Dear Parents/Caregivers,

It has been a wonderful and busy start to the term at Mackay State High School.

Last week, we were incredibly proud to host a beautiful ANZAC Day service at school.

 The pride and respect shown by our students was truly inspiring, and it was heartening to see so many of our young people embrace the significance of this important occasion. This pride extended beyond our school gates, with a fantastic turnout of students and staff proudly representing Mackay SHS at both the Mackay City and Walkerston ANZAC Day services. We sincerely thank all families who supported their children in attending and honouring the legacy of our service men and women.

This week, we officially launched Compass, our new all-in-one school management platform. Compass streamlines key school operations, including attendance monitoring, parent-teacher interview bookings, internal staff relief, room bo

okings, and more. We are very grateful to our parents and carers for their patience and support as we transition to this new system. We are thrilled with the level of engagement already, with 440 parent-teacher interviews booked for next Tuesday’s event. If you haven’t yet logged into Compass, we encourage you to do so to stay up-to-date with your child’s schooling.

Looking ahead, preparations are well underway for our Year 6 into Year 7 enrolment process. Next week, we will begin our transition "Roadshow," visiting our partner primary schools to meet with students and share the exciting opportunities awaiting them at Mackay SHS. We are also very excited to be hosting our Open Night on Tuesday, 20 May, where we will showcase the school’s programs, dedicated staff, and outstanding achievements that truly represent our school community. This will be a wonderful opportunity for prospective families to see first-hand the real Mackay State High School – a dynamic and supportive

 environment where every student is encouraged to thrive.

For our senior students, Year 11 and 12 interim TrackEd reports have been sent home this week. Over the coming weeks, students will be engaging in goal-setting conversations, reflecting on their progress and identifying strategies for continued success throughout the semester. We encourage any parents with questions or concerns about their child's progress to book a time to meet with teachers

 during our parent-teacher interviews next Tuesday.

We are also seeing a growing number of curriculum excursions, sporting tours, and other activities being added to our school calendar. We have asked all staff to ensure timely and clear communication with families, particularly where there are additional costs involved. To assist with planning, we have provided an updated school calendar for parents outlining upcoming activities, and we encourage families to refer to this regularly.

Finally, Assessment Calendars for all year levels are currently being finalised and will be distributed to students and families next week. These calendars will help students and parents plan ahead for upcoming assessments and support effective study routines at home.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Mackay State High School. We look forward to a positive and productive term ahead, working in partnership with our families to support every student’s success.

Felicity Roberts

Principal

Week 4 is MENTAL HEALTH WEEK, and we are excited to provide a whole week of fun activities during FIRST BREAK.

Monday: Sausage sizzle at Student Support Services

Tuesday: SLAM Poetry at Student Support Services

Wednesday: Gem Garden

Thursday: Student Support Services

Friday: Kakadu Koncert!

Our focus during the activities will be the THREE BIG PROTECTORS of our mental (and physical) wellbeing: SLEEP, DIET, and EXERCISE!

How is your sleep hygiene?

For adolescents, research suggests at least 9 hours of sleep, with no artificial (blue) light for at least an hour before bed. This helps the body maintain its natural circadian rhythm and wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day (National Sleep Foundation, 2020).

Good sleep hygiene means having a bedroom free from electronic devices or any artificial light sources. A cool environment, perhaps with a cup of water by your side, but nothing else. Reading a book with a normal lamp for 30 minutes or writing a journal is a good way to wind down from a busy day and drift off to dreamland (Walker, 2017).

Diet – Start Small, Don’t Overhaul!

A diet is what we use to fuel our bodies, and it's okay to have cheat days. At dinner time, aim for one serve of fish each week (omega-3 and omega-6) to aid brain development, a serve of veggies, and a piece of fruit in the lunchbox each day. Fill your reusable water bottle and try to avoid excessive intake of stimulants towards the end of the day to aid sleep onset (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2021).

Your gut is your second brain (enteric plexus) where all the feel-good hormone serotonin is manufactured. When your gut biome is healthy and loaded with good bacteria, it tells your brain to feel good! So, look after your gut, and your gut will help you get through the day in a positive way (Mayer, 2016).

Exercise – Start with a Walk Once a Week…

Research suggests that to optimize cognitive performance, we should aim for around 40 minutes of moderate exercise each day. Exercise releases chemicals (mitokines) that can be hard for most and even harder to maintain. So again, just like changes to diet or sleep-related behaviours, the message is to start small. If you are not currently doing any exercise, try a 20-minute walk, one day a week (Zhang et al., 2024).

If you can maintain the weekly walk for a month, add another walk or some morning stretches, crunches, push-ups, or lunges. If you can maintain that for a second month, you are ready to include one or two moderate training sessions, either at home using a yoga mat and your body weight. Start with 10 crunches, 10 push-ups, and 10 lunges and see how you feel the next day. You can increase the numbers as you wish. Maintain this regime for another (third) month, and you have come a quarter of the way through a year!

