27 October 2016

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

Hello to all parents, carers, and community members. My name is Mr Matt Samson and I am very proud to say that I am the new Principal of Charleville State High School. I was appointed on Wednesday 12 October, then travelled up from Brisbane to commence duties at the school on Monday 17 October. My first week has been a whirlwind of meeting staff, students, parents and community members, and I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can in the weeks to come.

At present, I am filling in the position in a temporary capacity until the end of the year, but I am looking forward to the opportunity of making this a more permanent arrangement moving into next year and beyond. Already, I have been very impressed with the students, as well as the professionalism and commitment of the staff to our students and their teaching.

I have had the pleasure of meeting several of the year 12s already, as they head very quickly towards the end of their time here, and prepare themselves for their lives after school. I have also met the future school leaders of the school, as the Year 11s completed their leadership speeches on full school parade and were involved in an interview process. All candidates did an extremely good job, and assured me that the student leadership will be in very good hands in 2017.

CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION

It is with great regret that I need to inform you that our amazing Deputy, Mrs Jenni Peters, has been offered a transfer to Toowoomba SHS for the start of next year. Unfortunately for us, she has accepted and will be taking up this position at the commencement of the 2017.

I have obviously only known Jenni for a short period of time, but can honestly say that I am enormously grateful for the support and assistance she has given me since I took up this position, and I have been extremely impressed with the way she goes about the roles of her very demanding position.

I have no doubt that much of the reason that Charleville State High School is in the great position it is, is due to the hard work and dedication that Jenni has shown to the job in her time here at the school.

I know that Mrs Peters will be missed not only at the school but within the whole community. On behalf of Charleville SHS, congratulations on your appointment and good luck. You will certainly be missed.

YEAR 6 TRANSITION AND ENROLMENT INTERVIEWS

This year two afternoons have been set aside for Year 6 enrolments. The first of these will be on Thursday 27th October and the second on Thursday 10 November. Interview times will be from 2pm -5pm on each of these days. All students and parents are required to engage in the interview process before a student can be officially enrolled in the school for 2017. Please contact the office to secure a time for an interview that suits.

All Year 6 students from the local Primary Schools have also been invited to attend the Transition day this term in preparation of them coming to the high school next year. The Transition Day for this term will be held on Friday 4th November. Your child’s school should be providing you with further details this week if they have not already done so.

ATTENDANCE

Our attendance for Week 3 in across the school was disappointing at 87.66%. Our school target is 92%. Attendance is one of the crucial factors when it comes to supporting student success at school, and is essential for ensuring continuity of learning. Your continued support in getting your students to school each and every day is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations to K2 and K4 who were the best attended form classes of week 2, with both classes achieving attendance levels well above our target level. Winners of week 3 will be announced at Full School assembly on Tuesday.

Please also remember that if your child is absent from school for any reason that you phone the office to let us know.

HOP DAY Term 4

On Wednesday, the leadership team met for the term 4 HOP (Head of Programs) Day. On this day, the entire leadership team met to work through the strategic vision of the school, as well as the various policies that determine procedures within the school. This was a perfect opportunity for myself to become familiar with the school processes, and to begin professional relationships with all of the leadership team. Again, I was very impressed with the knowledge of the team and the professional way they worked with each other through this process. I am certainly looking forward to working with all of these staff members in the future to deliver great outcomes for the students of Charleville State High School.

YEAR 9 CAMP

Year 9 students travelled to Columboola Outdoor Education Centre near Miles last week. By all reports the students had a great time and the teachers were very impressed with the students throughout the camp. Thank you to Ms Goult and Mr Barrow for the organisation and time put into the camp and taking these students away.

UQ – YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARDS

On Wednesday afternoon, the school welcomed visitors from the University of Queensland who came out to present awards to some of our high achieving students.

Two year 12 students, Kim Sen and Morgan Glasby, were presented special awards for completing their Young Achievers programs of which they have been involved in for the past two years. Welcomed into this prestigious program for the next two years were 4 Year 10 students; Sophia Caricato, Brea Frousheger, Makayla Smith and Shiloh Bursle.

