4 February 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principals Report

Welcome to Charleville State High School for 2016. On behalf of the school community, I would like to welcome all of our new students and their families to our school and welcome back our returning families for what promises to be a great year for Charleville State High School.

Class of 2015 results

As you would be aware by now, Charleville State High School seniors of 2015 achieved some amazing results. We had some of our best OP results for a significant period of time and the best results so far in this decade. In addition to our OP results you will also see some of our students around town involved in traineeships, apprenticeships and also working part and full time which is a great outcome for our students. I am pleased to announce that 100% of our students in 2015 that graduated received their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). This result of 100% has not been achieved at Charleville State High School since the inception of the QCE in 2008. I would like to thank the students of 2015 for their dedication towards their studies and also the teachers that guided them through the final two years of their education. It is great to see once again that students in a small rural and remote high school can match it with students all over the state, and the quality of the education available to our students at Charleville State High School is second to none.

Some of our top 2015 results included our Senior Dux, Darcey Russell, receiving an OP 2; Holly Kajewski, OP 4, and our 2015 school captains, Sam Scott and Elise Gordon, both received an OP 5. We are very proud of every student from 2015 and wish them all well in their future endeavours.

Please see a summary of the achievements of our school.

• We had four students receive an OP within the bands of 1 – 5
• We had two students receive an OP within the bands of 6 – 10
• We had nine students receive an OP within the bands of 11 – 18
• All students who submitted a QTAC/ VTAC application received a university offer
• All students graduated with their QCE

As you can see these are great results for our school. Well done to the class of 2015.

New Staff

As always at the beginning of any new school year, we welcome new staff to our school. Our staff in the week before school beginning participated in a variety of different professional development opportunities. I would like to welcome the following people to Charleville SHS:

1. Miss Lauren Butler – Lauren comes to us from USQ and will be teaching a combination of English and HPE.
2. Miss Jenna Andreatta – Jenna comes to us from USQ and will be teaching a combination of Science and HPE.
3. Miss Jacinta Maritan – Jacinta comes from USQ and will be one of our Year 7 core teachers along with Miss Olivia Kelly.
4. Ms Nancy McKinnon – Nancy has transferred to us from Woodridge State High School and will be teaching English/Humanities to our Year 8 students as one of their core teachers.
5. Mrs Leah Stirton – Leah will be joining us as a Local Relieving Teacher and will be working at the school in 2016 on a Monday and Friday.
6. Mrs Ashlie Parker (nee Martin) – we welcome back Mrs Parker to our school from maternity leave.
7. Miss Sarah O’Brien – Sarah started with us in term four last year and will be teaching Science and HPE this year.
8. Miss Fiona Day – Fiona also started with us in term four in 2015. Fiona will be teaching Maths and Hospitality this year.
9. Mr Stewart Sloan – Stewart has joined us from Toowoomba. Stewart is an instrumental music teacher and has replaced Mr Grodecki.
10. Mr Vincent Kwan – Vincent has transferred to us from the Gold Coast. Vincent is an instrumental music teacher who has replaced Mr McLean.

This year at Charleville State High School we have been able to employ a fourth head of department within the school. Sabrina Goodingham will be the Head of Department for the Arts, Health and Physical Education (HPE) and also Languages other than English (LOTE – Japanese). In addition, to these curriculum responsibilities Sabrina will also be the Head of Department that looks after our Junior Secondary department and will lead the transition process for us into 2017. Sabrina’s position is funding by the Investing for Success funds that the Queensland Government has made available to schools. We will also continue to use our Investing for Success funds to continue our very successful reading program that was implemented in 2015 which is run by Mrs Angela Stirton.

Year Level Coordinators (YLCs)

I would like to introduce you to our Year Level Coordinators for 2016:

Year 7, 8 and 9 boys - Mr Sam Barrow
Year 7, 8 and 9 girls - Miss Katherine Goult
Year 10, 11 and 12 boys - Mr Leighton Webb
Year 10, 11 and 12 girls - Miss Jemma Day

Our Year Level Coordinators are available to have discussions with regarding your students within their year levels. In the first instance if you have an issue, please discuss this with the class teacher but if it still requires further conversation the Year Level Coordinators are available for you to talk with.

