16 October 2020

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system

Term 4 signals an important milestone in the implementation of the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system. Year 12 students studying General subjects are about to head into external assessments for the first time.

Year 12 students will also consolidate their studies in Applied subjects, Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications and/or Individualised Learning Plans as they work towards attaining a QCE or Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA).

Our students and teachers are to be commended for their efforts hard in what has been a challenging year. We wish our Year 12s a seamless transition into the external assessment period and be well-prepared for success in their lives beyond school for whatever pathway they have chosen.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our generous P&C for providing an additional gift to our year 12s. Thank you for providing a year 12 lunch on Friday 23 October at a cost of around $2000. I am sure the year 12s will appreciate this event! Thank you to the Year 12 teachers, Year Level Coordinators and administration who will prepare this BBQ lunch.

For students, the School Leavers Information Kit has been developed to help you understand the education, training and career opportunities and pathways available to you in 2021.

Transitioning from school can sometimes be challenging and COVID-19 has presented some additional challenges. The aim of this kit is to help support you in making decisions about your next steps after leaving school and to equip you with resources to be better informed about your education, training and work options.

The National Career Institute’s (NCI) School Leavers Information Kit has been especially developed to help you at this time and includes:

• Resources to support you to make decisions about the right career and pathway for you to get there post-school;
• Information on work and education options such as university, vocational education and training (VET), apprenticeships, volunteering and community service;
• Tips and resources to help you update your resume and apply for jobs;
• Resources outlining government funding support and subsidies available to you.

The NCI has also set up the School Leavers Information Service. This is a free support to help navigate the School Leavers Information Kit and the NCI’s Your Career website as well as an opportunity to engage with a personalised career guidance session with a qualified career practitioner for up to 45 minutes. You can contact the service by phone on 1800 CAREER (1800 227 337), by texting ‘SLIS2020’ to 0429 009 435 or by email at schoolleavers.nci@dese.gov.au

You can visit the School Leavers Information Kit at the link below.

If you have any questions regarding the information outlined above, please contact Senior Schooling HOD Mrs Trudy Crow

Just announced - dancing is allowed at Year 12 Formals!

Kind Regards
Kirsten Dwyer

School Based Police Office

I’m Officer Marshall, the new Rockhampton SHS School Based Police Officer. Students may have seen me around during breaks or in the tuckshop helping with breakfast.

I will be at school everyday and encourage students to say hi. My office is located in the Student Support building with Chappie and the school nurse.

My role within the school is primarily to encourage positive interactions between student and police, provide education in relation to law and crime, and investigate criminal complaints. With that said, school procedures are still to be followed. That means if you have an issue please report it to the school. Use the Student Statement and report at the office in the first instance.

Our students are safe and responsible drivers. For your information:

Regulation 291 of the Transport Operations (road use management – road rules) Regulation 2009.

` A person must not wilfully or otherwise start or drive a vehicle in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke’

This offence is punishable by a fine up to 20 penalty units ($2611). To insure student safety I will conduct regular patrols of vehicles around the school

I look forward to a productive and positive remainder of the year.

Officer Marshall
marshall.natashak@police.qld.gov.au

Important Dates

2020 Student Engagement and Wellbeing Survey Pilot

Information for parents and carers

Why are we doing the survey?

We know wellbeing and engagement are important parts of your child’s life at school. The department and Rockhampton State High School want to support students in the best way possible, so we are looking at improved ways to accurately collect information on these important matters.

The Student Engagement and Wellbeing Survey pilot is designed to systematically measure how Queensland state school students view aspects of their wellbeing and engagement.

This is the first trial of the survey within Queensland state schools. In the future, we hope to roll out the survey each year to all state school students in Years 4 to 12. Results from this survey will provide an indication of our students’ levels of wellbeing and engagement, allowing us to determine how we can best support our students and meet their needs.

What is the survey about?

The survey measures many aspects of students’ wellbeing, engagement and experience at school. It includes questions about resilience, school climate, sense of belonging, motivation and perseverance, academic self-concept, personal social capabilities, general life satisfaction, future outlook and aspirations, relationships with peers, with teachers and at home, and general health.

What is involved in participation?

Your child’s teacher will arrange for students to take part in the Student Engagement and Wellbeing Survey pilot online during class time. Year 7 students will complete the survey on the 26 October 2020 and Year 8 students will complete it on the 30 October 2020. It will take about 30 minutes to complete. If your child requires additional assistance completing the survey, teachers and/or support people are able to assist them.

Does your child have to participate?

Participation in the survey is voluntary. Choosing not to participate or withdrawing will not affect your child’s education in any way.

If you wish to remove your child’s name from the participant list please contact our school on 4920 4333 and speak to one of our administration staff.

Your child will also be asked before starting the survey if he or she would like to participate and they will be free to withdraw at any time.

How will your child’s information be kept confidential?

The information collected from each student through the survey will be kept confidential. No personal information will be provided to anyone outside of the Queensland Department of Education. The Queensland Department of Education will store the data according to strict guidelines. The collection of information is in line with the Educational General Provisions Act (2006) and the Information Privacy Act (2009).

