24 May 2023

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report.

Dear Friends of Emerald High,

It has been a very busy few weeks at school, with lots of great activities and experiences for our students happening.

Last week saw our inaugural 'Indigenous Cultural Walk' at Blackdown Tablelands, in which 16 of our students, in the company of 10 from Blackwater, has the opportunity to experience a day of cultural learning, guided by elders from the community. My sincere thanks to Bek Pillay, Jess Whybird, Malyce McKeon and Charmaine McKeon-Parlett for their work in coordinating this very special trip for our kids.

Last week also saw 'Dance Week' led by our Student Representative Counci, with 'Flashmobs' and 'Dance-offs' occurring all over the school. Well done to Leanne Ross, Jess Whybird and the whole SRC for making this very positive and fun activity a reality.

Our senior and junior leaders were also very lucky to have had the opportunity last week to participate in the Mayoral Student Leaders’ Summit. This was an opportunity for our student leaders to be involved in leadership activities, alongside students from many schools around us. My very sincere thanks to the Central Highlands Regional Council for making this a reality for our kids and to Lauren Jarvis and Leon Coromandel for coordinating the event from our end.

Our Year 10s and some seniors attended the Emerald Careers Market last Friday and had the chance to explore the wide range of career opportunities that are available to them after they finish their schooling. Exploring future pathways and planning out what we would like to do with our lives is one of the exciting parts of being in high school!

Some sensational Karen Murphy Rugby League results to report. In competition against many larger schools, our Year 7/8 and 9/10 teams made it to the Grand Finals and our Year 11/12 team played with distinction!! Great work to the girls and thank you to Bailey Cox, James Fitzpatrick and Kate Deighton for making this a reality for our teams!

Our Astronomy Nights were a great success, although cloud cover did make it a bit tricky to see as much as we would have liked. The guest speakers and the Virtual Reality activity helped make the night fun! Thank you to Aneel Dewan and the Science Team for this opportunity.

A final reminder that regular attendance is particularly important, with the following attendance rates providing a guide to the impact on academic success.

• 95% attendance = 1 day a month (minimal impact)
• <90% attendance = 1 day a fortnight (noticeable impact)
• <85% attendance = 1.5 days a fortnight (very significant impact)
• <80% attendance = 1 day a week (critical impact)

“The only thing you can do in this life is pursue your passions, celebrate your bloopers and never stop following your fear.”

Grace Helbig

Have a fantastic fortnight
Mr. Sean Maher
Principal

From the Deputy Principal – Middle School.

Mid-Term 2 sees us getting busy with assessment already. Please be keeping your diaries up to date with draft and due dates so that there are no surprises. Assessment planners were sent to all students in Week 3 of Term 1, and these are available on Q Parents. Homework club is open to all students every Monday and Wednesday if needed. Please continue to keep in touch with teachers via email as needed. The earlier we know about an issue, the easier it is to help.

It is great to see so many positive postcards going out in the mail at the moment. Your students should also be getting some “High 5” tickets to put into the PBL barrel for the parade draws. We have great prizes on offer every two weeks.

Uniform Reminders

As we enter the cooler part of the year, please be mindful that our uniform rules still apply. We are seeing the resurgence of hooded jumpers and black denim jeans. These are not uniform items. If you do not have a school tracksuit, a plain black jumper with no hood and no logos is able to be worn. Plain black tracksuit pants are also ok on cold days. Big W has a good range at the moment, starting at $8 an item.

Students who arrive out of uniform are to go to the uniform room and change the non-uniform item, for one that the school can provide for the day. If they refuse to change into the school item, parents may be called to bring a school uniform in.

If families genuinely cannot source an appropriate uniform item, please get in touch with me and we may be able to help you out.

Free Immunisation Pop-up Clinic

Come along to the UCA on Thursday afternoon to Ozcare’s Immunisation Clinic and get your free flu shot. Students must be accompanied by a parent. All members of the public welcome. Get the flu shot before the flu gets you.

Junior Certificate of Education

At the end of Year 10, most students will receive a Junior Certificate of Education or a JCE. This is a school based junior schooling qualification awarded to eligible students at the end of Year 10 on completion of the junior phase of learning.

At Emerald State High School, the JCE is designed to:

• Be a tool to track, recognise and celebrate student progress and engagement.
• Teach students to track their progress in preparation for the QCE process in Senior School.
• Provide a qualification to add to a student’s portfolio to present to an employer.
• Reward hard work and commitment to studies in the middle years of schooling.