In addition to the Year Level Coordinators our Leadership Team for 2016 is:

Principal - Marcus Jones
Business Services Manager - Jillian Bussell
Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning and Senior Secondary - Donna Gilvarry
Deputy Principal – Student Services and Junior Secondary - Jenni Peters
Head of Department – Mathematics, Science and Senior Secondary - Sebastian Kohli
Head of Department – Technology and Vocational Education and - Bernie Matthews
Head of Department – English and Humanities - Cassandra Kohli
Head of Department – The Arts, HPE, LOTE and Junior Secondary - Sabrina Goodingham
Head of Special Education Services - Biz Handley
Guidance Officer – based at CSHS five days per week - Kate Trulson

Our Deputy Principal structure has changed slightly this year. If you have curriculum questions, please talk with your child’s teacher in the first instance followed by the Head of Department that is responsible for that subject. If further clarification is required regarding a curriculum issue, please talk with Donna Gilvarry for all subject-related concerns from year 7 through to 12. If you have questions regarding behaviour, please talk with Jenni Peters if your child is in Years 7 – 10 and if your student is in Year 11 and 12, please talk with Donna Gilvarry. Jenni Peters will be looking after the Student Services department for all students from Year 7 through to 12. If you are unsure as to who you need to talk to please just call the office who will be able to put you through to the appropriate person. We as a leadership team look forward to working with you and your students in 2016.

Student Investiture

On Tuesday, we held our investiture ceremony to acknowledge our Senior Secondary and Junior Secondary leaders who have been elected to leadership positions in 2016. These ceremonies are a wonderful opportunity to publicly acknowledge the commitment of these students, and I look forward to working with all of our elected students this year. Thank you to our Adopt-a-cop Liv Smith from Queensland Police Service, who was kind enough to donate her time to talk to our students about the importance of teamwork as part of leadership. Our leaders for 2016 are:

Facilities

Over the holidays, we have had work done to ensure that our facilities continue to be improved. Our first level classrooms on A and B Block have been painted, and our Industrial Technology, and Design area has had an air-conditioning upgrade which will certainly make things easier especially in the summer months of the year. I have also been informed that this semester we will have A and B blocks externally painted, a new roof on B Block and also new carpet in the library which are well overdue.

Explicit Improvement Agenda

Once again in 2016 Charleville State High School will continue to strive towards achieving our Explicit Improvement Agenda. The Explicit Improvement Agenda is concentrated on four pillars. These pillars are:

1. Student Outcomes - ensuring that students achieve to the best of their ability and that we as a school give our students the required support to achieve this.
2. Quality Teaching – this simply means ensuring that Charleville State High School is delivering consistent pedagogy (teaching) across our school which helps to ensure that we can achieve quality student outcomes. Quality Teaching is about ensuring we provide quality lessons that are aimed at ensuring that each student’s needs are catered for.
3. Literacy and Numeracy –in essence, this is about every student being able to achieve the required base line for achievement in Literacy and Numeracy.
4. Positive Partnerships – this means using partnerships within and outside of the school to help students succeed and achieve to their learning potential. This aspect includes partnerships with parents/caregivers, indigenous groups, community organisations, business organisations and government organisations, etc.

We hope to continue to grow on the successes of 2015 as we look forward to continuing to make significant ground towards the attainment of our Explicit Improvement Agenda. If you would like to view a copy of our Explicit Improvement Agenda in more detail please click on the link on the side of this newsletter. As a school, we have also set targets to achieve in 2016, and we will work towards the achievement of these to ensure that the students of Charleville State High School can achieve their future goals and dreams.

Attendance

It is very important that students attend school each and every day to ensure that they don’t develop gaps in their learning. Please encourage your students to attend school regularly so that they give themselves the best chance of improving their abilities in their subjects, and this will also help to set them up for their futures. Every Tuesday on Assembly we will continue to offer prizes for the best-attended form class from the week prior. In 2015 our attendance rate increased to be above 90% and in 2016, we would like to continue to strive for our target of 92% attendance. Last week we had an average attendance rate of 91% so that is a great start to the year and very close to our target. A reminder that if your student/s will be away from school for an extended time that an “Exemption from Schooling” form must be submitted. This form is available from the office or on the side of this newsletter.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

2016 sees the second year of PBL at Charleville State High School. Last year the school made some significant gains in this area and the biggest being the introduction of our school wide expectations and values affectionately known as the 4Be’s and the 4V’s.

