3 August 2022

Newsletter Articles

Week four starts to bring us to the middle of the term already with some subjects starting assessment tasks. To maximise success, I encourage all students to attend school regularly unless sick. It is important that students arrive to class on time, with all of their learning materials and ensure they stay in the classroom until the end of the lesson.

I have enjoyed visiting classrooms over the past few weeks. Last week I was privileged to be in classrooms and talk with students about what they were learning. It was quite evident the broad range of curriculum opportunities that students have to participate in here at Charleville SHS. Our senior Hospitality students were starting their assessment task in which they were looking at recreating fast food options; the senior Biology class were in final stages of their assessment looking at a range of topics around genetics; a number of our junior classes were using algebra to formulate equations from graphs in Maths and in Humanities looking at ways to improve things in Charleville. One Science class was in the process of building their powered vehicles and a HPE class was looking at the cultural impacts on sport. It was very pleasing that the majority of students could confidently talk about their assessment and what they were learning.

It has also been fantastic to see the number of students participating in the athletic carnival pre-events last week and this week. I’m very much looking forward to the Athletics carnival on Friday this week. It has also been encouraging to see the number of students supporting from the sidelines when not competing themselves.

Parent teacher interviews have been rescheduled to tonight, starting at 3.30. I look forward to the opportunity to meet as many parents as I can.

Last Wednesday I attended my first P&C meeting since joining Charleville State High School. I was impressed by the number of parents and staff in attendance and look forward to working as part of this important group of people to help support the school moving forward. I would also like to encourage any new people to attend the meetings. The next P&C meeting will be on Wednesday August 10, commencing at 5.00pm at the school administration.

You would have received an email in regard to the school opinion survey. The school opinion survey provides you with an opportunity to have your say on a number of aspects of the school. I would encourage as many of you as possible to complete this before the closing date of Friday August 12.

On Monday we had a guest speaker Michael Jeh speak with our students from years 7 to 12 on a range of issues facing young people today. Michael addresses a range of topics when speaking with young people that include risk taking behaviour, vaping, bullying, bystander behaviour and racism. Guest speakers like Michael provide an opportunity to continue conversations with students around these important topics, both at school and at home.

In closing I would encourage everyone in the school community to promote regular attendance at school. Whilst I acknowledge that winter brings with it a number of health concerns it is important that student attend when they are feeling healthy and well.

I would like to wish all students the best with their upcoming assessments and am sure the hard work put in during the start of the term will pay off.

Dan

Senior Deputy News

Senior students with study period permission to leave (first and last periods of the day):

As a condition of the permissions obtained at the beginning of the year in relation to senior students undertaking study periods during period 1 and 4, students must be keeping on top of their studies and classes. If student results begin to decline, it will be requested that your student may be required to remain at school during these study periods to ensure they use their study periods wisely. Over the next fortnight, I will be meeting with students who may be at risk of currently not passing some of their subjects to devise a study plan (in communication with parents/carers) to support their completion of senior studies for the remainder of the year.

Year 12 - Is your child on track to attain their QCE?

As we continue to push closer to the end of year, it is important that students remain focused, particularly year 12 students. For our year 12 students and families, it is essential that you’re continuing to track and monitor all compulsory requirements needed to attain a QCE for example, a minimum of 20 QCE points obtained from passing units of work in years 11 and 12, 12 QCE points made up of core subjects from year 11 and 12 and passing at least a unit of a Maths and English subject to attain the literacy and numeracy requirement. To track and monitor your students current progress, students can log into their MyQCE account via the link below.

Alternatively, year 12 parents/carers, if you would like to meet to discuss your students current progress leading into their final units of student, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with me either during parent teacher interviews or by emailing me at sxand9@eq.edu.au or phoning the school to make an appointment.

Athletics Carnival

With the athletics carnival coming up on Friday, it is a good time to update on the progress of our students in the events that have so far been run in the lead-up to the day.

The pre-events started out with the 1500m events held on the Friday of week 2. There were some great races in the different age groups, with 12 seconds covering the whole field in the 13 years girls age group. With these competitive races, Charleville will have the option of sending four students to the regional trials for the 1500m. One special mention must go to Jordyn Thureson, who managed to break the 12 years girls record. Great to see her continuing on after competing in the recent State Cross Country Championships.