Finally, measure yourself against you, not the influencers on social media or the bodybuilders at the gym. Likely, they have been at it a lot longer, and what you see are the results of years (or even decades) of training. So just like diet, start small, and be kind to yourself if you miss a session. We don’t fail, just falter.

Good Luck!

Darren Tucker – Guidance Officer

References

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2021). The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Plate. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

Mayer, E. A. (2016). The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health. Harper Wave.

National Sleep Foundation. (2020). Sleep in Adolescents. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep

Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.

Zhang, B., Chang, J. Y., Lee, M. H., Ju, S. H., Yi, H. S., & Shong, M. (2024). Mitochondrial Stress and Mitokines: Therapeutic Perspectives for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases. Diabetes Metab J, 48(1), 1-18. doi: 10.4093/dmj.2023.0115.

DO IT FOR DOLLY

On Friday 9th of May, Mackay State High School will be going blue to support 'Dolly's Dream' on Do It For Dolly Day. Blueberry muffins will be for sale for a gold coin donation, and students are encouraged to accessorise with blue. 

Inclusive Employment Expo Report

Last term, a small group of seniors attended the Feros’ Inclusive Employment Expo, focusing on education and employment supports. They participated in skill-building activities and were inspired by guest speaker Chanelle Morris, who shared her journey to employment with a disability. The students showed great respect and pride, enjoying the activities and engaging with vendors.

NRL All Abilities Gala

NRL All abilities Gala morning, was held yesterday at the Cutters Stadium. All students had a great morning playing games, and learning techniques during a ball and tag activity. Thank you so much to the team at Mackay Cutters for a fun morning.

CRU’s ‘Families for Inclusive Education’ (FFIE) project is funded by the QLD Department of Education. This is the only time we have planned a delivery of this fully-funded (free to families) workshop in the Central Qld region in 2025.

We greatly appreciate your assistance in promoting this upcoming workshop to families and community members in Rockhampton via your school newsletter and your school social media. Please scroll down for links and information, and please find PDF and accessible word flyer attached.

Face-to-Face Workshop

Inclusion and Belonging at the Local School: The Parent Advocacy Toolkit 

REGISTRATIONS CLOSING

Thursday 1^st May, 9.15am to 2.30pm

Cambridge Street, The Rockhampton Leagues Club, Rockhampton

For more information and to register for this fully-funded (free to families) workshop, please click here 

To view and share on FB, please click here.

 This workshop is designed to give parents/carers of children with disability the information they need to feel informed about inclusive education for their child. It aims to equip family members with confidence to have conversations with their child’s current or prospective school, about the supports and adjustments their child needs for school inclusion.

Supported Attendance 

Please note that financial support is available to enable regional attendees to travel to our face-to-face workshops. This includes travel support (petrol/airfares) and accommodation. To apply families should contact educationproject@cru.org.au

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

TRAINEE ACCOUNTANT POSITION OPPORTUNITY

Adult Migrant English Program + SEE Program

FREE English Classes on the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at TAFEQLD Mackay

FREE child care while you study English

Check if you are eligible – contact Liz:  PH  0400 517  137; Liz.Stevenson@tafeqld.edu.au

• The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. In Queensland, the AMEP is delivered through TAFE Queensland.

Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program

FREE course for job seekers to improve literacy / numeracy /computer skills for work.

Free for all Australians and permanent residents over 15 years.

Contact Liz:  PH  0400 517  137; Liz.Stevenson@tafeqld.edu.au

• The Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Sing On!

This is just a friendly reminder about the Sing On! Secondary Choral Workshop hosted at Whitsunday Anglican School in Week 10 of this term (Tuesday 24 June - Thursday 26 June).

It would be greatly appreciated if you could please advertise (or re-advertise!) this event to your students ahead of the Early Bird Registration deadline at 3 pm onFriday the 16^th of May. I have attached two separate flyers to assist you in this which you are welcome to include in emails, printing physical flyers, newsletters, social media, and any other ways you wish to promote the event. 

This event is open to all secondary-school students with an interest in singing and should greatly benefit each student, as well as your own school choral and music programs through what these students learn. 

You’re Invited! Feros Care’s Reconciliation Action Plan Launch Event

Feros Care is proud to invite you to the launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), a meaningful step towards fostering respect, relationships, and opportunities with First Nations peoples.

Event Details: (Please see attached flyer for more details)

? Location: P8 Building Mackay Showground, 24 Milton Street Mackay

? Date: Friday 9^th May 2025

? Time: 9:30am-12:30pm 

Join us as we come together to acknowledge the past, celebrate the present, and commit to a future of inclusivity and reconciliation. This event will feature the unveiling of our RAP, which represents our dedication to making a difference, cultural performances, and the launch of our First nations Films. 

RSVP: Kindly RSVP by 6^st May 2025 to zacharyseden@feroscare.com.au

We look forward to seeing you there as we embark on this important journey together.