2 March 2017 Volume 19 Number 2

Date Claimers:

Wednesday 15th March - P&C AGM – 7pm Resource Centre
Wednesday 15th – Friday 17th March – Senior Instrumental Music Camp
Tuesday 21st March – Year 7 HPV1/boostrix Immunisation
Thursday 23rd – Monday 27th March – Exam Block Years 11-12
Monday 27th March – School Assembly – Year 7 Leaders Investiture
Wednesday 29th March – Centenary SHS Cross Country
Thursday 30th March – Year 12 QCS Immersion &Transition Day 1 of 2
Friday 31st March - Year 12 QCS Immersion &Transition Day 2 of 2
Friday 31st March – Reports Emailed
Friday 31st March – Last Day of Term 1 2017

News from the Principal

School resourcing is based upon student enrolment on Day 8 of the school year. Our Day 8 return saw 1464.2 students enrolled at Centenary SHS which represents an increase of approximately 40 students on last year. Year level breakdowns are as follows.

The school timetable has been tweaked over the last couple of weeks ensuring class sizes meet industrial award conditions.

The Importance of Routines

Our school pedagogical improvement is based upon the Marzano Art and Science of Teaching Model. The Centenary SHS teaching staff has been using Marzano’s Framework as the core of our professional development delivery for four years. A key component of the ASOT Framework is the use of effective routines in our classroom environment. Research has shown that strong routines support clear expectations enabling students to engage optimally in classroom learning.

Routine is important in maximising learning outside of school. It is important that students have a regular daily study time and a set place to complete this study in the household. The notion of routine can also be extended into sleep. Students will generally function at a higher level when they have set sleep and wake up times. The beginning of the school year is an excellent time to establish good routines to support learning.

Student Leadership Investiture

The school enjoyed its first signature event of the year a fortnight ago with the Investiture Leadership Ceremony. As always it was reassuring to witness so many students prepared to give back to the school community over 2017. We can look forward to a productive year with the quality of student leaders across the school. More importantly we are developing students who will contribute strongly to their respective communities in the future. In particular I wish our School Captains well for the challenges ahead.

School Priorities

This week we submit our Annual Implementation Plan to region. The plan outlines our priorities for the year as we commit to continually improve our service provision and the education experience of our students. Our priorities for 2017 are:

Student Wellbeing
Writing for Learning
Systematic Curriculum Development and Delivery
Pedagogy for Improvement and Engagement – Digital Technology
Pedagogy for Improvement and Engagement – Thinking Skills

Student Success

Great to see so many students taking up the opportunities on hand at Centenary SHS. The response to the Kokoda Challenge has been fantastic. Likewise, great to see the good numbers at the morning cross country training sessions.

Congratulations to Aleece Macaulay and Daniella Swart in Year 10 who have been selected to be part of the Lord Mayor’s Environmental Leadership group.

Well done to School Captain Nathan Merry who won the District Lion’s Youth of the Year competition and will now proceed to the next level. Also deserving of mention is School Captain Darly Ngwe who won the Speaking component of the competition.

John Brew, Principal
Email: admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

To read newsletter in full view, please click on the “Newsletter Print Version” button on the top left-hand corner of the screen.

Newsletter Articles

News from the Deputy Principals

2017 Timetable

With our student numbers increasing this year we have been entitled to an increase in 1 general teacher and 1 special education teacher. This has necessitated some amendments to the current timetable, particularly in Year 11. A number of new classes have been created and unfortunately this may cause some disruption to those students who have been moved into the new classes. We have attempted to minimise these disruptions as much as possible. If you have any concerns about your son or daughter’s timetable please contact the relevant Deputy Principal.

Matt McDonald, Deputy Principal (Year12)
Email: mmcdo156@eq.edu.au

Adam Richter, Deputy Principal (Years 10, 11, ATSI & International)
Email: arich60@eq.edu.au

Sallyann Griffith, Deputy Principal (Years 7, 8, International & Exchange)
Email: sgrif88@eq.edu.au

Kelsey Oakes, Deputy Principal (Years 8, 9 & EALD)
Email: koake10@eq.edu.au

Curriculum Charges 2017

Last week invoices for Curriculum Charges were processed and emailed to parents/carers. To allow parents/carers to budget and enter payment plans, accounts are not required to be finalised until the 31st October.

Curriculum Charges are an additional charge for some specific areas of study which require extra, intensive resourcing. These can occur across core subject areas and extra-curricular subjects like STEP and HG. These charges cover activities and resources outside of the Student Resource Scheme.

Many extension and senior students are undertaking TAFE, university and certificate courses which incur significant charges from external organisations. Some subject areas include excursions, camps and academic competitions.

Attached is an overview of all fees and charges. These documents provide a detailed explanation (by subject) of Curriculum Charges and Student Resource Scheme fees and what the school provides for each of these charges. A copy is available on our website below under Curriculum | Resource scheme.

These Curriculum Charges are reviewed each year by the school finance committee which then makes recommendations to the P&C for endorsement.

During the processing of these invoices you may receive multiple emails from the school. To save time and confusion, we recommend you ignore all invoices and wait for a statement to be emailed later in the term.

Statements will be emailed each term with a due date of 31st October.

Parents/Carers of Years 7 and 8 students, please note that some subjects are only timetabled each term or semester. For these subjects, invoices will be generated as required with an email advising parents/carers of the fee.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, please contact the Business Services Manager to discuss how your financial obligations can be met throughout the school year or to negotiate alternative arrangements that may be available to accommodate individual circumstances. All discussions will be held in the strictest confidence.

For more detailed information please contact the individual Head of Department or by emailing admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

Charmaine Macaulay
Email: cmaca5@eq.edu.au

Technology Levy 2017

Last year the school introduced an Information Technology levy, which has been approved by the school P&C, and has been made in response to a change in the level of Federal Government funding for schools.

In response to the change in this funding model, Centenary State High School has progressed to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme. This approach places the school at the forefront of the current technology and allows students to connect a range of approved devices that best enhance the learning that occurs in the classroom. The potential devices that may be connected to the programme means that families will be able to identify a cost-effective and convenient option for students.

