Principal`s Report - Sunnybank State High School

Boorman Street
Sunnybank Qld 4109
Website: http://sunnybanshs.eq.edu.au
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 3323 8111
Fax: 07 3323 8100
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23 October 2015
Principal’s Report
Awards Evening: A Celebration of Learning and
Achievement
This Wednesday, we were afforded the opportunity as a school
community to celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding
outcomes and achievements of many. Most importantly,
together, we had the honour of recognising the
accomplishments of our students and their engagement in the
excellent educational and extra-curricular programs offered in
our school.
Our school vision of Many ways to excellence means that we
encourage and provide opportunities for all students to shine
and excel, whether that be through their academia, sporting,
cultural or artistic pursuits. We know that finding our own
unique pathway to excellence begins with a single step and
that our commitment, perseverance, resilience and attitude lay
strong foundations for success. Our school-wide expectations
of respect, responsibility and readiness provide a common
platform for all students to engage in learning and thrive in
school life.
As our students have embarked upon their learning pathway
to excellence, they have set goals for each semester – ones
that are specific, measurable, achievable and timely. Students
have reviewed their progress and results, acknowledged their
achievements and set their sights on areas for improvement.
This has afforded each student the opportunity to work with a
staff member in setting goals and not only creating a vision for
success, but also committing goals to action to transform the
vision to reality.
It has been said that our goals are the road maps that guide us
and show us what’s possible in our life. As a school, we too set
goals for the year. Our key priorities have been focussed on:
• Exceeded our schoolwide targets in NAPLAN for
both year 7 and year 9 students for Literacy and
Numeracy
• Improved and exceeded our school-wide academic
achievement rate
• Improved our school attendance rate significantly and
consistently beat the State average
Our hard efforts of both staff and students have raised our
profile across the community and state. This year, we’ve
celebrated:
• Teachers nominated for Australian Excellence in
Teaching Awards
• A visit from the Minister of Education to acknowledge
our SunnyStarters program and Abecedarian
Approach
• A visit from International Education delegates
allowing us to showcase State Education
• Live broadcasts from Channel 10 News showcasing
our programs
• Metropolitan Trainee of the Year nomination
As members of the Sunnybank State High School community,
we work together in enriching the learning journey of our
students. I thank the parents and caregivers for investing your
time in your children’s education. I would like to thank our
teaching and non-teaching staff for your significant contribution
to our students and I also extend thanks to the executive of our
P&C for your ongoing work with us and support of the school.
SUNNYBANK STATE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL
AWARDS – 2015
ADF Long Tan Leadership
and Teamwork Awards
Year 12 – Shania Little
• Literacy
ATSI Student of the Year
Ethan-Wade Knight
• Numeracy
Bendigo Community Bank
– Community Award
Chammie Kamara
Caltex-All Rounder
Yohana Kidia
• Attendance
• Quality Teaching and Learning Opportunities
As a school, we have a lot to be proud of, most notably we
have:
Year 10 – Shukri Ahmed
Abdullahi
Caleb Shang Memorial
Bursary
Meleika Gesa-Fatafehi, Zuberi
Salim
Chinese Bursary
Year 7 – Angel Thomas,
Douglas Taylor, Zeeshan
Ahmed Shani
Year 8 – Jacqueline
Matauaina
Year 9 – Tamera Tanoa
Commitment to Studies,
Leadership and Service to
the School
Atrika Kalia
Daunt Hannifey Memorial
Bursary
Tayla Reid, Gulistan Alizada
Griffith University REACH
Awards
Cheng An Chen, Kamara
Cora, Owen Kose, Ethan
Reedman
Moreton English Medal –
Graham Perrett
Breearnah Rautio
P&C Bursary
Massa Kanneh
P&C Junior Bursary - Year
7
Tian Ge Lim, Rosalyn Vaka
P&C Junior Bursary - Year
8
Naila Abro, Thomas Ball
P&C Junior Bursary - Year
9
Devontay Lavea, Maram
Muhmed
Shirley Huang Memorial
Bursary
Emily Meline, Ngan Pho,
Ahmad Sultani, Agie Teteiara,
Noi Wannasri
University of Southern
Queensland Excellence
Award
Year 12 – Asma Rezai
University of Queensland
Prize
Zuberi Salim
World Arts and Multiculture
Award
Abdul Salman, Damon
Jackson
Year 10 – Cindy Bui,
Sidnelizabeth Thomas
School Captains for 2016
Congratulations to the School Captains for 2016 who were
announced at Awards Night this week. They are Zuberi Salim
and Zixin Zhong. Other senior student leaders will be
announced at assembly on Monday.
Future Fidel, Sunnybank SHS Ambassador and
Keynote Speaker
One Sunnybank State High School graduate who had a vision
for themselves and turned that into a reality was our guest
speaker at our Awards Evening, Future Fidel.
