29 January 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

A warm welcome back to Beerwah SHS in 2016 to all families, both new and continuing.

As a new Principal, I am looking forward to the future conversations with staff, students, parents and members of the wider school community in the years ahead.

I see the school well positioned to move forward on its improvement agenda to ensure that every student experiences success in their learning. It is however, a journey that needs commitment from all involved to see academic and personal goals achieved.

2016 will see the school continue on the path set through the School Review and the Quadrennial School Review completed in 2015. Key areas targeted in 2016 will – Literacy/ Numeracy, QCE attainment, Upper 2 Band percentages in NAPLAN, Attendance and Student Engagement (behaviour and effort).

I have been to all year level parades and I am very pleased to see the standard of the student’s appearance in their uniform. Our newly appointed Heads of Year – Mr Young (Year 7), Mr Curtis ( Year 8) , Mr Cavanagh ( Year 9), Ms Sharp ( Year 10) and Ms Ballard ( Year 11/12) will be working with students and their families over the coming weeks to ensure these standards ( as per our dress code) are maintained.

Glen Robinson
Principal

Changes to Behaviour Management structure

Introducing Heads of Year – HOYs

Dear Parents, caregivers and students

Every classroom teacher is responsible for the behaviour management of students in his or her classroom and it is their role to ensure that safe and supportive classroom environments are created so that all can get on with our core business - learning. Teachers may need to refer students on to others for support and the enactment of consequences for behaviours that breach our Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students. We have changed how we are going to manage behaviour at Beerwah State High School. Now teachers will be dealing with behaviour management in class and on a year level basis for referral. Each year level will have a specific Head of Year – HOY

The HOY role is to support teachers in managing the behaviours of all students within classrooms, the school grounds and other relative settings to and from school. They are particularly committed to ensuring student attendance at school as part of the EQ initiative

Every Day Counts.

It is a requirement that all students attend school unless there is a valid reason for the absence and that all these absences are fully explained. Truancy from class/ school will not be tolerated and consequences, in the form of after school detentions in the first instance, will be administered. It is our belief that every day away from school, every lesson missed, affects a child’s learning potential and it is our job to maximise all learning opportunities for all students. It is essential year 11/12 students fulfil the requirements of their senior school agreement – 90% or above attendance, active participation and engagement in all classes and the submission of all required assessment. Failure to do this could result in having to show cause why they remain enrolled at school.

HOYs are also committed to our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework – RESPECT, SAFETY and RESPONSIBILITY and will seek to work with teachers to find every opportunity to recognise and reward students for doing the right thing and adhering to all of our policies and procedures and becoming students who are actively engaged in the learning process and strive to become productive members of Beerwah SHS. All of our policies and procedures can be found on our school website and I urge you to familiarise yourself with them, particularly those around bullying/harassment, uniform, attendance and assessment.

HOYs are looking forward to working with you to ensure that your child avails themselves of the opportunities that Beerwah SHS has to offer to maximise their opportunities for success.

Tanya Hayden
Deputy Principal.

Vaccinations

In 2016, our school will be participating in Queensland Health’s annual school immunisation program. Only students in Year 7 & 8 will be offered free vaccinations, as recommended by the National Immunisation program to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV), varicella (chickenpox) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough). Over the course of the year there will be three rounds of vaccinations which will occur on the following dates. Student’s receiving the HPV vaccination are required to attend all three rounds.

Round 1 – Wednesday 9th of March
Round 2 – Wednesday 18th May
Round 3 – Wednesday 5th October

Permission forms will be handed out at the end of week 1 and students in Year 7 & 8 will need to return this from by the start of week 3. Forms being returned will need to go into the collection box in the school’s admin office. Only students with completed and signed consent form/s will be vaccinated. If you do not wish your child to be vaccinated or your child has already been vaccinated with the offered vaccines, you do not need to return the consent forms. Any further questions, please see Derek Ranclaud in Student Services.

