17 October 2018

Newsletter Articles

TERTIARY TOUR

In the final week of Term 3, 13 students from Years 10, 11 and 12 accompanied by Simon Teunis and Miss Griffin, headed to Brisbane on Tertiary Tour. During the week, we visited seven universities and one TAFE campus. At each campus, we had an informational session which was then accompanied by a campus tour where we saw some of the resources and facilities available at each of the campuses.

We departed from St George early on Tuesday morning and headed to Toowoomba for our first stop at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). We looked at the different colleges (accommodation) available for university students. There was a competition “who could build the strongest and most aesthetic looking bridge. Of course Simon, Paige and I won! Then we travelled to Brisbane and arrived at our accommodation. Pizza was a hit for dinner that was then followed up by a cake made by Paige to celebrate Holly’s birthday.

On Wednesday we visited Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the University of Queensland (UQ). Straight away, the students were amazed at how busy each of the campuses was. QUT was our first stop for the day. The presenters gave us an informative talk about the university, and then one of the ambassadors shared her personal journey from school to university as she is from a rural community herself. The presenter gave heaps of advice about scholarships and how university is definitely an option for rural students. One of the most eye opening experiences was when the students saw a lecture hall that can hold 500 students! We travelled over to UQ for the afternoon where we started with a campus tour then went into a tutorial room and completed some activities that were related to physiotherapy and psychology. These activities were very interactive and challenging at times.

On Thursday we headed to the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and the University of Sunshine Coast (USC). These campuses were far less busy than QUT and UQ. At ACU, we went on a campus tour that showed many of the facilities and interactive classrooms available. We saw classrooms that are set up exactly as hospitals with mannequins that can be programmed to perform various health symptoms and the nursing students have to treat the patient accordingly. We were also able to see a fully functional birthing suite where mannequins can be programmed to deliver babies! It was interesting to see the boys of the group jumping in and showing great interest. We then headed up the coast for fish and chips at the beach before going to USC. At USC, we also saw lots of teaching spaces and interactive classrooms. The campus tour was great and the students were able to ask lots of questions to the presenters. The presenters definitely spoke about how great coastal living is and how easy it is to get to university as the students’ accommodation was only across the road. That night we headed to Chermside for dinner and for some ‘much needed’ retail therapy. Lots of money was spent by the students but surprisingly not all of it was spent shopping. The boys found it far more appealing to head to the gaming arcade and spend their money there.

Friday was our last full day and by this stage most of the students had become very tired from walking around so much. Simon and I lost count of how many complaints we got that day about having to walk so far. I suppose the students weren’t used to walking up and down hills all day. Our first visit was to Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus and South Bank Tafe. At Griffith, we had an information session about engineering and science. We got to see first-hand what projects some of the university students were working on and the various technologies being used in these areas at the moment, such as 3D printers and laser cutters. In the afternoon, we headed to Southbank Tafe where we were able to see lots of hands on work being done by current students. We saw various learning spaces from hair and beauty salons, gyms, photography studios, gaming students, various art studios and even a fully functional hospital that runs as an extra space if the Mater Hospital has too many patients.

Our final afternoon in Brisbane was spent doing more fun activities. We headed to the Brisbane festival stalls and went through the house of mirrors maze. This maze was full of mirrors which made it very difficult to navigate your way through. Surprisingly though, all of us made it out, however, some of us took longer than others. That evening we went to SkyZone. If the students weren’t tired before, they certainly were after this. For one hour, the students flipped, jumped and climbed their way across trampolines. Numerous games of dodgeball were also played which saw some big hits and lots of laughing. On our way home we went to Mt Coot-tha lookout. The views from the top were awesome! It was an early start to the day on Saturday and a long but quiet trip back to St George.

Thanks to Mrs Addison for organising a great trip, Simon for driving the bus and lastly the students for their excellent behaviour and willingness to give all activities a go.

Miss Rachel Griffin

P.A.R.T.Y. Program

On Tuesday 9 October, the Year 10, 11 and 12 students took part in the P.A.R.T.Y program. This program was coordinated by staff from the Brisbane Royal and Women’s Hospital and our local St George Hospital.

What is P.A.R.T.Y.?

