30 March 2023
Volume 25 Number 2

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

PRINCIPAL

Dear parents and carers,

Thank you once again for your support of our school and our students as we reach the end of the term. A more usual Term 1 than recent years provided us with an opportunity to return to a focus on our key strategic directions – Positive Education and Pedagogy. Our extremely active student leadership group and Student Forum have hit the ground running and there have been many opportunities for our students to participate in activities and events to build their own character strengths, their own leadership knowledge and display their kindness for others. The recent Free Dress Day, as well as the Harmony Day activities, allowed our students to display kindness and gratitude, raising funds for earthquake impacted families in Turkey and Syria. The House Captains presented a business case for a Colour Run, combined with the Cross Country on Friday March 31st, the last day of term. They scoped out how a Colour Run would be linked to our PERMAH framework and how the senior students would like to build a sense of belonging for all students in the school. With COVID-19 impacts in recent years, it will be great to see a whole school Cross Country afternoon again. Please read the information carefully that has already been sent home – regarding the colour used and clothing requirements – so that everyone participates safely and appropriately. It should be an exciting and colourful end to the term.

Term 2 commences on Monday April 17th and there are a number of whole of school events in the first few weeks. Term 1 report cards will be sent during Week 1, Term 2 and the first Parent Teacher Interview Night will be conducted on Monday May 8th, which is the Monday afternoon of Week 4. These interviews will be face-to-face in our Sports and Recreation Centre (SRC), from 1:00 – 7:30pm. Information about booking timeslots online to meet with teachers will be sent out with report cards. Our school ANZAC Service is on Monday April 24th and our leaders and Symphonic Band will play at the Community ANZAC Service at Mt Ommaney on ANZAC Day, Tuesday April 25th.

As previously advised, the Senior Flexible Learning afternoon commences in Term 2 for senior phase students who are in good standing and on track for academic success (QCE and outcome tracking – Year 12). For Terms 2 – 4, students who meet the criteria to access the Senior Flexible Learning afternoon will finish school at the end of PM break on Wednesdays and engage in a number of self-directed activities which could include: revision and reinforcement activities for general subjects via ATOMI, private study at home, assignment drafting and completion at home, completion of hours for active volunteering, catch-up for lessons missed while undertaking a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE. Existing extension subjects and interschool sport training continues in this timeslot for a number of students. A supervised space will be provided at school for those students who cannot access flexible learning e.g. transport issues, students with responsibility for collecting younger students etc. Senior students who access the flexible learning afternoon leave school grounds and are expected to engage responsibly, use the time to benefit their learning and assessment and engage appropriately within the community on the way home. Parents/carers will be receiving a form to indicate how their student will engage for Terms 2 – 4; onsite supervision or senior flexible learning options.

Later in the newsletter, you’ll read about the achievements and celebrations of our students this term, including sporting, academic, arts, leadership and debating. I’d like to thank all parents/carers and students who took the opportunity to contribute to the uniform review via a number of forums – face-to-face, email, phone call or online meeting. Some further student consultation will occur in Week 1 of Term 2. Our consultant, Jo Diessel, and the Uniform Committee will present the information from the consultation early next term for consideration.

I hope that everyone has the opportunity to rest and refresh over the holidays. I wish you all the best for the break and look forward to seeing our students back in Term 2 for another enjoyable term of learning at Centenary SHS.

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

NAPLAN testing

NAPLAN testing was conducted for our Year 7 and Year 9 students from Wednesday March 15th through to Monday March 20th. Catch-up sessions were held from Tuesday March 21st for any students absent on the testing days. Moving NAPLAN to Term 1 means results will be available earlier and can be used to inform teaching and learning.

Thank you, parents and carers, for your support in reminding students to bring their devices to school on these days fully charged, and with their earphones and chargers. Both cohorts are to be congratulated for their engagement and behaviour throughout all four tests.

Celebrating Brain Awareness Week (March 13th – 19th, 2023)

Did you know, the brain is the third largest organ in the human body?

Did you know the brain is made up of 75% water?

Did you know the brain contains over 100 billion neurons and is our control centre for everything we do?

Brain Awareness Week is a global event that has been celebrated annually since 1996. Each year in the third week of March across 7300 organisations world-wide (including our school) and in over 100 countries, we have an opportunity to become more aware about the role and importance of our brains.

Following Nathan Wallis’ presentation on the ‘Teenage Brain’ during the Student Free Days in January, we believe it is important for our community to continue learning about neuroscience and how it informs teaching and learning at Centenary SHS. We believe this commitment to professional learning can assist us to realise a key imperative of our Moral Purpose: “all learners can flourish”.

We know that our brains serve as our executive centre, however, we rarely stop to consider how important our brains really are. The brain controls everything we do from basic bodily functions such as breathing and heart rate to more complex things like decision-making, memory and language. Brain health is very important for our overall wellbeing and daily functioning.

Brain Awareness Week was an opportunity to shine the spotlight on our brains for our students and our staff, with four different initiatives across the week.

Initiative 1: Whole school assembly launch

Our student leaders introduced Brain Awareness Week by showing a video of our students responding to 3 questions:

1. What do you do to look after your brain?
2. At what age do you think the brain is fully developed?
3. What would you like to learn about the brain?

Students also learnt about 3 things we can do to look after your brain to ensure it is working at its best capacity:

• Eat well (nourish your brain)
• Move well (activate your brain)
• Sleep well (allow your brain to re-charge)

Initiative 2: Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) talk to staff

We were very fortunate that two academics from QBI (Queensland Brain Institute) at University of Queensland delivered a tailored presentation during the staff meeting in Brain Awareness Week. Introduced by Professor Pankaj Sah, QBI Director, we heard from Dr Megan Barker and Georgia Marsh (PhD student) who talked about three areas identified by our staff:

1. Music and the brain
2. How emotions impact learning
3. Embedding learning and accessing memories

Please contact Matt Smith (Deputy Principal) if you would like a copy of their presentation.

Initiative 3: Daily activities and messaging for our staff and students

Monday's learnings:

• We challenged students and staff to exercise their brains by trying one of these puzzles:

• Our Year Level Coordinators provided all HG teachers with activities for students to exercise/engage their brains.

