27 October 2022
Volume 24 Number 7

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents, Carers and the Centenary SHS Community,

Term 4 has arrived quickly this year and last week we had the opportunity to acknowledge the excellent performance of a large number of our students across academic, artistic, sporting and cultural domains. We celebrated at our Major Awards Evening and at our Junior Presentation Event and Senior Presentation Event. These events gave us the opportunity to hear stories of students going above and beyond in their studies, in their commitment to the arts, debating, student forum, sports and community events. We have some truly remarkable young people who have made a real difference in their lives while positively impacting the lives of others. My congratulations to everyone who received an award, and those who made personal bests and improvements even though they may not have received an award. Congratulations, also, to the community of cheerleaders that each student has, whether that is a parent, carer, friend or teacher – achievement is a team event.

Our Year 12 students have commenced their external exams this week and have committed their efforts to this final academic challenge. It is really pleasing to see the number of students accessing the mindfulness sessions held by Ms Chamberlain prior to their exam. For the next few weeks, it is important that our senior students remain healthy – maintaining quality sleep, eating well, connecting with family and taking wellbeing breaks in their study routine. As we have said to the seniors – you’ve got this and we’ve all got you.

Uniform Policy

It has been some time since the school has undertaken a review of its school uniform policy. There have been a number of changes made in recent times ensuring the school is inclusive of the diverse student body enrolled at our school.

A number of parents/carers and students have raised issues around when, where and how the formal and sports uniform is worn. In particular, issues have been raised around students wearing the formal uniform and having to change into their sports uniform at school prior to physical activity.

In Term 4 this year and Term 1 of 2023, a review regarding the school uniform will be undertaken. The review will focus on when, where and how the sports uniform and formal uniform is to be worn. The uniform items will remain as is and will not be part of the review. Any changes to our policy will fully consider any implications for parents/carers, students, P&C and the school and where necessary transition arrangements will be undertaken.

I have asked Ms Jo Diessel to lead the review. Jo retired from the Department of Education. She currently works with the Department on school reviews as an external consultant. She has worked extensively in state schools, was a senior policy executive and the regional director of Brisbane.

A Uniform Committee will provide advice and guidance on the review consultations and proposals arising from the review. Membership will consist of students, staff, parents/carers and a representative of the P&C. There are two parent/carer positions on the committee.

If you are interested in being one of these representatives, could you please email Jo Diessel on jo@picopond.com by close of business November 1st, 2022. A random draw will be undertaken of nominations. Please note we have scheduled two meetings for the Committee this term on November 8th and November 30th, 3:00pm to 4:00pm. The Committee will meet at the school. We have chosen this timeslot to minimise students’ time out from their classes.

This term Jo will undertake consultations with students. It is planned to undertake consultations with parents/carers and staff in the first term of next year. I would encourage parents/carers to participate in the consultations to ensure we gather the opinion and advice of as many members of our school community as we can.

Senior flexible learning afternoons 2023

Parents/carers of senior students may recall a flexible learning afternoon that was in place at Centenary SHS a few years ago, before the new QCAA senior curriculum was implemented. In 2023, with the new senior curriculum embedded (but undergoing review), commencing in Term 2, we are looking at reinstating the flexible time for seniors who maintain their good standing at school. We will be seeking parent/carer feedback, via email, for this change. Parents/carers of 2023 Years 10, 11 and 12 students will receive an email in the coming week regarding this feedback.

Under the return to a senior flexible learning afternoon:

• From Term 2, 2023, Years 10, 11 and 12 students would conclude their school day on Wednesdays at PM break.
• Flexible learning options would include: private study at home, assessment completion at home, study at local library/UQ library etc., completion of online vocational certificates at home, completion of hours for active volunteering, consolidation and revision via ATOMI, catch-up for lessons lost on traineeships or apprenticeships that sit on other days.
• Term 1, 2023 would be used at school to teach our Years 10, 11 and 12 cohorts what appropriate use of this flexible learning time in a senior school timetable would look like. All year levels would attend Wednesdays, Lesson 4 in Term 1.
• Reinstating this flexibility for senior students means this could provide an opportunity for appointments, that currently are taken during the curriculum time for seniors, to attend appointments during this time, lessening impacts on learning and catch-up.
• This flexible time would replace the current STEP activities for Years 10, 11 and 12.
• A supervised space would be available at school for students who must stay for Lesson 4 on a Wednesday – for example, students with transport issues, students who are required to collect primary school siblings etc.
• Students who are at risk of not attaining their QCE would participate in an intensive intervention session during this time at school. They would not be using flexible time offsite until learning commitments are completed.
• The following would be not negotiable under this proposal:
  o STEP continues for Years 7, 8 and 9 – there is no flexible time in these year levels for 2023.
  o Extension subjects – currently scheduled on Wednesday Lesson 4 continue – Music Extension, Performance Plus, Literature.
  o Interschool sport training continues for Years 7, 8 and 9.

