9 December 2021
Volume 23 Number 8

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

PRINCIPAL

News from the Principal

Dear Centenary Parents, Caregivers and Community Supporters,

This is our final newsletter as we bring another full year of learning to a close.

Term 4 is full of culminating events and traditions and I’d like to acknowledge those traditions in this newsletter, commencing with our Year 12 celebrations:

• Our Year 12 students concluded their External Assessment phase, bringing an end to their learning journey with us and starting the marathon of celebrations that is Term 4 Year 12.
• On Wednesday November 17, 221 extremely glamorous young adults arrived in style at Hillstone St Lucia and proceeded to spend the next 4 hours on the dance floor and in the photo booth, making the most of the opportunity to socialise as a full cohort for the final time at the formal.
• On the morning of Thursday November 18, 221 slightly less glamorous young adults arrived back at school from the Mystery Tour, having experienced some amazing activities throughout the night and ready for a big day of sleep.
• On Friday November 19, our school community farewelled the seniors of 2021 at our annual graduation ceremony at school. During the ceremony, family and staff enjoyed listening to the amazing talents of our band and our Year 12 Music Extension students. Our Year 12 HG teachers farewelled their groups, some of them having spent many years and HG mornings with their students. After the ceremony, parents, caregivers, students and staff farewelled and mingled for the last time with a morning tea, catered and served by the hospitality students and teachers.

Farewelling our Year 12 students is always a bittersweet moment. While we acknowledge and celebrate their success and graduation, we know that the routines and daily experiences will change for them, and for us. They have contributed to the Centenary SHS community in many ways and we will miss their energy, enthusiasm and company as they embark on their next stage of learning, be that tertiary study or in the workplace.

I’d like to acknowledge the staff who worked tirelessly with the Year 12 cohort over their journey with us. Thanks and appreciation to: Mr Redman who provided daily support, advice and encouragement as their Year Level Co-Ordinator; HG teachers who set the tone daily and genuinely enjoyed commencing their day with their HG class; Ms Raven who worked tirelessly to ensure a pathway of success through senior schooling; Ms Nolan who supported them through assessment and daily academic life; Ms Oberle who shepherded them through QTAC and pathway planning and, most importantly, their classroom teachers who gave their best every lesson – encouraging and challenging them to be the best they can be.

The circle of school life continues and on Monday November 29, we welcomed 270+ incoming Year 7 students for their Orientation Day. The 2022 Year 7 cohort met their HG class, their HG teachers, participated in some getting-to-know-you and getting-to-know-where-you-are activities. They left us on Monday afternoon, keen and eager to commence their journey as a Centenary SHS student next year. Our thanks and appreciation to Ms McKay, Ms Masters, Ms Manche and the 2022 HG teachers for the provision of such a great experience. We look forward to working with our incoming students and parents/caregivers in 2022.

I wish all our students and staff a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to working with you again in 2022. I’d like to thank everyone in our Centenary community for their support, their feedback and their participation in daily school life. Enjoy the break, stay well and stay safe.

All the best

Jo Hughes, 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 PRINCIPALS

News from the Deputy Principals

2022 Year 7 Orientation Day

On Monday November 29, we welcomed more than 270 of our future Year 7 students when we hosted Orientation Day.

After an initial assembly, the students were placed in their Home Groups, and then spent the day getting to know their fellow classmates, their Home Group Teacher and their Year 10 Mentors. Across the day, they engaged in getting-to-know-you activities, completed a tour of the school and learnt about daily life at high school.

It was pleasing to see the many smiles and to hear the great questions that the students had. When questioned at the end of the day, many said how great it was to meet new friends on the day. We welcome all of our future Year 7 students and look forward to seeing them on Monday January 24, 2022!

Year 10 – it’s a wrap

Year 10 students have been incredibly busy this semester – formalising their pathways, choosing senior subjects and engaging in work experience. Work experience opened up many opportunities, with some students even securing School Based Traineeships or part-time work. Year 10 students finished the year strongly by conducting themselves with maturity during their second taste of a senior school exam block. Our Year 10 students can enjoy their holidays with the knowledge that they have at least one qualification under their belts, a Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways (FSK). It was hard work but it was worth the effort.

