19 July 2017

News from the Principal

Welcome Back

Welcome back from the winter vacation. I hope that all members of the Centenary SHS community have enjoyed a relaxing break. The Parent Teacher interviews in Week 2 of this term, present an early opportunity for parents/carers to actively engage with the school. I trust that the dialogue in the interviews will be informative and that they enable your child to realise his or her educational goals.

The new semester sees a number of staff changes.

• Melissa Blacklock replaced by Elizabeth Noske (Semester 2)
• Shannon Ashton replaced by Susan Cheney (Semester 2)
• Miguel Angeles replaced by Jennifer Carruthers (Term 3)
• Siobhan Browne replaced by Lachie Gibbs (returning to staff)
• Michael Tobin on leave for Term 3 Weeks 1 & 2 with Adrian Homer replacing him as Acting HOD – Applied Technology.
• Lawry Midgley joining the Learning Support team from Term 3 Week 1 and then replacing Jacqueline Croker from Week 2.

Reporting and Goal Setting

With Semester 1 reports now available please take the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with them. All students are involved in goal setting at the beginning of each term. Please review your child’s school diary to see their academic goals for the term. Whilst we can all set goals, the process to achieve requires commitment in addition to a mix of pragmatism and resolve. Parents/Carers play an important role in supporting students to achieve.

School Uniform

Please ensure that your child is adhering to the school’s uniform expectations. Two areas that require attention are jumpers and socks. Students are not allowed to wear non-school jumpers to school. If a school jumper cannot be worn, students should report to the office where a small number of jumpers are available for loan. Students are to wear plain navy blue crew length socks with no logos. These socks can be purchased from the uniform shop.

Our expectation is that all students will adhere to the uniform code as described in the school’s diary and website. During the colder months a white shirt or fleece may be worn under the uniform to provide extra warmth.

In addition to non uniform jumpers, track suit pants and beanies are not part of the uniform and should not be worn. Similarly canvas and slip on shoes do not meet the school’s uniform guidelines.

The school’s uniform code is strongly supported by the school community and contributes strongly to a disciplined learning environment.

Predictive OPs

In the first two weeks of the term all Year 11 and Year 12 OP eligible students will undertake mentoring interviews with HG teachers. These interviews focus on academic progress, predictive OP ranges and post school pathways. The OP range, although predictive, should allow students to make better decisions with regard to pathway selection and tertiary applications. Importantly we operate an opt out policy for those students who do not want access to this data at this point in time.

The reality for some students, particularly in Year 11 who are tracking at an OP 18-25, is that they need to consider the full range of course options to maximise their post school pathways.

2017 Early School Leavers survey

The Queensland Government is conducting its annual statewide survey of students who left school in Years 10, 11 and prior to completing Year 12 during 2016. The Early School Leavers survey is a short, confidential survey that collects information about what young people are doing the year after leaving school.

Between July and August, students who left school in Years 10, 11 and prior to completing Year 12 last year can expect to receive an invitation to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office to complete the survey. Please encourage them to take part.

For more information, visit below or telephone toll free on 1800 068 587.

Student Results

As a school we set a target of 60% of our students achieving an A or B on their Semester Report. Too many of our students are content to achieve a C or in the colloquial language of the school – “make the grade”. Many of these students are capable of achieving more. As a school we achieved 56.6% A, B for Semester 1. This represents a small improvement on 2016. The following Year Result summaries, although generally good, indicate we have further work to complete in this regard to achieve excellence. I certainly see moving the “big middle” upward as the priority academic challenge in the school.

Congratulations to Years 7 and 8 on achieving the school target.

Course Planners

Student Course Planners are available through OneSchool. Students can access the program from home. Parents/Carers now have direct access through the QParents Application.

International

Term 3 is always a busy period for International. We are hosting the following study tours this term:

Suzhou [China] Science & Technology Foreign Language School from 12 July to 24 August.

Chihaya Atasaka Junior High School from Osaka, Japan from 2 August to 9 August.

We also have 47 International students from around the globe studying at Centenary SHS this term.

Our international program provides our domestic students with a wonderful opportunity to develop international cultural understanding and an appreciation of the opportunities available in our globalised world.

Students and Cars

As the year progresses we are witnessing an increasing number of senior students driving to school. Whilst we appreciate the convenience of car travel for many families there is an overwhelming need for drivers to accept the responsibilities and school requirements of student driving.

• All student drivers need to register their car at the office.
• Other students are not to travel with student drivers unless parent/carer permission is received in writing at the office.
• Students are to park in the lower car park, not in the streets adjoining the school.
• Road rules are to be followed at all times.

Please discuss these responsibilities with your children.

Student Success

Congratulations to all our students who participated in the Athletics Day at the end of Term 2. Great to see the strong participation and the sense of spirit around the school.

A special mention also to our Year 7 Debaters who began their competition in the last week of Term 2 with a win.

