20 February 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

Living in a relatively small beachside community it is surprising to discover quite by chance, that there are people living quietly amongst us, who are highly respected and lauded around the world.

Last year, when looking for ways to improve ourselves as individuals, co-workers, parents, teachers and friends, and so improve our relationships with others, we discovered an absolute gem living in Coolum Beach. Someone who has shared the stage with the Dalai Lama, Brene Brown and Ruby Wax and has recently been invited to be a keynote speaker at The World Congress on Mental Health in Paris.

Toni Powell is an internationally celebrated speaker, author, storyteller and recovering worrywart, and is renowned for helping individuals, staff and teams improve their experience of life.

With her funny, disarming style, Toni cuts right to the core of the ways our brains tricks us into a lifetime of stress. What Toni teaches is hard-hitting, scientifically backed life development. Toni is passionate about individual growth – how we can work on ourselves, in order to develop the personal and professional bonds we all need to thrive.

At Coolum High, we are incredibly fortunate to have Toni working with us this year. Her knowledge and strategies have already made an enormous difference to the way we cope with life.

On Wednesday 26 February, Toni will be presenting an entertaining and engaging session for our parents - ‘Happy Parents = Brighter Kids’ This not to be missed event will commence at 5.30pm in the Brahminy Kite Room, Smart Futures Centre.

Some of the topics Toni will cover include:

• How your happiness levels affect your child’s intelligence
• The simple way to build self-esteem in your child
• How to reduce your own stress and so reduce the stress your child is under
• The negative impact you don’t even know you are having on your kids
• How to increase your own happiness by 25%
• How to reverse the effect of stressful situations
• How to enjoy life more.

Bring a friend and take advantage of this rare opportunity to invest a couple of hours discovering simple ways to get more out of life for you and your children.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

It has been a fantastic start to the school year with over 300 Year 7 students joining our school. It has been great to see them settle in and for many to overcome their concerns with the transition. Along with the normal school day, our students have a large number of extra-curricular activities that they can join participate in. Many of these come under the banner of CAST. CAST stands for Clubs, Academies, Sports and Tutorials. Detailed below is a list of a number of activities in each area. Many of these activities occur multiple times a week and these are published on our website and are on posters around the school. Please encourage your child to participate in the CAST program.

Clubs: Catch up Club, Coding, Running, Chess, Drama, Creative Writers, Lego, Yoga, Indoor Games, Debating, Dance, Coolum Strategy Game Club and Art.

Academies: Cheerleading, Touch, Basketball, Surfing, Wind Symphony, Young Entrepreneurs, AFL, Chess and Netball.

Sports: Touch Rugby League, Basketball, Futsal, Minor Games, Handball, AFL, Beach Volleyball, Ball Games, Rugby League Strength and Conditioning, Minor Games and OzTag.

Tutorials: Tutorials are facilitated by many of our wonderful staff on a Wednesday afternoon from 3:00pm to 4:00pm at the school library. Fruit is provided for the students, which has been gratefully donated by White IGA in Coolum. Students attending tutorials are asked to bring work with them.

NASA and G’Day Space Excursion:

We are on a countdown to our take off date which is 21 September this year. 20 students in Years 8 and 9 will visit NASA in Orlando Florida) completing the ATX Astronaut Training Experience, working on the Mars Landing Simulators, Micro Gravity, STEM Food Projects for a Mars base and also working with the engineers designing vehicles. Many of the students are looking forward to sitting and having lunch with experienced astronauts during the days we are NASA. We will then fly to San Francisco and visit the USS Hornet where the students will experience the on board control centre operations that were used in the 1960’s. This will show the students how far technology has come in this field. Whilst in San Francisco they will visit the Golden Gate Bridge for an engineering study and explore the Exploratorium Museum. There will be some extra time for sightseeing as well. We will then fly to Los Angeles where the students will spend a day at Knott’s Berry Farm working on their physics program and roller coaster designs before they get to ride all the roller coasters for the day. We will finish with and excursion to Universal Studies before we fly home on the 30 September.

We are planning on repeating this excursion in 2022.

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.

Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to Miss Fiducioso and Mrs Tatnell on an excellent school swimming carnival on Friday 7 February. Their hard work and strong preparation ensured that the day was a great success for all students who nominated to attend. I would like to congratulate the age champions on some fantastic performances as well as all students who did their best on the day.

I am looking forward to the District Carnival on 19 February and hearing of more wonderful performances from the Coolum High swim team as they progress to the representative levels.

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

Throughout year 10 we will be encouraging our students to challenge themselves, to not put limitations on themselves before they’ve tried to succeed across all areas of school life.

For parents of year 10 students, now is the time to start planting the seeds of what is possible post-secondary schooling. The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) website contains some valuable pages for both parents and students around the process of admission to Tertiary education and key dates for open days and expos in 2020.

