24 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Note Term 2 Week 10

Term 2 is drawing to a close this week and it has certainly been one of the most “interesting” periods of my career! I am sure for most parents and caregivers this has also been an extraordinary time and it has been so satisfying that during this period we have worked together to continue to support our students in accessing quality education. To the whole school community I say a heartfelt thanks for the outstanding efforts that were and continue to be made to ensure the children have so many great opportunities.

Principal’s position for Charleville SHS

The process to select the permanent Principal for Charleville SHS has now been completed and I am very pleased to be able to confirm that I have been fortunate enough to be the successful candidate. My wife and I have felt very welcome as we found our feet in a new environment and this absolutely applies to the school community as well. Both of us are looking forward to properly settling in now we have certainty about my position and continuing to get to know everyone.

I feel very honoured to have been given the responsibility of leading the school and absolutely commit to ensuring we do everything we can to support student learning outcomes. A key commitment I made early in Term 1 has been to strive for clarity, consistency and communication and this is very much a key driver for me as I continue to work with this great community.

School Opinion Survey for 2020

Recently it was advised that the School Opinion Survey for 2020 would be adjusted to reflect the impact of Covid-19 on school operations. As a result it is a far shorter survey and also includes some questions about Covid-19 and the learning at home experience.

Can I please encourage all parents and caregivers to consider completing this survey as it is such an important way for us to hear from you and is absolutely a key source of feedback for us as we plan each year for our Explicit Improvement Agenda.

The link below :

and if you have any issues with accessing the survey please copy this and paste directly into your web browser. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes and is designed so it can be easily completed on smartphones.

Every Day Counts

Currently we are seeing attendance levels for the year of approximately 86.5% across years 7 – 12, a very pleasing effort so far particularly in light of the significant disruptions this Term. The regional target for 2020 is to reach a school wide attendance rate of 89% or better and we are very keen to meet this goal, primarily because increased attendance correlates with improved academic performance and wellbeing.

Students in Years 7, 11 and 12 typically have better attendance than those in years 8, 9 and 10 and we are working hard to encourage all students to attend through the provision of engaging learning activities and a supportive learning environment. Your assistance in this is critically important, encouraging children to value education and be organised for their learning makes a big difference in so many ways.

In closing

It has been a challenging and yet rewarding 2020 so far and I am very proud of the work that has been done by staff, students and of course parents and caregivers. I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Winter vacation and look forward to seeing the students back at school on the 13th of July for Term 3.

All the best,

Barry Wallett

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL JUNIOR SCHOOLING AND STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

WELCOME TO WEEK 10

It is amazing how quickly term 2 has passed. Your junior student would no doubt be looking forward to the two week break.

Junior School

Reporting

Reports cards will be emailed in Term 3 Week 1 with Parent teacher interviews in week 3.

How can you help your student use the Semester One report to improve their learning?

As a parent:

• Carefully read the report and pay initial attention to the Behaviour and Effort grade before focusing on the academic.
• Praise the positive aspects of the report. If your student is getting A’s and B’s in Behaviour and Effort this indicates that they are working to the best of their ability.
• If the student has a disappointing report and tries to blame others for their poor result, try to focus on what the student can do to improve in the future.
• Consider: Homework Club, Speaking to the teacher or the Head of Department.
• Work collaboratively with your student and the school to focus on improvement. Learning is a team effort: Student / Parents / Teachers / School.
• Attend the parent / teacher interviews. You will gain valuable information on your child as a learner.
• Contact the school if you have any concerns

Timetable

Your student will receive a new timetable at the beginning of term 3. There will be a number of significant changes to the timetable for students in years 7 to 10. Year Seven and Eight students will have a new timetable structure to accommodate the new set electives. Year Seven students will be having one term of Art and one term of Sport in Semester two. Year Eight students will be having one term of ITD and one term of The Arts (which will be focused on Media Arts). All students will be handed a copy of their new timetable on Friday 26th June. The timetable will also be emailed to each student over the break.

