16 February 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Note

Welcome to Week 4 of Term 1. It has been truly fantastic to have the students back at school; I am sure that many parents and caregivers feel the same after the extended Christmas break! Overall it has been a very positive return from the vast majority of students with many quietly expressing they were relieved to be back after such a long period.

We definitely put the additional time to good use with finalising planning and preparations along with some innovative approaches to remote learning for our Year 11 & 12 classes however it is even better to now utilise this planning to work with our students face to face.

Students are at the heart of school operations, adding great energy and purpose to our learning community. We are looking forward to utilising this energy as best we can to achieve quality learning outcomes.

Bell times

One significant change for the start of 2022 has been the bell times. After extensive consultation last year, the decision was made to move to a two-breaks per day system in 2022. I am very pleased to report that the students have responded well to this adjustment.

Students are managing their time appropriately during the five minutes after form and almost all are moving to Period 2 independently and on time. As stated last year the intent is to maximise quality learning time in the morning and then provide breaks between Periods 3 and 4 to maintain concentration levels.

Of course, it is still early days and we will continue to monitor this structure to ensure it is serving the needs of our students and staff.

P&C Membership and Meetings

One of the most important and valuable groups in supporting our school is the P&C. We have a dedicated group who work to provide vital aspects such as parental voice, promoting the school and conducting essential support services like the school tuckshop.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday the 2nd of March at the administration block and will incorporate the Annual General Meeting followed by the General Meeting. We would love to see a few more faces at these meetings to ensure a shared workload and provide a variety of viewpoints and feedback about our school.

Student numbers for 2022

We are currently expecting to have approximately 230 full time students to start 2022 which is slightly better than 2021 (225). Most satisfying of all is the number of Year 7’s, currently sitting at 52 students. This is reflective of a strong engagement with Charleville State High School from our key feeder schools, particularly Charleville State School and St Mary’s School.

Well done to the staff for their efforts in supporting the transition to Secondary school; particular mention to Amy Roughan and Narelle Webb as well as Nathan Bailey and Katherine Neucom (Diverse Learners) for their leadership regarding this process.

We are also enjoying sound numbers in our Senior classes, with 60 students currently enrolled in Year 11 and 12 combined. This is important for a number of reasons including enabling the school to offer a broader range of Senior subjects as well as retaining students at school to graduate from Year 12. Some students transition very successfully after year 10 and we certainly support and value this within the overall aim of maximising student retention.

Leadership Update for weeks 5 and 6

In week 5 and 6 of each Term I have been offered the opportunity to be the Acting Principal at Roma State College and after much consideration have decided to accept this position. I am looking forward to seeing how an alternative location works and being able to learn from the experience to continue to grow and develop as a leader. Also hoping to further consolidate our links with other rural schools as we continue to collaborate to provide opportunities for our students.

During this period of time Narelle Webb will be the Acting Principal with Anna Batstone stepping into the role as Acting Deputy Principal for Junior Secondary. I have every confidence that Narelle and Anna will do a fantastic job when undertaking these roles with both having my full support in terms of their capacity and determination to work for the best interests of our school community.

Assistant Regional Director (ARD) Update

We have been advised that Reid Thompson has moved into an acting Principal role in Toowoomba. At this point I am unsure if Reid will be returning to the role as ARD for Charleville SHS and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his tireless support of the school and for myself as Principal, it has been greatly valued and very much appreciated.

The new ARD is Andrew Brandon who has previously worked with Charleville schools in this capacity. I have worked with Andrew in a range of forums and am very confident that his experience and skills will add value in supporting the continuation of our improvement journey.

In closing

I am always inspired by visiting classes and also spending time with the students during breaks. When I see the teaching and learning connection developing and in many cases deepening after years of working with a child I reflect on the strength and value of education, particularly in our context of a close-knit community like Charleville.

As a relatively small high school we are able to genuinely connect with students and offer more individualised instruction in many instances, for example often running much smaller class sizes than you would find in a large metropolitan school.

At the core though is a genuine desire from staff to help students learn and to develop as young people as they move towards post-school life. I thank my staff regularly for their commitment and also take every opportunity to thank parents and caregivers for the critical role they play in education.

All the best,

Barry Wallett

Deputy Principal Senior Schooling Report

Assessment Calendars

Assessment Calendars have been distributed to students and were emailed to parents last week. If students need a new copy or if emails did not come through the calendars can be accessed on the school website:

This is an important planning tool for students as they are already able to see when they will be busy with assessment and can put some plans in place to manage their time. While thought has been put into when assessment will be due to minimise multiple exams occurring on the same day, assessment generally occurs toward the end of term which means students will usually have a number of assessments that are ongoing and due around a similar time.