This whole school levy will provide services over and above what is currently provided to State Schools under the revised funding arrangement. The levy will service the following:

• Allow all students to connect to the BYOx network for connectivity to the school.
• Management and on-site support to the school’s wireless infrastructure for student connectivity.
• Ongoing access to school based technical support to facilitate the transition to BYOx across the school.
• Student access to additional software beyond the standard available downloads such as the Microsoft Office Suite.

At the centre of this decision is a commitment to deliver the highest quality IT solutions to our school community.

If you have any further questions or queries, please contact Daniel Mabb (HOD – Information Technology) at the school on 07 3373 4555 or via email (dmabb1@eq.edu.au).

Charmaine Macaulay
Email: cmaca5@eq.edu.au

News from our School Improvement and Innovation HOD

Impact Centre Programs

We have partnered with the Brisbane School of Distance Education Impact Centre for a number of years to provide opportunities for students to engage in online learning. This trimester, over forty Year 7 students connect with their online teacher via a web conference platform once a week. These students are extending their thinking by either practising the craft of writing, developing their numerical problem solving strategies or constructing and evaluating arguments. Students are also supported by our teachers to ensure they get the most out of their participation. We look forward to seeing how students apply this learning to their other school subjects.

Anna Petrie, School Improvement and Innovation HOD
Email: anpet0@eq.edu.au

News from the Guidance Officers

School refusal

The term “school refusal” is used to describe the type of absences when a child is too emotionally distressed to attend school and usually the cause of this upset is fear associated with aspects of their schooling. For some parents/carers, school refusal is an ongoing battle and the aim of this article is to provide parents/carers with tips on how to prevent school refusal from escalating.

1. Only allow your child to stay home when they are genuinely sick.
2. Avoid being the “enabler” and remove any reinforcing factors that make staying at home pleasurable. For example, do not take them shopping or to a café on non-genuine sick days.
3. Take the internet cable, game console and iPad to work with you.
4. Create boundaries around gaming and internet use. Promote “sleep hygiene” by asking your child not to take technology into the bedroom with them after sleep time. This will ensure they wake up on time and can arrive on time for school.
5. Book non-urgent appointments such as hairdressing appointments and dental check-ups during out of school hours, weekends or holidays.
6. Part time work should not exceed 12 hours a week. If their employer is expecting in excess of this, it would be worth researching your child’s rights.
7. Stomach aches and headaches can be a sign of anxiety. Take the time to discuss with your child their fears and concerns, so that you can distinguish what is a medical issue and what is a symptom of fear.
8. If your child struggles with the academic aspects of schooling, encourage them to become active in school sporting teams and events. Pursuits where students show off their strengths are opportunities to build self-esteem.
9. Be proactive and inform the school about bullying incidents. If we do not know, practical measures, such as a change of seating plan, cannot be taken.
10. If you suspect mental health issues, promptly take your child to your GP to discuss a mental health plan. Under a mental health plan, six appointments with a psychologist are free under the Medicare rebate.

Lastly, alert the school that you are having difficulties so that we can help you. We may not be able to drag your child out the house and to school but we can certainly advise and encourage you from the sidelines. The longer a child stays away from school the harder it is for them to return. Be proactive and attend to signs of school refusal promptly before it becomes your daily battle.

Further clarification about school refusal can be found in the following links:

Time Management = Priorities + Planning - Myths

A significant number of students have made appointments with me lately for support with managing their time more effectively. Although I very much welcome these appointments, I also thought it might be useful to run through with you the general advice that I give to these young people. The first step is to dispel some of the more prevalent myths around time management.

Myths

• Good time management is about getting more things done. Actually it is about getting the important things done to a high standard in a timely manner.
• I am studying for hours every day already, so I can’t do any more: What you can do is look at how productive you are, and what strategies you could try to yield more out of the same amount of – or possibly less – time.
• I work best under pressure. This is simply an excuse for putting yourself under pressure, and does not address the need to clarify task requirements; the importance of timely feedback from teachers; the value of reflection and revision time; and the detrimental impact of stress on performance.
• Other people seem to have a lot more time to get things done than I do. Before you go searching these ‘other people’ for time-turners (a la Hermione in Harry Potter), take a moment to consider your study habits. It is far more likely that the people you are comparing yourself to simply have good planning and follow-through practices.

Time management isn’t an instinct, or a gift we receive on our 13th birthday: it is a set of skills that must be learned! People who recognise the benefits of managing their commitments effectively from an early age might look like they are sailing through their secondary schooling without a care in the world, in the same way that experienced drivers rarely have to white-knuckle the steering wheel or slam on the brakes. It is all a matter of developing the skills and then putting them into practice.

Prioritise

Think about all of the activities you have on your to-do list, and try to triage them by importance and urgency. It is important to be clear about your main focus so that you can decide which activities to prioritise and which ones to delay (read a great book) or even delete (take my 124th food pic for the week). Once you know what is important to you, look at what is most urgent, and work your way through your list in order.

If you have trouble working out what to do first (because EVERYTHING is important and urgent) try the Idea Sandbox Prioritizer (also available as an app).

This site allows you to write a list of things to do (I suggest writing in the task and its deadline), then compares just two items on the list at a time, asking you to “click on the item that is more important” until it can present you with a list of priorities based on your responses. This can help give you direction when you’re too stressed to think through your priorities. That way if you run out of time, at least you know you have made your effort count.

Planning

If you are going to manage your time effectively, you need a plan. Actually, you need two, and one for each assignment. Sound complicated? Let me break it down for you.

Compile a weekly time frame

Complete a weekly time frame starting from when you wake up through to when you go to bed, Monday to Sunday. Every Sunday night fill in your following week’s commitments (use the list above as a guide). You should be allocating a reasonable number of hours EVERY week to study plus extra time for set homework. When assignments are due and it is exam week/s, you will need to allocate more study hours. NOTE: You need to allocate one or two hours for emergencies (an extra shift at work, extra session of training). And remember, happy people are successful people, so you need to make sure that you have a balance in your life EVERY week – time for study, family, friends, yourself and work (if appropriate).