Semester 2 reports

All Years 7 to 10 students can expect to receive a Semester 2 Report Card at the end of this term. There are no Report Cards issued for students in Year 11, as they are continuing to progress through their studies in Unit 3 and will be reported early next year. Year 12 students will receive their final Senior Statement, and hopefully their QCE, through their QCAA Student Portal account on Friday December 17, 2021. It is important that all contact details are correct, especially your e-mail address, so that you receive this valuable feedback about your student’s progress. Please contact the office staff to update any details that may have changed.

Christmas holidays

With the year coming to an end, it is a good time to reflect upon your journey through 2021. What achievements are you proud of? What could you have done better in 2021? What have you enjoyed this year? What has surprised you the most about 2021? What have you learnt about yourself? Upon reflection, you can then set yourself new targets and ambitions for next year. Once you have done this, please take the time to relax and enjoy your holiday break and come back to school in 2022 refreshed and fully charged.

E-sports extra-curricular opportunities for 2022

We are excited to announce that in Term 1 of 2022, Centenary SHS will be extending its existing STEP E-sports offering into a full extra-curricular program, from which we will accept the best of the best to take part in the tri-annual Fuse Cup (an international e-sports competition for high schools). This is a great opportunity to get a start in one of the fastest growing entertainment industries in the world, where young people the world over are experiencing incredible success.

The program will run after school four days a week, for one hour. Students will participate alongside and compete against their peers in popular e-sports including:

• Mario Cart
• Super Smash Bros
• Rocket League
• Just Dance
• FIFA21

Initially, the program will accept Years 7, 8 and 9 students, however we plan to include all year levels as the program evolves. The program is accepting of all students of all ability levels. While we plan to take our most skilled athletes to the Fuse Cup, participants are under no obligation to play competitively – socially is fine too!

E-sports, or electronic sports, is more than playing video games – it is organised video game competitions between teams, which must adhere to strict rules and guidelines. E-sports involves utilising skills such as critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, communication and dedication.

We have a code of conduct and high expectations of sportsmanship during play. Participants will need to agree to these to confirm and continue enrolment in the program.

Limited spaces and equipment will dictate the number of participants each term, therefore entry into the program will be on a ‘first come, first served’ arrangement. We will have a sign-on for new players after each Fuse Cup. Students who are selected to be part of Fuse teams will attend on a set day where they will be able to train with their fellow team mates.

More information will be released in Week 1, Term 1, 2022. Stay tuned, and be ready to get involved!

Year 12 Formal and Mystery Tour

Congratulations to Mr Matt Redman and his crew of intrepid Mystery Tour Champions who attended our school’s post-formal festivities along with 221 Year 12 students. An event like this just cannot happen without meticulous planning and dedication as well as the young-at-heart teachers, necessary to make the event happen. A fantastic night enjoyed by all who attended. Thanks to everyone who participated and those involved in the planning.

Year 12 Graduation

It was a tearful goodbye to our 2021 cohort at the Year 12 Graduation – an event that marks an endpoint in a student’s 12-year journey through school, but heralds so many promises to come. We look forward to seeing all of you soon and wish you all the very best for a bright and exciting future. Please keep in touch.

Year 13 – employment opportunities post-school

We strongly encourage students interested in moving into full-time employment to take advantage of the many opportunities being advertised through the school’s Industry Liaison Officer, Maria Chadburn. Your student has been encouraged to provide us with a private email address if they are interested in receiving updates regarding jobs, apprenticeship opportunities etc. in 2022.

Year 12 dates

Some important QCAA dates are as follows:

Students have been reminded they can contact the school before the close of the school year (10.12.21) if they require access to their QCAA student learning account

Labour Market Information

The Department of Jobs and Small Business carries out research to identify skill shortages in the Australian labour market. The department publishes the results of its research as state, territory and national overview reports and lists; occupational cluster reports (grouping similar occupations); and individual occupational reports. For labour market and other occupations related information, visit:

Year 11

We wish all Year 11 students a restful break before school begins in January. 2022 Year 12 students will be provided with information in the New Year regarding our QCE and Engagement Interviews which will be held early in Week 1 for every Year 12 student. These will form an important conversation between student and school as we move into the summative phase of learning and Units 3 and 4.