Tuesday's learnings:

• We further challenged our students with some games to boost a range of cognitive functions to help keep minds sharp. Word games help to build the left hemisphere, while mazes and jigsaw puzzles can bolster the right hemisphere, which controls visual skills and orientation.

Wednesday's learnings:

• Encouraging students and staff to adopt relaxation strategies such as breathing and mindfulness techniques to tap into the ‘wise mind’. Here is a simple routine from the 'Eat, Play, Rest' Initiative from Dementia Australia:

1. Take a seat
2. Set a 10-minute time limit
3. Notice your body, get comfortable and close your eyes
4. Feel your breath and slow it down
5. Notice when your mind wanders
6. Focus on deep breathing
7. Be kind to your thoughts
8. Close with gratitude

Thursday's learnings:

• Challenging our habits: Next time you need to go somewhere, take a different route! Trying new ways of doing the same thing is a simple yet effective way to stimulate your brain. This in turn helps to future proof the mind by generating new cells and neural pathways – a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.

Friday’s learnings:

• The Science of Memory: How does the process of making memories affect our brain? How do experiences and learning change the connections in our brain and create memories? Take a look at this article from John Hopkins Medicine.

Initiative 4: Professional learning for staff

The Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland has released a magazine series called The Brain.

As Professor Pankaj Shah, (Director of the QBI) asserts in his introductory message: “the human brain is a learning machine. Thanks to a phenomenon called neuroplasticity, the brain learns in a range of ways in many different circumstances, including in the classroom”.

Each edition is summarised for our staff with a link to the full magazine.

We believe that everyone is a learner in our community so we share this resource for your own learning.

The full publication can be found at:

We hope students and staff enjoyed these activities and challenges and learned something during Brain Awareness Week. We would like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment from Melissa Chamberlain (Head of Positive Education) in leading this event with the support from our dedicated Year Level Coordinators: Rachel Habermann (Year 7), Mandy Kaur (Year 8), Zachary Zammit (Year 9), Mark Watkins (Year 10), Warren Hawkins (Year 11), and Will McKenna (Year 12). A big thank you to Marney O’Dea (Student Leadership Coordinator) who supported and guided our student leaders to play a key role in Brain Awareness Week at Centenary SHS.

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

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

Matt Smith, Deputy Principal (Year 8)
Email: rsmit925@eq.edu.au

Brooke Davis, Deputy Principal (Year 9)
Email: bldav0@eq.edu.au

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

Angela Raven, Deputy Principal (Year 11, QCE)
Email: arave7@eq.edu.au

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

GUIDANCE

Mental health, wellbeing and routines

Good mental health is important for a young person’s wellbeing. It can help them cope with challenges, feel good about themselves, build relationships and enjoy life. Around one in seven young Australian people experiences mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and more than half of all mental health issues experienced in adulthood begin before the age of 14.

Some common signs parents or carers may notice about their young person who is experiencing mental health concerns include:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Feelings of sadness, hopelessness or worries that don’t go away
• Feeling tired, irritable or upset most of the time
• Frequent, unexplained outbursts of anger
• Unusual fears
• Feeling restless or on edge
• Losing interest in things they used to enjoy
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Not wanting to go to school
• Trouble concentrating
• Changes in eating patterns, or rapid weight gain or loss
• Loss of interest or decline in school performance

Some strategies parents or carers can use to support a young person’s mental health include:

• Spending quality time together. Loving and secure relationships are important for development. Doing enjoyable activities together can benefit the whole family.
• Talking openly. Regularly ask your young person how they’re feeling. Encourage them to talk about what’s going on for them at school, and listen to their concerns.
• Exercise. Getting moving can help improve mental health, reducing stress and boosting mood and energy.
• Healthy eating. A healthy diet can help support mental health. Help your young person develop and maintain healthy eating habits with a well-balanced diet.
• Sleep. Getting enough good-quality sleep is important for mental health – so encouraging good night-time routines and relaxation before bed may help.
• Relaxation techniques. Try teaching your young person some simple relaxation techniques, like breathing exercises or using a mindfulness app.
• Routines. Keeping to regular routines around morning, bedtime, and mealtimes can help create an environment that feels secure and stable.

The beginning of a new school year is exciting but it can also be an unsettling. It is vital that our young people develop good habits and routines that are essential in giving students the best start to a lifetime of learning. Spark their Future may be beneficial as you begin a conversation with your young person about developing good habits and routines, understanding why routines matter for growing teenage brains, and how morning routines can help your student at school:

If you have concerns or would like to discuss your student’s mental health and wellbeing, please contact our Guidance Team, via email, or using the QR code.

Students and their parents and carers often don’t know how to contact the school’s Guidance Officers. There are a number of ways to contact your year level Guidance Officer at Centenary SHS:

• Use the QR code in your student’s school diary (or as seen below and on posters around the school) to complete a referral form to request an appointment
• Talk to your HG teacher or Year Level Coordinator about a referral
• Email your year level Guidance Officer directly (as seen below and on the school’s website)
• Visit Connections (WH Building) before school or during AM or PM breaks to make an appointment

Betty

I have been training hard and visiting the school on Thursdays. I will officially begin work sooner rather than later, so please, continue to keep the rubbish at the school to a minimum, bin it for Betty!

Here are some photos of my last visit. I look forward to meeting you all.

Woof Woof, from Betty!

Please find below the contacts for Mental Health Services and Support.

Gayle Rausch, Guidance Officer Years 7, 9 & 11
Email: gsutc2@eq.edu.au

Nicole Trembath, Guidance Officer Years 8, 10 & 12
Email: ntrem1@eq.edu.au

SCHOOL NURSE

Vaping

Studies have shown that the number of young people vaping is increasing. Social media and tobacco companies are glamourising it to seem cool and fun and are thought to be contributing to this increase. Despite it being illegal in Australia to sell vape liquids with nicotine, this is still happening, and products can be bought from overseas companies on the internet which contain nicotine.

Health impacts of vaping

Vaping is unsafe and potentially dangerous. While the long-term health effects are unclear, we do know that vaping in the short-term has been associated with nausea, vomiting, mouth and airway irritation, chest pain and heart palpitations. There is a common misconception that vaping is merely harmless water vapour — in fact, it’s an aerosol made up of toxic particles.