To be awarded a JCE, students need to achieve a significant amount of learning, at a set standard, in both core and elective subjects. At the end of this term, you will receive a report card for Semester 1. Once we have the first semester’s results, HODs will work with students to check on progress towards a JCE and monitor this for the remainder of the year. If successful, JCE Certificates are sent out at the end of the school year.

Banned Items

Students are getting reminders this week about banned items at Emerald State High School. There are some new posters up around the school and these are listed in the student diaries. In particular, we are noticing an increase in the energy drinks that are being brought to school. Many of these contain high levels of caffeine and are not recommended for adolescents. Soft drinks and fast foods are also banned.

All personal technology devices (mobile phones, MP3 player, Bluetooth headphones, and all similar devices) are not to be used, seen or heard during the entire school day, either inside or outside the classroom. This includes before school, during all breaks, on excursions and until the end of the school day. Phones are not to be visible or turned on at any time from the moment you enter the school grounds, until you leave the gate at the end of the day. We strongly recommend that these devices not be brought to school and take no responsibility for damage or theft.

Our mobile phone policy is published in the student diary. This relates to mobile phones, as well as wireless earphones and recording devices. If these are seen at school, they are to be handed to the office. The first offence is a warning and they will be handed back to the student at the end of the day. After the first time, these items are to be collected by a parent. On the 4th instance, the student is likely to be suspended for refusal to comply with school expectations. Keep them safe by leaving them at home.

Have a successful Term 2. Semester reports will be emailed out on the last day of this term.

Regards
Mrs. Deanne Lucht
Deputy Principal – Middle School

From the Head of Year 11.

Dear Parents/ Carers,

It is hard to believe that we are almost half-way through the year. It was great to see many of you at the recent parent teacher interviews and it is great to see students in Year 11 being diligent in their endeavours across all aspects of school.

The Year 11 students have had a series of events recently with Careers Expo and Road Safety talks. These experiences provide opportunities for students to reflect and consider their choices moving forward. I encourage all parents and carers to check-in with their child about these talks and discuss future career pathways moving forward.

Leadership camp is scheduled for Week 5 of Term 3 and this is a great opportunity for those students considering applying for leadership positions next year. If you think your child may be thinking to apply for a leadership position in Year 12, please encourage them to consider attending the camp. More details will be out about this shortly.

Wednesday 24th will be the school athletics carnival. If you wish to cheer on your child, please feel free to pop along, parents and carers are always welcome at sporting events. (Please ensure you sign in at the school office).

Finally, with the colder weather, this is a timely reminder about uniform. Please ensure your child is attending school in the correct uniform and representing our school with pride by setting a good example for other students to follow.

Regards
Mr. Peter Sanson
HOY – Year 11

From the Head of Year 12.

Well, the year is flying by. We officially have less than 100 days left of secondary schooling!

As things get busier for everyone there are a few dates I would like to give you for your calendars.

• Monday 5/6/23 to Sunday 11/6/23 – Emerald Show Rubbish clean up (see below for more details)
• Thursday 14/9/23 – Formal
• Tuesday 14/11/23 – Awards Night
• Friday 17/11/23 – Year 12 Graduation

As we are all aware, the Emerald Show is coming up. The year 12s will be doing rubbish clean up on the mornings and afternoons, as a fundraising event for the formal. Any student who volunteers will get first choice of arrival time and seating position on the night of the formal. We are also in need of a few adult volunteers for this, especially those with muscles and utes. An email will be going out this week to all Year 12 parents and students asking for volunteers. If you would like to assist, please contact myself on the email below.

Mrs Shaw, Mrs Vale, Mrs Fitzgerald and myself are now looking at all student attendance. Students must have an attendance of 93% to attend formal. Please let your students know that if they are late at all, this equates to half a day absence and could mean the difference of attending or not attending formal.

The Year 12s will graduate on Friday the 17th November. The rough plan will be that they will come to school in the morning and have a small goodbye from the whole school before heading into the Under Cover Area (UCA) for the official graduation ceremony. All families will be invited to this. More information around this will come out in Term 3.

If you have any concerns, please feel free to email me on ljarv26@eq.edu.au

Regards
Mrs. Lauren Jarvis
HOY – Year 12

From the Cooee Corner

We are halfway through Term 2 and things are starting to get cooler. Please ensure that if it’s a cool morning, students are wearing correct uniform. Jumpers can be plain black or dark green with no hood or the school jumper. If you believe your child is a bit unwell, please keep them home as the flu is running rampant at the moment.