How will your child’s responses be reported?

Each student’s answers will remain de-identified and will only be reported back to the school on a year-level basis. No one at your child’s school will be able to see their individual responses.

Where can I get more information?

More information for parents, including FAQs for parents, can be found on the Education website:

Wade Smith
Guidance Officer

Staff v Students Challenge 2020

The time has come, once again, for the staff to defend their title in the Annual Staff v Students Sporting Competition. To retain the title, staff need to win 2 out of the 3 games which will be played over the next three weeks. Similarly, if the students wish to call the trophy theirs, they will need to win 2/3 games. All games will be played at lunch 1.

Game 1 (14 October) – Basketball – Students won 12 – 7
Game 2 (21 October) – Touch Football
Game 3 (if required – 28 October) – Volleyball

Students are looking to win the trophy for the first time in 3 years.

Inter-house Volleyball competition

At the end of term 3, the inaugural Inter-house Volleyball competition, pitting house against house, was held. The teams were mixed, with participants from years 7-12, and a teacher as their leader. The competition was fierce, with multiple close matches, and great gameplay.

In the end, it came down to Laver vs. Armstrong. It was a closely fought tussle, with both teams holding match points. Ultimately the Laver house took the spoils, with a 26-24 victory.

The intake from our staff and students was impressive, and when adding in the friendly and competitive banter between houses, this competition proved extremely successful, and an overall positive experience for our entire school community.

The competition will make its return next year, so be sure to keep an eye out on notices for sign ups!

Once again, congratulations to all students who participated in this competition, and well-done to the Laver Crocodiles!

Tom Lorette
Health and Physical Education Teacher

Japanese Restaurant Excursion

Japanese students from years 7-12 had the opportunity to go to Tsuruya Japanese restaurant at Yeppoon for lunch. Students had alternative-drop from a variety of Donburi (rice bowls): Oyakodon (chicken and egg), Gyudon (beef) or Tempura (deep fried prawns and vegetables). They had the chance to use their chopstick skills and apply their Japanese language.

Jordan Meiers
Japanese Teacher

Term 3 Work Experience

Students at Rockhampton State High School had the opportunity to participate in work experience in Week 10 of Term 3 and the September school holidays.

Students undertook a variety of placements in industries such as electrical, hair and beauty, boilermaking/metal fabrication, child care, radiology, painting, design and drafting, animal care, mechanical, diesel fitting, auto electrics, personal training, information technology, pharmacy, rural and agricultural, machine operations, veterinary, teaching, hospitality, aviation, emergency services, poly welding and various other trades.

Rockhampton State High School would like to thank the following businesses for their generous support of our work experience program in Term 3:

Congratulations must also go to the students who took up this opportunity. The feedback from all host employers was very positive.

For further information about work experience or if your business is able to host a student, please don’t hesitate to contact the FEET First program staff on 49 204 391.

Dale Fouracre
FEET First Work Experience Coordinator

Year 12 Program – Term 4

External assessment will take place from 26 October to 17 November 2020 for all General subjects. During this time, all students studying General subjects across the state will sit an examination that is set and marked by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). The results of this examination will contribute to a student’s ATAR score and QCE.

Our students are well prepared for these exams. They have engaged in extensive revision and have completed ‘mock’ exams to give them an insight into the ways questions may be framed and subject matter assessed.

Year 12 students have an electronic copy of the 2020 QCAA External Assessment Timetable. Their personal timetable is also available in on their QCAA Student Portal. They have also been provided with a copy of the official Equipment List and the Directions for Students.

If they are absent on the day of an exam, they need to provide documentation of their extenuating circumstances. For example, a detailed medical certificate explaining the illness and the effect on the completion of the examination. Parents/carers should also contact the school prior to the commencement of the exam. These exams cannot be rescheduled.

Changes to attendance in Weeks 4 - 6:

• ATAR students (4 our more General subjects on their timetable) will attend school for scheduled external exams and to attend any Applied subject classes. They will sign in at Student Services to attend Applied subject classes.
• General subject classes will not run. Students who need to be at school when a General subject class would have taken place will study quietly in the library.
• Non-ATAR students will attend school until the end of week 6. Usual processes are to be followed, if students are absent due to illness.
• Absent SMS messages will continue to be sent for non-ATAR students.

For more information, please contact the school on 49204333.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Sport Report

This term in interschool sport, we have a range of sides ready to compete in our shortened term 4 season. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to catch up on a couple of missed sports from earlier in the year. Our girls will be competing in futsal, volleyball, rugby league with an additional friendly game of netball against Bundaberg SHS (TBC). Our boys will be competing in volleyball and soccer, with an unprecedented number of players signing up for both junior and senior teams across both sports. A massive thank you must go to the staff who are giving up their time in order to coordinate and coach our students. All games kick off in week 2!

This term, students also have the opportunity to participate in the lunchtime inter-house basketball competition, run by Mr Wells, after the success of the volleyball competition of last term. It’s great to see so many students signing up to play and staying active during their lunch breaks. I’m certainly hoping for another win for the mighty Laver!

