From the Principal s desk

Transcription

1 Corner Broadwater and Ham Roads Mansfield QLD 4122 Subscribe: 14 March 2017 From the Principal s desk Dear Parents/Caregivers, International Women s Day International Women s Day was celebrated at our school on Wednesday 8 March. This annual event is an important opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of all women. A very big thank you to Chloe and Andrew at Heln s European Cuisine for their kind donation of our beautiful breakfast for all female staff along with our Year 7 and Year 12 female students. We also appreciated the work, time and effort by a number of male staff and students who helped make the morning so successful. As I said to the beautiful women who attended: Today, we all stand tall because we are proud Mansfield State High School women. Let us continue the work and spirit of women before us who are fighting the good fight. Let us recognise, honour and celebrate the important and impressive achievements and successes of all women. Be proud of who you are. Believe in yourselves. We are women of courage and hope! International Women s Day by Adna Capin, School Captain On Wednesday 8 March, Mansfield State High School held the first of many breakfasts in celebration of International Women s info@mansfieldshs.eq.edu.au Phone: Fax: Day! Year 7 and 12 girls, along with female staff, gathered around tables of delicious food and drink to acknowledge the powerful mentors and future leaders of our school. Purple ribbons and inspiring quotes on cards were handed out at the door by senior, male students in addition to a special speech by Mrs Tanks to kick-start the morning. The giggles and grins on the girls faces were enough of a sign to say the breakfast was more than a success! A heartfelt thank-you goes out to Chloe and Andrew at Helen s European Cuisine for their generous donation of muffins and baked goods, which we could not have done without! The day would not have run as smoothly as it did without the help of all the male volunteers that served their peers and colleagues, as well as the hours of preparation put in by our dedicated staff, V@M and Amnesty helpers. As a result of their collective efforts, hundreds of girls left that morning feeling confident and inspired to take on the day. As stated by the World Bank Group in 2016, two-thirds of all countries have reached gender parity in primary school enrolment. Globally, however, 62 million girls between the ages of 6 and 15 are not in school, and girls continue to lag substantially behind boys in secondary school completion rates. Sixteen million girls between the ages 6 and 11 will never enter school compared to 8 million boys. It is perhaps most important to remember that International Women s Day is not only about supporting the women in our community but it is a reminder of the powerful change that can come about when everyone works together. We hope this becomes a tradition for the school and that it encourages us all to recognise the efforts of past and present women fighting for the rights we often take for granted. Exams I would like to wish all students the very best of luck as they prepare for their end of term assessment. Our Year 11 and 12 students begin their exams next week. Make sure you prepare

2 well and give it your very best never give up! Remember we are here to support you. Good Luck to all of you and I look forward to reading the results of your hard work. Improving our children s resilience The problems that our children face in their dayto-day lives appear trivial in contrast to what some people face, but to them they often become all-consuming. It is how they cope with these problems now that can form the basis of the character of the women and men they are to become. As parents it is natural that we wish to make that journey to adulthood as smooth and painless as possible. But are we doing them any favours, when our desire to protect our children may result in them never experiencing disappointment or even failure in their young lives? This could possibly result in them having to deal with far harsher realities when they are older, with no previous experience in dealing with letdowns. Sometimes they need to suffer the consequences of handing in an assignment late or forgetting their sports uniform, without mum or dad rushing to the rescue. Toddlers stumble and sometimes fall as they learn to walk, and so too do teenagers on their journey to adulthood. We need to be there on the sidelines ready to pick them up and dust them off when they fall, then point them in the right direction and cheer them on as they go. As tempting as it is, we cannot do the journey for them or even carry their load. This skill that we are teaching them (and us?) is called resilience. The definition of resilience according to Gilligan (2000) is a set of qualities that helps a person to withstand many of the negative effect of adversity. The more that we can build it up now, in the safe environment that is Mansfield State High School, the better for our students. Kristie Maclean, summarises some of the qualities associated with resilience which develop through children s life experience as follows: Good self-esteem derives from