Derek Ranclaud
A/Head of Department – Student Services

The school would like to acknowledge the generous support that Gary Cricks has once again shown the Sunshine Coast Trade Training Centre (SCTTTC) through the provision of a car for 2016.

This is great contribution and really assists with site visits and advertising.

SWPB

Getting organised – Tips for parents and students on starting high school

Starting high school often means extra demands on your time. The following tips on getting organised will help you balance your school work, homework, assignments, and your life outside of school.

Getting organised

Lets get organised! Here are a few tips to help you get and stay organised.

Tips for getting organised

• Don't wait until the last minute to do things. Think about the consequences if you decide not to study for a test and choose to watch a movie instead. Try creating a "possible consequences" list to help you make these decisions.
• Develop good study habits. Try to schedule time to do your homework, plus work on long-term projects, every day.
• Set up a study space where you can keep, and have easy access to, all of your textbooks, dictionaries, reference guides, study booklets, folders and other important material. A study space is also useful for storing all your equipment and stationery. Use a separate folder/notebook/binder for each subject.
• Know where all parts of your uniform are (sports kit, hats etc.).
• Keep your room, desk and bag clean and tidy so it's easy to find things when you're in a hurry.
• Don't forget to take a break, eat nutritious food and have fun!

Understanding your timetable

Your timetable tells you how your school day will be divided; giving you an idea of which subjects you have on what day and at what time. You can use your timetable to plan your day and week ahead.

Tips for using your timetable

Colour code subjects on your timetable so you can easily see when you next have English, science or history.

Print out multiple copies of your timetable and keep them in your diary, near your study space at home, on the fridge, and in your locker (if your school has them).

Before you go to bed, check your timetable and pack your bag with books and materials for tomorrow's classes.

Study tips

Set goals

Setting goals is a good way to keep motivated with your study. Goals can be short-term, like finishing your homework tonight, or long-term, like achieving a certain grade in a class.

To set goals, think about what's important to you. Then write down specific things you want to accomplish and a date or time-frame you want to complete it by. Then think of small and achievable steps you can target to get there.

To be realistic, your goals should be things that are within your control, within your skills and abilities, and a little flexible, in case things go wrong.

Manage your study time

It helps to plan when you will study and how you can make the most of your study time. Use your assessment planner, diary or a calendar to help you keep track of assignment due dates and exams, and plan ahead. You could also make copies for your study space wall, the inside of your diary, your fridge at home or even your locker (if your school has them).

Be sure to space out your study time for the term or plan some extra study in the lead up to exams. Don't try to cram it all in the night before! Do the hardest work when you're feeling your best. Save the easy stuff for when you're tired.

Maximise your concentration - if you find playing music helps you concentrate, keep the volume low. Making a sign with 'Quiet please, I'm studying' or 'Please do not disturb' can help remind people in your home to keep the noise and distractions to a minimum while you're studying.

Create a flexible study plan

Before throwing yourself into studying, think about making a study plan or schedule for doing homework and regular study. Creating and following a study schedule can help you concentrate, remember the things you've learned in school and effectively manage your time. Follow these steps to make a flexible study plan:

• Create or purchase a calendar or planner for each term. Make sure there is enough space under each day to make notes.
• On your planner, block out the hours you're busy at school, doing after school activities (such as, sport, music, dance and other activities), or spending time with your family.
• Decide how many hours of study a week you plan to do. Four to five hours per week is a good starting point for students in Junior Secondary. Highlight when you plan to do this study.
• Decide how much time you need to allocate to each subject (they may not all be equal) and slot these into your study planner.
• Add the due dates of your assignments and scheduled exams. Then work backwards, allocating blocks of study time, to make sure you've enough time to prepare.
• Schedule most of your study during the week to leave your weekend free. If something unexpected arises, you can use some of your weekend to catch up and still meet your study goals.
• Put copies of your study planner on the fridge, on the wall near your desk or quite study space, and in your diary.
• For examples, search "how to create a flexible study planner" on the internet or YouTube.

