26 July 2018 Volume 20 Number 7

PRINCIPAL

News from the Principal

Welcome Back

Welcome back from the winter vacation and 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, presented an early opportunity for parents/carers to actively engage with the school. I trust that the dialogue in the interviews was informative and that they enabled your child to realise his or her educational goals.

The school holiday period saw a couple of significant school activities. A strong contingent of students and staff took on the ski slopes of Perisher. By all accounts the trip was highly successful, plenty of laughs and no broken bones!!! We also had a hardy group of students and staff take on the 48km Kokoda Challenge Trek. Congratulations to all involved here. The group have trained diligently over the last 5 months and certainly exhibited the program’s values of Mateship, Courage, Endurance and Sacrifice.

The new semester sees a number of staff changes.
The return from leave of Alison Williams, Russ Greaves and Jo Lynch.
We also welcome Wendy Hepple and Susan Xue to the Centenary SHS Staff.

Reporting and Goal Setting

With Semester 1 reports now available please take the opportunity to discuss with your child their progress. All students are involved in goal setting at the beginning of each term. Whilst we can all set goals, the process to achieve requires commitment in addition to a mix of pragmatism and resolve. Parents and 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.

Navy Tracksuit pants can be worn before school in Terms 2 and 3. The P&C is currently looking at a standard navy tracksuit that may be worn with the sports uniform.

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.

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

At the end of last term all Year 11 and Year 12 OP eligible students participated in mentoring interviews. These interviews focused on academic progress, predictive OP ranges and post school pathways. The OP range, although predictive, should allow students to make better decisions in regards 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 who are tracking at an OP 18-25, particularly in Year 11, is that they need to consider the full range of course options to maximise their post school pathways.

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 54.7% A or B for Semester 1. This represents a small drop in performance from 2017 but is probably accounted for in the increased expectations placed on Year 10 as we prepare this cohort for the rigours of the New QCE System. The Year Result summaries below, 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.

Year 7 - 59.46%
Year 8 - 58%
Year 9 - 53.6%
Year 10 - 47.7%
Year 11 - 52.27%
Year 12 - 55.8%

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 on Yallambee Rd, 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 the following students who represented Metropolitan West School Sport in Semester 1.

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

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

Newsletter Articles

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

News from the Deputy Principals

Semester 1 Reports and Parent Teacher Night

By now you would have had an opportunity to digest the Semester 1 Reports which were emailed out to all families at the end of Semester 1. Thank you to the parents/carers who made the effort to attend the Parent Teacher Night on Tuesday 24/7/18. It is through these partnerships between teachers, students and parents that students have the best chance of success. Regular contact between parents and teachers is encouraged if you have any areas of concern. Students have had the opportunity in the first two weeks of semester two to discuss their subjects and timetables with relevant teachers and Deputy Principals if subject changes are required.

Year 12 Academic Tracking

In the last week of semester one, all Year 12 students met with their HG teachers to discuss their academic progress. These meetings were 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. It is very important that all year 12 students focus on achieving the best results possible in this last semester. We know that students are close to completing their secondary education and sometimes the sight of the end line can derail efforts. However, a concentrated, focused effort to finish the year can have a significant impact on improving outcomes.

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 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

STUDENT LEADERSHIP COORDINATOR

News from the Student Leadership Coordinator

Term Three is always an exciting time of year for our school community, where we celebrate RSPCA Cupcake Day. The Student Leadership Forum has been working over the holidays to prepare for this major event, which will be held in Week 6. Unlike years gone by, this year we will also run two competitions – a poster competition to promote the event and a process for students to vote on the most delicious and well-decorated baked goods, for which that baker will win a prize. In the next week, we will be asking student and staff volunteers to bake yummy treats to support our fundraiser, as well as students to design posters to promote the event and stimulate excitement in our school community!

As well as this major fundraiser, we are also running Positive Postcards again this term. This initiative is aimed at allowing students to thank the staff of Centenary SHS and it is always an overwhelmingly positive experience for the entire school community.