Good luck students!

Mitchell Forbes
Year 10 Coordinator | Interschool Sports Coordinator

Girls’ Rugby League

Rockhampton’s interschool sport programme has been a little disjointed this year. The COVID disruption has meant that many competitions have had to be shortened, suspended or even abandoned. Girls’ rugby league was to have been played back in Term 2 but it’s taken until now for the girls to take to the field.

This term Rockhampton High’s Yrs 7/8 and Yrs 9/10 teams will participate in a series of ‘friendlies’ against Glenmore, North Rockhampton and Yeppoon High schools as well as hosting teams from Bundaberg High.

In the first week of term the girls attended a ‘Come and Try’ day hosted by NRL Development. Local NRLD Officer, Mr Tyson White, put the girls through their paces at Browne Park. It was an opportunity for some girls who are new to contact sport to get the feel of the game.

Robert Brodie
Teacher

Queensland Virtual STEM Academy at Central Queensland

Hosted by Rockhampton State High School

We are officially halfway through Round 3 Grand Challenges! Will, Lachlan, Xander and Hayden have been working on their Mission to Mars Grand Challenge, this week starting to design their Mars Colony and discussing possible problems they will encounter on their way to Mars. Mr Rutherford and Dr Stephen Moore have been mentoring the students so they can ideate their way to creative and novel solutions to the problems associated with colonising Mars.

Emma and Royce are working in separate groups for their Biomedical Engineering Grand Challenge, hoping to design a solution to the problems associated with medicine and patients.

Sophia has been working with experts to create solutions to the problem of Disasters in Queensland, and she is hoping to generate a solution to help people and ecosystems become more resilient.

Nate and William have started working on their solution for Mitigating the Spread of Disease. The boys have been brainstorming a variety of apps that may help reduce the spread of germs and viruses.

The students from the other schools in the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy have been investigating various Grand Challenge problems and immersing themselves in learning about their concepts. Last week, the students engaged in the Nourishing the Nation Grand Challenge performed an experiment to determine whether sugar or flour absorbed into our blood faster. Here are some photos from their investigation!

Breeha Sinnamon
QVSA at Central Queensland Coordinator

Year 7 EXCEL Humanities are exploring how to be active citizens in their society by examining their own interests and skills and applying for hypothetical volunteer opportunities.

The EXCEL Maths students are preparing for their upcoming assignments by learning about types of data and how it can be organised in order to make judgements. They are about to apply our knowledge by using the computers to assess and make judgements about large data sets.

Year 7 EXCEL Science students have been investigating dichotomous keys in their lessons so far this term. On Tuesday they used an activity called, “Harry Potter and the Dichotomous Keys” to classify various types of jellybean into Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans categories. Students enjoyed the challenge of using written dichotomous keys to classify the jellybeans!

(photos below)

Year 7 EXCEL English is preparing for their week long mock trial that will run in week three. They have been working hard to understand the structure of motivational speeches to use this knowledge in the 'court room'!

Year 8 EXCEL Humanities have been researching geomorphological hazards in order to create a clay model cross-section. Their models will include annotations of what caused a specific disaster (for example the Christchurch Earthquake of 2011).

Year 8 EXCEL Science students have been using microscopes to investigate the differences between animal and plant cells as part of their study of living things. They’ve been looking at Earth’s small creatures and trying to discern the small differences between species of ants.

Year 9 EXCEL English students are recreating a jury room while they read through our assigned text, the play, 12 Angry Men. This play is a text set in the 1950’s which highlights the roles and responsibilities of a Juror, along with the deliberations that take place.

Year 9 EXCEL Science students have started their studies into endothermic and exothermic reactions. Students have been performing experiments to see whether some chemical mixtures give off heat (exothermic) or absorb heat (endothermic) in order to determine which chemicals would be appropriate to mix together in an attempt to heat meals for soldiers on active duty.

Year 9 EXCEL Maths has been investigating conditional probability and how small manipulations of initial event probability can by multiplied exponentially through multiple experiments.

Year 10 EXCEL Science students are immersing themselves in Global Systems and the Universe this term! It’s a great time of the year to see some of our neighbouring planets – if you have the time and the data, download SkyView Lite in the app store or from Google Play. You’ll be able to locate planets and astronomical features in the night sky with ease.

Students in Year 7 and 8 EXCEL Science have been invited to attend an excursion to the Koorana Crocodile Farm on November 2 as part of their studies on ecology, adaptations, and reproduction. We can’t wait to share the day’s photos with you in the next newsletter!

Breeha Sinnamon
EXCEL Coordinator

Defence Force Possibilities Explored

The Australian Defence Force recruitment team visited Rockhampton State High School to provide students with information on their Trade, Gap Year and the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) programs.

The presentation highlighted the specific jobs available across the Navy, Army and Air Force, the recruiting process and the lifestyle and benefits enjoyed by serving members.

The students now have a good understanding of process to apply - right through to enlistment if they are successful.

Students who would like more information about defence force recruiting should visit at the link below or visit the FEET First program team in the Senior Learning Centre.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

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