Future came to Brisbane on 5 August 2005 as a refugee. Since
then, his family call Brisbane home after fleeing their homeland
Congo. Future was enrolled at Sunnybank State High School
from year 10 after completing two months of Special English
classes at Milperra.
We often tell our students that they do not need to hold a title
to be ambassadors of our school. Future is a fine example of
that. Whilst he didn’t hold an official title of School Captain,
he always demonstrated leadership and integrity in his actions
and behaviours. In 2008, he and his friends took our school
to dance competitions around Brisbane - including Bring It On.
After graduating in 2008, Future completed his Engineering
Degree at Griffith University. He continues leading and inspiring
people from his community and across communities by his
work and passion. An example of this has been his work
leading his community by involving youth in dance, songs and
cultural films.
In 2012, Future alongside five other artists from a refugee
background, were the first Africans to write their original work
that was produced at Brisbane Power House, the Empire
Theatre in Toowoomba and the Billie Brown Studio at
Queensland Theatre Company. This year, Future’s debut play,
Prize Fighter, was featured in the Brisbane festival as a
co-production with La Boite Theatre Company. ABC National
described this play as “a perfectly structured and best
produced show”. It was a wonderful opportunity to invite Future
back to our school to share his journey with us at Awards
Evening.
Sunnybank Shines: QTU and International
Delegate Visit
On Monday, our school was selected to host a morning tea for
nine International Delegates from Shanghai. We were honoured
to have this opportunity as we were the only State school in
Queensland elected to showcase our school and share our
experiences in Education. We had up to 50 teaching and
non-teaching staff in attendance and were joined by our QTU
Brisbane South Regional Organiser, Brendan Crotty, and QTU
South Queensland Regional Organiser, Zeb Sugden.
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Every day counts at our school
Orientation Day
Our school encourages all parents and members of our
community to support the State Government initiative to
improve student attendance.
Attendance matters:
• all children should be enrolled and attend school on
every school day
• schools monitor student attendance
• attendance is the responsibility of everyone in the
community
• children may find themselves in unsafe situations if
they choose not to attend or skip school
• success starts with attendance.
While most students attend school consistently, there is a small
number of students who are absent from school without an
acceptable reason and this may harm their education. Going
shopping, visiting family, staying up late and being tired or
extending school holidays are not acceptable reasons to be
away from school. Research shows that if your child has a
record of good attendance, they are more likely to achieve high
results in the future. If your child is away, you need to let the
school know the reasons beforehand, or within two days of
returning to school.
For more information, phone the school on 3323 8111, or to
report an absence, please phone the new absence number –
0427 217 544.
P&C Meeting
Our next P&C Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 27 October at
6:00 pm in the Library annex. We welcome all families to attend.
Tracey Cook, Principal
Home Economics News
Congratulations to year 12 Hospitality and Health students who
assisted with the preparation and service of afternoon tea for
the Minister for Education, Honourable Kate Jones, and 70
invited guests. The students represented the department with
fine service, quality produce and excellent personal
presentation.
Community
Enrolment Interviews
Enrolment interviews continue this term and next for 2016.
Please contact the main office to arrange an interview as soon
as possible if enrolment is relevant to your family. If you know
family or friends who are intending to enrol at Sunnybank SHS
please encourage them to contact us for an interview booking
time.
School Working Bee
Our school, in association with Iseecare, is holding a school
working bee on Saturday 24 October, from 8.30 am to 1.00
pm. We would be honoured if people across our school
community would like to volunteer their time and energy to this
cause. You can join us for an hour or two or for the entire
session. Food will be provided. During this time, we will be
painting and working across the grounds. We thank you in
advance for any time you can contribute to this cause and we
look forward to seeing you on 24 October.
Year 7 AAT students are busying themselves with design and
organisation of pizza creations from various countries around
the world. Students are sampling non-traditional pizza sauces
and toppings, to celebrate the diversity of food and celebration
of our multicultural celebrations. Among our favourite pizzas:
Thai satay chicken - Yum!
Year 11 Health students continue to wow us with their cooking
and beautiful presentation and service of meals during their
practical component of study. Students are progressing well
with written components of the subject and have adjusted
well to the concept of adult, self-paced education. This class
presents themselves in perfect hygienic equipment in each
practical lesson.
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Year 11 Hospitality is close to completion of their current
competency in the use of the Espresso machine. Staff have
delighted in being their guinea pigs and receiving coffee each
week. There have been some stunning future baristas made!
Mathematics
Ms Erin Garbutt, Home Economics Teacher
Thursday 30 July saw 33 students from across all year levels
compete in the Australian Mathematics Competition for the
Westpac Awards. The AMC has run every year since 1978 and
is now a significant international event. Students of all standards
can progress and find a point of challenge in this competition.