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

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Newsletter Articles

News from the Deputy Principals

QParents is now available to all parents/carers

QParents was launched last year with the Year 9 students and is now available for all parents/carers of every year level to access. Invitations have previously been sent to all parents/carers with information on how to register. Please follow the guidelines and contact the school if you have any difficulties.

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

QParents allows parents/carers 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/carers in sharing and responding to information in an efficient and effective way. It won’t replace the traditional ways you communicate with our school, but it will provide another way to communicate with us.

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

Year 9 – Semester 1 Success

Congratulations to the Year 9 students who achieved outstanding academic results during Semester 1, 2017. It was particularly pleasing to see such a large number of students achieve both fantastic academic results and also wonderful results for effort and behaviour. Also pleasing was the significant number of students who demonstrated improvement in their results from Term 1. On a recent Year 9 assembly and Home Group lesson, these students were acknowledged for their excellent performance. Well done Year 9.

Over the next few weeks, students will be asked to reflect on their individual performance during Home Group lessons and begin setting learning goals for Semester 2. Parents/Carers may like to look at their student’s diary to note the goals they have set for the semester ahead. Developing a good learning routine is very important to student success. Continue to encourage your student to build in regular revision and homework time and to check their assessment schedules via their OneSchool student access.

International Study Tours

This term our school is very lucky to have a number of students visiting from a range of International schools. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to Centenary SHS Ms Isabella Tang and the 10 students visiting from Suzhou Science and Technology Foreign Language School. The students from Suzhou are visiting our school for a period of 7 weeks and will be participating in a range of learning experiences including English and integration lessons within Year 9 core and elective subjects. It is fabulous to be able to reciprocate the hospitality that was shown to our students when Centenary SHS visited Suzhou Science and Technology Foreign Language School as part of our study tour to China in 2016. We hope that the students from Suzhou Science and Technology Foreign Language School have a wonderful time during their stay in Australia.

During August, Centenary SHS will also be hosting a group of Japanese students from Chihaya Akasaka Junior High School, Osaka. We are currently still looking for homestay families. If you think you might be interested in hosting a student from 2 – 9 August 2017, please contact our International Student Coordinator, Ms Maria Chadburn.

2017 National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests - Update

In early August, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) will begin posting individual student reports to schools. Upon receipt of these reports, the school will organise for these to be made available to parents/carers.

The school will also receive at this time the finalised class and school reports. This information will support teachers to continue to develop literacy and numeracy programs that respond to the specific needs of our students.

Immunisation Program for Year 10 Students – 15 August 2017

On 19 February 2017, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services announced a Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination Program (the program) for Queensland. The program will be offered to all Year 10 students through the Queensland School Immunisation Program. This will take place for our students on Tuesday 15 August, 2017.

Last term consent forms were provided to Year 10 students. If your child was unable to return a consent form by the required date, it is still possible to participate in the vaccination program. The Meningococcal vaccine is available for free through your doctor or immunisation provider up until 31 May, 2018. While the vaccination is free, you may be charged a consultation fee.

Matt McDonald, Deputy Principal (Year 12)
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

BUSINESS MANAGER

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 (displayed below) 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 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. From 2018 schools are no longer able to accept credit card payments over the phone.

Enrolment Procedure

Centenary State High School has an approved enrolment management plan. This plan clearly outlines the Centenary suburbs as the catchment area. This includes the suburbs of Jindalee, Mt Ommaney, Middle Park, Westlake, Riverhills, Sumner, Sinnamon Park and sections of Darra and Seventeen Mile Rocks. Students who reside within these suburbs have automatic enrolment eligibility. A map with the precise boundary of the catchment area can be accessed from the enrolment section of the school’s website.

Prospective students who reside outside of the catchment may submit an Application for Enrolment Consideration Out of Catchment (available on the school’s website) to the Principal. Proof of residence will be required upon enrolment for all Applications for Enrolment Consideration Out of Catchment.

Exceptions to the local residency requirement include:

• Enrolment in the Centenary State High School’s Diverse Learning Department which caters for students with Vision Impairment or Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Placements are coordinated by Education Queensland.
• Other special circumstances which are outlined in the Centenary State High School’s Enrolment Management Plan, which is available on the school’s website.

Requests for enrolment should be directed to the school’s Enrolment Officer. Parents/Carers are requested to bring appropriate documentation to any interview such as recent School Reports, proof of residence and passport and visa details for overseas students.

If your student is ceasing enrolment at Centenary State High School, parents/carers are required to notify the school in writing and to complete a Departure Form. Please ensure all school resources are returned to the school and all finances completed.

YEAR 7

Year 7 students from local primary schools (Jindalee, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Darra, Good News Lutheran and Darra-Jindalee Catholic) are guaranteed enrolment into Centenary State High School if they live in the catchment area and they have the correct documentation (enrolment application, birth certificate or passport, proof of residential address and two current school reports/NAPLAN results). Those students attending Good News Lutheran and Darra-Jindalee Catholic who live in the catchment area will also need to attend an interview.

