18 June 2018 Volume 20 Number 6

PRINCIPAL

News from the Principal

From the Principal

The end of term is always a busy time in schools with assessment, moderation and reporting taking centre stage. It is important that students give themselves every opportunity of success in their end of semester assessment. Good routines in regard to study and sleep are strong factors in student success.

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 alternative pathway options.

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

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. Navy track suit pants can only be worn before school.

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 help facilitate a disciplined learning 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 Years 11 and 12 will have interviews with their Home Group teachers in the final week of this term in order 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 2017 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 10s 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/carers 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/carers alike have a clear understanding of course options and their impact upon post school pathway decisions.

As we begin the new Senior Curriculum and Assessment system in 2019, our current Year 10 students will be operating under new rules and procedures in respect to assessment and tertiary entrance when they enter Year 11. It is important that all stakeholders have a good understanding of the new system to allow students to make the best possible decisions in their course selection.

Technology - Bandwidth Increase

The school will be doubling its bandwidth on its grade fibre carriage service, from 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) allocation to 100 Mbps in the next week. This resource allocation should greatly improve download speeds across the school.

The school has implemented a raft of strategies across the year to date to improve the use of digital technologies in our classrooms. Specifically we have targeted Year 7 both in terms of take up rates and authentic teacher use to shape a digital culture in the school.

Cars

We are getting to that time of the year where an increasing number of our senior students are driving to school. I remind all members of the community about the responsibilities of student driving.

• Students are to register their car with the school’s administration
• Student cars are to be parked in the bottom school car park not in side streets
• All passengers must have lodged written permission from parents/carers with administration
• Drivers are to obey road rules at all times

Student Success

Recent weeks have seen many students involved in the school’s co-curricula program. The school’s Athletics carnival was a huge success with strong student participation and we look forward to a strong school performance at the Northern District Event.

Our debating program continues to gather momentum with good numbers of students involved. Our teams have developed in skill and in confidence over the year with an increasing number of victories to their credit.

A hardy collection of staff and students continue to train for the Kokoda event. These students have displayed amazing commitment as they prepare for the arduous challenge on the last weekend of the school holidays.

Congratulations to all of our students who engage in our co-curricula activities.

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

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Newsletter Articles

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

News from the Deputy Principals

Semester 1 Reports

Semester 1 Reports will be emailed 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 email to your junk or spam folder.

OneSchool.application@dete.qld.gov.au

Semester 1 reports will be emailed in two stages. Years 11 and 12 will have their reports emailed on Friday 22 June and the Years 7 to 10 reports will be emailed on Thursday 28 June. 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 24 July 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 will be e-mailed to all parents/carers in the coming weeks. The PTO Instruction Booklet will also be 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.

Year 12 Academic Tracking

In the last week of this term, all Year 12 students will meet with their HG teachers to discuss their academic progress. These meetings are conducted to check the tracking of all students on their chosen pathway. Our aim is for every student to achieve a QCE and it is important that we are aware of any possible hurdles to this achievement so that we can make the necessary adjustments in the final semester. If you have any concerns about the academic progress of your son/daughter, please contact the relevant Deputy Principal to discuss.

Improving Student Writing

Improving student writing is a key focus of our school’s strategic improvement agenda in 2018. As part of our approach to the explicit teaching of writing composition skills, our Years 7 and 10 students have been working with the Write that Essay program. Teachers have been utilising a range of resources from the Write that Essay program, including an online platform to explicitly teach our students how to craft great sentences and paragraphs.

In particular our Year 7 students have been enjoying using the creativity and sentence cards to develop their responses to the writing tasks set by their teachers. It’s been fantastic to see students so engaged in practising their writing skills and teachers have noticed a significant improvement amongst many students. Below pictures some of our Year 7 students hard at work.

Year 10 Future Options Evening

In order to support our Year 10 students with their senior pathway planning, Centenary SHS is holding a Future Options Evening in Week 11 of this term. This event will be an opportunity for students and parents/carers to engage with a range of learning providers in order to learn about tertiary education options. We look forward to seeing you there.

