22 June 2017 Volume 19 Number 6

News from the Principal

From the Principal

The end of term is always a frenetic time in schools with assessment, moderation and reporting taking centre stage. I hope that our students have given themselves every opportunity of success in their end of semester assessment.

Year 12 students in particular have just completed high stakes assessment with results critical to OP and QCE outcomes. Year 11 students need to review their results through the lens of best fit pathway provision. Students tracking at D or E results in Authority Subjects in particular need to consider alternate pathway options.

All students should be reviewing their 50 day goals with a view to setting challenge targets for the term ahead.. The next 50 days. Goal setting should also include reflection on learning habits and a realisation on what behaviours need to change to support improvement.

I’d also like to acknowledge the work of families over the semester in supporting students in their academic endeavours. The importance of good study routines and parent engagement with student work cannot be understated.

Staff Appointments

Lachie Gibbs returns to staff for Semester 2 after an Acting HOD stint at Forest Lake SHS.

Open Day

The school’s Open Day on Saturday 3rd June was another great success built on the back of some enormous staff and student input. The afternoon showcased the quality learning opportunities available across faculties at the school and provided our local community with a taste of Centenary schooling. As usual our students were wonderful ambassadors on the day. I take this opportunity to extend my thanks to everyone who contributed to the event.

Uniform

With the onset of winter and the cooler weather we are witnessing an increase in non uniform jumpers around the school. The uniform expectations of the school are that students will be in school uniform at all times. Students may borrow a school jumper for a day from the office but under no circumstances are they to wear a non uniform jumper in the school grounds. Track suit pants are not part of the uniform code.

Students are requested to wear plain navy socks with no logos. White socks with no logos are also accepted for sport. The navy socks can be purchased through the uniform shop.

Our uniform standards supports the notion of a disciplined environment. It is in disciplined environments that students are more likely to learn.

Senior Student Tracking

As part of our mentoring of senior students all students in Year 11 and 12 will have interviews with their Home Group teachers in the first weeks of Semester 2 to reflect upon their academic progress over the semester in the context of their preferred pathways post school. Part of this process for OP eligible students will be the provision of a predicted OP range based upon individual student achievement and historic school data.

The purpose of this OP monitoring process is to help students make informed choices on their future options and to be able to seek further information about post school pathways by having an insight into how their current level of achievement in their subjects will contribute to their OP rank. As students have to make choices for post secondary options when they apply to QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre) before the publication of OPs in December, having a sense of how they are tracking before they enter into this selection process has clear benefits.

We aim to repeat our 2016 100% QCE attainment this year. Strong interventions will be implemented to ensure that all students can successfully complete the quantity of recognised learning to achieve this certificate by the completion of Year 12.

Senior Pathways

The new term will see the Year 10’s engaging in the Student Education and Training Planning [SETP] process. The school staff have planned a thorough and supportive program. It is important however that parents take full advantage of information sessions as Senior Schooling has become more complex over the last few years. Essential to the success of this program is that staff, students and parents alike have a clear understanding of course options and their impact upon post school pathway decisions.

OP eligibility is not the only pathway into tertiary study. In fact some students may well have more tertiary options available to them through choosing a non OP course of study in Senior which includes a Certificate 3. Importantly students and parents need to avail themselves of the opportunities to learn about the options now available to young people in the Senior Phase of schooling.

Our Year 10s will be the last Cohort to progress through the current system of Senior Assessment.

P&C Support

Last week your child should have brought home a flyer regarding the P&C’s fundraising for additional air conditioning in classrooms across the school. As we are in the middle of winter the air conditioning issue probably does not present as pertinent right now. I am sure however that by the time Term 4 comes around our share of sweltering days will be on hand. The school has contributed some funds to additional air conditioning this year and the P&C fundraising will further improve student comfort and learning.

International

Term Three presents as a busy term for the school in respect to our international students. Our Graduate and Study Abroad students are expected to increase to the high 40’s and we will be hosting study tours from schools in both China and Japan. The International Program provides enormous opportunity for our students to both develop cultural understandings and general leadership skills essential elements to global citizenship.

Staff Success

Science teacher Mark Limmage has been selected to speak at the National Science Education Conference of the Australian Science Teacher’s Association (ASTA) over the winter break. Mark will present how he using Arduino Technology in the Science Classroom.

Student Success

Lots of great success stories across the school at present. Great effort from the choir to reach the finals of the Creative Generations Voices Competition.

Our Year 7 Softball Girls have won the Metropolitan Finals – the first Centenary team to succeed at this level.

Last week’s field events saw 5 school records broken.. Auguring well for the inter school competition in Term 3.

Sam Wallace in Year 11 has been presented with the Oxley Electorate Spirit of ANZAC Award by Mr Milton Dick MP. Sponsored by the Federal Government and the RSL, the competition required entrants to produce an essay, poem or artwork that distilled the essence of the Anzac spirit. Sam wrote a very affecting essay. Sam and his mother received flights and accommodation to visit the Australian War Memorial and Parliament House.

Congratulations to all of our achieving students

Best Wishes

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

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Newsletter Articles

News from the Deputy Principals

Semester 1 Reports

Semester 1 Reports will be e-mailed out to all families in the coming weeks. Please make sure your contact details are kept up to date to ensure you receive this important information. Don’t forget to add the following e-mail address to your list of safe senders to ensure your computer does not filter the e-mail to your junk or spam folder.

OneSchool.application@dete.qld.gov.au

Semester 1 reports will be e-mailed in two stages. Years 11 and 12 will have their reports e-mailed on Friday 23/6/17 and the Year 7 to 10 reports will be e-mailed on Tuesday 11/7/17. As with all reporting periods, you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s result with their classroom teacher. A great way to receive this feedback is via our Parent Teacher Evening which will be held in the Sport Centre on Tuesday 18/7/17 from 3.30 to 7.30pm.

Parent Teacher Night Booking Process

To book an interview time we will be using the same PTO (Parent Teacher Online) booking system that we have used in the past. Instructions about how to use this system have been e-mailed to all parents last week. The PTO Instruction Booklet is also available on the front page of our school website (check the Quicklinks section on the right hand side of our homepage). If you have any difficulties making a booking, please ring the school office for assistance. The PTO booking system will be open over the holidays.

QParents is coming

QParents is being expanded across all year levels in the coming weeks.

The QParents web and mobile application provides a more convenient and easier way for parents and legal guardians of Queensland state school students to interact with their child’s school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

QParents allows parents to connect instantly with their child’s school to access and manage their child’s student information, including:

• Attendance and absence details, as well as the ability to notify the school of an absence
• Academic report cards
• Class timetables
• Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online
• Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address
• Enrolment details

QParents will assist both staff and parents in sharing and responding to information in an efficient and effective way.