Students, who attend one of the above schools, but do not live in the catchment area, will need to complete an Application for Enrolment Consideration Out of Catchment. They will need to provide the correct documentation (enrolment application, birth certificate or passport, proof of residential address and two current school reports/NAPLAN results). Interviews will be required and the Principal has the final decision.

Students who do not attend one of the above schools, and do not live in the catchment area, will need to complete an Application for Enrolment Consideration Out of Catchment. They will need to provide the correct documentation (enrolment application, birth certificate or passport, proof of residential address and two current school reports/NAPLAN results). Interviews will be required and the Principal has the final decision.

YEARS 8-12

Please contact the enrolment officer by phoning the school on 3373 4555 or visiting the school office (Monday to Friday) to discuss your application.

LOST PROPERTY

Students should check the school office for any property they believe they have lost. If property is marked with the student’s name, every effort will be made to return the property to the student as soon as possible. Parents/Carers are most welcome to visit the school and check the lost property section for items that their student may have lost.

Items of school uniform which remain unclaimed after one month will be placed in the “spare uniform” collection kept at the school for emergency situations or will be sent to the school uniform shop for sale as ‘second-hand’ uniforms. Other unclaimed items will be donated to charities.

Charmaine Macaulay, Business Manager
Email: cmaca5@eq.edu.au

News from the Student Leadership Coordinator

After a very successful Semester 1, the Student Leadership Forum have already hit the ground running to make Term 3 even more successful. All of our sub-committees have amazing projects coming up, ranging from Environmental Awareness campaigns, Spirit Shield competitions, R U OK Day-related de-stress and anti-anxiety stations (which will hopefully ease the anxiety as seniors head into their final exams and assessment), and the ever-popular RSPCA Cupcake Day. I am continuously astounded by the level of teamwork, dedication and positivity displayed by this group of amazing young adults, and I cannot wait to see their projects come to fruition. I am particularly impressed by the amount of leadership shown by the Junior Secondary members of the group, and the way that they have stepped up to the plate as the senior members of our forum enter into their most stressful exam period. Keep up the great work, team!

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

2018 Winter Schools

Over the recent school holidays, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in partnership with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff (Australia-Pacific) delivered the SID Winter School. It is a five day residential camp for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to have an opportunity to learn about university pathways and experience what it is like to go to university. This year one Centenary SHS Year 10 student, Steven Goodwin-Fairhurst, was selected and had the opportunity to experience university campus life, visit ‘real world’ work sites, including with the Australian Army, and participate in interactive university faculty activities. Former Centenary SHS student Aidan Watkins-Kenny, who attended the SID Winter School in 2017, was also in attendance as a student ambassador, to share his experience from last year’s winter school and on currently being a first year Science student at Griffith University.

Angela Duncombe, CATSIES Coordinator
Email: adunc62@eq.edu.au

News from the Guidance Officers

ANXIETY

`a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome’ .

With a definition like this who doesn’t get anxious?

Did you know…

Sometimes is can be helpful to have some level of anxiety. It helps us get ready for exams, and motivates us to perform. It helps us avoid dangerous situations or reminds us to prepare for new situations. It helps us to be prepared and often to do our best.

If you are feeling anxiety you might feel uncomfortable, physically unwell (butterflies in your stomach, heart racing, wanting to vomit or go to the toilet). You might feel overwhelmed, frightened or even a sense of panic (this can be very useful if that assignment is due tomorrow).

All these feelings are normal and most of us experience them at some time in our lives. Don’t panic if your child is demonstrating these symptoms especially at the end of term, while having to speak in public or when awaiting his/her report card.

When does anxiety go beyond the norm?

If you are seeing anxiety that is ‘excessive or unreasonable, marked and persistent’ and interfering significantly with one’s normal routine, then it is time to consider whether the anxiety has reached the level of a disorder.

When feelings and thoughts become more intense and overwhelming; unhelpful or irrational and unable to be controlled; the person is unable to do what they need to do; and these thoughts and feelings are interfering with relationships, then anxiety becomes a disorder and it is time to seek help.

Anxiety is a part of life but it should not become your life. There are many causes to anxiety of which familial history of anxiety is often a common element, but anxiety can occur for lots of reasons. One in six people experience anxiety so it is a common issue.