Plan your assignments

Break every assignment down into the steps you need to successfully complete it. That is:

• analyse the question
• talk to others about what they think the question is asking you to do
• check with your teacher to be sure you are on the right track
• dot point key issues you need to address or cover in the assignment
• check these with your teacher
• do your research on each of the dot points
• arrange the dot points into a logical sequence that will answer the question
• write your first draft
• ask your teacher to read it through and provide any suggestions
• re-work your assignment to include any changes
• ask someone to proof read your assignment (you cannot proof read your own work!)
• print your assignment
• hand well-crafted and completed assignment in on the due by date

Compile your term/semester plan

Your weekly plan will support your term/semester plan.

• Don’t just put your due by dates on your term/semester plan – this tells you when your assignments are due and nothing about how to get them completed.
• Every assignment you have planned (above steps) you need to put on your semester time plan so you know when you are going to complete each step (HINT: work backwards … start from due on this date, print on this date, proof read on this date, re-work assignment on this date, etc. Then you will see what date you need to START each assignment).
• When you are putting together your weekly time management play you need to refer to your term/semester plan to know what has to be completed in any specific week … the two plans work together … they support each other.

So now you know how to manage your time, all that is left to do is put your prioritising and planning into action. I can help with developing follow-through as well … but that is a topic for another edition of the newsletter!

Acknowledgement: Options Career Information: The How-To of Time Management

Juanita Oberle, Guidance Counsellor
Email: jober13@eq.edu.au

Janet Ingram, Guidance Counsellor
Email: jingr34@eq.edu.au

News from the School Nurse

Hello – My name is Dyanne Moxham, and I am the School Based Youth Health Nurse at Centenary State High School. I am coming into my 11th year of working at this fantastic school.

I am employed by Children’s Health Queensland, as a part of Child and Youth Community Health. I am a registered nurse and a credentialed mental health nurse.

I do health promotional activities in the school and curriculum based classroom presentations for all year levels. Young people learn best and are able to manage their life if they are healthy - physically and emotionally. I will be available for individual consultations with students every Monday and Friday from 8.00am – 3.30pm, and Fridays to talk about anything that affects health and wellbeing. This covers a broad range of issues such as

• nutrition and exercise
• sun safety
• mental health
• relationships
• sexual health and
• drug and alcohol concerns

I work in collaboration with the broader student services team, in partnership with guidance officers as well as the year level coordinators, chaplain, deputy principals and external service providers.

All consultations are voluntary and confidential. If you have any concerns regarding the confidentiality, give me a call and I will discuss this. I do inform the young person at the start of our consultation about confidentiality, what I can and cannot keep private.

Please call me on 3373455 or the office to make an appointment.

Good Health to all,

Dy Moxham RN, MMHN., School Based Youth Health Nurse
Every Monday and Friday
2nd Wednesday of the month
Email: admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

Sports Report

Swimming

A lot has been happening in the pool over the first five weeks of the school year! We have had our Centenary SHS Swimming Trials, West Akuna Swimming Carnival, District Swimming Carnival and Regional Trials. The Centenary SHS Swimming Trials were a huge success with just over 50 students swimming and as result we had a strong swimming team going to the District carnival.

West Akuna

Our 12 year old swimmers born in 2005 went to the West Akuna Swimming Carnival on Friday 10th February. Congratulations to Zoe Oram, Bethany Morrison, Matthew Cradick and Evan Longmire. All four students represented Centenary SHS to the best of their abilities. Congratulations to Matthew Cradick and Zoe Oram who qualified to attend the Regional Trials on Wednesday 22nd February at Chandler.

District Swimming Carnival

Thursday 16th February was our district swimming carnival and Centenary SHS came 2nd in all categories of overall, girls, boys and percentage trophies. This is a credit to our outstanding spirit of students swimming multiple events and putting their hand up to compete in events they aren’t experienced in. Well done to all of our swimmers.

Regional Swimming Carnival

On Wednesday 22nd February Centenary SHS had 15 swimmers that qualified to attend the Regional Swimming Trials at Sleeman Aquatic Centre! Students that represented Centenary SHS were Caitlin Ng, Leticia Ng, Rykent Bezuidenhout, Yvette Bezuidenhout, Mathew Cradick, Felicity Cradick, Peter Cradick, Zoe Oram, Chloe Hacker, Jake Knight, Ebony Moore, Alex Oram, Declan Turner, Ashley Barnett and Alyssa Kearney!

Congratulations to the following students who have now qualified for the Met West team to compete at the State Trials: Rykent Bezuidenhout, Chloe Hacker, Ashley Barnett, Alyssa Kearney, Caitlyn Ng and Peter Cradick. This is an achievement that has been earned through hard work, dedication and commitment to swimming.

Year 10 & Open District Finals Day – Interschool Sport Day 1

Wednesday 1st March will see our school involved in the Year 10 & Open District Finals Day played against the other schools in our District. Our school has entered teams in Touch, Volleyball, Baseball, Cricket and Basketball. I would like to wish all the students good luck in their games and thank you to the coaches for all your hard work in training your teams. I will have a detailed report and the results in the next edition.

Years 7, 8 & 9 District Finals Day – Interschool Sport Day 1

Friday 17th March is Day 1 of our junior summer district days. 2017 will see our Years 7, 8 & 9s have two days for their interschool competition. Squads have been selected and have been busy training every week during STEP and AM breaks. The sports being played in the summer competition are basketball, volleyball, tennis and touch football. Good luck to all of our teams!

West Brisbane District Trials

A reminder that all information regarding district trials from 13-19 years is on the sports noticeboard. Dates are also on the sports calendar that is on the school website. Students must collect paperwork from Mrs Nasalio if they wish to attend trials. Please be aware of a trial date change for Touch Football 13 – 15 years from Wednesday 29 March to Wednesday 22 March. The majority of the trials are held in March so if your child specialises in a sport and would like the opportunity to represent at District, Met West, QLD and even Australia then this is the pathway they must take.

West Akuna 12 Years District Information

Can I please ask that students who are born in 2005, are turning 12 or have turned 12 this year and wish to compete in the West Akuna district, continue to check the student notices and sports noticeboard for upcoming district trials. You must ensure you see Mrs Nasalio to collect paperwork in order to attend these afternoon trials.