A special thanks to Mr Kohli for his organisation of this event and for his ongoing support of our students in this program. Thank you also to the parents of these students who came along to support their students on the day.

MUSICA VIVA WORKSHOP

On Tuesday, all students were treated to a concert in the student centre as part of the Musica Viva workshop. Several talented students then worked with the musicians to compose an original piece of music, which they then performed to parents and special guests with the band at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening.

Congratulations to Jess Newby, Michael Russell, Tabitha Kranz, Chelsea Shorten, Tamzin Shorten and Bianka Larracy for their courage, creativity and enthusiasm in performing in front of a live audience with only a couple of hours rehearsal – very impressive!

STUDENT FREE DAY

On the Student Free Day of Monday 17th October 2016, teachers participated in a seminar by David Waterworth around the teaching of grammar and feedback for student writing. The day was informative and has given all of the teachers an excellent insight and further tools to assist students with their writing. Thank you to all teachers for their excellent engagement with the program on the day.

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY

This Friday 28th October is World Teachers’ Day. The school will celebrating this in a variety of ways on Friday, just to let the great teachers at our school know how much we appreciate all they do for our students every day.

It would be great if you could also encourage your students to do something special for one or two of their favourite teachers on the day – I know our teachers don’t expect it, but they certainly deserve it!

I look forward to meeting you all in the coming weeks,

Matt Samson
Principal

Teaching and Learning News @ CSHS

While we are close to finishing the 2016 school year there is still a great many events to take place. With the end in sight it is important to keep the goal of a successful education in focus, along with the basics.

All the best to the current cohort of Year 12 students as they complete their final assessment to end 12 years of schooling, and move into the great unknown taking advantage of the endless possibilities that lay ahead of each of them.

For the rest of our student body, they are on notice regarding their attendance and engagement with their studies. Students, whose attendance and lack of effort and/or poor behaviour are continuing to cause concern regarding progress, will be followed up with by a member of staff before the end of the term.

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES @ CSHS

2017 Student Leadership Process

Congratulations to the eleven (11) Year 11 students who have put their hand up and nominated for a leadership position in 2017. The first step in the process is the presentation of a speech. All students presented a speech to the entire school body on Tuesday 18th October at our full school parade. While many were nervous, all gave 100% in conveying their vision for 2017 and how they can help move the school forward.

The second part of the process took place on Tuesday 18th October when all nominees were interviewed by our 2016 School Captains and Vice Captains, Principal, Deputy Principal and Year Level Coordinator. Despite this being a daunting situation for anyone, all students clearly articulated their leadership potential and gave everyone plenty to think about.

The final step in the process was the whole school community voting for our 2017 Student Leaders. Voting took place on Wednesday 19th October for our Year 10-12 students, while the junior students voted on Thursday 20th October. Staff have also submitted their votes and the 2017 leaders will be announced at Awards Night on the 3rd of November. Good luck to all of our nominees and it is evident that the school will be in hands in 2017 regardless of who is successful through the process.

2016 Our Ways Camp

Congratulations to our 2016 participants in the Our Ways Camp from the 17th to the 20th October, accompanied by Kate Trulson (Guidance Officer) and Joelene Russell (CEC). All students gained a vast amount of new experiences, met many new people from across the state and conducted themselves in exemplary manner. It is hoped that students in 2017 will be able to enjoy the same opportunity as our recent participants in the Our Ways Program.

Key events ahead for the senior school

How can our students be successful?

• Work hard
• Have clear goals and work towards them
• Do everything to the best of your ability
• Ask for help when you need it
• Manage your time effectively

What is the most important thing to do?

The most effective thing a student can do is to find the best way to manage their time effectively and know what they want to work towards.

Before you can even begin to manage time, you must learn what time is. A dictionary defines time as "the point or period at which things occur." Put simply, time is when your life happens.

There are two types of time: clock time and real time. In clock time, there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year. All time passes equally. When someone turns 20, they are exactly 20 years old, no more or no less.

In real time, all time is relative. Time flies or drags depending on what you're doing. Two hours at exam time can feel like 12 years. And yet our 12-year-old children seem to have grown up in only two hours.

