13 October 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Term 4 has started with a buzz of anticipation in the air!

We are in the most exciting term for our Year 12 students as they continue their preparation for their external exams in the new ATAR system. The students have been working incredibly hard, with the support of their teachers, to ensure they are in the best possible position to succeed and give themselves every opportunity for an exciting career after they leave school.

Term 4 is filled with huge emotions and the excitement of the end of their schooling life, and the poignancy of the Graduation Ceremony and Clapout. Finishing Year 12 is a very exciting rite of passage and I urge all our students to reflect on the importance of these last few weeks as a Senior at Coolum State High School with respect and care for their peers and their school.

Even though it might be hard to believe right now, these really are some of the best days of your lives.

Coolum High has received a very encouraging report – the Next Step Survey Report that shows the destinations of the Year 12 class of 2020. The survey results demonstrate the continuing development of our school in providing high quality outcomes for students.

The results are exceptional, with more than 42% of students accessing Bachelor degrees after leaving Coolum High, bolstering an incredible total of 93% of 2020 Year 12 graduates engaging in education, training or employment in the year after they completed school.

To put this information in context, Coolum High had the second highest number of students from all state high schools on the Coast going onto Bachelor degrees (by less than one percent) and the second lowest number unemployed (again by less than one percent).

These results reflect the hard work of our staff, the commitment of our parents and the maturity of our students in choosing meaningful pathways for their lives. It will always be the work of Coolum High to guide students towards fulfilling life pathways, allowing every student to live a life of choice and not one of chance.

More and more students are now living a life of choice, rather than one of chance because of your efforts and the efforts of all of Coolum High staff. We can be very proud of the outcomes of our students. This information reflects hope, pride and ambition and is the launching place of adult lives.

As wonderful as these results are, we will always continue to improve to ensure a great destination for every student. I am very proud of our students and our staff in creating the environment in which students can thrive.

This term, we have redoubled our efforts to ensure that students are in the correct uniform at all times. Our uniform has set a standard in our community, and within the school, that sets a platform for success and has become a symbol of who we are and what we set out to be. All parents and students are reminded that students are required to wear the correct formal shorts or skirt with the formal uniform shirt. We thank the vast majority of students and families for wearing the correct uniform and assisting this process to be as easy and seamless as possible for school staff.

Troy Ascott
Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Year 7

Academies

This year our academy teams have been highly successful in all competitions.

Coolum SHS Academies application forms are available by clicking on the following link or by collecting a printed copy form our school office.

These exciting programs offer fantastic opportunities to our students. We have a record number of students joining the highly successful Instrumental Music program and we would love to see more students take up this opportunity.

Tutorials

Tutorials commence this week in the library at 3pm. Many of our fantastic staff are present to assist the students. Coolum SHS has received fantastic academic results for students and tutorials is one of the reasons this is being achieved. Thanks to Whites IGA we also have great food platters each week for the students prior to tutorials.

CAST

Cast is back into full swing with many of the popular lunchtime activities up and running again. CAST gives our student the opportunity to be involved in free lunch time activities that are organised by our staff. The range of activities is large including academic and sporting pursuits and a variety of activities in the creative arts.

Writing and laptops

Student is years 7 to 9 will commence a writing program that will involve their computer next week. As of next week, all students in Year 7 to 9 will be required to bring their laptop to all their English classes. Currently our students are writing at a level equal to the nation. This exciting initiative will lift the ability of all students. Please ensure your child’s laptop is fully charged and with them each day at school.

Anthony Swan
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary Year 7

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary Years 8 & 9

Excellence in Student Achievement

Student report cards were sent home last week and it was fantastic to see yet another term of outstanding academic achievements across subject areas. The dedication of our teachers and commitment to learning from our students is certainly showing what is possible when we strive for excellence. It has been great to see students remembering to bring laptops for learning activities particularly on a Wednesday for on-line maths activities. Being organised for class with all the equipment required is a critical factor is being ready for learning.