Our teaching community has commenced consultation on how we utilise this time to deliver our professional development and our preparation for curriculum changes that are coming. These changes include the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum v9.0 commencing in 2024 and the QCAA Senior Curriculum undergoing staged review across 2023 – 2026.

Wednesday Lesson 4 would be used by all teachers for 1 of 2 activities on a term rotational basis. All teaching staff will either be rostered on to Years 7, 8 and 9 STEP activities, interschool sport, excellence classes or extension classes OR professional development in AC v9.0, planning, preparation and assessment alignment for 2024 – 2026 implementation.

There is no change to the dedicated teaching time for any learning areas. This time will be rostered specifically for teachers and will result in curriculum collaboration for the benefit of our students. This time will also enable teacher collaboration to best support classroom performance, alignment and planning opportunities, and the development of new learning ideas and techniques, to get the very best outcomes for every student.

Keep an eye out for the email so that you can return any questions or feedback regarding this change.

World Teachers’ Day

On behalf of the school community, I would like to acknowledge our hardworking and committed teachers for the efforts they put in, every day, for the benefit of our students. Although we appreciate this work every day, Friday October 28th is when we formally acknowledge their work with our young people. I thank them for the work they do every day, the stability and support they provide at school every day and I commend them for their genuine concern and care for their students.

I wish everyone the best as we head into the final weeks of the term.

Kind regards,

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

Presentation Events

On Monday October 17th (2022), we celebrated our Major Awards Evening with a special event held at Victoria Park Golf Club. Award winners, their parents/carers, dignitaries, community members and staff were invited to celebrate our Major Award winners. Many of the awards presented on the night were supported by our local community partners, including the Jindalee Lions Club, The Ipswich Community Youth Service, Rotary Club of Sumner Park, Rotary Club of Centenary, Centenary SHS P&C, Centenary Chamber of Commerce, Mr Milton Dick MP (Federal Member for Oxley), Ms Jess Pugh State MP (State Member for Mount Ommaney), Councillor Sarah Hutton (Member for Jamboree Ward), the ADF and Griffith University.

We are very fortunate to have a wealth of talent and diverse abilities at Centenary SHS, which resulted in many awards being highly contested. Please see the list below of Major Awards winners, some of which achieved more than one Major Award at the evening.

Community Award - Staff and School Community: Susanne Hemphill
Community Award - Student: Sienna
Nicole Donaldson Inspiration Award: Sofia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award: India
Student Leaders' Forum Award: Ebony
Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award: Rihanna
Senior Sportsperson of the Year Award: Olivia and Kya
Junior Excellence in the Arts Award: Elsie and Oriana
Senior Excellence in the Arts Award: Zoe
Vocational Student of the Year Award: Jayden
International Student of the Year Award: May
Public Speaker of the Year Award: Lachlan
Humanities Award: Charlotte
Mathematics and Science Award: Cyrus
ICYS 'Your Success Counts' Scholarship: Sofia
Olympic Change-Maker Award: Olivia Boyd and Sienna
Griffith University 'Spark' Award (Year 11 Achievement Award): Anoria
Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award - Year 10: Eli
Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award - Year 12: Ebony
Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award - Year 10: Eli
Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award - Year 12: Jake
AMPOL Best All-Rounder Award: Evan
Junior Dux: Gabriella and Kelly
Highest Performing Year 12 Student Across 2022: Ebony

On Wednesday October 19th (2022), we invited our entire school body, including our parents/carers to our Senior and Junior Presentation Events. It was a day of celebration which included inspirational speeches from our Principal, Ms Jo Hughes, fabulous performances from some of our musical ensembles and reflections, including words of advice from our 2022 school captains and vice-captains to the incoming 2023 captains. We acknowledged many of our students over the course of both the Senior and Junior Presentation Events.

