17 February 2017

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Our Leaders Investiture was held in Week 3 with the presentation and recognition of the majority of our Student Leaders for 2017. The School Captains, Prefects, Sports Captains, Music Captains and Sports House Captains were presented with their badges and Prefects read their Pledge of Office as has been done for many years in our school’s long history. Emily Arnold, School Captain in 2011 and now employed as a Journalist in Hervey Bay, as she completes her University studies, shared some of her experiences and learnings as a leader, and certainly encouraged both this year’s team and future students to accept the challenges, due to the growth that it can provide.

The School Improvement Agenda for 2017 has three main focus areas for our students and staff, as we seek to maximise the achievement for every student. These are

POSITIVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

• Learning, Discipline, Leadership, Resilience, Well-being

QUALITY CONSISTENT PEDAGOGY

• High quality teaching
• Consistency
• Professional Learning Communities

PERFORMANCE

• Year 9 Writing U2B 12%, Numeracy U2B 28%
  > 98% Year 12s achieve QCE, 100% QCE and/or Cert 2 VET qual
  Attendance target 90%

Positive behaviours are very important and a small group of staff under Mr Matt Skinner have developed and presented on Pupil Free Days, these key features to be recognised. Rather than identifying the list of behaviours NOT to be done, under our Core Values, the behaviour that are expected to occur are highlighted. In future newsletters this will be published once formatting is finalised. I also advise that the Bluey Card program, kindly supported by our P&C Association was restarted last week. Students being “caught out doing positive behaviours” for example assisting students seeking support, offering assistance or special behaviours improving the appearance, well-being of our school are given a card which is then part of a draw each week with two tuckshop vouchers being the reward. Thanks to Ms McGuire for her leadership of this program.

Our first Junior Secondary Disco will be held in week 6 on Wednesday 1 March aligning with an Information evening for new parents in 2017 held in conjunction at our Auditorium. Next week our Year 8 Camp will see about 90 of our Year 8 cohort travel to Camp Fairbairn outside Emerald from Tuesday to Friday for their annual excursion.

Our 2017 Prefects attended the GRIP Leadership program for student leaders on Mon 13th February at the MECC. They were joined by about 70 other student leaders from other schools to participate in this well regarded program, giving them individually and as a team, some guide as to how to set and achieve the goals for their final school year.

Late last year, our students and staff donated a large array of food and gift items under the coordination of Chappy Phil to be donated to the local Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Sarah-Jane Scott spoke to our students this year about the support the donations had provided to local needy families in December. She presented a Certificate to our Captains on behalf of these families.

Sports and House Captains for 2017 were announced and the students had their skills checked at the Swimming Carnival this week. Congratulations to our Sporting leaders for 2017.

Sports and House Captains

Sports Captains

Lauren Morgan & Holly Beveridge

House Captains

Chataway - Skye Bettridge & Michael McKechnie
Denniss - Aleesha Barba & Tahlear Templeton
Forgan - Louann Kucks & Hayden Swain
Mackay - Christina Manu’mua & Thomas Irelandes

Prior to the Cowboys Trial game in Mackay two of their players Jason Taumololo and Sam Hoare were able to visit our school and speak to some of our students about their achievements, but very importantly the goal setting and commitment that successful people need to undertake. Both players were very impressed with the school’s new Gym facility and they encouraged the students to take advantage of the opportunities available through our great school.

Mr Steve Paulger
Principal

JUNIOR SECONDARY NEWS

General News

Sadly our first disco of 2017 has been rained out. The weather certainly did not represent a bright neon based atmosphere we had planned for our event. Our first disco is always popular, and we plan to run reschedule it for week 6, but will confirm the exact date shortly. The same for our new parent information evening. It too will be rescheduled for the same evening as the disco.

A key to success in any environment is to set personal goals. We ask students to set many goals at school - usually academic. For example, "achieve a minimum of a C-standard in all subjects", or improve a half an academic rating by the end of the year in each subject" (e.. C to a C+).