being accepted by people whose relationship one values and from accomplishment in tasks one values and from accomplishment in tasks one values. Praise, on its own, will not improve self-esteem; the child him or herself has also to ascribe value to the achievement. A belief of one s own self-efficacy means having the qualities of optimism, stickability and believing that one s own efforts can make a difference. Initiative is the ability and willingness to take action. Children and young people facing adversity are in a stronger position to deal with it if they are able to take the initiative in finding creative responses. Faith and morality can help the child to persist in problem solving or in surviving a set of challenging life circumstances. Autonomy means the ability to make decisions. Young people who are autonomous know that it is OK to make mistakes and that you can learn from mistakes. They take reasonably well calculated risks. Autonomous children and young people are Young people who have good insight into their own difficulties, including a realistic assessment of their own contribution and the contribution of others to those difficulties, are more likely to be resilient. Young people who are able to recognise benefits, as well as negative effects, from severe adversity are likely to be resilient. Insight helps people to take appropriate actions and make appropriate choices. Reference good at self-regulation they gain increasing control over their emotions and behaviour. Maclean, K. Resilience: What it is and how children and young people can be helped to develop it. Cyc-online, Issue 62 March Retrieved March The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolling out across Queensland using local government area boundaries. It will commence in the Ipswich area on Saturday 1 July. You can search by postcode to find out when the NDIS will roll out in your area. The first step to becoming an NDIS participant is completing an access request. People who receive disability support services through the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS) will be contacted by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to start this process. People who aren't receiving disability support services through DCCSDS may still be eligible to receive support through the NDIS. The NDIS access checklist is available online. If you think you or your child may be eligible you are encouraged to call the NDIA hotline on to start the access request process. Once an access request is submitted, you will be kept informed about its progress and the next steps in the process. Frequently asked questions about accessing the NDIS are now available. If you have any questions about the NDIS call For people with hearing or speech loss: TTY , Speak and listen For people who need help with English TIS Lost property A reminder to all parents and caregivers to ensure that all uniforms are labelled. At the moment we have a huge amount of lost property in the Lower Administration Office. Please encourage your child to come to the lower office if they have lost any part of their uniform or their lunch box and drink bottle. I hope you have a lovely week with your families. Mrs Karen Tanks, Executive Principal Deputy Principal News Year 11 and Year 12 Exam Block Exam block for Year 11 and Year 12 students will commence on MONDAY 20 AND FINISHES ON MONDAY 27. Monday 27 March will be a QCS practice exam for Year 12 students, who will sit the real QCS Test later in the year. On Monday 20 March and Thursday 23 March the whole school will be working a two session day with a break from 2

3 11.25am to 12.30pm each day, so students should ensure that they have a big healthy breakfast on these days. Conditions of study leave are on the permission sheet to be signed by the student and their parent. All Year 10,11, and 12 students MUST attend MAP on Wednesday 22 March (normal bell times), unless they have a medical certificate. All students must be at school for a normal programme until Friday 31 March. Year 7 to 12 Mid-Semester Reports The end of term one reports for Year 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 will display the student s achievement level, effort, behaviour and homework. In conjunction with the upcoming Parent/Teacher/Student nights in weeks 1 and 2 in Term 2, teachers will indicate on this report whether an interview is requested. Thursday 30 March Thursday 30 March Wednesday 19 April Term 2 Week 1 Friday 28 April Term 2 Week 2 Friday 28 April Term 2 Week 2 Wednesday 3 May Term 2 Week 3 Years 7, 8 and 9 Mid-semester reports issued in SDP Class Parent/Teacher/Student evening ONLINE bookings for Years 7, 8 and 9 open at 6pm (process to be advised) Parent/ Teacher/Student evening for Years 7, 8 and to 7.30pm by appointment Years 10, 11 and 12 Mid-semester reports issued in SDP Class Parent/Teacher/Student evening ONLINE bookings for Year 10, 11 and 12 open at 6pm (process to be advised) Parent/Teacher/Student evening for Years 10, 11 and to 7pm by appointment. Parent / Teacher / Student Nights Our Parent/ Teacher/ Student Night interviews will be held in C Block on the dates and at the times listed below. Parents are to make the bookings