department and a member of our Senior Leadership Team. His subject knowledge was second to none. Students will remember Mr Sampson’s skills for making the most difficult of concepts make sense in Physics and the more complex Mathematical subjects.

For the staff with worked with him, Dave was happy to help anyone he could. Many young teachers are still in the professional because of the mentorship and support that he gave. Dave transferred to Mackay Northern Beaches High School at the end of 2015. Even while not working here, he continued to be a mentor and support for teachers here at Emerald High.

We thank Dave for the massive contribution he has made to the lives and careers of so many. He will be missed and remembered fondly.

Rest in Peace, Dave.

Regards
Mrs. Deanne Lucht
Acting Principal

From the Head of Year 7.

Kicking off Term 2, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the behaviour and effort of the Year 7s so far. They seem to have settled in very well into high school life. I am also proud to say that attendance among the Year 7 cohort has been fantastic – exactly 100 students have above 90% attendance, well done to those. Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement. Additionally, attending school every day helps children to build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience. For more information you can go to

Already this year we have had some amazing highlights, with the swimming carnival on the last day of Term 1. It was wonderful seeing the Year 7s attend and participate, it was a fantastic day. Well done Topaz for winning!

We have a wonderful jam-packed Term 2 coming up, including the School Musical (Rock of Ages), ANZAC Day, Author in Residence Program, Day for Dolly (wear your blue), Jazz Band Performance, Athletics Carnival, Shines Talent Show, Readers Cup and various sporting events. I can’t wait to cheer on all the Year 7s who participate in these activities!

Thank you for everyone who answered and emailed feedback regarding the Year 7 Camp. From the responses received we are going ahead, planning a camp for Term 4. Details are coming soon.

The High Five program has started off with a bang and has had huge success. We have more students walk away with Big W vouchers, Domino’s Pizza vouchers and Cinema tickets. Students can receive these awards from teachers, cleaners and from school leaders for following the 3Ps and the Positive Behaviour for Learning focuses. The Term 2 PBL Focus for Weeks 1 & 2 is ‘Resolve conflict without violence or abuse’.

As a reminder, if your student is away for any reason, they can still access all of their classwork on the student portal. This can be found on the Emerald State High School website from the link below. If you have concerns, please touch base with your child’s subject specific teacher to assist you.

Regards
Miss. Leah Cordwell
HOY – Year 7

From the Head of Year 8.

We’ve had a fantastic start to Term 2. The Year 8 cohort seem settled and were straight back into the swing of things from Day 1! Week 1 saw the opportunity for our Class Representatives to have their first meeting with Mr. Ben Van Hees and myself, to discuss their big ideas for the rest of the year. It was fantastic to hear their input, and I look forward to seeing them in future meetings to get the ball rolling on some cool new events and activities. Week 1 also saw Emerald State High hold our annual ANZAC Day service and I was extremely impressed with the respectful attitude I saw from the entire grade.

Our big focus for this term is going to be attendance. Mr. Ben Van Hees and I will be monitoring attendance closely and contacting the parents of any student that we are becoming concerned about. Our goal is to work with you to overcome any barriers that may be preventing your student from attending school, and offer support to get them back on track.

At the end of last term, a survey was sent out asking about a potential Year 8 camp – the feedback was very positive and we are now in the planning stages for this. Unfortunately, I will be stepping back from my HOY role prior to camp as I am on Maternity Leave from the end of Week 6. The selection process for my successor has begun – I will be in contact with you all to formally introduce them, as Head of Year 8, later this term.

Thanks so much for your ongoing support, and as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards
Miss. Michelle Watkin
HOY – Year 8

From the P&C.

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope all members of the ESHS community had a restful holiday and are ready for another busy term.

Thank you to everyone who attended our P&C AGM in Term 1. It was wonderful to see a couple of new faces at our meeting. Thank you also to ESHS Bites for catering for our meeting. It’s always delicious and is enjoyed by all who attend.

A special thanks must go to our outgoing ESHS P&C Committee:

• President: Renee Firth
• Vice-President: Sarah Challacombe
• Treasurer: Helen Reinke
• Secretary: Karen Bray

ESHS P&C has undergone many positive changes over recent years and the ESHS community are very grateful and thankful for all their hard work and ongoing support.

ESHS P&C Executive for 2023 are:

• President: Beth Burnett
• Vice-President: Helen Chivers
• Treasurer: Jill Ryan
• Secretary: Lesley-Anne McDowall

ESHS P&C encourages all members of our school community to attend our monthly meetings, which are held on the second Thursday of each month during the school term. The meetings start at 5:30pm in the school’s Resource Centre and will be finished by 7pm.

