7 August 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

I cannot begin to tell you how impressive our students were in winning the Sunshine Coast Eisteddfod Concert Band section, in partnership with Beerwah State High. The Eisteddfod itself is such a magnificent event, spanning thousands of competitors in a vast array of performance styles. To achieve such a stunning victory in the coveted Concert Band section, our students have dedicated themselves to rehearsing with significant amounts dedication and determination and they have improved in ways that might have seemed unimaginable not that long ago. Their teachers – Sharelle Guest, Clare Deady and Lauren Harris – have shown enormous dedication in rehearsing over many, many hours to ensure their students’ success. The students’ victory is a great one for Coolum High in showing what our students are capable of with hard work and determination. I cannot say enough about what they have achieved through their hard work and persistence. I can’t wait to see these students continue to grow as musicians and wish them all the very best on their upcoming trip to Sydney.

Added to this, since the beginning of term, our debating teams have competed against leading Sunshine Coast schools and won!! Our intermediate team has beaten Immanuel Lutheran College, with the senior team steamrolling their way through the competition beating both Immanuel and St Andrew’s Colleges. This is an absolutely outstanding achievement for all the students involved and a credit to their tireless coach, Colette Webber.

On the sporting front, I continue to be impressed by the skills and talents of our students. Our Year 7/8 Basketball Team have been highly impressive in the hard fought Division A schools basketball competition. The thing about Coolum teams is they always work hard, act respectfully and have an instinctive knowledge of the power of teamwork. I’m looking forward to seeing our senior rugby league team play a combined Burnside/Nambour team on Monday evening. I know that our team will give their best and that the game will be an entertaining one.

The results are in for the QCS Practice Test that was held last term and our Year 12 students achieved excellent results trending above state averages in both the Writing Task and Short Response. But we can never rest on our laurels. To continue this trajectory, our students must have an organised and committed study plan. On top of this, daily attendance at school from now until the end of their school year will see our students give themselves the best opportunity for exciting post-school pathways.

On a final note, parents/caregivers, school staff and a random sample of students are encouraged to have their say in this year’s School Opinion Surveys by providing their opinions about what our school does well, and how we can improve. Each of the online surveys will be open until Friday 23 August 2019.

Access details for the Parent/Caregiver Survey have been sent home in a letter with students. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with internet connection.

If you haven’t received any survey access details by the end of this week, or if your access details have been missed, please contact us on 5471 5333 or email admin@coolumshs.eq.edu.au. We value your opinion.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

School Opinion Survey

Parents/Caregivers, school staff and a random sample of students are encouraged to have their say in this year’s suite of School Opinion Surveys by providing their opinions about what our school does well and how we can improve. Each of the online surveys will be open until Friday, 23 August 2019.

Access details for the Parent/Caregiver Survey have been sent home in a letter with students. The survey can be completed via computers, tablets or smart phones with internet connection.

Thank you for taking the time in completing the survey.

Academies

Academy applications for 2020 are due this term. Our current list of academies are able to be viewed by clicking here. The exciting selection will increase as more programs are developed. We will keep you informed when these are ready to start. Please click here if you wish to apply for one of the established programs. Success in these programs has already been demonstrated in many of these programs in 2019. Our Wind Symphony (Instrumental Music) has received high accolades at many of their performances. The Touch and Basketball Academy has been very successful in their competitions this year and are continuing to do so. Our Surfing Academy has had a great year with a number moving into representative positions and all students having access to excellent coaching opportunities. Cheerleading is about to embark on a trip to Brisbane for their first competition and the Young Entrepreneurs are currently establishing a real business with some students being selected to attend Generation Innovation which has the potential to take their idea to market.

Enrolments

Enrolments for Year 7, 2020 are now due. We will be working with both Coolum State School and Peregian Springs State School as we establish the student’s home group class. Students must have their enrolments in prior to class placements.