themselves by logging onto a site. Parents who have no access to a computer may come to our school to use a computer. The process will be explained in detail on the sheet that your student will receive on the same day, as when the student receives his/her mid-semester report. If you have any difficulties, please phone the school, so that we may assist you. It is vital that the timelines are adhered to. The evenings and times for the particular year levels are: Years 7, 8, and 9: Wednesday 19 April 3.30pm until 7.30pm Years 10, 11 and 12: Wednesday 3 May 3.30pm until 7pm Mrs Caitlin Anghel, Deputy Principal (Year 9 and 10) Business Services Manager News Thank you to all parents who have contacted me/provided extra information to access Q Parent. I would like to encourage you all to take up the invitation and have access to further forms of communication with the school regarding student absences/access to your child s timetable/ report cards and payment of invoices. It is great to see so many parents keen to make payment on their student accounts. Mrs Cross is completing the invoicing of 2017 students subject fees and will out a statement of account which will provide a total amount owing. We are happy for this to be paid by invoice or by instalment so that 2017 fees are paid by the end of Term 3. Parents of multiple students at the school or families experiencing financial hardship, payment plans can be arranged. Failure to pay fees or enter a payment arrangement by the required date may cause your student to be excluded from end of year extra-curricular activities and excursions. If you find any charges on this statement that are not clear to you, please accounts@mansfieldshs.eq.edu.au and we will get back to you with details. Also feel free to contact me by seber7@eq.edu.au if you require further information. Mrs Sandy Ebert, Business Services Manager Year Level News On Wednesday 1 March, the Year 8s gathered in the hall for our SDP lesson. The lesson was about surf life-saving, this session was conducted by Sarah Hesse from Surf Life Saving Queensland. We learnt that staying safe in the water is a very important thing to know about. From the statistics we understood that pools, beaches and rivers can be quite enjoyable but also can be a place for danger when we don t have enough information about swimming in bodies of water. Considering that the beach is an awesome place to go on a hot, summer day, there are some things to take note of in case you re in danger like, waving your hand in the air to alert lifeguards for assistance. Ways of avoiding these situations include looking out for the yellow and red flags, meaning swim in between these flags or the bright red flag meaning no swimming. So remember, having fun is one thing but safety is another! By Shradha Dhavali 8N Miss Angela Lanigan, Year 8 Coordinator Faculty News English Lions Youth of the Year It has been a great privilege, over the past couple of weeks, to see some of our students participate in the prestigious Lions Youth of the Year Quest. Rebekah Weaich (12P) presented a highly articulate speech at the Carina Lions Club. While competition was fierce and she didn t go through to the next 3

4 round, she certainly did Mansfield proud! Representing Mansfield at the Griffith University Lions Club were Stevie Hunter (12P), Isabella Scarpato (12P) and Ben Carew (12P). Their presentations were all of a very high calibre. Congratulations to Isabella Scarpato, who not only made it through to the Zone Final, but has also been selected to compete at the Regional Final. This is a fantastic effort Isabella and the Mansfield Community wishes you all the best for the next round! Literary Tour of England 2018 Expressions of Interest are now open for Year 10 and Year 11 to join us in England on our 2018 Literary Tour. This tour is a wonderful experience for students who have, or wish to develop, a deep love of literature. Experiences include: London sights tour and Tower of London, Oxford Pottering in Harry s Footsteps tour, Jane Austen s Bath, Shakespeare s Stratford, Robin Hood Nottingham tour, York, Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth s Lake District (including a workshop on the Romantic Poets), Harry Potter World, a Globe Theatre performance and a West End musical. Please see Mrs Vallis in G Block if you are interested. Be quick, as places are limited for this tour. Queensland Representative Ms Carissa Bladin, HOD (English) HPE Interschool Sport We play the following schools on these dates: Tuesday 14 March / Wednesday 15 March v- Mt Gravatt High (boys travel) Tuesday 21 March / Wednesday 22 March v- Cavendish Road High (boys travel) Tuesday 28 March / Wednesday 29 March v- Citipointe Christian College (girls travel) Tuesday 18 April / Wednesday 19 April v- Rochedale High (boys Travel). Australian Debut Ben Booth (10I) recently made his debut playing for the Australian Youth Volleyball Team who played against the Japan National Team at the AIS in Canberra. Well done Ben! A magnificent achievement by Jessica Ashworth (12A) for being selected in the Queensland Triathlon Team. Metropolitan East Representative Sport Congratulations to Matthew Cowan (12L), Damian Ong (10K) and Dylan Wilson (10B) who have been selected in the Metropolitan East Swim Team. Well done to Ben Booth (10I), Keaton Luck (9F), Brianna Mears (9F) and Kayla Mears (9F) who were selected in the Metropolitan East Volleyball Team. South District Sport Representatives Congratulations on the following students who have made South District teams to compete at Regional level: Rugby League Izaac Skyring (12F) AFL - Jarrod Green (8E), Reiley Hemsley (8Q), Josh Hendry (9G), Jayden Liu-Batista (9I), Kirk McGrory (10G) and Jayden Milne (8N) Football - Felicia Hill (11H), William Klaassen (12J) and Lachlan Profke (11I) 4

