22 June 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Our $1.2 m SIE Facilities plan has been largely completed this term, and we welcome the completion of the Senior Learning, Indigenous Learning Centre and Staff Common Rooms. These are very welcome additions to our school and I would like to thank our Business Services Manager, Helen Lord, for the additional tasks required in multiple building projects.

As you can see in this newsletter, our school staff have been very busy engaging our students in numerous and varied curricular and extra-curricular activities. As usual, our students are to be commended for their active participation and achievements! Most recently our Free Dress Day on 19 June held by the Student Representative Council raised $1096 for a yet to be determined project to directly benefit students.

It’s hard to believe the Centenary is now just under 12 months away! Sincere thanks to our very generous donors who have contributed to our Centenary project through the SchoolsPlus website at the link below. Information regarding how to register for our events such as Gala Dinner and Race Day will be communicated shortly. Many thanks to past principal and Centenary Committee chair John Allison and our dedicated Centenary committee members!

Thanks again to our hardworking P & C (particularly to Treasurer and Car Parking Convenor Claire Morrison and P&C President Paula Ireland). Beef Week raised approximately $86 000, which will go directly into the P&C accounts for acquittal on school projects. Thank you to students, parents and volunteers who assisted over the week.

Finally, analysis of latest year 7-9 NAPLAN data (2017) shows that the effect size of Rockhampton SHS outperformed that of Queensland and Australia in all areas (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, Writing, Reading and Numeracy). Congratulations to our hard-working students and staff; this shows that our year 9 cohort last year made significant gains over the two years. We look forward to seeing 2018 results.

I would like to wish all our students the best as they finalise Semester 1 coursework and assessments, and our students and staff a safe, fun and relaxing winter break.

Warm regards

Kirsten Dwyer
Principal

Tuckshop - Athletics Carnival 28 & 29 June

Students must pre-order their lunch before school on these days.

83rd Rockhampton Eisteddfod

First place for our Chamber Strings Ensemble

The Rockhampton State High School Chamber String Ensemble performed at the 83rd Rockhampton Eisteddfod and won first place. The adjudicator’s comments were that students had "Beautiful sound produced and sounds are well blended. You have captured the character of the music." The students successfully competed against Rockhampton’s private schools and competitive state schools. Conducted by Leisa Dalglish students performed "Battle at the Great Wall", this piece was written by Brisbane composer Stephen Chin.

Back Row left to right Tess Hill, Leyland Walters, William Tansley, Kelly Pernes, Claire Cho, Elouise Romer, Summer Neilson, and William Howe

Front Row left to right: Jasmin Ireland, Shanae-Lee Pratt, Natalia Howkins, Makilee Abell, Amber Tobane, Caitlyn Jamieson, Stevie-Lee Miller, Austin Bowen, and Madison Corino

String Ensemble won second place

Rockhampton State High School String Ensemble placed second against 10 other local private schools and state schools from Rockhampton. Conductor Leisa Dalglish led students in two string orchestral pieces, "Nullabor" by composer Stephen Chin & "Dragon Slayer" by composer Rob Grice. Comments from the adjudicator included "A great performance. Beautiful harmony produced. Melody clear and present and a good observation of dynamics. A very expressive performance."

Left to right: Natalia Howkins, Claire Cho, Amber Tobane, Caitlyn Jamieson, Makilee Abell, Kelly Pernes and William Tansley

Concert Band

The Concert Band performed a solid performance with beautiful sound and tones produced. The adjudicator’s comments were “Well done! I really enjoyed the performance.” Conducted by Luke Coonan the students performed “Zephyr” by composer Michael Ryan. A highly praised achievement for all students involved.

Back row, left to right: Joanna Kamp, Makilee Abell, TJ Robertson, Nicholas Bramham, William Howe, Dean Collier, Lochlan O’Neil

Front row, left to right: Sasha Godfrey, Tara Rutherford, Amber Neilson, Jolie McNamara, Kasey Nugent Toby Promintiz, Amy Malick

CQ Fanfare Finale

Rockhampton State High School String Ensemble attended the CQ Fanfare Finale in Gladstone. Conductor Leisa Dalglish led the students in two string orchestral pieces. In their first piece – “Nullabor” by Stephen Chin – the ensemble created an experience of the marvel of the South Australian desert country. The word ‘Nullabor” translates as “no tree”, and the immense expanse of flat, tree-less land that is the Nullabor Plain is beautifully depicted in this work. In contrast, students then transported the audience to dark, medieval times where dragons are stirring and knights are embarking upon a dangerous quest in Rob Grice’s composition of “Dragon Slayer”.

