18 September 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Note

Hello and welcome to my first and final Principal’s Note for Term 3. It is hard to believe that Term 3 is almost finished. As the old saying goes, “time flies when you are having fun”. With fun being one way to describe my first few weeks at Charleville State High School. I must say that I am quite overwhelmed with the level of support and acceptance that has been given to me from my first encounter with the staff and school community. It has been extremely comforting for me.

As the “team leader” of such an enthusiastic and committed group of professionals, I have enjoyed getting to know parents, students, staff and community members over the past couple of weeks. It is very exciting to be working with a school community that puts a huge amount of effort into school improvement, student achievement and school pride. I trust that this level of enthusiasm and commitment will continue to grow over time.

During the two week break from school, I trust that students, parents and staff will enjoy their time away and use the time to relax and re-energise for the final term for the year.

School Uniform

It has been great to see that most of the student population attending school each day wearing our uniform with pride. Well done students and parents! Remember that a uniform not only sets a group apart from others, it fosters a sense of belonging, develops mutual respect among students and promotes an effective teaching and learning environment by eliminating the distraction of competition in dress and fashion at school.

Attendance

At our school, I aim to have all students committed to being at school every day, so let’s support them and provide the best opportunity for them to be at school every day. As we begin a brand new term after the holidays, parents are reminded of the importance of sending their children to school each day. Being at school every day counts, with one day absent each week quickly adding up to two months of missed lessons in a year. Unless your child is ill, it is expected that your child will be at school learning every day of the school year.

School Holidays

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday everyone. We look forward to seeing you all for the start of Term 4 on Tuesday 8 October.

Enjoy the break from school!

Mr Justin Washington
Principal

Deputy Principal Senior Schooling Report

RUOK? Day

What an amazing day for our students and staff! The day started with a delicious breakfast for our staff, who also had some yummy treats brought around during the day. Form was held out on the oval, to begin proceedings for Elimination Tag. The students participated with gusto and a number of teams were very difficult to catch in the end. This amazing event was followed by a sausage sizzle, enjoyed by both staff and students. A big thank you to Katie McLeod and Sabrina Goodingham for your organisation and the wonderful team at the Student Services Centre (Jolene, Courtney and Jen).

Indigenous Education Community Meetings

Charleville State High School holds an Indigenous Education Community Meeting once a month. This Committee provides a link for our indigenous community/family to share knowledge, celebrate and be involved in the education of the children enrolled at Charleville State High School. If you have a child/grandchild attending Charleville State High School who identifies as ATSI or you are interested in the education of ATSI children in our community then we welcome and encourage you to attend our meetings.

In 2019, these meetings will be held in the school Professional Library, situated in the school office, and will occur on the second Thursday of each month. If you wish to discuss a particular topic please forward your agenda item to jruss336@eq.edu.au prior to meeting day.

QTAC

The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) operates a centralised tertiary application service for:

• publicly-funded Queensland universities
• Bond University Medicine
• TAFE Queensland
• Australian Maritime College
• some courses at publicly-funded universities in Northern New South Wales
• some private tertiary education providers.

These institutions have complete control in determining their own entry requirements.

QTAC assess applications using these entry requirements and then make offers to successful applicants during the offer rounds.

As well as managing applications for the above institutions, QTAC publish course information for some institutions that accept their own applications directly.

Below are a number of forms for students to complete, for the Educational Access Scheme. This scheme is to ensure that students who have had any issues that have affected their education acknowledged and reflected in the OP score that they receive. Students have been working on these applications in Pastoral Care.

QCE Tracking

Mr Wastie and I are busy closely monitoring our senior students, to ensure they are on a pathway to successfully gain their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). If any students need to change subjects to help them toward getting their QCE, they need to see me. We will also be organising parent/student interviews with those students who are ‘at risk’ of not gaining their QCE, so we can form an action plan.

VET News

We have a number of traineeships and apprenticeship opportunities coming up.

If your student is looking for the opportunity to be involved, please contact Vanessa Moller at the school on 4656 8888.

Thank you to all the businesses that support our students and our school. If you have an opportunity within your business to employ a school based trainee or apprentice, please contact Vanessa Moller on 4656 8888.

Cheers
Vanessa Moller

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL JUNIOR SCHOOLING AND STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

Junior School

Welcome to week 10. I hope everyone has a well-deserved rest in the following two weeks. Enjoy your time with your teenagers!

Congratulations

Congratulations to The HPV team whom as I write this article are in Maryborough competing in the Fraser Coast Technology Challenge.

Contact Details

Are your contact details up to date at the school? Please call Sue or Dee at the office or send a note if you have had a change in address or phone number. It is important that we are able to contact you at all times.