Year 7

Over the past week, we have begun our preparations for our incoming Year 7 students in earnest. Our Junior School Head of Department, Ms Carly Manche, and Year 7 Coordinator, Ms Rachel Habermann, have been visiting our local primary schools and meeting with teachers to ensure that the transition to Centenary SHS is seamless.

Year 8 – subject selection

We have sent an email to all Year 8 parents/carers to communicate some important information regarding your student’s upcoming subject selection for Year 9, 2023. On Monday of Week 5, students will be selecting subjects in preparation for next year’s studies. In order to support students making these decisions, we will be providing a comprehensive subject handbook and information session, which will focus on electives offered in 2023. This will be presented by our Art’s Head of Department (Angela Sleeman) and Technology Head of Department (Torston Reichert) during the Year 8 assembly. Your student has also received an informative email to explain the process. In preparation for Monday, we are encouraging our students to reflect on their subject experiences when discussing potential subject selections for 2023 with their parents/carers before our assembly.

If you have any questions please contact Ms Kate Tesch or Ms Brooke Davis.

Year 10 update

Students will receive the Exam Block timetable for Week 8 on Monday October 31st. This will provide students with a great opportunity to organise their assessment schedule based on when specific assessment is due. If you student requires support with organisation and assessment, please feel free to contact me and we can organise that support.

Students should be getting very close to completing their FSK for 2022. Time slots will be allocated over the Exam Block for catch-up sessions for students who have not yet completed their FSK work. This is such an important course for students to complete and is a great thing to put on the resume.

Students have been emailed regarding subject changes for 2023 this week. If any student wishes to change subjects for Year 11 2023, Weeks 4 and 5 is the opportunity to do so. Change of student forms can be found in Mr. Webb’s office.

Year 13: employment opportunities post-school & Year 13 interviews

If your student requires support with QTAC applications, or would like advice regarding pathways after school, they should have booked an interview with the school’s Guidance Team. Details regarding the booking process have been emailed to students.

We strongly encourage Year 12 students or those students interested in moving into full-time employment to take advantage of the many opportunities being advertised through our school’s Industry Liaison Officer, Ms 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 2023.

Year 12 dates

Some important QCAA dates are as follows:

A reminder that the due date to apply and submit documentation in time for when most offers are released on January 12th, 2023 is Friday December 9th, 2022.

Students have been reminded they can contact the school before the close of the school year (December 9th, 2022) if they require access to their QCAA student learning account

Year 11 – QCE Engagement Interviews

Many thanks to those students who have engaged in the QCE interviews with members of our staff. Ensuring suitable selection of subjects before moving into the summative phase of learning and Units 3 & 4 is crucial, especially for ATAR calculation. Remember, a student must pass an English subject (including Essential English) for QTAC to calculate this result.

External Exams (October 24th – November 15th)

Year 12 students have embarked on their final stage of QCE and ATAR success by undertaking the 2022 external exams. It has been wonderful to see our young people arrive eager and prepared to sit these exams successfully. Students have access to a subject specific tutorial program (timetable emailed to Year 12 students) that will operate over the first two weeks of the exam block period in the Resource Centre. Students are encouraged to drop-in at any-time if they would like support or for quiet study. We have also provided small snacks and drinks for those students accessing the Resource Centre study support.

Many of our students have been taking advantage of Ms Chamberlain’s Mindfulness Program operating before the start of each exam in SL37. Research demonstrates that mindfulness practice correlates with reduced exam-induced stress and improved exam performance.

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: the link below and sign in using the school access code: cent2022.