There are 5 types of anxiety disorders:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – excessive worrying about many aspects of one’s life
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Thoughts and fears are obsessive and rituals are performed in order to cope e.g. continually checking if the iron is off, excessive hand washing
• Panic Disorder – panic attacks are periods of intense fear or anxiety even when there is no good reason. Symptoms may include sweating, breathing difficulties, loss of control
• PTSD – Post traumatic stress disorder – A disturbing event may trigger this and the person may have flash backs, disturbed dreams and mood changes. Many soldiers or refugees experience this, but a single incident can trigger this for anyone
• Social Phobia – fear of being humiliated, embarrassed or criticized. It may affect one’s ability to speak or eat in public, being assertive and sticking up for oneself
• Specific Phobias – e.g. intense fear of spiders, fear of the dark, fear of injections. One or more can occur at the same time

If you believe that the feelings of anxiety are ongoing, and affecting day to day living, and are unable to be controlled, then you or your loved one needs to seek help.

Tips to help along the way:

• Talk to someone, e.g. the Guidance Officer, the doctor, a friend or family member
• Stay physically healthy – eat healthy food, drink water, exercise daily
• Work out ways to minimize the stresses in your life without having to avoid them
• Have a massage, yoga, facial or other treats

Who better to look after you than yourself but be open to help if you need it. Often others see our needs before we do!

Contacts:

• Beyondblue 1300 22 4636
• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• Beyondblue.com
• https://www.youthbeyondblue.com/understand-what's-going-on/anxiety/types-of-anxiety

Adapted from Beyondblue.

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,

About 20% of people experience depression at some time in their lives. That means that almost every family has someone with some periods of depression.

Unfortunately once someone has experienced depression, they are at far greater risk of feeling that way again.

While I can’t guarantee that we can protect everyone from depression, there are things that we can do to make it less likely.

Sadness is not always bad

Everyone loves being happy but being sad at times is not such a bad thing. Sadness gives us time for thinking things over, sometimes regretting things we have done and helps us to resolve to be better people. Feelings of sadness, disappointment and set backs are part of human life and without them we don’t live whole lives. We all want our kids to be happy but know that there will be times they will be sad. Helping young people to know that they won’t be happy all the time is important. Realising that all feelings pass and that we can learn from the whole range of feelings, sadness included, is part of being human.

Lower the amount of stress

Try to identify some of the major sources of stress in your life and develop systems to deal with them. If you can’t avoid the stressful situations at least develop a decompression strategy. This is a way of winding ourselves down after being revved up. Going for a walk, doing some exercise and being active are some of the best ways.

Find some good friends

Friends are a treasure. Along with family, having a few good friends that we can talk things over with enriches our lives and protects us in difficult times.

Eat healthily

What we eat changes our moods. For example, countries that eat low levels of fish have higher levels of depression. Fish contains a fatty acid known as EPA, which is lacking in those with depression. Fatty acids are also found in flax seeds, walnuts and chia seeds and are good fats.

These are good fats so if you are hesitant about eating them, don’t be. Whole grain oats have been shown to help with depression as they have folic acid and B vitamins and help with a slow release of energy versus the crash and burn of blood sugar levels that can happen. Foods high in selenium, which is found in meat, fish and cereal grains, has also been shown to decrease symptoms of depression.

Leafy greens have magnesium in them which helps with depression and helps with sleep patterns.

Have some sources of “Flow”

We experience “flow” when we get involved in an activity that captivates us. At the end of these types of activities people often think, “Where did the time go?” There are many sources of flow – computer games, sports, drawing, dancing, reading, swimming and surfing are some. These are the things that you do that absorb you and take you away from your day to day cares and worries.

Losing yourself in a few pleasurable activities that challenge you is highly protective against depression.

Belong to the Karma Club

Decide to increase goodwill in the world by doing something positive for someone else.

Try this out for one week. Pick someone you know and try to “knock their socks off” as much as possible. Give them compliments, greet them exuberantly and take time to be with them. You’ll be amazed at how much benefit you get from increasing someone else’s happiness. Even people who have had rotten things happen to them can rise above them. They usually do this by deciding to be lucky. While we can focus on the things that have upset us, most of us have many things and people to be grateful for. Focusing on that part of your life and deciding that you are lucky makes an enormous difference to your life.

Get enough sleep and rest

Getting enough sleep is one of the most powerful ways we can protect ourselves against depression. The structures in the brain that support the most powerful anti-depressant, serotonin, are built and re-built between the sixth and the eighth hour of sleep.

Over 60% of people who sleep 5 hours or less a night end up obese and depressed.

If you are having difficulty sleeping:

• decrease caffeine consumption late in the day
• decrease sugar in your diet
• go to bed at the same time every day and wake-up at the same time every day
• avoid late nights
• avoid naps especially after 4pm
• avoid spicy, sugary or heavy foods before bedtime
• have the room at a comfortable temperature (some kids want to heat up the room and sweat the night away)
• block out distracting noise
• don’t sit in bed while studying, get in the habit of reserving it for sleep
• warm milk before bed is good as it is high in tryptophan which aids sleep
• try relaxation methods before sleeping
• write out a to-do list for the next day before getting into bed
• have a pre-sleep ritual e.g. reading or warm bath
• switch off the electronics especially phones

Get some exercise

Exercise decreases stress hormones such as cortisol and increases endorphins (happy chemicals). Exercise also helps release dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin, which work together to make you feel good.