Preparing for External Exams in 2022

As a general rule, we recommend senior students “invest in themselves” by completing at least 3 hours of educational activities (e.g. homework, assignments, study, reading etc) each evening (15 hours each week a minimum). At least 1 hour per week of their own time should be set aside for revision of skills required for the Atomi learning tool to consolidate their learning across Units 1 and 2 in preparation for the summative phase of learning in Units 3 and 4.

Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways

Congratulations to the Years 10 and 11 cohorts who have successfully banked four (4) Core credits toward their QCE by successfully completing the Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways during STEP classes, which began earlier this year. Besides providing 4 core credits toward the QCE, the certificate II qualification is designed to help prepare young people to engage in a 21st century workforce. Well done to all students and many thanks to our TAE trained staff who provided the training and assessing to get these outstanding results.

Careers Options Bulletin

Please ensure you are checking the Careers Options Bulletin (for upcoming events, university and career advice as well as scheduled Open Days). Visit: https://optionscareerinformation.com.au/login and sign in using the school access code: cent2021.

School-Based Traineeships/Apprenticeships

Please continue to check for opportunities across a variety of industries such as Business Administration, Trade, Retail and Hospitality. These positions are advertised on school notices and students can check in with Mrs Chadburn if they would like to know more and for available positions.

BUSINESS MANAGER

News from the Business Manager

School Watch 131 788

The last day of the school year will be Friday 10 December, 2021. Please report any suspicious activity to School Watch on 131 788 during the vacation break. School resumes on Monday, 24 January 2022 for students. The office will be staffed from Tuesday January 18, 2022.

Clearance Forms

This checklist has been given to all students. This is a process that ensures all books and equipment are returned to the Resource Centre before the end of the year. All outstanding fees should be finalised and absentee notes handed into the office. Each section is to be completed and signed by the appropriate officer then returned to the office on completion.

2022 Student Resource Scheme

The parent/caregiver contribution for 2022 has been set at $280 for Year 7 students and $300 for all other year levels. The scheme enhances and maximises student learning and provides a cost-effective alternative to parents/caregivers for the use of curriculum textbooks/e-books, resources, consumables and other essential materials for students use. The scheme is endorsed by the P&C Association and is approved by the Queensland Department of Education.

The 2022 Student Resource Scheme has an early bird discount payment option. A $20 discount will apply if paid by 28 January, 2022. Alternatively, parents/caregivers have the opportunity to finalise these fees by July 31, 2022.

Payment of accounts over Christmas break

The office has closed for ‘over the counter’ payments and will re-open on Tuesday January 18, 2022. If you wish to make payments during the closed period, please make these payments via BPoint or QParents. The BPoint option is accessed through an internet web link 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.

Parents/caregivers experiencing financial hardship

A parent/caregiver 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

As a high school student, life can get really busy! It’s all too easy to get into the habit of rushing, focusing on the tasks to be done, and the assessment pieces due, to the point where you forget how to appreciate the important and beautiful moments in life. The holidays are a perfect time to clear your mind and get back into appreciating and making time for the things you really value.

Over this long break, challenge yourself to take a moment to yourself and spend it in a way that would allow you to make the most of your time. And if you want an extra challenge, make a plan for how you will fit some of these ‘recharge’ moments into every week in 2022.

Here are twenty ideas for how to make the most of your break:

1. Catch up with friends and agree not to talk about school at all
2. Find a quiet space in your house and spend time daydreaming about your favourite topic
3. Sit down with family and have a real conversation, beyond the day-to-day
4. Do some exercise you enjoy (swimming, cycling, yoga etc.)
5. Download the free Smiling Mind app and try a mindfulness meditation
6. Wake up before everyone else and read while the house is quiet
7. Turn your phone off and watch an entire movie on Netflix
8. Start a holiday journal and write at least a few lines every day
9. Have a bubble bath
10. Play a board game with a friend or family member
11. Go to the local library and find something interesting to borrow (book, DVD etc.)
12. Enjoy a walk through nature
13. Sort out and beautify your room
14. Try a new, easy recipe
15. Undertake a craft project
16. Use some playground equipment (slides, swings etc.). Just be mindful of younger kids and size limits on equipment!
17. Check out the Ipswich Community Youth Service (ICYS) Facebook page for holiday activities and competitions
18. Take the time to have a chat and get to know someone better (new friend, grandparent, neighbour etc.)
19. Try to do something nice or take time to appreciate something good at least once a day
20. Spend time patting/playing with your pet

We hope you will return from the holiday break refreshed and ready to dive head first into your studies!