Matt McDonald, Deputy Principal (Year 11)
Email: mmcdo156@eq.edu.au

Adam Richter, Deputy Principal (Years 9, 12 & International)
Email: arich60@eq.edu.au

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

Kelsey Oakes, Deputy Principal (Year 10, ATSI & EALD)
Email: koake10@eq.edu.au

BUSINESS MANAGER

News from the Business Manager

2018 Fees due date 31 July

A “Debtor Statement” for school fees has been processed and parents/carers should have received these either by email or by post. This statement is an overview of previous single invoices that have already been forwarded.

Please note that no action is required for a credit 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.

All fees relating to the 2018 calendar year are due by 31 July 2018. An overview of all fees and charges can be located on our website link below. These documents provide a detailed explanation (by subject) of Curriculum Charges and Student Resource Scheme fees and what the school provides for each of these charges.

Please note that some subjects are only timetabled each term or semester. For these subjects, invoices will be generated as required with an email advising parents/carers of the fee. For invoices generated after the due date, a 30 day account will operate.

For more detailed information please contact the individual Head of Department or Business Manager by emailing 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), 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 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 contact the school office first.

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.

Changes to the Payment of Excursion

This year excursion/camps/activities will no longer be included in payment plans. These are a user pay activity and will need to be paid in full prior to attending the event.

Parent/Carer Experiencing Financial Difficulties

A parent/carer wishing to participate in the Student Resource Scheme and experiencing financial hardship is encouraged to contact the Business Manager to discuss how their financial obligations can be met throughout the school year, or to negotiate alternative arrangements that may be available to accommodate their individual circumstances. All discussions will be held in the strictest confidence.

Parent/Carer Contact Details

Parent/Carer contact details are very important to us. Up to date and current school records enable us to send you messages, contact you if your student becomes ill or if there is an issue that needs resolving.

Our process for sending home report cards and other correspondence is now by email. By keeping your email address current we can keep you updated and informed.

If you have moved or are moving house, changed jobs, emails or mobile phone numbers, please inform the school office via email to admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

If you wish to receive the school newsletter, please go to our school website’s Newsletter tab to subscribe, or go directly to the link below: You will need to complete and submit the ‘subscribe’ form on the website.

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

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION

School Improvement and Innovation

Improved learning outcomes through collegial mentoring

Collaboration has long been linked with improved critical thinking, engagement and learning outcomes. This is true not only for students but also for teachers. Opportunities for peer observation have facilitated reflective conversations amongst teachers over the past month with teachers visiting each other’s classes or viewing recorded lessons. While the focus of these observations has varied widely, from teaching strategies to technical skills to integrating technology in the learning environment, this sharing of practice supports our pursuit for continual improvement.

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

GUIDANCE

News from the Guidance Officers

The following article appears in the latest edition of the fortnightly Options Career Information Bulletin (access this great resource by clicking on this link and using the access code: cent2018).

Exam Stress and Top Tips to De-Stress

The following tips are adapted from the University of Queensland’s Health Hub.

With exam time upon us, we can no longer avoid the worry of looming deadlines and challenging expectations (our own and other’s). Everybody deals with stress differently so it is important to recognise your own signs and take control before they control you. The following behaviours can be signs of stress:

• Irregular sleep patterns
• Short temper and irritability
• That gut feeling (butterflies)
• Finding it difficult to relax or unwind
• Overreacting to situations
• Comfort food snacking or loss of appetite

If you are experiencing one, many, or all of these signs, you need to do something about it to help you handle the demands you face. The following tips could help.

Set the tone for your day - Take a few moments at the start of your day to set some good intentions and to collect your thoughts. It may sound like a no-brainer but it will give you a moment to pause before jumping into your busy day.

