newsletter-2015-05-01 - Charters Towers State High School

41stSeptember
May 20152012
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT . . .
Welcome to Term 2.
School ANZAC Centenary Ceremony: Last Friday we honoured the former students and teachers identified on our
WWI Honour Board at our ANZAC Commemoration. Features of the ceremony included:
 Crosses in a field of poppies in our commemorative garden;
 Planting of a “Lone Pine” by Cadet Corporal Liam Geary and Lance Corporal Michael Lobley, from A Battalion
2nd Cavalry Regiment, Lavarack Barracks;
 Unveiling a memorial plaque from RSL Qld by Mr Robbie Robinson;
 Students wearing Veterans’ plaques for those on the Honour Board—an initiative called RSL Community Links;
 A moving speech by Lt Reginald Buller about ANZAC Day;
 Two ASLAV armoured vehicles which students were able to engage with interactively.
It was particularly special to have the general community attend as there were many past students present to enjoy the
ceremony.
Town Ceremonies: Staff and students are to be commended on their dedication to honouring and remembering those
who served by attending both the Dawn Service and Town March.
It was an honour for our Marching Band, under the tutelage of music director, Haddon Mossley, to lead the parade. Well
done Team Towers!
Parent-Teacher Evening: This week’s parent-teacher evening afforded parents the opportunity to receive valuable
feedback on the academic progress and outcomes of Term 1 learning. These opportunities are invaluable in that they
afford parents 1:1 access with their child’s teachers.
Deputy Principal Senior School: I am currently in the process of preparing to interview successful applicants for this
permanent position to be appointed in Term 3. Currently, Shirley Holcombe is acting in this position.
Congratulations: Scott Parker has been invited to host a team of debating students from State High at the prestigious
Australian Individual Public Speaking and Debating Championships in Melbourne. State High will be the only
Queensland school representing the state. This is a huge
coup for State High and the Charters Towers community.
DATE CLAIMERS . . .
Reminders:
1.
Students are aware that participation in any extracurricula activities including, but not limited to,
excursions and sport, requires 95% attendance and no
more than two major behaviours recorded. These
conditions also apply to point 2 below.
2.
State High is hosting the Senior Formal this year and
students are busy planning. Parents are reminded that
all fees will need to be finalised before a student will be
eligible to purchase a ticket, in accordance with EQ
Departmental Policy.
Looking forward to a productive term.
Yours in Education, Moya A Mohr ,Principal
Debating Round 1
Tuesday 5th May at CTSHS
Interschool Cross Country (CTSHS Host)
Monday 11th May at the Airport. 8am to 12 noon.
P&C Meeting
Tuesday 12th May, 6.30 pm in the office block
NAPLAN
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12, 13 and 14 May
Next Newsletter issued
Friday 15th May
Debating Round 2
Tuesday 19th May at BTC
PLEASE NOTE:
This will be the last newsletter sent to the Skoolbag App.
The open girls State High tennis team finished off Term 1 with a well fought win over BTC.
This season Haley Rolley and Kassidy Rose-McMahon were the lynchpins of the team,
defeating all of their single opponents. Jerisse Arboleda and Crizalyn Benevente were
instrumental in taking some key matches to help State High finish 2nd overall. Special
mention should go to Jade Miller, Year 7, who played for the open girls and defeated her
opposition 6-0. Finally, thanks must be given to their inspirational coach Mr Middleton, who
ensured the girls remained tenacious and focussed throughout the season.