Reading Program

In term three we will continue delivering the LLI program at the school. We are focusing on students significantly under the Regional reading benchmark. It is essential that if your child is part of this program that they fulfil all the criteria of the program - otherwise their progress will not be reflective of what could be achieved. The criteria include 100% attendance (except for extenuating circumstances) and the completion of the set homework. If you have any concerns or questions regarding the program please don’t hesitate to contact Ms Sue McDermott at the school.

The third level of intervention is another commercial program known as MultiLit (Making Up for Lost Time in Literacy). If your child is part of LLI and / or MultiLit you will be notified. The Semester two timetable has now been structured in a manner that students participating in these valuable reading programs will no longer miss any curriculum time.

Mobile Phones at Charleville SHS

A large number of students have mobile phones at school. Remember, that students in years 7, 8 and 9 are not allowed to have a phone at school. As a responsible parent / carer you should be checking the phone for what is being received and what is being sent via their phone. Should your child receive inappropriate material via their phone, it should be reported to the police immediately.

Outside of School Hours on School Grounds

Unless supervised, children including students of Charleville State High School are not allowed on the school grounds outside of school hours. Dedicated staff are often at school outside of school hours and are concerned that these children are not adequately supervised. Staff are rostered on Bus Duty until 3:15 pm every afternoon. If you are unable to collect your child please make other arrangements for their supervision.

Bullying

Bullying in any form is not tolerated at school. However, it can be difficult to monitor as at times it is not reported until the “victim” has retaliated. Please urge your student to talk to a teacher, Year Level Coordinator or Head of Department should they feel they are being bullied in any form. I would also like to remind our school community that students are available to make anonymous reports via the stymie website to report any such issues.

Uniforms

There has been a marked improvement in the standard of uniform in the past week. Thank you to all families who send their students in correct uniform. To ensure that all students can access the correct uniform and keep warm, the P&C have reduced the cost of the school jersey from $45 to $35. School jackets have been reduced to below cost at $15. There are some school hoodies now available at the uniform shop. The uniform shop is open every Tuesday before school.

Until next time, have a very safe and well deserved break.

Narelle Webb
Deputy Principal
Junior Schooling / Student Services

Home Economics

After having a late start to our practical cooking at school this term, our junior Home Economics students have done an amazing job with their assessment! Our Year 8s focused on smoothies while our Year 9s were required to plan a sweet, savoury and a beverage suitable for a picnic that could be made in a 70 minute lesson. Our students have gone above and beyond with their creations! A big thank you for supporting your students through this term, particularly the first five weeks. All of the hard work has paid off as you can see in these pictures. I am so proud of the resilience and determination that has been shown this term.

Hi Performing Arts Fans!

It is with much excitement that we announce the release of this year's Performing Arts Festival Schedule. Given the unique circumstances of the year that is 2020, our Festival this year will also be unique - please read through the Schedule for all the details. We are sure you can find an Item or two to enter and indulge your creativity!

Solo, Duet and Group/Ensemble Nomination Forms are available from school office - note that these have changed from previous years, so please read them carefully. Nominations and fees are due in by 31st July.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us via return email, our Facebook page or Website if you have any questions regarding this year's Festival.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards,
The Charleville Performing Arts Committee
Email: charlevilleperformingarts@gmail.com

School Sport

Our inter-school and representative competitions for both indoor and outdoor sports are kicking off again in Term 3, in line with the Queensland Government’s Stage 3 easing of restrictions from 10 July 2020.

Some district and regional school sport events will also commence in Term 3. Our sports staff and coaches will provide further details for each sport as soon as possible.

CWAATSICH Homework Club

Homework Club at Deadly Choices Complex starting Wednesday 15 July from 4.00 to 5.00pm. Afternoon Tea/Snacks will be provided. Transport available, please book with team.

Contact: Robert – 0448 860 420 or Gregory – 0427 131 011