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

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

Brooke Davis, Deputy Principal (Year 8)
Email: bldav0@eq.edu.au

Cameron Webb, Deputy Principal (Year 10)
Email: cwebb2@eq.edu.au

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

Angela Raven, Deputy Principal (Years 11 & 12)
Email: arave7@eq.edu.au

INTERNATIONAL

We are on the hunt for Homestay families! If you are interested in becoming a Homestay parent, please contact our International Team: international@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au

The Passport to Queensland app is designed to help new international students settle into their new life and school in Queensland and includes modules around preparing to arrive, how to stay safe at the beach, in the bush and in the city and much more. You can find out more information about the app at the following link:

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

Diana Huber, International Student Coordinator
Email: dhube1@eq.edu.au

Gemma Parry-Jones, International Homestay Coordinator
Email: gparr28@eq.edu.au

INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

Some students that require additional transition have been attending our Inclusion Transition sessions on Thursday mornings. Last week, we toured the Resource Centre and played some games with Dr McIntyre and learnt all about the extra-curricular offerings by Mr Peter Claire.

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

CHAPLAIN

News from the Chaplain

Food for Thought

How would you finish the following sentence?

Teenagers nowadays…

Some people might choose words such as these:

‘are out of control’, ‘are disrespectful and rude’ or ‘are violent and abusive’.

Let me assure you that though these comments might fit a small percentage of teenagers, they definitely do not apply to the vast majority.

A much larger percentage of our young people work hard at school, are busy on weekends with sports and/or other hobbies, and once old enough, are also busy with part-time jobs.

Please take the time to look for the good in each of our young ones and encourage them in their efforts.

Teenagers nowadays are all individuals who, with the nurturing effect of guidance, love and support, will very likely turn into wonderful young adults.

A message from Chappy Bernie

As a parent/carer, it’s important to realise that what you don’t say is almost as important as what you do say. Positive words and compliments are one of the easiest ways to improve your young person’s confidence and make them feel good about who they are. What’s more, research shows that giving a genuine compliment helps you feel happier and can even improve your health.

Try giving your young person a compliment and see if you can notice the difference. Adding their name, using eye contact and speaking at the right volume will add meaning to positive words. Here’s a couple of ideas:

• I love how you tell stories
• You have the best laugh
• Thank you for being so thoughtful
• You’re fun to be around

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Interschool Sport

After the six competitive Gala Days that Centenary SHS have competed in this year, Centenary SHS has been announced the West Brisbane District Champion School! This is an outstanding achievement for the school, especially for all competing students and coaches. All year, Centenary SHS teams were consistently competitive, hard-working and showed great sportsmanship and it is credit to their hard work for this achievement.

At the Spring Junior Gala Day in Week 10 last term, teams competed in the sports of badminton, AFL and ultimate disc, and the premiership winning teams for this competition were:

• Year 7 Boys Ultimate Disc
• Year 8 Girls Ultimate Disc
• Year 8 Boys Ultimate Disc
• Year 8 Boys AFL
• Year 9 Boys Ultimate Disc
• Year 9 Girls Ultimate Disc

The Social Gala Day is in Week 10 – Tuesday December 6th. We are excited to have this last carnival to wrap up a significant year of sport.

Sports Awards

The Sports Awards is a special time to celebrate the success Centenary SHS students have had throughout the year. 2022 has been another incredible year on the sporting field for the students and staff at Centenary SHS. Students excelled both on and off the field with not only their sporting skills but also with outstanding behaviour and sportsmanship. Students at Centenary SHS are given so many opportunities, not only within our school sporting program but also through District, Regional and All School Championships.

In 2022 Centenary SHS:

• Won 28 West Brisbane Premierships
• Centenary SHS is the West Brisbane 2022 Champion School
• 112 Northern District Representatives
• 42 Met West Representatives
• 18 teams went through to Met Finals
• 4 teams progressed through to either the semi-finals or the grand final rounds of Met Finals

Participation pathways in:

• QLD All Schools Touch Football
• Super Seven Netball series
• Vicki Wilson Netball Championships
• SEQ Futsal Tournament
• Senior School Cup Volleyball Championship
• QLD All Schools Athletics

Junior and Senior Sportsperson of the Year

Each year Centenary SHS awards a junior and a senior student with the prestigious ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ Award, based off the number of sporting points earned. This award is presented to the student, and in some cases two students, that receive the highest points. Points are awarded for school-based sports and the higher the level of achievement, the higher the number of points earned.