Year Six Transition day

The second transition day is in Term 4. We look forward to having all the year six students continue on their transition from primary schooling to high school. The transitions days are only part of our program to connect with our potential students. Throughout the year students from the senior school visit the two primary schools in Charleville as part of the Charleville Mates Program. This program gives the younger students the opportunity to make connections in their own environment with the high school and they will recognise familiar faces in future years when they join the secondary school. We also liaise with the Principals of our other feeder schools and students are visited to have an information session in their own environment. Parents are also invited to the information sessions we have in preparation for their child coming to Charleville State High School. Information and enrolment packs are now available at the High School’s office. An appointment must be made for an enrolment interview prior to commencing at Charleville SHS.

Timetables

Term 4 will see one new staff member to the school. There will be changes to the timetable. There will be a full school parade in the hall to commence term 4. Students will receive their new timetable.

Uniforms

It is pleasing to see the majority of our students wear the correct uniform. You may refer to the back page of the student diary for details on the correct school uniform. Please support the P&C and us by ensuring your student has correct uniform every day. If your student comes to school out of uniform, more than three times you will be contacted.

Who can support your student at CSHS?

Parents are the most important educators in their child’s life. Know their timetable. Make regular positive contact with Teachers. Know their assessment calendar. Encourage them to go to Homework Club every Thursday afternoon.

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

Class Teachers

Have a list of emails to be able to contact staff or ring the school to have a chat or organise a meeting.

Head of Departments:

Reading

Reading is our focus! At Charleville State High School, we have an excellent three-tiered reading plan/focus.

1. In all subjects and classrooms, reading is taught with Directed Reading and Thinking Activities (DRTA).
2. For those students whose reading age is not within 6 months of their chronological age we have a program called Levelled Literacy Intervention - Ms Sue McDermott.
3. Multilit reading program, which is a one: one reading and sight words program.

The above three levels of reading at school must have students attendance above 90%. Too often students have difficulties with reading because they have interrupted attendance at school.

As parents, you can help your students in many aspects:

1. Model reading to them. Read interesting articles to them and take the time to discuss and value each other’s opinions.
2. Encourage students regardless of age to read for at least 20 minutes every day.

Teenagers and the use of Electronic devices

I read an interesting article urging parents to be aware of how and the amount of time teenagers are using electronic devices. I encourage all parents and carers to do their own research on this topic, as it is important for several reasons:

1. Are the students communicating with people you do not know?
2. Are students getting enough sleep?
3. Is the use of electronic devices replacing valuable reading time?

Mobile Phones at Charleville SHS

Our Mobile phone policy is very clearly written in the Student diaries. Year seven and eight students are not permitted to have a mobile phone at school. If there is evidence that a student in years 9 to 12 has used their phone inappropriately at school, then the student will be prevented from bringing their phone to school. It is the parents and/or carers’ responsibility to ensure that the student is receiving and sending legal and only age appropriate material.

There is currently a lot of political and media attention on the use of mobile phones at school. Since bringing our policy into effect at the beginning of 2018 the misuse of phones has dropped dramatically. The policy will expand next year so that only years 10 – 12 will be allowed to have mobile phones at school. In 2020, it will be only senior students permitted phones.

Attendance

At Charleville State High School, our goal is for all students to attend school 92%. Letters are sent to individual families whose child’s attendance in the junior school is less than 80%. If you receive a letter, please ensure that your child attends school every day unless there is a valid reason. If attendance does not improve then the next step in the process of reaching the goal of 92% is to send an official Education Queensland letter requesting an interview to discuss why attendance is at such a level. If this process is not successful then we have no other option than to start the prosecution process.

Outside of School Hours on School Grounds

Dedicated staff are often at school outside of school hours. It is concerning the number of students on school grounds out of school hours. It is essential that children be adequately supervised at all times.

Stymie

Our school uses the services of the Stymie team. This organisation allows students to report anonymously any harm/bullying that they may witness or may be occurring to them. The process the school takes is as follows:

1. A stymie notification is received.
2. Investigation occurs immediately to confirm validity.
3. Parents of the accused are contacted within 24 hours and asked to work as a team to address the situation with their student.
4. Upon the advice of the parent, the accused student is given an explanation of the concern that is reported and they are given the right of reply.
5. Continued monitoring to assure that both the accused and receiver of harm is supported.

Please note that this process does not apply to physical harm. Physical harm or intent, is taken extremely seriously at Charleville State High School and will not be tolerated.

Immunisation - Year Seven Students

The immunisation program for year seven students was conducted on Thursday 12th September. We do not give actual dates for the program to avoid high absenteeism on the immunisation day. Another reason is to prevent any anxiety that the thought of needles may incur.

