3 August 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Coolum State High School’s first Senior Schooling Newsletter. It is hoped this additional communication with parents and students will not only provide clear information and guidelines on the wealth of material, deadlines and decisions facing our senior students, but that it will also inspire them to strive for excellence. I talk a lot about excellence, not only because it is one of our school’s core values, but because I believe every single one of our students has the potential to achieve excellence within their chosen areas. During the senior years, those areas of expertise become increasingly apparent and together, as teachers and parents, it is our duty to help draw them out so that these students are positioned for success as adults.

There are many different facets to my role as Principal of Coolum SHS, but one I am particularly determined to succeed in is the placing of every student leaving our school into further education, training or employment. It is not enough to wave our students out the gate at the end of Year 12 and simply hope they will become active and resourceful citizens in our community. Rather, we are striving to ensure our students have a pathway in place enabling them to arrive at a suitably ambitious post-school destination. Whether this is into local employment, tertiary education interstate or an apprenticeship in the ‘big city’ of Brisbane, our aim is to build on the potential we see in our students every day so that life beyond Coolum SHS is inspiring, purposeful and practical.

As a schooling community we should all be very proud of our senior students. As a group, they have risen to the high expectations set for them at the beginning of the year and have exceeded them. This has been shown not only academically through their improved achievement data, but in their outstanding conduct at events such as the Mid Winter Ball and as recently as the Kokoda Challenge. As role models, they have set a new and improved precedent for the rest of Coolum SHS to follow.

The students at Coolum SHS are excellent. They are just as capable, smart and talented as any student sitting in any classroom across the country and it is time they started realising this. Our senior students display the kinds of skills, ideas and enthusiasm the world needs and is looking for, yet at times they feel that their options and abilities are limited. In this way, the senior years of your child’s high school career are incredibly important: they act as a staging platform for their future as an adult and all the roles and responsibilities that brings.

Having our students as forearmed as possible and positioned, ready to launch into an appropriate post-school destination is the goal of every teacher and staff member at Coolum SHS. Together, we can ensure it’s one that unlocks the enormous potential within them!

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Senior Secondary

Year 12

Term 3 is an extremely important term for our Year 12 OP students as they move towards the QCS test in Week 8. Students have been working extremely hard to fine-tune their testing skills in preparation for the QCS test. The results from the QCS test are used to calculate individual students overall position (OP) and achieving a good result is critical to obtaining a high OP.

Year 10 SET Planning

The Set Planning process for Year 10 students is well underway and interviews are set for Week 5 of this term. The Senior Schooling Handbook has been developed and placed onto the schools website for parents and students to access. A link to the website has been emailed to parents and students. It is important that students follow these important steps when selecting subjects

1. Determine your pathway, ATAR or NON ATAR
2. Select subjects which are prerequisites for future pathways
3. Select subject which you will be successful in
4. Select subjects which you have an interest in

Students will be selecting their subject preferences in OneSchool before the Week 5 Set Planning Interviews. These preferences will be reviewed against subject prerequisites and Year 10 academic results. The school will have pre-set planning interviews with students should we identify misalignment of subject preferences. Parents and students will be asked to book SET Planning Interviews with one of the four Deputy Principals through the Parent Teacher Booking (PTO) System. We will notify parents with the specific Set Planning details once they are finalised.

Please click here for further information on QCAA Pathways:

Lee Merrett
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Business Services News

Welcome to the first edition of the Senior School Newsletter!

Senior School is a very important time in the life of your child and on-time payment of Student Resource Scheme, subject fees and certificate fees is very important. Without full payment of fees, your child’s place in the certificate or subject may be affected, including removal from that subject if we do not receive payment by the set dates and times.

Fee payment contributes to the ability of the school to purchase much needed resources for that subject. When it comes to certificate courses, full payment is of utmost significance because without payment your child will not receive their certificate and it could affect their potential to graduate.

Student Resource Scheme – This is due now. The $300 each year goes a long way towards the purchase of textbooks, resources, workbooks, photocopying, software applications and so much more. Please finalise your payment now.

Year 10 Set Planning

In week 5 this term we start the process for Year 10 Set Planning and subject selection. Please note that we will require a 50% payment on the day of the subject fee selection and without this 50% payment, your child will not be enrolled into the subject. The balance of the amount due for all the subjects is Week 9 of Term 3. If you have not made full payment by this time, your child will be moved out of that subject and enrolled into a non-fee paying subject. We will take 50% payment at the time of subject selection sign-off so that your child does not miss out on their chosen pathway.

