2 September 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents,

Of all the things that we focus on as a school, attendance matters most. Student attendance is the most basic, and most important, aspect of every students’ success. I know that the vast majority of our community understands this, as I am fortunate to see the vast majority of students at school every day and parents and families strongly supporting our attendance policies.

Certainly, the lawmakers who framed the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 understand the importance of school attendance. The Act makes it very clear that every day attendance at school is expected by law. The Act states:

(1) Each parent of a child who is of compulsory school age must—
(a) ensure the child is enrolled at a State school or non-State school; and
(b) ensure the child attends the State school or non-State school, on every school day, for the educational program in which the child is enrolled; unless the parent has a reasonable excuse.

In recent times, Coolum High has taken further, stronger steps to ensure every student is at school every day. This is because we believe that healthy young people should be at school, they should be learning, they should be establishing their future and any day off school has the ability to detract from their future. It’s important, I believe, that as a community we promote consistency and routine, the value of getting up and going to work each morning, and the importance of just being there on time. While an attendance rate of 90% might sound okay, that still represents one day off school per fortnight. To my way of thinking, unless a student has a well-documented illness, that is far too much. Students’ futures are much too important!

To this end, Coolum High’s attendance policy will be enforced more strongly than ever before. School staff will be phoning parents where students have attendance records that do not allow students high chances of success. Extra measures will be taken if an unacceptable pattern of attendance continues. When it comes to attendance at Coolum High, every day matters!

On another note, our best wishes go out to our senior students, many of whom will soon undertake mock exams. This has been a very difficult year to be in year 12, and we are now right behind our students as they reach the “business end” of the year and a transformative period of their lives. Best of luck to all seniors over the coming weeks!

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

Year 7 Enrolments

Classes are now being formed for Year 7 2021 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

Though the limitations with Covid-19 have had a dramatic impact on many academy programs we have had still amazing success with many of the programs this year. Student have been thoroughly enjoying the experiences that they have been able to participate in with many reaching the pinnacle of achievement in their chosen activity. Parents of students who are currently in an academy program will soon receive application paperwork for 2021. 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 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.

Online Password Safety

Please discuss the importance with your child of not giving password access to any online platform to any other person. It is also advisable that all online accounts should have a two-step authentication process for extra security and that their password should be changed immediately if they have already shared the information. This not only includes social media platforms but also gaming platforms such as Fortnite. Sadly in today’s modern society, once another person has access to their account they may also have access to the parent’s credit card details or other personal information.

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.

Safe travel to and from school

With our ever-growing Coolum-Peregian community, there are more people and traffic movements 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

SET Plan

I would like to thank the Coolum community for engaging in the recent SET Plan interviews. The attendance was amazing and we have almost completed every interview and subject selection moving into 2021. We will continue to monitor student achievement and have ongoing conversations regarding subject selections into the New Year. It is important that students are placed in the right subjects in order for them to successfully complete the Year 11 and 12 and avoid changes in these senior years.

Attendance

I would also like to thank those students who attend school every day and put in 100% effort in their school work. Attending school is vital in allowing your child the best possible pathway for their future success. If your child is not yet 16 years old, they are in the compulsory phase of education – they must attend school. We currently have many students engaging in work experience and Certificate courses alongside their timetable to allow students to participate in a variety of activities. If you need support or advice, please do not hesitate to contact me or our wonderful Guidance Officers.

Emma Curnow
Acting Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10

Deputy Principal - Senior Secondary Year 11 & 12

As we approach the final few weeks of term 3, it is important that students and parents are aware of assessment processes we are implementing as we move into full preparation mode for the external exams in term 4. Over the coming weeks, students studying general subjects will be undertaking mock external exams to prepare them for the real exams in term 4. We will be running mock exams every Wednesday morning and all of Week 10.

Senior students will be expected to attend their normal timetabled lessons if they do not have mock exam at that time. We will be running two timetables simultaneously as we are trying to replicate the real external exam timetable in term 4. This process will be clearly communicated to students and exam timetabled published.

The leadership group at Coolum SHS has spent a lot of time reviewing and refining our assessment policies. These policies have been refined and simplified for parents and students to ensure compliance is more easily achieved. It is crucial that senior students understand the assessment expectations and follow these processes. Due to the nature of senior assessment and the rules applied to it from the QCAA, we are unable to be flexible should students not follow the process. Students should communicate their concerns to their teachers and heads of department as a matter of urgency so that the correct process can be implemented.

Lee Merrett
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary

Business Services News

Fees

In week 9 this term, we will email the Statement of Account to you and this will give you an indication of what is currently outstanding. Particularly important are Year 12 fees and Year 10 Subject Fees. We don’t want your child to miss out on any important events or not be accepted into their chosen subject.

We understand that this may be a difficult time for many families as they face the uncertainty of job losses under Covid-19. Please make a time to speak with me if you are experiencing financial difficulties with SRS fees, subject fees or uniforms. We will do our best to support you.

Road Safety

At our school, we are committed to students and staff safety in all areas. One of those areas is how we think and act around road safety. With large enrolment numbers, the importance of how we enter and exit the school is paramount and observing all the road rules and parking appropriately and in legal areas is very important, to ensure our students and staff are safe. This also means not using the staff carpark as a pick-up and drop-off zone; parking in the bus zone; or parking in non-designated spaces.

