3 March 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal Report

Welcome to edition three of our newsletter. So much occurs each and every day at our school and our students are busily engaged in both curricular and non-curricular activities which are providing them with great opportunities to position themselves well for the future.

School Review

As you are aware from previous newsletters the school review team, have conducted their review on Charleville State High School last week. I would like to thank all parents/caregivers and members of the community that were contacted and asked to participate in the review. The review was very positive for our school, and although the official report is not available for a couple of weeks due to quality assurance processes, it was a very positive review of our school. The most pleasing aspect of the review is the acknowledgment that our school is on the correct path and that we must continue to stay on the track we are on. The review team felt very welcomed by the school community and especially enjoyed the opportunity to talk with students about the great things that occur each and every day at our school. An executive summary will be posted on our school website when the report becomes available.

Meet and Greet

On Wednesday the 24th of February we held our annual meet and greet for all new parents and their families to the school. Our Meet and Greet evening was a great success, and it was very pleasing to see that over sixty people were able to attend and to meet their students teachers. I would like to thank Sabrina Goodingham (HOD), Sam Barrow and Katherine Goult (YLC’s) for their organisation of the evening. If you were unable to make it on the night, please feel free to contact the school office to make an appointment to meet with any of your child’s teachers.

Attendance

I must say that our attendance has started very strongly this year so far. We currently have an average attendance rate of 90.3% which, while a good start, is still short of our 92% target. Our Junior Secondary form classes are currently averaging over 91%, and our Senior Secondary form classes are averaging just over 89%. It is very important that students are in school each and every day to ensure that regular learning can occur to ensure that gaps in student learning do not develop. At Charleville State High School we expect that all students are on time each day, and while we acknowledge that sometimes unforeseen circumstances may arise, our expectation is that students will be at school on time. Part of our role as educators is to ensure that we prepare our students for the future and learning to be prompt will put our students in good stead for any future occupation they may undertake. I would like to thank the parent and caregiver body of our school for your continued assistance in ensuring that our students are in attendance as we strive for the 92% attendance target. Every minute counts and every day counts.

Be a Learner

As we approach the end of the term assessment will continue to occur in all subjects. On assembly last week, I spoke about the importance of being a learner. I stated to students that this looks like:

1. Being on time for class
2. Having all of the required equipment for class
3. Completing all homework
4. Attending every day
5. Doing your best with assessment

Students will see results improve if they can do these five things each and every day.

Parents and Citizens Association Annual General Meeting

On behalf of Julie Frousheger (P and C President) I would like to invite you to the AGM of the P and C which will be held on the 16th of March beginning at 5.30 pm. The P and C is a very important organisation to our school and your support of this committee if you are able to would certainly be appreciated. The March meeting of the P and C will follow immediately after the AGM.

It is important to us that every day, in every classroom, every student is learning and achieving. Charleville State High School thanks you for your support in this partnership.

Marcus

Teaching and Learning @ CSHS

School Review

As mentioned previously in this newsletter, last week we had a team of three reviewers from the School Improvement Unit visit the school from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 February. The reviewers are, or have been, Principals of schools in Queensland and offered an honest and objective perspective on our progress forward towards the four pillars of the Charleville High Way – student outcomes, quality teaching, literacy and numeracy, and positive partnerships.

The review team were extremely complimentary when speaking about the quality of teaching at Charleville SHS. The dedication and commitment of staff to ensuring quality outcomes for your students was recognised and applauded. The commitment of staff to their own professional growth was also noted. Importantly this leads to better outcomes and skills for students. Ultimately, the review confirmed that students in rural and remote schools, such as ours, have the opportunity to engage with quality teaching and quality learning to ensure they have the best chance in their transition to the real world after school.

I would like to thank all the teaching staff for their commitment to ensuring that the curriculum we deliver is engaging and provides the skills students need for their future.

Attendance - it really does matter!

As we are just over half way through the term it is a good opportunity to remind all students, particularly those in our senior secondary school (post-compulsory), that every minute, every day and every lesson counts at school. Why? Quality learning requires continuity, a chance to see and practice the development of skills, the ability to ask questions and clarify information as well as learn from peers. If students are absent they are missing out on the continuity of skills being developed as well as putting the puzzle pieces together. It is the ‘light bulb’ moments that absent students often miss out on. These are essential for quality learning. Every minute, every day and every lesson really do count in the learning of every student at Charleville SHS.

