27 November 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

What a rollercoaster of emotions Coolum State High School students, parents and staff have experienced over the past month! With pride and sadness our parents and staff farewelled the graduating Year 12s of 2019. Our Year 10 and 11 cohorts have sighed with relief that exams are over, and felt the first pangs of anticipation as they approach the responsibilities of life as seniors of Coolum State High School. All the while, our junior students are looking forward to their roles in the next year level up.

The building and improvement works have created some interruption to our routines on campus, but the end result will be greatly beneficial to both staff and students. Our teachers and staff have been extremely busy with the end of year marking and reports which signal the final push in yet another incredibly rewarding and overwhelmingly positive year of education.

Casting forward to the 2020 school year, we remind students and parents that from the beginning of the year, the “formal” uniform will become known as the “school” uniform.

Senior students in Years 10, 11 and 12 will be required to wear the school uniform including the tie, each school day. For students, learning to present themselves in a professional manner is an important life skill that opens the doorways of opportunity in the world beyond school.

Students who have selected to study Physical Education may change into the sports uniform for this subject. While we understand that uniform changes can be difficult as changes often are, we are seeking your understanding in seeing the benefits to students of wearing our uniform with pride in our community.

In 2020, our professional and dedicated staff will continue to offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities through CAST (Clubs, Academies, Societies and Tutorials). There are so many areas where our students can engage their passions and, in doing so, develop a love of learning, experience success and aspire to excellence. Extra support in subjects and areas they find challenging through tutorials is also another way in which staff are helping students reach their goals.

The wonderful celebrations I’ve been a part of recently, and the incredibly bright and talented students filling our classrooms hold so much potential for our future. Together, throughout 2020, we will continue on a path that leads our students to achieve outstanding results which will give them every opportunity to be the very best version of themselves.

I would like to wish each and every student, parent, teacher, staff and community member a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to seeing you all in 2020 refreshed and rejuvenated.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

Tutorials

Week 8 will be the last day of tutorials for 2019. It has been fantastic that so many of our teachers have donated their time to assist students with this service. Tutorials will recommence in Week 3 of 2020. Students attending tutorials are requested to bring the work that they would like help with to the session. Students in specialist subjects in Years 10 to 12 must advise their teacher that they will be attending so that we can try and arrange assistance for them during this time.

Havana West Road Parking

If you are using this road to park and collect students after school could you please ensure that you are using the allocated parking bays and are respectful to the residents of this street by not parking on their lawn or blocking their driveway.

Assessment

As we enter the assessment phase of the term for Junior Secondary students it is important that students review their work for the term. It is also worthy to note that you can assist your child being prepared for the exam by having a restful night sleep the night before the assessment and a good breakfast in the morning before school. These simple routines can greatly assist your child’s ability to demonstrate their full potential.

Attendance

Though our Senior Students have finished their schooling for 2019, our Junior Secondary students are expected at school every day including the last day of school on Friday 13 December.

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.

Junior Secondary – end of year assessments

Before we know it, end-of-year assessment tasks will be rolling in. For most students in Years 7-9 these assessments will be due in Week 9 – these may be exams, assignments, projects or oral presentations.

To ensure that students achieve their best results, I expect them to be very focussed in class and to organise their time to prepare for assessment. Anything that schools and families can do to help students organise their time will be beneficial. Carefully working on tasks over time often produces much better results than scrambling to put something together the night before it is due.

I strongly encourage students to attend our excellent Wednesday afternoon tutorials (3.00-4.00pm) in Week 8 or our catch-up club that runs before school (Monday-Thursday) at 8.00am. Here students can get extra help from staff to support them to achieve their personal excellence.

Improved results will come from improved effort!

Year 9 Inter-school Sport

This term Year 9 students have been on inter-school sport each Thursday. I wish our teams the best of luck on the finals day.

Thanks to Mr Smyth for his work in organising this and the many teachers who coach the teams and support our students.

Terry Proctor
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary

Deputy Principal –Senior Secondary Year 10

Excellence in everything we do

As we near the end of the academic year and a much-anticipated holiday break it is important to ensure that students finish their academic year with their best effort. Ensuring students have all of their assessment requirements planned out with draft and due dates and using time wisely to complete set tasks and seek feedback from teachers will allow students to achieve to the best of their ability. Consist work ethic is the key for improvement.

In the last two weeks of the year all Year 10s academic progress will be reviewed in preparation for 2020. Any changes to student’s meeting academic benchmarks for 2020 will be discussed on a case by case basis, as required. Any students who have not completed their CVP will be required to come back in the final two weeks of school to complete the certificate prior to commencement in Year 11, 2020.

As always, we expect our students to strive towards improving their attendance percentage by coming to school. Our requirements for effort and behaviour remain unchanged as does our commitment to ensuring all of our students achieve the highest levels of success possible.

Emma Clarke
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10

Deputy Principal - Senior Secondary Year 11 & 12

It was extremely exciting to receive the QCS data this week for our graduating Year 12 cohort. This group of gifted students achieved Coolum SHS best ever QCS means scaled score of 181 which is 5 points better than last year. This result will do wonders for our potential OP scores and students will receive these on Saturday 14 December.