The good news is that real time is mental. It exists between your ears. You create it. Anything you create, you can manage. It's time to remove any self-sabotage or self-limitation you have around "not having enough time," or today not being "the right time" to take advantage of an offer or start a maths assignment.

How can students manage this elusive concept of time though?

Seven Suggestions for Effectively Managing Your Time

1. Be Organized

• Use time saving tools: appointment calendars, "to do" lists, e-mail, answering machines, file folders, etc.
• Have an organized workplace (don't waste time constantly looking for your work).
• Use your calendar for everything, including listing study time.
• Use "to do" lists for both long-term and for each day/week.

2. Plan Ahead (Schedule it and it will happen!)

• Determine how long your tasks will take
• Consider whether any activities can be combined.
• Determine if big tasks can be broken down into smaller tasks that may be easier to schedule (such as studying for exams and visiting the library as part of an assignment to write a term paper).

3. Prioritize Your Tasks

• Use an A-B-C rating system for items on your "to do" lists with A items being highest priority.
• Set goals for both the short term and long term as to what you want to accomplish.
• Look at all of your "to do’s” to gauge the time requirement and whether additional resources will be needed to accomplish them (if yes, schedule time to obtain those resources). Don't postpone the small tasks (a sense of accomplishment is good and overlooked small tasks can become larger tasks.)

4. Avoid Overload

• Include time for rest, relaxation, sleep, eating, exercise, and socializing in your schedule but don’t let these overtake your key tasks
• Take short breaks during study and work periods.
• Don't put everything off until the last minute (for example, don't cram for exams).
• Learn to say "no" when appropriate and to negotiate better deadlines when appropriate.

5. Practice Effective Study Techniques

• Have an appropriate study environment.
• Split large tasks into more manageable tasks.
• Read for comprehension, rather than just to get to the end of the chapter.
• Be prepared to ask questions as they come up during study, rather than waiting until just before an exam.
• Do the most difficult work first, perhaps breaking it up with some easier tasks.
• Don't wait until the last minute to complete your projects.
• Read the syllabus as soon as you get it and note all due dates (and "milestone" times) on your calendar.
• Be a model student! (be attentive and participative in class, and punctual, prepared, and eager to learn)

6. Be Able to be Flexible

• The unexpected happens (sickness, car troubles, etc.); you need to be able to fit it into your schedule.
• Know how to rearrange your schedule when necessary (so it doesn't manage you - you manage it).
• Know who to ask for help when needed.

7. Have a Vision (why are you doing all of this?)

• Don't forget the "big picture" - why are you doing the task - is it important to your long-term personal goals?
• Have and follow a personal mission statement (personal and career). (Are your activities ultimately helping you achieve your goals?)
• Know what is important to you. (What do you value most?)
• Have a positive attitude!

WHAT DO STUDENTS NEED TO FOCUS ON?

ASSESSMENT – Expectations of students

• 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

What can students do to help themselves?

• Attend school and classes regularly
• Plan ahead - use the assessment dates and planner for Semester 2
• 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
• Apply for an extension if required due to extended illness or other exceptions circumstances. Evidence to support extensions is required.

How can you help your student through the stress of study 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

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 child’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.

Regards

Donna Gilvarry
Deputy Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

MUSICA VIVA

Last week the talented musicians from Musica Viva visited Charleville and made time for a performance at Charleville State High School. The Year 7-9 students were treated to a show entitled Akoustic Odyssey and this same show performed at the Town Hall for a community concert in the evening.

Part of the show involved the offering of four workshops for students interested in writing and composing a song. These students managed to complete this task in the time allocated and also performed at the Town Hall with the band that evening. Well done to Jessica Newby, Bianca Larray, Chelsea Shorten, Tamzin Shorten, Tabitha Kranz and Michael Russell who were involved in this performance.

YEAR 9 TO CHOOSE ELECTIVES

This week, the Year 7-9 students will take part in the process of choosing electives for 2017. The process will be explained to them on their Year Level parade and then notes will be distributed to allow the students to make these selections. It is then expected that parents sign off on their choices.