These aerosols contain and emit many harmful compounds, including:

• Formaldehyde and acrolein, which can cause irreversible lung damage
• Propylene glycol, which is toxic to human cells
• Nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm the still-developing adolescent brain, particularly in areas that control attention, learning, mood and behavioural control.

These short videos contain some great information:

The Science of Vaping – Behind The News

What the History of Smoking Can Teach us About Vaping – Behind The News

Are you concerned about a young person who may be vaping? Having a conversation about it might feel tricky, but it’s always a good idea!

Talking about vaping with young people

Start with information: Get the key facts, learn the basics about vaping products , and think through what you want to say. Consider some questions you might be asked, and how you want to respond.

Approach it calmly

You might want to start the conversation when you’re doing an activity together, such as driving or preparing a meal. Keep things casual and relaxed. You might want to use something you saw in a TV show or on the news as a chance to bring up the issue.

Don’t make assumptions

If you think they may have tried vaping, avoid making accusations. Going through someone’s space looking for evidence isn’t recommended because it can undermine trust.

Avoid judging or lecturing

Listen to their point of view and keep it a two-way conversation. Being mindful to keep your body language and tone respectful can go a long way. If they have tried vaping, try asking questions like: ‘what made you want to try?’ and ‘how did it make you feel?’

Don’t exaggerate

Make sure you are honest with them about potential harms and avoid exaggerated statements.

Focus on health and explain your concerns

Focus on how you care about them and want them to be healthy. For example, if they are vaping nicotine, you can say that you are concerned about the evidence that this can affect adolescent brain development.

Energy drinks

Energy drinks are beverages that often contain high amounts of sugar, caffeine and other substances, which have stimulant effects such as guarana, taurine, and ginseng. They aim to increase alertness, stamina, physical performance, and concentration

What are the effects of caffeine?

The effects of caffeine are typically experienced within 30 minutes after drinking it and can last up to six hours, although it may be different for each person. The effects of caffeine can be immediate or long-term.

It is recommended that young people do not use caffeine but if they do, to not exceed more than 100mg a day and no more than 30g (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.

Some newer energy drinks can contain 200mg caffeine per bottle. This is the same as 3 cups of coffee!

High levels of caffeine are likely to cause issues with sleep. Throughout the day, as we use energy, our bodies produce a chemical called adenosine. And that's a sleepy chemical. But what caffeine does is it blocks that sleepy chemical. Now that's a real issue for young people because deep sleep is when the body repairs and when growth occurs. A lack of sleep can lead to irritability, issues with attention, focus and memory, as well as physical health issues.

Does coffee really give you more energy? | Queensland Health

Caffeine & Energy Drinks: Factsheet - Positive Choices

Prime Energy Drink - Behind The News

Nurse Sarah is at school on Mondays and Tuesdays and is here to offer advice and support.

Sarah Kelly, School Nurse
Email: nurse.centenary@health.qld.gov.au

INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

Cert II in Access Technology

A small number of Year 12 students are working towards the completion of their Cert II in Access Technology, with specialist teacher Ms Leah Perry as their trainer and assessor for the subject. The course involves using digital technology to promote independence in life skills such as travel to work, coordinating social activities or finding a place to live.

Supervised lunchtime programs

Our supervised lunchtime activities have gained in popularity throughout the term. We continue to have Drop in and Learn (DIAL) for students to work on their homework and assessment tasks and receive support from classroom teacher aides. There DIAL rooms are GS34 and GS35 (depending on student numbers).

Games Club operates each day in GS06 and GS07 for all students to engage in Nintendo Switch games and connect with other students.

As the term comes to a close, we would like to thank all the teachers and teacher aides that have supported these activities throughout the term.

Homework Hub operates twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00pm – 4:00pm in the Resource Centre from Weeks 2 – 9. Several dozen students from Years 7 – 12 have been assisted by classroom teacher aides and teachers to complete assessment and homework. Homework Hub will return for Term 2 in Week 2.

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

SPORTS DIRECTOR

Met West/Northern District representative pathway

Centenary SHS has had amazing success in the representative sporting pathway! 109 students recently trialled for a Northern District team. Out of these 109 students, 71 students have been selected in a Northern District team. It is fantastic to see so many students from Centenary SHS accessing this pathway.

Northern District swimming and Met West selection

16 students represented Centenary SHS at the Northern District swimming trials, with 7 students successfully gaining selection into the Met West team.

The following students represented the Northern District at the Regional Trial and have been successful in earning a place in the Met West swimming team to compete at the State Championships later in the year. Congratulations to:

• Mary
• Jackson
• Raphael
• Liam
• Isaac
• Neve
• Isabelle

Northern District sports trials

A reminder that all information regarding district trials from 10 – 19 years is advertised through the Student Notices. Dates are also on the sports calendar that has been emailed to parents/carers and can be found on the school website too. To attend the trials, students must collect paperwork from Mrs Nasalio in Staffroom 4. The majority of the trials are held in Terms 1 and 2, so if your student specialises in a sport and would like the opportunity to represent their district, Met West, Queensland, and even Australia, then this is the pathway they must take!

We have already had a large number of students that have been selected to represent the Northern District Eagles at the Regional Trials.

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent Northern District Eagles in their chosen sport:

13 – 15 Years Girls AFL

Rihanna
Bella-Rose
Sophie
Lila

13 – 15 Years Girls Touch Football

Aria
Milan

13 – 15 Years Boys Touch Football

Isaac
Cezahn
Rico
Carter
Long
Raiden
Ellie

16 – 18 Years Girls Touch Football

Alyssa
Teelah
Isabella
Kya

16 – 18 Years Boys Touch Football

Jacob
Daniel
Kealan

16 – 18 Years Girls Cricket

Ashleigh

14 – 15 and 16 – 18 Years Boys Rugby League

Tyson
Ryder
Reily
Myles
Andrew
Angus
Roman
Ryder
Lopeti

16 – 18 Girls Football

Sophia
Kyra
Charlotte

13 – 15 Girls Netball

Tereneah

16 – 18 Girls Netball

Kayla
Kya

13 – 19 Years Boys Hockey

Ronan
Kasper

14 – 15 Girls Rugby 7s

Ella

12 – 15 Girls Volleyball

Maya
Ava

16 – 18 Girls Volleyball

Maya
Ava
Jess
Jasmine
Sara
Elisa

13 – 16 Girls Basketball

Tayla
Rihanna

16 – 18 Years Girls Basketball

Sara

Congratulations to Rihanna on being selected into the 14 – 15 Years Girls Met West AFL and the Met West Basketball teams to compete later in the year at the State Championships.