Juanita Oberle, Guidance Officer Years 9, 11 & 12
Email: jober13@eq.edu.au

Jules Cottone, Guidance Officer Years 7, 8 & 10
Email: jcott55@eq.edu.au

CHAPLAIN

News from the Chaplain

Merry Christmas to all the Centenary SHS community!

This year has been challenging for everybody – it was a brave new world. I am proud how resilient the whole school community has been. We look forward to a better 2022. It has been an honour to be part of these young peoples’ lives, walking with them in the highs and lows of their high school journey. It has been a privilege to work with the most professional team in this educational environment, each sharing and providing guidance to the students. I have been reflecting on the past year and am excited about the incoming year. I have discovered there are many different people who go that little bit further to help the students at this school. Our school is guided by the Senior Leadership Team who lead and encourage the best from all. We have fantastic, caring and supportive teachers and support stuff who provide a supportive environment for the students, parents and caregivers of Centenary SHS.

At this time of Christmas, I hope everybody has an opportunity to stop and enjoy the festive season. We are all allowed to relax and share the celebration with the ones we love. I take this opportunity to wish all the Centenary SHS community a Holy Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Sports Director Report

It is hard to believe that 2021 is coming to an end and that the 2022 sporting calendar is now ready to be published. At this stage QLD School Sport is planning to run all District, Regional and State Championships.

Northern District and Regional trials

It is a very busy start to the term in 2022. I have attached a copy of the sporting calendar for your information. If your child specialises in a sport, please be aware of when the trials occur for Northern District. If you miss the Northern trial you cannot access the Met West, QLD and Australian representative pathways. Please note that this is a representative pathway and it is not a participation pathway. Therefore, it is expected that we only nominate students of a high-skill level and playing experience.

The process for nomination is:

• students listen to the student notices for information regarding a sporting trial
• students come to Staffroom 4 to express interest
• if students meet the required standard, they will receive trial paperwork
• paperwork must be brought back to Staffroom 4 for the stamp of approval
• students must take this paperwork to the District trial, no paperwork = no trial

The following sports nominations are in the first 3 weeks of Term 1. Please note some of these sport nominations are due Day 1, Term 1. If your child plays at a high level and would like to nominate, your child will need to see me on the first day of term to follow the process above.

EARLY TERM 1 SPORTS – Please note the sports listed below occur in the first 2 weeks of the term so nominations occur immediately. Please see calendar below for all other sports dates.

• 10 – 19 years golf for boys and girls (please note to nominate you must have a golf link number and there are handicap standards that must be met)
• 16 – 19 years boys/girls cricket
• 14 – 18 years baseball
• 12 – 14 years baseball
• 13 – 19 years boys/girls softball
• 13 – 19 years water polo
• swimming nominations – please note that nomination times have not yet been released for 2022. A meeting will be held on day 2 with all club swimmers or swimmers of a high standard. Students will have to meet nomination standards through either their current swimming club, meets or a school swimming carnival (speak to your primary schools before the end of the year if you need to obtain times from their carnivals)

Gala Day sport

On the calendar attached is also all the dates for the 2022 Gala Days. Gala Days provide students with the opportunity to represent our school in a variety of sports, competing against other local high schools. Mrs Johnson is the Sports Director responsible for the running of these days. Please direct any questions to: mxdan5@eq.edu.au.

We hope that everyone has a very relaxing Christmas break and the HPE staff at Centenary SHS look forward to helping your child achieve sporting success in 2022.