To lower the risk of possible injury with everyone moving around on carnival day, the javelin events were held during the lunch breaks last week. With no events for the students born in 2010 at regional and state level, javelin was only offered to the 13 – 19 students. In some, at times, cold winds, quite a few students gave up their lunch break to try to throw the javelin as far as they could. Some succeeded a little better than others; but all enjoyed themselves. There were even some students that came to support their friends. The biggest cheers seemed to ring out when Lincoln Wilson stepped up to throw. Maybe the bigger cheers should have been for his brother Tyler, who threw a qualifying distance in the 15 years boys’ event. We then finished last week with the 800m events. These events got off to a delayed start due to one old HPE teacher trying to match another by breaking his arm. That makes three broken arms for staff this year.

With a great line-up of students, a few more than had nominated, all were placed under starters orders. Students were informed that they would all be running together. This was to give the students the opportunity to experience what it will feel like if they progress further and have to contend with jostling and pushing in the longer races. Those competing just for a point for their house were instructed to start at the back of the pack. And then they were off!

After two and a bit laps with the younger ones trying to beat the older students, and girls trying to beat the boys, the races were over. By the end, we had some great times with 7 students making qualifying times for Chinchilla. Special mention must go to Jordyn and Parker Palmer, who both bettered their respective 12-year-old records.

Last week was a big week for students and staff, both giving up their lunch breaks to participate in, or officiate in the numerous events; and it continues again this week. On Tuesday, we will have the 400m events, with the girls on at first break, followed by the boys at second break. We then have the 17-19 high jump events on the Thursday as the lead in to Friday’s carnival. This event is held early to allow the seniors time to prepare the bbq on Friday.

Friday sees the running of the annual school carnival, with students from Quilpie, SDE, and Tambo competing for age champion medals and the chance to represent Charleville District at the regional trials, which this year will be held in Chinchilla on 31 August and 1 September. Miss Harding and Mr Lines will be going to support our students at that carnival. We hope to see as many students and parents there as possible on Friday. The more people attending makes for a greater day. Remember that the theme is celebrities, so come and watch The Rock at shot put, or Cat Woman at long jump. We will also be honouring a former student whose record this year comes up to 50 years. Kathleen Schulz will be travelling back from the Sunshine Coast to accept her award for the 15 years girls 400m.

Updates from the carnival will be in the next newsletter.

Program:

Engineers Without Borders

On Friday the 15th of July, Charleville State High School was fortunate to host workshops run by the Engineers Without Boarders. EWB Australia is a member-based non-profit organisation that creates systemic change through humanitarian engineering in third world countries to address the lack of basic human need such as clean water, sanitation and hygiene and basic infrastructure.

The School Outreach program introduces students to the challenges faced by engineers who work in the developing world through hands on workshops that focus on:

• What do engineers do?
• What problems developing communities face?
• How do engineers solve these problems?
• What is appropriate technology?

Our Year 10 students engaged with the Prosthetic Leg workshop which promotes the medical side of engineering, and provides students with the opportunity to think innovatively. The presentation introduced students to global healthcare issues and differences around the world. Appropriate medical technologies, such as prosthetics were discussed, as well as alternative everyday materials which may also be used to build a prosthetic in disadvantaged countries.

In small teams, students worked together to construct a prosthetic leg mechanism. It required students to undergo a process of material selection while assessing the use of resources and effectiveness of the design.

The Year 9 students focussed on sustainable bridge building. The workshop began with an introduction to sustainability and humanitarian design. Students were introduced to the basic ideas behind material properties, bridge construction and styles.

In groups students followed the engineering design process to create a model bridge. This involved planning and producing a creative solution to a difficult problem. There were a range of resources available to construct the bridge with each tested on strength and the use of materials.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the sessions, and we are very grateful for the time that and effort that went into delivering this experience for our students.

Yr10 Work Experience

Our Year 10’s in work experience in the last week of Term 2.

Yr10 Work Experience