Anthony Swan
Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 8 & 9

Our Vision: That students have the confidence, desire and belief to succeed through strong foundations in literacy and numeracy.

Attendance

Well done to our Year 8 and 9 students who had 100% attendance throughout Semester 1. We also have over 30% of Year 8s and 9s with over 95% attendance.

Such positive attendance is just one signal that these students are growing into mature, reliable young people and is a valued characteristic in the workplace.

We want all of our students to realise that simply showing up every single day is part of the recipe for a successful future.

I like the quote “Nothings gets done if you don’t show up. You don’t get better if you don’t show up. You don’t fulfil your potential if you don’t show up.”

Having excellent attendance is a clear priority for our school and adds tremendous value to a student’s progress.

Safe travel to and from school

With our ever-growing Coolum-Peregian community, there is more people and traffic movement around schools and local streets than ever before.

As a school we sometimes receive concerns from our community about our students unsafely crossing roads or not giving due care and attention when riding bikes on roads or scooters/skateboards on footpaths.

With this in mind, I would like to ask all families to talk with their children about safe travel to and from school. This is an important issue, as with more cars on the roads and students in our community, any accident could potentially be very serious.

Terry Proctor
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary

Deputy Principal –Senior Secondary Year 10

Excellence in everything we do

Year 10 SET Planning

All students in Year 10 will be completing their Senior Education Training (SET) Plan on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 August 2019.

To facilitate the process the following arrangements have been made to allow students, parents and caregivers to meet with a member of the Senior Schooling team and discuss pathways for success and subject choices that support chosen pathways.

It is the expectation of the school that all students attend this interview on either the Wednesday 14 or Thursday 15 of August. To support this, all Year 10 classes will be suspended on Wednesday 14 August. The only attendance requirement for the day is to attend a SET Plan Interview.

SET Plan Interview Arrangements:

Students must have logged onto One School and completed the SET planning module prior to the interview. Students will be taken through this process as part of their timetabled Wednesday CVP classes on Wednesday 7 August. They can also complete this process online at home.

Emma Clarke
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10

Deputy Principal - Senior Secondary Year 11 & 12

Term 3 is an extremely important time for our Year 12 students as they strive for academic excellence. In Week 8 of this term, the Year 12 OP students will be sitting the Queensland Core Skills (QCS) exams. These exams help determine the overall position for each student, a number that is generated to gain a university position. From the testing and preparation that we have been undertaking over the last 18 months, we are extremely confident of great results in the QCS exam.

Academically the current Year 12 cohort is well placed to be the best performing group of Year 12’s in the school’s history. This is a direct result of the hard work and dedication shown by these amazing group of students. In Week 9 Year 12 students will be undertaking a block exam period so that we can finalise their summative assessment for the verification process.

Research has clearly identified that academic success has close links to student attendance. The Year 12 cohort have been attending school well above the school target of 92% and this has been reflected in their results. The Year 11 cohort has some work to do this term as they are just above 90% for the first time. Coolum SHS places great emphasis on student attendance and we have set a target of 92% to reflect this. At the end of Semester 1, senior students achieved the following attendance rate below.

Lee Merrett
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Business Services News

FINALISE ALL YOUR FEES

We are fast approaching the end of the year and now is the time to have all outstanding fees finalised. It’s also particularly important as we head into the SET Planning phase for year 10 students. Subject and certificate course fees can quickly add up, so getting on top of your outstanding fees is imperative so that your child can be placed into their chosen subject.

You will receive a Statement of Account in week 6 this term, which will provide you with your account details and what is outstanding. Please look out for this in your email and finalise any outstanding amount.

2020 STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME

We are planning for 2020 and you will notice the SRS fee on your Statement of Account. Fortunately, we have been able to maintain the fee at $300. This vital income to the school means we can continue to provide quality teaching and learning resources for your child. Your early payment of this fee is also very important to the school for our 2020 plans. Early payment of the fee ensures that the resources purchased will benefit your child at the very start of the new school year.