The Adjudicators commented very positively, referring to the performance s ‘engaging’, animated’ and ‘very satisfying’.

Congratulations to our Strings Ensemble!

Back Row left to right: Elouise Romer, William Tansley, Tess Hill, Leyland Walters, and Madison Corino

Middle Row left to right: Jasmine Ireland, William Hawe, Summer Neilson, Aussie Bowen, Ashtyn Maggiotto, Shanae-Lee Pratt, Caitlyn Jamieson, and Stevie-Lee Miller

Front Row left to right: Nicole Castaneda, Kelly Pernes, Makilee Abell, Claire Cho, and Natalia Howkins

Every Day Counts

Is your child anxious about going to school? Did you know that approximately 2-9 % of children and teenagers in Australia have anxiety disorders that require some kind of mental health support. If your children appear to be reluctant to go to school, they may be experiencing some anxiety about school.

The attached brochure provides information about anxiety about going to school and gives practical advice for parents. As always, your children’s education and wellbeing are our primary concern so if you need help getting your child to school more frequently or with anxiety about going to school, please contact the school to discuss your concerns. We have many trained professionals who can help you and your children.

Cindy Mills
HOD The Arts

Science Department – School Expo

The Science department display at the school Expo on 26 May was another successful event showcasing the great work that our science teachers do at Rocky High and wide variety of learning opportunities and activities provided to our students. A special thanks to Mr Holloway and Year 12 science student Montana-le Cowley for their help setting up and manning the Science department display and demonstrating Lego EV3 robotics kits, microscopes, dry ice experiments and some of the laboratory equipment on display. Further, Mr Holloway and Montana answered student and parents enquiries about the display and science at Rocky High. Their efforts were greatly appreciated.

Stephen Ladley
Head of Department – Science

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

Rockhampton State High School students from Years 10, 11 and 12 visited the Capricorn Careers Expo at CQ University.

This year’s Careers Expo gave students an excellent opportunity to talk to representatives from universities, registered training organisations, private colleges, apprenticeship organisations and employers. Demonstrations by industry experts in the areas of health and emergency services allowed students have a close look at these careers.

A highlight of the day for Year 12 students was a tour of the CQUniversity Health Clinic. The Health Clinic is a public access clinic with state-of-the-art health facilities. It allows a practical learning environment for students and a range of health services, which are available to CQUniversity staff and students as well as the public. This facility is a working partnership with the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CQHHS).

One of our Year 11 students, Anthony Robertson, was the winner of a JB Hi fi Voucher and CQUniversity pack for successfully completing his Career Expo “Passport”. The Passport required Anthony to interact with a variety of exhibitors to gather relevant career information. Anthony received his prize from the Career Expo Committee President, Mr Peter Lynch.

This is a once a year opportunity for our students to engage with the southern universities and it was wonderful to see so many of our students engaging with exhibitors and asking questions and accessing useful resources. Many exhibitors commented on the excellent behaviour and good manners of our students as well as the genuine interest they demonstrated.

The Career Expo is an annual event and students in the senior phase of learning in 2019 are encouraged to participate.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Students take the Challenge

Year 7 and Year 8 EXCEL students at Rockhampton State High School recently sat the Australian Problem-Solving Maths Olympiad (APSMO). This challenge provides the students with the opportunity of learning valuable problem-solving skills and exposes them to the application of mathematical problem solving strategies and techniques. Important mathematical concepts are introduced to help students develop flexibility, creativity and ingenuity with their problem-solving skills. This challenge was the first in a series and the students are now confident to undertake the next challenge in June.

Alanna Waugh
EXCEL Teacher

Taiko Drumming

On June 12, students studying Japanese had the chance to learn ‘taiko’ drumming with Kiyomi. It was a fun and educational experience for all involved.

Jordan Meiers
Japanese and English Teacher

2017 Graduate Receives Prestigious Award

Congratulations to 2017 graduate, Ashlee Jaques, who has been awarded a TJ Ryan Merit Certificate! The TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships are awarded to exemplary Queensland students who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their school and community as well as academic excellence. Up to 20 Merit Certificates are awarded every year across the state.

The TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships represent a long-standing tradition of recognising educational achievement in Queensland. The award is a memorial to Thomas Joseph Ryan, former teacher, barrister and Queensland Premier (1915 - 1919).

Ashlee was a worthy recipient of this award. In Year 12, Ashlee was amongst the top five students in Year 12 for academic achievement and received an academic award for Mathematics B. She was also awarded the Caltex “Best All Rounder” Award, the Harry and Joyce Ambrose Award for “Outstanding Service to the School”, the P & C “Outstanding Citizenship Award” and a Silver Cultural Award. Ashlee involved herself in sport, music, drama performances and volunteered for many different causes.