I want to thank all families that have contributed to SRS this year and previous years, your contribution is very much valued by the school and without your participation we would not be able to support our students. Please support the scheme and help Coolum State High School be the best it can be.

Let us work together to provide the best teaching and learning resources, equipment and facilities for our students. Paying your fees on time and in full is one of the ways that you can contribute to making their school experience even better. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s account.

Nolly Griffiths
Business Manager

Tutorials – Term 3

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Vocational pathways at Coolum State High School are continuing to expand presenting a range of viable opportunities for students to develop real skills for real careers. With the growth of our Industry Reference Group and the partnerships we are forming, students can access more time with industry experts in the world of work. We are seeing a continual increase in the number of students accessing School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SAT) opportunities as part of their personalised pathway into further education, training or employment.

Hello World Trips

At the end of last term, all Year 11 and 12 students were involved in our “Hello World” Trips. Year 11 vocational students visited both Sunshine Coast TAFE campuses, and our Year 12 student’s explored Southbank TAFE campus in Brisbane.

Students discovered options available to them as they continue to make plans around a pathway of further education, training or employment.

TAFE @ School Program

Applications for Semester 2 TAFE at School courses are now open with classes starting from Week 2. Any Year 11 students who are interested in finding out more about this program and the courses on offer should come to the VET Office as soon as possible to discuss further.

Subject Expo

Be sure to check out the Vocational Education and Training (VET) area at the Subject Expo on Wednesday 1 August. There will be a range of external agencies with displays and industry representatives on hand to discuss pathways for students.

Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot - Visual Line of Sight)

Coolum SHS is excited to be able to offer current Year 11 Vocational Pathway students an opportunity to undertake a Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot – Visual Line of Sight)

This qualification provides students the opportunity to operate drones and they will gain the following:

• A CASA Remote Pilot licence – RePL
• A CASA licence to operate an aeronautical radio – AROC
• A CASA English Language Proficiency Test Certification – ELP
• A nationally recognised qualification to give you the skills to operate as a commercial pilot of a UA
• You will be able to operate a UAV in day VFR condition
• Understanding of Navigation, Meteorology, Human Factors, Regulations and Policies, Situational Awareness
• Experience in operation and management of remote aircraft in normal and abnormal situations

The course will begin in Semester 2 and continue into Year 12. Fees are fully funded for those students who have access to VETiS Funding.

Interested Year 11 Vocational Pathway students should contact the VET office in DBA or email Mr Walden to register interest and discuss eligibility. Those students who have already expressed interest will soon be commencing training.

School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeship Opportunities (SATs)

Under a SAT arrangement, a senior school student is released from school time to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship in their chosen field. Current opportunities are shown below:

Current Vacancies

CPC30211 Certificate III Carpentry – Trade, Noosa
MEM30205 Certificate III Engineering - Mechanical Trade - Fitter and Turner, Warana
AHC20410 Certificate II Horticulture – Nursery, Noosa/Cooroibah
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Goodness Gracious Café, Yandina
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – North Shore Tavern, Pacific Paradise
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Aromas, Noosa
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Pizza Capers, Noosa Junction
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Subway, Noosa Civic
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Laughing Lobster, Marcoola
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Donut King, Noosa Civic
SIT30616 Certificate III Hospitality – Indian restaurant, Yandina
SIT30616 Certificate III Commercial Cookery – Master Sushi, Nambour
SIT30616 Certificate III Commercial Cookery – The Canteen Restaurant, Coolum

Full-Time Apprenticeships

These opportunities are not school based. They would suit those looking to leave school as a priority and transition into the workforce.

Current Vacancies

Apprentice Cabinetmaker - 2 Positions, Coolum Beach
Apprentice Carpenter, Maroochydore
Apprentice Commercial Cook, Mooloolaba
Apprentice Construction Landscaper, Caboolture
Apprentice Painter, Maroochydore
Apprentice Painter & Decorator, Maroochydore
Engineering Production Traineeship, Kunda Park
Apprentice Chef, Coolum Beach

Please contact me at pwald9@eq.edu.au or 5471 5333 to discuss matters relating to Vocational Education and Training within the school.

Patrick Walden
Head of Department - Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Guidance Officers News

This is an important term for senior students, particularly Year 12s as they make important decisions regarding Tertiary study. Below is an outline of the Open Days and Expos available to assist with these decisions. Year 10 and 11 students will find these events useful in selecting and confirming their subject choices, and to discuss the results they will need to gain entry into their course of choice.

