7 February 2019 Volume 21 Number 1

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

PRINCIPAL

News from the Principal

From the Principal

Welcome to the Centenary SHS 2019 school year. I trust that all members of the Centenary SHS community have enjoyed the opportunity to relax over the Christmas New Year period and are looking forward to the challenges of the new school year. I especially welcome new parents and caregivers to Centenary SHS and I encourage you to be actively involved in your child’s secondary education. Strong community involvement is a key characteristic of highly successful schools. Please regularly view the school’s correspondence, website and Facebook site to be informed on school events.

At Centenary we are committed to fostering a rich school experience for our students. Although outstanding academic outcomes are at the core of our business, this focus sits within a holistic approach to education, where we provide high quality opportunities for students across a range of endeavours in a safe and supportive learning environment. This delivery is underpinned by our school values:

Aspiration
Commitment
Community

I encourage parents to take an active interest in your child’s learning. It is important that students adopt strong work routines such as dedicated time in the afternoon/night for school work. Such routines if adhered to will reduce stress and workload later in the term.

Year 7 Cohort

On Tuesday I met our 300 Year 7 students and delivered three simple messages. Operate from a mindset of respect to others and you are likely to minimise behaviour issues. Get involved in the life of the school and you are likely to enjoy school more. Be curious with a thirst for learning and you are more likely to do well in your studies. These simple messages apply to all students.

New Staff

I take this opportunity to welcome the following staff to Centenary SHS.

I also welcome back Arts HOD Angela Sleeman to our school after taking leave in 2018.

Admin Responsibilities

Deputy Principal responsibility for Year Levels for 2019 will be as follows:

2018 Year 12 Outcomes

Congratulations to our Senior Cohort of 2018 on their academic achievements.

Particularly pleasing were our top end results with over 20% of our OP eligible students achieving an OP between 1 and 5. We are particularly proud of our two OP1 Students Jamie Gu and Majurran Vimalan.

CLASS and Timetable Changes

Whilst we attempt to minimise class and timetable changes for students it is inevitable that they will occur. A number of variables inform these changes including enrolment growth and the need to create equitable class sizes within the current industrial framework as well as staff absence and the availability of specialist replacements. The current school timetable is in draft mode pending the Day 8 Return which will determine school resourcing including teacher allocation. We will endeavour to minimise the changes to timetables at this juncture.

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

Parents should not be driving into the school for student drop off and pick ups. The car parks are congested at the best of times and for the safety of all we need to reduce traffic in these areas. Please follow the road rules in respect to street parking. In particular incorrect parking on Curragundi Rd is creating a hazard for pedestrians and cars leaving the school.

Volunteer Support

Canteen volunteering and P and C involvement are both pragmatic ways in which to support Centenary SHS. I urge parents and caregivers to give of their time where possible.

My thanks to the parents who supported both the uniform sales and canteen over the last few weeks.

Best wishes for the 2019 Centenary School Year

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.

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

News from the Deputy Principals

Welcome to 2019

The Deputy Principal’s would like to welcome all new and returning students for 2019. If you have any concerns with any part of your education at Centenary SHS, including subject changes, please see the relevant Deputy Principal for your year level. It has been a very positive start to the year so far and we are looking forward to this continuing for the remainder of the year.

Behaviour Management

At Centenary SHS we have 3 global expectations with regard to behaviour. We expect students to:

Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be A Learner

Our whole school behaviour management practices are aligned to these three expectations. Students will notice that teachers will constantly refer to these expectations, known as the three B’s, when addressing any behaviour concerns.

Good behaviour basically comes down to common sense, having the fortitude to do what is right and having the ability to follow directions and instructions.

Matt McDonald, Deputy Principal (Years 9 & 12)
Email: mmcdo156@eq.edu.au

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

Kristin Lynch, A/Deputy Principal (Year 8, ATSI & EALD)
Email: klync54@eq.edu.au

Angela McKay, A/Deputy Principal (Year 7)
Email: amcka18@eq.edu.au

Year 7 Welcome

A big welcome to Centenary SHS for our Year 7 parents and guardians. Thank you for the great job you have done in preparing your son or daughter for high school! It has been a great start to the year for the vast majority of students, and also a very busy learning time for them as they have adjusted to new routines and procedures which are quite different to primary school.