Later this week, students in years 7 and 9 will bring home their individual NAPLAN report from the tests delivered in term 2 this year. Again, the overall results have been fantastic with students demonstrating huge growth in their learning since the last testing cycle. It is important however to remember that NAPLAN is a point in test time across elements of literacy and numeracy that may not directly reflect the content that your child is currently studying in class as it is a standardised test delivered across all schools in Australia. In 2022, all students will be completing NAPLAN in the online environment and have already engaged in some activities in preparation for this transition. There will be more information and preparation tasks in term 1 next year.

Nicola Worthington
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary Years 8 & 9

Deputy Principal – Senior Secondary Years 10 & 11

Year 11 Exam Block

In Week 3, all Year 11 students will be on exam block. This is a really important time for assessment and I encourage all students to be fully prepared to achieve their best.

Students will receive the exam block timetable in Week 2. A reminder that students must be in attendance for all required sessions. Any assessment missed due to illness must be supported by a medical certificate.

Year 10 Exam Block

Year 10 students will have an exam block in Week 8 of this term. This is the first exam block that the students will have participated in and is a very important step in the process of being prepared for success in years 11 and 12.

More information about the Week 8 Exam Block will come out later in the term.

Senior Leaders 2022

I would like to congratulate the students who have been selected as senior leaders for 2022. There were a number of very high calibre applicants and all students should feel very proud of themselves. It was great to see them acknowledged at our recent Celebration of Excellence event and on our Senior School parade at the start of term.

I would like to thank Miss Williams for the commitment she has shown towards the student leadership process and am confident that the leaders of 2022 will be amazing representatives of Coolum High.

Attendance

We continue to chase improvement at Coolum State High School and one unrelenting area of focus is student attendance. Attendance at school keeps students up to date with their learning and assessment requirements, builds relationships with teachers, and gives students regular and supportive contact with their peers.

As the successful transition into a positive career is one of the goals of a secondary education, it is absolutely necessary that students attend school each and every day.

Positive attendance and academic results can set students up for great success in the senior years. As the schoolwork becomes more difficult, coming to school every day is vital to ensure students have the best chances of success.

Terry Proctor
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Years 10 and 11

Deputy Principal – Senior Secondary Year 12

I know the excitement is building as our Year 12 students are counting down to the completion of External Exams and course work, and of course the celebrations. We are not there yet and it is important for students to manage stress and work load by planning ahead. All students are aware of their exam dates and these are also published in the Wandama corridor. Over the remaining school days, we will communicate all necessary information to ensure students are prepared and ready for the completion of final assessment.

Student attendance is not expected at school from Friday 22 October until Wednesday 17 November unless they have scheduled exams or are on site to work with class teachers during their usual lesson time. Year 12 teachers will be available for students of Certificate courses and Applied subjects during their timetabled lesson time. Students can access teacher support until they have satisfactorily met all course requirements.

If you have any questions over the next few weeks, please call Mr Lee Francey, Year 12 HOY, Mr Sean Sweeney, HOD Senior Schooling, or Mrs Emma Curnow, Year 12 Deputy Principal and we will support you through these next few weeks. We know this is daunting for parents as well as students.

IMPORTANT DATES

It is important that our Year 12s remain leaders and positive role models within our school, and as such, we are expecting students to uphold our school rules and expectations. The following information has been emailed previously in a Schoolzine, however please talk to them about these expectations.

Responsibilities of Year 12 students:

• Year 12 students are expected to maintain the school standards related to uniform. Students will not be allowed to participate in school events unless they are in full formal uniform (including white shirt, white socks and fully enclosed black shoes, formal skirt/shorts/slacks and a tie).
• It is very important that students continue striving to improve results, complete work and achieve their very best in each of their subjects to the very last day.
• Attendance is monitored until the last day; Year 12 students are expected to attend scheduled External Exams and attend scheduled lesson time for Applied and VET subjects until they are satisfactorily completed. Once their subjects have been signed off by their class teacher, on their Record of Completion Form
• Instances of any inappropriate driving or other inappropriate use of cars at any time while the student is in the school’s care may result in suspension, and the student may not be invited to the Graduation Formal. This includes travelling to and from school. Please discuss this with your child. We trust that students will behave in a responsible way.
• While it is natural for students to be excited as they approach their final days as school students, normal school rules apply and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
• Students must return a fully completed ‘Record of Completion’ Form to Mrs. Curnow, Mr. Sweeney or Mrs. Ford, and have a pathway set up with Liz Mortimer (Guidance Officer).