Congratulations to Sara for being selected onto the 16 – 18 Years Girls Met West Basketball team to compete later in the year at the State Championships.

Congratulations to Tereneah for being selected onto the 14 – 15 Years Girls Met West AFL team to compete later in the year at the State Championships.

Touch Football Queensland Youth Academy

Recently, four students from Centenary SHS were selected in the Touch Football Queensland Youth Academy, representing the Brisbane Broncos. As part of the Academy, students attended a three-day camp with other young elite players from across the state.

Throughout the camp, students undertook many elite level drills, engaged in fitness testing and team building, as well as sports psychology and nutrition sessions. The players then competed against teams of the North Queensland Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans.

This is a huge achievement and one that the Centenary SHS community is proud to acknowledge.

Cross Country/ C O L O U R R U N

There are two levels of participation:

1. Age championship race for competitive runners (must nominate prior to the event)
2. Colour Run for ALL other students (permission required)

Age Championship Races – Lessons 2 and 3

Competitive runners must complete the nomination survey sent to their email by Mr Gibbs by Friday March 24th, 2023. Students who have nominated for the competitive age championship races will move directly to the Oval at the beginning of Lesson 2 to prepare for their race. They will remain on the oval until the end of Lesson 3, where a presentation will occur at the conclusion.

Colour Run – Lesson 4

All students will participate in a Fun Run, where they will walk or jog the 2km course and if permission is gained, participate in a Colour Run across the last 400m on the oval. There is no cost attached to this event, however, students must bring a white shirt and get changed at PM break, prior to the Colour Run. To ensure there is enough time for the entire school to participate in this event, Lesson 3 will be shortened by 15 minutes and Lesson 4 will commence earlier, at 1:35pm.

At all other times of the day, when not participating, students must attend their normal timetabled classes.

Families are more than welcome to join us at school to support their student/s while they compete. Should you have any questions, please contact us.

The top six runners will receive paperwork inviting them to represent Centenary SHS at the upcoming District Cross Country Trials in Term 2. The paperwork must be completed and returned on the first day back after holidays, or an email sent to formally withdraw.

Please contact Mrs Tamara Nasalio via email tnasa1@eq.edu.au if you would like to discuss any issues in relation to Northern District or Representative sport. If you have questions regarding school sport, please contact Mr James Garrard via email jgarr57@eq.edu.au . 

Please check the calendar for all trial dates.

Yours in sport,

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

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

STUDENT FORUM

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day was a huge success! Roses, chocolates, cards and lolly bags were delivered to students during HG. Serenades were delivered by some of our Arts students during Lesson 3. The students had a wonderful day and raised over $800.00 for the Heart Foundation!

Student Leadership Day

Student Leadership Day was on Tuesday February 21st. Our student leaders underwent Leadership Training with yLead to get to know each other and work on teamwork skills. The students then collaborated and determined what the common themes were throughout each year level. The top 3 things that students want to work towards this year were (1) community engagement, (2) mixing year levels and (3) sporting opportunities.

Share the Dignity vending machine

The Share the Dignity vending machine is officially up and running in the Resource Centre. Last year, a group of our Student Forum students worked on the proposal to Share the Dignity for this vending machine – and now it is finally a reality! A group of our senior leaders in Years 10 – 12 are checking the machine daily to ensure that students are always able to access sanitary products, should they need them. Well done to these students for continuing a project that last year’s forum worked very hard to get!

Harmony Day bake sale

The Harmony Day bake sale was on Wednesday March 15th. The stall ran through both AM and PM breaks. The students did a great job of setting up the stall and setting up music to add to the good times at the CPAC Canteen.

The baked goods sold were kindly donated by our Student Forum leaders, and 5 of these students are receiving canteen vouchers for outstanding baking skills!

The stall was a sell out and we raised over $1000.00 for the earthquake relief in Turkey/Syria. A big well done to all of the students that participated!

Brain Awareness Week

Week 8 brought us Brain Awareness Week! The Student Forum helped by creating a video to be shown on assembly, and then placing riddles for HG every morning in the notices. Have a go at the riddles yourself!

• How can you take two from five and have four left? [removing F and E leaves IV, roman numerals for four]
• Lose me once I'll come back stronger, lose me twice I'll leave forever. What am I? [a tooth]
• The maker doesn't want it, the buyer doesn't use it, and the user has no idea he's using it. What is it? [a coffin]
• Say my name, and I cease to exist. What am I? [silence]
• Forwards it’s heavy, backwards it’s not. What is it? [ton]

Friends with Dignity project

Friends with Dignity aims to give household items to refugees and crisis centres in our community. Until the end of term, students are able to donate kitchen and laundry resources to the “Friends with Dignity” project that the Student Forum are currently running. Drop off points will be in the Resource Centre and the Administration Building. This project will run until the end of the term.

iPS Alliance Student Leadership Conference

Our School Captains attended the Independent Public Schools (IPS) Alliance Student Leadership Day on Monday March 20th at QUT Kelvin Grove. Students had the opportunity to build their leadership skills and network with leaders from other schools in similar positions. The captains enjoyed attending the day, getting ideas from others and developing more plans for community engagement!

Marney O’Dea, Student Forum Coordinator
Email: modea9@eq.edu.au

eLEARNING

QParents milestone

We have some exciting news to share with you: 1000 Centenary SHS families now have access to QParents!

QParents is a secure, online portal that has been created by the Department of Education to provide parents and carers of Queensland state school students with 24-hour access to their student’s information.

What is QParents?

QParents is a mobile phone app and website that allows you to view and manage your student's school information, anytime, anywhere. With QParents, you can:

• Explain absences
• Complete permission forms
• Check timetables, assessment planners and events
• Access and download report cards
• Pay invoices and access payment history
• And more!