As Deputy Principal of Year 7, I work very closely with a team of staff to support our youngest students in their learning and with their well-being. It is important to us that we have students who are settled and happy coming to school to learn, as well as get involved in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Please remember that your child’s Home Group teacher is usually your first port of call with issues that your child may face. You will have received an email from them by now introducing themselves. I encourage you to maintain communication with them throughout the year. The HG teachers are supported in their role by Mrs Karyn Abraham, Year 7 Coordinator, Mr Brock Germain the Junior Secondary Head of Department, the Student Services Support team, and myself. We all look forward to a great 2019 school year with our Year 7 students and parents!

Angela McKay, A/Deputy Principal (Year 7)
Email: amcka18@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Deputy Welcome

I have had a fantastic welcome to Centenary SHS by all staff and I am eager to start getting to know students and families at this wonderful school. I have come from Bray Park SHS as a Deputy Principal, which is a school on the far north side of Brisbane and is roughly two-thirds the size of Centenary. I am very passionate about working with Junior Secondary students and so am excited that I will be joining the team to support Year 8s, along with ATSI and EALD students and families this year. I love that Centenary SHS values include “Community”, along with “Aspiration” and “Commitment”, as I know the importance of all of us working together to ensure that every student is engaged in quality learning experiences through both curricular and extra-curricular experiences across all stages of schooling. I look forward to meeting many of you over the coming weeks and months.

Kristin Lynch, A/Deputy Principal (Year 8, ATSI & EALD)
Email: klync54@eq.edu.au

BUSINESS MANAGER

News from the Business Manager

Clearance Forms

At the end of last year all students were required to complete Clearance Forms. This process ensures all books and equipment are returned to the Resource Centre before the end of each year. If your student has not completed and returned this form please ensure these are processed by the end of this week.

Student Resource Scheme

A Student Resource Scheme 2019 Agreement Form was issued to students with Clearance Forms. This form can also be downloaded from our website.

Parents/Carers are asked to complete the agreement by ticking “YES” and signing this form as an indication of their continued participation in the scheme. The fee covers the cost of resources other than textbooks.

Parents/Carers who do not wish to participate in this scheme must complete the agreement form by ticking “NO” on this form. Parents/Carers who do not wish to participate in this scheme should make arrangements with the class teachers to obtain a list of materials and resources which will be necessary to complete the work of that particular class. Notification in writing should also be given to the Business Manager so that accounts can be adjusted. If not participating in the scheme, each student is required to:

• Pay a fee to offset the cost of those resources and services related to your child’s education other than textbooks
• Supply their own copy of required individual novels, dictionaries, atlases, etc.
• Supply their own copy of textbooks used within classes as class sets
• Supply their own resources where practicable
• Obtain a list of all materials and resources from their class teacher

Please see the Parent Handbook on our website for more information.

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 and click the Newsletter tab to subscribe, or go directly to the link below. You will need to complete and submit the ‘subscribe’ form on the website.

Invoicing in 2019

As previously advised there are changes in the way we invoice parents/carers from 2018. In line with these changes, invoices for the Student Resource Scheme were issued last year. An early bird discount of $20 is applicable, if paid prior to 28 January 2019. These invoices have a finalisation date of 31 July 2019, for those who do not wish to pay before the discount date.

For more information about the Student Resource Scheme and all other related fees please refer to our website or contact the school by email at admin@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

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.

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

GUIDANCE

News from the Guidance Officers

Your Friendly Student Services Team

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser was right when he said: “Life wasn’t meant to be easy.” At Centenary State High School, we understand that young people can arrive at school with issues which may temporarily impact their learning. Our student services team are here to talk to students and parents, offer other perspectives and provide support to remove educational barriers so they may get on with the business of learning and shaping their futures. Please take a moment to peruse the list of Student Services staff available at Centenary, so you and your child can access appropriate support when and if the need arises. Please call the office on 3373 4555 to make an appointment with any member of the team.

Guidance Officers

Guidance Officers are experienced teachers who have unique expertise to work in schools and help all students in the areas of academic achievement, social, personal and career development.