Endorphins are a hormone-like substance produced in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers. During exercise endorphins can leave you in a state of euphoria with a sense of wellbeing.

The most effective type of exercise for the release of endorphins is cardiovascular exercise and aerobics.

Moderate exercise for 10 minutes a day is enough to improve your mood and increase energy but it is suggested that you do 30 minutes per day.

Laugh more

Laughter raises our levels of serotonin and dopamine. Make a point of watching TV shows or movies that make you laugh. Share funny stories and jokes with friends. People report that laughing, even when they don’t feel happy, improves their mood and sense of well-being.

Checklist of Signs:

When should I worry?

In the childhood and teenage years depression can be harder to pick because it is obscured by heightened emotions and times of grumpiness.

Some signs of depression are:

• Loss of interest in usual activities – their get up and go, has got up & gone
• Increased use of drugs and alcohol
• Sleep problems
• Changes in energy levels –either sluggish or agitated and restless
• Changes in eating patterns change – either disinterested in food or over eating
• Speaking about death and hopelessness
• Increased and inexplicable irritability
• Your own feelings of anxiety about your child

It is worth getting some help if your child or adolescent is appearing to be depressed. One way to do this to say, “I’m worried about you and I want you to come with me to see someone so that I can work out whether I should be worried or not”. Try to find a good local psychologist, psychiatrist or doctor who can relate to young people.

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

News from the School Nurse

Welcome back to Term 3!

Establish a study plan

To help reduce stress and ensure that you're as organised as you can be, learn more about planning and looking after yourself and about staying focused in order to be as ready as you can be.

Have a study plan and goals for each day / week. Make sure it's balanced with other important things in your life - that way it will be easier to stick to.

Talk to employers early to let them know you need to limit your shifts / hours while studying.

Create a study space that is comfortable, quiet, well lit, organised, and has no distractions nearby such as TV, phone, people talking, etc.

Make sure you have everything you need for each study session as this helps to feel more confident and organised.

Look after yourself

Self-care is especially important when you have a big demand in your life - that way you have the energy to commit to what you need to accomplish.

Build activities you enjoy, and that bring your stress levels down, into your study plan, such as sport, spending time with friends, internet, etc.

Don't get hungry before or while studying. Grab nutritional snacks that keep you going, such as fruit, nuts, dairy, etc.

Remember to get some exercise every day as this helps you to keep focused and energetic.

Rest when you need to

Work out what times of day do you have the most energy and plan to study then.

Don't study more than 40-60 mins without a short break. Even a 5 minute break will help. A glass of water helps too!

When you have a break do something physical or fun, such as go for a short run or play with a pet.

Relaxation is important, especially before bed, to slow the brain activity down. Try some slow, deep breathing, a shower or a bath, herbal tea, etc.

When studying, switch your phone and email off to stop the distractions.

Say "no" to parties during the weeks close to the exams. This will help to keep you refreshed and energised.

Try to keep your focus on school and exams rather than other stuff happening in your life; you don't need this extra worry around relationships, friendships, etc., right now.

Try to keep a focus on your health and wellbeing by not using things like drugs or alcohol. They can make it much harder to study.

Ask for help

Stay at school until your last day so you don't miss any important info about exams, or fun events with your colleagues.

Practice writing essays and show them to your teachers for feedback for improvement.

Ask teachers the best way to study for each subject; they have many years’ experience they can share with you.

Some teachers are happy to be contacted during the time leading up to the exams. Find out which ones you can contact and make use of this if you need to.

If you have trouble approaching your own teacher for advice, talk to one of the other ones who teach the same subject.

Group study sessions with classmates can be a helpful and entertaining way of studying, but keep your focus on what you want to achieve with these sessions.

Talk about what you are studying with family members and friends as this helps to retain the info more, especially names and dates, etc.

Be prepared getting closer to exam time

Read/write everything 3 times as this also helps to commit the information to memory.

Use your trial exam results to focus in on what you need to study.

Use previous exam papers to get a feel for what to expect.

Ask friends what they are doing that is helping with their study or ask friends who did it last year.

You need to study within 24 hours of the exam on that subject to retain more information.

Write things that you have trouble remembering (such as names and dates) in coloured texta and blu-tak them to your toilet wall/door. Sounds funny, but it really works!

The night before exams

Prepare your school bag, have stationery and pens/pencils, etc., all ready.

Get your uniform out all ready for the morning.

Get a good night sleep.

The day of the exam

Do your usual routine, for example, have what you normally eat for breakfast.

Take some water and a healthy snack (if allowed) into the exam.

And finally...

If the stress is getting to you it will prevent you from studying effectively and confidently - so ask for help from the services available at school: Guidance, Nurse, Chaplain, or Headspace, a counsellor, a professional, or Helpline.