Invitations and information will soon be sent to all parents to register for QParents. It won’t replace the traditional ways you communicate with our school, but it will provide another avenue to communicate with us.

More information about QParents can be found at the link below. This link contains an extensive question and answer section with plenty of detailed information.

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

News from the BSM

Last week, either by email or post, you may have received a “Debtor Statement” for outstanding school fees. This statement was an overview of previous individual invoices that have already been forwarded.

Please note that no action is required for a credit amount/adjustment. This will appear as a negative amount on a statement. If you have not received a statement this indicates that there are no outstanding fees.

If your child has changed subjects recently, please be aware this change may not be reflected on this statement.

All fees relating to the 2017 calendar year are due by 31st October 2017. If your family is experiencing financial difficulties, please contact the Business Services Manager on 3373 4555 or by email to bsm@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

Changes to the way we invoice for 2018

After consultation with our school administration and Centenary SHS P&C, the following changes have been endorsed.

For all students enrolled into 2018, there will be changes to the way we invoice parents/carers for the Student Resource Scheme and Curriculum Charges.

• All new enrolments for 2018 will be invoiced and required to pay $230 on enrolment (this includes an early bird discount of $20). Payment plans can be arranged and will need to be finalised before the start of the school year.
• For all students currently enrolled, the process has previously been to invoice in November for the following year with payments due by 31st October. This will change for next year. For 2018 the $250 SRS invoices will be issued in August this year with an early bird discount of $20 being applied if paid by 28th January of the following year. Invoices will have a finalisation date of 31st July for those who don’t wish to pay before the discount date.

For Curriculum Charges, invoices will be raised in February with a due date of 31st July of that same year.

Payment plans will be accepted and may continue as is the current practice.

There will be no changes to excursion and extra-curricular invoicing. These will continue to be raised and paid as needed.

For any more information, please contact the school on 3373 4555 or email admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

How to make a payment

Payments can be made over the counter by cash or EFTPOS (Debit Card, MasterCard or Visa) or by BPOINT or QParents. BPOINT and QParents options allow parents/carers the convenience of making payments from home and alleviates the need to pay over the counter transactions in person. For more information about QParents, please refer to the school’s website.

BPOINT Option

BPOINT is an online payment system and is the preferred payment method for the Department.

This option is accessed through an internet weblink which appears on all invoices and statements. This link can also be located in the Quicklinks section of our school’s website homepage. You will need the Customer Reference Number (CRN) which is printed on the bottom of your invoice/statement before payment can be processed.

When accessing the BPOINT weblink on individual invoices all relevant information will prepopulate. Parents/Carers will only be required to enter the amount and their credit or debit card details.

INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) BPOINT is also available by dialling the 1300 number provided on individual invoices. This option will only accept credit cards.

ELECTRONIC DIRECT DEBIT REGISTRATION (eDDR) BPOINT is the approved payment plan option. To set up a payment plan parents/carers will be required to firstly contact the school office.

For more information on BPOINT please refer to the school’s website.

PHONE OR COUNTER payments Options

Payments can be made at the school office, Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 4.00pm. Payment options include credit and debit cards (EFTPOS); cheque and cash. Money orders are also accepted.

For payments over the phone, call the school on 3373 4555, Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 4.00pm and we will transfer you to the IVR BPOINT 1300 dedicated phone number. Only VISA or MasterCard can be used for this process.

Charmaine Macaulay
Email: cmaca5@eq.edu.au

News from the Student Leadership Coordinator

For the last five weeks, members of the Student Leadership Forum have worked tirelessly to stage Centenary’s annual Talent Competition. Led by Nathan Merry, who is one of our year 12 school captains, students facilitated and ran the competition twice a week, as well as promoting, marketing and organising the running of the competition in their own time. Last Friday, we had our Grand Final and Zoe Smith, our year 12 Magician, took out the competition. All acts were to an extremely high quality and the show ran seamlessly. A special mention must go to Mr Linneman, who kicked off the show with an amazing performance, and also to Mr Brew who graciously sat in as a ‘celebrity judge’. This project was a huge success for the Student Leadership Forum, and they achieved their goal of raising money for our school through gold coin donations and selling raffle tickets throughout the competition.

With that chapter now behind us, we move onto our new focus – School Spirit and the wellbeing of staff and students. There are many ideas being floated around already and I look forward to see what these phenomenal young people can do!

Danielle Ringrose, Literacy Teacher
Email: dring3eq.edu.au

News from our School Improvement and Innovation Coordinator

What makes students at Centenary curious?

“I am curious about scary things.” Dat Nguyen, Year 8

“I like randomness and the unexpected.” Franco Antoniolli, Year 7

“I am curious about mysteries.” Sebastian Robles Cao, Year 8

Curiosity is an important ingredient for learning but it is more than simply being interested. Someone can be equally interested in topics about which they know a great deal or very little. Curiosity levels on the other hand are highest when there is some but not total uncertainty; a 50-50 chance that a prediction is correct for example1. While interest is relevant, curiosity is the characteristic that really makes learning ‘stick’.

This seemed to hold true when I talked with students about what made them curious. One student was curious about the forthcoming Transformers movie. He had an idea about an outcome for one of the main characters, but there is only a 50-50 chance that that outcome will be realised. His familiarity with the characters also appeared to be important in driving his curiosity.

Emotions, particularly those associated with fear, provided the curiosity ‘hook’ for other students. It was interesting that the curiosity of these students was only sated by reading about the topic in novels, in textbooks or via the Internet. These students stated that when their curiosity was piqued, they kept asking themselves questions in their head and then they invested their own time in finding out the answers. Question asking and time investment are also characteristics of curiosity that are not always associated with interest.

These students were able to articulate aspects of their class participation that most stimulated their curiosity. Story-telling, hand on activities and open-ended projects were the curiosity generating learning experiences of choice for these students.

1Grossnickle, EM 2016, ‘Disentangling curiosity: dimensionality, definitions and distinctions from interest in educational contexts’, Educational Psychology Review, Vol 28, pp23-60

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

News from the Guidance Officers

High Five: Helping Your Child with Career Decisions

Over the past few weeks, I have had a lot of conversations with students who are unsure about what they would like to do when they finish school. Parents play a vital role in influencing career decisions: recent research conducted by the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) found that 75% of young people rate a parent in the top two people they are most comfortable in approaching about career advice*. With that in mind, I thought it important to spend time this fortnight sharing some advice on supporting your child with their career decisions.

Known as the 'High Five' of Career Development**, these messages will help if your child doesn’t yet have an answer to the question: What do you want to do with your life?

