21 August 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

Following on from our Wind Symphony’s exceptional win at the Sunshine Coast Eisteddfod, it is very exciting to let you know that they achieved even more success last weekend when they were awarded Gold at the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival (ASBOF) in Sydney. To see all three of these outstanding performances, visit the ASBOF Facebook page. With over 10,000 students competing in the Festival, this is an outstanding achievement which cannot be underrated.

Many more students have also continued to excel in the past weeks showing a maturity beyond their years, steely determination and amazing athletic skills we mere mortals can only dream about.

Most of us are not born with natural talent, and even those rare few who are, still need to train to achieve their goals. Our students who have achieved their recent successes have put in many long hours of practice for their debating competition, training for the District Athletics Carnival or studying for the QAMT maths competition.

After our senior debating team’s recent wins against Immanuel Lutheran College and St Andrew’s, Coolum High again took the honours against St Theresa’s. The team now goes to the finals undefeated; an enviable position to be in! Not to be outdone, our Intermediate team also had a win against Immanuel College. It a fantastic night for all the students who are a credit to the school community.

The QAMT maths competition saw Coolum High take out 2nd and 3rd places with only a half a mark separating each of the top 3 teams and move through to compete in the regional final at the end of this month. Congratulations to our brilliant mathematicians!

Across campus on our sporting fields, our athletics contingent at Districts was phenomenal! Amongst the many, first, second and thirds were, a series of personal bests, five new district records and two age champions. Our students are showing that they are very talented, with wonderful athletic and teamwork skills. The students’ strong results show that they mentally have their mind on the task and are working well with their teachers and coaches.

Because of the students’ efforts, the school finished in third place overall, our highest place finish in recent years! We could not be prouder of our students who each excelled at their individual pursuits.

Last weekend, our Cheerleading Academy students competed in the dance and cheer events at the Asia Pacific Internationals on the Gold Coast. Our Senior Level 1 and Level 2 groups placed first in both routines with the Senior 2 team hitting a perfect score! Well deserved success after many hours of training.

While all this has been happening, our talented cast and crew have been practising long hours for the opening night of the school musical, Future Island on Thursday 22 August. One of our very dedicated and creative teachers, Jess Puncheon, wrote the musical and we cannot wait to see all the hard work come to fruition. We would love to see as many parents and community members at the performances supporting our incredibly talented students and teachers.

It is clear that Coolum SHS has a strong academic, sporting and cultural tradition. There are endless examples of students succeeding, belonging and feeling pride in being a member of Coolum SHS (just take a look at our Facebook page). Coolum High students are proving to our entire community just what heights they are capable of; that across a wide range of disciplines, with effective coaching and steadfast commitment, we can achieve anything.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

School Opinion Survey

Thank you to all the parents/caregivers, students and school staff who completed this year’s School Opinion Survey. If you have not had a chance to complete the survey yet, please note that the survey is due by Friday, 23 August 2019. This is your opportunity to provide feedback about what our school does well and how we can improve to help shape our school’s future.

We look forward to reviewing our survey results when we receive our school report later this year.

Year 7 Enrolments

Classes are now being formed for Year 7 2020 classes. Please ensure you have submitted the enrolment package to assist with this and so that your child can engage in all upcoming transition programs.

Academy Programs

We have had amazing success with all our academy programs this year with all students thoroughly enjoying the experiences. Parents of students who are currently in an academy program will soon receive application paperwork for 2020. This will be discussed on a whole school parade so that all students who are interested can also receive an application package. For more information and to download an application package, please click the following links.

Academy Prospectus:

Academy Application:

Reading and Writing

As parents, a key strategy to assist our children to be more accomplished writers is to encourage them to read. The ability to articulately write is fundamental to success in the majority of career pathways. This cannot be stressed enough. Becoming an accomplished reader and writer begins at a young age when parents regularly engage in conversations with their children and actively encourage reading. As our children progress into secondary education, the focus on regular reading activities may not be seen by some as important as it was in their younger years. Our teenagers are still developing their skills and it is vital that we remain focused on their development through these important years. Encourage your child to read. This can be in an area of their passion. Take the time to read their work and celebrate their achievement no matter how small. From their feelings of success they will engage and reach their potential.

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.

Writing on Demand

You may have heard from your student in Years 7-9 that they undertake a piece of writing each fortnight as part of our strategy to improve writing.

This has involved giving students a stimulus on which to write response in either a persuasive or a narrative genre. I am very excited that there has been much improvement in student writing throughout the year.

Not only have students been writing more, they have also been structuring their work much better and improving their use of ideas and vocabulary. This is great work to celebrate from our students and teachers.