5 Hockey Boys Damian Rapisardi (9F) and Patrick Smeulders (9J). Beach Volleyball Schools Cup Congratulations to Brianna Mears (9F) and Kayla Mears (9F) for winning Gold in the Beach Volleyball Schools Cup. Madame Rousseau for starting this literary exchange. There are a lot of students who are yet to collect their letters and some French students who would like to start corresponding. Please come to the B13 Languages staff room. Mr Kerin Gordon, HOD (Languages) Learning and Performance NAPLAN Practice Test for 2017 Year 7 and Year 9 parents and students are reminded that the NAPLAN practice tests are being held in Week 10 of Term 1. Brianna Mears and Kayla Mears Also well done to Ben Booth (10I) and Keaton Luck (9F) for winning Bronze. Keaton Luck and Ben Booth Mr Craig Healey, HOD (Health and Physical Eduction) Mr Nick Kalpakidis, Sports Coordinator Languages Information stickers that explain required equipment and key dates should be glued in your child s Student Handbook. Ask to take a look at your child s Student Handbook. Mansfield parents can be confident that their students are very thoroughly prepared for the tests. Whilst general media reports suggest that students cannot pass or fail, it is important that parents and students take the tests seriously. The NAPLAN tests provide our students with a very valuable opportunity to prove what they actually know and can do. Enormous sets of data are generated by the four NAPLAN tests, but two of the most valuable sets of information are clear. Firstly, the tests show parents and students how far their son and/or daughter has progressed since their last test was completed. Secondly, NAPLAN data also helps teachers and schools to identify the strengths in the curriculum that is being taught and perhaps reveal areas where improvement may be required. Be assured, if you are a Mansfield student, your community expects you to always do your very best. It is for these reasons that all students at Mansfield High complete the practice NAPLAN tests in Week 10. As always, we remain quietly confident in the ability of our students and look forward to them always doing their very best. Resource Centre French students are reviving the art of letter writing thanks to the work of Madame Rousseau at Mansfield State School last year. The Year 6 students started writing to a group of students at College Montaigne outside Paris whose teacher is Australian, Erin Smith. Erin was a student at Wishart Primary school. She is an Archeologist who is working as a teacher at the moment. The package from France arrived recently and students from Mansfield Primary school, who are now at our high school have been eagerly collecting their mail and a 'Carembar', a French sweet. At the end of the term, the Year 7 students will have the opportunity to write back to their 'penpal' in French. We thank The Resource Centre continues to respond to the ebb and flow of our vibrant school community in 2017! WOW words and fabulous displays have made for a dynamic first term. Many hundreds of new students have been welcomed to our supportive space where butterflies burst from the pages of books and International Women's Day is highlighted. 5

6 Music Music Camp 1 A very successful Music Camp was held recently with all students busily rehearsing and displaying their talents in a fun-filled weekend at Alexandra Headlands. Please enjoy some photos from the weekend. Thank you to the wonderful Mansfield teaching staff for their incredible adaptability and creativity when teaching in the Resource Centre. A huge range of brand new novels and manga have just arrived and will be on the shelves shortly. We look forward to seeing you throughout Know Me Better A very stimulating program that improves relationships between teachers and students continues in The Know Me Better program aims to improve student achievement and overall positive experience of school by developing and strengthening relationships between students and teachers. The Know Me Better program is based on research conducted by John Hattie and Lyn Sharratt and relies on learnings from their seminal texts Visible Learning & Faces to the Data. Just over 120 students have been selected from across the Junior School to complete interviews and goal setting activities. Led by our Numeracy and Literacy Team Leaders, Mrs Barker, Mrs Semovskih, Ms Mawer and Miss Willoughby, the program shows early qualitative results that are very encouraging. Participant students report that they have: Improved their efforts on their class tasks Improved their focus in class Music Camp 2 Music Camp 2 forms have