Some strategies students should be using to prepare:

1. Plan your work ahead. You know when assessment is coming so be sure you are up-to-date and prepared.
2. Set clear priorities. When a student sits down to work on assessment they may have more than one to work on. If they have planned ahead, they should know which one is the most urgent, or which is likely to take the longest to complete, which will help them prioritise which task needs to be done first.
3. Focus on one task at a time. Very few people are genuinely good at multi-tasking as doing several things at once is ineffective and inefficient.
4. Minimise interruptions. Students should aim to work for 20-25 minutes in a block on an assessment to ensure maximum efficiency. During this time they need to ensure they aren’t using their phone or being distracted by emails and social media. When they take a break at the end of the 20 minutes, they might spend 5 minutes catching up on these things, before re-focusing.
5. Stay up-to-date. Assignments and exams review the work students do every day in class. If they keep organised notes, ensure they catch up on work missed, and review their notes each week, they should be well placed to complete the assignment or exam with minimal additional study time.

If students use these strategies, they should be able to minimise feeling overwhelmed at the end of term as multiple due dates start getting closer. However, should students need additional assistance they can:

1. Speak with their class teacher and possibly organise to attend homework club during assessment weeks or do a catch-up session before school or during a lunch break if they feel they need to review work.
2. Speak with their Year Level Coordinator if they are needing some guidance on how to manage their time.
3. Speak with the appropriate Head of Department if they know they are going to be away when an assessment is due. Depending on the reason for the absence they may need to organise to complete the assessment before the due date (if they are absent due to sport or family holiday) or they may need to apply for an extension to complete the assessment on return (if they are away for medical reasons).

School Photos

A reminder that school photos will occur on Thursday the 24th of February. Senior students are required to wear their formal shirts, with black long pants or black skirts. Photo order packs have been sent home and will need to be returned on the day.

Investiture

The year 12 Investiture has been delayed due to current COVID restrictions. The plan is to organise this for later in the term to ensure parents and guests are able to attend. More information will be sent to year 12 parents as soon as details have been confirmed.

Attendance

Thanks to a large number of our senior students who have made an excellent start to the year for their attendance. It is very important that students are at school every day (unless they are unwell). The goal is for students in the senior school to attend 92% of the time, with a minimum expectation that they are at school 85% of the time.

Students who are completing a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship are given an additional line for study to assist in catching up on school work missed on their work days. It is important they are using this time well and it is also recommended that these students are regularly in contact with their teachers to go through class work missed to ensure they are able to keep up with the class work. If students are struggling, they should organise a time to speak with the HOD for the subject and look at getting additional assistance (whether this is at homework club or at another agreed time).

Students who are consistently absent without a suitable reason will struggle to engage in their school work and will struggle to catch up on work missed. This will impact their ability to achieve satisfactory results which may impact their ability to achieve a QCE.

Remember, every day counts and students should be aiming to attend school every day. This includes the end of term as students in senior will begin their next unit of work prior to the holidays. Missing days in the final week of term will impact their results in the following term.

Hopefully students in years 10, 11 and 12 can work toward improved attendance in 2022 and this will support students in improving their level of achievement and engagement at school.

Cassandra Kohli
Deputy Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL JUNIOR SCHOOLING AND STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

WELCOME TO WEEK 4

The first week seemed to have passed at a rapid rate. I am so pleased to see most students working extremely hard in their classes and encouraged by the learning that is occurring every lesson.

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS

An integral part of our school pedagogical framework is that every student is informed of his or her Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. It is the expectation that each student writes the Lesson Objective in their books. As a parent, it is recommended that you ask your student to show you their four Lesson Objectives for each day. It would be a great conversation starter for parents to ensure that their students know what the learning objective is and prevents the often-short response to the question: What did you learn today? Response: Nothing. By discussing the Lesson Objectives each day, it helps the student remember the valuable learning that occurred in their classes.

Our staff are a wonderful group of dedicated professionals. In the past weeks at their faculty meetings, they discussed the data already collected on every student. This included their most recent diagnostic data as well as Academic data. This data is useful to plan units, lessons and support for each student. It is a method of Putting Faces to the Data and valuing each student as an individual.

IMMUNISATION CLINICS

• Immunisation Clinics for Years 7 and 10. This term, immunisation clinics will be held for every eligible year seven student and some of the year ten students. Those who miss out will have the opportunity for a catch up early in term 2. I would like to thank the team from Queensland Health who carry out this important service to ensure all of our students are well protected.