We have had a wonderful year with this cohort and we have managed to dodge too many changes due to COVID, and we are looking forward to celebrating with you and your child and they venture into the next chapter of their life.

Emma Curnow
Deputy Principal Senior Secondary Year 12

Business Services News

Thank you to all the families that have paid their Student Resource Scheme (SRS) fees and subject fees for 2022. The SRS is endorsed by all stakeholders of the school to allow your child access to low cost text books, quality resources and opportunities that enhance the learning outcomes of students.

Invoices and statements are issued throughout the term and I ask that when looking at your statement if you have a negative amount this indicates that you have a credit on your school account. This credit can be used towards future expenses for your child. If you wish to apply this credit to an invoice please contact the Administration Office.

If you are experiencing financial difficulty or would like to set up a payment plan please contact the Administration Office to arrange a meeting with me.

Thank you again for your support.

Sharyn O’Brian
Business Manager

Junior Secondary

Debating News

Over the last few months, our Senior Debating Team, comprised of Callum White, Polly Salsbury, Harrison Cooper and Dane Zilian, have been versing other schools in the Sunshine Coast School’s Debating Competition. The competition consisted of four rounds, followed by a series of play-offs, leading to the semi-finals and then the finals, in October.

The Coolum State High School team had three challenging debates, versing tough competition from Matthew Flinders Anglican College and Chancellor State College. Topics included “That we regret the rise in popularity of university studies” and “That the government should pay a year of parental leave for all parenting situations.”

We lost by only one point to Chancellor in Round 3 but then went on to win against Chancellor State College in Round 4 of the competition. The topic for Coolum State High School’s winning debate was “That we, the under 30s, regret the increase of live media streaming” and our team was negative.

The team put in a huge effort each Wednesday night, researching their topics. From the time they began practising early in Term 2, our Senior team has improved noticeably in their ability to communicate and work together as a team.

Special thanks to the hard-working Mr Lyle Reck, who has given up his Wednesday nights for the duration of the competition, allowing Coolum State High School to make a contribution to the much-needed pool of adjudicators. Mr Reck can be seen flying around Siena Catholic College on Wednesday evenings, sometimes adjudicating up to three debates a night. We are all greatly appreciative of his commitment to debating for the third year running!

Colette Webber
Debating Coach

Proud winners: Polly Salsbury, Harrison Cooper, Dane Zilian and Callum White

ALPHA Excursions News

Year 7 QUT Excursion

Accompanied by Mr Swan, Mr Dixon and Ms Elms to QUT Garden Point campus Year 7 students were fascinated by rocket science and university life. Using a flight simulator, students had to access a coding app to manipulate fuel loads and directions of a rocket. Despite lots of crashes many students successfully flew the aircraft. They then got the opportunity to make satellite messages using reflect light and radio signals to talk to each other. Lunch was served in the tranquil garden setting and students were impressed with the facilities at the campus. Thanks to the wonderful teachers and Mr Swan for making this happen.

Year 8 Ishmael Theatre Excursion QPACC

The year 8 Alpha classes were delighted to escape routine and hit the cultural capital of Brisbane, Southbank for a very special performance at QPACC of “Ishmael”. Students were captivated by the combination of multimedia and puppetry displays set in a bleak futuristic world with high action chase scenes involving asteroids. Not quite “Moby Dick”, this play follows a young climate refugee named Ishmael who is given the chance to build a new life, provided she can survive a voyage to the outer solar system aboard the MV Pequod under the command of the obsessive Captain Ahab.