Referenced from http://www.headspace.org.au/is-it-just-me/find-information/exam-survival

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

Sports Report

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope that everyone had a relaxing holiday because the Term 3 sporting schedule is very busy. We have 4 Athletics carnivals, Junior and Senior Gala Days as well as extra sporting competitions that the students will be competing in. It is a busy term for both the students and staff.

Upcoming Events

Junior District Days

We have already competed in Day 1 of our Junior Gala Day competition in Term 2 and on Tuesday 8 August students will compete in Day 2. Hopefully we will have a few district champions. We have fielded teams in every sport, which is a fantastic achievement. Good luck to all of our teams and coaches!

Winter Season: Junior Days
Date: Day 2 - Tuesday 8 August, 2017
Time: 8.00am – 3.00pm. Be at the bus stop by 7:45am.

Venue:

Year 10 and Open Gala Day

On Monday 17 July students in Years 10, 11 and 12 competed in the Winter Sports Gala Day. It was an amazing day and the students’ behaviour and sportsmanship was outstanding. Congratulations to the following teams that are District Premiers:

Year 10 Boys Basketball (coached by Mr Mills)
Open Girls Tennis (coached by Mr Haines)
Year 10 Boys AFL (coached by Mr Webber)
Open Girls Rugby Union (coached by Mr Locke)

These teams will now be competing in the Metropolitan Finals!

Many of our teams made the Grand Final and finished in 2nd place. This is an amazing achievement to have so many teams make the finals! Congratulations to the following runners up:

Year 10 Girls Netball (coached by Mrs Chamberlain)
Open Girls Netball (coached by Mrs Chamberlain)
Year 10 Girls Volleyball (coached by Mr Greaves)
Open Girls Volleyball (coached by Mr Greaves)
Year 10 Boys Soccer (coached by Mr Foster)

Athletics Carnival

The field events carnival was a huge success with students’ participation at a record high. This level of participation is definitely helping with our goal of winning the District Athletics Champion Trophy.

The carnival events are run for students wishing to:

1. Be selected in the school Athletics Team to represent the school at the district carnival and be eligible for selection for Met West
2. Go for Age Champion
3. Participate for their House and gain points

Congratulations to the following students who achieved Age Champion:

12 Years Girls – Freya-Grace Ginn-Hellmuth
12 Years Boys – Bayden Goodwin
13 Years Girls – Olivia Boyd
13 Years Boys – Shannon Stewart
14 Years Girls – Ismahan Elsair
14 Years Boys – Samuel Berkeley
15 Years Girls – Katie Siertsema
15 Years Boys – Cole Pirrit
16 Years Girls – Gracie Nugent
16 Years Boys – Jordi Capdevila
17 Years Girls – Kataraina Bennett
17 Years Boys – Jorden Rangihuna

Congratulations to Seth Lawrence and Isabelle Lightbody for winning the Principal’s Cup.

House Spirit was at an all-time high with our very first Spirit Shield being introduced. Houses contested for this shield throughout the day and had a war cry challenge. It was amazing to see so many students get involved and the war cries were creative, not to mention very, very loud. Congratulations to Curragundi for winning the Spirit Shield for 2017.

The competition was very close between the houses with Yallambee being the Champion House for 2017.

Yallambee finished on 1508 points
Jarup finished on 1422 points
Curragundi finished on 1295 points
Moolanda finished on 1123 points

Good luck to the students who are competing at the District Athletics Carnival on Monday 24 and Wednesday 26 July.

West Akuna Athletics Carnival

Students who are U/12 have the opportunity to compete at the West Akuna Athletics Carnival on Tuesday 18 and Thursday 20 July at ANZ Stadium. Congratulations to the following students who are competing at this Carnival:

Abbey Brown
Matthew Cradick
Jessica Ebzery
Grethe Gloy
Bayden Goodwin
Freya-Grace Ginn-Hellmuth
Stephen Hooper
Vj Iona
Evan Longmire
Jess Mataroria
Kiya Willoughby
Reporting Results

The annual Sports Awards will be held in Term 4. In order to ensure that students are receiving the correct awards, and are not missing out, it is important that I am informed of any sporting team that a student makes. This way our records will be up to date and the awards night will run smoothly.

Students can see me in Staffroom 4 or results can be emailed to tnasa1@eq.edu.au.

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

News from STEP

Welcome back to Term 3. At this point in time, the STEP program is still running for Trimester Two. Students will continue with the activity they signed up for until Week 8 of this term.

I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate one of the STEP activities running this trimester – Ride To Sydney. A group of students have joined Mr Dinh and Ms Petrie to ride around our Jindalee neighbourhood every Wednesday afternoon. They keep a riding tally with their goal being 1000km – the distance from Brisbane to Sydney.