However, before we can achieve some goals, we need to look more carefully at others. These are most often goals associated with our personal behaviours. For example, to achieve better academic results, a student may have to set a goal to "improve my comprehension skills", or "pay more attention in class". These goals are often harder to achieve. We know what must be done, but don't really know how to develop the skills to achieve these goals. I might set a goal to have more fun time in 1 year, understand the basics to achieve this, but I don't have the skills to change how I behave or manage my time. This is a key feature we want to develop with our students in Junior Secondary - HOW to achieve set goals.

Perhaps a starting point is improving our self-discipline. Quite a hard task for anyone, and it takes lots of practice, and a burning desire to improve. What is self-discipline? I was always told not to plagiarise, but it is:

• the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses

Or

• correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement

It's easier to practice improving this when you work with others. (That's why I like team sports where you all suffer together but improve together, and learn to stick out hard work as a team.)

I'll look more at this with you soon.

What's On Soon

Year 8 camp is running from 21st to 24th February at Fairbairn Dam. Staff are really looking forward to helping students develop their own personal leadership and teamwork skills, as well as group skills. Here's to some cool weather :)

Keep glued to our school facebook site for some daily photos.

We are also starting the Junior Secondary Leaders identification and development process. Junior Secondary Leaders will be identified and inducted, and will also become part of our inaugural student council. Both are key elements to achieve our goal of having a more positive and proactive student body. I'll have lots more details in the next newsletter.

Good News Stories

Recently I visited Victoria Park State School along with Kara Boys, William Morgan and Emma Keeler (all past students) to talk to their year 6 students about "leadership" on their leadership development day. We were asked to provide advice around what year 6 students need to do to prepare themselves for success at high school. Interestingly, a common message from our 3 students was about developing good habits at primary school and carrying these into high school (self-discipline). All the best to all Year 6 students in their senior year of Primary! Remember, "Strength and Courage Succeed".

Thought of the Newsletter

I saw this recently and thought I'd share it! Something to think about.

Matt Skinner
Junior Secondary Head of School

YEAR 12 NEWS

Last Wednesday the senior leaders and their families celebrated their leadership positions with the 2017 Senior Leaders Investiture. This is a very important day on the school calendar as the school community officially recognises our student leaders for the coming year. We were fortunate enough to have former Mackay SHS School Captain (2011) Miss Emily Arnold join us as our special guest for the ceremony. Emily spoke to the students about her experiences as a leader of Mackay SHS and how it has assisted her since leaving school. The most powerful message for the senior cohort was to never give up, especially with the end so near. It was excellent to have Emily join us and share some very inspiring words with not only our student leaders, but the entire Year 12 cohort.

The student leaders that were recognised in leadership positions are;

School Captains – Thrisha Bajamundi & Haard Shah

School Vice-Captains – Kathryn Brown & Mitchell Wells

Prefects – Thrisha Bajamundi, Mitchell Barnard, Grace Baynton, Sophie Baynton, Kathryn Brown, Siobhan Healy, Gwendolyn Lee, Simone Muirhead, Douglas Pridmore, Haard Shah, Mason Thorpe, Mitchell Wells

Sports Captains – Holly Beveridge & Lauren Morgan

House Captains

Chataway – Skye Bettridge & Michael McKechnie
Denniss – Aleesha Barba & Tahlear Templeton
Forgan – Louann Kucks & Hayden Swain
Mackay – Christina Manumu’a & Thomas Irelandes

Music Captains

Senior Concert Band & Vocal Group – Alexandra Cairns
Middle School Concert Band – Cameron Archer
Stage Band – Kiahni Gaffney
String Ensemble – Brianna Skinner

Following the ceremony, student leaders and their families attended a morning tea at Harrup Park to celebrate their positions of leadership for 2017. The entire day was an excellent showcase of what our students can offer to the senior leadership team. We have a range of tremendous students who excel in all different aspects of schooling life. 2017 is in safe hands with these students.