STEP

News from STEP

A great year for the GREEN TEAM

The Green Team will have collected approximately 20,000 drink containers for recycling, reduced the tonnage of waste Centenary SHS sends to landfill and raised over $1500 by the end of 2021. These monies are being used by the Manual Arts Department to produce lovely outdoor picnic tables and seating for students made from recycled materials. Over 70 students have become fully-fledged Green Team members and now have a good understanding of the benefits of recycling, the processes associated and the concept of ‘closed-loop’ systems.

Each fortnight during a one-hour STEP activity, these green warriors have hauled bin liners – full of drink containers from our 35 blue bins – to the waste compound behind JS block. The bin liners have then been emptied into a large industrial-sized Sulo bin to await collection by The Exchange Depot from Sumner with whom Centenary SHS partners. The drink containers are recycled into new drink containers through the Containers for Change national initiative.

The bin liners are sometimes heavy and smelly due to ‘bin juice’ (caused by containers that were not empty when placed in the blue bin) and the odd rotten food item, so it’s not an entirely pleasant task but students have worn latex surgical gloves and have not seem overly fussed. A bunch of them have also hosed out the bin liners so that they can be re-used.

On the other weeks they’ve learned about recycling, made posters and have periodically hosed out the blue bins so as to keep them clean. Well done Green Team!

The entire school community has contributed to the Green Team’s success by remembering to put their drink containers in the blue bins and not contaminating the blue bins with other waste. Contamination rates have been remarkably low all year.

All in all, it’s been a great year – although a little mad at times – but we hope that students will continue to elect to be Green Team members when they select their STEP activity each term in 2022.

Kathryn Ellwood, STEP Coordinator
Email: kellw0@eq.edu.au

INCLUSION

News from Inclusion

The Inclusion Department recently welcomed our Year 7 IP students for 2022 with a series of transition sessions hosted at Centenary SHS during Weeks 3 to 7. For these four weeks on a Thursday from 9:00am – 11:00am, approximately 35 students were introduced to our school community and provided with an insight into the school environment and array of activities that await them when they commence next year.

Students experienced ‘taster’ lessons in the fields of Health and Physical Education, Drama, Information Technology and Manual Arts. They very much enjoyed the ‘hands on’ activities and getting to try out some of the classes on offer for them next year. As well as this, students were given important information regarding the school layout, uniform requirements and behavioural expectations.

Students were particularly interested in hearing about the range of STEP activities (Student Enrichment program), organised lunchtime activities as well as extra-curricular activities on offer. From sporting pursuits to embarking on a dungeons and dragons quest, students heard about the endless opportunities that await them upon becoming a student at Centenary SHS.

At the completion of the final session, parents/caregivers were provided with morning tea and the opportunity to join their student and meet key Inclusive Practices staff in an information session in the GS building.

Students in Years 11 and 12 Agrifoods are now winding up for the year and enjoying the fruits of their labours. Fresh produce recently harvested by the students and their teacher Leah Perry and teacher aide Jenny Coull include carrots, spinach, beans, chillies, dill, rosella and lettuce. It has been incredibly satisfying for these students to have the opportnity to develop skills they can utilise in their own gardens at home in future. Encouraging sustainability is of great importance here at Centenary SHS.

Deborah McIntyre, Deputy Principal (Inclusion, ATSI/EALD)
Email: dmcin49@eq.edu.au

FACULTIES

THE ARTS

In this final edition of the school newsletter, we take a look at what’s happened over the last few weeks. Keep up to date by checking out our school Facebook page – we’re still not finished for the year! Merry Christmas, happy holidays and see you all in 2022.

Excellence Programs

We’ve finished the year with a bang, with a series of performance nights, showcasing the wonderful talents of our extension students. The Year 7 Performance Plus class kicked off the evenings, with some wonderful theatre masterpieces presented at the Year 7 showcase. Following this, the Year 9 Performance Plus class showed off the skills they’ve learnt over the last three years, with a culminating performance of ‘Aladdin Jnr’. At the time of writing this article, the Year 8 performance Plus and Years 7 and 9 Music Plus classes are working super hard to put on the finishing touches for their own upcoming showcases.

Classroom News

As part of the Year 11 art curriculum, students were required to visit the Gallery of Modern Art at Southbank to find inspiration and stimulus for their upcoming IA1 assessment.