Cross Country Training

Cross Country season is fast approaching and Centenary SHS HPE department would like to offer students an opportunity to participate in a training program that we have written. Training will occur three mornings a week from 7.30am to 8.15am. Students are to meet the teacher running the training session on the school oval.

Training sessions are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Sessions commenced on Monday 20th February. Please be aware that, even if it is raining, training will still go ahead but will be moved into the school gym. Students are welcome to attend any of these three sessions and are not required to notify staff of their attendance in advance.

Students will be running on the school grounds as well as on the footpath on Moolanda Street. This running program is suitable for all ages and fitness levels and we encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity.

Tennis

Senior students, Sara (Year 11) and Uma (Year 12) Nayar are working hard balancing out their studies, training, and tennis in the pursuit of professional careers. Each have world rankings from their regular play on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Circuit and have also played Junior Fed Cup. The girls spend approximately 21 hours per week involved in on and off court training and also are working towards attaining an OP. The girls will be assisting in some Junior Gala Day team training which will be great! Well done girls!

(The article below is from a recent edition of the South West News)

All Junior Gala Day Tennis Teams are training well in preparation for the upcoming competition.

Sports Awards

In Term 4 Centenary SHS hosts the annual Awards Presentation Night where students who have achieved at a high level and earned a silver or gold award will be presented with their certificates and badges. At the award ceremony the Junior and Senior Sportsperson of the Year will be announced. I have attached below a table that outlines how we allocate points in order for students to earn a sports award.

Reporting Results

To enable me to report on student results and to keep accurate records for sports awards, I need to know how participants went in their competitions. Students can see me in Staffroom 4 or results can be emailed to: tnasa1@eq.edu.au

Upcoming Events

MARCH

1 - Year 10/Open District Day 1
10 - Open Cricket District Day 2
17 - Years 7, 8 & 9 District Day 1

Any students needing further information and permission forms for district trials, please report to Mrs Nasalio in Staffroom 4.

Sports Calendar

The Centenary SHS Sport Calendar can be viewed on the school website. It contains all the latest sporting events and dates for the West Brisbane and regional events.

Tamara Nasalio, Sports Director
Email: tnasa1@eq.edu.au

Cultural News

Instrumental and Choral Music Program

The year is off to a flying start with the Instrumental Music Program. All of our ensembles are up and running again with renewed zeal and enthusiasm. Parents/Carers with any questions regarding the program are free to email me any time at mwatk16@eq.edu.au.

Absences from Lessons and Ensembles

Just a reminder to our current families, and a notice for our new parents/carers, to please contact your instrumental teacher, or myself, should you be unable to make a rehearsal or music lesson. We understand that there are genuine reasons why people are unable to attend, but just ask that any absences be explained. If you are away all day from school because of sickness and you contact the school, you do not need to contact me as well, I will see the information on our system. If you have an unexplained absence, an email will be sent home and to the student’s email.

An Explained Absence is when:

• A student is genuinely sick and not at school for all of the day, or the part of the day when their lesson/rehearsal occurs
• A student is not at school for another reason for all of the day or the part of the day when their lesson/rehearsal occurs (e.g. family event, funeral, etc.)
• A student is out of school on an excursion, sporting event or other approved school activity
• A student is late or does not come to a morning rehearsal for genuine reasons and comes to see their teacher or Mr Watkins afterward to offer an apology and explanation (e.g. missed the bus, traffic, car troubles, etc.)
• A student sees their teacher or Mr Watkins to tell them that they need to stay in class for this lesson because of work that they cannot miss (e.g. exam revision, assessment)
• A student forgets to come out of class to go to their lesson but comes to see the teacher or Mr Watkins afterward and explains the situation to the teacher’s satisfaction

An Unexplained Absence is when:

• A student misses a rehearsal and does not come and see their ensemble teacher or Mr Watkins to offer an explanation or apology
• A student does not come out of class for their instrumental lesson and does not come and see their teacher or Mr Watkins before or after the lesson to explain
• A student forgets to come out of class to go to their lesson but comes to see the teacher afterward and does not explain the situation to the teacher’s satisfaction

We in the instrumental and choral program believe that our department is about much more than simply playing music, but is about the encouragement and development of thoughtful, responsible and respectful young men and women who will mature into productive and successful members of our society. The instrumental and choral teachers in our school are professionals who deserve to be treated as such, and we only ask that they receive the courtesy and respect that they merit. The vast majority of the students are excellent and are always doing the right thing, and I thank them and you as their parents/carers for your commitment and dedication.

Music Camps

Senior Music Camp is coming up very soon in Week 8 of this term. If students have not collected forms yet, this needs to be done immediately. All permission and special diet forms must be in to the office by Friday 10th March. Details and forms for the Junior Music Camp will be out in the next couple of weeks.

Investiture Ceremony

Monday 13th February saw the investiture of school student leaders for 2017 held on assembly. The Liquorice All Sorts Clarinet Ensemble directed by Mrs Harvey provided the National Anthem and a performance of “The Pink Panther”, and are to be congratulated. The ceremony also saw the Arts Captains and Leaders presented with their certificates and badges, as well as the Year 7 Instrumental Music Scholarship recipients. It was thrilling to see so many of the general leadership positions filled by students who are also very active in The Arts.

Legally Blonde

Preliminary rehearsals for our musical Legally Blonde have begun during STEP time. Full scale rehearsals begin in trimester two for all students, and auditions will be held at the end of Term 1.

Date Claimers

Mark Watkins, Cultural Director
Email: mwatk16@eq.edu.au

Junior Secondary News

The first five weeks of the school year have been very busy for all students in the Junior School. The large majority of our young people have settled in well to the routines of their new school grade!

Week 3 was particularly exciting for our Year 7 students. Two hundred attended a three day camp at Tallebudgera, while fifty students participated in the ‘at school’ camp, where they engaged in team building activities, solved engineering problems, showed their creative skills, cooked chocolate slice and got to know others!