MORE CLASSROOMS

Work has begun on the addition of eight classrooms on the ground level of the Smart Futures Centre. The school is very fortunate to have these added new and modern learning spaces, to support student success and our enrolment growth.

NEW BUILDING

If you have visited the school recently you will have noticed the hive of activity on site. We are very excited to be the proud recipients of another two-storey building that will have a design and health focus. Whilst the opening of the building is some time away, it is exciting to see that works will begin in the very near future. I look forward to providing you with updates on this exciting new facility for our students!

QParents information

QParents is an Education Queensland Portal that allows parents to access their student’s financial invoices/payments, reports, absences/attendance and timetable all in one place. You are also able to make payments directly from this portal for outstanding invoices and is Education Queensland’s preferred method of payment. Please refer to the flyer below for more information.

Nolly Griffiths
Business Manager

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Year 10 Trade Taster Program Term 3 in-take

Our Year 10 Trade Taster program at TAFE Queensland Nambour campus starts week commencing 5th August. Please see below a summary of information. Students and parents have also received this information via email directly from TAFE.

When?

Depending on the student’s allocated day they will commence study on either Tuesday 6 August or Friday 9 August. Final week of study will be week commencing 14 October (second week of Term 4)

Class times are 08:00am until 03:45pm.

Where?

We advise students to meet outside the student services building (E Block) at the TAFE Queensland Nambour (91 Windsor Road) campus shortly before 08:00am for their first day. The TAFE at School Team and teaching staff will be on hand to direct students accordingly.

Attendances

Attendances will be taken and will be available to schools in Pathways.

Timetable

One unit is delivered over two weeks only. Students who miss the first week of a unit due to absence will be unable to participate in the second week of that particular unit (For example, if a student misses Week 4, they would be unable to participate in Week 5).

Uniform/Equipment

Long, dark cotton pants
Hi-vis or dark cotton shirt
Steel toe-capped safety shoes/boots
Safety glasses (available at Bunnings)

Pen/Notepad
ID documentation (See below)

White Card ID Requirements - IMPORTANT

As part of the Trade Taster program students will receive their White Card qualification. The White Card will be delivered on Week 1 of the program (either Tuesday 6 August or Friday 9 August depending on student’s allocated day). We require three pieces of ID in order for a White Card to be issued – these must be original documents we can sight or certified copies (signed by a JP or Cdec). We cannot accept photographed electronic copies of documents (such as on a mobile device).

Students and guardians will receive reminder emails shortly with regards to this information. Students will not receive their White Card until ID requirements have been satisfied so we recommend students bring all three documents for their first week.

Please see required forms of ID below:

Document 1: Birth Certificate (Australian only) or Passport (can be any nationality)
Document 2 & 3: Any two of - Passport (if not given as Document 1), School ID (with photo), Medicare Card

School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeship (SATs) Vacancies

Under a SAT arrangement, a senior school student is released from school time to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship in their chosen field. For further information, please speak to a staff member at the VET office in DBA.

Full Time Apprenticeship Vacancies

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

By completing a Vocational Pathways Expression of Interest (EOI) form students will be registered to receive further information and support.

Defence Force Work Experience Program

Defence is committed to providing a national work experience program designed to:

• demonstrate the wide variety of interesting careers available within Defence;
• ease the transition of students into the workplace; and
• contribute to the development of the skills of young people.
• Please Note: The Defence Work Experience Program offers unpaid work experience for students residing in Australia.

See the exciting work experience placements that are on offer.

Full details can be found online at the link below.

Please contact me on pwald9@eq.edu.au or 5471 5321 to discuss matters relating to Vocational Education and Training at Coolum State High School.

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

Performing Arts News

Wind Symphony

It was so exciting to see our Wind Symphony achieve such phenomenal success at the Sunshine Coast Eisteddfod on Sunday night. The adjudicator made the comment that our Wind Symphony ‘had a beautiful sound’. Thanks again to Sharelle Guest, Clare Deady, and Lauren Harris who gave up so much of their time throughout the past few weekends to see the students achieve such awesome success.