been distributed last week. Payment AND the completed forms are due back by Thursday 30 March. As places are limited, please attend to this as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Music in March Concerts This Thursday and Friday evenings sees the beginning of our 2017 Concert Series with the Music in March Concerts. Please check the Music Newsletter 2 (available on the school website) for a list of which ensembles are performing on each night. Concerts begin at 6.30pm and all students are expected to stay until the very end of the concert. Congratulations to past students Lauren Elvery and Daniel Elvery (School Captain 2016) who both were awarded A.Mus.A diplomas last week. (The AMusA is a diploma awarded by examination to outstanding candidates in the fields of musical performance and music theory by the Australian Music Examinations Board ). Fabulous work from two very talented Mansfield musicians! Carnegie Hall, New York here we come! Felt happier at a school Continued to develop a growth mindset - to continue to do even better. The Know Me Better program involves a range of activities including journaling, completing in-depth surveys and setting ismart personal goals which indicate deep information about their school work, their interests and their aspirations. Above all, the project is also a great opportunity for students to develop their powers of metacognition that is thinking about thinking a key to improved learning. Mr Mark Redhead, A/HOD (Learning and Performance) Three of our Mansfield music students, who are members of the Brisbane Regional Youth Orchestra (BRYO) Helena Burns (12P), Ben Carew (12P) and Vienna Johnson (10I) are heading off on the BRYO 2017 USA Performance Tour in the April school holidays. Major highlights of their tour are: Disneyland including attending a performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney 6

7 Concert Hall, visiting all the iconic landmarks of New York, an outdoor performance as part of the New York Music Festival, attending a workshop with renowned composer Johan de Meij famous for his Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings, seeing Aladdin: The Musical and the most amazing of all BRYO are performing at Carnegie Hall, New York. We wish them all the best for their tour and performances! Anzac Day on the Western Front In just a few short weeks the pictured Mansfield High students Tara Elvery (11Q), Libby Lynch (12A) and Ellie Minto (12A) will travel to France as part of the Anzac Day Commemoration Choir. Thirty-one Voices of Birralee choristers, aged between 16 and 18 years, are currently preparing to sing at two of Australia s most significant commemorative events alongside the Australian Army Band; the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, and the 100th Anniversary Service at The Digger Memorial, Bullecourt. Voices of Birralee s Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM said - These trips provide an incredible platform for growth both musically and personally, while also allowing us to discover more about Australia s involvement in WW1 and the sacrifices made. The Brisbane community will be able to witness the beautiful music produced by this choir at two concerts prior to their trip; at the Voices from the Trenches Concert at St Laurence s College on Saturday 18 March and at a Dedication Service and Concert at Brisbane Grammar School s Great Hall on Sunday 2 April. Tickets and information for these concerts will be available soon via We wish the girls well on their adventure. Mrs Kathrine Jacobsen, A/HOD (Music) Senior Schooling External Senior Exams Year 12 students wishing to apply to sit External Senior Examinations, particularly in the area of languages other than English, need to collect an information pack from outside F13, or complete the External Examination Agreement and return it to Ms Hixon. Students who sit for these exams usually have the results credited towards their OP. Students are eligible to sit a maximum of two examinations if they cannot study the subject/ s at school. Students must be able to demonstrate they are receiving an appropriate level of tuition in the examination subject. All examinations occur in October and November. Payments must be made at the lower office and the Registration Form must be returned to Ms Hixon by Friday 21 April. For more information download the Year 12 Student Guide or follow the link. TAFE TAFE Queensland and TAFE Skills Tech and a number of other TAFE institutions have now finalised their orientation process with most courses having already started. If your child is absent from his/her TAFE course, please contact the relevant TAFE to advise of your child s absenteeism on the day, as you would here at school. The school will also be contacted by the TAFE if a student is absent from his/her course. For those students who have taken up a placement in a course then decide that it is not their preferred pathway, please see Ms Hixon prior to withdrawing. It is extremely important that the school is notified once the student has withdrawn by khixo1@eq.edu.au or phone as this may impact on your child s ability to receive a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) at the