Tallebudgera camp:

At Tallebudgera the activities the students participated in were also designed to develop team building skills, as well as personally challenge the young people. It was amazing to see some students face their fears and climb the rock wall, or take to the waves with a boogie board. A great deal of fun was had at both camps over the three days.

One of the highlights of Centenary SHS’s School Calendar is the Student Leadership Investiture Ceremony which was held on Monday 13th February. It was wonderful to see our Junior School Captains, Student Forum Leaders from Years 8 and 9, and the Academic and Music Scholarship winners from Year 7 being acknowledged. Congratulations to all students who were presented with badges and certificates at this assembly! The Junior School is in very capable hands with such a wonderful group of enthusiastic and hard-working students leading them!

Recently the Year 8 cohort undertook a half day program with High Resolves. During this program, the students were made aware of their responsibilities as a digital citizen, and importantly, how they can use social media to benefit others and improve our world. I encourage you to talk to your student about their learnings from this day.

Responsibilities as a digital citizen and a student of Centenary SHS is one area that our Year Level Coordinators and HG teachers work hard to promote with the students. Too frequently we need to deal with students who are not acting in a responsible and respectful way towards other members of Centenary SHS’s school community. Students are specifically reminded of:

• The school’s expectations around students using mobile phones and personal devices
• Upon enrolment both they and a parent/carer have signed the Computer Access Agreement form
• The Student Diary pages 118-119 details their responsibility as a digital citizen at Centenary SHS
• Consequences will be applied to students who do not act in a responsible and respectful way, and who impact upon the good order of the school

As a parent/carer, I strongly encourage you to also become familiar with your child’s responsibilities in this area and have a talk to them about their interactions with others on social media and through texting. It is important that together we help guide our young people to act responsibly and have respectful relationships.

Angela McKay, Junior Secondary
Email: amcka18@eq.edu.au

News from Applied Technology

STEP - Home Economics

Last year, the Home Economics faculty offered “I Can Create” as a STEP activity and it proved extremely popular with the junior students, attracting strong numbers in all three trimesters. This year is proving to be no different, with a group of very curious, energetic and eager students waiting outside the kitchen doors on Wednesdays, ready for the activity to commence.

Students are supplied with a variety of fruits, some basic tools and a set a brief instructions. Relying on a sense of creativity and fun, the students are challenged to take the contents of a conventional fruit salad and present it as an edible fruit bouquet. Shape, form and proportion are the characteristics considered when planning how to assemble pieces of fruit to replicate various types of flora.

It is interesting to observe how the students approach the task and particularly how some fruit florists experiment with shaping their produce and testing various combinations, before a final decision is made.

The results are amazing! Great team spirit is displayed throughout the task.

Students quickly realise that not only are the fruit bouquets interesting to observe, but delicious and healthy to consume.

STEP - Industrial Technology and Design

So, you have a cheeky possum living in your ceiling cavity or in another equally frustrating location and relocation is just far too difficult to contemplate. The Years 7 and 8 ITD STEP students have the answer. Students are presently constructing possum boxes to be hung in trees, to lure those noisy night time revellers from your house and into their very own home. We’re working from a plan authorised by the National Parks and Wildlife Authority, so the boxes shouldn’t remain vacant for long. Once completed, photos will be published in a future edition.

Consent Forms

Students enrolled in Applied Technology practical subjects have been issued with a consent form, requiring a parent/carer’s signature. The returned form indicates to your child’s respective teacher, that you are aware of the inherent risks associated with such subjects and permit your son/daughter to continue with the subject. Unfortunately, a significant number of consent forms remain outstanding. Please attend to this promptly, otherwise your child will be withdrawn from the workshop and/or kitchen.

Occupational Health and Safety Requirements

Students enrolled in practical subjects are required to comply with Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Applied Technology staff request students wear appropriate footwear in either a workshop or kitchen and avoid wearing loose clothing.

Students can easily comply. Simply:

• Wear their leather school shoes
• Wear supplied aprons, with the bow tied to the back
• Leave headphone/earpiece leads in their bags

Failure to comply, may result in your child being withdrawn from the workshop and/or kitchen.

Certificate II in Engineering Pathways

Students in both year levels have been informed of the theoretical commitment required for this semester.

Year 11 students need to complete a minimum of 6 units per week, while the Year 12 students receive a slight reprieve with a weekly target of 4 units.

We emphasise with students the importance of honouring this commitment to avoid the catastrophic compounding effect when work is not completed by the required date. Essentially, if a Year 11 student fails to complete their six theory units one week, will they find it any easier to complete 12 the following week?

Don’t let your son/daughter try to convince you that they have no work to complete at home. There’s always some theory to finish. Ask them to log onto their Blue Dog Training account and show you their progress.

Michael Tobin, Applied Technology HOD
Email: mtobi6@eq.edu.au

News from Business

A very big start to an amazing year within the faculty! I would like to welcome Martin Homan to our team and welcome back Anne Ritchie.

What’s new

• One of our Year 12 Management students will be involved in Griffith University’s Business “Outreach” program (successful completion leads to the option to apply for a Guaranteed Offer of Entry into the Griffith Business school degree or double degree of their choice). Last year one of our students who attended this program during 2016, used their guaranteed entry and also was awarded a scholarship! An excellent outcome from our on-going relationship with Griffith University.
• Year 7 BCE (term subject) will be building their own vehicle from kit form (utilizing STEAM skills) and then will be set a further challenge to 3D design and print the shell …. I am sure there are going to be many discussions around this outside of school!
• Year 8s are beginning with a term of Entrepreneurship followed by a term of ICTs - 3D printing, and coding sumo robots.
• Year 9s are designing their 3D challenges (animal at the moment) and exploring Tinkercad, before moving onto higher level robotics.
• Year 10 BST students will be extending their knowledge through our links with McDonalds at Jindalee, and through our unique virtual business program.

This year we will be continuing our quality pathways in our senior school through our partnership with TAFE Brisbane for the delivery of Certificate III Business and IDMT and Certificate IV in Justice. Barrington is our new provider for the Diploma of Business and attaining this qualification has provided a pathway into tertiary studies for a number of the Year 12 students of 2016.