One: Change is constant

Rapid change is an undeniable feature of contemporary society. On average, a young person is now predicted to have 17 jobs across five different industries in the course of their life. Ongoing learning will be a vital feature of their working lives as new occupations emerge and current occupations change or become obsolete. Taking a flexible approach when planning a new career can greatly assist when unexpected changes happen. Making plans is great – being willing and able to adjust them along the way can also assist in creating new opportunities. Your child may have to make many career decisions and changes to plans in the future. The one skill that will ensure that your child thrives in this rapidly changing world is the ability to adapt and transfer their existing skills to new environments.

Two: Follow your heart

Encouraging your child to dream of a future full of different types of career choices enables them to explore and expand their career possibilities. What may appear to be an unconventional or unrealistic choice may just be the very thing that transforms into meaningful employment for your child. When it comes to exploring options and making decisions, it is absolutely vital that your child feel excited about and engaged with the process. This cannot happen if they are being told to simply ignore their passions and natural aptitudes to pursue job security at all costs. Indeed, as discussed above, job security may well be a thing of the past. Development of enterprise skills – critical thought, creativity, the ability to work with others, digital literacy – are far more important and far easier to develop if you are doing something for which you have a natural affinity.

Three: Focus on the journey

Career exploration is not a straightforward task that can be ticked off with a quick quiz on a website (although these can be good food for thought). It is a process during which you will need to keep an open mind and look at a wide range of options. Enjoying the journey to your child’s career destination is vital. Whilst outcomes are important, remembering to consider and experiment with different career paths can be productive and lots of fun for both of you.

Four: Keep learning

Keeping up to date and adapting to change is important in today’s environment. Your child can learn about different career options through research (see useful websites below), attending careers events (see list below), asking adults from their social network about their careers, being aware of different jobs they encounter in day-to-day life, and by trying jobs out through work experience/observation, casual employment, or volunteering.

Five: Be an ally

While wanting young people to be self-directed we also want them to feel part of a community that cares for them. Being a career ally is part of providing meaningful support for your child as they begin to shape and make their own way in the world.

You can show your child you are a career ally by making time to explore their career with them. Have discussions with them about what they want to get out of their career, and talk to your children about your own job and career decision-making to date. Help your child gain awareness of their strengths, interests, and values, and how these might play a role in shaping the kind of future they envision for themselves. Most importantly, listen to your child’s aspirations even if you think they are idealistic or ambitious. Meaningful career exploration can start with a dream and then factor in practicalities along the way.

Useful Websites

Myfuture

This is Australia’s career information service. When you first enter the site, you need to ‘Sign up’. On this site, you can develop your profile and read about the jobs that come up for you. You might find the following articles from the myfuture website useful:

• 10 tips to increase your child's interest in careers http://myfuture.edu.au/career-insight/how-to-increase-your-childs-interest-in-careers
• Help your child choose school subjects http://myfuture.edu.au/career-insight/help-your-child-choose-school-subjects
• 9 activities to help children understand careers http://myfuture.edu.au/career-insight/9-activities-to-help-children-understand-careers

Career Bullseyes

This site lists jobs related to the subjects studied at school. Links for each job provide information about the job.

Job Outlook

Occupational and labour market information can be found on this site. It also has a career quiz that matches your responses to possible jobs.

The Good Careers Guide e-book

This website has a job search function with information on almost 500 occupations.

The Good Universities Guide – Career Guide

Search for jobs in specific industries on this site.

Student Connect

Links to information on future options, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority learning accounts and career planning can be found on this site.

QTAC

Tertiary courses, prerequisites, application processes, special admissions schemes – everything you need to know about tertiary entry in Queensland can be found here.

TAFE Queensland

This site has links to all TAFE Queensland campuses, the courses offered and upgrade pathways through TAFE.

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA)

The QCAA website provides information about secondary studies, assessment and tertiary entrance.

Australian Apprenticeships Pathways

Information on types of apprenticeships and traineeships available, steps to gaining an apprenticeship, helpful resources and useful links can be found on this website.

Upcoming Careers Events

15 and 16 July: Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) http://www.careersevent.com/tsxpo/
23 July: Griffith University Open Day https://www.griffith.edu.au/open-day
25 & 27 July: TAFE Queensland and SkillsTech Open Days http://tafeqld.edu.au/
30 July: QUT Open Day https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/qut-open-day
6 August: UQ St Lucia Open Day https://future-students.uq.edu.au/open-day
20 August: USQ Springfield Open Day https://www.usq.edu.au/openday

* Source: A CICA survey of 320 Year 9-12 Australian students, conducted July-August 2016.

** The High Five of Career Development were developed by Dave Redekopp.

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

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

News from the Chaplain

Food for Thought

In the early 1500s in Florence, Italy, there was a huge piece of marble that many sculptors had declared as useless because of a large deep hole that was in it. There was however one man who saw things differently; he believed that is spite of this hole he could still create something beautiful.

This man was Michelangelo. After several years of hard work, he transformed that ‘flawed’ block into the magnificent statue that the world now knows as the statue of David.

Think about this for a moment. All of us have flaws and imperfections – just like that original piece of marble. Some people feel that they are too thin, too plump, too short or too tall or perhaps just not as attractive as others. These thoughts can even lead some people to believe that they are of little worth.

However, the truth of the matter is that your value does not come from what you look like on the outside; it is the beauty of your personality that will have the deepest impact on others.

Decide today to stop focussing on any perceived negatives in your appearance. Instead, work at sculpting your personality and behaviour into the best that it can be by getting rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander. Try being patient with each other and make allowance for each other’s faults.

If you work hard in these areas, you will automatically become a more beautiful and more loved person.

A message from Chappy Bernie

Most students are pretty familiar with that feeling of falling into a giant, black hole of study commitments with no hope of return. It doesn’t have to be this way! Making efforts to balance study and relaxation is not only important for your state of mind, but for the quality of your study as well. Still stressed? Might be time to slow down or have a chat to someone about it.

The importance of finding a balance

It’s important when you’re studying that you don’t overdo it. However, if you’re relaxing too much it probably means that you’re not getting enough study done. Finding a balance between study and relaxation will lessen the chance of you becoming completely stressed and overwhelmed by all of the stuff that you have to get done.

A good balance also maximises the effectiveness of your study. Relaxation has a positive effect on your ability to learn, recall information, think clearly and focus. Finding a good balance involves studying effectively so that you can get all of your work done and still have the time to fit in a good amount of relaxation every day.

How do I study effectively?