The day started with wandering the halls of GOMA looking for artworks that inspire. Key artists that caught our attention before the day turned to the streets of Southbank where students began looking at experiences they could turn into art pieces. Students spent time taking photos of each other and the world around them to immortalize the day and not forget the things they had seen in preparation for their upcoming assignment.

There was also a fun quick trip to Boost Juice and the Candy Shop near Southbank beach. We had a really nice time as a class, and we got to know each other a little better. Thank you to the teachers that were present on the day.

Extra-Curricular News

Students in the tech crew now look as professional as the work they do, with some new shirts, thanks to the amazing school P&C!

Two members of our tech crew recently worked at the Jindalee State School Talent Show as sound technicians. The boys were also there to mentor the primary school tech crew and give them some experience with equipment they hadn’t used before. Congratulations and thank you to Lachie and Eli.

Instrumental Music News

We finally got to see the super talented Percussion Ensemble perform at assembly during Term 4, and wow, they did not disappoint!

Students in the Liquorice Allsorts and Centenary Swingers performed at the Jindalee Golf Club recently, with a lovely afternoon of jazz enjoyed by a very enthusiastic crowd! Thank you to the students and staff for the outstanding afternoon of music and we look forward to the next Sunday session.

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

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

Senior Programmes

The majority of Year 11 students have recently commenced Year 12 units of work to ensure that sufficient time is allocated to satisfy all Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance Systems (SATE), requirements. Students have been advised Year 12 assessment in “Engineering” and “Design” are summative and will be used to calculate their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

Additionally, teachers are in the process of writing the final Year 12 assessment piece in each General subject to submit to the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) for endorsement. Essentially, the QCAA must approve assessment instruments before they can be administered.

Presentation Event

This year’s Presentation Evening was again different to most years, but similar to last year, as a consequence of complying with COVID-19 requirements for public gatherings. Importantly, however, student achievement received the recognition it deserved. I was pleased to be directly involved in presenting the subject awards to those students who, despite the atypical nature of 2021, were able to produce work of an impressive standard.

Congratulations to the award recipients, a genuinely impressive effort!

Staffing

Ms Kay Buru’s contract expires at the end of the year and she will be replaced by Ms Pagona Keepa, a permanent employee who is transferring into the school. I thank Kay for her service to the Home Economics faculty and have appreciated her calm, caring engagement with her students.

Practical Projects

Students have been advised to collect their practical projects and take them home. The school is unable to store projects over the summer vacation because cleaners use the opportunity to conduct a thorough clean of classrooms and workshops. Projects which are not collected will be disassembled and repurposed.

Year 12 Graduation

Imagine the reaction from the two Year 10 Introduction to Senior Hospitality classes and the two Year 11 Hospitality classes when it was announced they would be catering for the Year 12 graduation ceremony. Finger food was required, so considerable time was spent deciding on what would prove delicious to eat, yet easy to handle. Ceremony attendees were offered a selection of slices viz. luscious chocolate or scrumptious almond and orange, a variety of fresh baked muffins and an assortment of fresh fruit cleverly prepared and displayed.

My gratitude is extended to Anita Ace, Carla Clarke and the hospitality students, including a small enthusiast group of Year 9 volunteers, who expended effort experimenting and trialling the menu items prior to the day and then devoting many additional hours on the day of the graduation cooking and presenting the platters of food.

Year 8 Automata

The Year 8 students have been busy constructing an automata to help them understand how rotational motion can be converted into reciprocal motion. The examples of Xavier Lapish and Ann Tran demonstrate the creative thinking assigned to the task by the respective makers. Xavier uses the pushrods to progressively move the marble up an incline, to have it roll back to the starting point to repeat the process over and over again. Ann’s model displays the pouring of milk from a carton into a glass. To improve the aesthetics of her automata, Ann embellished the exterior surfaces with dairy related images.

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

POSITIVE EDUCATION

Positive Education – our commitment to community wellbeing

Throughout 2021, we have continued our approach to Positive Education by enabling students to learn about the importance of wellbeing. We have used the PERMAH framework to underpin our teachings and students are now aware of the six elements within the framework - positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment and health.