Students in Years 8, 9 & 10 who do not study BCE/ICTs can access 3D printing through one of our STEP electives, and our new Makerspace which will officially “open” Monday 27th March in BT05, and will be able to be accessed Monday-Wednesday in AM breaks!

I look forward to updating you through the year, information (if possible) will be on the school’s website as it comes to hand.

Janelle Kerridge, Business Technology HOD
Email: jkerr172@eq.edu.au

Science Report

Our students have a number of opportunities to engage with STEM activities once again this year. Please encourage your students take up these opportunities when they present themselves. Some of our engagements are outlined below

Pioneers in Science

Students across the Year 8, 9 & 10 ECXEL classes were given the opportunity to nominate for Pioneers in Science Program. Ten students in each of Year 8 and across Years 9 & 10 were successful. The pioneers in science program is part of the World Science Festival to be held at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Brisbane on Thursday 23rd March 2017. The Year 8 students will attend a lecture given by Dr France Córdova, who is an astrophysicist and NASA’s first female Chief Scientist whose scientific contributions have been in the areas of observational and experimental astrophysics and multi-spectral research on x-ray and gamma ray sources. Dr France Córdova has also been the deputy group leader in the Earth and Space Sciences division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and served as chair on both the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian and the National Science Board (NSB). She is currently the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), President Emerita of Purdue University, and Chancellor Emerita of the University of California, where she was a distinguished Professor of physics and astronomy.

The Year 9 & 10 Students will attend a lecture given by Professor Ian Frazer, who pioneered the development of the cervical cancer vaccine known as Gardasil. Professor Ian Frazer works closely with The University of Queensland and was responsible for establishing the Transitional Research Institute (TRI) which is attached to the Prince Alfred Hospital. Professor Frazer has made significant contributions to medical research at an International level.

STEM Horizons

Four students in each of Year 7 and 9 will be part of the STEM Horizons program. The program is designed for High Achieving students and is an opportunity for them to enhance their knowledge and extend their science learning beyond the classroom. During the course of a semester students will be involved in activities at a range of locations including SPARQ-ed at TRI, Griffith University and the waters of Moreton Bay. Students will be working alongside peers from other school with similar demonstrated interests and abilities in STEM activities. Activities are designed to be hands-on and provide opportunities to actively engage in higher order thinking and problem solving. Links to authentic ‘real world’ science further enhance engagement and connection with possible future careers.

Science Competitions

Throughout the year students will have the opportunity to participate in a number of science competitions. A letter will be emailed soon outlining the different competitions across different subjects. The closing date for all payments is 31 March. Please encourage your students to participate. The science competitions are as follows:

Big Science Competition - 19 May
ICAS Science Competition - 30 May
Australian National Chemistry Quiz - 01 August

Tutorials

In the past we have provided students with the opportunity to attend common tutorials across all disciplines of Science on a Wednesday morning. This model did not work very well as students were not able to access information needed for a specific discipline. This year we are trialling a new approach. Teachers across the different disciplines are offering tutorials for individual year levels or combined levels. Some of the offering are as follows:

NOTE:

• Times are usually 8:15 – 8:50 for morning sessions and 3:15 – 4:15 for afternoon sessions.
• A higher frequency of tutorials will be offered in each of the disciplines closer to Block Exams. Teachers will inform students closer to the time.

Allen Moodley, Science HOD
Email: amood23@eq.edu.au

News from The Arts

It’s been a busy five weeks to start the new school year, with quality teaching and learning happening in all Arts classrooms. The Arts faculty staff are working hard and setting high standards for student performance and we look forward to outstanding results as the year progresses.

Last week the Senior Arts Leaders were presented with their Captains and Ambassadors badges. Congratulations to all students and we thank you in advance for your leadership and contributions to The Arts faculty this year.

Arts Captains 2017: (Band) Louis, Ethan, (Choir) Ashleigh, Grace, (Strings) Lauren, Allie, (Backstage) Natasha, Jordan, Zac, (Performance) Abigail, Hayley, Nina, Lilly, (Visual Art) Emma, Shana, (Film) Caitlin, Byron.

2017 Arts Captains – Emma, Shana, Caitlin and Byron

For students in senior subjects, the focus of the first few weeks has been on preparing the students for success. For students in Year 12, the QCS test will be on their minds already and there are many ways the work they are doing in Arts classes is preparing them for this test. When teachers are preparing content and delivery lessons, there is a focus on explicitly teaching high order cognition. The concepts of analysing, evaluating, synthesising and creating are what we need our students to know to be able to achieve success in their subjects. In addition to this, there is a focus on communicating, in both written and oral formats. Communication in the senior Arts subjects entails correct use of language conventions related to spelling, grammar, punctuation, context, format/layout and referencing. In speaking and writing, students learn to use the text structures, genres and specialised vocabulary, terminology and concepts of their particular subject. Whilst the skills learnt may be taught in an Arts context, they are transferable skills to their other subjects and their assessment.

There have been a number of activities planned or taking place in addition to the classroom teaching and learning to enrich the curriculum. The Years 11 and 12 Drama and Drama In Practice students have had the privilege of working with the Queensland Theatre Company in a series of workshops in partnership with the school. These workshops are provided to engage the students with the content and to also prepare them for their forming assessment. Forming is making creative works; it requires students to synthesise – bringing their knowledge and understanding of the dramatic elements and their skills of drama together to create dramatic action and communicate meaning for their audience. Drama teaches students about the importance of understanding different social and cultural perspectives on a variety of subjects and issues and relates to many different careers after school.

Photo caption – Queensland Theatre Company’s Travis working with Year 12 Drama students on their Epic Theatre assessment task

It is important for students who are studying in the Arts to have opportunities to experience professional performances and view works. For this reason there are a number of excursions planned for this term. Your child should have received (or will shortly receive) information about these enrichment activities.