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

CATSIES COORDINATOR

News from our CATSIES Coordinator

Centenary SHS would like to congratulate the five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have been selected to form our inaugural Indigenous Student Leadership Council for 2018. They are Caleb Garrard-Moore and Eboni Tame of Year 7, Miah Angus-Broadwater and Imogene McDermott of Year 9, and Steven Goodwin-Fairhurst of Year 11. These students will be responsible for, amongst other things, planning and implementing activities within the school that highlight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, planning celebrations, giving acknowledgements of country, and engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and community members. We look forward to seeing their ideas and enthusiasm come together in and around the school.

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

GUIDANCE

News from the Guidance Officers

Grandfather sat contemplating.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked the grandson
‘Grandson, I have 2 wolves fighting inside me. One is anger. One is peace.’
The grandson asked, ‘Grandfather, which one will win?’
In his wisdom, the old man replied, ‘The one I feed.’

American Indian Proverb

We all have anger. It’s a normal human emotion. At times it is useful to express strong feelings as it helps us deal with situations that trigger those strong feelings. However, management is the key. If anger is expressed in harmful ways then it can lead to problems in relationships and affect the overall quality of one’s life.

Recognizing Anger

Our bodies are great indicators of anger. When you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure rise and stress hormones are released. This can cause you to shake, become hot and sweaty and feel out of control. You may then yell, throw things, criticise, ignore, storm out, and sometimes withdraw and do nothing. Take note of your body as it can help you control the extent of your anger.

Anger is a problem when:

• It involves verbal, emotional, physical or psychological abuse
• You feel angry a lot of the time
• People close to you are worried about your anger
• Anger is leading to problems with personal relationships and work
• You think you have to get angry to get what you want
• Anger seems to get bigger than the event that set it off
• Anger lasts for a long time, and well after the triggering event has passed
• Anger affects other situations not related to the original event
• You are becoming anxious or depressed about your anger
• You are using alcohol or other drugs to try to manage your anger
• You are getting angry with the people who are closest to you, or with people who are less powerful than you, rather than dealing with the situation that sparked off your anger in the first place

Anger can often lead to violence if not properly controlled and some people use anger as an excuse for being abusive toward others. Violence and abusive behaviour gives someone power and control over another person, usually through creating fear.

Tips to Manage Anger

• Make a list of the things that often set off your anger, e.g. running late, your children not cleaning up after themselves, or a co-worker blaming you for something you didn't do. If you know ahead of time what makes you angry, you may be able to avoid these things or do something different when they happen, e.g. for lateness set your clocks ahead of schedule.
• Use strategies to calm yourself – deep breath, count to ten, punch a pillow, walk away, put your anger into getting a job completed, talk to a friend (when calm).
• What you think affects how you feel so CONTROL YOUR THINKING - self-talk yourself into rational thinking. Know you are in charge of you. Choose to act and think calmly. It will win more friends and achieve better outcomes.
• Be assertive - Being assertive means being clear with others about what your needs and wants are, feeling okay about asking for them, but respecting the other person's needs and concerns as well and being prepared to negotiate. Avoid using words like ‘never' or ‘always' or ‘should’ (for example, ‘You're always late!', ‘you should do this’), as these statements are usually inaccurate, make you feel as though your anger is justified, and don't leave much possibility for the problem to be solved.
• Seek professional help if your strategies aren’t working.

Remember – how we respond to anger will set the example for our children to follow.

Our behaviour is a choice. When dealing with anger which wolf do you want to feed???

Adapted from Anger Management: http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/anger/#s5

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

Signs of a good friend

Friends will come and go in your life, but more important than how long your friendships last is your friends acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions – big and small.

A good friend:

• is there for you, no matter what
• doesn’t judge you
• doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings
• is kind and respectful to you
• is someone whose company you enjoy
• is loyal
• is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear
• laughs with you
• sticks around when things get tough
• makes you smile
• is there to listen
• comforts you when you cry

How to be a good friend

If you treat the people around you in the ways described above, then you’re already a good friend to them. But it’s not always easy to know how to be there for your friends.