Our determined students and teachers have so far accumulated a riding distance of more than 800km. They have virtually arrived at Manly Beach, the beautiful landmark in NSW. They would have certainly enjoyed a refreshing dip at the beach. It is such a proud achievement, so congratulations to all. Due to our current nice weather conditions and their enthusiasm, these students are very likely to end up in Melbourne by the end of Trimester Two!

Sin Woon Thoo, STEP Coordinator
Email: sthoo2@eq.edu.au

Cultural News

Welcome back to Term 3, one that will be very busy for many of the Arts students. There are a plenty of events that our students are involved with this term, so please take note of the dates below to help you to plan.

Creative Generation

By the time this goes to print, Creative Generations will have finished for 2017, and our three students involved will have completed their duties. Congratulations to Lauren Hooper (Orchestra), Jakob Small (Backstage Crew) and Jordan Scott (Backstage Crew).

We hope that this was a wonderful experience for you all.

Legally Blonde - The Musical

Only about 6 weeks to go now until our major production for the year takes flight. Lots of activity happening down here on Wednesday afternoons getting everything together for what will certainly be a wonderful show. Tickets will go on sale at the end of Week 3.

Central Queensland University Jazz Festival

On July 28, our Stage Band will be travelling to Rockhampton for the weekend to participate in the CQU Jazz Festival. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, with tutoring from world class jazz musicians. Thank you to everyone who helped raise money for the trip (lots of chocolates have been sold!), in particular our wonderful Arts Sub-Committee. We wish you a safe and successful trip.

You’re The Voice – Turning the Tide on Domestic Violence

On that same weekend our choir will be performing at South Bank with thousands of other singers as part of the Queensland Music Festival. You’re The Voice is a pioneering choral project, encouraging Australians to unite their voices and turn the tide on domestic violence. The project will bring together thousands of singers from community, school and professional choirs, as well as individuals from across the country, to join forces in a monumental musical event which will culminate in a moving mass rendition of John Farnham’s powerful anthem.

Look forward to seeing you at one of our events over the next couple of months.

Centenary State High School Cultural Date Claimer 2017 Terms 3 and 4

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

News from English

The start of a new semester means that marking has been completed, reports sent home, and it is now an opportunity for all students to create clear, specific and manageable goals for improving their English skills. Students in every year level should think about their areas of strength and weakness, and make a decision to work on improving in those areas. If the mountain seems too big to climb, take small steps. Ask yourself: “Am I using ordinary language? Would my writing be better if I tried to use more sophisticated or technical words?” Or perhaps: “I am not so good at reading comprehension. I need to try to think more about what I am reading.” Work on at least one specific skill, and you will soon find that you will become more confident in English and will see improved results.

All students have received a hard copy of their semester overview, so there is no confusion about what will be studied and when things are due. Parents/Carers have been emailed these documents.

Coming up:

Our two Year 7 teams will soon take part in their second-round debate. Round 1 was a valuable learning experience for the students and they enjoyed themselves immensely. I am very proud to report that one team won their first round debate, while the other team was only narrowly defeated. All students, including our incredible Year 9 helpers, should be very proud of their contribution and representation of our school. Congratulations to Ms George for her hard work in coaching and preparing our debaters and to Ms Law for her support. I look forward to ongoing success for these amazing young people.

The ICAS English competition will take place on August 1. All students in Years 7 & 8 will sit the competition, as well as a number of students in the other grades who wish to participate. Good luck to all students.

In September some of our students in the junior school will be attending the Brisbane Writer’s festival. More information will be forthcoming about this event very soon.

Do you use these words correctly?

Fewer or Less

Writers and speakers often misuse the words less and fewer. The word less should be used for a single item (e.g. less time, less space). The word fewer should be used when there is more than one item (e.g. fewer mice, fewer omissions).

Examples:

• There is less cheese on this plate. Correct.

(The word cheese is singular.)

• There are fewer pieces of cheese on this plate. Correct.

(The word pieces is plural.)

• There are less pigeons in King George Square than there used to be. Incorrect.

(should be fewer pigeons)

• In the future, there will be less coins in circulation. Incorrect.

(should be fewer coins)

• Fewer people will vote in the forthcoming elections. Correct.

Angela Maguire, English HOD
Email: amagu7@eq.edu.au

News from The Arts

Welcome back to Term 3! The holidays went by in a blur, as I’m sure this very busy term will too!

Congratulations to the students who were involved with Creative Generation over the last week. The show is the largest event of its kind with over 1800 state school students across Queensland involved. CGEN aims to mentor and foster the next generation of performers and provides opportunities for them to work with and learn from professional artists. The annual event has launched the professional careers of many students who have gone on to star in theatre, television and musical productions. Students involved this year were Lauren, Jakob and Jordan – well done!