Year 12 students should have received their QTAC books and every student will have an interview with a Guidance Officer as well as their usual mentor meetings. We encourage parent involvement in these important decisions and invite you to contact us at any time to discuss your child’s aspirations and application to Tertiary institutions.

Liz Mortimer
Guidance Officer

Queensland Core Skills Test

Students currently in Year 11 and 12 are studying under the current Senior assessment and tertiary entrance system, often referred to as the OP system.

For current year 11 and 12 OP students, an important feature of their senior education is the Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test. The QCS test is a general aptitude test which is designed to test skills rather than content knowledge form any subjects. The focus of QCS is to test students’ ability to use logical problem-solving techniques and sound reasoning using a range of skills in unfamiliar situations.

The QCS test consists of four sub-tests over two days; a writing task, a short response test and two multiple choice tests. Together they form a very challenging experience for OP students which makes preparation and practise critical to students performing their best.

The QCS test is used as a scaling mechanism against which students from across the state can be compared, regardless of which subjects they study. The outcome of their subject results and the scaling from the QCS test results in eligible students being awarded an OP at the end of Year 12. While the process for calculating the OP is complex, students simply need to focus on the two things they can directly control; do as well as possible in their subjects and do as well as possible in the QCS test.

Year 12 OP students are in the last phase of preparation for the QCS test which takes place on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday September 5. The preparation has been long and at times gruelling but every lesson and every practise offers students more test experience and sharpens their skills. Parents of Year 12 OP students will receive more information in the coming weeks about how to help their child prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for the QCS test.

Current Year 11 OP students have recently undertaken their first practise tests and their preparation will continue for the remainder of this year and the first three terms of next year.

2019 New Subjects in Aerospace

Why Aerospace?

In 2019, Coolum State High School will offer an interesting new subject, Aerospace Systems, and has begun offering Certificate III in Aviation in Semester 2 this year. Both of these subjects offer new opportunities to senior students, and new pathways into future careers.

There are very sound reasons for offering these two new exciting courses. They are offered at a time of significant expansion of the Aerospace industry worldwide, nationally and especially right in our own backyard.

The early stages of the Sunshine Coast airport runway expansion are obvious to anyone who has driven along the Sunshine Motorway south of Mount Coolum. This development will significantly increase airport activity and lead to a corresponding increase in job opportunities. Brisbane airport will also have a new runway operational by 2020 and planning for a second Sydney airport is well underway. All of this points to a major increase in employment opportunities in the Australian aviation industry over the next few years.

To add to these local developments, the ABC recently reported that the global airline industry will require an amazing 640, 000 extra pilots over the next two decades to cater for the rise in demand for flights across the world. It is estimated that 40% of these pilots will be needed in the Asia/Pacific region alone. With the expansion in flights, demand for other in-flight and ground personnel will also increase.

All of these developments add up to great opportunities for our students and the new aviation-related subjects can help give students an understanding of the industry and some of the skills that can lead them on to further education in the field or directly on to employment.

Sean Sweeney
Head of Senior Schooling

University Sunshine Coast News

Help your child to plan their study and career path

It’s the time of year when senior school students are thinking more about their future careers. So how do you help your child make the most of career/study events and opportunities? USC has the following tips.

Have the discussion

Talk to your child about the future. What subjects are they enjoying at school? Do they have any degrees or career options in mind? Discussing these questions at home will help your child prepare for conversations with their guidance officer or external organisations.

Think about pathways

Help your child create a shortlist of possible jobs or careers and speak with school or tertiary education staff about what pathways or qualifications can lead to their career goal. Often, there are many pathways to the same job.

Some university programs require students to have studied certain subjects at school (called prerequisites). Have your child check what subjects they need to have studied for any university courses they might be interested in.

Ask questions

Help your child compile a list of questions for them to ask at events. These might be about entry pathways, scholarships, course content or career opportunities. Universities and workplaces require independence, and events can be a great place for your child to build confidence and networking skills.

Relax!

Your child will perform better in subjects they are interested in, so they should select study for Years 11 and 12 based on this – not solely on the entry requirements for a dream degree. Remember, it’s normal for students to be unsure or to change their minds. If this happens, there are programs like USC’s Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP) which can assist students who may not have completed certain subjects at high school meet the prerequisites of their preferred degree.

Resources to help

USC has a range of resources to help students and parents with career planning:

• Subscribe to USC’s Parent Lounge which provides helpful information to parents.
• The careers and employment section of the USC website has lots of free, helpful items including career assessments.
• USC’s online career directory matches possible occupations with degree options.

