9 December 2022

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

I wish to thank our outgoing school leaders of 2022 particularly captains Elouise Romer and Ryan Schibrowski assisted by vice captains Arabela Bugna and Christian Clark. Thanks too to our indigenous leaders Tyler Skinner, Tyandra Sionepeni and SRC Executive.

We also farewell some key staff at Rockhampton SHS and wish them all the best in their future endeavours! Our retiring staff are:-

• Damien Clements (Chappy) – 10 years
• Russell Taylor (Maths) – 34 years
• Warren Batley (Facilities Officer) – 21 years

We also farewell Angela Sorrensen, Sarah Schuemaker, Danielle Barnes and Jarrod Harvey. Temporary staff leaving are Ashleigh Calnan, Alison Birks and Rechelle Marshal – thank you all for your work at Rockhampton High School.

I would also like to thank our hard-working staff and students and our parents and caregivers who have supported the school and students to once again achieve great outcomes in 2022!

Congratulations to Tyler Skinner who was awarded the Queensland Ampol All-Rounder Student of the year!

Tyler is an outstanding student and an excellent role model for other students in terms of academic performance (regular Awards Night recipient), leadership, extra curricular activities, cultural involvement and adherence to school policies and procedures. He is a member of the school leadership team as Indigenous School Captain and has performed the Welcome to Country at school events. He has represented the school in sport and is in the school’s Human Powered Vehicle team. He aspires to represent his country as part of the Australian Defence force and is currently working through the application process with ADF personnel.

Thanks to Mrs Crow for her nomination of Tyler and to Stacey Chamberlain CEC for her support.

Facilities Update

Over the Christmas break our Sports Centre will be ventilated and insulated at considerable expense. Works are due to finish by mid-February.

The Aquaculture Centre is well on its wat to completion in March.

We are also constructing an additional shed between D and E wings to provide an additional shaded and sheltered parade and play area.

On behalf of our staff, we wish our school community a safe, fun and relaxing festive season and wonderful start to the new year!

Kind Regards
Kirsten Dwyer

Binnacle Training - Hall of Fame Award

Each year, Binnacle Training’s annual honour board inductees are carefully selected by their Program Management Team from their Queensland regions, across four (4) categories: Business, Fitness, Sport, and School Program/VET Manager.

Lachlan Wells was the award winner for Fitness for excellence in Binnacle’s program delivery at Rockhampton State High School.

Criteria included outstanding commitment to delivery of these programs (Lachlan has delivered Sport and Recreation, First Aid and Fitness since 2017), strong student outcomes over previous years, and positive marking reviews from the teacher review team. Contribution to Binnacle Training events and Binnacle Teachers was also considered - Lachlan participates well in their Virtual PD's and, this year, he offered his assistance to other Fitness deliverers in Central Queensland, to help them with their Industry PD requirements if required.

Lachlan keeps in regular communication with the Binnacle Training team and is professional at all times. It was with great pleasure that Binnacle Training could give him this award and recognition.”

Congratulations to Mr Wells!

Respectful Relationships

Year 10 students have participated in a Respectful Relationships session led by our School-Based Youth Health Nurse, Trish Cope and Queensland Health clinical nurse, Gary Wright.

The education program aims to provide students with the relevant information to make healthy and safe choices in their relationships.

The students provided Trish and Gary with very positive feedback about the program.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Students Ready for Work in Civil Construction

Senior students at Rockhampton State High school recently completed Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure at SDS Training. The final week of training provided the students with the skills of working safely at heights and completing concreting work. This qualification will provide the students the opportunity to acquire skills for a career in the resources and infrastructure sector including construction, civil construction, drilling and mining.

The students learnt how to box the slab, pour the concrete and complete the finishing process. These are valuable skills for future careers in the domestic or civil construction industry.

We would encourage any students that are interested in this course in 2023 to contact Ellinah Dallow in the FEET First program office.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

INFORMATION FOR 2022 GRADUATES

RELEASE OF 2022 RESULTS and QCE

Final subject results and the Senior Education Profile (SEP) will be in learning accounts on the QCAA Student Portal from 9am on Friday 16 December. Students will not receive the Senior Statement, QCE or QCIA in the mail. They must access them online. Subject results and the QCE will be accessible via the myQCE website. Students need their 10-digit LUI and password. Students can download and print documents by selecting “Senior Education Profile” from the navigation bar at the top of the page.