Rockhampton State High School congratulates Ashlee for this wonderful achievement and wishes her all the best for her studies in Physiotherapy at CQUniversity.

Mrs T Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Senior Students Gain Leadership Insights

Rockhampton State High School senior students recently attended the Project Empower Country to Canberra - Driving Change for Young Rural Women event. The event features inspiring speakers with the aim of empowering young rural women to reach their leadership potential.

Young rural women face significant challenges as they strive toward their goals. Distance, time and funding barriers can isolate rural and remote students from education and career opportunities.

Country to Canberra is a not-for-profit organisation that runs nationwide programs that provide education, leadership and mentoring opportunities to regional, rural and remote teenage girls.

The speakers focused on leadership, courage, public speaking, communication and community and gave the students from the local high schools an opportunity to network with other students who share similar circumstances. Our students stated that they were inspired by the event and identified a goal to become leaders.

For more information about the Project Empower national workshop road trip, visit their website -

Samantha Sinclair
FEET First Program Coordinator

Science Department - UQ Science Demo troupe.

Over 400 Year 8, 9 and 10 students had the opportunity to participate in a UQ Science Demo troupe workshop on Wednesday 6 June. Lecturers from the School of Maths & Physics at University of Queensland visited Rockhampton SHS as part of an outreach program. The aim of the day was to cultivate a greater interest and understanding of science by students and increase their desire to pursue further science education in high school and university.

They conducted highly entertaining and informative demonstrations of all the wonderful and wacky things that can be explained by science. The program was highly interactive and gave students an opportunity to get hands-on and do some of the science for themselves. They explored the concepts of energy, momentum, sound, pressure, temperature, optics, force, electricity, magnetism and light.

The UQ Science Demo troupe undertake outreach trips to regional Queensland schools each year to deliver maths and physics activities. We were fortunate that they delivered this workshop to Rockhampton SHS students as this was the first time that they have visited Rockhampton.

Stephen Ladley
Head of Department – Science

ECOman

In May 2018, selected business students in Years 10, 11 and 12 participated in the ECOman challenge facilitated by the Queensland Private Enterprise Centre (QPEC). Our event was held in the boardroom at Kennas Chartered Accountants Rockhampton office which provided the perfect, professional backdrop for the stimulating two days. The ECOman concept was developed originally as a business simulation training program for employees of a major international Swiss-based business and is now provided to many schools across Europe and Queensland. The students were placed into four competing companies in the coffee machine industry with each student holding a position such as Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer, Production Manager, Human Resources Manager and Marketing Manager. Companies then traded for a notional four years within the computer-based simulation. The students were directly responsible for the growth and profitability by making 31 management decisions each year of trade – it certainly kept them busy! Students also enjoyed working lunches of Dominos and Subway with impressive city views. The final session involved students making a presentation to shareholders at the annual general meeting. Our students all rose to the challenge and presented to an audience including Jo from Kennas and Debbie from Chartered Accountants. The winning team included; Trafford Bishop, Chloe Acheson, Aaleeyha McMahon and Laine McNamara. Facilitators were very impressed at the high levels of engagement and entrepreneurialism displayed by all of our students. Thank you again to Kennas for supporting our students.

Mrs Simpkins
Business Teacher

Sharemarket Challenge

Over the last few months, business students have been keenly participating in the Australian Schools Sharemarket Challenge. The game involves student teams being given a notational $50 000 to invest in companies of their choice listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX); buying and selling online using live pricing. This delivered an authentic experience to players, as we were at the whim of the current economic conditions. New transferrable skills gained including making decisions as teams, researching publicly listed companies, trading using online software and calculating risks. Year Ten Business student Toby Spencer made an impressive overall profit of $4484. He claimed the overall school prize and he was also ranked 36th in Queensland. He was presented with his certificate and prize, sponsored by Chartered Accountants. We look forward to taking up the challenge again next term.

Mrs Simpkins
Business Teacher

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection Processes

Year 10 is a critical time for students to make informed decisions about the next phase of their learning. To assist with this process, a number of key activities have been arranged for Year 10 students to ensure they have access to sufficient information to make informed subject choices for the senior phase of learning.

During Term 1 and 2, students were provided with information about senior subjects on offer, Year 10 subject prerequisites and changes to the QCE system and tertiary entrance processes.