Listen to them

Try to understand a situation from your friend’s point of view. Ask questions to get a sense of the problem or issue, but the main thing is to listen to them. You don’t have to have all the answers, and don’t assume that your friend wants advice – they might just want to talk so that they can work it out for themselves.

Get the facts

If your friend has a medical or mental health issue, a good way to offer support is to learn about what they’ve been diagnosed with. Being interested in what they’re going through shows you care, and that you plan to stick around no matter what’s going on.

Ask them what they need

If you’re worried about someone and you want to be there for them, ask them what they need. You’ll then know what they find helpful during tough times, and you can offer them support in a way that’s genuinely helpful.

Get physical

Hugging your friends is a great way to show you care for them. Physical contact can be really comforting, especially when someone feels alone.

Keep in touch

Even if you don’t live nearby, show your friends you’re there for them by making an effort to keep in regular touch through social media, emails, texts and calls.

Tell them how you feel

You don’t have to make a big deal about it all the time, but you can make a real difference to how someone is feeling just by letting them know how important they are to you. So, go for it!

Be willing to make a tough call

If you think your friend’s safety is at risk, you might need to act without their consent and get help. It can be a tough call, particularly when you’re worried how they’ll react, but remember that good friends care enough to step up, and that you’re doing it to protect them from harm.

Thanks for your support

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Sports Director Report

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope that everyone had a relaxing holiday because the Term 3 sporting schedule is very busy. We had our very first Northern District Athletics Carnival on Tuesday 24 July and Thursday 26 July and then straight into Met Finals.

Student Success

Miranda Callum

During Term 2 both the Junior and Senior School Netball Championships were held on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. At the culmination of each of these championships 2 umpires are chosen to be part of the Queensland team and attend the national championships. Miranda Callum was fortunate to be chosen and will now travel with the team to Melbourne for the Senior Netball National Championships in July.

Isabella & Jela from Centenary SHS made the 13-15 years girls district team & went to the MetWest Basketball trials last Thursday. On the day Isabella & Jela played 5 district games (30 min games with 15 min halves). Following those games, for the second year in a row, Isabella was short listed & chosen to play in the Possible & Probables game. Following that the selectors had 1 spot left up for grabs so they chose 6 girls (including Isabella) to play a game of 3 on 3 for about 1/2hr straight before they chose the final spot. Unfortunately Isabella did not make the Met West team but what a fantastic effort.

Junior Gala Day

Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 competed in the Junior Sports Gala Day on 22 June in Term 2. Centenary SHS was very competitive and we managed to win two premierships. Congratulations to both Year 7 and Year 8 Girls Netball. Many teams made the finals and played exceptionally well but unfortunately did not win the Premiership Flag. It is fantastic to see so many students participating in the sports program and learning new sports.

Touch Football

Centenary SHS has entered three teams into the QLD AllSchools Touch Football Championship to be held early in Term 4. Students have been training hard and in order to help prepare them for the Championship they will be entering into a Thursday night (girls) and a Friday night (boys) competition at Whites Hill commencing this term. Two students from Centenary SHS went to Hervey Bay in the school holidays and participated in the Junior State Cup for Brisbane Mustangs. Both Chicago and Shannon performed at an outstanding level and Chicago was voted Players Player at the end of the carnival.

Upcoming Events

Year 10 and Open Gala Day

Year 10 and Open Gala Day will be held in Week 4 on Tuesday 7 August. We have fielded teams in every sport which is a fantastic achievement. Teams that win the Premiership will go on to compete in the Met Finals. Good luck to all of our teams and coaches!

Met Finals

Met Finals will commence Round 1 in Week 6 on Wednesday 22 August. Good luck to the teams that have qualified already:

Years 8 and 9 Girls Volleyball
Years 7 and 8 Girls Netball
Year 10 and Open Boys Basketball

Northern District Athletics Carnival

Students who have qualified to represent Centenary SHS at the Northern District Athletics Carnival are training hard in preparation. The District Carnival was held in Week 2 on both Tuesday 24 July and Thursday 26 July. We wished all students who competed the best of luck for the Northern District Athletics Carnival.