Create a schedule – Make a schedule or timetable for your day. For example, 8 – 8:30 am could be for wake-up routine (shower, breakfast, etc.); 8:30 - 9:30 am could be for study; 9:30 - 9:45 am could be for a short walk or break. Creating a schedule and allocating periods to study will help increase the chances of using your time effectively.

Divide your day up – Divvy your day into manageable study blocks (try 40 - 50 minute blocks to begin with and slowly build) and stick to them. Set yourself goals on what you want to complete in that time, then have a break well away from your desk.

Take a break (maybe even eat a KitKat!) – Sitting down to study 24/7 in the lead up to exams will wreck you long before D-day. It may be chilly outside but there are huge benefits to getting a breath of fresh air to break up your study time. It will do wonders for your motivation and creativity.

Turn your phone off in study period – Mobile phones are an unhelpful distraction, so during your allocated study time, turn it off so you can focus on your work. The distraction of the phone can cause further stress.

Eat for your brain – Eat nutritious, little and often to avoid food comas. Go for quality food like vegetables, fruit, nuts and wholemeal bread to stimulate your brain and set yourself up for success.

Use your nerves, don’t let them use you – It may not feel like it at the time, however positive nerves can be a good thing. They help you to work and think faster while being more effective with your time and overall performance.

Shake it off – Sometimes when you feel like your head is about to explode all you need to do is let off some steam. Do whatever will make you feel at ease, whether that’s a workout at the gym, making a nutritious meal, listening to some music, sitting in the sun. Whatever it takes, give yourself the time to shake the negativity and get back on task.

Warn your loved ones – Let your family and friends know what is going on as we often take our stress out on those that are the closest to us. This is the time when you need to be surrounded by support, not thinking about trivial disagreements.

Prioritise your study – It may sometimes feel that everyone wants a piece of your time (school, work, coach, friends, family) but where you can, try to explain your situation so you can put your study first and make plans for your other commitments after exams are over.

Thirteen Reasons Why, Season 2

You may be aware that 13 Reasons Why, Season 2 has officially launched on Netflix. National youth organisation Headspace has collaborated with Netflix to develop supporting resources and discussion guides for young people, parents/carers and schools.

As part of this resource package, Headspace and Netflix are providing:

• A blog post on the Headspace website which provides young people and parents/carers with information to consider, including tips for discussing the show safely, points to consider before watching the show, and questions to help start a conversation. You can access the blog post here:

• A designated webpage of information and resources. On the webpage you will find:

   -   Videos - One will feature the cast of the show (coming out of character) to address issues depicted in the show, and the other features Australian young people talking about the importance of reaching out to family and friends and seeking help on mental health issues

   -   Resources - Tailored discussion guides for young people, parents/carers and schools

   -   Help seeking information - Detailed help seeking information for young people

• Inclusion of warnings and help-seeking information before, and at the end, of each episode of the show. The end frame directs users back to the link below:

Upcoming Career Information Events: At School and in the Community

26 June: Year 10 Future Options Evening; Centenary SHS (CPAC); 6:00-7:15pm; see school correspondence

28 June: Year 12 QTAC Information Evening; Centenary SHS (CPAC); 6:00pm-7:15pm; see school correspondence

21-22 July: Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO); RICC - Brisbane Showgrounds; 10:00am-4:00pm each day

29 July: QUT Open Day; Gardens Point (city) campus; 9:00am-3:00pm

5 August: UQ Open Day; St Lucia campus; 9:00am-3:00pm

12 August: Griffith Open Day; Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses; 9:00am-2:00pm

19 August: UQ Open Day; Gatton campus; 9:00am-3:00pm

1 September: USQ Open Day; Ipswich campus; 10:00am-1:00pm

7 September: USQ Open Day; Springfield campus; 3:00pm-7:00pm

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

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

CHAPLAIN

News from the Chaplain

Food for Thought

Friends – The people you spend most of your time with will have quite a marked effect on the way you live and act as you will find yourself adopting a lot of their habits and hobbies.

Peer pressure is often referred to as being a bad thing, but that’s not always the case.