end of Year 12. For students who have missed a place this year, the 2018 process will begin in September. Thank you to parents/caregivers for supporting your child in this exciting and new opportunity upon which they are embarking. Work Experience Mansfield State High School will offer Work Experience in 2017 to Year 10 to Year 12 students. Work Experience familiarises students with working conditions and employer expectations. In addition, it offers students the opportunity to sample a specific type of work, and also promotes personal and social development. The conditions of Work Experience for Mansfield State High School students are based on The Education (Work Experience) Act The Education Act stipulates students: are 14 years and over receive no payment in money or kind work 5 days during normal working hours for the industry are covered by Worker s Compensation, and employers are covered by an indemnity policy taken out by Education Queensland (refer to information attached). BLOCK 1 Easter School Holidays BLOCK 2 June/July School Holidays WORK EXPERIENCE BLOCKS Monday 3 April to Friday 7 April Monday 26 June to Friday 30 June RETURN OF FORMS DUE DATE CLOSED Friday 2 June 7

8 BLOCK 3 September School Holidays BLOCK 4 Christmas School Holidays WORK EXPERIENCE BLOCKS Monday 18 to Friday 22 September Monday 4 December to Friday 8 December RETURN OF FORMS DUE DATE Friday 25 August Friday 10 November If you would like to participate in the Mansfield SHS work experience program, please collect a Work Experience Information Pack from Mrs Burns (Student Engagement Officer) in F Block or download a pack from the school website. Vocationaleducation/Pages/SpecialistWorkExperience.aspx Australian Defence Force Work Experience Undergraduate Medicine and Health Science Admission Test UMAT is developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the UMAT Consortium universities. The test is used specifically to assist with the selection of students into the medicine, dentistry and health science degree programs at undergraduate level at the universities listed on this website. UMAT scores can be used for admission to any of the UMAT Consortium universities ONLY in the year following the test. Registrations open in early December, if you are interested in registering for this test click on the link below. MedEntry UMAT Preparation MedEntry is an accredited Registered Training Educational Institution providing UMAT preparation. Follow the link for more information or read the below brochure. Ms Kerri Hixon, A/HOD (Senior Schooling) Guidance News Tips for parents There are a number of upcoming Defence Work Experience Programs (DWEP) including Air Force, Army and the Women in Air Force - Flight Camp. Only a limited number of students are selected for these programs. Students participating in Defence Work Experience placements must be at least 15 years of age at the time of the placement. Eligible students need to submit applications to be considered. For more information and to submit applications, please go to the DWEP website: School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SATs) Each week I receive listings of available apprenticeships and traineeships. If your son / daughter is interested in a SAT, please encourage them to check the SAT noticeboard in F block each week and to regularly check their s. For more information, packages are available for parents and students from the school website or Ms Hixon in F13.PE What is UMAT? The latest Generation Next newsletter has an article on How parents can help students in the senior years of school written by Andrew Fuller. The article states that parents have a vital role in helping students to: Manage time Manage energy Manage stress Manage to get everything in at the right time and in the right place. parents-can-help-students-senior-years-school-2/ This sounds like a big ask! However, the body of the article does suggest strategies to help parents achieve their role. Topics include: Developing a system time management planning Dealing with meltdowns and catastrophic thinking What to do when the system breaks down or when your child won t listen to you How to deal with the build up to exams. 8

9 Finally, the article makes the point that Year 12 results aren t the end of the world. They don t determine a student s future success in life. Parents with a student in Year 11 or 12 may find this article of interest. Free app for apprenticeships and traineeships AusAppPathways is a free app that helps students explore their apprenticeship and traineeship pathway options. Users can access: General industry options as well as specific apprenticeships and traineeships Links to job hunting and career research sites Contacts for local Apprenticeship Network providers and Group Training Originations. AusAppPathways is available for both Apple and Android devices. A Guide to Using AusAppPathways can be found on the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways website. Website-Worksheets/Resources.aspx Year 11 and 12 students wanting to apply to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) If you are in Year 11 and considering applying for a place at ADFA, you are encouraged to commence