4 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

Newsletter – Principal’s Note

Term 1 Week 6 March 02, 2020

We are now at the midpoint of the first Term and there are a number of key events and learning updates that I will share regarding this important period. First and foremost though we have continued to focus on enabling supportive learning environments by getting to know our students and striving to provide engaging learning opportunities for all.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

One key aspect of providing supportive environments is our PBL Focus of the week, which for week 6 will be to “Be in class and learn every day”. Your ongoing support in encouraging students to be at school every day possible and to be organised for their learning is so important and greatly appreciated!

School Review – information for parents and the community

In Week 7 (Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th of March) the school will be hosting a team of three reviewers from the School Improvement Unit. I have included the information below regarding the purpose and scope of a school review and encourage you to contact the school if you wish to have the opportunity to meet with one of the reviewers.

Personally I am very excited to have this team of highly experienced educators visit our school and am looking forward to working with them and then implementing the recommendations with the school community to continue our drive for the best possible education for our students.

School Review

Every Queensland state school is reviewed by the School Improvement Unit (SIU) at least once every four years. The reviews are an important part of how the department supports and monitors schools.

The reviews provide schools with independent feedback, tailored to their context and needs.

Principals use the review findings to work with their school community and assistant regional director (or principal supervisor) to develop clear actions to move the school forward.

Review process

Reviews are conducted by experienced educators trained in the use of the National School Improvement Tool, a nationally recognised framework for reviewing teaching and learning practices.

Each review team generally consists of two to four reviewers, but the number of reviewers and length of review depends upon a range of factors, including the size and context of the school.

Reviewers look closely at each school’s performance data and speak with a wide range of staff, students, parents and community members to get an accurate picture of the school.

Unlike many other review systems, schools aren’t ranked or given a performance rating. Instead, the school is given a comprehensive report for consideration.

The report details key findings and recommended improvement strategies to maximise student outcomes. Principals are encouraged to share this information with their staff and school community to help shape the school’s strategic direction.

Parent and community participation

Feedback from parents and the community is an important part of school reviews, with everyone encouraged to have their say. You can find out when your school will be reviewed by checking the schedule on the School Reviews website.

To register your interest in participating in the review, please contact your school office.

More information

For more information about school reviews, please visit the School Reviews website at the link below or contact the SIU on (07) 3035 2217 or at siumb@qed.qld.gov.au.

Assemblies

On our whole of school assemblies we review our progress over the past weeks as well as delivering key messages and this week (6) I will be focusing on attendance and behaviour data from the first half of the Term. As I mentioned in the last newsletter we aim for at least 80% of students to be in the green zone for PBL, I will be reminding students of what this means and encouraging them to be aware of where they sit on the PBL continuum and why.

We will also be discussing the upcoming School Review to ensure the students are aware of the purpose of the team’s visit and that it is ok to chat with the team!

All the best,
Barry Wallett

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL SENIOR SCHOOLING

WELCOME TO WEEK 6

SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS

Assessment is well and truly underway for year 11 and 12 students with a number of exams and assignments being completed or about to be due. Even year 10 students have a couple of exams coming up or assessment about to be handed out. As always, students are welcome to seek assistance outside of class and should make use of:

• Their class teacher via email or organise to meet at lunch or before school.
• Homework Club on Thursday afternoons.
• The Head of Department for their subject.
• Support staff at the school.

Organisation is key for students as they work through their assessments. They should check their assessment calendar and work out a plan for study to ensure they are able to complete work by the due dates.

Also, year 12 students will soon be getting information regarding a fundraiser for their school formal in the form of an Easter raffle. The formal is an exciting event for senior students and the fundraising ensures the costs remain relatively low for students and guests so that it is accessible for all. Students are urged to participate and to help raise money for their formal.

Literacy is Key

At Charleville State High School we are committed to ensuring our students are equipped with the skills they need not just for success at school but for success after they leave school. As such, Literacy is a key priority. This includes students being able to read, write and speak functionally and being able to access information in various forms including spoken, written, and visual.

How can parents support this?

1. Ask students what they are learning about at school and have them show you their notes from one of their lessons that day and talk you through the content.
2. Ask the students about their upcoming assessment (from the assessment calendar – available on the school website) and have them explain what they need to do. If they seem uncertain about it, ask them to go and speak with their teacher.
3. Spend ten minutes reading a magazine or newspaper article together and discuss.
4. Watch the news or a short video together and discuss the main ideas and information.
5. Remind students that literacy is important for all pathways once they leave school.

It is important that students understand that literacy is the key to their success and will open doors to opportunities that they may not otherwise be able to access.

Cassandra Kohli
Deputy Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL JUNIOR SCHOOLING AND STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

WELCOME TO WEEK 6

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS

As we enter the second half of Term 1 we are finding that our students are beginning to enter the assessment stage of the term. A Junior School assessment calendar has been given to all students in years 7 to 9. The Calendar has also been published on the Schools Facebook page and School website. I encourage all parents to access a copy of this calendar and assist their students in planning and organising the extra time they may need to study or complete assignments. The Homework Club is a great opportunity for students to receive extra help from their teachers. The students merely need to ask their teacher the day before if they would help them at Homework Club. If the classroom teacher cannot be available then there is always another staff member only too willing to assist.