Effective study not only means studying for the right amount of time, but having techniques to ensure that the work you are doing is useful and productive. There are some things you can do when you sit down to study to make the most of the study session:

Make a study schedule. Write down exactly how long you are going to study for and specific objectives that you want to achieve in that time. The schedule should be comprehensive enough so that you are sure you will get everything done in time. Make sure you factor in time for breaks, which leads onto the next point…

Take regular breaks. Everyone works differently, however some people find it really helpful to take a short break every hour. Take note: a short break means five minutes or so, not enough time to watch an entire season of your favourite TV show. Try to figure out the ratio of break to study that works best for you.

Remove distractions. It can help to set up a study environment that is separate to where you relax and do the things you enjoy. It’s probably wise to remove your mobile phone and laptop because, let’s face it, Facebook and Angry Birds can probably wait. If you need your laptop to study, it’s a good idea to disconnect it from the Internet first.

Make yourself accountable to someone else. Sometimes it helps to set study goals with a friend. You can tell each other what you want to have achieved at the end of an hour, and when time’s up you can check in to see how they went.

Don’t freak out if you study differently to others. With time you’ll figure out the study method that works best for you and you’ll eventually just fall into the swing of things.

Now, put your feet up!

Once you’ve finished doing everything in your study schedule, it’s officially you-time. Put your feet up, watch some TV and forget about everything study-related. You should ideally have some relaxation time like this every, single day of the week. Feeling stuck for ways to relax? Check out some ways to relax.

Still feeling stressed?

A little bit of stress can be healthy and productive, but if you’re feeling completely overwhelmed it could be your body’s way of telling you to slow down and you might want to have a read about relaxation training. If nothing seems to be helping try having a chat about it to someone you trust, like a friend, family member, teacher or counsellor.

Bernie McMullen, Chaplain
Email: bmcmu27@eq.edu.au

News from the School Nurse

Reachout and Twitter team up to support young people affected by bad world news

In an age of digital communications, young people are increasingly affected by huge amounts of content and news that is shared online – which sometimes can be upsetting and confusing, or the debates very polarising.

ReachOut CEO Jono Nicholas said, “We’re more connected than ever, which has so many positives; however, sometimes it feels like we are bombarded with negative world news like natural disasters or terrorist attacks every time we look at our phones.

“ReachOut has been a trusted service of young people for over 18 years for things that are going in their life like exam stress, relationship issues, bullying or trouble at home. In recent years however we’ve noticed that negative world news, as well as the divisive and often polarising conversations online and on social media, can be distressing for young people even though they may not have a personal connection with the event or conversation.

“It’s important that we empower young people with the skills to navigate these issues; understand why they are affected; recognise when they need to switch off; and generate positive outlets for any feelings of anger or sadness.

“It’s also a way that we can deliver support to young people in the settings they are already comfortable using, such as social media, rather than relying on them having to come to a service for help.”

It can sometimes feel like bad news follows us around. Phones, social media and WiFi make news spread like wildfire, and when something bad breaks, it’s tough to unplug. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the news, especially when good news stories often seem hard to come by. So, if you’re feeling down about the world, we’ve got some tips for you.

Reacting to bad world news

There are endless kinds of news stories that can make you feel really down. Some common reactions to bad world news include feeling:

• Anxious and worried
• Depressed and sad
• Helpless
• Confused
• Angry

Why does bad world news affect us?

On a planet with about seven billion people, it’s really easy to feel disconnected. But when a world tragedy strikes, feelings of worry, sadness and grief are more common than you’d think.

A part of this effect has to do with how easily accessible information is today. Even if you try to avoid bad world news, it can be almost impossible when you factor in how dependent we are on being online.

Our personal reactions to bad world news are also based on biology. When we see upsetting information, our bodies react by releasing stress hormones to deal with the negative emotions.

How can I cope with bad world news?

There are a few things you can do to help.

1. Learn to switch off

It’s easier said than done, of course, but taking a break from social media can do a lot to help tackle the effects of bad world news. Nearly 80% of Facebook users will see shared news articles on their Facebook feeds, and with the media’s emphasis on negative news, it’s very easy to be overwhelmed by your time on social media.

Take breaks from time to time, especially if you notice yourself feeling down because of the things you’re seeing on social media. Replace the time you’d normally spend online with something offline, such as reading books or magazines, talking to your friends or playing video games.

2. Try to understand why it’s upsetting you

Sometimes world news can hit close to home. Whether it’s a tragedy in your family’s country of origin, or the death of a person you really admired, world news can sometime feel very personal. If what you’re feeling is more than just a sense of empathy for those affected by a tragedy, it’s worth speaking about it to someone you trust. Chat to your friends, family or even a counsellor about how the news is affecting you . The simple act of talking can sometimes make you feel a whole lot better.

3. Accept your level of control

One of the biggest things about bad world news is that the scale of a tragedy and the distance we observe it from can make us feel helpless. When something bad happens, our immediate response may be to ask ourselves what we can do to help, and how we can put an end to it.

While there are usually things, big and small, that a person can do to help a situation, we can’t stop it entirely on our own. Learning to understand how much influence we can have over something is a very important step in reducing the stress we might feel on hearing bad news.

We’re not saying that you shouldn’t try to help. In fact, helping out can often make us feel better while doing something positive for the world. But we need to understand what the most helpful way to contribute to a cause is, and learn to accept the limits.

References – full text

https://about.au.reachout.com/reachout-and-twitter-team-up-to-support-young-people-affected-by-bad-world-news/

http://au.reachout.com/dealing-with-bad-world-news

Dyanne Moxham, School Based Youth Health Nurse
Email: admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Sports Report

It has been a very busy Term 2 with teams training hard every week for upcoming district Junior and Senior Gala Days. We are aiming to win the highest number of premierships in the district so best of luck to all of our competing teams. Our goal we are trying to reach is 2017 District School Champion and we are well on our way to trying to achieve this.

Met Finals

History has been made! For the first time ever Centenary SHS has won a Met Final! Congratulations to the year 7 girls softball team who are now the South East Metropolitan Champions. They defeated Alexander Hills SHS 22 – 0! They played an amazing game and a big thank you must go to their coach Mr Webber. Congratulations to the following players in the year 7 girls softball team: Jordan Bezuidenhout, Kanisha Delaney, Havonne Masina, Sienna Pritchard, Jayde Radonova, Lillian Self, Rebecca Sellick, Brie-Anna Walker, Brylie Waller.

Gala Days

The junior gala day for years 7-9 are being held over two days throughout terms 2 and 3. Day 1 was held on Wednesday in week 10 and the second gala day will be on Tuesday 8 August in term 3.