P.A.R.T.Y. is an acronym for Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth. It is an in-hospital injury awareness and prevention program, aimed at school students aged 15-19 years. The program was developed in Ontario, Canada in 1986. It now runs in over 100 sites worldwide. The program is aimed at providing teenagers with information about trauma that will enable them to recognise potential injury producing situations, make prevention-orientated choices and adopt behaviours that minimise unnecessary risk. Students are given a real life impression of the consequences of engaging in dangerous behaviour. The program is an initiative of the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Trauma Service.

What is the Purpose of the Program?

The purpose of the program is to give students a real life experience of possible consequences of risk related behaviour, and hopefully reduce the number of young people involved in trauma. Alcohol is a large contributing factor to trauma in this vulnerable age group and the program aims to reduce the incidence of alcohol related injuries in teenagers and youth.

What Does Participation in the P.A.R.T.Y. Program Involve?

A group of 25-35 students visit the hospital for a full day excursion. P.A.R.T.Y. participants spend time with staff in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Orthopaedic Ward and the Rehabilitation Units within the hospital. Through presentations, DVD’s, trauma scenarios and tours of different areas of the hospital, students receive an up-front; true to life experience of the impact trauma has on young lives. Throughout the day the students meet trauma survivors and their families who will discuss how their injury has changed their lives and that of their family and friends. The day is highly interactive; students have the opportunity to have a hands-on experience of what being a victim of a traumatic injury is really like.

Why is the P.A.R.T.Y. Program so Important?

Trauma is responsible for 40% of deaths in the 15-25 year age group – but many more youth are disabled as a result of the effects. Data collected across Australia shows that traumas involving this age group are on the increase and are often preventable.

It is hoped that exposing young people to the possible traumatic consequences of risk related behaviour will have an impact on the participants’ perceptions of the choices they may make in the future.

From the Acting Principal

Welcome to Term 4. Traditionally, this is a very busy term with our Year 12 students graduating in no time at all. We are very much looking forward to celebrating their achievements with them as they move into their post schooling pathways.

Over the coming weeks, subject selections for 2019 will take place, including the SET Plan meetings for our current year 10 students on Thursday 18 October. These are very important meetings that provide an opportunity for families and students to develop a deeper understanding of the pathways offered to our senior students. If you have not already made an appointment, please do so through the office or online at the link below. It will also prove beneficial to keep abreast of the school’s Facebook page and other forms of communication throughout this term and contact us if you have any additional queries.

Week 1 of Term 4 saw our Year 9 cohort attend the Tallebudgera Camp Experience that was reported to be a great success. The school is committed to continuing to offer experiences like this to our students. A big thank you to the staff who attended the camp as there is always a significant amount of extra commitment needed in these settings.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our annual Awards Night that will take place at 6.30pm on Tuesday 30 October. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and positive outcomes our students and staff have achieved throughout the year and we hope you can attend.

As the term progresses we are continuing to plan strategically for 2019 and are quite excited about the year ahead. As always, the school is committed to working with the community to promote learning opportunities and success for our young people. Please do not hesitate to contact the school and make an appointment through the office staff if you would like to discuss any matters further.

Mr Nick Hutchinson, Acting Principal

From HoD Senior Secondary

The year is definitely flying past and Term 4 is always extra busy for senior students. Make sure that you are aware of the following dates:

With so many events happening this term, every day at school counts. Please ensure that your student is attending every day and remind them that as this term is so short, assessment will be due a lot sooner.

The New QCE and ATAR planning for next year is going well in the school. Teachers are planning the new units and assessment for their subjects and are enjoying the shared nature of having state wide topics to be covered, with our teachers sharing resources with teachers across the state.

Remember that if your student is set to graduate from 2020 these changes will be in place for them. More information is available from the link below

For any questions or concerns you may have regarding your Senior Secondary students please email me at daddi4@eq.edu.au or call 4620 8205.

Mrs Deborah Addison, HoD Senior Secondary

YEAR 9 CAMP

What a great start our Year 9 cohort has had to TERM 4 as we travelled to Burleigh Heads for our camp. We participated in many activities such as body surfing, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding and surfing. We also spent a day at Dreamworld and White Water World which was a day full of fun and adventures. For some of our class mates this was a new experience, and for all of us, new memories have been made. We would recommend this camp to the upcoming Year 9 students in the future, we had a blast. Thanks to Leisa, Mr Jenner and Miss Weatherall for a great week away.