Juanita Oberle (Years 10, 11, 12)
E jober13@eq.edu.au

Janet Ingram (Years 7, 8, 9)
E jingr34@eq.edu.au

School Based Youth Health Nurse: Kirsten Anstey

The School Based Youth Health Nurse is employed by Queensland Health and works with the school community on issues that may affect the health and wellbeing of students, and the school community as a whole.

Chaplain: Bernie McMullen

The Chaplain is employed by Scripture Union and may work with students and parents around social and emotional support; spiritual support; mentoring; community development; educational support; and extracurricular activities.

E bmcmu27@eq.edu.au

Youth Support Coordinator: Dina Shaw

The Youth Support Coordinator is employed by Ipswich Community Youth Service, and works with students in Years 10-12 who may be struggling to stay at school. Students are referred to the YSC by the Deputy Principal or Guidance Officer.

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

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

CHAPLAIN

News from the Chaplain

Welcome back to Centenary in2019.

The Chappy’s brekkie club will be running every Thursday for this first Term. The first Brekkie will be the 07/02/19 it will be at the canteen in front of CPAC. We will begin at 8am and finish at 9.00am. It is free! So encourage your student to attend.

A message from Chappy Bernie

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.

10 Tips to Build Resilience in Teens and Young Adults

By American Psychological Association

The ads make it look so easy to be a teen — everyone seems to be laughing, hanging out with friends, wearing exactly the right clothes. But if you’re a young adult, you know that life can be pretty tough sometimes. You may face problems ranging from being bullied to the death of a friend or parent. Why is it that sometimes people can go through really rough times and still bounce back? The difference is that those who bounce back are using the skills of resilience.

The good news is that resilience isn’t something you’re born with or not — the skills of resilience can be learned. Resilience — the ability to adapt well in the face of hard times; disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes or fires; tragedy; threats; or even high stress — is what makes some people seem like they’ve “got bounce” while others don’t.

What are some tips that can help you learn to be resilient? As you use these tips, keep in mind that each person’s journey along the road to resilience will be different — what works for you may not work for your friends.

1. Get Together

Talk with your friends and, yes, even with your parents. Understand that your parents may have more life experience than you do, even if it seems they never were your age. They may be afraid for you if you’re going through really tough times and it may be harder for them to talk about it than it is for you! Don’t be afraid to express your opinion, even if your parent or friend takes the opposite view. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Get connected to your community, whether it’s as part of a church group or a high school group.

2. Cut Yourself Some Slack

When something bad happens in your life, the stresses of whatever you’re going through may heighten daily stresses. Your emotions might already be all over the map because of hormones and physical changes; the uncertainty during a tragedy or trauma can make these shifts seem more extreme. Be prepared for this and go a little easy on yourself, and on your friends.

3. Create A Hassle-Free Zone

Make your room or apartment a “hassle-free zone” – not that you keep everyone out, but home should be a haven free from stress and anxieties. But understand that your parents and siblings may have their own stresses if something serious has just happened in your life and may want to spend a little more time than usual with you.

4. Stick To The Program

Spending time in high school or on a college campus means more choices; so let home be your constant. During a time of major stress, map out a routine and stick to it. You may be doing all kinds of new things, but don’t forget the routines that give you comfort, whether it’s the things you do before class, going out to lunch, or have a nightly phone call with a friend.

5. Take Care of Yourself

Be sure to take of yourself – physically, mentally and spiritually. And get sleep. If you don’t, you may be more grouchy and nervous at a time when you have to stay sharp. There’s a lot going on, and it’s going to be tough to face if you’re falling asleep on your feet.

6. Take Control

Even in the midst of tragedy, you can move toward goals one small step at a time. During a really hard time, just getting out of bed and going to school may be all you can handle, but even accomplishing that can help. Bad times make us feel out of control – grab some of that control back by taking decisive action.

7. Express Yourself

Tragedy can bring up a bunch of conflicting emotions, but sometimes, it’s just too hard to talk to someone about what you’re feeling. If talking isn’t working, do something else to capture your emotions like start a journal, or create art.

8. Help Somebody

Nothing gets your mind off your own problems like solving someone else’s. Try volunteering in your community or at your school, cleaning-up around the house or apartment, or helping a friend with his or her homework.