Year 10 and Open Gala Day forms have been handed out in week 9. Students must ensure that they have returned their form and paid their sport fees before the school holidays. The gala day will be held on Monday 17 July in term 3. This is in week 2 so it is crucial that students adhere to the deadline and return forms and pay the money by the due date.

Athletics

Athletics has been booming with expert coaches and HPE staff training students every week before, during and after school. The training schedule is available for students to access on the sports noticeboard or via their HPE teacher. We are hoping that as a school in 2017 we can win for the third year in a row the District Athletics Championship.

It has been great to see so many students already attending training sessions in preparation for the school and district Athletics carnivals.

Every session counts to improving performance so students should make sure they get to as many sessions as they are able to. This year there are more training sessions than ever, and the school has also a number of top level coaches and guest elite athletes to supplement our excellent teaching staff.

The field event carnival was a huge success with a record number of students competing. Five records were broken and school spirit was at an all-time high! One record that was set when the school opened in 1999 was broken by Olivia Boyd in the 1500m!

Regional Cross Country

On Thursday 1st of June Centenary sent 10 students to compete at the Regional Cross Country championships at Limestone Park. It was a great event where all the best runners in the Met West region came to fight for a spot at the State Championships in Maryborough. A HUGE congratulations must go to Michael Melvin in year 11 who came 3rd in the U17 Boys. Michael has been training extremely hard and has been rewarded for his tremendous effort. Well Done and good luck at the State championships.

Students Success Story

Isabella French who's 13yrs old in yr8 & Kayla Wishart who's 15yrs old in yr10 at Centenary State High School were selected mid last year in the 2016/17 U16 Girls Brisbane Capitals Bronze team. This is the Brisbane representative basketball team.

In March 2017 Isabella & Kayla's Brisbane Capitals Bronze team won their division in the BQJBC (Basketball Qld Jnr Basketball Competition) Grand Final. Then over the Easter school holidays their team competed in the QLD State Championships in Div2. Unfortunately, Isabella broke her big toe at school three days before the State Championships & had to sit on the bench in a moon boot. Their team played well but due to losing their last 2 games they missed out on making the semi-finals.

This is the second year Isabella has been selected into a Brisbane Capitals team and Kayla's first year. Both girls have worked extremely hard but also enjoyed their experiences representing Brisbane in Basketball.

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

CULTURAL DIRECTOR

Cultural News

Term 2 wrap up

Short and sweet this newsletter everyone. We have had a huge semester with many amazing cultural activities throughout. Since the start of the year we have had:

• Senior Music Camp
• Junior Music Camp
• Choir Camp
• Creative Generation Voices
• Assembly Performances
• Sinnamon Village and Young Care Performances
• Investiture Ceremonies
• ANZAC Ceremonies
• Ipswich Civic Centre Gala
• Creative Generation Voices Metropolitan Final
• Bunnings BBQ
• Open Day

I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the staff, students and parents who have contributed to these various events over the past few weeks. It has certainly been a massive effort and a shining example of the way our program pulls together for the benefit of our students. Well done to everyone!!

Until next time, keep cultural!!

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

JUNIOR SECONDARY

Junior Secondary News

As the end of the semester approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and involvement in your student’s learning so far in 2017, and trust that you and your families engage in some much needed respite and recuperation over the holidays. Over the years, research has shown that strengthening the relationship between schools and families promotes children's school success. However, parents and teachers often lack the dialogue that supports positive relations between home and school. Your child’s next round of parent teacher interviews will be in Term 3 and I strongly encourage you to make the time to visit your young people’s classroom teachers. Attending parent–teacher interviews is not only a means to being involved and helping your student(s) succeed but also allows the opportunity to start or continue ongoing conversations with your child's teacher. This time is not just for teachers to simply give information about student results and tests. It is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to provide us with a better understanding of a student’s home life and interests, and maybe to provide feedback regarding concerns around school that your child has not communicated to their teacher. These conversations allow for a much richer picture of the student’s behaviour and academic performance at school and at home, for both teachers and parents.

Karen Abraham, A/HOD Junior Secondary
Email: kabra21@eq.edu.au

FACULTIES

News from Applied Technology

Parent teacher Consultations

On behalf of the Applied Technology staff, I remind parents that parent teacher consultations are scheduled for Tuesday, 18 July. I advise parents that I will be unavailable on the evening, due to long service leave but encourage parents to contact me upon my return to work, term three, week three.

Open Day

The Applied Technology staff thank those parents and children who recently attended the Open Day. We were very pleased with the attendance and were delighted to be offered the opportunity to meet prospective students and their family members. It was our intention to provide interested parties with an insight into what our subjects offer and showcase some of the students’ work.

I extend my gratitude to the students who assisted the Home Economics staff on the day demonstrating the making of the cinnamon scrolls, brewing and serving delicious coffee and exhibiting their practical skills using the recently purchased sewing machines and with felt making. Students in years 10, 11, and 12 had made lovely lemon myrtle cupcakes for our guests using ground lemon myrtle leaves harvested from trees in the school grounds plus yummy shortbread cookies.

If you have questions arising from the day, I encourage you to contact any member of the Applied Technology staff to answer your enquiry.

Junior Class Swap

Term three will commence with new classes of year 7 and 8 students.

The year 7 students will be timetabled to either an Industrial Technology and Design (ITD) or Home Economics class. Student will remain with this group for five weeks before they change to the alterative Applied Technology class. Therefore, students enrolled in ITD will swap to Home Economics after five weeks and vice versa.

The year 8 students will be timetabled into either an ITD or Home Economics class for the duration of the term. Their respective swaps will occur at the commencement of term four

Parents of these students can expect to receive a consent form early term three, to be signed and returned. Your attention to this authorisation is appreciated.

Design Challenge

The year 8 students have recently completed their design challenge, requiring them to propel the supplied piece of corflute (100x50x6) a minimum distance of four metres with the propulsion from a balloon. Some designs incorporated the basic concept of a car, while others were a little more adventurous with ideas influenced by rockets, hovercrafts, planes and unicycles. It was pleasing to observe that if the original concept failed to travel the required distance, students were eager to trial minor amendments to improve the performance off the solution. Students experienced first-hand, the value of testing an idea, evaluate the performance, modify the original idea and test again.

Staff update

Mark Batholomew has extend his sick leave due to the need to undertake heart surgery. Mark’s replacement is Ashli Roberts. Ashli’s contract will extend until the end of term four.

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

HUMANITIES/LOTE

Student Success in Chinese

“China Beckons for Our Talented Chinese Language Students”

Congratulations to Francesca Hellmuth and Sam Muharem, two of our high-performing Year 10 Chinese Excellence students, who have been selected to undertake a fully-funded study tour in Jiangsu in September this year. The study tour program is organised and funded by Department of Education and Training International (DETI) in collaboration with Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange (JESIE) in the People’s Republic of China.