If you choose peers whose ways are good, then they will probably influence you to behave in the right way. On the other hand if you choose friends who are constantly getting themselves in some sort of strife, then it won’t be long before you find yourself being led into doing things you don’t really want to do.

Remember, it’s your choice. Think of the characteristics that you like most in people and then look for friends who display those characteristics.

A message from Chappy Bernie

Depression - Proofing your kids - Andrew Fuller

About 20% of people experience depression at some time in their lives. That means that almost every family has someone with some times 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 lives and without them we don’t live whole lives.

We all want our kids to be happy but know that there will be times when 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 flaxseed, walnuts and chia seeds and are good fats.

These are the 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 helps 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.

Be grateful and lucky

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 or less hours 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 wakeup 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 having a 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 and gone
Increased use of drugs and alcohol
Sleep problems
Changes in energy levels – either sluggish or agitated and restless
Changes in eating patterns - 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 is 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.

Copyright Andrew Fuller

I hope this is helpful. If you need to talk or discuss anything here, please contact me (Bernie McMullen) on 07 33734531 or email me on berniem@chappy.org.au.

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Sports Director Report

It has been a very busy Term 2 with teams training hard every week for upcoming Junior and Senior Winter Gala Days. Centenary SHS has now completed the Met Finals for the Summer season and we are now focusing on the upcoming Winter Season. The goal we are trying to reach is 2018 West Brisbane School Champion and we are well on our way to achieving this after the Summer season.

Student success in Met West

The U/19 Schoolboys Hockey State Carnival was held in Week 8, with Keegen Bezuidenhout and Zac Ashton-Norton representing the school as part of the Met West team. The boys faced VERY stiff competition, winning two games on the first day and losing the next two games on the second day. They fought their way through to the semi-final, beating both Sunshine Coast in the cross over preliminary and then Northern in the semi-final in 8 second penalty shoot outs after two very close, intense games. They lost the grand final to Metropolitan East but it was an outstanding display of skill and sportsmanship. Both boys did Centenary SHS very proud.

Maxime Jaccard and Harvey King both represented Met West in the Open Boys Football team. The State Championships were held in Ipswich in Week 7 and it was an amazing experience for both boys to experience this level of competition. Met West organised the uniforms in pink in order to support Breast Cancer.

Isaac Masoe, Chicago Subritzky and Jake Knight represented Met West in the Open Boys Touch Football State Championships in Rockhampton. I was lucky enough to coach this team and all three players improved their skills in both attack and defence and will bring their new knowledge back to our school team.

On Friday 1 June Centenary SHS sent 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. A HUGE congratulations must go to Michael Melvin and Sean Kendrick for qualifying for the Met West team to compete at the State Championships in Term 3. Good luck to both runners.

Playing sport at the Regional Level is a great accomplishment and it is a credit to all students who have represented Met West so far in 2018.

Met Finals

Centenary SHS Year 8 Girls Softball team went through to the grand final but unfortunately were defeated 8 runs to 7 against Cleveland SHS.

The Year 9 Boys Volleyball team also made it through to the semi-finals but unfortunately were defeated by Capalaba SHS.

Winter Met Finals will commence on Wednesday 22 August and we already have Years 8 and 9 Girls Volleyball going through, as well as Year 10 and Open Boys Basketball teams.

Gala Days

The Junior Winter Gala Day for Years 7 – 9 will be held on Friday 22 June in Week 10. The students have received permission letters outlining the details and cost involved. Teams are training hard in order to prepare. Good luck to all coaches and students competing.

The Senior Winter Gala Day for Years 10 – 12 will be held in Term 3 on Tuesday 7 August. Forms will be given out to students in Week 11. Good luck to all teams that have already commenced training in order to win the Premiership Flag.

Athletics

Congratulations to everyone involved in the fantastic Track and Field Carnivals. They had it all, from record breaking performances, best participation, awesome competition to exceptional house spirt.