your application when you are 16 years and 6 months of age. To start your application, call or apply online on the Defence Jobs website (click Apply now on the top right-hand corner of the home page). It is not too late for Year 12 students to apply but you need to start your application as soon as possible. Bootcamp-Brisbane-Apr2017 CSIRO Science Bootcamp in Brisbane Spend two days exploring materials, extra-planetary communication and space travel with CSIRO. Visit the CSIRO labs and testing facilities, meet and chat with research scientists from a variety of disciplines, analyse materials and see how they are used in aeronautics. This two-day non-residential camp for students currently in Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 will be held Wednesday 5 April and Thursday 6 April at CSIRO Coopers Plains, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains. Visit the CSIRO website for more information and to register. Updates from the University of Queensland (UQ) Prerequisites for Exercise and Nutrition Science Commencing in 2018, the prerequisites for entry into the B Exercise and Nutrition Science will be English, Maths A, B or C and one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Students who do not meet the perquisites could consider a bridging course. UMAT cut-offs for 2017 entry Sitting for UMAT is one of the prerequisites for the provisional entry medicine courses at UQ. Because entry is competitive, the UMAT result required can change from year to year. The UMAT aggregate score cut-offs for entry in 2017 were: 186:61 for Doctor of Medicine (MD) (Provisional Entry for School leavers) 181:60 for Doctor of Medicine (MD) (Provisional Entry for School leavers) (Bonded). The UMAT Section 1 score is used as a tie-breaker for applicants who have the same UMAT aggregate score. See the UQ website for more information. pathways-and-entry-requirements InspireU Business and Law camp The InspireU camps at the University of Queensland are for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The Business and Law camp is for students in Years 11 and 12. It will be held on Saturday April to Thursday 13 April. Students will meet young business and law students, participate in lectures, workshops, workplace visits and much more. To register your interest in the InspireU Business and Law camp please the InspireU team. Applications opening soon for the Tuckwell Scholarship If you are awarded a Tuckwell Scholarship you will receive $21,700 per year (2016 rate) for the length of your undergraduate degree studies at the Australian National 9

10 University (ANU) in Canberra. In addition, you will be in a group of motivated young people who want to use their abilities to make a difference in the world. The scholarship is unique in that it allows you to study a single or double undergraduate program, including honours and vertical degrees (degrees that combine undergraduate and graduate study, across a range of disciplines, completed in a reduced time-frame) in any discipline offered at ANU for up to five years. Find out about the study options available on the ANU website. The application consists of a three-stage process. Stage 1 applicants submit a written online application and nominate a teacher to provide a reference. Applications for Stage 1 open on Monday 6 March and close on Monday 27 March. Community News The Service Clubs Mobile Muster The selection panel is looking for bright students, but not necessarily those with OP1. They will be looking at applicant attributes, interests and achievements as well. Visit the scholarship site for information about the selection criteria and the application. If you have further questions, them to tuckwell@anu.edu.au. Latest news on health careers The My Health Career website contains many helpful resources, including: Subscription to monthly health industry news Over 120 videos with information across 10 health professions The Resources section includes pathways to becoming a health professional, university scholarships and summaries on health careers. Want to be a paramedic? Become a St John Ambulance cadet Young people between 11 and 18 years can apply to be a cadet. Activities include learning first aid, providing first aid services at public functions and competing in first aid competitions. For more information, visit the St John Ambulance website. Mrs Kamal Mistry (Ph ) Mrs Corinne Nielsen (Ph ) Mrs Jo Lawton (Ph ) Guidance Officers 10 Not sure what to do with the old phones cluttering up your kitchen draw? We can help! Just drop your old phone and accessories into the Mobile Muster collection box in the library. Mobile Muster is able to recycle 90% of the materials in mobile phones, batteries and chargers. This is such an easy way to help our environment. Thank you for your support! Earth Hour By Si Min Chung