9. Put Things in Perspective

The very thing that has you stressed out may be all anyone is talking about now. But eventually, things change and bad times end. If you’re worried about whether you’ve got what it takes to get through this, think back on a time when you faced up to your fears, whether it was asking someone on a date or applying for a job. Learn some relaxation techniques, whether it’s thinking of a particular song in times of stress, or just taking a deep breath to calm down. Think about the important things that have stayed the same, even while the outside world is changing. When you talk about bad times, make sure you talk about good times as well.

10. Turn It Off

You want to stay informed – you may even have homework that requires you to watch the news. But sometimes, the news, with its focus on the sensational, can add to the feeling that nothing is going right. Try to limit the amount of news you take in, whether it’s from television, newspapers or magazines, or the Internet. Watching a news report once informs you; watching it over and over again just adds to the stress and contributes no new knowledge.

You can learn resilience. But just because you learn resilience doesn’t mean you won’t feel stressed or anxious. You might have times when you aren’t happy – and that’s OK. Resilience is a journey, and each person will take his or her own time along the way. You may benefit from some of the resilience tips above, while some of your friends may benefit from others. The skills of resilience you learn during really bad times will be useful even after the bad times end, and they are good skills to have every day. Resilience can help you be one of the people who’ve “got bounce.”

Article courtesy of the American Psychological Association. Copyright © American Psychological Association. Reprinted here with permission.

Thanks for your support

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Sports Director Report

Welcome to a new year of sport at Centenary SHS. My name is Tamara Nasalio and I will be the Sport Director at the school this year. The following will provide some general information about the way sport operates at Centenary SHS for the benefit of new families, and also some information about upcoming events.

Met West restructured the sporting districts in 2018 and as a result Centenary SHS is in the Northern Eagles District. Please be aware that this pathway is a representative pathway and is not a participation pathway.

Sports Calendar 2019

The Sports Calendar for 2019 is attached to this newsletter article. Carnival dates are listed as well as District and Regional Trial dates. Please download this calendar if your child is interested in trialling for sporting teams.

Sporting Pathways at Centenary SHS

There are many opportunities for students to become involved in sport here at Centenary SHS. They are:

1. School Carnivals – Centenary SHS runs Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics carnivals annually. During these carnivals, students from all age groups can compete in their houses for points that go toward the Champion House Shield, can compete to become Age Champion and also to gain selection in the school teams to go to district carnivals. To participate in the school carnivals, students will need to act on the information provided to them by the Sports Director and HG teachers prior to each carnival. Centenary SHS has swimming trials, which will be held on Thursday 31st January in order to allow students to register a qualifying time. Further information is below under “upcoming events”.
2. District and Regional Trials – Cluster days provide students with the opportunity to gain selection in district, regional, state, and even national teams, in a wide range of sports. The first step in this process is trials for the Northern District Team. Students will be invited to nominate for a trial and will now need to go through a selection process at Centenary SHS as we are only allowed to send 2 students to the Northern District Trial. The trials for Northern District tend to be after school. If successful, they then go to regional trials where they trial for selection in a Met West Regional team. If selected in the Regional team they can go onto State and National Trials. All common sports are catered for in this pathway, however the age groups are (usually) Open (16 – 19 years), 13 – 15 years and the 10 – 12 years. For upcoming trial dates, students must check the sports notice board and contact the Sport Director to trial first at school and if successful will be given the paperwork in order to attend the Northern District Trial.
3. Specific Sports Squads – Throughout the year there will be a number of sports that the school enters competitions for. These include sports such as Touch Football, Futsal, Netball, AFL, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Volleyball and Soccer. For students to get into these squads, they need to act on information given by the Sports Director and by coaches. Trials will be required for these teams. If selected in these squads, students usually compete outside of school time and there is usually a cost involved. Some of these cater for a wide range of age groups, which sometimes means we can enter teams from all age groups.
4. Inter-school sport – Centenary SHS will be continuing to participate in the West Brisbane Sporting Association competition this year.

The structure consists of 6 Gala Days that will occur across terms 1, 2, 3 and 4. Each school will send teams to compete in whole day carnivals in a range of sports, across all year levels. There will be;

• Four Yr 7, 8 and 9 Gala Days – Term 1, 2, 3 and 4
• One Yr10 and Open Summer days, and (dependent on team entries)
• One Yr10 and Open Winter days. (dependent on team entries)

The sports we will participate in are; Touch Football, Volleyball, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Basketball, Netball, Soccer, Rugby League, Tennis, European Handball, Badminton and AFL. Most of these sports will have both boys and girls teams at each year level of competition. Students from all year levels will have the opportunity to be part of one of these sporting teams.