QParents is designed to help you stay informed and involved in your student's education. You can also communicate with the school through QParents and receive important notifications and reminders.

How can I join QParents?

If you are a parent or carer of a Queensland state school student, you are eligible to join QParents. You should have received an email invitation from your student's school with a unique code and instructions on how to register. If you haven't received an email invitation or have misplaced it, please contact technology@eq.edu.au to request a new one.

To register for QParents, you will need:

• Your invitation email
• 100 points of ID
• A device with internet access

Once you have registered, you will be able to log into QParents using your email address and password. You can also download the QParents app on your smartphone or tablet for easy access.

We are thrilled that 1000 families have joined QParents and are enjoying its benefits. We hope that you will join them soon and experience the convenience and peace of mind that QParents offers.

If you have any questions or feedback about QParents, please feel free to contact us at technology@eq.edu.au

Thank you for your support and interest in QParents!

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

JUNIOR SECONDARY

Character Strengths and curriculum

Recently, in Mr Joliffe’s class, Year 7 students have been exploring and gaining valuable insight into their many wonderful PERMAH character strengths. The core character strengths of each student provides an incredibly important insight, not only for teachers and parents/carers, but most importantly for the students themselves. Too often do we hear defeatist and negative comments from students about themselves. It is important that our students are aware of their strengths, especially as we refer to them in our conversations (wellbeing or restorative) we are having with them. By being aware of, and being able to actually SEE their character strengths, students gain an immense amount of positive benefits, not only for their classroom content and work, but for their everyday lives. An example of implementing and engaging students with these character strengths in class can be seen with the Year 7 English unit around narratives as students create their own central characters for their story. Students are encouraged to apply some of these characters strengths as a way of developing and highlighting their character’s strengths and abilities; better allowing the reader and audience to connect with and find meaning with those characters. Year 7 students have observably enjoyed these tasks and can now focus on sharpening strong traits, as well as possibly aiming to improve some lower scoring character strengths for the future.

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

POSITIVE EDUCATION

Let’s dive into one of our Character Strengths, Gratitude, to see how it can enhance a person’s wellbeing:

Gratitude

Focusing on the good and expressing gratitude (one of the positive emotions) is known to increase feelings of happiness. There have been many studies on the effects of gratitude, and they confirm a myriad of benefits. Firstly, gratitude helps us to feel more open, creative, and energised. Feeling grateful has been linked to physical health benefits such as lower blood pressure and stronger immune system functioning. Additionally, because gratitude involves recognising other people for their kindness, feeling and expressing gratitude can help strengthen relationships (GGSC, 2021).

Did you know that grateful people sleep better? Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer (Psychology Today, 2023). Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and wellbeing. His research confirms that gratitude effectively reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret and over time, can reduce depression (Emmons, 2020).

Try this at home:

• In the morning, ask your student to reflect on something good that happened the day before.
• Encourage your student to write a note of gratitude to someone, or send a gratitude text message!
• Subtracting the good things: reflect on one good thing that happened during the week and consider what life would be like if this did not happen.
• Encourage your student to spot the good in others.

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

TEACHING & LEARNING

At Centenary SHS, we utilise Marzano's ‘New Art and Science of Teaching’ as our pedagogical framework. It provides teachers with an evidence base for the selection of high-yield teaching and learning strategies. Our pedagogical framework is implemented in every classroom, every day. Essential parts of this framework are learning goals and success criteria. Learning goals are descriptions of what learners should know, understand and be able to do. Success criteria are the measures used to determine whether, and how well, learners have met the learning goals. Success criteria also allows students to track their own progress and to clearly identify what they need to do to progress to the goal. Learning goals and success criteria help all learners reach their full potential at Centenary SHS!

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

FACULTIES

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

This year in the Applied Technologies Department, we have moved away from our brief 5-week subjects with the Years 7 and 8 students. This has allowed the students more time to really dive deep into technologies, with a focus on woodwork this term. Students conducted some research and then got to work with materials in a practical workshop. As you can see, the students have had a marvellous time, especially in getting to customise their storage boxes once they were complete!

In Week 8, the Year 12 Hospitality students ran a breakfast cafe for school staff. This counted towards a major piece of assessment which the students spent a great deal of this term preparing for. The students really enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the event, and conducted themselves professionally. The feedback from the students and staff was extremely positive, with many staff requesting another event soon!

Torston Reichert, Applied Technology HOD
Email: tcrei0@eq.edu.au

ARTS

This is the final newsletter for Term 1, how fast has it gone?! We are eagerly awaiting the confirmed results of our Year 12 IA1 assessment, and we look forward to sharing the many highlights, including 100% results when announced next term. As I write this, the Year 11 students are submitting their first assessment items for Year 11. It’s important to note the process in Years 11 and 12 – without an AARA, staff cannot accept assessment that is not submitted by the due date and time. Handing in a completed, quality draft to receive teacher feedback is essential for success, and meeting timelines is an absolute necessity. If your student needs support to complete their assessment, they can contact the relevant Deputy Principal for assistance. An AARA must be received prior to the submission due date and the QCAA provides strict criteria for the approval of an AARA. Please get in touch if I can support your student to do their very best in their assessment. Best of luck to all students in Years 7 – 10 who are completing the end of their first unit and submitting assessment. Years 7 and 8 students will rotate to a new Arts subject for the commencement of Term 2. Happy and safe holidays to you all!

Student success

Creative Generation State Schools Onstage (CGEN) gives students the opportunity to be involved in a professionally-produced, award-winning arena spectacular. It is nationally renowned for its outstanding and vibrant display of state school talent, and in 2023, one of Centenary SHS’s best will star as a Senior Featured Dance member – WOW! Year 12 student and Arts Captain Holly will feature in SEVEN dances in the show, ranging from musical theatre, to jazz and tap. Holly is also auditioning for the Drama category next month – what a superstar! Congratulations Holly, we can’t wait to see you on stage (and on TV)!

Classroom news

Our Year 11 Art and Year 11 Visual Art in Practice students visited the Gallery of Modern Art and the Queensland Art Gallery to commence their year of learning by viewing and engaging with artworks. Students observed and interacted with a variety of quality and thought-provoking artworks from both contemporary and traditional time periods. Year 11 students will now analyse artworks and use their knowledge to create their own artworks. Ms Duschka, Ms Hanby and Ms Milford are looking forward to facilitating student collaboration and making after their inspiring excursion into the cultural precinct.

