25 April 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome back for Term 2. On Thursday, we celebrated with 50 students whose attendance was 95% or over for Term 1. There is strong connection between academic success and attendance.

RESPECT

This term, the school’s focus is on RESPECT for Teachers, Teacher Aides and Ancillary Staff. During Year Level Parades, students were made aware that actively or continually refusing to follow reasonable instruction from adults - (Ongoing failure to engage in curriculum and disrespectful behaviour towards adults) may result in a suspension.

STAFFING

In week 2, we say goodbye to Mrs Wager (Acting Deputy Principal) who has won a position of Acting Principal at Earnshaw College. Mr Wager will also be leaving us. Thank you for a great Term 1 and all the best in this next phase.

We also said goodbye to our Agriculture Assistant, Phil McCosker. Phil was a long standing staff member and will be greatly missed. We wish him the very best in his transition to retirement.

Late in Term 1 we welcomed Tracy and John Wiggins who have joined our SWD team and teaching staff. This Term we welcome Mr Michael Watson as our Industrial Design and Technology Teacher. Michael will be supported by Mrs Kylie Whitaker, as you know Kylie has been instructing students in Industrial Design and Technology and she is a very valued member of staff.

Unfortunately, the staff changes have meant changes in classroom teachers, however, we have taken steps to minimise the impact on students.

Mr Rob Tuppack, Acting Principal

From the Deputy Principal

Welcome back to Term 2. As some members of the community know, next week will be my last week at St George SHS. I am very sad to be leaving such a welcoming, positive and vibrant school community. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at St George, and have learned a great deal that I will be taking with me to my next role in Brisbane. I am grateful for the immediate and ongoing support I received from parents, students, staff and the wider community, as this made my transition so much easier.

ANZAC DAY CEREMONY

One of the last community events I will engage with is the ANZAC Day march. Students can collect a permission note from the office and require the full formal uniform to participate, as a mark of respect for the solemnity of the day. ANZAC Day is one of the most significant commemorations on our calendar and I look forward to our school demonstrating our commitment to honouring our history and the sacrifice of our service men and women at the various events.

Mrs Jade Wager, Acting Deputy Principal

From HoD Senior Secondary

SENIOR ASSESSMENT and TERTIARY ENTRANCE (SATE)

Next year marks a significant shift in the landscape of senior schooling, with the introduction of the new Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance regime for Year 11 students, which replaces the current OP system. Our school is in the process of preparing both staff and students to ensure a successful transition. Teachers have attended a number of PD sessions to ensure they have a deep understanding of what these changes mean for our students and our school. Part of this new system includes external assessments, an entirely new experience for Queensland students. As we learn more about what this system will mean for our school and our students, we will ensure that parents and the wider community are kept informed about how our school is preparing for the change.

For further information about the changes and what they will mean for your student, please refer to the below links:

• http://education.qld.gov.au/students/senior/sate-systems.html
• https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/new-snr-assessment-te

Mrs Deborah Addison, HoD Senior Secondary

From HoD Junior Secondary

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back to Term 2! It has been wonderful talking to students about their amazing adventures over the Easter break. I wanted to briefly mention the importance of positive conversations between parent/carers and their students about behaviour and attitudes towards learning this term. It is really important for a student’s caregiver to set high expectations and regularly reinforce the behaviour expected at school. My focus this term will be making sure all students are actively engaged in all learning activities. Your continued support is always appreciated.

NAPLAN

A reminder, NAPLAN testing is on in Week 5 of this term for all Year 7 and Year 9 students. NAPLAN dates are: Tuesday 15 May, Wednesday 16 May and Thursday 17 May. Students are reminded that they need a least 2 x 2B pencils and a calculator.

It is important to remember that NAPLAN is one measure of student achievement and it is a point in time test. It is not expected that each student will be able to complete each item correctly, however, it is encouraged that students complete the tests to the best of their ability.

Parents can assist students by ensuring that they get an adequate amount of sleep the nights before the tests and ensuring that students have a good breakfast and have healthy snacks and water. Our school will be providing breakfast on each of the mornings outside the Wellbeing Centre. There is a cooked breakfast that starts at 8.15am and is available to all Year 7 and Year 9 students.

Mr Chris Smith, HoD Junior Secondary

Shearing School

The Blue Light Shearing program is once again in full swing with new recruits attending the first camp from 25 – 29 March. We welcomed 8 students from St George State High School to the program along with 9 from Cunnamulla P-12 State School – a total of 17 students attending the camp. Along with the new students, we also welcomed Cozette Branfield (wool handling trainer) and Adam Osborne (PLO St George) to our team alongside Laurie Bateman (shearer trainer) and Carolyn Ramsay (program coordinator).