Francesca and Sam were chosen from a pool of high-achieving and talented Chinese language students from different state high schools across Queensland. They will spend two weeks taking cultural and intensive language lessons as well as visiting sites of historical and cultural significance, all in the company of local Jiangsu students and teachers. They will have the opportunity to be fully immersed in the Chinese language and culture.

This study tour will be their first sojourn into China. It will be a trip of a life time for both of them. Francesca and Sam have earned this award through their impressive skills in Chinese, their determination and unwavering commitment to be culturally and linguistically proficient in Chinese. They will be fantastic ambassadors to our school and Education Queensland.

Francesca’s remark about the program:

“I am very excited to have received the opportunity to further my Chinese language skills and enhance my understanding of Chinese culture and recent developments. I have studied Chinese since grade 5 and have never been to China before. I think the Jiangsu Study Tour Program will allow me to immerse myself in Chinese language and culture. I am really looking forward to visit some of the well-known historical landmarks.”

This is what Sam said about being selected as a participant in the program:

“It was a wonderful surprise to be selected to travel to China in the September school holidays. I am really looking forward to travelling to Jiangsu and experiencing China's rich culture, incredible food and meeting local people, who can help me improve my Chinese.”

“Year 8 Chinese Excellence Student, Jessica Tran,
Spoke Her Way to the Top”

On Saturday the 27 of May, two of our Year 8 Chinese Excellence students, Jessica Tran and Alec Ingham, participated in the Chinese Speaking competition organised by the Chinese Language Teachers’ Association of Queensland and the Confucius Institute. This is a state wide competition held at The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in May every year to promote the study of Chinese language and culture. Both Jessica and Alec put in stellar performances. Alec unfortunately missed out on a prize. He finished somewhere in the top 15. However, Jessica spoke her way the top by defeating over 50 other participants in the Year 7 and 8 non-background division, to win the first prize. She was awarded $210 first prize winner’s cheque and a trophy. Both Jessica and Alec were well-guided and coached by our dedicated Chinese language teaching staff. They did themselves and our school proud.

Son Dinh, Teacher of Mandarin Chinese
Email: sdinh1@eq.edu.au

News from Humanities

Sport, racism and the Aboriginal struggle for rights – a student essay

A number of our students play cricket for Wolston Park Centenary Cricket Club. The main ground of the club carries the name of Eddie Gilbert, an outstanding Queensland fast bowler who took wickets at an impressive rate and rattled the greatest batsmen the game has ever seen. Eddie Gilbert did not play at the Wolston Park ground. He was though a patient of the adjacent hospital for the mentally ill. Sneh Shah, year 10 student and cricketer, conducted some highly original, local research in order to understand how Eddie Gilbert, the fastest bowler Bradman ever faced, spent the last 28 years of his life in that institution.

Eddie Gilbert, an Aborigine bound by the restrictions of the Protection of Aboriginals Act 1897, was an exceptionally gifted fast bowler who played first class cricket for Queensland. Eddie Gilbert was one of the Aborigines who was separated from his land and family, and put on the Barambah reserve, a fate shared by many others. There were constant suspicions raised about his bowling action and it is possible that this may have damaged his career. It is evident that Eddie Gilbert was discriminated against more for being an Aborigine and this discrimination was far more damaging than the concerns about his action. Despite his many great cricketing achievements, the Queenslander was permanently scarred by the reserve system, and was treated callously even after his retirement.

The Protection of Aboriginals Act 1897 was used to control Eddie Gilbert and all the other Aboriginals living in the Barambah reserve, under the guise of protection. John Webber, member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, wrote in 1901 that “By removing the aboriginal against his will they were virtually denying his right to live at all. The Act made them absolute slaves; they could do nothing without the protectors and the protectors could do just as they liked” (Webber, 1901). This source is supported by Evelynn Maunsell, an eye-witness at the time of the cruelty, in her book The Reality of a Dark History. Evelynn Maunsell relates from her own experiences and meticulous research that “The police would give them (the Aboriginal workers) money out of their own pockets, with the excuse there was no chequebook” (Donovan, 2002). These corroborating sources explain how Aborigines, including Eddie Gilbert, were treated more like slaves in Barambah, rather than being protected.

Despite living a harsh, restricted life under the ‘Act’ in Barambah, Eddie Gilbert’s cricketing skills shone through. Eddie Gilbert achieved extraordinary things on the cricket field, but his greatest success was against Sir Donald Bradman who he dismissed for a duck. The Warwick Daily News reported, on 6th November 1931, only five days after the incident, that “Queensland’s aboriginal fast bowler, Eddie Gilbert, achieved fame on Friday when he dismissed the mighty Bradman for a duck” (News, 1931). The world’s greatest batsman of all time, Sir Donald Bradman, admitted this fact in his autobiography “The keeper took the ball over his head, and I reckon it was halfway to the boundary and that the balls from Gilbert were unhesitatingly faster than anything seen from Larwood or anyone else” (Bradman, 1996). Although there were no speed guns to prove this fact, the world’s number one batsman had rated Eddie Gilbert, out of countless other fast bowlers he faced during his career, as the fastest bowler he had ever faced. Along with these primary sources, the world’s leading sports network ESPN, has included Eddie Gilbert’s statistics on their site, and reports that he took 87 wickets in only 23 first class matches (Cricinfo, 1993). Eddie Gilbert was an extraordinary fast bowler with many great achievements and records, worthy of playing international cricket for Australia.

Despite the fact that his record indicated that he had the capacity to play for Australia, the discrimination he faced cut short a promising career. During his career, Eddie Gilbert was no-balled many times and accused of throwing. It seems possible that this had more to do with him being Aboriginal than any technical problem with his bowling. One of the umpires, Mr. J. Scott, defended Eddie Gilbert by saying “I have watched Gilbert’s action very closely, and felt assured of the fairness of the delivery” (Miner, 1935). Similarly, there was another Aboriginal fast bowler, Albert Henry, who was previously inculpated for throwing in a game in 1904, and moved to Barambah (Diehm, 2005 ). The similarities between the two Aboriginal cricketers’ careers proves how they were discriminated against. The Australian Dictionary of Biography recounts that “While working as a hospital orderly Gilbert began to exhibit signs of increasing mental instability, and got admitted to Goodna Psychiatric Hospital on 8 December 1949, and died on 9 January 1978 at the same hospital” (Evans, 1983). This information is corroborated by Ken Edwards in his thoroughly researched biography of Eddie Gilbert. Ken Edwards wrote that “Eddie Gilbert was admitted to Goodna Psychiatric Hospital on 8 December 1949, where brutal electric shock treatment, and penicillin, failed to address his condition, Alzheimer's” (Edward, 2002). Eddie Gilbert was locked up in a mental asylum for over twenty-eight years, and was treated poorly in there. Frustratingly, the identity of the person or persons, who admitted him to the hospital has remained hidden. In a fairly late recognition of his contribution to the game, a bronze statue of Eddie Gilbert now stands outside the Allan Border Field in Albion today, with an inscription reading “Queensland Cricket wishes to acknowledge the Tradition Owners/Custodians TURRBAL JAGERA peoples of South East Queensland” (Cricket, 2008).