Students who study in The Arts are given the opportunity to work with professional Artists in Residence each year, complementing our curriculum. In Term 1, the Year 11 Dance and Dance in Practice classes have been working with choreographer Caitlin Rowland. Together, they have learnt the choreography and intricacies of Hip Hop, to complete their first assessment task. Rachel Dowse from RAW Dance has been here this term to work with the Year 7 Performance Plus class, choreographing “I’m A Believer” from Shrek, for their end of semester showcase. Next term, we welcome Artists in Residence for Year 8 Music Plus, Year 9 Performance Plus and Year 8 Performance Plus.

Extra-curricular news

The Arts Captains have started the year strongly, with many events hosted already in Term 1. They most recently hosted a music games session during a lunch break for our Year 7 students, prior to NAPLAN. Some epic games of musical chairs, skipping, sing-alongs and dancing was a great way to spend time together, enacting the R (RELATIONSHIPS) in our PERMAH framework. A huge thank you to Bernie, our school chaplain, Ashleigh Constantine (a Centenary SHS foundation student), representing the Uncommon Community and the Kenmore Uniting Church for their kind food and drink donations. It was a great surprise for our Year 7 students and thoroughly enjoyed by all!

Their major event of the year, is the annual Centenary’s Got Talent. This year we are holding it earlier in the year to avoid clashing with assessment, and the heats have taken place over Weeks 9 and 10 of Term 1. There are over 35 acts, with more than 50 students hitting the stage over the two weeks, with the final acts to be announced at the end of term. The grand finale will be held in Week 2 of Term 2, with a gold coin donation for audience entry. That money, along with money donated by the Arts Subcommittee of the P&C, means there is a great cash prize available to the winners!

Instrumental Music news

Our Years 7 and 8 Instrumental Music students returned from camp to perform for a full house in CPAC at the post-camp concert. A huge thank you to our wonderful staff – Ms Fuhrmann, Ms Harvey, Mr Hoey, Mr Lougheed and Mr Johnstone for their organisation, their extra time and expert music tuition at the camp, and they’re about to back it up again, with the second camp commencing on day one of Term 2.

Camp 1 – by Ms Fuhrmann, Cultural Coordinator:

In Week 6 of Term 1, 92 students from Years 7 – 9 travelled to QCCC Brookfield to participate in three days of intensive rehearsals for our first Instrumental Music Camp of 2023. Concert Band and String Ensemble rehearsed new repertoire and prepared for many upcoming performances for the year, including our mid-year concert in June.

While at camp, students were engaged in full ensemble rehearsals, as well as some smaller practice sessions. While learning new material, Ms Harvey and Mr Hoey encouraged their ensembles to find unity by developing their listening skills and adding expression and articulation into their performances. To break up the hard work, students bonded over a Trivia Challenge on the first evening, and then relaxed while watching a movie on the second night!

The week concluded with a performance for families back at CPAC after returning from Brookfield. Both ensembles sounded wonderful after three long days of rehearsing! They brought out the best of their new repertoire, even teasing the audience with some samples of our June concert!

After plenty of reports already of how much students yet again “loved camp”, “had the best time” and “wish we were still there”, I would like to extend a very big thank you to our Instrumental Music teachers: Ms Harvey, Mr Hoey, Mr Lougheed and Mr Johnstone for all giving up extra time to run yet another successful camp. Thanks also to Ms Sleeman for dropping in to save us from our missing supplies, and to Mr Watkins for visiting to support our musicians during our stay.

Camp 2 for students in Years 9 – 12 (Symphonic Band, Stage Band, String Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble) commences on day one of Term 2.

Please find an updated version of the Date Claimer for Term 2. * Please note the date has changed and is now confirmed for the Stage Band at the BJC Youth Big Band Festival. *

Centenary State High School Cultural Date Claimer 2023

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

ENGLISH

With Term 1 nearing its end, students in every year level have completed at least one assessment piece and have received feedback from their teachers. It is very important that all students consult with their teachers and make goals to improve throughout the year.

21st century skills

The philosopher, Descartes, famously said “I think, therefore I am”. However, with the pressures placed on us every day by both mainstream and social media, how do we truly know what to think? In English we teach our students to be critical thinkers, building important skills to cope in the challenging 21st century world. When we read items in the news and, more particularly, in social media, we should question and analyse what we are reading. We should ask ourselves questions like:

• Why has this been written?
• Who stands to gain?
• How does the author want me (the reader) to respond or react?
• What attitudes, values and beliefs are underpinning this text?
• How are my opinions being manipulated?

We should never just accept what we read: learning how to actively participate in and question texts helps us to separate the real from the fake. The best learners are thinkers.

Public Speaking and Debating update from Ms Kelly (Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator)

Our Public Speaking and Debating programs are off to a roaring start this year!

Earlier in the term, three of our School Captains, Brady, Sienna and Georgia, competed in the Lions Youth of the Year Jindalee Club Final. This challenging competition required competitors to undergo a 30-minute interview where they were quizzed on current events and international issues. The interviews were followed by the public speaking component, in which they each delivered a prepared speech and two impromptu speeches for a live audience. All three competitors delivered exceptional speeches, however it was Brady that emerged triumphant, taking the victory as Jindalee Club Winner. Brady went on to compete in the Regional Finals, and while he didn’t get the win, he received glowing feedback from the judges.

In Week 6 of the term, eight of our dedicated public speaking students attended the South East Queensland Secondary Schools Public Speaking Workshop, presented by the English-Speaking Union. Students engaged in practical workshops, focusing on speech writing, vocal skills, persuasion and impromptu speaking. Each student demonstrated bravery and resilience, as they were challenged to step outside their comfort zones and hone their public speaking skills.

This year we have six teams and a record number of students entered into the Queensland Debating Union competition. Our teams have had a very successful start to the competition. Mrs Poder’s Year 7 team competed in their very first debate, and while they narrowly missed the win, they demonstrated teamwork, persistence and plenty of zest.