The purpose of this competition is to provide quality sporting games between schools. As a result all schools are making a commitment to fill as many of the sports as they can with well prepared and well-presented teams. To enhance the quality of the competition the conveners of each sport will be sourcing qualified referees and suitable first aid personnel. Some of the sports will be played at school venues whilst others will use quality community facilities.

Teams will compete for the title of District Premiers in each sport and then the premier teams will progress onto the Metropolitan Finals series against other winning schools from across Brisbane.

At Centenary we are committed to developing strong teams to compete in this new competition. Sign-ons and trials for the teams will be conducted early in Term 1 and then training will commence on a weekly basis thereafter. Students who are selected into a Centenary team are expected to commit to the team and attend all training sessions. Students will be advised of the sign-ons and trials at the start of the term. If selected into a team, they will be advised of training times.

As a result of this, students at Centenary SHS will have the opportunity to become part of a sporting team that competes in a quality competition against our local schools, on a regular basis. I encourage students to embrace this exciting opportunity and to try out for a team this year.

These pathways exist in an attempt to provide a wide range of sporting options for those students interested in sport. If you would like further information about any of these, please contact me at school.

Upcoming Events

Swimming Trials

Centenary SHS Swimming trials will be held on Thursday 31 January. The trials will be held solely to give students an opportunity to submit a time for an event(s) of their choice. Students that have times through club meets or through the school carnival in Term 4 2018 (50m events) do not attend the swimming time trials. Students that are interested need to listen to the notices and see Mrs Nasalio in staffroom 4.

District and Regional Swimming – The top 5 students that meet qualifying times will have the opportunity to attend the District Swimming Carnival on Monday 11 February 2019. Students will need to meet certain qualifying times. Nominations will need to include verifiable times from school or district carnivals, or club level. Nomination packs will be available to students closer to the date of the carnival. Please note therefore, that a placing in a race at the District carnival no longer automatically qualifies students for the Regional carnival – the only way students can attend that carnival is by following the nomination process.

Dates to know: upcoming

11 February: Northern District Swim Carnival
27 February: Regional Swim Carnival

Please check the calendar for all trial dates.

Please contact me via email tnasa1@eq.edu.au if you would like to discuss any issues in relation to sport.

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

FACULTIES

ELEARNING

Head of eLearning

I am excited to be taking over from Daniel Mabb as Head of IT here at Centenary SHS. The role has been renamed as Head of eLearning. The change in title and responsibilities reflects the school’s aim of ensuring technology plays a key role in maximising student learning.

This year technology for learning (eLearning) is a priority for the school. I have already been working closely with teachers to implement OneNote Class Notebooks, a digital learning platform that has the potential to greatly improve the way students interact with their teachers and access the resources they need. OneNote will be used in every subject. Besides OneNote, students will continue to use an increasing variety of subject-specific digital tools to enhance their learning.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to focus on Year 7,8,11 in 2019

The success of the schools eLearning strategy largely depends on participation and support of our students and their parents. Our Bring Your Own Device program, that was so successful in Year 7 last year, will be expanded in 2019 to include Year 7, 8 and 11.

BYOD allows students to connect to the school’s network and access our digital assets. Importantly, it creates a valuable companion to every student’s learning with resources and support at their fingertips. We know the use of computers in this way is an important life skill that will prepare students for further study and the workplace.

These three year levels will begin to access OneNote Class Notebooks and digital textbooks right away. Over the coming weeks, students from Year 7, 8, and 11 will be provided with one-on-one support to get their devices connected. Other grades are also encouraged to participate in the BYOD scheme and will be supported to do so by the IT staff. Their teachers will continue to offer opportunities to leverage ICT as a learning tool.

We encourage all parents to find out more about the BYOD program and its benefits. To find out more please visit: https://centenaryshs.eq.edu.au/Cocurricular/Computerandinternet. There we have provided some recommended specifications to assist those parents looking to purchase a device. We recommend that students use Windows devices. Whilst non-Windows devices can be used on the school system they have presented some problems and may not be suitable for all subjects.