If students don't have access to a printer and would like the QCAA to send a print copy of these documents, they need to request them via their learning account by 31 January 2023. The print copies will be identical to the electronic copies and printed on plain paper. The QCAA will post copies in March 2023.

ATARS

ATARS are released on 16 December via the QTAC “ATAR Portal”. Students need to sign up to this Portal in order to access their ATAR on 16 December.

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE OFFERS

The due date to apply and submit documentation in time for when most offers are released on 12 January 2023 is Friday 9 December 2022. Most offers are released via the QTAC app on 12 January 2023. When students receive an offer, they have a set time to respond to it or it will lapse.

FOLLOW UP CONTACTS/SUPPORT

FEET First follow up

The FEET First team will contact all school leavers early in 2023 to find out their post-school pathway and to offer support to achieve post-school goals.

Next Step Survey

A member of the Queensland Government will contact all school leavers regarding the Next Step post-school destination survey during 2023. The Next Step survey identifies the study, work or other point-in-time destinations of school leavers in Queensland. The Next Step survey provide valuable information to improve the services available to school leavers in the future. The surveys collect information about what school leavers are doing in the year after leaving school.

On behalf of the FEET First team, we would like to wish our 2022 Year 12 cohort all the best for their future endeavours.

Trudy Crow
HOD – Senior Schooling

Wonder of Science

Congratulations to Jessica Scanlan and her Year 7 students, Mia, Aleeyah, Jasmine and Emily.

The girls came second for the Year 7 division at the State Conference for Wonder of Science on Friday, 25 November.

Last year 5786 students participated in the program throughout Queensland with only 129 students eligible to attend the State conference.

This is a fantastic achievement as it is a very highly regarded STEM program and competition that is held each year in Brisbane.

The patron is Professor Ian Frazer who is an Australian of the Year (2006) and has won numerous international prize for his work in immunology.

Thanks to Jess for work with the girls in preparation for the conference and accompanying them to Brisbane.

Stephen Ladley
HOD – Science

Rocky High Students’ Success at Biomechanics Challenge.

Ten female Year 9 and 10 students from Rockhampton State High School (SHS) have just completed a 100-day Biomechanics Research & Innovation Challenge (BRInC). The challenge slogan was 100 Girls, 100 Stories, 100 Days and its aim was to inspire and raise the participation rate of high school girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), by focusing on the exciting field of biomechanics.

The program was delivered Australia-wide, during terms 2 and 3, in partnership with metropolitan and regional universities. Only 100 students were able to participate; Rockhampton SHS was the only school in Queensland, with all other schools participating from New South Wales, ACT, and Victoria.

The students were fortunate to work with two mentors from the Exercise and Sport Sciences program at CQUniversity, Dr Crystal Kean (Senior Lecturer and BRInC Program Design Co-Chair) and Dr Sam Fien (Lecturer). With the support of their BRInC mentors, the students applied a design thinking framework to develop a biomechanics-based solution to a real-world problem.

The Year 9 students chose to design a prosthetic leg that could be used by a girl of the same age. They researched the key features of a prosthetic leg before designing and building a prototype. A range of mobility tests were conducted before being able to analyse their walking gait with and without the leg using the motion capture cameras and imaging software at CQUniversity’s biomechanics laboratory.

The Year 10 students are keen netballers and designed an ankle brace to compare to commercially available braces. They first researched the types of ankle injuries that can occur and then measured the types of flexion in an ankle. They also designed and built a platform that was worn while walking to observe the ankle flexion.

As part of the program, students also had to participate in a series of immersive online workshops and masterclasses with their mentors. They also had the opportunity to use some of the laboratory-based resources at CQUniversity to gain hands-on experience in biomechanics. At the end of the program, students delivered their project findings and shared their biomechanics story as part of an online conference.