A huge congratulations also this week to the Music Plus students in Years 7, 8 and 9. The students had the opportunity to complete the Australian Music Examination Boards Theory of Music exam in the last week of term. We are proud to announce that 10 students were awarded a High Distinction (over 95/100), 16 students have been awarded an Honours (over 85/100), four achieved Credits (over 75/100), as well as two Passes (over 65/100). We will present the certificates to students on a school assembly in the near future.

There is a plethora of events for Arts students this term, including excursions and performances. Please encourage your children to take the opportunities to get involved!

Finally, we are about to commence guitar lessons for this semester. If your child would like to learn from an expert guitar teacher, they should come and see Mr Watkins in Staffroom 4 for more information.

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

Year 12 Report

At the end of last term the cohort celebrated the fact that only 100 calendar days were left before Graduation.

On this same day the Year 12 Council organised a charity Free Dress Day for our community YoungCare facility at Sinnamon Village. As a school, we raised $895.00, which was astounding. Well done Centenary SHS!

Billy the Blood Drop had a very busy end of term in promoting Red Cross blood donations. The first event he attended was the Year 11 Semi-Formal Fashion Parade before the Year 11s left on their journey to the Kookaburra Queen.

He also attended the Free Dress Full School Assembly and the Athletics Carnival on the last day of term. Billy ran in an Open 400metres race with wonderful encouragement from the crowd! The Red Cross Blood Drive is occurring on October 31 in Term 4. We will be supplying enrolment forms for the donation of blood later this term.

Students finally received their senior jerseys and they do look good. The students were very happy collecting their jerseys from the office over the last few days of Term 2.

There are of course many important moments for our Year 12s coming up. The QTAC application process is beginning with students having collected their books and attending information sessions with our Guidance Officer, Ms Juanita Oberle. Students are also nearing the final phase of their QCS preparation. Non-QCS students will be attending a practice job interview to be booked on one of the two QCS days. Mr Homer, our Transition manager, has been sending out information to students involved regarding this process.

Naturally, Term 4 is the culmination of so many milestones. The most obvious ones are our Formal, Mystery Tour and Graduation.

Formal date: Wednesday 15 November.

Time: 7-11pm. Students may start arriving from 6pm, for the parents/carers reception on the terrace.

Costs have not been finalised for these events, but the Formal will be approximately $110, and the Mystery Tour around $130. Please consider this now in preparation for payment and a possible payment scheme through finances in the office.

Underlying all of these goings-on is the message for students to keep their eye on the main purpose for being here: to complete their studies and obtain their QCE. This does not just mean making sure work levels do not fall away in this semester, but also making sure good self-care practices are kept in place. This means nine hours of sleep, good quality food for brain function, a balance in their social life, and knowing who their support people are.

Diana Huber, Year 12 Coordinator
Email: dhube1@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Report

Welcome back after what I hope was a relaxing mid-year break. The next big event for our Year 8 cohort is our second High Resolves workshop for the year which, this time, will focus on social justice. Students will be engaging with pre-workshop activities over the next few weeks that will help them prepare for the event in Week 5.

In Week 10 of last term, we had a significant number of Year 8 students represent the school in sporting teams at the first Junior Winter Gala Day for 2017. There have been some great results come from Day 1 and students are currently training hard at school with their teams in preparation for Day 2 which will be held on 8 August. Good luck to all of our teams!

As Term 3 progresses, leadership becomes a focal point of the Year 8 HG program. Year 8 students who are interested in becoming Junior School Leaders in Year 9 will have the opportunity to apply for these positions at the end of this term. There are some amazing potential candidates in our cohort.

I’m looking forward to another great term with our Year 8s. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Matt Redman, Year 8 Coordinator
Email: mredm23@eq.edu.au

News from our P&C

Air-Conditioning project

Firstly, a very big thank you to all those in the school community who have contributed to our Building Fund Air-Conditioning project. Our fund-raising project launched on 1 June and we have received a total of $4,385 in donations to date.

Of course, we have a long way to go to achieve our goal of providing an optimum learning environment for our students and need all the support we can get from parents/carers and the wider community. All donations, no matter how large or small, are most welcome and each one will put us that much closer to our goal.

If you haven’t already donated and would like to help us provide this important benefit for our children you can download the attached form.

We have received a number of donations via direct credit without any forms which means we’ve been unable to send a receipt. If you need your receipt for tax purposes and have not received one as yet, please send details of your payments to pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au including name, oldest student’s name, amount and email and we’ll send the receipt straight out.

Upcoming Events

Our annual Trivia Night is planned for Friday 6 October. Please watch out for further updates on this and be ready to book a table (or just yourself) for this fun evening of entertainment, laughter and education on all matters “trivia”. Enjoy a beer or wine and bring your platter of nibbles.

This year’s theme is Footy Finals – any code.

Also, if you would like to help us make this night a success by volunteering to help we’d really appreciate that – success comes from “many hands making light work”.

All funds raised from this event go to our Student Support Fund.

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