Students will be required to return signed elective choices to me and it is a first in best dressed situation, with class numbers limited. Therefore we need parents to look out for these notes coming home and once you have discussed the choices with your child and decided on 2017 electives you get the notes back to Mrs Peters as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

TRANISTION and ENROLMENT INTERVIEWS

This year the Junior Secondary team are trialling a different format to conduct the enrolment interviews for the current Year 6 students. We will have two afternoons set aside to interview students ready for their first day in 2017. Georgia Grant, our HOSES and Jolene Russell, our CEC will also be present for relevant interviews where their knowledge and skills can be utilised.to support our new cohort of students in 2017.

This is a reminder then to return enrolment packs ASAP as students must have returned these before being offered an interview.

PLATINUM STARBUCK RECIPIENTS- AMBER and BAILLIE

A huge congratulations to Amber Hinz and Baillie Melano, both in Year 8 for achieving the highest level of PBL this year so far, 500 star bucks. The girls are both a credit to themselves and their families and they will receive a certificate and Prices Plus voucher to mark this outstanding achievement.

RELOCATION

It is with mixed feelings that I let everyone know that I have been successful in gaining a transfer in 2017 to Toowoomba State High School as Deputy Principal. It has come a bit sooner that I had expected but it is also an opportunity for me to move into a bigger school and meet some new career challenges. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Charleville State High School and I will miss the kids here very much. I am also disappointed I won’t be here to welcome the new Year 7 cohort in 2017 but I wish them all the very best.

I would also like to wish the Year 12 2017 cohort all the very best- they were in Year 8 when I arrived at CSHS and they have grown and matured into very capable young adults. The leadership speeches last week were testament to this and I know I leave the school with a very independent and passionate Senior class.

As for the staff, my colleagues here at CSHS – they are second to none and Charleville is a very lucky community to have such professional and committed teachers working with their kids. It has been a wonderful place to come to work every day and I always considered myself very fortunate to work in such a supportive and happy environment.

Until next time,
Jenni
Deputy Principal

UQ Young Achievers Induction

Congratulations to our inductees

On Thursday the 20th of October, Coralee and James from the University of Queensland Young Achiever Program paid a visit to Charleville SHS as the final destination on the tour of the Queensland’s South West. They had made their way from Toowoomba over the week to conduct similar ceremonies for the new cohort of Young Achievers.

Our school is so fortunate to have such a large group of talented students who are working to the best of their ability. This year we have had 4 students selected for this program out of only 117 places.

We congratulate Shiloh Bursle, Sophia Caricato, Brea Frousheger and Makayla Smith on their acceptance into the program.

This is the eighth year of the UQ YAP which provides students with personal and financial support in the completion of their senior studies, as well support as in accessing tertiary education, whether it be at UQ or another institution. Across two camps and Open Day events, students develop a sense of confidence as they transition from high school to university studies. The generous support on offer amounts to a potential $30 000 in financial support, should the students chose to attend UQ.

We also celebrated the graduation from the program of two of our student leaders, Kim Sen, and Morgan Glasby. Their positive influence in the school has been greatly appreciated, and we wish them all the best for their future studies, confident in their preparation through this program.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

This term in Year 7 English students are looking at newspaper reports. The students are learning all about bias, how the public are positioned by the writer, and how to write a biased newspaper report. In order to help students get their head around the concept, we staged some very biased soccer matches. The participation levels were excellent and both teams were very good sports taking the biased referee calls very well. It did generate some emotions however and certainly made for some quality writing the following lesson.

Additionally to this, we are focussing on improving our silent reading stamina. We are currently tracking student progress, until we reach our goal of 20 minutes of uninterrupted reading. 7A and 7B have started a competition against one another in order to be the first class to reach the goal. At this stage there is only 30 seconds separating the two classes, 7A just in the lead. Watch this space and may the most uninterrupted reading class win!

Jacinta Maritan
Yr 7 Teacher

Reading Corner

This week’s edition is going to look at an activity you can use at home to promote your child’s reading skills while having fun at the same time! Encouraging your child to read texts they are interested in is a great way to build vital reading strategies and vocabulary. Developed by the U.S. Department of Education, below is just one activity you can do with your child to promote reading.