Congratulations to Rihanna, Junior Sportsperson of the Year, and to Olivia and Kya, who tied for the Senior Sportsperson of the Year.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year

• is a school representative for Cross Country
• is a regional representative for swimming and basketball
• is a district representative for AFL and athletics
• participated in the CBSQ Basketball Schools Cup
• participated in the AFLQ Schools Cup
• is part of the winning Gala Day touch football team
• participated in netball, touch football and AFL for Gala Days
• has consistently achieved high academic results, including an A in HPE since Year 7

Senior Sportsperson of the Year

Olivia:

• is Centenary SHS Athletics and Cross Country Age Champion
• is a state representative for Athletics
• is a state representative for Cross Country
• is a participant of the premier Gala Day touch football team
• has consistently achieved high academic results, including an A in Health and Sport and Recreation in Years 11 and 12
• has previously been awarded Junior Sportsperson of the Year and Senior Sportsperson of the Year.

Kya:

• is a Centenary SHS Athletics Age Champion
• is a Centenary SHS Cross Country participant
• is a district representative for netball
• is a regional representative for athletics and touch football
• is a participant of the premier Gala Day touch football and AFL teams
• participated in the AFLQ Schools Cup
• participated in the Vicky Wilson Cup and Super 7’s Netball Competition
• participated in the All Schools Touch Football State Carnival
• has consistently achieved high academic results, including an A in HPE since Year 7
• has previously been awarded Junior Sportsperson of the Year three years running.

The Australian Olympic Change-Maker Award was awarded to Olivia and Kya. Congratulations girls!

It is a huge achievement in order to earn a sports award. Students that have qualified for a Silver or a Gold Award were presented with both their certificates and badges at the ceremony. Congratulations to all of the Bronze Award Recipients. The following students will receive their certificate and be recognised for this outstanding achievement on a year level assembly.

QLD All Schools Touch Football

What an epic All Schools campaign for all of our teams. The coaching team is very proud of all of the students’ efforts and sportsmanship during the competition.

Two years in a row now, the U15 Boys have had to play Ignatius Park (their Open Boys team won All Schools) in the final round and for the second year, the game went to a drop off. This year, however, Centenary SHS won the drop off! This is the first time that Centenary SHS has made it to the quarter finals. This is a huge achievement and means that Centenary SHS U15 Boys are in the top 8 schools in Queensland.

The U15 Girls again only lost 1 game, and again, the team they lost to won All Schools. In 2021, they lost to Kings Christian College and this year they lost to Palm Beach SHS who went through and won.

The U13 Boys was the development squad and they really stepped up – winning 3 out of their 6 games. This is a fantastic result and a great platform to keep building on for the future.

The Open Mixed team had a tough Day 1, having to play the top teams in the pool. They were competitive and stayed in each game right until the end. The team won 3 out of their 7 games, with many close score lines.

State Track and Field

A record TEN Centenary State High School students competed at the Queensland Schools' Track and Field Championships. The students have all trained hard to get through the School, District, and Regional level competitions and competed against the best from all around the state.

Congratulations to the following students for representing Met West at the Queensland Schools’ Championships:

Olivia – 3km Steeple, 5km, 1500m – 2 x Gold, 1 x Record (Steeple), 1 x Silver (1500m)
Phoenix – 4th Javelin
Sienna – 6th Javelin
Kya – 6th 400m, 7th Long Jump
Sophie – 6th Shot Put, Top 15 Disc and Javelin
Ruby – 9th High Jump
Neve – 11th Shot Put
Mia – 11th Shot Put, 24th 100m
Phong – 14th Long Jump
Jackson – 21st Discus

Of these students, six had their first experience representing Met West at this level in athletics, which will leave them in good stead for future competitions. It is great to see these outstanding results and all students should be proud of their efforts!

Students at Centenary SHS are provided with outstanding opportunities to develop their skills and fitness through the Athletics Program, with multiple sessions available to students each week from early in Term 2 until Term 4. These are with our school staff, as well as elite level coaches. All students are welcome to attend any of these sessions.

Well done to all students who have given their all across Athletics!

Term 4

Social Gala Day – Tuesday December 6th

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

James Garrard, West Brisbane Sports Director
Email: jgarr57@eq.edu.au

eLEARNING

The recent CLASS Network Day of Technology brought together Years 4 and 5 students from Middle Park SS and Jindalee SS with an interest in ICT for a full day of learning, collaborating and problem-solving. Engaging with a range of different technologies, students experienced new ways to use their coding, design and communication skills.