The Champion House was Yallambee (1655), followed by Curragundi (1526), Jarup (1373) and Moolanda (1295). The House Spirit Shield was won by Curragundi.

Well done also to the well-deserved Age Champions:

12 Years Boys - Bao Le
12 Years Girls - Olivia Sirriss
13 Years Boys - Ryan Campbell
13 Years Girls - Freya-Grace Hellmuth
14 Years Boys - Shannon Stewart
14 Years Girls - Olivia Boyd
15 Years Boys - Samuel Berkeley
15 Years Girls - Ismahan Elsair
16 Years Boys - Cole Pirrit
16 Years Girls - Nyajimma Rambang
Open Years Boys - Jakob Houghton
Open Years Girls - Alexis Hamilton

Thanks to staff involved in the organisation, officiating, logistics and duty roles on and before the carnivals, and also to all the great student helpers assisting at events.

Congratulations to the record breakers listed below:

Kataraina Bennett broke the Javelin record set in 2001 by throwing 28.93m
Jakob Houghton broke the Long Jump record set in 2005 by jumping 6.25m
Olivia Sirriss broke the High Jump record set in 2017 by jumping 1.40m
Olivia Sirriss broke the Long Jump record set in 2015 by jumping 4.08m
Oliva Boyd broke the 1500m record set in 2009 by running 5:55:00
Olivia Boyd broke the 200m record set in 2009 by running 28:72
Olivia Boyd broke the 400m record set in 2010 by running 1:07:54
Tazmin Yates Martin broke the 100m record set in 2015 by running 14:90
Cole Pirrit broke the High Jump record set in 2014 by jumping 1.78m
Alisi-Keti Fangaloka broke the Shot Put record set in 2004 by throwing 9.92m
Aaron Berkeley broke the 800m record set in 2016 by running 2:25:21
Aaron Berkeley broke the 400m record set in 2010 by running 1:00:31
Arthur Shera broke the 200m record set in 2008 by running 24:60
Jakob Houghton broke the High Jump record set in 2014 by jumping 1.8m
Jakob Houghton broke the Triple Jump record set in 2011 by jumping 13.28m
Raijieli Vaakai broke the Shot Put record set in 2001 by throwing 12.81m
Zane Lovell broke the 400m record set in 2007 by running 56:71

In relation to team selection for Districts, there is no automatic selection based on Carnival results. Students have until early next term to improve their performances for consideration for selection. The team will be finalised in early Term 3.

Brisbane All Schools Touch Football Championship

On the weekend of June 9 and 10, three teams from Centenary SHS went to Whites Hill to compete in the Brisbane All Schools Touch Football Championship. Both the U/15 Boys and Girls showed tremendous skill on the field and fought for every touch. The Open Boys team played an exceptional three games and drew second in their pool but unfortunately due to for and against they did not go through to the quarterfinals. This was a huge commitment from both the students and the parents/carers and I look forward to continuing the training with these teams into Terms 3 and 4 in order to prepare for the QLD All Schools to be played in October.

Dates:

June

22 Years 7, 8 and 9 Sports Gala Day

August

7 Winter Senior Gala Day (Years 10, 11 and 12)
22 Met Finals Round 1
29 Met Finals Round 2

September

6 Met Finals Round 3
18 Years 7, 8 and 9 Spring Sports Gala Day

Reporting Results

To enable me to report on student results and to keep accurate records for sports awards, I need to know how participants went in their competitions. I encourage all students and parents/carers to advise me of their results immediately after they have competed.

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

SKI TRIP

2018 Snowy Mountains Ski Trip

It is only a matter of days until the much anticipated Centenary SHS Snowy Mountains Ski Trip departs. The Centenary Snow Bus departs on July 7.

25 students have been counting down the days to departure, and whilst the current temperatures at Perisher range between -5° C to 2° C, the group has packed well to meet any weather challenges!

