28 February 2019

Newsletter Articles

Leader Induction

Last week we celebrated the induction of our school leaders for 2019. School Captains, Vice Captains, House Captains, Student Council, Junior Secondary Leaders, Indigenous Ambassadors and Show Team Representatives were presented their badges in front of staff, students, community members and their proud parents and family members.

School captains are Courtney Spackman and Georgina Speedy, Vice Captains are Aerol Plaza and Georgina Waters, House Captains are Bronte Johnson and Samuel Killen (Leichhardt), Marcus Brimblecombe and Paige Houlahan (Mitchell), Ken Cawaon and Kelly Whitaker (Nixon).

The remaining Year 12 students consist of Gabrielle Bakon, Travis Carmody-Arnold, Connor Clark, James Claxton, Tia Cubby, Amy Oneil, Georgia Wieland and Grace Woodrow.

Indigenous Ambassadors this year are Paige Houlahan and Jessica Parkes. The Junior Secondary Leaders are Michelle Hams and Ellsy Rudd.

Show Team Captain is Taylor McDougall, Vice Captain Matilda Hoolihan and Show Secretary is Bronte Johnson.

The President for Student Council is Tylah Fontaine (Snr) and Jessica Parkes (Jnr), Vice President is Ken Cawaon (Snr) and Amdes Saunders (Jnr), Secretary is Paige Houlahan (Snr) and Michelle Hams (Jnr), Treasurer is Aerol Plaza (Snr) and Ellsy Rudd (Jnr). The Student Council Representatives are Year 12 Courtney Spackman, Georgina Speedy, Aerol Plaza and Georgina Waters. Year 11 is Ken Cawoan, Paige Houlahan and Joseph Ricketts. Year 10 is Taylor McDougall and Year 9 is Michelle Hams, Bresharna McLachlan, Jessica Parkes and Ellsy Rudd. Year 8 is Ashleigh Ferguson and Kacey Sanford with Year 7 being Emalie Hams and Amdes Saunders.

From the Principal

I want to take this time to thank all the staff who have made my first month of work so welcoming and rewarding. It has been a wonderful experience to get to know your children and their teachers over this short time.

My focus has been around how we can add value to the work that has already been done and how we can support and recognise the improvement of all students as they progress through the year.

To that end we have focused on attendance and improvements made over 2018.

By the end of week four I am very happy to say that our students are at school working through their curriculum. We have recognised the form with the highest overall attendance rating for each week and I can announce that these have been:

Our Celebration Parade held on Monday 25 February was an opportunity to recognise the improvement made by students across the year in a range of performance aspects. So it was that we recognised

• 30 students who had made an overall improvement to their academic levels of achievement from Semester One to Semester Two;
• 28 Students who had been awarded nothing less than a “very good” rating in Behaviour in Semester two;
• 32 Students who had been awarded nothing less than a “very good” rating in Effort in Semester Two;
• 19 students who improved their rating in Science;
• 22 who improved their rating in English; and
• 25 who improved their rating in Mathematics.

Congratulations to all these students!

Our plan moving forward is to look closely at our classroom practice and further develop the skills of staff and students in how best to get the most out of each and every lesson. Stay tuned for more information of this exciting aspect of teaching and learning.

Till next time,
York McFadzean
Principal

From the Acting Deputy Principal

In my first article for 2019, I wrote about the incredibly important topic of lifting our standards and expecting more of our students, families and teachers at St George State High School. Many a time have I heard the refrain, ‘Why? It is just a state school!’ If we unpack this statement, it is clear there is some sort of acceptance of expecting less or that somehow our standards should be lower. Like all communities, St George has diversity and complexity, but this is no excuse for wanting and expecting the best for our students. Over the coming months school staff will start to refocus on some of the very basic expectations for students when attending each and every day. In particular this areas will be wearing the correct uniform and meeting the dress code, appropriate use of mobile phones and attending school on time each and every day.

Uniform

The St George State High School Uniform and Dress Code has been recently reviewed by the Parents and Citizens Association to bring it in line with recent changes to departmental uniform policy. Along with this review some minor changes have been made to accommodate some recommendations from students. Monday and Wednesday are the formal uniform days and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are the sport uniform days. I will be expecting that students wear their correct uniform and that their families support them to do this each and every day. It is vital that parents and carers support the school’s high standard of dress right down to the smallest detail, even socks, shoes and earrings.

How does uniform impact educational outcomes? This question will be asked over the coming months as the school asks students to do better and expect more of themselves. We will support students and families that are struggling financially to meet these expectations. But if we don’t expect students to do the very small things, how can we expect students to work on the big things? We are going to sweat the small stuff!