Positive Education brings together the science of Positive Psychology with best practice teaching to encourage and support individuals, schools and communities to flourish. Flourishing can be seen as a combination of ‘feeling good and doing good’. If all six elements of wellbeing are being tended to, a person is said to be moving towards a flourishing life. Across the year, students have had opportunities to develop their wellbeing through their HG, curricular and extra-curricular classes. Weekly PERMAH posts (infographics) are sent to all staff to provide practical ideas to integrate the PERMAH focus of the week into their teaching. Students have put these learnings into practice by running a variety of events throughout the year (Friendship Day, Mental Health Week to name a couple). Many HG teachers have embraced the approach, building gratitude walls in their classrooms and embedding deliberate practices, such as ‘what went well this week?’ and mindfulness activities to help students strike a balance between academic achievement and personal health.

As we look to 2022, I am excited to announce that we will be adopting the developmentally sequenced curriculum from the Institute of Positive Education (Geelong Grammar) to guide our HG program. Alongside this, all students and teaching staff will receive a diary from the Institute. The 2022 diary combines the function of a normal student diary with research-based materials and activities that will align to the weekly PERMAH theme.

One of our goals for 2022 is to enable students and staff to delve further into learning about the importance of character strengths and how these can be used to support and build wellbeing. We look forward to sharing our learning in Positive Education with you as we identify programs and activities that will provide our staff and students with the tools to support and maintain their wellbeing.

Melissa Chamberlain, Positive Education HOD
Email: mcham55@eq.edu.au

TEACHING & LEARNING

This term, our Year 7 English classes have been analysing poetry and song lyrics in preparation for their presentations. Classes have been analysing classic songs such as Peace Train by Cat Stevens, as well as Thulumay Gii by Thelma Plum, This is Me by the Greatest Showman Cast and classic ballads such as Waltzing Matilda, Geebung Polo Club and Our New Teacher by David Bateson.

The 3-2-1 Bridge Thinking Routine has been used by Year 7 students at the beginning and the end of their unit to help students uncover their initial thoughts, ideas, questions and understandings about poetry. It helped students to dig deeper into their thinking, connect new ideas and reflect on how far they had come in their understanding of poetry and its ability to express human emotion. Have a look at how 3-2-1 Bridge has been used to help this Year 7 student extend their thinking about poetry.

Annalyse Wilson, Teaching & Learning HOD
Email: axwil28@eq.edu.au

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 11 Report

We find ourselves at the end of another year. This year, like last year, brought a whole set of new challenges. The students, yet again, have stepped up to the challenge of being a Year 11 student in a global pandemic. I have been impressed with the resilience the students have demonstrated throughout the year.

There have been a number of highlights this year. Semi-formal was fantastic. The students looked amazing in their costumes and their behaviour was impeccable throughout the night. It was rewarding to see everyone dancing together throughout the whole night. Although, we may need to do some dancing lessons before formal next year, only kidding. I would like to say a huge thank you to the parents and caregivers for your patience during the rescheduling of the event. I appreciate your ongoing support.

Another highlight of the year was the organising of the 2022 senior jersey. I am happy to report that the jerseys have arrived and are ready to be handed out in the first couple of weeks of next year. For the students to receive their jerseys next year, they need to return their completed 2021 Clearance Form. I can’t wait to see them all wearing their jerseys next year.

The last highlight for 2021, was the selection of the 2022 School Captains. We were incredibly impressed with the calibre of the applicants for the roles and as a result, the decision was a difficult one to make. There were so many great ideas that were put forward during the interviews. I cannot wait to see what great initiatives are implemented throughout the year. I am happy to announce that the 2022 School Captains are Ebony Niethe and Evan Longmire and the Vice Captains are Matthew Welch and Juan Vargas Duque. To continue with the announcements, the 2022 Year 12 School Forum Leaders are Cameron Wuestenenk, Yara Ahmad, Kirrtanya Tandon and Cole O’Brien. I can confidently say that Centenary SHS is in strong hands in 2022.

Have a great break and I look forward to welcoming back the Year 12 2022 cohort in the new year.