We also had wins in our smaller group and Individual performances. Jaz Guest won her age group with her beautiful flute playing. The clarinet group received a highly commended and our saxophone group came third!! We are so proud of our students and our Instrumental Music Teachers and are very excited to see the continual development of this great program in our school.

Jeanette Samson
Head of Performing Arts

School Musical

Coolum SHS is proud to present ‘Future Island’. This original musical combines contemporary dance, popular Australian music, and a witty and compelling story line that will have audiences spellbound. Written and directed by Miss Jessica Puncheon, choreographed by Mrs Tracy Ford, and musical directed by Mr Rohan Hardy, ‘Future Island’ is the tale of two tribes, the New Waves and the Glamatrons, living on a single island in the future. When two teenagers, searching for answers in history, meet the whole population is forced to look at the journey their ancestors took and ask how can they learn from the past?

This incredible musical has been brought to life by the extraordinary talents of our student cast. All of the cast and crew are so proud of this production and we are looking forward to the three performances.

Tickets for this fabulous production are on sale now. All tickets are $10 for all three performances. Tickets are available through trybooking.com

The link to the ticketing site is

Performances will be held in the Drama theatre in the Coolum SHS Performing Arts block on Thursday August 22, Friday August 23, and Saturday August 24. Shows begin at 7.00pm. Please be seated by 6.45pm.

Carla Edgar
Drama Teacher

Bus Pass Information 2019

Q: What is a Buslink Bus Pass?

A: The Queensland Government’s School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) provides assistance to enable eligible school students to attend education facilities. The Buslink Bus pass is distributed if you are eligible for such assistance

Q: Will I need to apply for a new bus pass for 2019?

A: If the below circumstances have changed for you and/or your student then you will need to apply for a new Buslink Bus Pass:

• your child is moving from primary school to secondary school
• you have changed address
• you have changed travel days
• you have enrolled them at a different school

Q: What happens if I currently have a Buslink Bus Pass and my circumstances haven’t changed?

A: Buslink will automatically print off a 2019 Buslink Bus pass for you and you will need to collect it from either your AM Buslink Bus Driver or at published pick up points at your school.

Q: How do I apply for a Buslink school travel pass?

A: Your child may be eligible for free bus travel. To download an application form head to your bus service Sunshine Coast. You can email your completed application to info.sunshinecoast@buslink.com.au or post to 11 Page St, Kunda Park Qld 4556.

If you don’t have access to a printer you’re welcome to ask one of our friendly Buslink drivers or come in to our office for an application.

Q: If my student is ineligible for a full Buslink Bus Pass travel, and only eligible for a Part Buslink Bus Pass, how do I pay the top up fare?

Students with a Buslink part pass (part payment) can purchase single, daily or weekly tickets from the bus driver using cash. If your student is travelling Monday to Friday in both morning and afternoons, it is cheaper to purchase a weekly ticket as you’ll receive a day free travel. Please do not pay your top up with a Go Card or you will be paying the full fare.

Q: If I’m not eligible for a Buslink Bus Pass, can I still travel on a Buslink Bus and how do I pay a fare?

If a student doesn’t qualify for a Buslink pass they will be required to pay the full cash fare or purchase a Go Card to save up to 30% off the full fare.

Q: If I or my child need a reminder of the Code of Conduct where do we find this information?

Buslink Buses are governed by the Code of Conduct. Similar to schools we have an expectation of behaviour that is acceptable on each bus and if that behaviour is breached then students will receive consequences for their behaviour. To view the code please go to: Code of conduct

General News

Kokoda Challenge 2019

Five years ago on a last minute whim eight students and three teachers embarked on a 96km adventure, while one teacher and four students embarked on a 48km trek, up and down some very steep mountains in the Gold Coast Hinterland. It was the influence of our then School Captains and Ms Vellar that this Coolum SHS Kokoda Challenge tradition began. Five years later we have had a total of thirteen 96km teams and twelve 48km teams complete this gruelling challenge. The event itself is no easy feat, the mountains are tall, the nights are either cold or wet or both, and you get no sleep and are on your feet for hours.