4 Be’s

• Be Respectful
• Be a Learner
• Be Responsible
• Be Safe

4 V’s

• Organisation
• Cooperation
• Resilience
• Integrity

I have affectionately encompassed the 4Be’s and the 4V’s in the term “The Charleville High Way”. This year on every assembly I will continue to talk about “The Charleville High Way” and I won’t be referring to the Mitchell Highway to Cunnamulla but rather the expectation that at Charleville High we follow the 4Be’s and the 4V’s. Students will be well placed if they adhere to the “Charleville High Way” and act in a manner that is reflective of our schools high expectations on academic achievement, social and emotional achievement attendance and behaviour expectations.

For students that consistently display “The Charleville High Way,” they will be able to earn Starbucks rewards which will go towards certain certificates and prizes as well as an invitation to attend a Brisbane Broncos football game at Suncorp stadium similar to the trip last year. More information concerning this trip will follow in the weeks ahead along with the positive criteria for students to achieve. For many in 2015, this trip was an absolute highlight, and it promises to be again this year.

School Improvement Unit

Our school is scheduled for a school review from February 22 to February 24 2016. As a school, we are very much looking forward to this process.

The Department of Education and Training has introduced new performance reviews for Queensland state schools in 2015. The reviews do not rate or compare schools but provide independent and quality feedback to help schools continue to improve outcomes for students. All schools will have a review, at least, every four years. A final report is made available to parents and the community on the school’s website.

Further information about the reviews is available from the department’s website at:

Parents and Citizens Association

Finally, I would like to invite you to the next meeting of the Parents and Citizens Association which will be held in the conference room located in the Administration building of Charleville State High School on Wednesday the 10th of February at 5.30 pm. The Parents and Citizens Association is a very important organisation in the life of our school, and I encourage you to attend.

As you can see, 2016 is promising to be another successful year for our great school. Charleville State High School is looking forward to working in partnership with you to ensure that we can achieve the best possible outcomes for each and every one of our students. I also would like to remind you that if you ever have a question or suggestion, please make contact with the office to arrange an appointment to discuss this further.

Marcus

Senior Secondary News @ CSHS

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new students and families to the Year 10, 11 and 12, as well as those returning to CSHS for 2016. It has been a busy start to the school year already but extremely productive. Students are now in classes, learning and developing essential skills for their future.

What is our goal for our senior students?

It is our intention that all students, on completion of year 12, have either achieved a certificate qualification, a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA), and/or a combination of these.

To assist with student understanding of how important this goal is, our Senior Student Accountability Program (SSAP) reinforces for each student the importance of being a learner, being responsible for their work and its completion, as well as taking responsibility for making sure every day counts with attendance and engagement in their learning.

The successful completion of senior studies is the based on the key principles and values of the school.

Key Principles and values of the school – The Charleville High Way

What is the Senior Student Accountability Program – SSAP (Year 10-12)?

The Senior Student Accountability Program, known as the SSAP, is a key element of our Responsible Behaviour Plan for senior students at CSHS. It forms the basis of the safe and effective learning environment. The program enables students to monitor their own behaviour, attendance and completion of required assessment during their post compulsory studies.

How does SSAP work?

Each student will start with 0 points at the beginning of each year of Year 11 and 12. If students regularly attend school, arrive on time, complete and submitted all assessment/ exams on time and communicate clearly with the school if there are any issues ahead of time then the SSAP will not impact on your student. In fact, such students will be rewarded through the School Wide Positive Behaviour System (SWPBS). However, if not then the following points will be accorded to students:

What may happen if a student accrues points?

Student points will be documented as they are accrued. It is expected that clear and open communication with parents/guardians will occur through the education of students at CSHS. Open communication through such situations will help to provide advice on a course of action for students to successfully complete their senior studies and avoid future problems.

Some outcomes for students who accrue points may include:

• Year 12 students may lose entitlements to their Senior Badge once they reach 20 points.
• Year 11 students who have accrued 30 points or more at the end of Year 11 will be required to demonstrate why they should be entitled to complete their senior studies and hold a senior badge in the following year, following interviews with staff including HOD Senior Schooling and potentially the Deputy Principal Senior Schooling or Principal.
• When a student reaches 45 points their enrolment may be cancelled as per the Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students.

It is hoped that few students, if any, will put themselves into a position whereby such outcomes will need to be considered.