Early in Term 3, Year 10 students will receive the Senior Subject Guide with information about each subject offered in Year 11 and 12. Please ensure your student carefully reads this material before making any final decisions about subjects for Year 11 and 12. In particular, ensure students are familiar with any prerequisite subjects that must be satisfied in order to select General (ATAR) subjects. Subject selection forms must be submitted to the office by Friday 27 July.

On 23 July, Year 10 students will hear from the subject Heads of Department who will tell them what to expect if they choose senior subjects from their faculty. This information will include the types of learning experiences and assessment they can expect as well as the attributes needed to succeed in their subjects. It is most important that students make suitable subject choices because there are limited opportunities to change subjects under the new QCE system, which commences in 2019. Teachers and Heads of Department will advise students on the most suitable subjects for them to choose – especially in the areas of Maths and English. This is to ensure that students meet the literacy and numeracy requirements of the new QCE.

From 23 – 27 July, students can visit the Guidance Officer (Miss Spencer) and our FEET First team (Ms Samantha Sinclair and Mrs Dale Fouracre) in the Senior Learning Centre during lunch breaks for one-on-one talks about senior subjects, school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, work experience, CQUniversity courses and university programs such as the Start Uni Now (SUN) program. Representatives from CQ University and local training organisations will visit the school over coming months to provide information about their courses for 2019. Some of these representatives will be available at the SET Plan Evening.

The most significant activity is the formation of the Senior Education and Training Plan (SET Plan). Students will formally record their career and subject choices in Week 3 when they complete their electronic Senior Education and Training Plan (SET Plan). To ensure parents and carers are involved in the SET Plan process, a 15 minute SET Plan Interview will take place on Wednesday 15 August from 3.30 – 7pm in the Library. Information on how to book this interview will be issued early in Term 3.

For more information about your student’s options for the senior phase of learning, please do not hesitate to contact the school on 49204333.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Drama & Dance

Shake and Stir

On Tuesday 5th June RSHS dance and drama students participated in a very special workshop with some of the talented actors from Shake & Stir Theatre Company. This workshop was in preparation for the upcoming Shake Fest 2018. RSHS has a number of entries this year and we can’t wait to showcase some of the wonderful talent our school has to offer.

2018 marks the 6th year Shake Fest has provided a unique opportunity for students across QLD to focus their artistic abilities in an all-inclusive creative competition celebrating the works of William Shakespeare. Shake Fest is the original cross schools Festival connecting students' schools with a professional arts organisation.

Categories include:

MONOLOGUE // DUOLOGUE // SCENE
DANCE // MUSIC
DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY // FILM

Acting Partnership

CQUni Speech Pathology students had the chance to hone their clinical skills in a wide range of simulated circumstances, thanks to involvement by Rockhampton State High School Senior Drama students, who acted out specific scenarios over a two day period.

For authentic assessment, CQUni requires students to interview parents of a young child regarding the child’s swallowing difficulties. This unfortunately is one clinical experience that can be difficult to arrange for all students in Speech Pathology and the use of simulated assessment is one way that assessment in this range of practice area can be addressed.

Drama students were provided with specific scenarios (regarding a child with a disability or feeding difficulty) and given the freedom to develop the social scope of their situation.

RSHS Senior Drama students were well prepared and certainly provided the authentic assessment environment required. Well done to all involved on their dedication and commitment to project This partnership is the first of its kind in the region so we were very excited to assist students with their assessment providing real life scenarios and experiences.

Lynda Dowley
Drama Teacher and Creative Writing Co-ordinator

Black Diggers Performance

On Monday 11th June Rockhampton State High School drama students were treated to a performance of Discovering Black Diggers. The performance was a culmination of pivotal scenes taken from the play, Black Diggers. Written by Tom Wright and originally directed by Wesley Enoch, Black Diggers is the culmination of painstaking research into the lives and deaths of the thousand or so Indigenous soldiers who fought for the British Commonwealth in World War I. Grand in scale and scope, it draws from in-depth interviews with the families of Black Diggers who heard the call to arms from all over Australia, as well as conversations with veterans, historians and academics. Young men will step from the blank pages of history to share their compelling stories -- and after the curtain falls, we will finally remember them.

RSHS drama students were given an incredible insight into Australia’s history and were extremely moved by the performance. Thank you to the actors who took time out of their day to spend chatting with students after the show about the content, creation and cultural aspects of this incredible production.

Katelyn Woodbine
Drama Teacher

EXCEL Update

Year 8 Humanities have spent the first part of the term learning about Shogunate of Japan through source analysis. With history concluding in Week 6, Ms Dee and Mr McGrath organised a tea ceremony with the students to demonstrate the respect and strict customs that governed Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate. When students entered the classroom, they were required to remove their shoes and sit in a circle on the floor. Each student then was required to make tea for the person to their right and serve them a biscuit. This cultural activity allowed students to write a paragraph comparing Australian customs to that of Japan’s.