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

Dates:

July

24 - Northern District Athletics Carnival
26 - Northern District Athletics Carnival

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

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

SKI TRIP

2018 Ski Trip Report

“This was the best school trip ever!”
“I am already saving for next year!”
“It was awesome to get away with my mates, see snow, and explore the mountains.”

(Quotes from students on tour)

The first Centenary SHS Ski Trip to the Snowy Mountains occurred over the July Holidays. 25 Students and 3 Staff travelled to Perisher and enjoyed 5 ½ days of Skiing and Boarding in the best early season conditions in 20 years.

For some students, it was the longest they’d been away from their parents/carers and all coped well. The group really gelled across the year levels and it was pleasing to see many new friendships made.

The feedback from our accommodation was overwhelmingly positive in relation to the behaviour and cleanliness of our group and as teaching staff, we had no issues to deal with.

We were personally also impressed with all students’ organisation and self-sufficiency whilst away. It did take some students a day or two to remember all the gear for the slopes, but they soon got into the groove.

Credit also to Mr Foster and Miss Tuton for their assistance in preparation for the trip and giving up their holidays to attend.

Planning is already underway for the 2019 Trip and information will be out in the coming weeks.

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

STEP

News from STEP

Welcome to STEP for Term 3. I will be the Acting STEP Coordinator for Semester 2, as Ms Thoo is on leave for the remainder of the year.

For the new students and parents/carers to Centenary SHS, STEP occurs during Lesson 4 on Wednesdays.

The purpose of STEP is to:

Provide opportunities for all students to participate in meaningful activities that provide personal enrichment through targeted curricular and extra-curricular activities to achieve identified outcomes.

In Term 3, all students in Years 7-10 are required to select one of the STEP activities on offer. Students in Years 11 and 12 are required to participate in specific programs designed for their year levels.

Parents/carers and students in Years 7-10 should have received information concerning the Term 3 STEP offerings at the end of last term. There are a number of interschool sports on offer as well as school and community based activities. There are a number of new activities that are being offered this term that I’m sure the students will be eager to try. STEP sign-on occurred during Lesson 4 on Wednesday 18 July. Students will have received their permission forms for any activity that is being held off school grounds during that time. All permission forms need to be returned to either their STEP teachers or the front office by Thursday of Week 2, 26 July.

Students have been reminded that once they have chosen an activity they will remain in that activity until the end of term. The expectations on student behaviour during STEP class are the same as their academic classes. This includes good behaviour, active participation and promptness in their activities. We trust our students will enjoy the opportunity to engage with an activity.

Kate George, STEP Coordinator
Email: kgeor38@eq.edu.au

SENIOR SCHOOLING

Senior Schooling News

Welcome back to Term 3. We hope that all students managed to rest and recover from a busy and demanding Term 2.

Years 11 and 12

At the end of last term and over the first two weeks of this term all Years 11 & 12 students will engage in monitoring and tracking meetings with their HG teacher. The purpose of these meetings is to connect, reflect upon results and achievement and redirect efforts toward successful completion of QCE and other key qualifications. All Year 11 subject changes are to be completed by 3pm on Thursday 26 July. Year 12 students are no longer eligible to make subject changes. All applications for subject changes should be made through the Deputy Principal. Any request for subject changes after this date will not be accepted.

Some key dates and reminders for Year 12 students:

• Tertiary and QTAC Talks every Monday Lesson 3 in HG
• QCS Preparation and Transition will continue every Wednesday during Lesson 4 (STEP). Attendance is non-negotiable for successful transition and outcomes.
• QCS Test Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 September
• QTAC applications (see QTAC website for details)

Year 10 Subject Selection for 2019

A useful fact sheet from the QCAA lists a four step approach to subject selection for students completing Year 12 from 2020.

Initial subject selections closed on Tuesday 17 July. This is not a guarantee of study but will inform the final subject offerings for 2019.