Kate George, Year 11 Coordinator
Email: kgeor38@eq.edu.au

Year 7 Report

Term 4 has been a busy time for the Year 7 cohort as we wrap-up the first year of high school. Once again, the student leadership process took place at the start of the term. It was great to see so many students applying to be Year 8 leaders in 2022. After short-listing the applications, students were invited to attend an interview with Ms Manche and Ms Masters to discuss their application and their personal attributes that they felt would complement the role. Students then presented a speech to the Year 7 cohort and staff and students voted for their preferred candidates.

We are pleased to announce our 2022 Year 8 Student Leaders are Abbygale Rampton, Bronte Morrison, John Bradshaw and Alvin Nguyen. Congratulations to our leaders and to all who applied.

For the last half of this term, students have been working on a charity project. They have been working in groups to donate items in decorated shoe boxes to their chosen charities. Many students have selected the RSPCA as their preferred charity and we look forward to welcoming the RSPCA to our Week 10 Assembly to take receipt of the donations and present the cohort with a certificate of appreciation.

Carly Manche, Year 7 Coordinator
Email: ceman4@eq.edu.au

P&C

News from our P&C

As we farewell another school year, we are now heading off for a well-earned break.

This year has seen another year of challenges with lockdowns, however, we have managed to get a few fundraising events in for the year, including a Bunnings BBQ, Shrek the Musical, Red Food Day and Aladdin. The P&C have this year supported the chaplaincy program, debating team, musical scholarships, Duke of Edinburgh participants, student leaders and general wellbeing and safety of our students. It has been a pleasure to be able to assist our students on their educational journey for another year.

To all the amazing parents, caregivers and students who have given their spare time to help over the year, whether at uniform try-on days, BBQ’s or canteen for events. The P&C can’t operate just on our own, so we are so grateful for your commitment and help. As they say, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’.

As we farewell the year, we are still searching for new Executives to continue the work of the P&C next year. The current President, Vice President and Treasurer will not be standing for re-election and we need to fulfil these roles. Should you wish to discuss either of these positions further, please do not hesitate to contact us at pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

Please don’t assume “someone else” will do it. We need you!

President Role

The President role includes, but not limited to, representing the P&C at school, chairing meetings, familiarity with and ensuring the P&C adhere to the P&C Constitution and developing plans and goals in collaboration with the Executive Committee and Principal.

Vice President

The Vice President role is to be an understudy to the President, provide support to Executive and run meetings if the President is unavailable.

Treasurer Role

We are lucky to have a wonderful bookkeeper who prepares the accounts. The Treasurer role includes, but not limited to, working closely with our Bookkeeper, preparing a financial report for each meeting, including an annual Financial Statement and budget for the AGM. The Treasurer also ensures the P&C adheres to the Accounting Manual.

Secretary Role

The Secretary Role includes, but not limited to, all administrative task required to operate the P&C, particularly taking minutes of meetings, sending out agendas and maintaining a register of members.

To complete an Executive nomination form or 2022 membership, please email pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au.

P&C Guidelines stipulate that you must be a member for voting purposes. You do not need to be a member to attend meetings, however, you will not be able to vote. Please see a 2022 membership form attached. Please email back to us or hand into the office.

The uniform shop will be opening the week before school returns in January. Dates and times to be announced later. An email and Facebook post will advise of dates and times. If you bought your uniform in Term 4 and your child has grown over the Christmas break, please keep your receipt and you can exchange your uniform for bigger sizes. Please keep the tags on the clothes. We will require some volunteers on these days as they are busy with the back to school rush.

Should your student require new leather lace up shoes, please consider purchasing through the Athletes Foot in Springfield Lakes and Mt Ommaney. If you mention Centenary State High School, they will donate $5 back to the P&C from every sale.

Please help us continue the Entertainment Book Fundraiser with the proceeds going to the Student Welfare Fund. There is still plenty of savings to gain from the Entertainment Book. All books are now digital. Should you wish to purchase a book, please visit

Our next meeting will be Wednesday February 16, 2022 in the Resource Centre at 7:00pm. This will be the last meeting before the AGM. Should you wish to discuss any executive positions, please feel free to have a chat then. Remember, you need to complete a membership form to be a voting member, which can be found via the link below. Either email a copy back to us or drop into the office.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

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