Mobile phones

In 2018, an exhaustive review of the school electronic device policy was conducted. This was particularly focused on mobile phones at school and in classrooms. In short it was agreed that mobiles are not to be in the classroom (without explicit teacher permission and a clear link with curriculum). When a student breaches this policy, it is expected students will hand their phone into the office to be collected at 3pm. For the small number of students that repeatedly breach the phone policy, parents or carers will be asked to collect the device. Please remind students of these expectations.

Attendance

Many in our community would be familiar with the attendance slogan Everyday Counts. This mantra continues to be the focus at St George State High School. It is however, important to recognise that students need to be present in both body and mind. Students must be encouraged and expected to have a positive attitude to school and learning. Please encourage student to be prepared for class and do their very best to focus on the teaching and learning in each of their classes.

Mr Chris Smith, Acting Deputy Principal

From HoD Senior Secondary

I cannot believe we are already almost at the half way mark for Term 1. Congratulations to all those students recognised as Captains, Vice Captains, Senior Leaders, and members of the 2019 Student Council. I look forward to working with you all over the course of the year. The senior school has hit the ground running!

For students to achieve the best possible outcomes in the senior school, regular school attendance is imperative. Research consistently highlights the relationship between school attendance and academic achievement. Our attendance target in the senior school is 95%. Please help us by making sure your child is at school every day. Currently the attendance rates in the Senior School are –

A 95% attendance rate means a student is away from school approximately 2.5 days per term or two weeks per year. A 90% attendance rate means the student is away one day per fortnight or four weeks per school year and this is likely to have a clear effect on results.

Students need to be present at every opportunity at school. This includes being on time to school and each lesson. No student should be leaving school without following the correct procedures of parents/guardians notifying the school and signing the student out via the school office.

Congratulations to the eight students who have been present 100% of this year. There is one student from Year 10, one from Year 12 and six from Year 11. A wonderful effort for those students.

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

From HoD Teaching and Learning

Did you know that students who read for 15 to 20 minutes every day are proven to improve their vocabulary and increase their stamina for reading? This term, we are implementing D.E.A.R (Drop Everything and Read) which means that students will be reading for pleasure for at least ten minutes every day. Students are encouraged to bring their own book from home or borrow a book from the library to read during this time, but all classrooms will be equipped with a stash if they forget. Please encourage your child to continue their reading at home – even 15 minutes a night could make a huge difference to their engagement at school, in all subjects.

Amy McKenna, Acting Head of Department: Teaching and Learning

New Positions for Staff

This year the school has allocated Year Level Co-ordinators and Subject Co-ordinators. The Year Level Co-ordinators will provide an additional level of social, academic and personal support for students and the Subject Co-ordinators will provide an additional level of quality assurance over school curriculum planning and assessment development.

Year 12 Co-ordinator - Miss Alanna Ives

I’m Alanna Ives and I have been teaching at St George State High School for the past two years. This year I have taken on the role of Year Level Coordinator for the Year 12 cohort and I look forward to supporting the students and families throughout 2019.

Year 10-11 Co-ordinator – Mr Michael Watson

Hi, I am Michael Watson. I started at St George State High last year and will continue to teach Design Technology (Industrial) as well as being the Year Level Coordinator for students in Years 10 and 11. I’m looking forward to the year ahead as there are a number of exciting events happening throughout the year. My job as YLC will involve supporting student’s health and wellbeing, supporting academic achievement, rewarding positive behaviour and coordinating activities like the Year 10 camp.

Year 8-9 Co-ordinator – Miss Kaila Wallace

I'm Kaila Wallace and I've been working at the high school for the last six months. I am excited to take on the new role as Year Level Coordinator for the Year 8/9 cohort. I will be working with every student across Year 8 and Year 9, to ensure they have a productive school year.

Year 7 Co-ordinator – Miss Kym Weatherall

My name is Kym Weatherall. In my role as the Year 7 Year Level Coordinator (YLC) for 2019, I will be supporting the Year 7’s into a smooth transition into high school. I am very excited to be involved and working with these students and their parents/guardians. I am very passionate about the youth in St George and supporting them through their high school education.

Subject Co-ordinator – English – Ms Angela Garner

My name is Angela Garner and I am excited to be the English Subject Co-ordinator in 2019. I came to St George in 2003 as a first year teacher and I loved the place so much that I never left. Over the past 15 years I have seen many changes in the English curriculum and have developed many work programs to accommodate these changes. I plan on working with teachers in the English department to provide engaging and challenging curriculum that strives to achieve the best possible outcomes for all our students. I really enjoy working with the students and teachers at St George State High School and am looking forward to further developing the English department in 2019.