Subject changes and QCE attainment

Now that students have begun their studies for 2016 they may be rethinking their chosen courses in the senior school. If that is the case, senior students have until Monday 8th February to investigate any subject changes and submit a completed subject change form. If your student is interested in changing a subject they need to collect a subject change form from Mr Kohli, Head of Department Senior Schooling. The form needs to be signed by parents/ guardians, relevant teaching staff, Mr Kohli and Deputy Principal Curriculum, Mrs Gilvarry. This ensures that a full range of perspectives have been provided to students. Not all changes will be able to be made as some may negatively impact on a student’s potential QCE attainment. Students need to remember that to gain a QCE they must have studied three of their subjects for four continuous semesters (core subjects), that is Year 11 and 12. They must also have obtained a pass for one semester of Maths and English in Year 11 or 12 to obtain their numeracy and literacy component of their QCE.

The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) is the minimum requirement expected to be achieved by all school leavers at the end of a senior course of study. Year 11 & 12 students accrue points for the subjects that they are passing in their senior years and are required to accumulate a minimum of 20 points to obtain a QCE. To help with understanding how this system works we will be holding a parent information evening in February. We encourage all parents with students in Year 10-12 to attend so they can help support their students as much as possible.

For more information on QCE please visit the QCAA website:

How can all senior students help to achieve their best results and focus on the finer details?

• Attend school and classes regularly (must be a minimum of 92% - unexplained absences will incur 2 points per absence as a part of the SSAP, and possibly lead to a cancelation of the enrolment due to a lack of engagement with the educational processes provided and course coverage)

• Plan ahead - use the assessment dates and planner given out each semester to help organise your time for the rest of the term and map out when you will need to work on assessment
• Attempt all work, at school and home, set by staff
• Seek feedback and ask questions about all tasks – see your teachers before or after school, during lunch breaks or in class if there are opportunities to do so
• Submit full drafts when required
• Submit all tasks on time – including sitting exams and presenting oral tasks
• Talk to staff if there are any concerns well before the due date
• Attend study / homework club for further help (need to have submitted a permission form – collect one from Mr Kohli if you want to participate)
• Apply for an extension (at least a week before the due date) if there is evidence to support the application. See Mr Kohli, Head of Department Senior Schooling, if you need to request this option.

Tuesday Afternoon Study Club

One way for all students, including our senior students, to help their studies is to attend the Study Club on a Tuesday afternoon. Between 3:15-4:15pm all students can access each member of staff in D3 and D4 for additional help with their studies.

How can students access this opportunity? Students can collect a letter from the Office or Mr Kohli (E Block) and return the consent form attached to the letter. Students can then speak to their teachers and ask if they can access extra assistance from them at the Study Club.

It is important to remember that students can speak to their teachers at any time, not just at Study Club.

Key events ahead for the senior school this fortnight

Please feel free to contact the school if you would like to discuss any of the information contained in this article or any other aspect of your student’s education.

Thank you for your continued support of your student, the school and the educational process. Together we can make a difference in the lives of our future leaders.

Donna

STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

WELCOME TO 2016

I would like to extend to you a very warm welcome to the Student Services page for 2016. My name is Mrs Jenni Peters and I have been at Charleville State High School since mid-2013. Over that time I have been responsible for Junior Secondary students. This year my role has changed slightly with my responsibilities extending across the school- with a focus on Student Services. I also work on timetabling, staffing and facilities. I am really looking forward to 2016 and I know we as a school can give your child an education in a safe and supportive environment second to none.

STUDENT SERVICES IN 2016

At the conclusion of 2015 some changes were put in place to the role descriptions of HODs and the two Deputy Principals- Donna and I. Under these new changes, as Marcus outlined in his earlier article I have taken on the role to support students throughout the school from Years 7-12. Behaviour will be shared between my colleague Deputy Principal, Donna Gilvarry in Years 11 and 12 and myself for 7-10. The Year Level Coordinators will be a large part of the behaviour support team and this year they are:

• Jemma Day and Leighton Webb- Years 10-12
• Katherine Goult and Sam Barrow- Years 7-9

All other areas of student needs that do not directly relate to curriculum will be handled by me and an experienced and capable support team. Of course at times curriculum and student support are areas that cannot be separated and therefore collaboration by all will become the key.