ESHS P&C Meetings for Term 2:

• Thursday 11th May
• Thursday 8th June

One item coming up on our agenda will be the ESHS hats. If you’d like input into this, please come along to our meetings.

Volunteers Needed

ESHS P&C require some volunteers to sell raffle tickets at the door of the upcoming ESHS Musical – Rock of Ages.

If anyone can spare some time at any of the musical event times, please let one of our members know or email the P&C at secretarypandceshs@gmail.com

ESHS Musical – Rock of Ages

• Thursday 27th April 6pm
• Friday 28th April 7pm
• Saturday 29th April 1:30pm
• Saturday 29th April 7pm

Facebook Page

ESHS P&C has its own Facebook page. If you would like to keep up to date with all things P&C related, including the ESHS Bites Tuckshop, please look for our page.

Regards
Mrs. Lesley-Anne McDowall
P&C Secretary

From the SBA/SBT/Workforce team.

Emerald State High School would like to congratulate the following students on their achievements in securing a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

Nate – Milne Bros

Audree – B & Co Hair Lounge

Jasmine – Maraboon Vet

Follow the Emerald State High School Facebook page for all school-based apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities.

If you would like to know more about taking on a trainee or apprentice, please feel free to contact me for assistance.

Regards
Mrs. Alarna Wills
Traineeship Coordinator

From the SRC.

Students began the term honouring our fallen during the school service. It was wonderful to see such respect from our school, as they listened to the leaders. All junior and senior leaders played a part in this years’ service and I was honoured by the respect they showed. We were lucky this year to have a bag pipe play and we hope to make Mr Lewis a regular part of our services. Our Captains spoke during the town service with the other school captains of the region. It was also wonderful to see so many of our students either in uniform or with their families at both the Dawn and Town Services. It is moving to see that the legacy of Anzac Day within our school is strong.

This term is exceptionally busy for the leaders of SRC.

They are running a BBQ to support the Science Department’s upcoming Astronomy Night in Week 4, as well as the BBQ during the Athletics Carnival. Their culinary skills will be finely honed by the end of the term.

During Week 5 the SRC will running Dance Week again, in order to raise money for the Sick Kids national campaign. It will follow the same program as last year, with each day being dedicated to a different decade, starting with the 1980s.

In Week 7 (1st June) students and staff will be competing in the school’s annual talent show, Shines. Auditions to compete will be held during Week 4. All acts are encouraged. Last year we had a comedy act, dances, drummers, pianists and singers. It would be great to see an air band or a gymnastics performance. Perhaps a good cheerleading act. Everything will be considered. Last year, Shines managed to raised enough money to light up an entire airfield, 7 hours north of our community. The students of SRC are hoping to do the same again this year, donating all profits to the Royal Flying Doctors Service Guiding Lights Campaign.

Finally, at the end of this term we will be handing over donations collected from Week 5 to the CQ Pet Rescue. This is an annual drive and it would be great if we could continue to build on the amount of food donated in previous years. Everything is needed – except Baxters – that doesn’t always sit well in rescue animals. Bins will be placed in the library at the start of Week 5, so bring in your donations.

Once again, thank you to all the parents and students who continue to support the students’ efforts in SRC. Thank you also to all the leaders who continue to put so much effort into supporting the community.

Regards
Ms. Leanne Ross
SRC 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 1 and 2 of this term.

Behaviour Focus

Our current behaviour focus is “Resolve conflict without violence or abuse.”

Student of the Week

Week 1

Year 7: Ruby Fowler For consistently displaying role model behaviour in class by being polite and prepared and actively participating in class discussions.

Year 8: Harrison Watt For improving in his confidence levels and participating effectively in performance tasks.

Year 9: Kiana Glidden For always having a positive attitude toward learning. She is a positive ambassador for the school.

Year 10: Sam Busst For always giving everything a go. Sam works diligently in class to complete all set activities.

Year 11: Josh Van der Pol For displaying a positive attitude toward all class activities. Josh has started the term with a great mindset.

Year 12: Amity Newland For always striving to understand difficult concepts. Amity has a positive attitude toward everything she does at school. Keep it up!

Week 2

Year 7: Ruby Kay For consistently meeting the 3Ps – she is a responsible and engaged student who always does her best.

Year 8: Chloe O'Connor For always giving her best in class and showing a positive attitude to all.

Year 9: Camilla Dobson For always being polite and trying her best every lesson.

Year 10: Cam Fox For his enthusiastic attitude towards class activities. He is a delight to teach.

Year 11: Cooper Whitehead For being polite to all students and staff.

Year 12: Gabby Dockerty For always being dedicated to her studies – always being polite and trying her best at all times.

Community Notices