The Year 10 and 11 students are now in the final stages of their assessment period and will finish the 2019 school year this Friday 29 November. Year 11 at risk interviews will be held in the last two weeks of school with students being identified from their academic performance, attendance and behaviour data and their progress towards achieving the Queensland Certificate of Education QCE. These at risk interviews are vital for ensuring student success in 2020.

Finally I would like to wish all of the senior students a safe and enjoyable Christmas break and look forward to working with them in 2019.

Lee Merrett
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Business Services News

FINALISE ALL YOUR FEES

This term we have emailed you a Statement of Account 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 & SUBJECT FEES

We have begun preparation 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 student. Early payment of the fee ensures that the resources purchased will benefit your student at the very start of the new school year.

We also require all subject fees to be paid in full by the end of this term to ensure your student will be placed into that subject for next year. We provide the resources for fee-paying subjects directly to your student and we cannot do that without your full payment. I urge you to contact the school if you have any difficulties making payment by the end of this year. We have started planning for 2020 subjects and classes and therefore require your urgent attention to these accounts.

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)

Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways – Year 10 and 11

With the end of the school year fast approaching, it is important to make sure that your child is up-to-date with all their competency based assessment, including work for CVP (Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways) undertaken by students in Year 10 and 11.

Any students who do not complete the required course work will be invited back to school to complete this during Week 9 and 10.

If you have any questions about this, please contact me on 5471 5321 or pwald9@eq.edu.au

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

Sunshine Coast Health Institute

Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training Centre

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

Can’t find the opportunity you’re looking for?

Did you know that one of the most successful ways to secure a school-based or full-time apprenticeship or traineeship opportunity is for a student to directly approach an employer and ask if they have capacity to take on an apprentice or trainee? If they have further questions about the process or their obligations and entitlements, they can contact the school for further information and support.

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 via the link below.

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

Defence Force

STEM Careers Q & A Panel Evening

Date: Wednesday 27th November
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Maroochydore RSL – Memorial Avenue, Maroochydore

RSVP: defencejobsmaroochydore@dfr.com.au or online

Defence Careers Information Session

Date: Monday 2nd December
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Maroochydore RSL, Memorial Avenue, Maroochydore

RSVP: defencejobsmaroochydore@dfr.com.au or online

Maryborough A Night in the Army Reserve

Date: Tuesday 3rd December
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Maryborough ARES Depot – 16 Sussex Street, Maryborough

RSVP: defencejobsmaroochydore@dfr.com.au or online

January 2020

Maroochydore Army Reserve Information Session – Tuesday 21st January 2020 – 6pm

Maroochydore Management & Leadership Defence Officers Information Session – Thursday 30th January 2020 – 6pm

Reminder: ADFA YOU Session – Tuesday 21st January 2020 Interested students can register online here :

If you have any questions or would like to organise a DFR visit for 2020, please feel free to contact me!

TAFE at School

Semester 1, 2020 Course information

Please save the below link to your browser - this will be updated live as more information becomes available. It will also reflect any changes.

Students will receive a reminder email/text during the Christmas holidays reflecting all information relevant to their course.

Note: if your browser does not support this spreadsheet you can email the TAFE at School team for an Excel copy

Year 12 Fee Free Training

To support eligible Year 12 graduates into work, the Queensland Government offers free TAFE in high priority skill areas for including:

• Nursing and Health
• Community Servics
• Child Care
• Hospitality and Cookery
• Agriculture and Horticulture

Pre-apprenticeship courses for school leavers

Certificate I or II pre-apprenticeship courses are available to school leavers across many TAFE Queensland campuses commencing February 2020.

Pre-appenticeship training is entry-level training. It is made up of traditional classroom learning on a TAFE Queensland campus paired with work experience.

There are entry-level courses to cover most trades including:

• Automotive
• Building and Construction
• Electrotechnology
• Engineering
• Hairdressing
• Cookery
• Transport and Logistics

Course durations vary between 6 and 20 weeks depending on location and the amount of time per week a student is able to commit to a course.

If you have any questions please contact our TAFE at Schools team on 07 5457 1169 or Schools.EastCoast@tafe.qld.edu.au.

Year 12 News

It was mixed emotions last week as we farewelled our Year 12 students of 2019. There’s been many things that have impressed us this year about the Year 12 cohort. They have been an exemplary group of students.

At the beginning of the year, the House Captains were asked to work with the Year 7s and run some kind of sport activity at lunchtime. Every Wednesday, second break, students would go and get the Year 7s and play dodge ball with them. There was Wil Duggan faithfully rounding up with troops with a megaphone always flanked by Brendon Padroth, Calder Shanks, Jess Kidby, and Tylah Little. There was music, there was fun, and there were many Year 7 students with smiles on their faces.

Their academic success is something the whole school can be inspired by. Their commitment in attending tutorials, working with teachers, and striving to ‘climb that rung’ have been commendable. There were times when the pressure was intense and yet they were always striving to improve.