11 In 2016, 120 million people from 172 countries took a collective stand against climate change, and switched off their lights for an hour. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) began a movement called Earth Hour to raise awareness about climate change in 2007 and this year, they are celebrating 10 years of progress. During Earth Hour, the energy saved is equivalent to taking 48,613 cars off the roads for an hour, or switching off 200,000 standard televisions for an hour. That represents a collective reduction of carbon emissions by 25000kg! Their campaign spread like wildfire and crowd funding has allowed WWF to take the following initiatives in: Uganda: The planting of half a million trees in order to protest the deforestation of ecosystems across the globe. Russia: Pushing a bill through congress with over 120,000 signatures, which focuses in on protecting the country s seas from oil pollution. Argentina: 3.4 million hectares of sea is being protected, raising the percentage of sea protection from 1 percent to 4 percent a huge leap for the country. Our actions on climate change now will shape the future for our children. Preserving the natural heritage of our planet is what Earth Hour is all about. Join the movement. On Saturday 25 March switch off your electricity from 8:30-9:30pm. Switch off to #JoinTheFuture. Earth Rocks! wider public. If you have a story to tell us, please Mrs Sue Holley sholl143@eq.edu.au. We just love to share the good news. Mrs Sue Holley, Community Liaison Officer Canteen The canteen now has a new menu with regular daily specials. We are now giving students in Years 7, 8 and 9 the opportunity to pre-order and pay for their lunch before school so they just need to collect it rather than wait in line. This system will eventually expand to include students in Years 10, 11 and 12. If you would like to volunteer your time in the canteen, please complete the Canteen Roster flyer and return it to the Upper Office asap. Thank you! The next P&C Meeting The next P&C meeting will be held on Thursday 23 March at 7pm in the F Block F4/5, next to the Hall. New members are always welcome. Skating Success Michelle Wang (11G left) and Diana Kearney (10E right) with team Iceskateers Elite, represented Australia in the Junior division of 14th Zagreb Snowflakes Trophy (Zagreb, Croatia) and 23rd Spring Cup (Milan, Italy) in February Iceskateers Elite came 4th in Zagreb and 5th in Milan. Well done Girls! Very proud of you! Student Achievements We love to hear all about the wonderful achievements of our students, whether they be sporting, musical, cultural, or service. We also like to share this news with our community and the 11

12 Canteen Roster PLEASE telephone the canteen directly on if you are unable to attend on your rostered day. Monday 13 Tuesday 14 Wednesday 15 Thursday 16 Friday 17 MONDAY 20 4/4 DAY TUESDAY 21 YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING 7.20AM HARMONY DAY YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK NAPLAN PRACTICE C BLOCK JUNIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 6 E Kam Maria L Polyakova S Rapisardi R Donaldson M Gunton Y Calligeros WEDNESDAY 22 YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK YEAR 8 RELIGION PER 1 SENIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 6 Monday 20 R Tucker S Bradshaw Monday 27 Tuesday 21 K Oliver Tuesday 28 Wednesday 22 H Smeulders Wednesday 29 Thursday 23 S Rapisardi Thursday 30 Friday 24 V Chau Maria Friday 31 THURSDAY 23 NAPLAN PRACTISE C BLOCK YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING 7.20AM PREFECT MEETING 1.10PM NAPLAN PRACTICE C BLOCK PREFECT MEETING 1.10PM SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING 5.45PM P&C MEETING 7PM S Phillips M Domingo (from 12pm) E Tan HELP NEEDED HELP NEEDED Mrs Debbie O Neill, Canteen Convenor Canteen Telephone: Ph Calendar of Events TUESDAY 14 WEDNESDAY 15 THURSDAY 16 FRIDAY 17 NEWSLETTER ON WEBSITE JUNIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 5 HELP NEEDED YEAR 7 ENGLISH LIVE PERFORMANCE PER 2 HALL YEAR 9 ENGLISH LIVE PERFORMANCE PER 3 - HALL SOUTH DISTRICT SPORT CLUSTER 3 YEAR 9 RELIGION PER 1 SENIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 5 EXCELLENCE PROGRAMS INFORMATION EVENING MUSIC 6.30PM TIC 7PM C BLOCK CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING 7.20AM YEAR 7 IMMUNISATIONS HPV1 AND BOOSTRIX 8.50AM MUSIC IN PM SOMERSET CELEBRATION OF LITERATURE FESTIVAL EXCURSION MUSIC IN PM FRIDAY 24 MONDAY 27 TUESDAY 28 WEDNESDAY 29 THURSDAY 30 FRIDAY 31 YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK YEAR 7E QUT STEM EXCURSION (ROBOTICS) YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EXAM BLOCK YEAR 12 QCS PRACTICE YEAR 7 CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY YEAR 7F QUT STEM EXCURSION (ROBOTICS) YEAR 12 RELIGION PER 1 YEAR 7 AND YEAR 9 NAPLAN PRACTICE JUNIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 7 NEWSLETTER ON WEBSITE YEAR 7 AND YEAR 9 NAPLAN PRACTICE SENIOR MAP BLOCK 1/SD SUMMER ROUND 7 YEAR 7 AND YEAR 9 NAPLAN PRACTICE YEAR 7, 8 AND 9 MID-SEMESTER REPORTS ISSUED IN SDP CLASS STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING 1.10PM YEAR 7, 8 AND 9 PARENT/TEACHER/ STUDENT EVENING BOOKINGS OPEN AT 6PM MELBOURNE ARTS TOUR YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 MELBOURNE ARTS TOUR YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 EASTER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS SATURDAY 1 APRIL TO MONDAY 17 APRIL (school resumes TUESDAY 18 APRIL) 12

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