Travelling to Delmar Station (60km south of Bollon) on Sunday afternoon, we arrived in time to set up camp and become familiar with the facilities. We met with the owners and organised our equipment ready to commence shearing the next day.

Each day, we were up at 5:30am to start the day with some fitness training before arriving at the shed by 7:15am to commence work. Each day was a full day in the shed with work finishing at 5:30pm.

The first session covered identifying potential hazards and associated risks within the environment. We were fortunate to have a second trainer for the week which allowed the students to be divided into two work groups. Training started with the students learning techniques to safely catch sheep within the pen and dragging to the board to start shearing.

Just like we learn how to crawl before we walk, the students learnt the crutching process before shearing to allow them to become familiar with handling the animals and the shearing equipment safely. Whilst the students rotated through the crutching group with Laurie, the second group worked with Cozette learning elements of wool handling and board duties.

Day two saw the students introduced to the shearing process, with all students shearing several sheep by the end of Wednesday. Being a short week due to Easter holidays, we finished shearing 144 sheep by Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, students finished their week’s work with baling the wool and cleaning the shed and quarters.

Once again, we thank our stakeholders including AWI, Blue Light, Qld Police Service, Skill Centred and RESQ for their continued support of the program. We also thank David and Angus Jamieson who very kindly allowed the training to take place at Delmar Station and provided the sheep and facilities.

We look forward to the next camp which will be held from Sunday 24th – Friday 29th June (Week 11, Term 2).

Mrs Donna Waters, Youth Support Coordinator and
Carolyn Ramsay, Teacher School Transition Officer, Cunnamulla SS

Cross Country

St George State High School’s Cross Country run was held on the last day of Term 1. The Cross Country allowed the long distance runners to show off their talent and great sportsmanship with many strong finishes from the age champions and competitors. There were many close races and cheering from fellow house members which encouraged high student participation. Many students completed the course for a participation point for their team and all competitors who finished the race were greeted with an icy pole. While there was some healthy competition between Mitchell, Nixon and Leichardt for the overall house points, Leichardt took the win with 97 points.

Congratulations to the following students on their outstanding achievements on the day:

HAVE YOUR SAY ON CYBERBULLYING

Many parents and teachers are concerned about cyberbullying. It is a serious problem that can hurt young people, families and school communities. Cyberbullying is also a complex problem that is often invisible to parents and teachers.

In February the Premier appointed a group of Queenslanders who are passionate about stopping cyberbullying of young people. The Queensland Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce is chaired by well-known author and commentator, Madonna King, and includes members with knowledge and expertise in education, youth health and wellbeing, law, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, disability and families.

The Taskforce needs your help to develop a framework for Queensland to help reduce cyberbullying of young people. They want to hear from parents, carers, students, teachers and other experts in schools. In particular, the Taskforce wants to hear about your ideas to:

• prevent or reduce cyberbullying
• support people affected by cyberbullying of young people.

How to have your say

Email the Taskforce at antibullyingtaskforce@premiers.qld.gov.au

Upload your ideas as a submission on the Taskforce website.

Come to a public forum in 12 Queensland locations including Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton and Charleville. For information about forums visit the link below.

Everyone can be part of the stand against cyberbullying. Ms King and the Taskforce members look forward to hearing from you.

Bullying No Way

P&C News

Welcome back from holidays everyone. We are looking forward to a great term ahead working together.

The P&C has two fundraising events coming up for which we are asking a small amount of your time.

The St George Show Committee has asked us to manage the two show ground gates on the day which will be a great opportunity to raise some much needed money. This can be in one or two hours shifts and at a time that suits you.

We also have the three night musical event coming up at which the P&C will run the bar. If you can help with this over any of the nights (24th, 25th & 26th May) your time would be greatly appreciated. Please don't hesitate to call myself on 0419 798 352 or email
nickelle@bigpond.com.

Please feel free to come along to our P&C meetings - held the third Monday of every month at 6pm in the library. Keep a look out in the diary dates.

Thank you for your support and warm regards

Rochelle Ferguson, P&C President

Say Cheez P&C Fundraiser

Dyslexia Workshop

Our Guest Speaker HAS DYSLEXIA HIMSELF and you will gain a first-hand perspective on how dyslexia affects classroom ability. Free for Parents and Teachers so that we can get as many parents of struggling learners along.

To register visit this link:

National Domestic & Family Violence Prevention Month 2018 - Candle Lighting Remembrance Ceremony

In memory of those who have lost their lives as a result of Domestic or family Violence.

The Agricultural Skills and Technology Experience

Ride It, Drive It, Grow It, Taste It – explore a career in agriculture and rural industries.

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