Year Seven Camp

The year seven students and staff are preparing for the Year Seven camp to Emu Gully in Week 1 of Term 2. From past camps the children were covered in mud I would have expected quite a lot of washing was required. Camps are a wonderful opportunity for students to form bonds, show leadership qualities and learn how to be resourceful, flexible, creative, mindful and interculturally competent global citizens.

STUDENT SERVICES Team (Junior School) – 2020

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
• Behaviour Support including support plans and flexible arrangements

STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL NEEDS

A reminder to parents/carers to notify the school about your child’s health. Students with ongoing medical needs should have an ACTION PLAN (eg asthma and anaphylaxis) supplied to the school.

SWD STUDENTS

SWD students will have received contact from their 2020 case manager. If you have not received contact, please notify the school. Individualised Learning Plans are currently being updated and Parents who have children placed on an ICP will need to come to the school for a formal interview.

TRADIES’ CLUB

This is another of Katie McLeod’s great initiatives to help engage students of our school in something positive. Once a week after school, students have the opportunity to gain valuable skills that they will have for life.

MOBILE PHONES and SOCIAL MEDIA

We have had a very positive and supportive response from the community regarding the changes to the Charleville SHS mobile phone policy. Year seven, eight and nine students are not allowed to have a phone at school. Years 10 to 12 students are allowed to have a phone in their possession but not use it in school hours. Almost all students have been very responsible and have not used their phones in school hours. Those students who use their phone irresponsibly are required to hand the phone into the office. A parent will be contacted and must make arrangements to collect the phone. There have been the occasional situation where a student needs to use their phone (contact employer etc). They ask permission from a teacher and within sight of the teacher uses the phone. The same situation applies on school events off campus. A Teacher may give permission for a student to use their phone within the teachers’ supervision (eg. music on the bus). Strictly no social media is allowed.

In the past, the inappropriate use of a mobile phones was often reported to the school, however the majority of times the mobile phone is used outside of school hours. Please carefully consider your young persons’ best interest and the amount of time they use digital media. I urge all parents to know what your student has stored on their phone, what they receive and what they send.

Until next time,

Narelle Webb
Deputy Principal

Welcome to New Staff

Our new staff are pictured below. Our new teachers are all enjoying our school and are very much looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible to form positive partnerships that may assist your student in being successful.

L to R: Jesse Razbeau; Laura Bissell; Harry Mulhall; Christine Lee; Justin Hendershott; Sharon Grosskopf; Nicholas Watling

Swimming Carnival

Swimming Carnival Winners

2020 Swimming Carnival

Year 8 Health & Physical Education

This term our year 8 HPE classes have been learning about healthy food choices and how to analyse their diet in order to make future improvements on what they are consuming. The students have been working exceptionally well during these classes and seem to enjoy the real life experience of the topic to help their future choices.

Our practical component this term has been learning the skills and game of Volleyball. This has been very popular amongst our class and the height of the net does not seem to deter any student’s willingness to try. Our ‘Dig’ & ‘Set’ technique and execution is certainly improving with practice and with the use of some modified rules, the student’s movement on the court is also improving.

Good luck to all students who will be completing an assessment task about their individual diet and making recommendations for improvement in the next 2 weeks. Remember you should be working on this at home in order to complete the task to the best of your ability.

Keep up the great work year 8.
Mrs Lindsay

P&C Hoodie Order

The P&C are now taking orders and payment for School Hoodies. The cut-off date is 3 April (last day of Term 1). Cost is $35. Any queries – contact School Admin Office.

THOUGHTS FROM THE GUIDANCE OFFICER

Gratitude – The Great Mood Booster

Gratitude, or appreciation for the good things that happen in life, is an essential part of building happiness. When you’re going through a tough time it can be hard to remember to be grateful for the good stuff, but there are a stack of benefits that can be gained from working gratitude into your everyday life.

Everyone has times when they feel aware of being thankful for a person or a situation. These moments give us a good feeling that we call ‘gratitude.’ Feeling grateful just happens sometimes, but you can also make a special effort to increase how often you feel it.

People who demonstrate high levels of gratitude experience a whole bunch of benefits.

Increasing your gratitude is useful because it’s an instant mood booster and feels great in the moment; you’re likely to enjoy your life more; it’s good for your physical health and it’s easier to cope with tough times.

Experiencing more gratitude is easy and doesn’t take much time. Take a few minutes each day or once a week to think of and write down three things that have happened to you since the previous day or week that you’re glad you experienced. Try taking pictures of the little things in your everyday life that make you smile. Tell someone you’re grateful to have them in your life. Whether it’s someone you look up to, or someone who just makes you happy, take the time to tell them you’re glad they’re around.

You can be grateful for the smallest things, such as the sunshine, your morning coffee, or the fact that you made it to your bus on time.

Women’s Week