Students will enjoy 5½ days Skiing/Boarding, daily lessons, whole mountain lift passes, as well as staying at a motel in Jindabyne just 30 minutes from the slopes. Each day will start with a hearty cooked breakfast before heading up the mountain for a day’s fun on the snow. Night time activities will range between ‘chilling’ in front of the motel’s fireplace, to heading into the Jindabyne Township for a movie or shopping.

The trip will no doubt be a great opportunity for students to travel away with their friends, siblings, and other group members who will soon become friends. The good news for attendees is that the original quoted price ended up being reduced by $165 per person.

No doubt the trip will be a great experience for all involved and students who are keen for the proposed 2019 trip should start putting away some funds now.

Keep a tab on the School Facebook Page for photos through the week.

Richard Haines, Trip Co-ordinator
Email: rhain0@eq.edu.au

FACULTIES

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

Green Thumbs

Over the last 5 months, the Home Economics staff have been diligently toiling away on the planting and subsequent nurturing of a kitchen garden. The purpose of the garden is to complement the sustainability theme which now permeates through both the Junior and Senior curriculum and, of equal significance, promote healthy eating. Students are encouraged to assist with the care of the plants as well as assisting with the harvesting of a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, indigenous fruits and edible flowers to enhance the flavours of their foods and to enrich the aesthetics of their presentation. The Home Economics staff extend their gratitude to Adrian Homer and Jenny Coull for their enduring enthusiasm and support of this project. We are looking forward to watching our garden flourish.

Open Day

The Applied Technology staff thank those parents/carers 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, specifically Ella Mitchell, Josh Philipsen, Holly Vandermaat and Olivia Holt for brewing and serving delicious coffee; Khalela Romano, Taylor Peters and Annette Tieu for demonstrating their cake decorating skills and the numerous Year 9 students for creating some delicious frappes and milk shakes.

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

STEP

Year 10 students will be invited to construct CO₂ dragsters as a Term 3 STEP option. The purpose of the activity is not only to promote STEM opportunities within the school but also to construct dragsters which will be entered into the Fraser Coast Technology Challenge, convened for September 14-16. The winners of the CO₂ dragster competition will automatically qualify to compete at the national level. The races will occur in Maryborough and all entries must be received by Friday 31 August. Therefore, students are required to design and make their dragster by Term 3, Week 7. I look forward to witnessing the construction of competitive racers.

Project Completion

The Year 12 Furnishing Skills class are in the process of completing the assembly of their Adirondack chair. The students are generally constructing structurally sound products, with the back slat size and arrangement providing them an opportunity to individualise their chair. The chairs are being well tested by their respective makers, who are often found in a reclined position enjoying the comfort on offer. If the chairs are to be painted, that will occur at home to ensure the selected colour complements the existing décor.

International Student Programme

The Home Economics faculty has been approached by Jindalee State School with an international student proposal. In Term 3, Week 2, Jindalee State School is anticipating the arrival of 21 students from China, who are to be hosted for five weeks.

During their time at Jindalee State School, it has been proposed that the Chinese students visit Centenary SHS and use our cooking facilities to produce some quintessential Australian cuisine. The students will be accompanied by their touring teachers, who will also get to taste something traditionally Australian. All suggestions can be forwarded to Shanti Reddy.

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

HUMANITIES/LOTE

On Friday 8 June, seven Centenary SHS students participated in Brisbane's Luminous Lantern Parade as part of a week of celebrations welcoming new Queenslanders including refugees, international students and migrants.

The Spanish Department collaborated with Bolivia Marka, one of Queensland's most established Latin American folkloric groups, to present a Bolivian highlands dance called Tinku. The students participated in the Luminous Lantern Parade and performed in front of a lively audience of hundreds. It was a challenge they enjoyed and really took to. The dance was representative of the harvest traditions of the Bolivian highland indigenous people, the Tinku.

The group was led through rehearsals by one of our own students, Saskia Bruinsma who is a member of Bolivia Marka, as well as instructors from the group who visited our school. We hope to continue our relationship with Boliva Marka and perform at other events, so stay tuned!