Year Nine Camp

Year Nine camp occurs in week 2 of term 4. As with all extra curricula activities, students must reach the following criteria:

• All school fees paid including the camp costs;
• Attendance at an acceptable level; and
• Behaviour at an acceptable level.

There has been a considerable amount of fund raising over the year to bring the camp to an affordable level and I would like to acknowledge the wonderful staff, students and parents who have contributed in some way to the fund raising.

Student Representative Council

The Student Representative Council contributes to the organisation of the school and the wellbeing of the students at this school. It is where the students have the opportunity to have a voice and be acknowledged as the main business of our organisation, STUDENTS.

Until term 4,

Narelle Webb
Deputy Principal
Junior Schooling/Student Services

HPV Trip

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to travel to Maryborough to support a group of our students through the Human Powered Vehicle 24 hour race, as part of the 2019 Fraser Coast Technology Challenge. This year our team, Mustangs (pictured below), competed in the Senior Boys division of the competition and the whole team gave an enormous effort across the whole weekend. Throughout the time trials and the 24 hour race each of the 8 team members acted as both riders and pit crew meaning that often the students had minimal rest between rides.

Results – 19th in the senior boys division and 80th overall out of 134 teams.

Best Lap – 2min 47sec completed by Harry Springall.

Most Laps in a session – 20 laps completed by Harry Springall.

Average time around the 1.6km Track – 3min 43sec

Special Mention to Andrew Mackie whose lap times and number of laps was consistently excellent throughout the race, his huge effort as our final rider saw us continue to gain time on the team in front and pushed us up into 19th place.

I am incredibly proud of each of the student’s involved for not only their efforts and hard work throughout the race but for how each of them conducted themselves off the track. Every student was polite and respectful to all race officials, volunteers, community members and other schools that they encountered throughout their visit to Maryborough. They have represented themselves and the school extremely well, and after a mild set back at the start of the race, have shown immense resilience, determination and cooperation to pull together as a team and push themselves back up the poll ladder climbing 6 positions in the last (and hardest) 6 hours of the race.

It was an immense honour to be a part of this weekend and witness the hard work that Mr Barry Wastie has put in throughout the year to ensure the students could have this opportunity. I would like to thank him not only for co-ordinating every aspect of the weekend but for his time and expertise in organising the bikes, the parts and all maintenance, as well as week to week meetings with the students to ensure they are as prepared as they can be for this very tough but rewarding experience. Thank you also to Chappy for ensuring we all arrived home safely, after a long 24 hours of being awake with the students it was comforting to know that we could get a little shut eye on the bus trip home.

We would also like to thanks our sponsors – Mulga Tools, 4RR FM, Charleville Self Storage and Charleville Cosmos Motel.

Congratulations to all the students involved – to complete this event is an amazing achievement!

RUOK?

On Thursday 12th September staff and students at CSHS wore yellow to celebrate R U OK? Day, a National Day of Action to inspire and empower each other to connect with those around us and start a conversation with anyone who may be struggling with life.

Staff began the day with a relaxed chat, free coffee and brekky, courtesy of the Student Support Team.

Students then participated in a game of elimination tag, organised by Mrs Goodingham and the House Mentors. This activity was to encourage the whole school to participate in exercise, and promote good mental health and teamwork.

Elimination Tag

At first break, students and staff were treated to a free sausage sizzle, and a service provider “Pit Stop”, where local staff from Lifeline and the Far West Indigenous Family Violence Service socialised with staff and students, and provided information about the invaluable services they provide to our community.

In the week prior to R U OK Day, the Student Council ran a “Nominate a Mate” campaign, where they were encouraged to fill in a “Nomi-Mate” form to thank a mate who has been a great friend to them. Prizes, certificates, cake, and fruit were handed out to those students who participated, and happy smiles were on many faces – just wonderful to see!

Thank you so much to everyone who assisted on the day, it was truly a team effort, with staff and students all lending a hand. Remember – every day is R U Ok Day – ask the question, change a life. R U Ok?

Athletics Carnival

Athletics Carnival in Pictures

And the winners are…

Cyberbullying and social media

Instagram’s new features to fight cyberbullying

Social media platform Instagram has recently implemented new features that schools may choose to highlight with students to prevent cyberbullying behaviour and empower targets of cyberbullying. The features include an automated user notification when their comment may be considered offensive before it’s posted. This intervention gives users the opportunity to reflect and undo their comment, and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification. Another feature, a new blocking system called Restrict, will enable users to block others without their knowledge. It is anticipated the changes will help users to understand the seriousness of bullying behaviour and rethink the way they behave online.