Information for Parents:

Information for Tertiary Open Days and Careers Expos:

Knowledge is power. Take the time to visit these links and familiarise yourselves and your child with the information. Planning for these visits throughout the year can help students to start to picture themselves in their future and reinforce the motivation to succeed in year 10.

Emma Clarke
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10

Deputy Principal - Senior Secondary Year 11 & 12

In 2020 the senior schooling team has set some challenging goals to ensure we continue our journey of continual improvement and become the school of choice in our area and a school that ensures every student succeeds. Coolum SHS is committed to obtaining 100% QCE and achieving the best ATAR results in 2020, the first graduating year of the new system. In addition to this we aspire to ensure that every graduating Year 12 student transitions into a meaningful destination. To ensure success we have modified several programs and implemented new initiatives to support our students. In 2020 senior students will again be allocated a teaching mentor of their choosing, this program has be refined through feedback gained form our student forums last year.

The senior schooling team is continuing to work hard to ensure students are fully aware of their academic performance. As we move quickly through the term it is important that all students are developing good time management skills and study habits. We recommend that for those students on an ATAR pathway they study upward of 3 hours a day. This will give students the foundation to be successful in their chosen subjects.

Exam timetables for senior students are currently being developed and will be released to students on Monday week 5. Year 12 students will be undertaking exams in Week 6 and Year 11 students in Week 8. Students are only expected to attend exams when they have exams and must wear the correct uniform.

Bring Your Own Laptop program (BYOD)

Now that we have started the 2020 school year, it is important to reiterate the message that at Coolum SHS all students in grades 7-12 need to bring their own laptops fully charged and ready to use.

We have over the last few years been decommissioning and removing computer labs as hardware goes past its life cycle as more students bring their own laptops. Subject areas are ensuring that lesson content is delivered using technology where possible and appropriate. This change will better support students to develop higher levels of proficiency using ICT’s. As the Australian Curriculum states:

Students develop capability in using ICT for tasks associated with information access and management, information creation and presentation, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, creative expression and empirical reasoning. This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analysing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others.

It is has always been our philosophy that we want to ensure every students get a first class education at Coolum SHS and the use of the students laptop will help ensure students stay abreast to the ever changing technology landscape. If you would like to discuss in more detail the technology requirements of students, please don’t hesitate to contact the school and speak with the appropriate year level Deputy Principal.

Lee Merrett
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Business Services News

Student Resource Scheme 2020

What a great start to our year, with a high number of families choosing to participate in the Scheme. The cost remains at $300 for the year, please visit our website for more information on the Scheme and what your contribution covers. It’s suffice to say that without this support we would not be able to provide the essential teaching and learning resources that our students need on a daily basis. We are thrilled at your response and are very grateful for your on-time payment of this very worthwhile Scheme.

Subject Fees

It is also a crucial time for you to finalise your child’s subject paying fees. Subject paying fees can only operate if we have payment from all participating families, so we can purchase the resources required for the subject to run. There are also non fee-paying subjects that your child can choose, please ensure you speak to the relevant teacher and Deputy about your options. We have a range of financial arrangements for you to access if you are experiencing financial hardship, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your situation.

You will receive in week 3 this term, your Statement of Account which will be emailed to you. We request that you please make payment of any outstanding amount on subject fees in order to secure a place in that subject.

Summer Works and Maintenance Program

We have had a lot of minor works and maintenance programs occur around our buildings, ground and facilities over the summer break. I’m pleased to advise that our carpets were cleaned, annual pest works were performed, gutters cleared, painting completed to all external buildings and amenities and the very big job of all buildings cleaned inside and out by our wonderful cleaners! This involves extensive window and louvre cleaning, pressure cleaning paths and walls, cobwebs removed, window sills cleaned, ceilings and fans wiped down and so much more. Our school would not look so good were it not for our cleaning and facilities staff – thank you to their hard work!

The school was also fortunate to have been able to improve its grounds near the F block, with the clearing of unused bush to make way for lush, green artificial turf. With our rapidly growing enrolments, it was vital to find more space in our school for our students to sit, eat and play. Our year 8 students have been allocated this area and they are loving it! The trees continue to provide shade and our connection to nature. A great success for the school this year already!

We also upgraded the boys and girls change rooms with new paint, new cubicles, and new fixtures and fittings. I am sure our students will appreciate the upgrade to these amenities. We’ve also added some roofing to some structures around the school, to increase undercover areas during periods of rain, again in response to our growing numbers!

Our new ‘design and health’ building will be finished late August this year and we are already planning how we will utilise this modern new space. We are excited to be moving in this year and I know the students and staff will really enjoy this added facility. We look forward to wonderful student learning taking place in there and we can’t wait to reveal it to you in due course.