Once the show was over, we all stepped outside into Brisbane, the sun was shining and lunch at Southbank refuelled students to allow a finishing visit to the Queensland Museum. A delightful day for all involved and students were most appreciative of Mr Samson and Ms Wakeling hosting the day.

Year 8 Science Excursion Aussie World

Our year 8 ALPHA students also attended Aussie World in the last week of term to enhance their Physics unit. But this was serious fun, students wore 'physics vests' in order to run an app on the rides that logs a motion graph, records their acceleration and velocity throughout the rides. They also calculated kinetic energy and gravitation potential energy at different points of different rides and drew energy transfer diagrams. Aside from that, the students enjoyed the beautiful weather and change of scenery. A big thank you to Ms Wakeling, Mr Nix and Mr Moore for helping the students how to appreciate Physics.

Year 9 Battlespace Excursion

The Year 9 ALPHA class had the incredible opportunity to visit the Boeing Communications Warehouse in Wacol and then on to the Australian Defence Force Base at Enoggera. The students had the rare chance to talk with Boeing engineers and ADF staff about cutting edge communications technology. They got a firsthand look at the Bushmaster vehicles specially designed onsite and then take part in an actual water obstacles course – just like real members of the Defence force. They were brilliantly behaved and performed exceptionally well on the course, unlike their teacher Mr van D! Aoife and Cisco were our star acrobats – check out the pics!

External Exams: ICASS Year 7-9

Senior Secondary

Science News

Two of our outstanding Year 11 STEM students, Cooper and Xander have been selected via a highly intensive selection process to attend the prestigious National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in January 2022. Only 600 students are selected across the globe for this amazing opportunity.

The aim of the experience is to inspire young Australians to value science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and its importance in our communities.

During its 2-week course (10- 25 January 2022), the extremely intensive program will deliver immersive and transformative youth-led experiences to young Australians to encourage life-long STEM literacy and will leave only little time for outside activities (except for meeting those people already in the program). One of the major aspects coming from the NYSF will be the opportunity the participants are given to form and develop a network of friends, colleagues and support groups throughout Australia which will be of value to them for the whole of their lives.

On behalf of Coolum SHS, Huge congratulations, boys! Very well done!

Paul Olsen
Head of Department Science

Highly accomplished and proud participants Cooper Hinton and Xander Dundon with Teacher Paul Olsen

Sports

We have Wilsonton SHS from Toowoomba touring the Sunshine Coast with their U13/15 girls Rugby League team next week. Coolum SHS girls’ team will be playing their U15 team at Coolum SHS on Wednesday 20th at 2.30pm and are hoping Coolum SHS students will come along to support the team.

Stephen Belsham
Youth Coordinator

Dates for your Diary

Tutorials – Term 4

Bus Pass Information 2021

Do you need to apply for a school bus pass?

The Queensland Government’s School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) provides assistance to enable eligible school students to attend education facilities.

There are two types of assistance available to students travelling on bus services to school:

• Distance based assistance
• Safety-net assistance

Apply for STAS online

Did you know that you can now apply online for STAS?

• One form
• Up to five children
• Any device

Need help with your application?

Email STASdigital.Helpdesk@tmr.qld.gov.au or call 1300 119 289 for technical assistance with your online application.

FAQs & handy tips to get you started

Once you are familiar with the application process and steps to get you started, you will find the ‘apply now’ button located towards the bottom of the STAS Apply for school transport assistance page.

After you’ve successfully lodged your application online, information will be generated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to your local CDC office in Kunda Park, Sunshine Coast or Gladstone for processing.

Please note: it is Department of Transport and Main Roads policy that STAS applications for students placed under a Child Protection Order by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services must be made using the  paper application form relevant to the transport assistance . This form can be found once you commence your application online.

Bus Routes

A list of bus routes servicing Coolum State High School can be viewed on this page:

Parents can also contact us by phone 07 847 666 22 or email info.sunshinecoast@cdcbus.com.au