Haley Moloney and Sam Waters

UQ YOUNG ACHIEVER’S PROGRAM

Congratulations to Year 12 student, Sophie, on graduating the two year UQ Young Achiever’s Program. James, in Year 11, will continue this program through 2019.

Sophie and James have both found this to be very worthwhile and encourage other students to apply.

If any senior students would like information about this program please contact HoD SS Mrs Addison.

YEAR 10 HELP COMMUNITY

The Balonne Shire Library asked for help to brighten up some bags and Yr 10 Home Economic students jumped right in! Tie dyeing and adding tags has been a lot of fun!

JOEL THOMPSON VISITS AGAIN

Joel visited St George SHS again on Monday 8 October. Joel is a current NRL player with the Manly Sea Eagles and has represented NSW Country and the Indigenous Allstars and runs a program called ‘The Mindset’. He spoke to the students about his experience growing up with domestic violence and drug abuse and about how it affected his life even after he signed contacts to play NRL, as he suffered with complex trauma. Joel then spoke about how he turned his life around, both in his personal life and professional life. He offered hope and encouragement that no matter what your background there is always a better way to live your life.

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE

Instead of attending regular school in the last week of Term 3, some of our Year 10 students attended work experience from 17 to 21 September. Students participated in 5 days of work at an array of businesses within the St George Community, Ipswich and surrounding districts.

All the students enjoyed their work experience and hoped that it will lead them to employment over the school holidays and after they finish Year 12.

In the many months leading up to the week of Work Experience, students had the opportunity to have discussions around Work Place Health & Safety and appropriate dress expectations including Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). The teaching staff also put a strong emphasis on confidentiality within the workplace.

All of these experiences are invaluable to students and their future career prospects, as they are our future local work force and potential future employers. I would like to extend my gratitude and the St George State High School would like to thank all the employers for hosting our students for the week.

The students who completed work experience were:

• Tylah Fontaine- South West Hospital & Health Service
• Cameron Moloney- O’Brien Toyota
• Billy Scriven- O’Brien Toyota
• Chelsea Beardmore- St George Veterinary Practice
• Jaydan Coaker- Halpin Motors
• Jacob Walters- O’Brien Toyota
• Sarah Whitaker- Harry Siddins, Dirranbandi
• Jack Scriven- S&S Timmer Constructions
• Kerrod Frizzell- St George Bakery
• Haley Rollins- Flinders Hair & Beauty Ipswich

YEAR 10 & SETPLAN MEETINGS

Senior Education and Training Plans for Year 10 students and their parents are on tomorrow, Thursday 18 October. Year 10 students are not required to attend school this day but are required to attend the SET Plan meeting with their parent/carer. Each parent and their child MUST have an interview at the school. The meeting will take place for approximately 30 minutes. During this meeting, we will look at your child’s post school destination, career goals and intended subjects of study. Each student’s journey must be mapped out carefully to ensure that their chosen subjects match their intended pathway; that they are QCE eligible and they are choosing subjects which reflect their interests and strengths. If you have not yet made an appointment, please do so using the school’s online booking system,

It is compulsory for all students to participate in the SET Plan process. I look forward to planning your child’s pathways with you.

Mrs Deborah Addison, HoD Senior Secondary

P&C News

A very busy term is ahead of us all which will no doubt go by quickly.

Year 12 Formal

A very exciting time is coming up for our Year 12 students. Their formal is a very special time.

The P&C have accepted the catering job for this evening. The formal is to be held on Wednesday 14 November at the Cultural Centre. We are seeking helpers for this to ensure the evening runs smoothly. If you can help in anyway please call me on 0419798352 or email nickelle@bigpond.com

Together We Belong

The P&C were successful in obtaining a grant through the Balonne Shire Council and the activity will take place this term. We have sourced an artist by the name of Susie Klein, from Roma, to work with each student creating an individual tile. Each year level will be given approximately 2 hours to work with Susie to create a 3D art instillation which will go on display at the school. We are very excited for this project with our aim being connectedness, a sense of belonging and resilience.

I would like to wish Nick and Chris a good term ahead. Thank you both for stepping up to the roles of Principal and Deputy Principal for our last term. This is greatly appreciated.

We have one last P&C meeting for 2018 on Monday 19 November. This takes place in the school library starting at 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome.

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support.

Rochelle Ferguson, P&C President

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