Subject Co-ordinator – Maths – Mrs Anne Brimblecombe

I came to St George as a teacher in 1983 intending to stay for one year. A few years later I am still teaching in a part – time capacity and enjoying the highlights and challenges that come with it. It is my firm belief that every student can achieve success in Maths if they have a positive attitude, are prepared to have a go and put in some effort.

I am looking forward to leading our great Maths team here at St George SHS and ensuring that all our students improve in this subject.

Subject Co-ordinator – Humanities – Miss Bronwyn Knee

My name is Miss Knee and I have recently taken on the role of Subject Coordinator for Humanities. My passion for Humanities began in my previous career as an archaeologist, where I was able to travel around the world and learn about different cultures and places. Humanities are my passion area of education and I love teaching it in the classroom. For 2019 I am looking forward to getting students involved in more hands on and skills based activities, for all Humanities subject areas.

Subject Co-ordinator – Science – Mrs Karen McKechnie

I graduated from the University of Queensland with an honours degree in Chemistry and have been teaching science at St George SHS since 1988. During that time, I have written several work programs, assisted other science teachers and encouraged students to strive for science excellence. I am looking forward to continuing to promote science at the school in my new role as the

Science subject coordinator.

Subject Co-ordinator – Sport – Mr Luke Basile

I graduated from Griffith University on the Gold Coast and shipped myself out to St George when I graduated. I majored in Health & Physical Education and have played in a variety of sports my whole life. I am very excited to take on the role of sports coordinator, as I believe the participation in sport, and the varieties we have to offer, is exceptional. I look forward to how our year of sport goes and the success we will inevitably find with our students.

Lions Youth of the Year

Thank you to Mr Kennedy from the Lions Club who came to talk to students about Lions Youth of the Year on Monday 4 February. Students also heard from Will, who was the winner of Lions Youth of the Year 2018. Best of luck to Bronte Johnson, Marcus Brimblecombe and Courtney Spackman who will attend the St George Lions Club final held at the Australian Hotel on Saturday 2nd March at 6.30pm.

Year 7s learn the art of boomerang throwing

During Week 3 this term, Year 7 students were lucky enough to have Barry Boland come and speak to the class about the history of the boomerang. We painted our own boomerangs and got to throw them and play a game using our boomerangs.

Miss Weatherall

Year 9s St George Airport Excursion

On Friday 15th February, the year 9 ASDAN class went to the St George Airport on excursion. The aim of the trip was to find out about the running of the Aerodome, safety practices and procedures. We also wanted to learn the safe way to fly drones when near an Airport. Of course, flying drones around public places can be ILLEGAL. Lucky for us we had three experts on the job. Andrew Boardman and Chris from the Balonne Shire Council and our own Chappy, Simon. We have plenty of photos of actually flying drones 300 metres away from the Airport to a height of around 40 metres. Ashton showed excellent skill in manoeuvring both take-off and landing. Anthony was also high contender in skill. Laith and Dom were able to control the drones, at one stage with two flying at once. Great team work with rescuing one flight, landing in a tree and technical help for Mrs Wiggins filming. It was wonderful to see every single student shake hands with Chris and Andrew, thanking them for their time and expertise. Simon and Mrs Wiggins were proud. We certainly saw first-hand the students demonstrate ‘together we achieve’. A great day. Well done to all.

Mrs Wiggins

LIBRARY ABUZZ

Music Club has started with Chappy Simon and Mr Rigney leading the team. Guitars, bongo drums, shakers and more are on offer for students. If you like to listen to music, sing, play or want to learn, join us in the library 2nd break every Wednesday.

The library is a great place at any time of day. This is a great place to study and learn with current resources and computer access. There is also a wide selection of activities for students to join in on. Books, games, craft and music can all be found in the library. The library is open 8:15am daily and all breaks. Pop in and get to know our great library!

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS

LAPTOPS and TEXT BOOKS

Students who have returned their 2019 Student Resource Scheme forms have been allocated and received their text books for subjects. If your child has not returned their SRS for 2019, they must do so prior to receiving any text books.

Senior students who have returned their SRS form, Laptop Charter Agreement and have paid the $150 fee for 2019 have received their laptops also.

YEAR 10 GIRLS SCIENCE stem CAMP

Columboola Outdoor Environmental Education Centre will be holding its annual Year 10 Girls Science STEM camp at Columboola (25 Boort Koi Road, Miles) from May 7-9. Science professionals from University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland and STEM related industries will present workshops across a wide range of scientific areas. This is a unique opportunity for two Year 10 girls with an interest in deepening their knowledge of science and/or STEM careers. Don’t miss out. See your science teacher today for information or contact STEM camp co-ordinator-Robyn Cahill: rpcah0@eq.edu.au

Swimming Carnival

The swimming carnival this year was a great success! We had many students willing to participate in a variety of different events and the house spirit was exceptional in all three houses. I am very proud of the way the students conducted themselves and how they cheered each other on. I would like to thank all staff who participated in helping make this carnival such a fantastic day for all involved!