Next year we would like more students enter the competition.
Science News
Interested students were given the opportunity to sit for the
Australian National Chemistry Quiz and again this year we have
some outstanding results. This is a National competition where
students from all schools across Australia compete in a multiple
choice chemistry exam. All students who undertook the exam
will get a participation certificate. Six students received special
recognition for their achievement.
The following students received distinction:
Year 11: Jing An
Year 10: Cindy Bui
The following students received credit:
Year 12: Lachlan Modina, Ahmad Sultani, Ethan-Wade
Knight
Year 11: Ke Tang
Congratulations to these students for an outstanding effort.
The Australian Mathematics Competition for the
Westpac Awards
Sunnybank students have performed very well and we are all
very proud of their results with 76% attaining a proficiency level
or better.
High Distinction Award Winner:
Year 12: Jiaming Yang (99th percentile)
Distinction Award Winners:
Year 12: Sherly Choi, Krizteen Li
Year 11: Ke Tang, Zih-Ying Yang
Year 10: Daniel Choi, Joshua Hockey
Year 7: Vivian Lee
Credit Award Winners:
Year 12: Lachlan Modina
Year 11: Cristina Hu, Huynh Mai, Helen An
Year 10: Rongji Li, Sandra Varghese, Jidong Li
Year 9: Linh Le
Year 8: Joycelene Mahanga, Naila Abro
Year 7: Tommy Symonds
Proficiency Awards:
Year 11: Anh Tran, Jinfang Shan
Year 10: Naina Gitau, Jin Shang, Cindy Bui
Year 9: Dallas McKay
Maths Tutoring continues
The Mathematics department offers tutoring in all levels of
Maths on Monday, Tuesday, Friday 1st break and Thursday
2nd break in room 706 (Maths block downstairs). All students
are welcome to come along and get help from an experienced
mathematician. Please encourage your students to attend
these extra sessions if they require some extra practice in
mathematics or clarification for assignment work.
Ms Kerry Schloss, HOD Mathematics
Please be mindful that the Science text book will need to be
returned at the end of the year. This can be done immediately
after the exam in year 8, 9 and 10 and when indicated by the
teacher in year 7. It is very important texts are returned at the
end of the year so they are available to be issued to students at
the start of 2016.
Ms Deirdre Aldridge, HOD Science
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Humanities Department
Global Integrity Summit
Recently the year 12 Geography, Modern History and the year
11 Legal Studies students attended the Global Integrity Summit
which was held at the Queensland Conservatorium. The Global
Integrity Summit provided an invaluable opportunity for high
school and university students to hear international regulators,
professionals, academics and members of faith-based
organisations, who work in the areas of ethics and integrity,
anti-corruption, finance, law and governance, and to ponder
the challenges faced building a sustainable and inclusive future.
The opening address was delivered by Gillian Triggs who is
the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
This session was followed by an address by Michael Leunig,
Australian cartoonist, writer, painter, philosopher and poet. The
topic of Michael’s address was A cartoonist’s moral, civic and
spiritual duty to speak. The third address was delivered by
Bruce Schneier, an internationally renowned security
technologist, called a “security guru” by The Economist. The
title of Bruce’s address was Data and Goliath: the hidden
battles to capture your data and control your world. These
thought provoking addresses were followed by intensive round
table discussions where questions and comments from the
audience were encouraged and channelled through the chair,
journalist, author and commentator, Ms Madonna King, to
panellists of the Global Integrity Summit.
Advance Notice of Important Dates
December 11
Yr 7, 8 & 9 Final Day
The students commented on how much they learned from the
Summit and I would like to thank Griffith University for their kind
invitation to attend, it was very much enjoyed and appreciated.
Ms Gemma Finney, Acting HOD Humanities
The Premier’s Anzac Prize 2016
Submissions for The Premier’s Anzac Prize 2016 are now open
and will close on 5.00 pm on Friday 30 October 2015. Eight
eligible Queensland high school students in years 8-11 (in 2015)
and two teacher chaperones will be selected to participate in
a study tour of Gallipoli and the Western Front, where they
will attend commemorative services and experience the Anzac
spirit first-hand. Sunnybank State High School students and
teachers are encouraged to enter. For further information visit
www.education.qld.gov.au/anzac-prize/
Important Dates
Advance Notice of Important Dates
October 24
School Working Bee 8.30 am to 1.00
pm
October 27
P&C Meeting 6.00 pm Library
October 30
Yr 9 Geography Exc – Environmental
Centre
November 5
Yr 10 History Exc – MacArthur Museum
November 10 –
18
Yr 12 Exam Block
November 18
Yr 12 Formal
November 19 –
27
Yr 10 & 11 Exams
November 20
Yr 12 Graduation
November 27
Yr 10 & 11 Final Day
December 1
Year 6 Orientation Day
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