STUDENT SERVICES OVERVIEW

The Student Services team will oversee the following areas:

• Medical Needs and Plans
• Students with a Disability (SWD) and QCIA
• EAL/D students
• Indigenous students
• Students with additional needs e.g. dyslexia, ADHD, Auditory Processing, mental health
• Positive Behaviour for Learning
• Behavior Support including support plans and flexible arrangements

Support for students will always consist of DPs, HODs, YLCs and teachers with additional input from:

• Kate Trulson- Guidance Officer (GO)
• Biz Handley- Cluster Head of Special Education Services (HOSES)
• Cheryl Auchter- SWD teacher
• Jenny Peacock- Youth Support Coordinator (YSC)
• Robbie Geebung- Adopt an Elder
• Debbie Csatlos- Community Partnerships Officer
• CWAATSICH
• Tammy Saxton- Registered Nurse
• Les Penrose- Chaplain
• Jennifer Sellin- School Based Youth Health Nurse (SBYHN)

Each newsletter I will be including updates in these support areas and from next edition, introducing you to a member of the team.

STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL NEEDS

A reminder to parents/carers to notify the school about your child’s health

Charleville State High School is committed to supporting students’ health and wellbeing. We would appreciate parents/carers providing the school with any relevant health information that is required to support the student at school. This information is also collected at enrolment but needs to be updated regularly, or if a new health condition develops.

Information about medically diagnosed conditions such as allergies, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy and other health conditions that may require school staff to provide support to students, including administering medication and performing health procedures, should be provided to the school. Additionally, any health need that may impact on school activities such as sports, outings (including camps) should also be discussed with the school.

Information should be provided in writing and any specific health plans (only to be completed and signed by the medical practitioner) should be included. Please contact the school to discuss any specific requirements.

Please inform the school office staff of any changes to contact details or the contact details of the people nominated as emergency contacts. Thank you for your assistance in this regard. All information is kept confidential and only disclosed to the relevant staff required to supporting your child.

For any enquiries, please contact the school office or Mrs Jenni Peters.

Health Plans

Health plans are documents which provide the school with directions or guidelines to support students with specialised health needs.

A specialised health need is where a student requires routine/daily health procedures, has a medical status which may require an emergency response to a life-threatening crisis or requires infrequent emergency needs/procedures. The health conditions associated with a specialised health need may include Asthma, Diabetes, Anaphylaxis, Epilepsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), Bladder Management, Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain), or other health needs that require specific management.

In accordance with the Management of Students with Specialised Health Needs procedure, schools are responsible for supporting the implementation of health plans. There are three types of health plans used in schools, dependent on the student’s health conditions and needs:

• Individual Health Plan (IHP)
• Emergency Health Plan (EHP)
• Action Plan.

An IHP provides a daily guideline for the routine management of a student's health condition and may contain some instructions concerning the routine medication regime. This may include the integration of treatment for several health conditions.

An EHP provides concise step-by-step directions of how to safely manage a predictable medical emergency specific to certain chronic health conditions and the correct use of intervention or emergency medication.

An Action Plan is a standardised template for routine or emergency treatment, developed by a peak medical body and completed and signed by the student’s medical practitioner. Action Plans are available for Anaphylaxis and Asthma.

Unlike an Action Plan, an IHP and EHP are completed by the principal or delegated officer working in collaboration with a qualified health practitioner (e.g. Education Queensland Registered Nurse [EQRN], diabetes educator), school staff, the parent and student (where applicable) using a template provided by the EQRN.

Any student requiring one of these plans would have received referral forms earlier in the week to please be signed and returned to the school as soon as possible. If you think your child should have a medical plan and hasn’t received one please contact Mrs Jenni Peters.

SWD STUDENTS

All of our SWD students will receive a letter home from their child’s 2016 case manager during Week 3. This is because we are still finalising this process and ensuring that once case managers are assigned they won’t change. If you have any questions around your student with a disability please contact Mrs Jenni Peters.

EAL/D STUDENTS

For all of our students with English as an Additional Language/ Dialect there are various ways we as a school can support you. We will be making contact with all of our families that are isolated from us simply due to the language barrier and use our translator service to inform you of all the necessary information for your child. These meetings will be held regularly throughout the year and are also available on an individual needs basis.