Our students participated in the Luminous Lantern Parade wearing the elaborate and colourful Tinku attire worn by indigenous people of the Bolivian highlands.

From left to right: Akuol Abuol, Tiet Rambang, Chloe Lucock, Ismahan Elsair, Samar Elsair and Mary Chol. Not pictured: Nyagach Rambang who also performed on stage with us.

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

THE ARTS

Term 2 Performances

Term 2 has certainly been busy with many performances both small and large.

Our Flutely Tootlies and Vocal Ensemble both performed at the Middle Park Fete to a very entertained audience. There were even a few old time rockers (ahem), who looked a lot like Centenary SHS teachers, up on stage as the final act! Thank you all for your time and efforts. The Chamber Strings will also be heading up to Sinnamon Village and Young Care in Week 11 for our term based performances.

The Vocal Ensemble are currently entered into the AUSACA Vocal Competition. Please log onto the link below and vote everyday!!

Fanfare

One of the major events run by Education Queensland is the biennial Fanfare competition for State School bands, orchestras and instrumental ensembles. We had six ensembles perform in the regional heat held at our school on Monday 21 May, with more than 180 performers across those groups. Each group is awarded either Gold, Silver, Bronze or Participation according to the adjudicator’s opinion. All of our groups performed brilliantly gaining the following results:

Concert Band – Silver Award
Percussion Ensemble – Gold Award
Stage Band – Gold Award
String Ensemble – Silver Award
String Orchestra – Silver Award
Symphonic Band – Gold Award

A wonderful achievement from all of our groups, with our groups taking 3 of only 4 Gold awards presented across the day. Thank you as always to our wonderful instrumental team Madison Dedini, Fiona Harvey, Matthew Hoey and Damon Lougheed. I would also like to acknowledge Ms Alex Van den Broek, the backstage crew and Arts captains who assisted throughout the whole day to make things run very smoothly. Also thank you to our P&C Sub-committee who ran a fabulous canteen throughout the day down in CPAC.

Congratulations

As many of you know, our Head of Department Angela Sleeman is on maternity leave for the rest of the year. We are thrilled to let you know that Austin Colin Webb was born on 7 June to Angela, her partner Cameron and big sister Isabelle. Mum and baby are doing brilliantly and we wish them all the best!

Excursions

Our Year 8 Music Plus class were excited to go and see Aladdin at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex on 23 May. Not only did they get to see some amazing acting, singing and scenery, but it was a great chance to hear a professional musical band and see them in the pit as part of the whole process.

On Tuesday 21 June the Year 10 Drama students will be attending a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. This major production by the National Theatre of Great Britain is a superb adaptation of the popular Mark Hadden book of the same name with its ground breaking use of technology. It was the recipient of many Tony and Olivier awards including Best Play. We hope you all enjoy the experience.

Assessment Period

It is a very busy time for students across all of our subject areas as they move into exam block. I wish all of our students well with their various assessment pieces, and remind you to get plenty of rest, eat well and plan ahead!! Also playing music is a great way to kickstart your brain, so have a play before do your exams!

The Addams Family

Our full school musical is in full swing! Lots of rehearsals, making of props, ordering costumes and sorting tech happening all over the place. The show takes place on Friday 31 August and Saturday 1 September with tickets going on sale in July!

Until next time,

Mark Watkins, The Arts A/HOD
Email: mwatk16@eq.edu.au

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 11 Report

Semi-Formal

Oh what a night! The Semi-formal was a huge success and I was extremely proud to be celebrating the night with the Year 11s. Thank you to the Year 11 leaders Mollie, Miranda, David and Bank and the Year 11 Student Council for assisting with organising the night. The winners of the Fashion Parade were announced on the night and were:

• Best groups – “The Prisoners”, “Scooby Doo” and “Teletubbies”
• Best disguise – “The Joker” Daniel Godwin
• Best couple – Ethan Alexander and Samantha Weber
• Individual awards – Natesha Lovell, Leighton Frank, Emma Watkins, Ishaann Cheema, Koby Fritz-Moores

These were difficult decisions as there were so many fantastic costumes. Congratulations to all Year 11s on their creative costumes (and thanks parents/carers), you all looked amazing. And thank you to Year 11 parents/carers for attending the fashion parade and celebrated with us. It was a wonderful night.

