11 November 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

ATTENDANCE

2020 continues to be a year like no other as we make plans to farewell our seniors in ways we could never have imagined. Yet, our country and our state have done so well in limiting the effect of coronavirus and we need to continue to do the things asked of us by the authorities.

Our students continue to thrive and will no doubt have grown stronger and more resilient due to the challenges of COVID. I continue to be very proud of the way our students, teachers and support staff go about their work in creating this wonderful and successful school in our community.

At Coolum High, our focus is on a quality inclusive and differentiated education every day, in a calm and ordered classroom, providing every student with the opportunity to excel to their individual best. The 2020 Next Step Survey has once again shown significant improvements in the opportunities that our 2019 graduates are participating in, including 63% of students continuing on to further education. This includes 44% attending university, representing steep growth from 19% in 2017.

This outcome is a result of the commitment at Coolum High to ensuring that a student’s attendance at school is no less than 92%.

Research shows that regular attendance is integral to successful academic, employment and social outcomes. Students who attend school regularly also have the opportunity to become more involved in the school community, particularly in more activities, meeting other like-minded students, increasing their social circle and therefore, making school a safe and exciting place to be, each and every day.

There will always be acceptable reasons why a student is absent from school for an odd day, for example, illness or a medical appointment which cannot be scheduled outside of school hours. However, a series of acceptable reasons can very quickly become an unacceptable pattern of absences, with students’ learning outcomes suffering.

Parents and carers are legally obligated to ensure that a child of school age attends school for the program in which they are enrolled, and to provide an explanation that meets the intent of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 for all absences, that is, any time during which a student is not attending or participating in their educational program.

We urge all parents and carers to work with the school staff to ensure that each student is attending school each and every day, that absences, late arrivals and early departures are kept to an absolute minimum, allowing students every opportunity to reach their goals at school, and by achieving to the very best of their ability throughout their lives.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

Tutorials

Week 8 will be the last day of tutorials for 2020. 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 2021. 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.

Academies

Applications close soon for academies in 2021. Next Year we will be introducing three additional academies. These include AFL, Robotics and Coding and Chess. These programs will add to the already exciting range of academies and programs. We strongly encourage our students to become involved in these excellent extra-curricular activities. Application forms are due back to school by this Friday and are also available at our office.

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

We will soon 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

All student are expected to attend school every day up until the last day of term. Absenteeism has a dramatic effect on a student’s ability to reach their potential. I strongly encourage all parents to ensure that their child does not have an unnecessary day off school. Not only will this benefit them educationally, but also develops resilience that will assist them for their future.

CAST

CAST stands for Clubs, Academies, Sports and Tutorials here at Coolum SHS. These are a diverse and exciting range of activities that our students can participate in whilst they are at school. The school day at Coolum SHS starts much earlier than the bell and continues late into most afternoons. The majority of these activities are free of charge and all are facilitated by our wonderful staff, freely in their own time. On the document displayed you will notice that there are 24 activities that are facilitated before or after school and a massive 38 activities that occur during the lunch breaks. We strongly encourage our students to take up the opportunity to participate in these organised events.

Anthony Swan
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary

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.

2021 Subject Preferences

Thank you to all families for supporting you children to complete and return subject preferences for 2021. Students currently in Year 8 (Year 9 2021) and Year 9 (Year 10 2021) have recently undergone this process.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be working through these preferences in order to build the elective classes which will best fit in a timetable that caters for more the than 1400 students that are predicted in years 7 to 12 next year.

As usual, where there are any issues or clashes regarding student preferences, I will be discussing this with students in order to work towards the best possible outcomes for 2021.

Terry Proctor
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary

Deputy Principal –Senior Secondary 10

Year 10 Exam Block

Year 10 students will take part in their first exam block during Week 8. The students will receive a timetable this week. They will only be required to attend school when they have an exam. The larger exams will be held in F Block and the smaller exams in E block. Students will be able to leave after an exam. Full school uniform is required for all exams and students need to bring equipment required for the exam. Students should be using the time away from school to study for exams. The purpose of the exam block is to prepare them for their exams in Year 11.

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection

Thank you to all the families who have assisted in the subject selection process for their Year 10 students. The senior schooling committee has reviewed all selections and there are only a few students remaining who are trying to meet pre-requisites before the end of the year. It is important that students strive to be successful in the subjects they have chosen.

Year 9 into 10 Subject Selections

By the end of Year 12 students are required to accumulate 20 QCE points. At Coolum State High School, to ensure this happens, we require all students to start Year 11 with 4 QCE points they have accumulated in Year 10. This can be done by completing one of two subjects. The first is a Certificate II in Foundation skills (also referred to as CVP on the timetable), this gives students 4 QCE points and a literacy and numeracy qualification. The second is Certificate II in Allied Health. In addition to this, students could do a subject at TAFE or a School based traineeship or apprenticeship. If students are interested in either of the last two they should contact Maria Blackburn mblac127@eq.edu.au

If you have any questions on Subject Selection or exam block feel free to contact me.

Tracy Ford
Acting Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal –Senior Secondary 11 & 12

We are half way through our senior External Exams and the students have been doing a stellar job. They have been calm and very well prepared and completing exams to the best of their ability. Good luck to all remaining exams and those students participating in these.

In Week 5 we saw our Year 11 cohort engage in an external exam block, one that mirrored the official Year 12 exams. It is important for all students to understand the processes involved in attending these exams, from having the correct equipment, arriving on time, to even having a clear water bottle. The skill of sitting an exam is something we will continue to work on over the next few months so they can be equally as prepared as our current Year 12 cohort. Well done to all Year 11 students who dedicated themselves to their studies during this time.

Exciting times for our graduating cohort!