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

Student Services

Online bullying can have a devastating impact on young people, whose online life is a key part of their identity and how they interact socially. At Coolum High we are continually working with all students to develop awareness and accountability around their use of technology. Please see below a great online training opportunity. I would also recommend taking some time to have a look at the 3 links below from the eSafety website which relate to the training.

Parentline Cyberbullying training for parents

Parentline Cyberbullying support training has been designed for use by all adults who care for older children and teens at risk of, or already have experiences with cyberbullying. To view the landing page and access the training resources: CLICK HERE

This training is FREE and available 24/7 via any internet enabled device.

The Parentline Cyberbullying training will be helpful to parents, carers and grandparents who are:

• Nervous or fearful of using the internet or new devices
• Anxious about their young ones using the internet
• Concerned cyberbullying may be impacting their child
• Concerned their child may be engaging in cyberbullying behaviours
• Would like to learn how to identify when cyberbullying may be impacting their family unit

Would like supportive, practical information around starting uncomfortable conversations

Should you require further information please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Robbie Koch
Head of Department – Student Services

Sport

State Championships

Well done to Emmanuel Butterworth and Jack Woodward who recently made it into the Sunshine Coast U15 Basketball team. The boys will now play at Townsville, late October. All the best for your state championships boys!

Futsal

Coolum SHS inaugural Futsal competition organised by Ms Fiducioso is into the semi final elimination rounds. Last week saw Bananas in Pyjamas (Yr9) def. A.R.X (Yr7) 4 – 0. This game was a valiant effort by the A.R.X boys as they controlled possession for almost the entire game, however, couldn’t convert their chances. The other game saw Eat, sleep, beast, repeat (Yr7) def. Mango Marmalade (Yr7) 3 – 0. Both Mr Ralph and Mr Hamilton making appearances on the court for Mango Marmalade, however, both struggling to make an impact on the game against the more skilful Eat, Sleep, Beast team. Those two winning teams play each other this Friday and the winner will proceed to the next semi against the loser of the winners’ bracket semi-final between Just Mateship(Yr11) and Fortnighters (Yr8).

Eric Smyth
Sports Co-ordinator

Creative Arts

School Website

We have updated our school website over the last few weeks and new information is now available for all current and prospective parents regarding all aspects of our Music and Arts programs at Coolum SHS. Direct links to the information can be found here:

If you have any questions or would like to provide any feedback about the information online, please contact me at rohan.hardy@eq.edu.au

Music Camp

Unfortunately due to updated COVID-19 operational guidelines released by the department of education we will have to cancel our proposed Music Camp from the 12-14th of October.

We are disappointed that we are unable to provide a music camp experience for our students for 2020 as we had hoped. I would like to thank Sharelle Guest for all of her work planning and organising the camp for our students.

Thank you to all those students and families for expressing an interest in attending the camp this year.

We’re looking forward to providing some musical experiences for our students at our school in Term 4.

Senior Visual Art Gallery

Very soon we will be sharing a virtual tour of our senior art gallery for 2020. Year 12 Senior Art teacher, Ms Kryger has been working steadily with the students over the past two weeks preparing the work for display and we’re really keen to share the student work with our community.

We will post a link through our Facebook page before the school holidays to celebrate their achievements in Visual Art this year and to recognise the talent we have at our school and in our community. Thank you, Ms Kryger, for all your work with the senior art students this year.

Rohan Hardy
Head of Department – Creative Arts

Student Contribution

Green Stuff – Good things that have happened for the Planet in 2020

In the name of celebrating progress during a time when it can be hard to come by, here are a few positive pieces of environmental news that have come out of 2020 so far:

1. Our oceans may not be totally doomed after all. In one of the more hopeful climate reviews as of late, a group of scientists projected that marine life could recover from human intervention in the next 30 if policies around overfishing, pollution, and habitat restoration are implemented swiftly.
2. Our planet got a minute to breathe. COVID-19 has put millions of people out of work and forced millions more to work from home. Whilst this isn't something to celebrate, it has had some positive impacts on the natural world. Fewer cars on the road means less carbon and nitrogen in the atmosphere, at least for the time being. Early research also shows that biodiversity is also benefitting from our new normal.
3. Trash became high-fashion. The apparel industry is notoriously resource-intensive, and major brands are now forced to grapple with how to reduce the amount of raw materials go into their clothes. One solution? Making the old new again. This year, Rothy's unveiled bags made out of ocean plastic waste bags made out of ocean plastic waste and H&M turned the wine industry's discarded grape skins, stalks and seeds into vegan leather.
4. Plastic-eating particles could take some pressure off recycling systems. Tech startup Carbios has identified a bacterial enzyme that digests PET plastic into its chemical building blocks. Unlike the typical recycling process, the enzyme breakdown doesn't degrade the quality of the plastic and instead makes it infinitely reusable (as of now, plastic can only be recycled a few times until it degrades).
5. Diets changed for the better. Many people used quarantine to brush up on cooking skills and prepare healthier, more environmentally friendly meals than usual. Meat consumption has been reduced, and farmers are reporting an increased demand for their local food.

Dates for your Diary

Tutorials – Term 3

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?

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