Eddie Gilbert’s life and cricket career was undoubtedly distorted by legislation directed at Indigenous Australians. Along with fellow Aboriginals living in the Barambah reserve, Eddie Gilbert was controlled by the Protection of the Aboriginals Act 1897, and treated like a slave. Despite having great cricketing achievements, such as dismissing Don Bradman, the best batsman the world has ever seen, Eddie Gilbert never stood a chance of playing cricket at international level for Australia because of his skin colour. Discrimination against Eddie Gilbert did not end once he was friven from the game he loved. He was also treated harshly after his retirement by being locked up in a mental asylum for twenty-eight years. This is evidence of the fact that Eddie Gilbert was discriminated against as an Aborigine and that the focus on hisa ‘illegal’ bowling action was simply a cover for the discrimination he experienced along with all other Indigenous people who lived under the 1897 Act.

Bibliography

Bradman, D. (1996). Don's Century. Adelaide: Good Reads.
Cricinfo, E. (1993, March 15). Eddie Gilbert. Retrieved from ESPN Cricinfo: http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/5387.html
Cricket, Q. (2008, November 16). Eddie Gilbert. Retrieved from Monument Australia: http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/sport/display/90365-eddie-gilbert/photo/1
Diehm, I. (2005 , 1 June). Henry, Albert (1880–1909). Retrieved from Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/henry-albert-12977

Donovan, V. (2002). The Reality of a Dark History. Brisbane: Arts Queensland.
Edward, K. (2002). Eddie Gilbert: The True Story of an Aboriginal Cricketing Legend. Sydney: ABC Books.
Evans, R. (1983, 1 June). Gilbert, Edward (Eddie) (1905–1978). Retrieved from Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gilbert-edward-eddie-6379
Miner, B. (1935, February 4). Umpires Defend Eddie. Retrieved from Trove: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46680949?searchTerm=eddie%20gilbert&searchLimits =
News, W. D. (1931, November 11). Eddie Gilbert. Retrieved from Trove: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/177519182?searchTerm=eddie%20gilbert%20and%20bradman&searchLimits =

Adrian Skerritt, Humanities /LOTE HOD
Email: asker6@eq.edu.au

THE ARTS

News from The Arts

The end of the semester has arrived! It has been a busy and productive time for students studying Arts subjects and for those who are involved in one of the many extra-curricular activities.

Students are now in the midst or have just completed their final assessment for the semester. To support your children in achieving their learning goals, you could talk with them about their learning. There are many questions to ask and a good place to start is what are you learning? How are you going in class? What are your strengths? What are the areas in which you can improve? Do your children know whom they can go to for help at Centenary? Their teacher is the first point of call, but beyond that, they can seek help from the Head of Department, from the Guidance Counsellors, or from the Administration team.

Our congratulations go to the school choir and vocal ensemble and their director Ms Alex Van de Broek for winning two GOLD awards at the recent Creative Generation Voices competition. The choir was one of only seven ensembles selected to represent the Metropolitan region and performed with great confidence and skill. Unfortunately, we were not one of the three groups selected to go to the State final, but we can be immensely proud of being in the top schools in the region for our singing!

By the time you read this newsletter, another two major events will have been completed for the term – if you missed either the Instrumental Music and Choral Gala or the Year 7 Showcase performances, you missed seeing the many talents of the Centenary students. The Arts staff work very hard to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their many and varied talents to the local community in a professionally run show and I thank them on your behalf for their dedication and effort.

Students in years 7 and 8 Music Plus and students in year 9 Music will sit for an external music examination during the last week of term. Students have had the opportunity to sit for a nationally recognised qualification from the Australian Music Examinations Board and we wish them well with their exam.

Students have been working hard during rehearsals for the school musical Legally Blonde, to be performed during August. There has been lots of hair flicking and ‘oh my God you guys’ coming from the auditorium on Wednesday afternoons! You do not want to miss this show!

As part of the Instrumental Music program, students have the option to study many instruments, including voice. We are adding to this for the beginning of Semester 2, and students are now able to sign up for guitar lessons. Any interested students can see Mr Watkins in Staffroom 4 for more information.

I spoke recently to year 10 students about subject selection for years 11 and 12. It’s an important decision to make, aligning subject choice to future career paths and the interests of each student. My best advice for the students is to pick subjects that will help them with their chosen pathway by looking at what prerequisites are required for the course of their choice, and then add to that by choosing subjects they like and/or subject they are good at. Studies have proven that students achieve higher academic results in subjects they enjoy. It is certainly possible to achieve an OP 1 by studying a combination of arts subjects, and many students from Centenary have gone into university courses after school with great success after studying Arts subjects.

Why is studying in the Arts good for students? The ‘Partnership for 21st century skills’ studies say that creativity and innovation are part of the essential skill sets of future citizens. The ‘Global Digital Citizen Foundation’ states that the ‘big list’ of essential 21st century skills include:

• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Analytical thinking
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Ethics, action and accountability

Where can you find those skill sets taught (often explicitly taught)? You guessed it, in the Arts! Students going into year 11 in 2018 can choose from six arts subjects: dance, drama, film television and new media, music, visual art and visual art in practice. For more information, please contact any of the Arts staff in staffroom 4.

..A raft of recent research studies demonstrates that creativity is vital from the shopfloor to the boardroom and at the level of the individual to the organisation as a whole. What is more... our economic fortunes at a societal level probably rest on creativity too...