• Another immunisation will take place in May. It is called Tackle Flu. Tackle Flu gives every indigenous student over the age of 15 the opportunity to be immunised against influenza. As in the past few years this service has also been extended to all year students over the age of 15. I urge all families to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

HEALTHY DRINK OPTIONS

Students are encouraged to bring water bottles into the classroom. It is essential that they keep hydrated throughout the day, especially in the hot summers of Charleville. It has been brought to our attention that a number of students are arriving at school drinking energy drinks. It has been noted that drinking energy drinks prior to the school day beginning is not always a positive choice.

STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL NEEDS

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

If you receive a referral form from the school with regard to your child’s medical needs please return them as soon as possible. If your child requires an ACTION PLAN for a medical diagnosis please supply the school with an up to date plan as discussed with your doctor.

MOBILE PHONES

We have had a very positive and supportive response from the community regarding the Charleville State High School 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. This includes listening to music both in the classroom and during breaks. 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 has 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 teacher’s supervision (eg music on the bus during a school trip). Strictly no social media is allowed.

In past years and already this year, the inappropriate use of a mobile phones has been 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. As the students are not allowed to sign contracts until they are 18 years of age it is the parents’ responsibility to monitor all digital use.

There are methods to monitor your child’s mobile phone use. There are apps in which a parent can responsibly control the times in which the phones can be used. Our Pact is one example of the numerous apps available. If you are aware of other such apps that will help support the students to safely use social media and mobile phones, I would be more than happy to share the information with others.

Until next time,

Narelle Webb
Deputy Principal

Year 7 Camp: Fairbairn Dam Outdoor Education Centre

This year, our year 7s camp will be at Fairbairn Dam Outdoor Education Centre, near Emerald. The students will depart on Monday the 28th March, and return on Friday the 1st of April. This week-long camp will see our students engaged in team building activities designed to foster friendships, trust and resilience in an effort to help them face life’s challenges, especially those of high school. Our hope is that every year 7 will be able to attend, and in an effort to make that possible the camp organisers have managed to secure finding to cover the high travel expenses; however, if you have any concerns please call the school to discuss them with us, we will try and help anyway we can. Letters about the camp and its cost have been sent home, packing lists will be sent home once numbers have been confirmed.

Medications at school

In 2022 the Consent Forms for administering medications at school have changed.

If your student requires the school to administer any medication during school hours you need to contact the office on 4656 8888 to complete these forms.

Only medications authorised by a Health Practitioner (Doctor, Dentist, Optometrist or Nurse Practitioner), in its original container, dosage required and has the student’s & Doctor’s names on the pharmacy label and is current can be administered.

If your student Self Administers medication (such as Ventolin, EpiPen), you will also need to complete a form giving your permission for them to do so.

Covid-safe arrangements

From Monday 7 February, key features of the plan and implications for Charleville SHS include:

• The suspension of school camps, excursions, assemblies, and large gatherings. We are currently still planning for the Year 7 camp to go ahead, this may of course change and as soon as we have further updates will advise parents.
• School representative sport will continue as usual. The school swimming carnival is considered to be an excursion so will be cancelled for Term 1. We are seeking confirmation that we can nominate swimmers for the Regional team based on club times.
• The Student Leader Investiture ceremony will be postponed to later in Term 1. Currently aiming for week 8 and this will depend on updates provided regarding operating conditions
• limiting visitors on site, with exceptions for parents and carers of students experiencing vulnerability
• mask wearing for all high school students and all staff
• rapid antigen tests (RATs) available in school for students and staff who develop symptoms while on site
• priority access to RATs for students and staff at Queensland Health testing clinics
• a range of ventilation measures including air purifiers as required

You can access the Back to School plan and FAQs on the Department of Education COVID-19 website with the links below:

Essential to the success of these measures is that if your child is unwell or displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, they must not attend school. I cannot emphasise this message strongly enough – it is critical to keeping our school community safe.

Rapid antigen tests (RATs)

Our school has received a supply of RATs which will be provided to any staff or students who, while attending school, develop COVID-19 symptoms. Please note if your child has COVID-19 symptoms while at home they must not attend school.

Your child, if they have COVID-19 symptoms, can visit your local Queensland health testing clinic and will be given priority access to a free RAT.

Limiting access for visitors

At our school, limitations on parent and visitor access are now in place. Please minimise entry to the school as much as possible. There may be times e.g. uniforms, payments when you do need to attend and the aim is to minimise this as much as reasonably possible.

Excursions and camps

Excursions scheduled between now and 4th of March are cancelled, including the school swimming carnival. Leadership investiture will be postponed to later in Term 1, further details will be provided once operating conditions for Queensland schools are updated.

I encourage you to stay informed of the latest developments relating to COVID-19 by regularly visiting the Queensland Government website.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to work together during this challenging time.