From the Midwinter’s Ball, to Sports Carnivals, to music performances, to Graduation, to exemplary classroom behaviour, these students have set the standard for Care, Respect, and Excellence at Coolum High.

Our hope for you as you reflect on your time at school, is that you knew there were a team of teachers constantly cheering you on.

We are so proud of you!! We will be cheering you on for the rest of your life and cannot wait to hear the 103 stories of success that will come from them all, an incredible group of students.

Jeanette Samson
Head of Year 12

Stationery Orders for 2020

Online Ordering is Now Live

Book packs for 2020 can now be ordered online with Kookaburra.

Please login @ the below website – click ‘order a student pack‘ (top middle of screen) and use the Username and password below :

Username: COOLU005 (The first 5 characters are letters and the last 3 characters are numbers)

Password: Student9 (Please note: this password is case sensitive. The first 8 characters are letters and the last 2 characters are numbers)

For more detailed information and instructions click the link below

Sports News

Year 9 Interschool Sport

All 8 of our Year 9 inter school sport teams have qualified for the finals day tomorrow at Sunshine Beach SHS. A special mention to Girls Basketball who are still undefeated.

Results for the final two rounds are as follows.

Round 3 v. Nambour:

Round 4 v. Burnside:

Students are reminded that the day will be hot and they need to bring a hat, lunch, sunscreen and a drink bottle.

Sporting Success

Congratulations to Jack Simpson and Rory Cowling who recently made the U19 Sunshine Coast Cricket team. The boys will now compete at the State Championship in Mackay next year.

Our U14 Boys Rugby Union team were fortunate to receive a visit from Fraser McReight and Scott Malolua from the QLD Reds last week. The boys trained in a session run by Fraser and Scott as well as a Q&A where they were keen to know what it’s like being a professional player.

After their Reds visit, the team was keen as mustard for their final game of the year against Chancellor. The boys played well going into the halftime break four tries to two and were well in the contest. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make a comeback to win the game and congratulations to eventual winners of the competition – Chancellor. This competition will run for at least the next two years, so I am looking forward to providing the opportunity to boys in Years 7, 8 and 9 to play Rugby Union.

I would like to thank Mr Williams for his support in running the team as well as all the teachers, students and parents who supported the team throughout the season.

Surfing News

On Saturday the 16 November the Coolum State High School “Surfout”, came back to life. After over a decade in the wilderness, it came back with a strong showing from the School community. Teaching staff rallied to the call, students nominated, community groups chipped in and the weather cooperated, even if the swell was a little small.

Girls and Boys from senior and junior divisions from the High school all competed in great spirit. Along with a contingent of grade 6 students who competed as part of their applications for the Surfing Academy in 2020.

Congratulations to everyone involved and a massive thanks to everyone who helped out on the day, parents, students, teachers, and community members alike, all of your efforts made the day possible. A very special thanks must go out to Mr Brad Lee, who was responsible for starting this competition many, many moons ago. Brad has decided to hang up his flags from his coaching at Coolum State High School at the end of 2019. It won’t be the same without him, but we will be forever grateful for everything he has done for surfing at Coolum High and beyond.

Adam Baldwin
Surfing Academy Coach/Coordinator

Bus Pass Information 2020

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 2020?

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 2020 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?

A: 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?

A: 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?

A: 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

Free Dental Treatment to Students at Coolum State High School

Nambour Oral Health are offering to students enrolled in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 free dental treatment at the Mobile Dental Van located at Peregian Springs State School.

If you would like to make an appointment for your child please contact the dental van on 0408008154 between the hours of 8.00am – 4.00pm.

Student Contribution - Jye Parkinson

GREEN STUFF: What is “Buy Nothing Day” and why should you care?

As the festive seasons kicks off it’s easy to get caught up in the shopping frenzy that is fuelled by sales like Black Friday, but the reality is we buy far more than we need creating a demand that the planet can’t cope with. Natural resources are being gobbled up faster than the Earth can replenish them. It's also struggling to cope with the resulting wastes and emissions. We take too much stuff from nature, make it into stuff we use – from chemicals to plastics to fertiliser to smart phones to meat – and then dispose of it carelessly into the atmosphere, the oceans and the land.

What is Buy Nothing Day

As a protest against consumerism, Buy Nothing Day was conceived as a day for society to look at the issue of over-consumption. The rules are simple, for 24 hours you detox from buying stuff – anyone can take part provided you spend a day without spending.

When is Buy Nothing Day

29th November 2020

What can I do

• Consider taking part in in Buy Nothing Day instead of Black Friday
• Use it as incentive to make a commitment to shopping less and living more
• If you really need to shop on Buy Nothing Day, ignore the big retailers ... make a commitment to support local independent shops and businesses
• Encourage friends and family to get on board by trying a Buy Nothing Christmas. Make your own gifts, get creative at a second hand store, share an experience or plan a group outing together, donate the gift of your time, have a re-gift swap where you give away one nice item that you have but really don’t need.

Jye Parkinson
Student

Dates for your Diary