Read to me

It's important to read to your child, but equally important to listen to them read to you. Children thrive on having someone appreciate their developing skills.

What you'll need:

Books at your child's reading level (each night your child should have a different book at their reading level)

What to do:

Listen carefully as your child reads.

Take turns. You read a paragraph and have your child read the next one or you read half the page and your child reads the other half. As your child becomes more at ease with reading aloud, take turns reading a full page. Keep in mind that your child may be focusing more on how to read the words than what they mean, and your reading helps to keep the story alive.

If your child has trouble reading words, you can help him or her in several ways:

• Ask the child to skip over the word, read the rest of the sentence, and then say what would make sense in the story for the missing word.
• Guide the child to use what he or she knows about letter sounds.
• Supply the correct word.

Tell your child how proud you are of his or her efforts and skills.

Listening to your child read aloud provides opportunities for you to express appreciation of his or her new skills and for them to practice their reading. Most importantly, this is another way to enjoy reading together.

Happy reading!
Lauren Butler

Charleville SHS Items for Tender 2016

• Closing Date for all tenders is Monday the 7th November 2016.
• Tender forms will need to be received at Charleville SHS by 3pm on Monday the 7th November 2016 and are available at Charleville State High School Office.
• Tender forms can be emailed to the the.principal@charlevilleshs.eq.edu.au. Phone tenders will not be accepted.
• All tender forms must be signed and dated.
• Envelopes and emails must be marked ‘Attn. Principal, Confidential, Offers for tender’.
• Items will be available for viewing on Saturday the 5th November 2016 from 8 am to 11 am.
• Viewing can be arranged outside of these times by contacting Charleville SHS on 4656 8888.
• Winning tenders will be notified on Tuesday the 8th November.
• No warranty is implied or given.
• Items offered on an ‘as is’ basis.
• Payment in full is to be made at Charleville SHS by Friday the 18th November 2016 and must be in full before items will be released.
• Purchaser is to arrange pick up and cover all costs associated.
• All Items must be picked up by Friday the18th November 2016. Phone Charleville SHS to arrange a pick up time.
• Department of Education and Training reserve the right not to accept the tender.

The Following Items are up for Tender.

Year 8 English and Humanities

READING – an essential life skill

Nearly 20 years ago the world was introduced to a wizard by the name of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter series of books turned new generations of children – and adults – into voracious readers, a skill that is essential in today’s society.

Throughout this term students in Year 8 English have been immersing themselves in the world of Harry Potter through reading the first novel ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, and also viewing the film. Students will then compare the novel and movie and evaluate which is the best version for a teenage audience. It has been great to hear comments from students about how much they have enjoyed reading.

LAW MAKERS OF THE FUTURE – Year 8 Humanities

Students in Year 8 will get a chance this term to develop and amend a law that they believe will be of benefit to Australian society. How laws are made, the purpose of laws and the different level of government responsibilities in relation to them are areas that have been explored this term in Year 8 Humanities. Students are already talking about protecting our borders, making stronger animal protection laws, changing compulsory voting and introducing euthanasia for terminally ill people.

Nancy McKinnon

Cupcakes Abound!

As part of a Business and Economics Unit for one of our Year 8 classes, students have created a cupcake business at school. Students analysed data to make decisions about product type and unit costs prior to beginning. The cupcake business develops according to customer demand and resources, which then informs students’ practices.

It is very pleasing to see how the students come up with problem solving solutions, which at times means they volunteer some of their break time to meet business needs. The aims are to provide a quality product, maintain affordable prices for customers and produce cupcakes to a high standard of industry hygiene; hence students are seen sporting gloves, aprons and caps.

I must congratulate the students on their ability to take on the demands of the business. It is lovely to see the dedication it takes to see a project like this through. After the students have calculated the business expenses and profits, they will enjoy the fruits of their labour in a well-earned fun activity, but also donate funds back into the school.

News Flash: There will be a new taste sensation to improve the cupcakes starting this week. Please let our students know what you think about the products. There will be chocolate, vanilla and gluten + dairy free cupcakes for sale at second break for a dollar each. See you there!