If you have any questions or concerns about eLearning or the BYOD program, please send an email to ict.support@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

James Whittle, eLearning HOD
Email: jwhit732@eq.edu.au

ENGLISH

Welcome to a new year at Centenary state High School, especially to our new students in Year 7 and others who have come to us from other schools. This is a great place to be.

I want to congratulate our recently departed Year 12 students and express my pride in their outstanding achievements and success in their chosen pathways.

The English staff has been putting a great deal of effort into planning and preparing for your students as we continue to refine and improve our delivery of the Australian Curriculum in Years 7 – 10. Also, this year we embark on a new journey as we roll out the new ATAR Year 11 English subjects, about which we are very excited. We aim to support all students in their learning and will work with your children to develop and extend their confidence and ability in both written and spoken English skills.

The English Department Assessment Calendar will soon become available on One School and I encourage all parents and carers to become familiar with the due dates for assessment. In addition, I will soon email all families a copy of your child’s English semester overview which gives an outline of the English work your child will study this semester, along with details about assessment dates. Your child will also have a hard copy of this document. This overview document will help your student to develop time management skills and good study habits.

One great study habit that we require of all students in the need to draft assessment responses so that teachers can provide meaningful feedback. Please refer to the relevant pages of the student diary for information about assessment policy, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

It is important to all of us in the English Department that our students are enjoying their learning. If you have questions, concerns or your child is experiencing difficulty, please feel free to contact me or the classroom teacher, the Year Level Coordinator or a Guidance Officer. We are happy to support students and to address problems early.

I would like to welcome our new members of staff to the English Faculty: Holly Brain, Jenna O’Connell, Carol Berry, Brock Germain, Anna Wilson and Faye Goodwin.

We are looking forward to a happy, exciting and successful 2019.

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

THE ARTS

Welcome to the 2019 school year! I’d like to start by acknowledging the work Mark Watkins did in semester 2 last year whilst I was on leave. It’s lovely to return with everything ready to go for the new school year! Mark has now returned to his role as Cultural Coordinator.

I would like to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the academic successes of 2018. In the news, we hear about the links between music and the brain, and there is much research that indicates studying music can make you smarter. I’d like to think this is definitely the case here at Centenary! On behalf of the Arts faculty, I’d like to congratulate 2018 graduates, Jamie Gu and Majurran Vimalan on their OP1 results. Both of these boys were committed members of the Instrumental Music program. Sometimes students and parents worry that the time commitment of a musical instrument can impact on student results and study time. These boys have proved that playing music is good for you and that you can achieve outstanding results at the same time. We are equally as proud of the other students who departed the Instrumental Music program at the end of 2018, with a total of 10 musicians receiving an OP1-5. In news from the Year 12 classrooms, the very best result in a senior subject is a VH10. Whilst we had a large number of students achieve an A standard in the top third (VH8, 9,10), we had one student who achieved a VH10. Congratulations to Isabelle Djordjevic on her VH10 in music. We would like to wish the graduated class of 2018 the very best for their bright futures.

Returning to the 2019 school year, parents of students studying in the Arts should soon hear from their child’s teacher via email. This email will give information regarding the subject being studied and provides parents with a link to the teacher. Please take the time to read the email and keep yourselves informed of what will be taking place in your child’s classroom.

Centenary SHS offers students many opportunities to become involved in school life and there are a number of these extra-curricular activities in the Arts faculty. Your child can find out about all of the activities on offer by listening to the morning notices and checking the notice boards in the CPAC foyer. Please ask your child to talk to a member of the Arts faculty in Staffroom 4 if they want to be involved! Some of the extra-curricular activities include:

• Instrumental music lessons, including voice and guitar
• School musical (auditions in term 1, rehearsals commence in term 2)
• Drama (STEAM) club
• Choirs

The Arts faculty is wonderfully supported by a team of parents in a subcommittee of the P&C. These dedicated parents meet once a month and support the students by raising funds to purchase items such as new uniforms, equipment and travel subsidies. Meetings are less than an hour in duration but there are many ways parents can help – from being on the committee, to donating items as requested, assisting at events by donating time or even just by purchasing items for sale at events. If you’d like to offer your support, we’d be most appreciative of your time and efforts. The Arts subcommittee’s first meeting will be held in CPAC, room PA10 at 7pm on 13 Feburary. For more information, please email the chair of the subcommittee, Niki Blenkins nikikls@gmail.com Alternatively, there is also a facebook parent group which you can request to join which will keep you up to date – search on Facebook ‘Centenary State High School Arts Subcommittee’.