Students are busy replanting the gardens and we are looking forward to a crop of fresh lettuce, tomatoes and herbs. At lunchtimes, students have been in engaging in games of Soccer and Just Dance.

As we are halfway through the term, assessment will start occurring. If you or your student have any concerns, please contact their case manager. Homework club is also available on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3pm-4pm.

Regards
Ms. Kate Deighton
Teacher

From the Careers Education team.

As of this week, the junior Careers Education lessons have commenced. This is a new venture within our school and will target students in Year 7, 8 and 9. The lessons aim to develop the students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes through a planned program of learning experiences to assist them to make informed decisions about their study and/or work options and enable effective participation in working life.

Regards
Miss. Amy Cochrane
Acting HOD

From the Science team.

Science so far this term…

Year 7 are exploring separation techniques in their Chemistry unit. Students will complete an in-class experiment and report. This report will be due in Week 8.

Year 8 science are focussing on energy in their Physics unit this term. Students will be completing a student experiment in the coming weeks, completing a written report in class, which will be due in Week 8.

Year 9 science are working on their Physics unit, completing an exam in class. This will take place in Weeks 8/9.

Year 10 science has begun their assessment for this term, a research investigation, focusing on Earth Systems & Cycles and how these processes affect different global spheres. The drafts for this task will be due to their class teachers in Week 6 and the final copy is to be submitted at the beginning of Week 8.

Year 11 Chemistry are about to start on endothermic and exothermic reactions ahead of their data test in Week 8. Year 11 Biology students have begun their second assessment, focusing on multicellular organisms. This is a student experiment report. Drafts are due on Friday 19/5 and final copies are due Friday 2/6. Parents of 11 Biology students, please check in with your child and see how they are travelling. There are significant resources available on the OneNote and the respective teacher is also able to assist during class time or via email. Students will then begin content for their second unit; homeostasis. Year 11 Physics are completing a research investigation focusing on electrical physics this will be due in Week 8. Science in Practice students are looking at forces in collisions and road safety for their upcoming exam. Psychology students will be completing a student experiment. Drafts have now been submitted and the final is due in Week 7.

Year 12 Physics students are focusing on special theory of relativity and will soon begin working on their IA3 assessments. Biology students have begun content for Unit 4: genetics and heredity. Their third and final in class assessment, a research investigation, will begin in Week 8. Chemistry students are looking at organic chemistry and are beginning their IA3. This will be due next term. Psychology is focusing on individual thinking and is working on a student experiment report, due in Week 7. The Science in Practice students are also doing a report on soil testing due in Week 6.

On the 11th and 12th of this month, the Science department held an astronomy night at the school, which was a fantastically successful event, run in partnership with Professor White USQ and David Platz from OCAS. Out school showcased our brand-new telescope and VR headsets. Watch this space for more exciting events, maybe soon to be run by our very own astronomy students!

Regards
Miss. Jess Whybird
Teacher

From the English team

Week 6 in English classrooms means many of the students are in the middle of assessment time. From Year 9s finalising their speeches on what should be included to the Opening Ceremony of the 2032 Olympic Games, to the Year 10s writing speeches on how the media we are exposed to can contain bias to alter our perceptions of a topic, everyone has some kind of project to be working on.

Year 12 Essential English students are preparing for the CIA External Assessment in Week 7 and have been working hard. Good luck to all Seniors on this task next week. Congratulations to Year 11 General students on finishing their exam this week. They will be moving onto their new unit based around the dystopian novel ‘Station 11’ next week.

Regards
Mr. Bailey Cox
Teacher

From the Hospitality and VET team

It has been a busy year for the Hospitality and VET teachers so far, with exciting learning opportunities, excursions and functions.

Year 10 Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Training

On Friday 19th May, Year 10 students had the opportunity to participate in and attend the Careers Expo at CQU. Students were able to chat with various industry representatives, as well as TAFES and Universities to explore post-school options. It was a great opportunity for all and a great conversation starter in the classroom for future units and assessment.