• 28 February: Year 12 Music – American Idiot
• 13 March: Years 11 and 12 Visual Art/Visual Art in Practice – Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art
• 15 March: Years 7 and 8 Music Plus and Year 9 Music – Queensland Symphony Orchestra
• 24 March: Year 11 Dance – Queensland Ballet Company
• 20 April: Years 10-12 Music – Queensland Symphony Orchestra
• 24 April: Year 10 Performance Plus and Year 12 Drama/Drama in Practice - Queensland Theatre Company

Teaching is a rewarding profession. When we see our students achieve something they’ve been working hard toward it makes all the late nights marking and preparing work very worthwhile. Celebrating the success of our past students is important because it reminds us that a quality education is a major contributor toward success after school. I’d like to feature a very talented student who studied in The Arts at Centenary SHS and what he’s been up to in his time over the years since leaving school.

Ryan Greaves, a graduate of 2011, went on to study film and has since graduated from the Griffith University Film School. One of his short films is featured in a showcase series which supports and highlights the talents of young film makers around Australia. Ryan’s film, ‘Alienation’ is a touching and thought-provoking film, with great cinematography and stunning Giraween landscapes. You can view this excellent short film on ABC iview by visiting this link:

Finally, it was wonderful to meet a number of parents/carers at the Arts Sub-committee meeting earlier this month. We would certainly love to have more parents/carers involved and if you are available, the next meeting will be held on Wednesday March 8 at 7pm in PA10 (inside CPAC). If you have any experience in writing community grants, we would love to hear from you! Please email us parts@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au or aslee4@eq.edu.au.

Angela Sleeman, The Arts HOD
Email: aslee4@eq.edu.au

News from the Student Leadership Coordinator

From the very beginning, the school captains of 2017 pledged to create immense change amongst our school and local community and what better way to start if off than with the official Day of Love? With the help of countless students, teachers and staff, we raised over $700 for the Sweetheart Kids Charity, which raises awareness for children born with a heart defect. We sold love letters, confectionary, serenades and for the first time in a long time, fresh roses! The day was a huge success, and I am so proud of the leadership displayed by the senior leaders, as well as the student forum who gave up hours of their time to pick off the thorns from over 150 roses! We truly hope that this will be an annual tradition celebrated every year from this day forth. What a happy Valentine’s Day! A very special thanks must go to Lynch’s Flower Markets, who provided us with beautiful, fresh roses for our special event.

Claire Tuton, Student Leadership Coordinator
Email: ctuto3@eq.edu.au

Year 11 Report

The start of Year 11 is often a challenging and eye-opening period for students, as the increasing demands and expectations of their Senior Study Pathways become apparent. As usual, the first few weeks have been a whirlwind of subject and pathway changes, but hopefully all students are now confident that they have made the right choices.

Our Year 11 Home Group program has been revised this year to incorporate material from the Certificate II in Skills for Work and Training qualification. It has gotten off to a great start. On Mondays, students spend time with their HG teachers researching their post-schooling options and learning practical work-related skills. They are investigating career pathways and tertiary study opportunities (University, TAFE and other providers). The Certificate work also flows into our Wednesday afternoon STEP sessions, where the focus has been on Senior Study Skills and Group Communication.

The Semi-Formal is set for Friday 26th May! Students were asked to choose between retaining the traditional “fancy dress” event and changing the night into a more formal occasion. The outcome was very clear: 83% chose to keep with tradition and dress up like loons. It’s always a hugely enjoyable night and the students will doubtless impress with their colourful and creative costumes, as they always do.

For those who have not heard, former Year Level Coordinator Lachie Gibbs has moved on from the school, and I have inherited the mantle for 2017. I have enjoyed a great start with a wonderful bunch of young people. Please let me know if I can be of service.

Terry Oberg, Year 11 Coordinator
Email: tober11@eq.edu.au

Year 10 Report – “Gen10 of Centen”

It has been great to visit HG classes and see the Year 10s getting organised. Their HG teachers have been guiding the students to reflect on their achievement from 2016, set goals for Term 1, 2017 and organise their time on planners. It is crucial that students complete their planners and allocate study time to prepare for assessment. The following tips may help:

• Due dates are recorded in diary (and on your phone)
• Prepare a study plan (put it on the fridge)
• Put aside time every night to revise (turn off social media)
• Chunk your study after school (some before dinner, some after dinner, without distractions)

Let’s get organised Year 10s.

Moving into the Senior School

The Head of Senior Schooling, Ms Angela Raven, has provided students with information regarding student pathways in 2018-2019. Year 10s should be starting to consider their options for Years 11-12. Mr Adrian Homer (Transition Coordinator) also spoke to the students about alternative pathways. I encourage you to ask your child about the information that was provided and begin conversations about future pathways.

Student Ambassadors

I am extremely pleased and proud to announce that three Year 10 students have been selected to be ambassadors for our school at the Brisbane City Council.

- Congratulations to Miranda Callum who will represent our school at the Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (LMYAC). The LMYAC is a forum where young people discuss issues that are important to them directly with the Lord Mayor and Council officers. LMYAC plays a pivotal role in enabling Council to receive feedback from young people about Council policies, local laws, services and programs. Well done Miranda.

- Congratulations also to Aleece Macaulay and Daniella Swart who will be our student ambassadors on the Brisbane City Council Student Environment Leadership Network (SELN) group. This program provides students with the knowledge and skills to identify environmental issues in the Brisbane area. Students will work together to plan and implement projects to help make Brisbane’s schools and communities cleaner and greener. Stay tuned. Well done Aleece and Danielle.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your son or daughter’s developments at school please don’t hesitate to contact me on 3373 4593 or email on bfurl1@eq.edu.au.

Warm regards,

Berenice Furlong, Year 10 Coordinator
Email: bfurl1@eq.edu.au

Year 9 Report

Year 9 sounds so grown up … seems that not that long ago, it was Year 7 … Although we are well and truly into the term, I would like to welcome you all back officially in this first Year 9 newsletter article. The Year 9 HG theme for this term is “Visions and Values” with a focus on Academic Success. We are seeking, in our Monday HG ‘Lessons’, to reinforce the work that curriculum teachers do in preparing Year 9s for a ‘step up’ in both classroom and assessment expectations.