Here’s a reflection by a Year 11 Student, Samantha McKay:

On May 18, the magnificent annual Year 11 Semi-Formal took place. We firstly had a fashion parade to show off all our costumes, then we boarded the buses to Eagle Street Pier. From here, we docked onto ‘The Voyager’ for a lovely 3 hour cruise along the Brisbane River. There was lots of great food, creative costumes, and groovy music that we all danced the night away to. Ms Furlong did a fabulous job organising the night and we cannot thank her enough. It was certainly a night of precious memories that no one will forget.

Senior Jerseys 2019

Term 3 will be another busy term with organising the 2019 Senior School Jerseys. In Year 12, students have the option of wearing a Senior Jersey. Please note that the purchase of a Senior Jersey is dependent upon all outstanding school obligations being met including clearance forms and school fees.

Reflection

The end of the first semester of Year 11 is always an optimal time for students to reflect on their progress. I will be encouraging students to reflect on their results and establish goals for Semester 2.

As always, please contact me if you have any concerns. Enjoy the winter break, stay safe and warm.

Berenice Furlong, Year 11 Coordinator
Email: bfurl1@eq.edu.au

Year 9 Report

As Term 2 comes to a close, our Year 9 students are busy completing assessment, preparing for their next Junior Gala Day, and working on Social Action Projects as part of their Home Group (HG) program.

In Week 6, the cohort engaged in a High Resolves workshop on Personal Impact. This interactive workshop helped students develop an understanding of how individual actions can influence a greater community by focusing on a number of key social issues that are prevalent at Centenary SHS. Since then, the HG classes have been planning Social Action Projects that are targeted at decreasing the negative impact of a chosen social issue within the school community. These projects will be implemented in Week 11 this term.

Our second Junior Gala Day of the year takes place on Friday 22 June. Good luck to all of the Year 9 students who will be representing the school.

I hope that you all have a safe and pleasant Winter break. Should you have any questions regarding your child’s schooling, please feel free to get in touch.

Matt Redman, Year 9 Coordinator
Email: mredm23@eq.edu.au

Year 7 Report

How can young people build immunity against divisive narratives?

This term, all Year 7s have been involved in working toward a social action project that revolves around Independent Thinking. Students are working together to deliver action that enhances some aspect of life. On Monday and Tuesday of Week 8, students participated in a highly interactive learning experience designed to help students recognise the ways that their minds can be manipulated and gave them the skills to challenge their unconscious biases and think independently. The experience was delivered in-school by High Resolves educators and was designed to achieve cognitive, affective and behavioural outcomes.

Talk to your child about how the programme facilitated their understanding of the ways in which unconscious biases can be created or manipulated by others; how they can feel confident that they can recognise when others are trying to manipulate their views and actions; and how this opportunity validated their own personal beliefs, thoughts and assumptions through independent investigation.

During Week 11, students will consolidate this learning and their social action projects, with the objective to bring about social change that will benefit an individual, community or society. Projects that engage students in acting on their beliefs take many forms and I am really looking forward to seeing how the students, with the help of their teachers, take on this challenge!

We were also visited in the last few weeks by the Shake and Stir theatre company and students visited CPAC to watch a performance about the transition to high school that highlighted what the students know, which is that it can be a time of exciting new beginnings, opportunities and life altering experiences. As we approach the mid-year mark, we hope that most students have settled into high school life and have created solid relationships with friends, teachers and the wider school community. If you have any concerns about your child’s transition experience, please don’t hesitate to let us know so that we can support them.

Your Immensely Proud Year 7 Coordinator,

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