The winners of our Minecraft challenge, where students built a Brisbane Olympics venue, were announced. Generous prizes and feedback to the students were provided by Bennett & Bennett, a survey and town planning firm that are involved with preparations for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.

Other highlights of the day included using code to negotiate a drone through an obstacle course, learning Minecraft skills from Centenary SHS students and an introduction to Python coding and physical computing.

Thanks to our CLASS network and Centenary SHS staff for making the day a success!

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

JUNIOR SECONDARY

Junior Secondary News

Year 6 Arts Technology Days

Our annual Arts Technology Days took place in Week 10, Term 2. We were excited to welcome Year 6 students to Centenary SHS from Darra SS, Jamboree Heights SS, Jindalee SS and Middle Park SS. The students rotated through a variety of activities based around our Junior School elective subjects such as Visual Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Media, Robotics, Minecraft, Manual Arts and Home Economics. We were lucky to be able to call upon the guidance and assistance of our Year 10 Mentors, who accompanied each group and encouraged them to participate to the fullest. The feedback from the primary schools was very positive; with reports that the students thoroughly enjoyed the activities, but more importantly, felt far less anxious about the impending transition from primary to secondary schooling.

Sincere thanks to all staff involved in the planning and implementation of the activities for this important Junior School event.

Thinking and Learning

In our last Faculty meeting, our JS Thinking Champions ran their second segment focusing on thinking cognitions, through the lens of the golden tetrad and NASOT design questions 3, 4 and 5. Once again, our session focus question was ‘How do we explicitly teach thinking, in particular, analysis?’ This time, the thinking champions presented 3 texts for analysis, that crossed into different curriculum areas within the Junior School. We discussed the processes of analysing and the ways in which we use deconstruction and observation to deduce and understand the text as a whole. We identified thinking routines and strategies that might be helpful to teach the different cognitions within the tetrad, and which might inform the wording of our learning goals and success criteria. Staff were encouraged to use their notional moderation time within faculties to either reflect upon a unit that requires analysis to see where the strategies might work, or to consider their use in an upcoming unit of work.

Carly Manche, Junior Secondary HOD
Email: ceman4@eq.edu.au

POSITIVE EDUCATION

Ms Rachel Habermann (Year 7 Coordinator) and I were fortunate to attend the 2022 Positive Education Schools Association (PESA) conference earlier this term. With the focus on re-engaging students, re-invigorating teachers and re-shaping culture, we spent three days digesting all the latest research on student wellbeing. The conference was designed to not only inform, but to inspire delegates to imbed a whole school wellbeing model in fun and creative ways.

The conference was also a wellbeing intervention for the staff that attended. We were fortunate to be able to participate in a range of activities designed to: boost wellbeing; teach skills that help manage wellbeing; and demonstrate how to effectively implement wellbeing interventions in a learning environment. Since our return to school, we have modelled to our staff simple ways to make wellbeing visible in classrooms and will offer a mindfulness room to our Year 12 students during the external examination block.

Here are just some of the insights from the conference:

1. Positive Resonance – meaningful moments of high-quality connection with another person or other people – is a wellbeing super food! (Professor Barbara Fredrickson).
2. Hope is one of the most important character strengths for coping with the challenges of the future, and one we need to focus on cultivating in our young people (Rachel Colla).
3. Humans have the potential to not only heal and recover from adversity, but that the experience of adversity can actually have the power to help people positively develop and grow in ways they otherwise might not have. This is referred to as adversarial growth (Professor Lea Waters AM).
4. Overuse of technology is eroding young peoples’ biological buffers – what we rely upon to move towards flourishing. Driving down adolescents’ micro stressors (constant pings and notifications) and bolstering their biological buffers (sleep, sunlight and physical activity) will arm them with a menu of micro-habits to tame their digital behaviours.
5. Young people need sunlight (60 – 90 minutes interspersed through the day). Getting sunlight within the first hour of waking up activates our hypothalamus and puts us in an alert state. Just 40 seconds in nature will drop our cortisol levels (stress hormone).

I look forward to sharing more insights in the next article.