Congratulations to Shakyra Cowburn, Lachlan Wilson, Dominic Walters and Brigitte Brunner who were selected to trial at South West meet at Chinchilla.

Age Champions were: 12 years Bella Cubby and Lachlan Wilson, 13 years Brigitte Brunner and Dominic Walters, 14 years Jessica Parkes and Laith Webster, 15 years Shakyra Cowburn and Preston Thurston, 16 years Rebecca Hoolihan and Sandon Dahlstrom, Open year Shakaiya Thurston and Marcus Brimblecombe

Overall Winner LEICHHARDT!!

Representative Sport

Wow what an amazingly hot and busy week of sport at St. George High.

Tuesday morning saw five of our talented girls who made the South West Softball Team arrive in Toowoomba for the Darling Downs Cluster day. The day began with a two hour rotation of skills and drills which included sliding practise on gravel. Then the games began which saw the girls split into different teams. Bobby-Jo Tattam, Haley and Anna Moloney, Kelly and Sarah Whitaker did a wonderful job. Their sportsmanship and drive was an inspiration. Congratulations to Anna, Haley and Sarah for making it through to possible and probables.

On Wednesday morning at 6am a bus load of eager soccer and basketball players made their way down the Surat highway to join the region in South West trials in Roma. Soccer players were mixed with other schools to make up teams of 11 or 9 and played 2 games. Well done to Taylor McDougall, Sharon Pearce, Abby Cowley and Jackson Kann for being great ambassadors for St. George. Your sportsmanship and comradery was noticed by all. Congratulations to Taylor 16-19 girls soccer, Sharon 13-15 girls soccer and Jackson 13-16 boys soccer and Dan Kurz 17-19 boys soccer for being selected in their respective South West soccer teams that will now travel to Toowoomba.

The basketball team that also went to Roma on Wednesday worked through drills at a determined pace, mixing with different schools and students to showcase their talent for the selectors. They were then split up into four mixed teams and had moments to find chemistry on the court before the game started. St George students found this chemistry, working with many other students, congratulating their teammates and assisting where necessary. Well done to Sandon Dahlstrom and Aerol Plaza on their selection for the U19 SWSS team, and congratulations to Rubin Davis and Kobie Turnbull on their selection in the U15 SWSS team.

Also congratulations must also go to our U19 and U15 girls school netball teams who had trials Tuesday and Thursday. Good luck to Tia Cubby, Hayley Nolan, Dillon Weribone, Brodee Parkes, Anna and Haley Moloney and Kelly and Sarah Whitaker for U19s. Paige Clarke, Shakyra Cowburn, Michelle Hams, Ellsy Rudd, Jessica Parkes, Bresharna McLachlan, Taeah Hiles, Grace Waters, Bridgette Brunner, Jaleah Turnbull, Breanna Lee and shadows Mia O’Brien and Sharon Pearce for the U15s team. They will now travel to Roma on the 21st of March to compete in the South West Carnival.

Can I just say we have some amazingly talented students at St George State High School. The sportsmanship and comradery I have experienced this week has made me proud to be part of this school. Well done and good luck with your next level of sport, I know you all will do fantastically.

Kylie Whitaker

P&C News

A terrific number of wonderful parents, grandparents and teachers attended the first P&C meeting for the year. Thank you to everyone who attended. It was very refreshing to see new faces. The AGM is scheduled for Monday 18 March as we did not have all required documents together to carry out the AGM at the last meeting. This will be held in the school library starting at 6.30pm. The swimming carnival BBQ was a successful day. A massive thank you to everyone who helped make this day possible. Your support is very appreciative. We look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming P&C meeting. Just a reminder that we hold these on every third Monday of the month.

Thank you for your support.

Rochelle Ferguson
P&C President

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Learn to read, write and speak French! Going on Mondays & Thursdays, from 3.15 pm. Knowing French is confidence and work opportunity. Ask for a free aptitude class on 46253021 / 0428304318 anywhere in St George.

BreastScreen Mobile Bus coming to Balonne

The BreastScreen Mobile service is coming to Surat on 2-3 April, St George from 4 April to 3 May and Bollon on 17-18 May.

One screen is not enough – get a mammogram every two years. If you are aged 50-74 call 13 20 50 or book online at:

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