Congratulations to Georgia Richards who came runner up in the Kalynda Chase Junior Development Series
Tournament (Tennis) in Division 1. A great achievement.
LEIGH MIDDLETON AND HADDON MOSSLEY, TEACHERS
This term the Year 10 students will be working on their ‘Future Pathways’ booklet in Life
Choices. This booklet prepares the students for their SET Plan, which is the plan that they outline
for the next two years of their secondary education. Along the way students will hear from a number
of guest speakers including Christine Barnes, Guidance Officer, and a guest speaker from
TAFE. More information on this important process will follow later this term.
WESLEY SMITH, YEAR 10 COORDINATOR
Prevocational Maths students have been using their navigation skills to design and plot a
course within the school grounds as part of their last assessment task.
Students used compasses to determine bearings between waypoints and ratios to plot their
course on paper. A drone was used to
demonstrate how modern technology has
enabled automated flight following
predetermined waypoints of a path around
the school. The drone also captured video
and pictures of the school as it followed its
path.
LANCE MACKENZIE, TEACHER
The Year 7s have been investigating
water in Science.
We have been looking into the
importance of water in everyday lives
and contaminants that can affect the
quality of water.
We conducted an experiment separating a mixture of sand,
salt and water, using two different separation techniques.
REBECCA BROOKS AND AARON GEE, TEACHERS
The Charters Towers State High Marching Band had the great honour of leading the 2015
ANZAC Day procession up Gill Street with Year 11 student Kassidy Rose-McMahon taking
leadership of the 55 plus member ensemble as Drum Major. Students range from novice to
experienced players, who have come together throughout Term 1 to rehearse the music and practice
marching drills around the oval. State High staff and students couldn’t be prouder of their achievements.
In other news:
Congratulations to KassidyRose McMahon on achieving
96/100 – High Distinction on
her AMEB grade 3 Theory
exam.
AMEB Piano exams are just
around the corner. Next
weekend Sophie Baron and
Kassidy-Rose McMahon will
sit their Grade 5 Piano exam,
while Jerisse Arboleda, after
only learning for a year, will
sit her Preliminary exam.
We acknowledge the hard work of the girls and wish them the best of luck for their exam in Townsville.
11 State High students have been selected in the upcoming Middle School State Honours Ensemble Program
in Townsville in June. This is a great achievement for the students and a testament to their hard work over the
years.
Nominee First name
Nominee Surname
Age
Schoo
l Year
Instrument
Result
Kendrah
Barrett
13
8
Clarinet
Reserve
Ruby
Boundy
13
9
Flute
Successful
Sinead
Cowan
12
8
Saxophone Alto
Reserve
Jordan
Dietrich
13
8
Saxophone Alto
Successful
Bailey
Duffin
12
8
Trumpet
Successful
Makayla
Killick
12
8
Clarinet
Reserve
Aleisha
Langburne
12
8
Trumpet
Reserve
Noah
Niemi
12
7
Percussion (all except Mallets)
Reserve
Emily
Pankhurst
11
7
Saxophone Baritone
Successful
Taliesin
Pankhurst
13
9
Percussion (all except Mallets)
Reserve
Stewart
Sams
13
9
Clarinet
Successful
HADDON MOSSLEY, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC FOR CLUSTER SCHOOLS
Commemorating 100 Years of ANZAC, 2015
In the school:
In the Town:
I am available for students and parents at the school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday and every
second Thursday. Please feel free to make an appointment by phoning the school, or students can
put a note under the door of room B20.
(Asthma Australia)
This month we have World Asthma Day on 5th May so, with this in mind, I thought that we should
look at the triggers and symptoms, especially with winter approaching.
Triggers:





Breathe in (eg smoke, cool air)
Catch (eg cold, flu)
Feel (eg emotions, stress)
Do (eg exercise, laughing)
Food or drink
Symptoms:




Breathlessness
Wheezing
Tight chest
Persistent coughing
MARGARET HALLING, SCHOOL BASED YOUTH HEALTH NURSE
First Aid:
 Make sure your child, if an asthmatic, has
a current puffer with them at all times.
 Make sure the puffer is not empty or
nearly empty.
Junior Secondary House Challenge
Congratulations to all students who took part in the Challenge during Term 1; some spectacular b’ball skills were on show.
The Challenge ended with a nail biting game between teachers and students. While the game was close, no one can
argue that the A team of Miss Bhullar, Mr Johnson, Miss Silver, Miss Kirkpatrick and Miss Halfpenny where the clear
winners.
The winners of term one will be announced and the trophy awarded at the next junior secondary assembly on Tuesday
5th May. The next challenge will also be announced and we are sure all await this with baited breath. The next challenge
will start in week four and is one that may mean the end of the teachers’ winning streak. We would like to say a big “thank
you” to Megan Louk, Alyssa ConGoo and Harmony Barath who gave up their lunchtimes to umpire the games; we couldn’t
have done it without you girls.
YOUR YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS
N A P L A N
This month students in Years 7 and 9 will undergo the 2015 NAPLAN tests. The National Assessment Program (NAP) is
the measure through which governments, education authorities, schools and the community can determine whether or not
young Australians are meeting important educational outcomes. These outcomes are used by the school and teachers to
target areas for development with students.
NAPLAN also gives parents and students a measure of their educational ability in comparison to students around the
Nation. Parents should discuss regularly with students the importance of NAPLAN and encourage students to give the
process their utmost effort.
Equipment Required: Please see the dates below and ensure your student has the essential equipment:
1.
2 x 2B Pencils
2.
1 x Rubber
3.
1 x Sharpener
4.
1 x 30 cm ruler
5.
1 x scientific calculator
Year 7
Year 9
Tuesday 12 May 2015
Language conventions
45 minutes
Writing
40 minutes
Language conventions
45 minutes
Writing
40 minutes
Wednesday 13 May 2015
Reading
65 minutes
Reading
65 minutes
Thursday 14 May 2015
Numeracy (calculator)
40 minutes
Numeracy (non-calculator)
40 minutes
Numeracy (calculator)
40 minutes
Numeracy (non-calculator)
40 minutes
Adjustments, Exemptions and Withdrawals: If you require information about adjustments for students with disability,
exemptions or withdrawing your child from the test on religious or philosophical objections, please contact Derek Copelin,
Deputy Principal for Junior Secondary, on 4754 6555.
AARON WILLIS, JUNIOR SECONDARY HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
School Expectations:

I am Safe

I am a Learner

I am Respectful
S ch o o l U n i f o r m s
W Titley & Co have decided to move all of the State High uniforms to their Department Store
at 60 Gill Street. Previously to this the uniforms have been available at both the Western
and Work Store (248 Gill) and the Department Store (60 Gill).
In the next few months they intend to move all of the school wear to the one location. The
main reason for this is that it will make it a lot easier to manage.
Food for Thought
In the early 1500s in Florence, Italy, there was a huge piece of marble that many sculptors had declared as useless because of a
large deep hole that was in it. There was, however, one man who saw things differently; he believed that in spite of this hole he could
still create something beautiful. This man was Michelangelo. After several years of hard work, he transformed that ‘flawed’ block into
the magnificent statue that the world now knows as the Statue of David.
Think about this for a moment. All of us have flaws and imperfections – just like that original piece of marble. Some people feel that
they are too thin, too plump, too short or too tall or perhaps just not as attractive as others. These thoughts can even lead some
people to believe that they are of little worth. However, the truth of the matter is that your value does not come from what you look
like on the outside; it is the beauty of your personality that will have the deepest impact on others.
Decide today to stop focussing on any perceived negatives in your appearance. Instead, work at sculpting your personality and
behaviour into the best that it can be by getting rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander. Try being patient with each
other and make allowance for each other’s faults. If you work hard in these areas, you will automatically become a more beautiful
and more loved person.
We hope you had a wonderful break over the Easter Holidays and look forward to catching up during Term 2.
SHARON BEVERIDGE AND HELEN MILTON, CHAPLAINS
33.3 % of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
(The Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013)
What is Love Bites?
Love Bites is a youth education program run by NAPCAN regarding prevention of Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault. The program runs over 2 days to build awareness in a safe space while
teaching young people about self-respect, increasing self-esteem and encouraging problem solving.
Open discussions are encouraged regarding topics such as bullying, domestic violence, sexual
harassment, sexual assault, what is consent and how to gain consent appropriately. Creative activities
are conducted following information sessions to re-force learning, share opinions and to provide
opportunity for school or community education through art and media.
Who is Love Bites for?
This program is aimed at 14- 17 year old women (Year 10 or 11) wanting to learn prevention
strategies to support themselves and the people around them . This course provides basic knowledge
about support agencies and services available to a victim or support person of someone facing
violence. This two day program will be facilitated by the Charters Towers Neighbourhood Centre on
Saturday 30th May and Sunday 31st May.
For further information and to register for the program
please call Kaylee Cumming or Katie Dunlop
at the Charters Towers Neighbourhood Centre
3 Powell Lane
Ph: 4787 4797