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

TEACHING & LEARNING

At Centenary SHS, students engage with a variety of questioning techniques to scaffold their critical thinking and inquiry processes. Recently, in the Year 11 Literature class, Ms Gummow’s students used a Question Matrix designed by Dr Peter Ellerton from the University of Queensland. Students in this class applied the matrix to create a variety of questions that compare, speculate, or make predictions about the novel ‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen. The questions written by the students will support their critical analysis to endorse, challenge, or question cultural assumptions in the novel. Well done to Ms Gummow and her curious students!

Vanessa Duschka, Teaching & Learning HOD
Email: vdusc1@eq.edu.au

FACULTIES

ARTS

Wow, what a busy few weeks to start Term 4! Our Year 12 students are now studying for and completing their External Exams, our Year 11 students have commenced unit 3 (Year 12 work) and our Years 7 – 10 students are right in the middle of their teaching, learning and assessment phase. In addition to that, we’ve had competition winners, presentation events and extracurricular activities. I hope you enjoy reading about what we’ve been up to in The Arts and as always, don’t forget to check out the school Facebook page for up-to-date stories and news!

Student Success

Congratulations to all of the award winners from The Arts who were recognised for their achievements in and out of the classroom at our recent Presentation Events.

The Senior and Junior Excellence in The Arts winners were Zoe (Year 12) and Elsie and Oriana (Year 9). These students were recognised at our Major Awards Evening.

Students in Years 11 and 12 were also presented with subject achievement awards (for being the highest achieving student in each Arts subject) at our Senior Presentation Event.

We received a few requests to watch the Arts compilation video that was shown at our Presentation Events, so if you’re interested, you can view it here:

A huge congratulations also goes to all of the ensembles who performed at the events – all to rave reviews!

Congratulations to the Dance Troupe who travelled to Sydney over the holidays to perform at the DanceLife Unite Nationals. 15 very excited students and 3 staff enjoyed some time sight-seeing and rehearsing in very iconic locations before our competition started. The Contemporary Troupe, choreographed by 2021 student Caitlin Rowland, were awarded 3rd place! We were blown away by their performance and by winning a trophy at a national competition! So impressive! You can watch their performance here:

Congratulations to Year 12 Visual Art students Riley, Damien, Madison and Lilian who were selected by the school to have the opportunity to exhibit in this year’s Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art program.

Over 500 students across the state were nominated, with 92 works shortlisted. A total of 36 students won awards, and Riley was one of them! Riley was awarded a Commendation at the regional exhibition event at the end of week 2. We are thrilled for Riley – congratulations!

Riley

‘Creatures Unknown’, three collaged photographs, uses contemporary digital mediums to showcase the human form in unnatural ways. It uses abstract, bold colours and patterns to distort and stretch the human body using gesture. It utilises repetition and overlaying imagery to intrigue and captive the audience, communicating beauty and awe in the extremes of the human body. These works shock and entertain their audience, illustrating the limit of the human form.

Congratulations to Year 12 student Cyrus who entered one of his Music Extension compositions into the Queensland Young Composers’ Competition, hosted by the Australian Society of Music Educators. Cyrus was awarded a Highly Commended for his modern orchestral work, titled “Beijing 2022 Olympics”, which combines elements of both Western and Eastern classical music. This competition provides the opportunity for young composers from across the state to submit their original works for critique and assessment by adjudicators who work as professional composers both in Australia and overseas. Awesome work Cyrus!

You can listen to it here:

Classroom News

Just last week, we acknowledged our Year 12 students who achieved 100% on task three, which is a huge 35% project right across all general Arts subjects. 15 students achieved this amazing achievement and it is certainly something to be very proud of. Congratulations to all of the students and staff on your results. In addition to this, we also recognised a group of students, whom after the completion of their three internal assessments, are sitting on 100%. Outstanding!

Film, TV & NM
Han & Riley

The Year 12 Music Class has continued their tradition of performing a song at the final Year 12 Assembly. This year’s performance of “Don’t Stop Me Now” can be viewed here:

Annual Cultural Dinner

We were finally able to hold our Cultural Dinner this year, after a few years of cancellations. It was a brilliant night, with many special memories shared, particularly by the exiting Year 12 Arts Captains and students. The two very special HOD Awards (The Spirit of the Arts and the heART award) were presented to students who epitomise the arts – they live and breathe arts. This year, the award winners are:

The Cultural Dinner also provided us with an opportunity to say thank you and farewell the Year 12 Arts students for their many years of contributions. We will certainly miss them!