Centenary State High School Cultural Date Claimer 2019

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

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 12 Report

Year 12 – It’s the final countdown!

Welcome to all new and continuing students, parents and caregivers. I hope you all had a safe and relaxing summer break. I am pleased and proud to be continuing as the Year Level Coordinator and being part of your child’s education.

The final year of high school can be both an exciting and challenging time for students and their families. To “survive” Year 12, I believe it is about having a school-life balance. Therefore, my advice to the Year 12s will be this:

• Look after yourself – eat smart, exercise, relax and sleep
• Managing yourself – understand your stress and anxiety
• Managing your studies – set goals, study smarter, get organised and stay on track
• Connect with others – talk and ask for support

I am looking forward to our final year together. It has been an incredible journey guiding and supporting these young people through their high school years. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to take a year level through from Year 8 to Year 12 and I could not have asked for a better group of young people (and parents/caregivers).

Berenice Furlong, Year 12 Coordinator
Email: bfurl1@eq.edu.au

Year 10 Report

Welcome back! 2019 is going to be an enormous year for our Year 10 cohort! The Home Group program for this year will be predominantly focused on senior pathways, work experience and careers. Here are some of the key year 10 events for this year:

• USQ Pathways and Careers Module (Term 2)
• Year 10 Camp (Term 3)
• Set Planning for Senior Schooling (Term 3)
• Work Experience Week (Term 3)

During Term 1, students will go through an introduction to senior school module that has been designed by our Senior School HOD, Angela Raven.

Should you have any questions about your child’s schooling, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m looking forward to another great year with this cohort.

Matt Redman, Year 10 Coordinator
Email: mredm23@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Report

Welcome back to 2019. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Claire Tuton and I have the great pleasure of being the Year 8 Coordinator for 2019. I am looking forward to strengthening my rapport with the Year 8s and assisting them with the next step in their educational journey. I am fortunate to have an extremely strong and passionate teaching team in my Year 8 HG program:

CU08A: Dave Foster
CU08B: Anita Ace
CU08C: Holly Brain
JA08A: Tristan Hart
JA08B: Liara Lodder
JA08C: Melissa Chamberlain
MO08A: Kate Tesch
MO08B: Wendy Hepple
MO08C: Dan Patch
YA08A: Felicity Barker
YA08B: Warren Hawkins

We also have four dedicated student forum representatives: Leyla Erikli, Nathan Fitzgerald, Claire Ingham and Jackson Owen. They have already shown their commitment to this important leadership position and I can’t wait to see how they flourish in their role.

We had our orientation day on the first day back. The purpose of this day was for the students to become familiar with their new HG classes and their new HG teacher. The Year 8s spent the day engaging in getting-to-know-each-other activities, receiving their timetables and diaries and setting their goals for the upcoming year. It has been a pleasure watching the students support and encourage each other during the day and it has been a GREAT start to the year.

This term is busy for the Year 8s. There are a number of different events and activities the students will be engaging in along with their daily routine of classes and curriculum. The focus for our HG program this term is on Digital Citizenship. To build on the learning experiences in this unit, the theatre company ‘Shake & Stir’ will be visiting in Week 6 to perform their show ‘Unfiltered’, which focuses on cyber awareness. Students will be receiving more details on this presentation closer to the date. We will also be engaging in a social action project, raising awareness for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, which will be led by the Year 8 forum representatives.

I am looking forward to an exciting Term One for the Year 8s.

Claire Tuton, Year 8 Coordinator
Email: ctuto3@eq.edu.au

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Greater Brisbane Junior Tennis

Greater Brisbane Junior Tennis (GBJT) offers juniors up to and including Year 12 tennis fixtures on a Saturday afternoon at the Queensland Tennis Centre and the University of Queensland during school terms. For more information, please visit our web site at the link below or phone Mrs Peta Davis, Secretary on 3374 0516.