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 allows 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

Year 11 Certificate II in Hospitality

The Year 11 Hospitality students have been working on catering for staff within the school. Students have been making delicious meals such as fried rice, stir-fries, soups and pasta bakes. Check out some of the meals below:

Year 10 Food Specialisation

Year 10 Food Specialisation students have been learning about different dietary requirements. Last week we made gluten free cheesecakes.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

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

Regards
Mrs. Jacinda Stefaniuk
HOD

From the Arts team

The Arts department have had a very busy couple of months. The Rock of Ages Musical went off with a bang and showcased just how talented our Emerald State High School Students are. Beyond this, a number of high achieving Visual Art students have been selected to be part of the Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Youth Art Awards, which will open on the 23rd of June. Our Instrumental Music students have also been busily preparing for the Jazz on the Green event, which will take place on the 26th of May, at the Emerald Golf Club. Curriculum wise, the Junior Arts rotations are 3 weeks in and the calibre of work is already high, our Year 9 and 10 students are venturing towards the assessment period and the Year 11 and 12 classes have just completed their FA2 and IA2 assessment tasks respectively.

Regards
Miss. Amy Cochrane
Acting HOD

From the Technologies team

I am delighted to share the exciting learning opportunities that your child will be experiencing this term in our Digital Technologies units. Our goal is to provide a learning environment that is engaging, innovative, and fun for all students. We understand the importance of equipping our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in today's ever-evolving digital world, and we are thrilled to be a part of their learning journey.

In unit two, Digital Technologies at Emerald State High will be looking at the following topics:

9 Digital Technologies

In this unit, students will learn about robotics and programming by building and programming robots using Lego EV3 kits. They will learn to use sensors, motors, and other components to create functional robots that can sense and respond to the environment. Students will develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and critical thinking as they explore the world of robotics.

10 Digital Technologies

In this unit, students will learn about computer programming using Python. They will use the Turtle library to create graphics and animations. Students will develop problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and computational thinking as they learn to code using Python. They will also explore the concepts of loops, conditional statements, and functions.

11 & 12 Information Communication Technologies

In this unit, students will learn about animation and design. They will use software tools to create 2D animations, including character animation and motion graphics. Students will develop their creativity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking as they explore the world of animation. They will also learn about visual design principles, storyboarding, and scripting.

11 & 12 Digital Solutions

In this unit, students will learn about web development and programming. They will use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create functional and interactive websites. Students will develop their design and development skills, as well as their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. They will also learn about user experience design, accessibility, and web standards.

Regards
Mr. Lachlan Praed
Teacher

From the Sports Master

On Wednesday 24th May we will be running our annual Athletics Carnival. This years’ theme is ‘Sports Fans’. On the day, each age group will be accompanied by teachers and will be making their way around the school to compete in a variety of events. The events offered on the day are: High Jump, Long Jump, Discus, Shot Put, 100m and 200m race. We will be finishing the day with our usual war cry competition and the highly anticipated Staff vs Student relay. The students are still on a high after their win at the swimming carnival, the teachers are eager for their redemption. Please note, to attend the Athletics Carnival students must have a consent form signed and returned. This can be done by grabbing a permission form from J Block staff room/admin or by filling in the online consent via QParents. Students who arrive to school without a signed consent form will be supervised in a class room, doing literacy and numeracy lessons.

Regards
Mr. Louie Beatty
ESHS Sports 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 5 and 6 of this term.

Behaviour Focus

Our current behaviour focus is “Keep banned items at home.”

Student of the Week

Week 5

Year 7: Rylan Bagley For always participating in class activities and for assisting his peers with tasks. He is a pleasure to teach.
Year 8: Drew McIntosh For always showing a positive attitude and participating well in all subjects.
Year 9: Capriece Johnson For her amazing effort and positive behaviour. Capriece makes every lesson enjoyable and keeps things interesting.
Year 10: Dominic Malone For his resilient attitude towards curriculum tasks. Keep up the positive attitude.
Year 11: Jacayla Davy For working well consistently and getting everything done. Her hard work has paid off in her recent Maths exam.
Year 12: Caleb Jansen For always putting in effort and engaging in all set activities.

Week 6

Year 7: Shaeleigh Watkins For always working autonomously, contributing thoughtfully to class discussions and producing work of a consistently high standard.
Year 8: Ella-Grace Peet For always being a polite and engaged student. She always comes to class with a smile and puts 100% effort into every lesson.
Year 9: Mikaere Hare For showing resilience in his learning and catching up on missed content when he was absent due to surgery.
Year 10: Chloe Rowe For always giving everything a go and being a role model for her peers.
Year 11: Lachlan Bichnell For always demonstrating a positive attitude towards everything he does. Lachlan is a positive role model for his peers.
Year 12: Breanna Burgess For her dedication to the school musical and representing the school with pride.

Community Notices