Assessment

Students in each year level are in the middle of assessment for the term. This can be stressful.

Students have been provided with a copy of their assessment due dates for Semester 1. This includes exam dates, when drafts are due and any other tasks they are required to complete across their courses of study for this year. If you have not sighted a copy of this document please check the school’s website, your student’s diary or ring the school and we can provide another hard copy for you.

Many students often wonder why assessment is needed. The purpose is not to annoy or frustrate anyone but to help educators know where each learner is up to and what they need help with. This is why student must submit drafts of work and complete tasks when required. Quality feedback from staff can’t be provided on part of a draft, or worse still, no draft at all.

Student progress

Requirements for students and assessment:

• Assessment needs to be attempted on or before the due date ( including exams and oral presentations)
• Assessment must be able to marked against all criteria – i.e. a name on a piece of paper is not enough to be given a grade for an assessment piece
• Assessment must be the student’s own work, not that of anyone else – e.g. plagiarised.
• Assessment will be submitted by all students, even if after the due date, to ensure a full range of skills are demonstrated for effective feedback for all students
• Work submitted after the due date may not be able to be given a grade
• Late assessment will incur 15 points per piece as an element of the Senior Student Accountability Program (SSAP)

Expectations for all students:

Students are learning the reality of their choices not to submit work when requested by their teachers. Assessment work can, and should, include drafting of tasks or perhaps a checklist of items required for a much bigger piece of work across a semester. If a due date is missed, without a valid reason or documentation, students will still be expected to submit the late work.

It is very important to clearly articulate that excuses, such as the following reasons recently used by some senior students, are not accepted:

What can students do to help themselves?

• Attend school and classes regularly
• (must be a minimum of 90% - for senior students 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 last week to help organise your time for Semester 1 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 the relevant HOD for the subject that the extension applies to, if you need to request this option.

How can you help your student through the school year, learning and assessment?

• Know when their assessment due dates are and help plan
• Ensure they are getting quality sleep
• Ensure they are eating well
• Ensure they have some ‘down time’ – some weeks may have more than others
• Ensure that homework is attempted –e.g. going over class notes and ideas each day
• Ensure they are asking staff for help if they are struggling at home
• Contact the school if you have any concerns

Who can support your student at CSHS?

There are many people who can help your student if they need it. Below is a list of some options should students not know who to see for help.

Recent Events:

Sport

Soccer

Congratulations to the students who travelled to Roma to participate in a series of games against a range of schools. The boys in particular had an outstanding day winning all their matches. It was great to hear that students put in 100%, demonstrating sportsmanship and Charleville SHS 4B’s and 4V’s. Thank you to Mr Lines and Ms Andreatta for their time and efforts in ensuring that such an opportunity could take place.

As always I would to thank you for your continued support of your student, the school and the educational process and hope that the term is productive for all students.

Donna

STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

STUDENT SERVICES- VISITING SPECIALISTS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF

Thank you to all of the families who returned their Autism Queensland forms. They have all been sent away in preparation for their visit in Week 9.

READING PROGRAMS HAVE COMMENCED- LEVELLED LITERACY INTERVENTION (LLI) and MULTILIT

Thank you to the families that were at the library last week for our LLI and MultiLit information session run by Mrs Angela Stirton. As Mrs Stirton outlined in the session, any student not giving the program 100% will probably not be able to continue. We must see commitment from every student around their attendance, participation and completion of homework. We have a waiting list for these programs and so it is imperative students show their dedication.

Please see below for why LLI has been purchased by the school and the benefits for your child.

• LLI is a short-term program designed to bring children up to grade-level performance in as little as 18–24 weeks

Supported by Fountas & Pinnell’s Continuum of Literacy Learning, LLI’s lessons include the following:

• A combination of reading, writing, phonics and word study
• Emphasis on comprehending strategies
• Attention to the features of nonfiction and fiction texts
• Specific work on sounds, letters, and words in activities designed to help children notice the details of written language and learn how words “work”
• Help for students in expanding their vocabularies
• Explicit teaching for fluent and phrased reading
• Opportunities to write about reading to learn a variety of writing strategies

CWAATSICH HEALTH MUSTERS

The 2nd Health Muster will be help on 17th and 18th March. If you have not returned your forms and would like your child to be seen by a variety of health care providers please get them back to the office as soon as possible. It is not too late to be included regardless of what year level you are in- we will make sure every student who has returned a form has an appointment.

STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL NEEDS

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

If you have received referral form from the school with regard to your child’s medical needs please return them as soon as possible.

If you have returned them you should expect some updated plans to be sent home to be checked and signed in the near future.

SWD STUDENTS- VISITING SUPPORT TEACHER FROM HARRISTOWN

During Week 6, we are lucky enough to be hosting Yvonne Bidgood here at Charleville State High School to work with myself and the team around Student Services. Yvonne was a teacher here many years ago and is now the HOD- Effective Learning and Teaching at Harristown State High School. Yvonne has been employed by CSHS for 0.2 days a fortnight to support us around areas such as SWD, ICPs (Individual Curriculum Plans), QCIA (Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement), gifted and talented, differentiation and staff support just to name a few. I look forward to working with Yvonne for the week and hope to be able to announce some innovative new approaches to student support in the near future thanks in part to Yvonne’s involvement with the school.

EAL/D STUDENTS

Over the next few weeks we will start the process of providing additional support to out EAL/D students. All students from non-English speaking backgrounds will produce a piece of written work to be analysed by our specialist EAL/D support worker in Toowoomba, Kath Kelly. There will also be a parent information night for EAL/D students in the coming weeks.

HOMEWORK CLUB- ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

In addition to CWAATSICH attending CSHS every week on a Monday and Friday to open the hall and play sports on the oval they are also now attending our student homework club of a Tuesday afternoon. We welcome this support at our homework club and it is nice they can work along our dedicated staff who attend each week too. Remember- of your child needs assistance with homework or assessment they just need to ask their teacher to attend homework club.

SPOTLIGHT ON… CHERYL AUCHTER- SWD Teacher

How long have you been teaching for? 15 years

What is your favourite food? Citrus Tart

What is the best part of your job? Seeing students achieve their best

What is your greatest achievement? Working with a student with a communication program that opened a pathway to the student speaking again after not talking for six years.

Positive Behaviour Learning (PBL)

Rewards Trip

As part of PBL at Charleville State High School, a rewards trip has been organised for students who are recognised for their positive behaviour at school. At the end of Semester 1 students will be given the opportunity to attend a Broncos match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. All students that meet the following criteria will be eligible to attend the Rewards Trip:

• 95% attendance
• Engagement
• Collection of Starbucks

Starbucks - Term 1

Year 7:

Libi Baker – 80

Year 8:

Amber Hinz – 80
Aaliyah Kennedy – 80
Baillie Melano - 80

Year 9:

Ella Bartulis – 30
Jennie Lee – 30

Year 10:

Faith Autufuga – 20

Year 11:

Axil Anderson – 90

Year 12:

Caitlin Doneman - 80

Agriculture Studies

Year 10 Certificate 1 in AgriFood has been learning how to use and maintain hand and power tools. This has been incorporated with Support Gardening Work a unit required for Certificate completion. Students have maintained and followed workplace instruction working in helping to maintain the School gardens.

Year 9 have been studying plant growth and completing a scientific study of stages of growth in the Sunflower (Helianthus). With understanding of what is required for a healthy plant, Year 9 will be planting our autumn vegetables and following a strict maintenance program of managing plants, pests, nutrients and moisture.

All students who study Agriculture at CSHS learn about plants native to the region as well as those you would not think could cope with the extreme heat of the Queensland Outback. One such plant being studied and cultivated in our Ag patch is the Pitaya (dragon fruit), Hylocereus undatus (Cactaceae). It is well known that Dragon Fruit grows in a dry tropical climate but here in Charleville we like to give every plant the chance to show itself under extreme conditions. Plants have been sun hardened and frost tested and now ready to be given the right conditions to produce a bumper crop of delicate dragon fruit. Year 11 and 12 will construct a permanent shade cover, regulate water and provide a fertilisation program.

C.S.H.S First Dragon Fruit - 2016

What’s coming up?