INDIGENOUS STUDENTS

It is with great pride I can say that in 2015 all of our Indigenous students attained their QCE. This is a fabulous result for these students and the school. Of course they were supported by their class teachers as well as their HOD- Mr Sebastian Kohli and DP- Mrs Donna Gilvarry to ensure they achieved this qualification. We also saw a closing of the gap in NAPLAN- especially in the areas of writing and numeracy.

This year again, our goal is to ensure we close the gap for all of our Indigenous Students. Through our collaborative work with CWAATSICH, Community Partnership staff and parents we can assure you that we are working every day to ensure there is no gap between our Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Until next time,

Jenni
Deputy Principal

Info from the GO

Student Support at Charleville State High School

Within the student support team, there are a number of people including the Youth Support Coordinator (Jenny Peacock), School Chaplain (Les Penrose), School Health Nurse (Jen Sellin) and the Guidance Officer (GO - Kate Trulson). These people work closely with students, teachers and parents alike to assist in a range of areas, including but not limited to, the student’s physical health and wellbeing, academic support, counselling, behaviour support, mental health concerns and general counselling.

The guidance officer role is one of varying degree, working alongside the administration team to support students at risk or in need of support, to provide careers counselling for those who are unsure of future pathways, to be an advocate for children in need of assistance and to ensure all students are being supported and have access to the best education possibilities available. Students can self-refer through their teachers or make an appointment at the office, parents can refer their child for counselling/support services and teachers can refer students to the student support committee. Students are able to send an email directly to the GO from their favourites tab available on the school intranet. If you would like to make an appointment to see the GO, please contact the office to arrange an appropriate time.

In each newsletter, there will be a section that gives links to community services and tips to improve student’s academic, physical, social or emotional wellbeing. I do hope that the start to 2016 has been positive and look forward to working with you all this year!

Yours in education,
Kate Trulson

Reading Corner

Welcome back to the Reading Corner for 2016 and welcome to the new families. I hope that you managed to find some quiet time over the break to lose yourself in a good book.

In this week’s edition I will give you some information on the new Reading Program that will be run at the school and also a preview on what to expect in the fortnightly newsletter edition.

New Program:

This year we are lucky to be running a new reading program called Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI). All new students will be tested at the commencement of the school year and careful planning will be completed by myself and Jenni to decide on who will need to be in the program. If your child/ren is deemed to need additional reading support you will receive the required communication from us and invited to attend an information evening to provide you with all relevant information. If you would like further information or to make any enquiries related to reading support, please do not hesitate to contact myself or Jenni Peters.

What to expect:

In this corner you (parents, carers and significant others) will find helpful information and tips on how to best support your child/ren to become better readers. Reading is a life skill. Without such a skill, most other necessary activities in life are difficult. We need to be able to read to complete basic tasks such as filling out forms and following instructions, right through to researching information and completing university degrees. The first tip that you can use to support reading at home is to create an environment that children want to read in. This means that you encourage reading time. Set aside a quiet time and place for children to read and even better, you read with them.

Happy Reading!
Ange Stirton

Master Teacher

My name is Narelle Webb and I am the Master Teacher for the three schools in Charleville, Charleville State High School, Charleville State School and Charleville School of Distance Education. Master Teachers were introduced into Queensland schools last year, 2015 and I have found the role challenging and most rewarding.

Many people have asked, “Exactly what is a Master Teacher?” The official Role description of a Master teaches is that they will have responsibility for leading activities and key tasks in their school and/or cluster. These will include:

• Working with instructional leaders to prioritise the teaching of literacy and numeracy within the school's curriculum and pedagogical framework;
• Improving and enhance pedagogical practice for all staff by researching and modelling quality teaching across all year levels;
• Providing coaching and guidance to teachers and other staff in delivering quality teaching;
• Improving the capacity of school teams to use evidence-based assessment to inform teaching and learning and
• Supporting all staff in the analysis of, and response to, systemic and student data.

In 2015 my main focus was increasing the numeracy levels of students and to support staff in the analysis and implementation of student data.

The focus for 2016 is to investigate and implement processes into developing Higher Order Thinking, Problem Solving and Open Ended questioning. I will be located at Charleville State High School for all of Semester One, working one day a week at the alternate schools.

Developing and using Higher Order Thinking skills is relevant to all students and adults. The Problem Solving Steps we are guiding students to develop in all subject areas are:

1. Understand the problem
2. Devise a plan
3. Carry out the plan
4. Check the Answer and reflect.