Wednesday 18 November marks a significant milestone for our Year 12 students as they will attend the official cap and gown Graduation Ceremony which will be held at Coolum State High School on Wednesday 18 November. Details have been emailed to parents/carers via schoolzine, as well as email from Ms Puncheon, Year 12 HOY.

We understand that it has been a very challenging year for our Year 12 cohort – their resilience and patience has been tremendous and they have responded to every situation with maturity and strength.

Under COVID outdoor restrictions, students are allowed to invite two guests to the pre-graduation ceremony on the Wandama Lawn. At the pre-graduation ceremony, guests, students and staff will enjoy complimentary light refreshments and musical performances. There will be check points along the school boundary (alphabetised) in order to get students and guests in as quickly as possible. We will also have a QR code that must be scanned and logged in, just like you would do at a restaurant or other venues. As previously communicated to parents, due to indoor COVID restrictions, we are not allowed to permit guests to take part in the ceremony in the school hall. This is the same restrictions that occurred at the Pre-Ball event held in September. Parents will be able to view the Graduation Ceremony via livestreaming. A link will be emailed to all parents.

Details for the cap and gown Graduation Ceremony:

This ceremony will be followed by the traditional Clapout Ceremony on Thursday 19 November. Students are expected to arrive at school no later than 8:00am in full formal school uniform (including tie, full black shoes and white socks) and meet in the Performing Arts Building. Once again, we are not permitted guests and parents on site due to the COVID restrictions. The ceremony for staff and students will commence at 8:45. Our traditional guard of honour will be formed by our Year 7-11 students as our graduates leave the school grounds for the final time. Parents are welcome to line the external path/ Havana Road East to extend our guard of honour procession and farewell the students.

ATAR RESULTS – Come and join us!

All Year 12 students receiving an ATAR result are invited to attend a morning tea on Saturday 19 December to share the news. It is a very exciting time as we all experience this new system for the first time. We would love to see you all there.

2021 Next Step survey

The Queensland Government will conduct its annual statewide survey of Year 12 completers in 2021. The Next Step survey is a brief, confidential survey that gains a comprehensive picture of the employment, study and life choices made by Queensland school completers in the year after they finish Year 12.

Between March and June next year, current Year 12 students will receive a letter from the Minister for Education or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office inviting them to complete the survey.

To help the survey team to reach you, Year 12 students are asked to ensure that their contact details are correct in their learning accounts by logging into the student portal at the link below:

Further information on Next Step and results from previous surveys are available online at the link below:

IMPORTANT DATES

Emma Curnow
Acting Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 10, 11 & 12

Business Services News

STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME 2021

We have started invoicing the SRS fee of $300 for 2021. Please look out for this in your email. Your early payment is appreciated as we are in the process of planning 2021. We want to be able to provide your child with the necessary teaching and learning resources so they can succeed. Without your fees and on-time payments, this would be a very difficult goal to achieve, please support the school.

SUBJECT FEES

To be accepted into a fee paying subject:

• All outstanding fees are paid in full; and
• Full payment of the SRS for that year; and
• 25% of the total cost of subject fees paid upon selection; and
• the remaining balance paid by Term 4, week 8

The school accepts Centrelink or BPOINT as payment plan options should you be experiencing financial difficulties and there are slightly different due dates for these families. Please contact me to discuss your options.

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.

SUMMER WORKS PROGRAM

Over the summer holidays, our school is abuzz with activity as we work through our Maintenance Program, Minor Works Program and other facilities upgrades.

We are very excited to be undertaking an extension of the canteen roof and an upgrade of the canteen seating area. This will mean our students are not lining up in the sun and rain, and will give much needed shelter during the food breaks. We are grateful that this project will be solely funded by the school’s P&C. Without their support, this $36,000 upgrade would not be possible. We cannot wait to see the results and I know the students will love the changes when they return in 2021!

To continue supporting the growth in our Building and Construction Certificate course, we had to find more space! Over the summer break, we will be constructing a purpose built, fully equipped shed. I know that our teachers and students are really excited about this, because it means they will have sole use of this space as they learn valuable skills for a future in the building industry.

And of course, we will do all the maintenance programs such as pest control, carpet cleaning, gutter cleaning, whole school pressure cleaning and the list goes on. I look forward to sharing photos of these projects with you in the New Year. I know that all our contractors, cleaners and support staff will do an amazing job having our school ready for 2021.

Sport

Congratulations to Connor Buxton who was selected in the 12-14 years Boys Baseball team. Connor is a Softballer and this was his first foray into Baseball. A fantastic achievement on your first try Connor. Good luck at your State champs in March 2021.

Our Junior Boys AFL team went down by a couple points to St Teresa’s in the final of their interschool competition. Both the boys and the girls teams are to be commended on their performances every week and the coaching staff of Miss Stewart, Mr Palmer, Mr Ralph and Mr McDonough are looking forward to a big 2021 for AFL. Academy forms are available from Mr Ralph in the G Block staffroom.

Well done to our Justin Hodges 9s teams who competed at the carnival in Noosa recently. We fielded teams in years 7 – 10. The boys competed well and all teams finished the day roughly even on wins and losses. Thanks to the coaching staff of Mr Barrow, Mr Dawson, Mr Stewart and Mr Hamilton.

Our U14 Rugby Union team plays up in Gympie this afternoon after having two weeks off due to forfeits. We wish them all the best.

Good luck to our Basketball academy who played semis last Friday. Our Junior B girls finished top of the table and played St Andrews, whilst our Intermediate C boys finished second and played St Johns. Results available next newsletter.

Eric Smyth
Sports Co-ordinator

Dates for your Diary

Tutorials – Term 4

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