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

Debating News

“On Tuesday night, students from Years 8 and 9 visited Sunshine Coast Grammar school to attend an “Introduction to Debating” afternoon. The students listened to experienced debaters explain the Queensland Debating Union Competition (QDU) rules and procedures. They picked up tips on how to be successful in debating and valuable information about how to improve their matter, manner and method in a debate. The QDU competition has previously been offered only in Brisbane, but in 2020, this competition is open to Year 8 and Year 9 students here on the Sunshine Coast. Coolum State High School has registered one team from Grade 8 and one from Grade 9 to participate and we are looking forward to versing other students from nearby schools. Any Year 8 and 9 students interested in debating during Term 1 can contact Mrs Webber in the Manual Arts staffroom for more information.

The QDU Competition precedes the Sunshine Coast School’s Debating Competition, which Coolum State High School participates in every year. Students from any grade, wanting to debate in the Sunshine Coast School’s Debating Competition, during Terms 2 and 3, are advised to keep an eye out for notices about debating towards the end of Term 1, or see Mrs Webber in the Manual Arts staffroom.”

Students : Left to right : Olivia Gray, Harrison Cooper, Ella Willis, Amelia and Levi Koppes

Colette Webber
English and Humanities Teacher

Tutorials – Term 1

Sports News

Swimming Carnival for 2020 was a big success with 300 students in attendance from years 7-12. Binyama dominated the day, leading from early on. Yuroka had a late surge, winning 7 out of the 9 relays at the back end of the day, however, it wasn’t to be as Binyama’s lead was insurmountable.

Final placings:

1st – Binyama
2nd – Yuroka
3rd – Carcoola
4th – Warringa

Age Champions:

Today 43 students from our school competed at the North District Swimming Carnival. We wish them all the best and will have full results in the next newsletter.

Congratulations Adam Van Dorsselaer, Jack Simpson and Rory Cowling who have earned selection in Sunshine Coast School Sport teams. Jack and Rory made it into the U19 Boys Cricket team whilst Adam won the regional U19 Boys Golf trial last week. Best of luck at your respective state carnivals boys.

Amaya Foxover has been selected in the Australian Girls Softball team again and will play in Peru with her team later in the year. Huge achievement from Amaya, we wish her the best of luck!

Congratulations to the following students who have made North District teams:

U15 Girls Soccer – Chloe Baker
U14 Boys AFL – Jordan McDonough, Kobi Coldrey, Bailey Petersen, Billy Clements, Flynn Skipper, Tarryn Stephens, Ethan Harkness
U15 Girls Rugby League – Bella McKeown, Josie James, Leah Coxhell, Analesse Ready
U18 Girls Rugby League – Willow Harrison, Emily Kortbawi, Dakoda Friske

See below the Rep Sport Calendar for 2020. It is recommended that you or your child mark down important dates so that they don’t miss out on their sport of choice. However, sports get postponed and venues and dates changed all the time so be aware of that. Notices about upcoming trials are conveyed to students on parade each Monday, in home group notices as well as being displayed on the HPE notice board outside the HPE Staffoom.

Some students and parents get confused as to the difference between school sport offerings and rep sport trials. We field many teams where students have the opportunity to play as part of a team on a weekly basis. Examples include Basketball academy, Touch Academy, Justin Hodges 9s, Term 3 Girls Rugby Union, Term 4 Boys Rugby Union and many others. The goal of rep sport is to be selected in representative teams like the students listed above. They are not ‘come and try’ days and students trialling for rep sport teams should be of above average skill level in their chosen sport.

Erich Smyth
HPE Teacher and Sport Co-ordinator

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

Student Contribution

GREEN STUFF: Fires to floods – what can we do to help our native wildlife?

Native wildlife is heavily impacted by natural disaster events, either through injury, death or habitat destruction. Following a flood or fire, it is common for wildlife sightings in your area or on roads to increase, with animals and birds that are stressed, disorientated or injured. So what can you do?

After a natural disaster

• Keep a lookout for sick, injured or orphaned wildlife
• Refrain from providing food as this may entice wildlife to areas where they are vulnerable to predators or discourage movement to safer locations
• Be mindful when cleaning up after a natural disaster. Dead logs and rocks provide homes and food sources for wildlife.
• Consider planting trees or installing bird nesting boxes when vegetation has been destroyed.
• It is against the law to keep native animals taken from the wild. They must be given to an authorised carer operating within a licensed wildlife rescue organisation.

If you find injured wildlife

• Handling or disturbing sick, injured or distressed wildlife may cause them further harm.
• Monitor if possible at a safe distance.
• Remove any threat to the animal such as children, pets and vehicle traffic.
• Note exact location and problem.
• Small wildlife that are safe to handle can be contained in a pillow case or wrapped in a towel and placed in a secured box in a quiet location.
• Contact a wildlife rescue group e.g. WILVOS, to report the problem and seek further advice. Small animals can also be taken to a local veterinarian.
• Be wary of providing food or water. It is advisable to contact an experienced carer first.

General News

Our Science department is looking for any unused large fish tanks you might be able to donate. The department use them for experiments in class and would be very grateful. Please contact Paul Olsen HOD – polse3@eq.edu.au if you have one available.

Dates for your Diary