Junior Secondary assessment

Junior Secondary students will continue to be completing a number of assessment tasks for their subjects this term. This may range from assignments and exams, to presentations or completing practical tasks. This is a particularly important time for Junior Secondary students as they are still learning the behaviours and skills to be successful across a range of high school assessments.

As I always mention, one important skill that all students will benefit from is being organised. Setting in place a number of routines at school and at home will support Junior Secondary students to achieve this. Such routines could be:

• Regular and consistent tracking of assessment dates, homework and other tasks;
• A small, but consistent, amount of time each afternoon or evening to put aside for school work. This can be for homework, assignments or exam revision (committing information to memory);
• A consistent time for going to bed each night, and waking up each morning;
• Firm but fair rules around access to devices (phones, tablets etc.) in the evenings.

Developing good routines and habits will definitely support all Junior Secondary students to be organised. Personal organisation is a skill that can be learned with a growth mindset. Remember, students who are organised often produce a higher standard of work than those who are not.

District Athletics

Well done to our students who performed so well at the district athletics last week. It was great to hear of some outstanding results with a number of Coolum High students now moving forward to the Regional trials. We wish them the best of luck.

Terry Proctor
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary

Deputy Principal –Senior Secondary Year 10

Excellence in everything we do

Over the last two weeks, career pathways and planning has been the focus for Year 10 students as they engaged with the SET planning process. A significant majority of students and families have met with a team of Deputy Principals, Heads of Senior Schooling and Guidance Officers to discuss future career options and establish a plan to achieve the best possible outcome for each and every student. Our Year 10’s conducted themselves with commitment and maturity through the process ensuring the day was productive.

Families that have not yet met with us to discuss a SET plan must make contact with the school as soon as possible to book in for an appointment. This process must be completed for all Year 10 students continuing with us in 2020.

Emma Clarke
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10

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. Thank you to the families that are up to date with their fees, it means a lot to the students and the school. I also thank the many families that were able to pay a large portion of their child’s subject fees in preparation for next year. It is wonderful to have your support.

You will receive a Statement of Account this week, 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.

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

Dr Mike Nagel

Dr Mike Nagel is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Dr Nagel presented to parents early in Term 1 and the session was both informative and entertaining.

We are very privileged that Dr Nagel will write an article for our newsletter twice a term in 2019.

Below is the first article for the Term 3, ‘Let’s Be Sure to Sleep On It!’

Dr Michael C Nagel
Associate Professor
Child Development and Learning
The University of the Sunshine Coast
mnagel@usc.edu.au

P&C News

Sea Breeze Canteen Going Online

We are excited to inform the Coolum High school community that online ordering and eWallets are up and working thanks to our collaboration with schoolshoponline. The P.O.S system has been installed and orders can be placed online anytime before 9.00am for both breaks.

Parents past and present of Coolum State Primary and Peregian Springs State Primary will be familiar with this system, so that is a bonus and we are encouraging everyone to pre order to save waiting in the lines and missing out.

Please go online and register your students at

Make sure your choose COOLUM STATE HIGH SCHOOL, set up an account and then go online and start pre-ordering.

The P & C are running a raffle in conjunction with the new online ordering system. Everyone who makes an order online between now and Week 10 of Term 3 will be entered into the raffle with great prizes to be won.

So that means, the more you order online, the more chances you have to win. A litre tub of Gelato Mio’s awesome home- made ice cream as well as other prizes and vouchers are on offer to be won!

Monica Kutt
Vice President

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 has started well for our second intake. Below is a reminder of some key information:

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 at Nambour Campus. 

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

TAFE at School Program Applications for Semester 1, 2020 

Applications are now open for a range of TAFE @ Schools Programs for study commencing in Semester 1 2020. Students who will be in Year 10, 11 or 12 next year are able to consider these courses subject to available places and final approval from the Head of Department for Vocational Studies as part of their timetable.

Study options include:

Mooloolaba

Nambour

Online

SCHI

Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training Centre

For further information, please consult the TAFE @ Schools 2020 course guide available below.

White Card Training

The General Construction Induction card provides new and existing workers with the basic understanding and knowledge needed to start or continue work within the building and construction industry.

Training for this must be undertaken at a registered training organisation via face-to-face delivery. Coolum State High School is pleased to advise that one of our industry partners, Diggerman offers this course as part of their training products.

The training facility is conveniently located in the Coolum Industrial Estate. For more information please contact Diggerman directly on 5351 1811.