As a general rule of thumb, students should select subjects along the following criteria:

• What I am good at
• What I enjoy
• What I value
• What I need
• What I did well in Semester 1

Key dates and reminders for Year 10 students:

Career Options Bulletin

Please make use of this wonderful resource for all career development information:

School access code: cent2018

Tertiary Studies Expo

The 37th annual Tertiary Studies Expo (incorporating Queensland Work & Skills Expo) will be on this weekend at the Brisbane Showgrounds.

This expo is a ONE - STOP - CAREERS - STUDY - SPECTACULAR!

From certificate and short courses to tertiary studies and post-graduate pathways, this expo will showcase them all with over 120 organisations from around Australia, and even overseas, offering hundreds of study, training and career options AND

• Have a choice of over 100 seminars to attend over the weekend
• Enter the competition for a chance to win a $500 JB HiFi voucher
• Get the latest info on jobs and careers for the future
• Expert advice on study support, financial assistance, scholarships and enrolment procedures
• Explore GAP year opportunities
• Discover student accommodation options available

Admission is free.

Angela Raven, Senior Schooling
Email: arave7@eq.edu.au

FACULTIES

ENGLISH

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.

Students have all received a hard copy of their semester overview, so there is no confusion about what will be studied and when tasks are due. Parents and carers have been emailed these documents.

Year 10 English classes have been reorganised to align with the four new senior subject offerings for 2019 under the new ATAR system: English, Literature, English as an Additional Language, and Essential English. Parents/Carers have already been notified about this change. Staff are very excited about the modifications we are making to our curriculum to support students as they move toward the senior phase of their education.

I would like to welcome back Ms Lynch, Ms Williams and Ms Ringrose who all return to us from periods of leave. We are delighted to have you back.

Coming up:

Our two Year 7 teams will soon commence their debating competition. Thank you to Ms Gummow for coaching these teams into the new semester.

Two Year 11 students, Samantha McKay and Mollie Taylor, will represent Centenary SHS in the Evatt United Nations Youth Forum in August. We wish the girls well and hope they find it a valuable experience.

The ICAS English competition will take place on 31 July. All students in Years 7 & 8 will sit the competition, as well as a number of students in the other year levels who wish to participate. Good luck to all students.

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

THE ARTS

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

Vocal Ensemble Success

As previously mentioned, we are thrilled that the Centenary SHS Vocal Ensemble have made it into the national finals of the Australian A Cappella singing competition! The group will be travelling down to Melbourne in September to compete in this competition. We congratulate Alex Van den Broek and her wonderful group on this fantastic achievement.

Choral Concert

The Vocal Ensemble along with the Jazz Choir, full school choir and vocalists will be presenting an evening of choral music on Tuesday 31 July at 6.30pm in CPAC. All proceeds from the evening will go toward the vocal ensemble’s trip to Melbourne. Tickets are available from the links below, or by emailing myself to pay at the door.

Creative Generation

Congratulations to two of our backstage students, Jordan Scott and Jacob Burbidge, who were part of the Creative Generation State Schools on Stage show that happened over the holidays.

We hope that it was a wonderful experience for you both.

Addams Family Music

Only about 7 weeks to go now until our major production for the year The Addams Family takes flight. Lots of activity happening in CPAC 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.

Semester 1 Results

We had outstanding academic results across our Arts subjects in Semester 1, with the vast majority of our classes meeting our performance targets. I would like to particularly highlight our Years 11 and 12 Arts classes and how they have well and truly met and achieved above the school target of 60% As and Bs in our classes.

Congratulations to all of the teachers and students involved in these tremendous results!

Cultural Coordinator Role

While I am acting in the Head of Department position, Mrs Carly Manche will be taking over my responsibilities as Cultural Coordinator for the remainder of the year. Carly will do a wonderful job looking after our extra-curricular cultural activities.