MAKE THIS YEAR YOUR CHILD'S BEST EVER AT SCHOOL

By Michael Grose

Dear Parents

I thought this useful article from Michael Grose could assist us in developing this hope and enthusiasm into positive learning experience which will assist our children in reaching their potential.

Part 2 continued from last newsletter

A new school year means a clean slate for students. Here are 7 ideas to help you make the most of the fresh start and make this year your child’s best year ever at school

A new school year means a fresh start for students. Regardless of your child’s performance last year, they start school with a clean slate. A break offers students the chance to begin new habits and adopt new behaviours.

Here are seven ideas to help you make the most of the fresh start and make this year your child’s best year ever year at school:

5. Insist kids exercise. The old saying about ‘a healthy body and a healthy mind’ is so true. Exercise releases the chemicals needed for learning and wellbeing. Yet kids today get less exercise than those of past generations, which is an impediment to learning and mental health. Health professionals recommend a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise per day for kids of all ages. Encourage your child to play sport; promote free and active play and look for ways to make moving part of their daily lives.

6. Focus on being friendly. Schools are very social places requiring kids to negotiate many different social situations each day. Yet we often only focus on academic learning. There are strong links between social success, and academic success and wellbeing. Encourage kids to be open and tolerant; to be friendly; to be sensitive to others; to be involved in plenty of activities and to be social risk-takers. These are all characteristics of socially successful kids. At the same time discourage anti-social behaviours such as over-competitiveness, self-centredness and lack of sharing.

7. Develop self-help skills. Successful students are often well organised, self-directed and self-motivated. Personal organisation seems to come more naturally to girls than boys, however both genders benefit from coaching in this important area. You can foster organisational skills and self-direction by developing simple, age-appropriate self-help skills related to their everyday lives. Such skills as making lunches, packing school bags, and organising after school schedules can be great lessons that impact on how kids perform at school.

SPORTS WRAP!

Softball

Tahlee Durelli represented U15 Qld Fire regional development team in the recent Under 15 National Softball Titles held in Perth January 15-21. Qld Fire played 13 games over 7 days against other regional state teams with NSW Metro the eventual winners. Tahlees’ main position in the side was as a Pitcher, but also played 1.st bag and outfield, this is after Tahlee only took up pitching less than 1 year ago. Of the 4 pitchers in the Qld Fire squad, Tahlees’ coach told her after the tournament that Tahlee held the best pitching stats for her team.

Sports Trials

The first four weeks of Term One have been extremely busy to say the least. There have been a total of 14 MDSS trials for the 13-19 year age group that have been conducted. Many of our students that have represented the school were selected and represented MSHS at the Capricornia trials. This is a fantastic representation for Mackay State High School and also highlights the sporting talent at this wonderful school. I believe that a round of congratulations should be given to the following students for their chosen sports.

The following sports; AFL, Football, Hockey and Touch Football will be listed in the next newsletter.

In addition, the U12 district trials have also been in full swing. We would like to congratulate Hamish Macdonald for being selected to attend the Basketball Capricornia trials.

Reminder: It is essential students return nomination forms for each trial by the due date. MDSS is taking a strong stance to ensure that the convenors and Sports Coordinators have

If your son or daughter is unsure of how to trial for certain sports, please tell them to come and speak to Miss Russell (the Sports Coordinator) and ensure that they listen to the daily notices for additional information each day. MDSS is taking a firm stance on Coordinators meeting deadlines and submit consent forms by the appropriate dates to ensure the chain of communication between the schools, coaches and convenors is a seamless process, therefore late nominations will not be accepted.

SPORTS ACADEMY

Mackay State High Sporting Academies are pleased to announce a new partnership with BCC Cinemas see the flyer below

MACKAY DISTRICT SCHOOL SPORT TRIALS CALENDER

ACCESS CENTRE AT MSHS

• Provides high-quality education for all students – Students with Disabilities and Students with Learning Difficulties
• Respond constructively to the needs of educationally disadvantaged/marginalised students
• View difference as a resource to support learning
• Ensure that all school community members feel safe and free from discrimination, bias and harassment
• Promote locally negotiated responses to student, family and community needs through effective community engagement processes and cross-agency collaboration
• Ensure that inclusive education practices and state school policies and initiatives are embedded into our school.