Year 10, 11 and 12 are going to the Roma Sale Yards to learn about beef assessment and international market requirements. This will include understanding animal fatness, muscle score, dressing percentage and what it means to meet market specifications for a high quality beef carcass. It is these opportunities that provide our students with hands-on experience and real world knowledge about the topics they study.

Dawn Collier

Reading Corner

Parent Information Evening

Thank you to all those parents and carers who attended the information evening we held last week. It was great to see so many new and old faces and have you so enthused to hear about the support that your child will receive whilst in the reading programs.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions throughout the duration of the program and remember the expectations of your child participating in the program: 100% attendance and all home reading and activities completed each night.

What is a struggling or dependent reader?

We often speak about individuals who ‘struggle’ to read or who are ‘dependent’ because they cannot read on their own but what exactly does that mean? Could you identify your child if he or she was dependent or struggling? Here are just a few of the many signs that you could use to help identify this (Beers, 2003):

• Cannot easily and quickly recognize single-syllable words (dog, cat, day);
• Cannot easily and quickly recognize multi-syllable words (ba-na-na, cat-tle, sun-rise);
• Has few or no strategies for recognizing unknown words;
• Reads haltingly, one word at a time;
• Does not reread to clarify meaning;
• Cannot keep events of the text in the correct order;
• Cannot answer basic questions about the text;
• Cannot state the main idea of the text;
• Has a difficult time creating questions about a text;
• Stops reading at first sign of difficulty;
• Says that reading is ‘boring’ and ‘dumb’;
• Avoids reading at all costs.

In the next edition I will make a comparison to what independent or good readers do and look at further tips to support your struggling and dependent readers.

Happy reading!

Ange Stirton

11/12 Hospitality

Skills to help for the future

Year 11/12 Hospitality students have begun their cooking for the term. They started off with an apple crumble and followed this with creating their own mocktail concoctions. A mocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail in which students could use a variety of ingredients. While many students have eaten apple crumble and heard of a mocktail it is the opportunity to make these items that provide them with real world, hands-on experiences that may help in gaining part-time or permanent work in the future. In an extremely competitive job market it is such courses that may give our students the edge over their competitors.

Your culinary guide
Fiona Day

Meet and Greet

Last Wednesday afternoon we had the pleasure of meeting approximately 60 parents of our junior school students at our annual Meet and Greet. This is the largest turn out we have had for our Meet and Greet in a number of years, and it was fantastic to see so many parents involving themselves in their students’ education. We all thoroughly enjoyed the conversations had over the sausage sizzle afterwards, and it was great as teachers to put names to faces.

If you do ever have any questions or concerns about anything happening in your child’s classroom, or even the school, remember our doors are always open and we are more than happy to help in any way we can to ensure your child’s education is a positive experience.

Thank you once again to all the parents and staff for their attendance at the Meet and Greet, it is this community spirit and care shown to our students that makes Charleville State High School the best school in our region! We look forward to working with you all throughout this year and many more!

Sabrina Goodingham
HOD –Junior School / HPE / The Arts / LOTE

Taboo! The Game of Unspeakable Fun!

This term, year 12 English students have been studying Jane Austen’s classic western novel Pride and Prejudice. As part of their assessment, students are to present an original oral narrative that demonstrates their understanding of a chosen culture. In the lead up to the delivery of this assessment piece, students have been introduced to the game “Taboo” to increase their oral presentation skills and confidence when speaking in front of others. Once a week, for 15 minutes at the end of the lesson, students are split into teams and they are to describe a word to their team without saying any part of the word or the 5 descriptive words listed. It also allows students to demonstrate teamwork and cooperation in the classroom. Who said learning couldn’t be fun!

Lauren Butler
Year 12 English Teacher

Year 10 English and Humanities

History and its influence on the modern world in which we live

In Year 10 English and Humanities students have had the opportunity to connect some dots in their learning. In Humanities students have been analysing World War II, the atrocities that occurred in Europe and Asia (1939-1945) and how the modern world developed from the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights – the very basis of our society. The study of their place in the world, and where it has come from, has provided our Year 10 students a great range of ideas for their English short story.

If you have the chance to read these short stories, and provide some feedback, please do so as you will be able to see what your student understands about the world in which they will lead in the future.