Trivia Night

I would also like to give a plug for the upcoming P&C Trivia night, which is being organised and run by our Arts sub-committee this year. The theme this year is Christmas in August. This is always a great night with money going to the student support fund. Tickets are available through the following link:

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

Centenary State High School Arts Date Claimer Semester 2, 2018

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

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 12 Report

Term 3 will probably be the most intense period of our Year 12 students’ schooling life, especially for those on the OP pathway. The QCS test is set for September 4-5, in the midst of a flurry of assessment due dates and exams that will have an enormous bearing on the students’ exit grades.

It’s vital that our students take care of themselves over this period. It’s all-too-common to see students neglecting to eat and sleep properly as deadlines loom. Please pay close attention to your student during this time. And while I often tell students to lock up their Playstations during Term 3, it’s actually important that they do allow themselves a bit of stress relief from time to time, whether that’s in the form of playing sports, bushwalking, watching a movie, playing a game or simply “chilling” with friends and family.

Our Year 12 Council is currently organising several stress-busting activities. You will soon receive information about the Year 12 “Sleepout” which involves students “camping” at school on a Friday night, playing games and watching movies. As well as being a fun activity, the event will raise money for Mission Australia, a charity dedicated to helping the homeless.

Last term’s QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) Parent Information Evening was extremely well-attended. It was great to see so many parents, carers and students invest that time into planning for the future. Students will be offered plenty of guidance this term around making their QTAC selections, both in Home Group sessions and in one-on-one conversations with our Guidance Officer, Mrs Juanita Oberle.

A reminder that the Year 12 Formal is set for Wednesday, November 14, followed by the Mystery Tour. The Graduation Ceremony is set for the morning of Friday, November 16.

Thanks as always for your support, and please contact me if you have any issues or would just like to have a chat.

Terry Oberg, Year 12 Coordinator
Email: tober11@eq.edu.au

Year 10 Report

A very warm welcome back to Term 3. I would like to also extend a very warm welcome to a few new families. This term is traditionally a mammoth term for all involved. Please see below, a reminder of some of the most important dates for this term. Please attend the parent/carer information evening if you possibly can. It will assist in understanding the processes involved in selecting the best possible Senior Course of study for your son or daughter.

• Tuesday 7 August - Parent Information Evening for SET Planning
• Thursday 30 August - SET Planning day
• Week 10 - Work Placements ( no formal classes for Year 10)

This newsletter is brief, as you will also have been receiving a number of emails. The next one will be longer, as we will have much to report back from camp! Enjoy the rest of your week.

Please contact me, Ms Kelsey Oakes (DP) or your student’s HG teacher if you have concerns regarding the welfare of your son or daughter.

Debra Mansini, Year 10 Coordinator
Email: dmans17@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Report

On Monday 28 May, over 200 Year 8 students participated in the annual team building day. It was a fantastic day that saw the students undertaking a number of different challenges to earn points for their HG class. Each HG had their own theme and dressed up accordingly, from the Periwinkle Peacocks, Bumble Bees, Cows, Nerds, Pandas, and the Military. It was great to see all the students supporting each other throughout the challenges. The challenges involved Launch-a-thon (giant slingshot), Keep It Up (students work together to keep the ball in the air), Marble Pipeline (students had to manipulate a series of pipes to get the marble to the end), Stumps (students need to hit the stumps) and Team Hoops (students had to get as many tennis balls as they can into a hoop). We also had a brain Olympics session, where the students tested their skills to answer a series of challenging questions. The day was led by the company Character Builders who did a brilliant job of leading the students through the challenges and the day. The Periwinkle Peacocks - JA08B were crowned the winners of the day. Great job team!

I was very well supported by the Year 8 HG teachers in preparing for the day and being there with the students to dress in theme, decorate their tents and cheer them on. A huge thank you goes to Angela McKay, Susan Kloza, Jo Moon, Mandy Kaur, Will McKenna, Andrew Pepper, Karen Rogers, Meg Ball, Amanda Tawde, Son Dinh, Jennifer Elliot, Sue McDonald and Martina Sellars. Many thanks to Anne Marie-Price, John Pitt and his team of workers who all assisted with transporting equipment to and from the venue. It was a long day, but great to see the high level of student participation.

Kate George, Year 8 Coordinator
Email: kgeor38@eq.edu.au