Finally, we were absolutely impressed by both the quantity and quality of the applicants for Arts Captains for next year. The Arts in 2023 is certainly in great hands! As announced at the Cultural Dinner, the 2023 Arts Captains are: Holly, Trinity, Anoria, Hayley, Alyssa, Melissa, Rosie and Shaekayla. They will be formally inducted in their new roles in the new year. Congratulations to this wonderful group of students!

Extra-Curricular Activities

By Paris Limmer, Year 12 Visual Art student and Arts Captain

Members of the Student Leaders’ Forum, teachers and school staff have recently completed a new mural in the school’s sick bay. I designed and painted the room to feel like a safe space and neutral environment for students who are feeling sick. This project started towards the end of last year, and took months to complete as it had to be completed either during holidays or after school. I wanted to use sunflowers as the subject matter of the mural as they are incredibly relaxing and it’s definitely the environment I would like to be surrounded with when feeling a little ill. The Student Forum would like to thank Mrs Masters, Mr O’Brien and Mrs Duschka for their assistance. Thank you also to Nora Iona, Danielle Rossiter and Lynette Neuendorff in the office for assisting with the painting and seeing me wander in and out of the building and always giving me a friendly smile and checking up on me. I have loved every moment of this opportunity and I hope the new mural will serve the future students of Centenary SHS to experience positive emotions and help them rest when needed.

Instrumental Music News

It was a very busy start to Term 4, with a number of performances over the first few weeks!

All of our senior ensembles kicked the term off, on Day 1, with the annual Primary Tour. We packed the truck and buses and performed for the students and staff of Jamboree Heights SS, Jindalee SS and Middle Park SS, showcasing where their studies of music and the practicing of their instruments can take them into high school. We are looking forward to our new Year 7 students arriving next year.

The very next day, the Centenary Swingers and the Liquorice Allsorts headed to the Over 50s Expo, to entertain the crowds at the event.

A beautiful sunset over the City ended the first week, with the Stage Band performing at the Jazz on the Hill event.

The popular ‘Livening Up the Library’ will be back for Term 4, with three concerts towards the end of term. We are very proud of our partnership with the Mount Ommaney Library and thank them for their support. We’d love to see you there!

Students who hire instruments must talk to their IM teacher or Mr Watkins over the next few weeks so we can assess if instruments require maintenance or if they can be extended with a holiday loan form. Students who are exiting or leaving the school need to return their instruments and any uniforms to get their Clearance Form signed.

Date Claimer

Please note the remaining events for Term 4.

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

P&C

The Uniform Shop is particularly busy at the moment with Year 7 try on days in full swing. To keep up with demand, we've extended try-on appointments for an extra week. Please be reminded that appointments are mandatory. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate walk-in requests at this time.

Please be advised, men's trousers are now in stock.

Did you know, if you purchase a pair of shoes from the Mt Ommaney Athletes Foot and you mention your student goes to Centenary SHS, $5 from each shoe purchased will be donated to the school. What a wonderful initiative!

The Uniform Review is about to commence. You will soon receive an email calling for expressions of interest to be part of the Uniform Review Committee. This Committee will have representation from the P&C, parents/carers, school staff and students and will conduct its first meeting on November 1st. Consultation will take place this term (Term 4) and Term 1 of 2023 and will be conducted in three phases – students, P&C members, and parents/carers and staff. It is anticipated that student consultation will commence on November 9th. This is your opportunity to have your say – we encourage you to do so.

At our October meeting, we took nominations for the position of President. We would like to welcome Tania Nelson to the position. Tania has been a parent at our school for 11 years so far, with a couple of years left to go. If anyone would like to assist with some, or all, of the Secretary role, please reach out to pandc@centenaryshs.eq.edu.au , we'd love to hear from you.

Our next P&C meeting is scheduled for 7:00pm Wednesday November 16th in the school’s Resource Centre. If you’re interested in attending the meeting virtually, from the comfort of your own lounge room, please let us know and we’ll send you the relevant link.

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

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