Recently, Year 8 Humanities students commenced the study of geography which will focus on Landscapes and Landforms. Students started the unit by constructing a map of Queensland using proper mapping conventions and identifying the spatial distribution of landscapes and landforms.

Year 7 Science students used their knowledge of simple machines to solve a real-world problem as part of a small team. Some students created pulley systems to work vertically, some used pulleys to work horizontally (like a ski chair lift), and some created zip lines. The challenge was to move an object exactly 5m using a simple machine and students could not touch the object once it was in motion. All students worked collaboratively to achieve their goal.

Year 7 English have been practising skills used to analyse an advertisement for their upcoming assessment task. The class have identified and practised the use of language features that create meaning and they are currently moving on to visual devices. Students have enjoyed lessons where they have been looking at interesting advertisements, analysing the word choice and image placement within them. Previously, students have analysed a McDonald’s ad and were quick on picking up the use of salience, reading paths and vectors.

Students have also been continuing to use the ‘Writeabout’ story program at home. Students have been asking Miss Tones to read their stories and from what she can see the year 7’s have a wild imagination. We hope to see these skills used within our classrooms and assessment pieces.

The Class House Cup which students are working towards in Year 7 English is well under way and the top house is currently Gryffindor with 65 points, closely followed by Slytherin on 55, Ravenclaw on 45 and last but not least Hufflepuff on 35 points. All students have been adding to their house points with positive behaviour, interesting answers and completed work. The house with the most points at the end of the term will win the House Cup. Keep up the good work, RSHS/Hogwarts Students!

Breeha Sinnamon
EXCEL Coordinator & Science Teacher

Hospitality students successfully run school café

This term, year 11 Hospitality students have been responsible for running the school café each week as part of their assessment. This included a number of shifts both front of house (serving) and back of house (food preparation and cooking) to simulate what working in a café can be like. During these shifts, students prepared and sold hot and cold drinks, as well as food to both staff and students. For some, this was a step outside their comfort zone; however, with the assistance of class teachers Mrs Beal, Ms Clark and Mrs Conway, students gained invaluable skills and knowledge that will serve them well in the future.

Revenue raised from the cafés will allow further development of home economics facilities.

Julie Granville
HOD - Home Ec

From the School Nurse

8 tips for winter wellness

To enhance winter wellness, check out 8 tips for supercharging your health.

1. Wash hands
   Sounds simple but it’s the number one way to stop the spread of germs. Experts stress the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases.
   Wash your hands not only after using the toilet but also before meals and after handling someone else’s smart phone. For more information https://globalhandwashing.org/
2. Get vaccinated
   The seasonal flu jab provides 12 months of cover against the major strains of flu. If you’re considered at risk (indigenous, pregnant, or have a chronic illness), the government picks up the tab, it’s free.
   For more information ring Public Health on 49206900 or visit http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/
3. Keep exercising
   It’s hard to get motivated when it’s cold and dark, but your body has to work overtime to get warm, so you can burn more kilojoules on that early morning walk or run. Find an exercise partner to keep you motivated and if it’s too cold outside, do laps at an indoor pool. For more information http://www.lane4aquatics.com.au/south-rockhampton/
4. Eat well
   Keep your immune system in shape by making sure you’re eating a healthy diet. For your body to be able to respond to infection, it needs to have enough protein, so enjoy lean meat, fish and poultry, fruit and vegetables. For more information https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-alerts/campaigns/healthier/fruitveg
5. Stay hydrated
   Drink at least eight glasses of water each day. If cold water is unappealing when the mercury dips, try boiled water with a slice of lemon. The moisture will also help make mucous membranes, including those in your sinuses, more resistant to bacteria. For more information https://www.lybl.com.au/staying-hydrated-winter-water-wellness/
6. Rest up
   Regular sleep is vital to staying healthy. Don’t let yourself get run down. Those who aren’t well rested are more likely to get sick. For more information http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/sleep_early_teens.html/context/1930
7. Quit smoking
   Smokers are far more susceptible to upper respiratory infections, which tend to strike in winter.
   Even if you’re a social smoker, now’s a good time to quit and clear your airways. For more information call QUIT 137848 or download QuitBuddy or visit https://campaigns.health.gov.au/smokes?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI17bm3bLc2wIVVyQrCh03IAVpEAAYASAAEgKXyfD_BwE

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