Mr Johnsen’s Year 8 team and Miss Salmon’s Year 11 team have now competed in their first round of the competition, both taking the victory in their respective debates! Mr Joliffe’s Year 10 team, Miss Kelly’s Year 10 team and Miss Gummow’s Year 12 team are off to a smashing start, all emerging victorious in their first and second round debates. We wish all teams good luck as they head into the next round of the competition.

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

SCIENCE

Our classrooms and laboratories have been a hive of activity this term, with students across Years 7 – 12 engaging in scientific investigations and discussions.

In Year 7, we have been studying Chemistry and learning how to work safely in a laboratory. Our students have now received their Bunsen burner licences and have been completing many experiments with them. Our Year 8 students have also been engaged in Chemistry and learning about particles, atoms and the Periodic Table. In Year 9, we have been studying Physics and investigating energy transfer and insulation.

In senior, our Year 12 students have been working hard on their second Internal Assessment item across our General Sciences. Year 10 students have been engaged both core studies and elective subjects, learning valuable skills to prepare them for Years 11 and 12. Earlier in the term, our Year 11 Science in Practice students attended an excursion to Wivenhoe Dam and engaged in valuable experiences of water quality testing.

Year 12 Science in Practice students visited the Queensland Police Museum at Queensland Police Headquarters as part of their forensic science unit. They took part in the deconstruction of a true crime scene.

In very exciting news, nine of our Year 11 Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology students have been selected to represent the school as UQ Science Ambassadors! These students will be sharing their enthusiasm and passion for science across the school, by organising experiments, challenges and events for students to participate in. They will also be lending a helping hand to our junior students at Homework Hub at times throughout the year.

Year 12 Chemistry students collecting data

Year 9 Science students observing sound waves pass through a Rubens Tube to the tune of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody!

Coming up…

• We are pleased to announce that our Science Faculty will be hosting two science competitions this year: The Big Science Competition, open to Years 7 – 10 students and the International Chemistry Quiz, open to all students in Years 7 – 12. Permission notes with details will be emailed out shortly.
• Year 9 students will be attending an excursion to Nudgee Beach to study ecosystems in Term 2. A permission note with details will be emailed out soon.

Thank you to all our dedicated teachers for sharing their enthusiasm and passion for science with their classes throughout the term.

Elizabeth Nicolson, Science HOD
Email: enico12@eq.edu.au

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 12 Report

The Year 12 students have been doing a fantastic job, in what has been a busy but enjoyable start to their final year. A big congratulations to the efforts of all Year 12 students during Exam Block. The feedback was very positive, and our students, by all reports, conducted themselves extremely well and in a professional manner.

On Friday March 31st, we have our Cross Country. I would like to say well done to our House Captains for their efforts in making this carnival extra special, by working hard to implement the Colour Run. Congratulations must also go to our Arts Captains for their excellent work organising Centenary’s Got Talent.

As we draw closer to the end of the term, more information regarding formal, mystery tour and the “100 Days Celebration” will be released. These are the big-ticket items which we are all looking forward to this year.

Our HG focus last week was on “self-control” and “willpower”. These are important concepts to understand and focus on, and the students brainstormed and discussed opportunities to exercise these traits in their lives, as well as completing some challenges in HG, using self-control and willpower.

Three weeks ago, we participated in a talk from RACQ, centred around safe-driving and empowering students with knowledge around making appropriate decisions behind the wheel. It was good to see the engagement from students during this process and the feedback was positive. Please could I ask that all students continue to complete and submit the “Student Driver Registration” form, when they begin driving to school? This can be found on the school’s website or can be collected from the Administration Building.

Finally, I would like to wish all Year 12 families a safe and happy Easter break. Seeing how hard the students have been working is a reminder of how important it is to step back and take a break.

Will McKenna, Year 12 Coordinator
Email: wjmck0@eq.edu.au

Year 11 Report

As the first term of the year draws to a close, I’d like to congratulate our Year 11 cohort on successfully completing their first round of assessments in the recent Exam Block! It is no small feat to manage the academic demands of Year 11, in amongst balancing extracurricular activities and a social life, so well done to all our students!

Over the past few weeks, we have taken some time in extended Home Group sessions to connect with ourselves and others, in showing a tangible web of connectedness. We have explored our values, strengths and passions to help us find purpose in our studies and beyond. We’ve also had some important conversations about respect, both for ourselves and for others.

YA11B building a web of connectedness, showing how everyone is connected to everyone else.

In addition to these sessions, we were lucky enough to have a visit from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) to educate our cohort on safe driving practices. With many of our students at, or soon approaching, the age where they can apply for their driver's license, it is important to develop and encourage good habits early on to ensure everyone’s safety on the road.

As we move forward into the rest of the academic year, I encourage all students to continue the great work they’ve been doing, but also to seek support when needed, and prioritise their well-being. As always, the Year 11 HG Team, Deputy Principal Angela Raven and myself are here to support you and help you reach your full potential.

Once again, congratulations to all our Year 11 students on a job well done. Enjoy the holidays, and looking forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for Term 2!

Warren Hawkins, Year 11 Coordinator
Email: wjhaw0@eq.edu.au

Year 10 Report

As we come to the end of Term 1, it is a great time to reflect on how we have grown as a year level over our first 10 weeks as seniors.

In our HG lessons, we engaged in a number of challenging and engaging topics in the PEEC curriculum, including Grit and Perseverance, Motivation, Procrastination, the Benefits of Flow, and Myths and Facts Around Drug and Alcohol Use. Through this range of topics, the students participated in varied activities, exercises and talks to build positive emotions, develop greater engagement in the work they do at school and at home, and be a better and healthier version of themselves. And along the way have a bit of fun, such as building some Pipe Cleaner Monsters!

There have been some fantastic student achievements over the past few weeks, including Charli our representative at the Lord Mayor’s Youth Council attending her first meeting, as well as Isabella and Kealan playing at the National Touch Football League in Coffs Harbour. Thank you to Charli and Isabella for their reports below.