ASDAN - Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network.

ASDAN programmes progress through Bronze, Silver, Gold and Universities levels, and can link into the ASDAN Further Education Award programmes. Each programme is designed to develop, assess and accredit Key Skills and recognise Personal Achievement which build Progress Files and record student’s Achievements.

KEY SKILLS -

• Improving own Learning and Performance
• Working with others
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Application of Number
• ICT

Professional Development was given to all Teacher Aide’s upskilling them on our wonderful ASDAN program that we offer all our students in the Access Centre - Year 8 through to Year12. We will be posting work in progress and achievements by students regularly. Melissa Larsen from the PLC presented and upskilled our staff – THANK YOU for your enthusiasm and time supporting us.

INFORMATION EVENING

Duke of Edinburgh and Bridge Award Parent Information Evening

Please join us on Monday 20th February in the school auditorium from 6 – 7pm to find out about the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Bridge Award Programs that are running at MSHS in 2017. Both these award programs can play a vital role in providing opportunities for young people to develop essential life skills, increase their employability and foster their creativity and innovation. They also offer young people the opportunity to improve their physical fitness, participate in community service and develop a spirit of adventure.

The information evening would be suitable for parents of students who are within Years 7 and 8, for the Bridge Award component and for parents of students who are within Years 9 & 10, for the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. There will be a representative from the Brisbane Duke of Edinburgh Office available to answer any questions or queries.

MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE

Welcome back – it is great to see all the new shiny faces around the school and the sparky clean new uniforms.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION FORM

Your student will receive a coloured “participation form” for you to sign and return for Student Resource Scheme. Your agreeing to participate allows us to provide your student with textbooks and workbooks prepared and purchased by the school. NON-participation means YOU are required to purchase all the textbooks your student currently “borrows”.

INVOICES

We have invoiced students for Student Resource Scheme, Magazine (NOT compulsory) and subjects that incur charges. The discount period for the Student Resource Scheme is for payment received during Term 1. There will be an additional $20 balance applied in Term 2. There are a few elective subjects that may still come through. Thank you to all that have processed your payments – isn’t the BPoint option fantastic?

BPOINT

If you view the bottom left hand side of your invoice or statement it explains the process – go to the link below - you will require information from your invoice or statement eg your Customer Reference Number, students’ name and invoice number.

Enter YOUR email address for the receipt/confirmation of payment. I receive a report from the bank showing me all payments and/or if there were errors during entry.

STATEMENTS

To receive invoices/statements via email please contact us at admin@mackayshs.eq.edu.au – we would prefer to provide you with up to date information. We endeavour to email statements each mid-month.

PAYMENTS

If you are experiencing financial hardship please contact us. We may be able to provide options to assist you with clearing your fees. Students with unpaid fees may find themselves unable to participate in elective excursions, purchase Mackay SHS Jerseys and/or Mocktail and Formal tickets.

Are you aware you can have your Centrelink payments paid directly to the school to pay for your student’s fees?

REFUNDS/CREDITS

If/when you request the reversal (credit adjustment) of an invoice please be aware that we require a written request (we do have a standard form) and then the approval of the appropriate Head of Department or Excursion Coordinator. Quite often there is a non-refundable deposit because the school often pays excursion costs long before departure.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

If any of your details change: address, contact numbers etc please let us now ASAP.

Should you wish to query anything please drop in (8am – 3.45pm) phone 4957 9179 or email admin@mackayshs.eq.edu.au.

Thanks everyone.

Looking forward to a fabulous 2017.

Marg Brown
Business Service Manager

INTERACT CLUB

The Interact Club has been an institution at Mackay State High School since it was given its charter by the Rotary Club of Mackay 55 years ago.