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 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

Year 9 Visual Art

Can you find beauty in a weed? The Year 9 art classes have been looking closely at the flowers and plants around the school and taking many photographs. In class we have discovered how to use the photography aps on laptops and IPhones to edit photos taking into consideration focal point, cropping, division of thirds and black and white contrast. Here are some of the first photos coming in for printing from our budding photographers.

Future Island – Final Update

This Thursday, Friday and Saturday we premiere our Future Island production for 2019 and we’re all getting really excited!

Thank you all for your support of the students as they push through the final rehearsals after school and during the lunch breaks leading up to this Thursday.

Tickets

Tickets are still for sale and are close to selling out (particularly on Friday and Saturday evening). We’ve now promoted the event through our Facebook page. The link to purchase is available here:

Food and Beverages

Thank you to our school P&C and to Clare Bates-Pay who is leading our food and beverage sales during the production run. All proceeds go to the P&C and back to our school and our students for all food and beverages sold during the interval and the production.

Matinee

Our first show for the lucky students at Coolum and Peregian SS is running on Thursday morning. We are asking that all students involved in the performance attend the PA Theatre at the Home Group bell on Thursday for make up, warm up and costume preparation.

Make Up

Students are to bring their own mascara and foundation if they are available at home or you can be purchase in required. We will supply foundation and have individualised mascara brushes to assist those students who do not own any make up products.

Performance Runs

We would like all soloists and cast members to arrive at 4.00pm and all ensemble members to arrive at 5.00pm on all performance evenings (22-24 August) for make up, warm up and costume preparation.

Costumes

All cast and ensemble are responsible for their own costumes and can take home during the performance run. For any borrowed costumes, it is the responsibility of the students to ensure it is looked after and stored safely. It is the responsibility of the student in the event of any damage or loss to replace any loaned costumes. We would like the students to wear their production shirt to and from the show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.

Performance Preparation

Finally, we would like all students to ensure they eat a good meal before attending all performances and before they apply any make up. We would also encourage all students to bring a bottle of their own water and ensure mobile phones and electronic devices are not in use and stored safely for the duration of the performance. We will provide a cloak room and change areas for all student belongings before the performances.

Rohan Hardy
Head of Performing Arts

Debating News

Another great night for Coolum State High School’s debating teams!

First our Intermediate team (Harrison Cooper, Cody Bailey and Polly Salsbury) WON against Immanuel Lutheran College, debating that “Highrise apartments are the best option for housing the increasing population of the Sunshine Coast.” We were negative.

Then, our Senior team (Tyler Mohr, Mika Joyce-Mangschou, Sarina Petersen and Callum White) WON against St Theresa’s Catholic College, debating that “Australia would benefit from the majority of the population becoming vegan.” We were affirmative.

This means that our Senior team is undefeated and will progress through to the Semi-Finals on the Wednesday 23 October.

The Grand Final for the competition will be held on Wednesday 30 October.

Student Contribution - Jye Parkinson

GREEN STUFF: Reducing waste in the bathroom

If you’re looking to reduce your waste, then making a few simple swaps to your bathroom products could be a great way to start. Most bathroom products are designed to be disposable, and often packaged in a large amount of plastic that is used only a handful of times.

Give these DIY Zero Waste recipes a go. You’ll no longer need to buy expensive plastic-covered products…….you’ll be able to make them yourself at home.

Zero Waste Toothpaste

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp organic coconut oil
• 25 - 30 drops of spearmint essential oil

Instructions

1. Stir all of the ingredients together in a large bowl
2. Mix until you create a smooth paste
3. Transfer into a small mason jar with a lid.
4. To use, apply a small amount on your bamboo toothbrush

Note: You can alter the amount of baking soda to your preference, for deep cleaning add an additional ½ a teaspoon and if you have more sensitive teeth use 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Zero Waste Deodorant

Ingredients

• ¼ cup baking soda
• ½ cup organic coconut oil
• 25 - 30 drops of essential oil e.g. lavender, lemongrass, ylang ylang, tee tree oil

Instructions

1. Melt the coconut oil down to a liquid.
2. Mix in the essential oils of your choice.
3. Add the baking soda and stir until smooth.
4. Pour into an airtight jar or container, and apply with your hands or a small wooden spatula

Note: This natural toxic free deodorant won’t have the same antiperspirant properties that commercial deodorants have, but it will keep you smelling good all day with minimal use which means it will last for a long time.

Jye Parkinson
Student

General News

Noosa Show 6 to 7 September 2019

What

The Noosa Show turns 110 this year. The Noosa Show is a family friendly, country show. Think wood chopping, baking, rides, animal nursery, showbags, great food and live music

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

Dates for your Diary