This event is not one that students and teachers can take on lightly, we ask for commitment to training events that happen throughout the year to prepare for the event. Training walks from Coolum to Noosa and back again, the high school to Mt Coolum and back again as well as a number of days walking throughout the Mapleton National Park.

On July 20 and 21st our Kokoda Challenge teams produced some amazing results in their chosen events:

The 48km event saw 13 students and 4 teachers begin the event crossing the finish line 13 hours and 16 minutes taking 2 hours off last years time. Congratulations to this year’s 48km trekkers consisting of:

Oliver Sweetman, Keanu Innis, Thomas Hocking, Jake Strahan, Isaac Ruscoe, Kirra Macrae, Kai Weith, Rubin Smyth and Maddy Beach.

With staff; Mr McHugh, Mr Williams, Mr Jones, Miss Goodacre and Ms Fiducioso – Leading the support crew parents.

We had two groups of 96km trekkers, one group of our 96km walkers crossed the line in a fantastic time of 28hours and 10 minutes, congratulations to; Mika Joyce-Mangschou, Tyler Mohr, Ms Francis, Mrs Lobbe, Mrs Mortimer and Mr Barrow.

Finally our superhero 96km team lead by the legendary Mr Nix, with Jacob Cassidy, Cooper Waring, Wil Duggan and Calder Shanks had a goal to complete the event under 24 hours. They smashed their goal crossing the line in 17th place in a cracking time of 22hours and 25 minutes, it must have been Support Crew Leader Ms Butwell keeping time and shoving them on their way to help them achieve this amazing result.

This event can’t be completed without the commitment and support of the students and their families, so a huge thank-you to those involved. Not only are teachers there to help each of you, but your conversations and determination lift our spirits and help us complete the event with and for you.

A special mention to Mr Williams, Mr McHugh and Miss Goodacre for their support each year since our first adventure with Mr Nix and Miss Fiducioso joining in one year later for 4 years of commitment to the event.

We look forward to providing this opportunity to students next year. If students are interested in a personal challenge, pushing yourself to the limit and finding out what you are really capable of, start chatting to your parents and friends to get your teams together for 2020. Then start training and listen out for messages in Term 4, as the teachers may have recovered by then. If you have questions, there are many teachers and students from Coolum SHS who would be more than happy to share their stories with you.

Student Contribution - Jye Parkinson

GREEN STUFF: Zero Waste For Beginners

If you’re thinking about how you’d like to do something to help the environment, you’re already on your way to doing it. Reducing the amount of waste you produce is a good place to start. You can’t go zero waste overnight, but you can start with some changes. Here’s some tips to help you on the zero waste journey:

1. Drink more water, but not bottled water: Drink more water from the tap and you’ll eliminate not only plastic water bottles but also the sugary drinks and their plastic bottles—soda, energy drinks, juice etc.
2. Focus on eliminating single use items first: Waste is everywhere, so before you stress yourself out, focus on cutting out single use items. What do you find yourself reaching for most: plastic utensils, paper napkins, straws, plastic water bottles, take-away coffee cups?
3. Use what you have and buy less stuff: You don’t have to buy new items to reduce your waste. Look around your house. What zero waste tools do you already have? Empty glass jars are great for storing dry foods, homemade treats, leftovers or an impromptu water bottle.
4. Tackle food waste: Cook “clear-it-out” dishes that uses the food you have on hand, check what you have before food shopping, do meal planning, buy less food, compost.
5. Buy secondhand first: When you have to buy an item, check local thrift stores first. They might have just what you need and at a much lower price too.

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