The academic results from second semester of Year 8 were indeed very pleasing with close to 80 students achieving either a Silver or Gold Academic Award. To achieve a Gold Award, students must attain an A Standard in at least 5 of 6 subjects, and nothing less than a ‘B’ in the sixth. A phenomenal achievement indeed and well-deserving of this recognition. The fantastic accomplishment of these students doesn’t go unnoticed and they were recognised on a Special Year 9 Assembly last week. I hope they proudly showed you their certificates at home! Another tradition we have established is to recognise students who, regardless of their academic achievement, display outstanding behaviour and effort in class. As you would know, these two attributes play an important role in achieving success in the classroom.

Year 9s will be ‘leading the charge’ for a cleaner community by participating in the annual “Clean Up Australia Day” in Week 7. This is an event I remember the students really enjoying last year, and it provides them with an opportunity to play a small role in keeping their ‘corner of the world’ clean. The Year 9 Leaders run this show and all Year 9s are encouraged to participate.

I would like to welcome two new HG teachers to the A-Team! Ashley Beruldsen and Kate George (CU09A & CU09B respectively) Ashley has taken over from Bree Hudson and Kate is now looking after CU09B, for Vanessa Duschka, who has taken on the role of mentoring our newest teachers in the school. We wish both ladies all the best and thank them for their enthusiasm and commitment in 2016, as we welcome both these great teachers to the team! HG teachers are one of the key people in the lives of your sons and daughters. I would encourage you to get to know them and maybe even drop by and say hello at the upcoming Parent-Teacher interviews. Student wellbeing is an important aspect of Centenary SHS’s philosophy.

Fostering leadership is very close to my heart and there is a huge range of potential within this cohort. The traditional ‘HG Representatives’ were elected by their peers and HG teachers during the first two weeks of the term. I was so proud to celebrate with these 18 young ladies and gentlemen, along with the Year 9 Forum Leaders, last Monday at a Morning Tea. I will endeavour to encourage them to maintain their enthusiasm and commitment. The future is in good hands!

Some of our newly-elected 2017 HG Representatives

I hope to be able to include a lot more fun photos next newsletter. Until then, please contact me any time if you have concerns regarding the welfare of your student.

Debra Mansini, Year 9 Coordinator
Email: dmans17@eq.edu.au

Year 7 Report

I encourage all students to participate in at least one extracurricular activity each semester. This assists in developing a sense of belonging and these experiences are usually some of the fondest that students have when they leave school. We have a myriad of sporting, music, dance and other extra-curricular activities students can involve themselves in and it is important that students take ownership of reading the notices to participate in these events.

Students all got involved during our three-day and two-night Year 7 Camp 2017 which was held in the midst of the heat wave that was Week 3. We attended the Tallebudgera Outdoor Recreation Centre, bordered by the Pacific Ocean and Tallebudgera Creek. The students rotated through a number of exciting and challenging activities in small groups. Groups went body boarding, climbed ropes, went canoeing and participated in archery to name just a few.

The Year 7 Camp was a huge success with all the students and staff enjoying the experience. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the teachers who attended camp, who gave up a considerable amount of personal time for the benefit of our students. I am so appreciative of your efforts and feel so in awe of the patience and humour I witnessed on camp. All staff in attendance did an amazing job of looking after our students and giving that extra special care and attention.

Students who remained at school also had an incredible experience participating in an amazing range of fun and sensational experiences. Again, I would like to express my thanks to the teachers who created these exciting events for the students!

Karyn Abraham, Year 7 Coordinator
Email: kabra21@eq.edu.au

News from our P&C

President’s report for February 2017

Thank you to those who are attended our first P&C meeting for the year in February. It was lovely to see a few new faces. We would love to see many more of you getting involved with P&C events this year.

Our big news over the holidays was the completion of our new uniform shop. This is located at the rear of the canteen and is functioning very well. You can visit us there on any normal uniform shop day Mon – Wed, 8am to 11am. Uniforms can also be purchased through our Flexischools online ordering system. 2017 will be all about starting the renovations on our canteen.

Susan and I were able to attend the Year 7 parent/carer welcome evening recently where we had an information table and gave a brief talk about the P&C. We met a few friendly parents/carers who were willing to join the P&C or become canteen or Arts Sub-committee volunteers. Thank you.

Sarah and I attended the recent Leadership Investiture Ceremony to help with the badge, certificate and scholarship presentations and have to say that I was very proud to see so many students stepping up to take on leadership or supporting roles. I wish all of them all the best for the new school year. Congratulations also to our high achieving Year 12 students from last year who returned to provide a little inspiration to our current students.

Thank you to those who completed membership forms as part of the enrolment package. These will be tabled at our AGM in March to make your membership official. This is the only meeting in the year where you can become a member without attending the meeting. Outside of this time memberships are taken at the end of each meeting and you need to be present. Our membership forms are readily available on the website or attached here.

Volunteers are always welcome to help in the canteen and during the busy uniform sale times. Please think about how you can help and be more involved in the life of our school.

The AGM will take place on Wednesday 15th March 2017 at 7 pm in the Resource Centre when all memberships will lapse and all Executive positions become vacant. There are 2 positions currently that have no nominations (Vice-President and Secretary). If you wish to nominate for an Executive position, please complete a form or download one from the website. Please consider this as a way of supporting our school community and your child’s education. Please contact me if you are interested in nominating or would like any further information about Executive positions. pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

Facebook Page

The P&C have a Facebook page called Centenary SHS Parent Group. You can do a search in Facebook and it will come up. Please send a request to join and Lucinda or Jenny (our administrators and P&C Executive members) will check that you have a current or future student at the school. It’s a forum where parents/carers of children attending Centenary SHS can seek and share information regarding local school events, daily general information, reminders about events coming up within the school, uniform sales, lost property at school, etc. Updates to our Trivia night will be posted here as well. No negative posts at all will be tolerated.

Secondhand Uniforms

Secondhand uniforms can be donated to the uniform shop or you can advertise what you have to sell or would like to buy on our Facebook page (see details above).

The next P&C meeting: AGM - Wednesday 15th March at 7pm Resource Centre followed immediately afterward by our regular March general meeting.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Helen Shogren, P&C President, Centenary SHS
Email: pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

Normanby-Centenary JRLFC