Student Services Year 10

A big focus for the Year 10s in the last term has been around subject selection and the completion of their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans. As a part of that process, it has been made very clear to students throughout the year that results will matter when it comes to being allowed to choose some subjects this year. The key to success in students’ academic studies comes from the additional work that should be done outside of school hours.

Students in Year 10 should be completing one and a half hours of outside school work each night if they want to maximise the amount of success they have at report card time. This time should be spent either completing homework, working on assignments or completing revision and study of classwork completed during the day (depending on the subject). To help students stay on top of their outside of school work, they should develop a study plan to help keep them on track during the week.

When creating the study plan, students should block out other activities first that will impact on the time they have available to study – sport, part-time work, dinner etc. Once that is done students, should add in definite times to study specific subjects. Subjects should be studied as close as possible to the previous lesson, normally that night. It should be possible for Year 10 students to manage this during the regular week and still have weekends completely free.

To help motivate you to keep on track, you should print as many weekly study plans as there are weeks in the term. As you complete a block of time, cross it off – this will help be an external motivator as you see the progress of your work. Give your parents a copy so that they can help you focus and keep working towards your study goals. You should also revisit the study plan when your personal circumstances change eg, different night for sport.

If any student would like some assistance completing a study plan, please come and see Mr Blair for assistance.

Glenn Blair
Acting Head of Department – Technology

Student Services Year 11 and 12

As Heads of Year for 11s and 12s, Ms Danielle Siegert and Ms Alison Venning know all too well that study habits can be the difference between coping well at school and having a difficult time. Here they offer some tips to all senior students to assist them during this all-important time.

Ask for help when you need it

Most senior students will find that at one point or another they start to feel the pressure. If you are struggling with anything it is a good idea to talk to someone early, before stress starts to build up. This could be as simple as seeking out your teacher before class or chatting to your parents about your study set-up at home. Assistance can also come from our Guidance Officers, Ms Siegert, Ms Venning, Mr Sweeney, former students and friends. We are all here to help!

Stay organised

This is something you have probably heard time and time again but it really does pay to be organised! Make up a study schedule before exams, set aside time for each subject throughout the week, start assignments as early as you can, set yourself deadlines to complete work and make the most of study periods by heading to a quiet location free from distractions.

Don’t over-commit yourself

School is hard enough as it is, let alone when you are trying to balance sporting commitments, part-time work, music or drama rehearsals, family commitments and a social life. If you find that you are struggling to keep up with your workload, you may want to ease up on some of your extracurricular activities. It’s also important to learn to say no to things when you really have no time to spare — you will find that most people understand.

Mix up your study routine and get enough sleep!

You are going to spend a lot of time studying in senior school, so try to mix up your study routine. This will help you stay focused and productive and allow you to absorb as much information as you can. Consider switching between different study techniques — from using flashcards or mind maps, writing summaries and watching online tutorials to getting a friend or family member to quiz you, completing practice tests under exam conditions and working through questions from the text book. Do not forget the after-school tutorials too – help is always at hand. Do not forget that you need plenty of sleep to be able to function at your very best.

Take time to research your options

Taking time to research and make plans for post-school life can provide a nice break from studies, while also helping you to stay motivated by reminding you of the bigger picture. This may include researching institutions and courses of interest, making travel plans for the holidays, looking into work opportunities and putting together course applications.

Stay calm and keep things in perspective

It can be hard to look past graduation and into the future. Our advice: Years 11 and 12 are important years but it will not dictate the rest of your life and there is always more than one pathway into a course or career. Keep cool and remember to breathe!

As a senior student at Coolum State High School it is important to maintain consistent practice across the entire school year. Year 11 and 12 students are ‘role models’ for all lower year levels at all times. We are committed to maintaining our standards and expectations around attendance, uniforms and behaviour.

Uniform – some keys to helping keep up our standards everyday

• Mondays – full formal school uniform for all students (if you have Senior PE or Sport and Recreation classes please bring along sports uniform to change into)
• Shoes - fully enclosed black leather shoes, below the ankle
• Socks – white socks to the ankle (NO sockettes)
• Senior jerseys NOT to be worn without a school shirt.

Attendance – staying organised and aware of our daily commitments

• ALL students are required to be at school by the 8.30am bell every day.
• Ensure attendance and active participation in all classes
• Signing in and out of school is a MUST should you need to.

Danielle Siegert and Alison Venning
Head of Year - Year 11, Head of Year - 12

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