Head of Science at Rockhampton SHS, Stephen Ladley, said that “this program was a fantastic opportunity for the students to work with scientists, learn how research projects are conducted and use equipment in a biomechanics laboratory. I was very impressed with the girl’s commitment to the program, especially their creativity and teamwork. It has been a rewarding experience and hopefully it encourages them to consider a career in STEM as well.”

Stephen Ladley
HOD – Science

Road Safety Around Schools

School zone parking and pick-up

School zones are areas around schools where, during certain times, reduced speed limits apply. Speed limits and drop-off, pick-up and parking rules exist to keep children, parents and carers safe and to minimise speed and traffic jams around schools.

Drop-off, pick-up and parking rules

Parking rules apply around schools, especially around school entrances.

In a school zone:

• parking restrictions may be stricter than normal
• there may be a pick-up and drop-off area where parking is not allowed—but where you can collect your children in a fast and safe way.

Parking signs and markings

You should always check parking signs carefully near schools as they are often stricter than normal parking rules. The type of parking restriction, and the times that it applies, will be on the sign.

Signs and markings that you are likely to find near schools are:

• parking signs (for example, some streets near schools have 15 minute parking limits during school zone hours)
• no stopping signs
• yellow edge lines (stopping and parking is prohibited)
• no parking signs
• loading zone signs (used in pick-up or drop-off areas).

Bus Zone

Parking in a bus zone is not allowed.

You are not permitted to park or stop within 20 meters before or 10 meters after a bus stop unless signs tell you otherwise. These distances allow buses to access the bus stop so that passengers can safely get off or on a bus from the footpath.

If you park in a bus zone or bus stop, you can be fined and may be towed.

School Transport Assistance Scheme

CDC Queensland are now processing STAS (School Transport Assistance Scheme) school bus pass applications for the 2023 school year.

Parents/Carers will need to apply for a new school bus pass if their students are –

• Starting at a new school in 2023; OR
• Moving into Year 7 at their current school in 2023; OR
• Residing at a new address in 2023

Parents/Carers will not need to apply for a school bus pass if their students are already bus pass holders and are:-

1. staying at the same school; and
2. residing at the same address.

Parents/Carers can apply for STAS online here:

• One Form
• Up to Five Children
• Any Device

Additional Information

Please contact STASDigital.Helpdesk@tmr.qld.gov.au or 1300 119 289 for technical assistance with your online application.

Please visit our websites below for school bus service information.

Youngs Bus Service:

Phone: 07 4922 3813 Email: info.youngs@cdcbus.com.au

Rothery’s Coaches:

Phone: (07) 49224320 Email: info.rotherys@cdcbus.com.au

Students Not Returning in 2023

If your child/ren will not be returning to Rockhampton High in 2023, could you please let Student Services know as soon as possible? We need to know to enable us to form next year’s classes

Medication in School

Parents/Guardians are reminded to collect their child/ren’s medication from Student Services before 3:00pm on Friday, 9 December 2022.

Any Parents/Guardians wanting their child/ren to be administered medication at school or during school-related activities in 2023 must collect the relevant consent forms and have them returned prior to school commencing on Monday, 23 January 203.

Lost and Found

Still looking for that missing water bottle, jacket, or something else? Stop by lost and found in the Teacher Aide room near Student Services.

Remember - labelling your belongings is the perfect solution to your lost property nightmares.

School Dental Van

Allenstown School Dental clinic will remain open over the school holidays.

Appointments are still available for December 2022/January 2023.

Did your child have their teeth checked this year?

Please phone 4920 6372 / 4920 7556 to book an appointment over the school holidays break.

School Uniform Shop

Our Uniform Shop will be open the last week of the January school holidays for 2023 BACK-TO-SCHOOL trading.

The school uniform is sold through the Rockhampton High School Uniform Shop. The Uniform Shop is located in the Admin Services Building (next to First Aid). The Uniform Shop is operated by the P&C Association with all profits returned to the school.

Please be advised of a price increase commencing January 2023.

For your convenience a variety of payment options are available such as cash, EFTPOS and online orders via Qkr! App.

Our Uniform Shop will also be open the last week of the January school holidays for trading as follows:–

As from Tuesday, 31 January our regular trading hours will recommence – i.e. every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:15am to 9:15am.

Important Dates

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