Recently club members elected their executive for the year, Club Returning Officer Mikaela Fair declared the results of the elections:

President- Michael McKechnie
Vice President- Gwendolyn Lee
Secretary- Anna Molina
Treasurer- Michaela Nicolson

Congratulations to both students elected to executive positions and those who nominated for them.

Interact is a great club. I have no doubt that with the high calibre of student members and enthusiasm shown thus far that the club will go from strength to strength in 2017.

SAFETY AROUND OUR SCHOOL

All people dropping off and collecting students from around schools are reminded to be very cautious and ensure that speed limits and parking regulations are closely adhered to. Local Police are monitoring school areas very closely to support the safety of all near our schools.

In the afternoons, I recommend that parents arrange to pick up their children from a set place in Penn St, English St or Kenilworth St as the school frontage is congested with other cars and buses until 3:30pm.

MATHS TUTORING

ENGLISH TUTORING

Tutoring

Every Monday 3- 4pm in A08

Students can get help with assignments, exam preparation, oral presentations etc.

EALD

ARE YOU AN EALD – Is English and additional language or dialect for you??

Student Who Needs Some Extra Help with Assignments? You are eligible for:

What: Extra FREE tutoring for EALD students
WHEN: Every Wednesday 3pm to 4pm
WHERE: D05 classroom
WHO with: Mrs McGuire, Mr Baxter and Mrs Baxter

Bring along your assignments or homework for help with grammar and vocabulary; or to understand the task requirements.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FOR ATSI

Jasmin Cortis, Lyric Malone–Riehl and Taelin Durante attended North Queensland Zone Schools Constitutional Convention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students held at James Cook University Campus Townsville on Wednesday 8 February. Jasmin spoke on the Theme-“Raising Awareness of Constitutional Reform”.

GUIDANCE OFFICER

Behaviour is Communication: Part 1

Much in the same way that a smile can communicate pleasure or happiness, and a frown can communicate sadness or displeasure, behaviour is a powerful means of communication. Often when children don’t understand what they are feeling or don’t know how to express themselves in words, their ACTIONS become their language. Behaviour is a way of expressing what’s happening on the inside. According to family therapist and Therapy Coordinator at Protect All Children Today Peter Marrington, there are some effective ways of responding to and changing inappropriate behaviour. In order to respond appropriately to inappropriate behaviour we need to realise that:

• We are all different. We have different personalitie, and we all respond differently. Behaviour depends on the meaning we give an event.
• Behaviours are illustrations of distress.
• All behaviour is purposeful
• The underlying causes of the behaviour need to be assessed.

Children may “act -out” (be difficult or aggressive) or “act- in” (in the form of depression, self harm, or withdrawal), but both forms of behaviour have one thing in common: they are responses to what is causing pain and distress, but the child may be as unaware as the adult of the meaning of the behaviour. When asking a `why’ question often does not necessarily lead to an appropriate reason. The child’s explanation may have no connection with the behaviour, so the answer “I don’t know” is often true!

For effective parenting, as well as giving unconditional love, keeping your child safe, and being there for your child, try these principles :

1. Be consistent
2. Be united and have one set of rules
3. Be in charge – you are the parent
4. Be appropriately involved in your child’s growth (the right balance between hanging on and letting go)
5. Balance different roles (social, work, family activities)
6. Be realistic (age appropriate) expectations
7. Give encouragement but also permission to fail/make mistakes

P & C NEWS

The P & C has the following surplus items for sale following the recent refurbishment of the tuckshop. Details are in attached photos. All items are in good working order.

• 2 large tuckerbox freezers
• 2 pie warmers

If you are interested in purchasing any of the above items please email pandc@mackayshs.eq.edu.au with your offer by Wednesday 8th February. If your offer is accepted you will be advised by Friday 10th February. You will need to make full payment and collect the items by Wednesday 15th February 2017.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

RSPCA

Volunteers needed to work either Saturdays and Sundays helping out at the RSPCA. They are in desperate need of people to help walk the dogs and care for the cats. Students must be over the age of 16 or 16 years of age. You will need to contact the RSPCA Mackay for further details.

COMMUNITY NOTICES