National Touch League – by Year 10 student Isabella

In December 2022, I trialled for the Under 20's Women Brisbane Cobras team, to compete at the National Touch League in Coffs Harbour. As it was an Under 20's team and I was trialling against older women, I wasn't expecting a position in the team. In the New Year, I got the news that I had made the team! Full of excitement and shock, I started my own fitness training and preparation for the tournament. When selected for the team, I was also informed the team would be staying together at the same accommodation, and because we are an adult team, we each would be staying in our own hotel room. As I am still 15 and clearly not yet an adult, I had to take on an enormous amount of independence and responsibility, including, preparing my meals for the 5 days we were there, waking myself up, washing my clothes and most importantly, not losing my hotel room keys. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have the chance to play with and against some of the best players from all across the nation. My team ended up losing the grand finale, finishing as runners-up. We were proud of our efforts and we had an amazing tournament to get to that position by winning 9 out of 11 games throughout the tournament’s entirety. I will definitely be trialling again next year as the touch football, independence, responsibility and social aspect was a wonderful encounter. I did have to study extremely hard and catch up the week before I drove down to Coffs Harbour, as I was missing 4 days of school. However, all 6 of my teachers supported and congratulated me through my journey and helped me survive my assessment period.

Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council – by Year 10 student Charli

Being chosen for this program was such an honor! With the introduction program two weeks before our actual meeting at City Hall, I was buzzing with nerves. Being the only person from Centenary SHS, I was a little scared I wasn’t going to make any friends, but I can happily say I left that meeting with a newfound excitement to see them all again. During the first meeting, there was a lot of discussion about public transport and how we could improve it to make them safer and easier to use. As well as this, I had the absolute joy in meeting Angela Owen, Councillor for the Calamvale Ward, and was privileged to listen to her speak about new projects. Unfortunately, the Lord Mayor was unable to attend that meeting due to business he had to attend, but we will catch him next time (hopefully). I have no idea how to express my gratitude to its full extent, but I guess I could start with a massive thank you to all the teachers who put my name forward, as well as a massive thank-you to the amazing team at LMYAC for making the experience unforgettable.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter break, with a very well-earned rest. If you are going away and are driving, please take extra care on the roads.

Mark Watkins, Year 10 Coordinator
Email: mwatk16@eq.edu.au

Year 9 Report

Year 9 students have been diving deep into the use of Character Strengths in everyday situations, as well as recognising and identifying Character Strengths in themselves and in one another. During a recent HG lesson, the whole cohort undertook a Character Strengths trivia challenge about identifying and recognising the Character Strengths that students and staff have as their signature strengths. Throughout the week leading up to this, a variety of staff and students were surveyed for their signature Character Strengths, with full knowledge that their data will be used in a whole cohort trivia challenge. The winners of the trivia challenge earnt points for their house (for the Year 9 House Cup competition).

This lesson brought about laughs and fostered connections between students and HG teachers. Many found relatable Character Strengths in others. For example, humour was found to be the most common signature Character Strength from all people surveyed. Students used teamwork and curiosity, and had a love of learning when undertaking the Character Strengths trivia challenge. This activity well and truly met our school’s moral purpose: To foster positive relationships so that all learners can flourish and feel a strong sense of belonging.

Zac Zammit, Year 9 Coordinator
Email: zzamm2@eq.edu.au

Year 8 Report

We hope this newsletter finds you well. We are pleased to share with you some highlights from our Year 8 cohort this term.

Our students have been busy engaging in group activities that have fostered teamwork and collaboration. One of the highlights was the tug-of-war challenge between home groups which brought out the competitive spirit in our students. It was great to see them work together, cheering each other on, and ultimately having fun. The tug of war was supported by the Year 12 House Captains and it was amazing to see them take charge and utilise their leadership skills.

Another activity that our Year 8 students have been involved in is tower building. This task requires patience, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Our students worked together in groups to design and build the tallest and strongest tower, learning to collaborate effectively to achieve a common goal. They also reflected on their successes and challenges as a team, fostering communication and teamwork skills that will serve them well in future group projects.

In addition to the fun and games, our Year 8 students have been developing important skills in the classroom. They have been focusing on practicing conflict resolution skills and learning the effect of positive encouragement on individual's confidence. These skills will be invaluable as they navigate relationships both in and outside of school.

We are proud of our Year 8 cohort for their hard work and dedication this term. They have shown great enthusiasm and effort in all their activities, and we are excited to see how they continue to grow and develop throughout the year.

As always, we encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. We value your input and support in helping our students succeed.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Mandy Kaur, Year 8 Coordinator
Email: mkaur51@eq.edu.au

Year 7 Report

As we approach the end of Term 1, our Year 7 students have smoothly transitioned into high school life. Our main PERMAH element of the first 4 weeks of this term has focused on the element of building Positive Relationships and Emotions. Choosing to focus on these PERMAH elements in the first weeks of Year 7 allow the students to develop meaningful relationships with both their peers and HG teachers. As these relationships evolve, students will find that they are more likely to experience positive emotions with the support and happiness that these relationships bring. This in turn will enable the students to come to school in a positive mindset ready to learn. In recent HG lessons, our Year 7 students have identified their Signature Character Strengths and identified goals on how they will use their strengths at school.

Our Year 10 mentors have been hard at work this term with their Year 7 classes. Each Friday, the mentors visit their HG classes and spend the time continuing to build their relationships with the Year 7 students. Our mentors have spent lunchtimes running activities, including karaoke and movie viewings, for our Year 7 students.

Preparation for our upcoming Year 7 Camp is currently underway and the excitement amongst the cohort is starting to build. Camp is always the biggest highlight in the Year 7 calendar. Year 7 Camp will run from Wednesday May 3rd to Friday May 5th.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy your Easter break.

Rachel Habermann, Year 7 Coordinator
Email: rhabe7@eq.edu.au

P&C

Our Annual General Meeting was conducted on March 15th. Tania Nelson and Karyn Lord were reappointed as President and Treasurer respectively. The P&C welcomes Luke Smith to the role of Secretary.

The timing of P&C meetings has changed to the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Given the second Wednesday in April falls within the school holidays, the next P&C meeting will be held on May 10th.

In Uniform Shop news, our current Uniform Shop convenor is leaving to pursue an exciting new career opportunity. We wish Mel all the very best and thank her for the commitment and dedication she has shown to the Uniform Shop over many years. Consequently, the search is on for a new Uniform Shop Convenor.

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