It was lovely to meet many parents and community members at the recent Centenary SHS Open Day. It was a fabulous opportunity to showcase the many and varied talents of the arts students and staff and it was great to see such large crowds watching the musicians and performance students perform, as well as participating in workshops and viewing the films and artworks. Prospective students wishing to enrol in either of the Arts excellence programs (Performance Plus or Music Plus) for 2018 can find application forms on the school website:

Recently, the students in Performance Plus had the opportunity to work with professional dancers from RAW. The following article was written by Sophie in year 7 Performance Plus:

“Today in performance plus the dance crew RAW come in to perofm and teach us a piece of their talented choreography. For my class, it was the first time we had heard or seen RAW. Their dance was amazing – it was filled with different types of dance genres like hip hop, salsa, contemporary and more. We got taught a small section of the dance and it was so fun! After a while of learning, they split us ito three groups and we had to perform in front of the perfoaming arts groups. When we got to see the teachers dance throughout the groups it was amazing! They picked up the dance very quickly. Mr Holmes incoprorated extra choreography into his dance to make it more ‘manly’! After we had all performed, the RAW group gave us some information on how we can join the RAW dance crew and for the seniors, how they can do a course to get extra points towards their OP. I learnt so much about perforiming today but then sadly the bell rang and the day with RAW was over .”

Finally, in more news from students who used to study Arts at Centenary, we have the following good news story for you to enjoy!

Will Smith, Uma Thurman and renowned film director Alfonso Cuaron ... just a few of the stars Centenary SHS alumnus Alex Greaves met during an amazing week at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Alex, school vice-captain in 2013, travelled as one of only four Griffith University film school students selected to showcase their graduate short films to the world. Alex's film, Luminous, for which he won 'Most Outstanding Director' at the Griffith film Awards night, was shown at the the 70th Cannes festival.

Despite the perception that there are few jobs, Alex has worked continuously in the industry after leaving school, being involved with many recent TV advertising campaigns (RACQ, Dry driver, State of Origin), an SBS documentary, as well as Bernard Fanning's latest music video "Reckless". He is currently employed full-time at Khemistry, an up and coming Brisbane film production company.

Alex says, "Cannes was truly amazing. The opportunity to see and listen to such world-class actors and directors was awe-inspiring. Students studying film at Centenary should be encouraged to follow their dreams ... and listen to the advice and guidance of wonderful the FTV teachers, who provided the expertise and encouragement for many students, such as myself and my brother Ryan (who also attended the festival in 2015 with his short film Alienation) to aspire to a career in film or television ... as well as the opportunity to spend a week in the South of France!"

Happy holidays, see you in term 3!

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

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 11 Report

The Semi Formal, held on May 26, was a huge success. As per Centenary tradition, it was a Fancy Dress event. The evening began with a Fashion Parade at school, before the 175 attendees were bussed to Eagle Street Pier where they boarded the Kookaburra Queen for a scenic cruise up the Brisbane River. Dancing, prancing, nibblies, selfies and stimulating conversation ensued.

The winners of the Fashion Parade were announced at our last assembly. The Best Dressed Group award went to the Disney villains: Josh, Caity, Alexis, Ranim, Khalela, Tahlia, Jenna and Thuy. The Best Individual Costume award was won by Travis. Well done, all!

The night gave the students some much-needed levity before the start of exam block. Good luck to all of our students. Study hard but don’t forget to look after yourselves!

The end of the first semester of Year 11 is always an optimal time for students to reflect on their progress and consider making subject changes where required. I encourage students and parents who are considering changes to talk to their classroom teachers, and also to Mrs Oberle (Guidance Officer) or Mr Richter (Deputy Principal).

See you in Semester 2!

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

Year 10 Report – ‘Gen10 of Centen’

We have reached the half-way point of the year and the Year 10s have been extremely busy during the Home Group lessons focusing on career education. Here is an overview of Term 3 upcoming events:

Camp

Currently the Year 10s are gearing up for an exciting 3 days away on camp from the 26th–28th of July at Maranatha Outdoor Education Centre in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Students will be participating in a range of challenging activities including a High Ropes Course, Possum Pull, Tower of Tremble and lots more. It will be a great time to get out of the classroom and enjoy experiencing a different learning environment. Students not attending camp will be involved in a range of valuable learning tasks revolving around career education.

SETplan

Term 3 is all about SET Plan! The students have finished listening to valuable HOD talks; we have had a QTAC parent night and next term our HG teachers will start preparing their class for the subject selection process. Please continue the conversations at home with your child about their pathway through the senior school.

There are still some Year 10s who have not obtained their Unique Student Identification (USI) number. This number is required in Term 3. Could you please assist your child to obtain their USI, refer to page 140 of school diary or visit the link below. Students need to provide their USI to the school (notify HG teacher or email me).

Work placement

We have started the process of organising work placements for the week 11-15th September 2017. Thank you to Angela Raven (HOD Senior Schooling) for providing such a valuable program for our students.

Year 10 Student Ambassadors

Aleece Macaulay and Daniella Swart has been representing our school at the Lord Mayor’s Student Environment Leadership Network (SELN). It is a program for high school students who want to make a difference in their community. Here is an up-date from Aleece and Daniella:

This year, SELN is focusing on creek catchments in the local area - ours being the Jindalee Creek Catchment. During our meetings, we have discussed and planned ways that we can reduce litter in our school, ultimately resulting in a cleaner catchment. We have decided to take on the problem at its roots - the rubbish coming into the school grounds. We plan to initiate program in our school, in the hope that it will diminish the amount of rubbish.

This program has been an excellent learning experience for the both of us. It has taught us how we can make a real difference with a realistic plan and how to execute it. We both learnt the importance of having an attainable goal and always having a plan B.

All in all, we have both become more knowledgeable and are looking forward to the meetings to come, which bring us one step closer to our goal.

Daniella Swart and Aleece Macaulay

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 33734593 or email bfurl1@eq.edu.au.

Wishing you and your family a safe and relaxing holiday.

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

Year 7 Report

As Semester One draws to a close, now is a great time to reflect on all the outstanding achievements of our Year 7 group.

We’ve had Year 7 students represent the school in the Choral Fanfare, Student Leadership Forum, Centenary’s Got Talent, the school musical, instrumental lessons, homework hub, debating, STEAM activities, academic competitions, athletics training, and a number of district sporting competitions. More than 70 students from our youngest cohort volunteered their time at Open Day and were incredible ambassadors for the school.

These co-curricular activities can offer a welcome break from studies and homework. In addition, co-curricular activities are excellent for developing academic skills. You know that getting involved is more than just fun and games when you consider the benefits that students can gain from activities such as debating for public speaking, academic competitions for exam strategies and sports for collaboration and team work. Balancing a number of commitments can support your student’s organisational skills, as well as allowing them to discover new passions that they enjoy or excel at which, which in turn will boost self-confidence. I strongly encourage you to ask your Year 7 student, “What have you participated in this year that you have never tried before?”

On top of the fantastic curriculum work done at Centenary, our Home Group (HG) program will be starting returning to anti-bullying and cyber safety strategies in Term 3. Before then, have a wonderful, safe and relaxing break.

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