Make your desk work for you

Having a well-equipped and organised study area is important for good studying. It should be quiet, well equipped and free from distractions and interruptions. Having a study planner and your diary easily accessible will help you focus your attention on how you will spend your study time.

Your desk or table should be large enough to hold everything you need. A bookshelf or other storage space can help you organise your essential items and keep your desk free from clutter. You may have long stretches of study time sitting down, so finding a chair that's comfortable is important. So too is having enough light so that you can see your work without straining your eyes.

If your study area is in a shared space, try working out a roster so that everyone in your home will know when you're going to be using the space. Don't forget to have regular breaks, snacks on hand and plenty of water.

Danae Richter
HOD Humanities/Business

Cash Collections

Payment of Student Resource Scheme is due by Friday 5th February, 2016 or by the end of term 3 once Payment Plan has been discussed and signed off by administration. Subject Fee payments are due in full by end of Term 1 Thursday 24th March, 2016 unless special arrangement has been granted by administration.

If you haven’t returned a Purple Student Resource Scheme-Participation Agreement Form it is imperative you do so ASAP.

If you have returned a Purple Student Resource Scheme-Participation Agreement Form and have selected to pay in “Instalments” please be aware this form MUST signed off by administration.

Many Thanks,

Linda Albers
Accounts Receivable

How do I make a payment?

Payment can be made by way of cash, cheque, Bank/Mastercard or EFT, *BPOINT

BPAY not available

*BPOINT payments MUST be entered accurately

Payment of Student Resource Scheme is due by Friday 5th February, 2016 or by the end of Term 3 once Payment Plan has been discussed and signed off by administration. Subject Fee payments are due in full by end of Term 1 Thursday 24th March, 2016 unless special arrangements have been granted by administration.

P&C NEWS

We’d like to welcome Mr Glen Robinson as our Principal. Also to our new students and families to Beerwah State High School, we wish you all success whilst attending our school.

The P&C’s fundraising efforts contribute to the Chaplaincy program, Scholarships for the Trade Training Centre and we make a contribution to the school.

P&C meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month and we extend an invitation for you to attend. This year’s dates are -

Feb 9, Mar 8, Apr 12, May 10, June 14, Aug 9, Sept 13, Oct 11, Nov 8.

TUCKSHOP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Are you able to assist in the Tuckshop? Even for an hour or two, once a week, once a fortnight – In fact anytime you can give would help.

If you are able to assist please contact Marie or Suzanne on 54940960.

FROM THE GUIDANCE OFFICER

Hello all at Beerwah SHS! It’s great to be part of this community and to be working with the Student Services team to support our students. I’ve been a Guidance Officer for 12 years now, working in Central Qld, Brisbane and overseas in the United Arab Emirates and Africa and am happy to finally be in a school closer to my Elimbah home.

As Guidance Officer, my role is to support young people in balancing stressors and barriers to learning that sometimes materialise in their life so that they can be an active member of their school community, pursue an educational pathway that is suitable to their needs and create a life that is personally meaningful.

The Guidance service is for all members of our school community and includes stress management, time management planning, parenting information, negotiated planning for students with medical or mental health concerns, career guidance, conflict resolution and mediation, subject changes and course selection, tertiary study advice, OP information, Selection Rank information, and a full range of counselling issues.

I look forward to meeting all of our Beerwah students over time and encourage students and parents to make an appointment either with me directly or through the school Admin Office. Best wishes for an awesome 2016!

Jodie Runge
Guidance Officer

Year 7 Parent Evening

We hope that your child has had a positive start to their first year at high school.

As a school we believe it is most important that the education of your child is a shared partnership between parents/guardians, teachers and the student. To help foster this partnership and to develop positive relationships, we would like to invite you to our Parent Evening to be held on Tuesday, February 9 commencing at 5.00pm in the Performing Arts Block.

The evening will give you the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and other parents as well as members of the School Leadership Team, including members of Student Services. There will also be information regarding the school’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, and information regarding tutoring and mentoring for Indigenous Students.

After a shared presentation to all parents, there will be an opportunity to meet your student’s teachers in their form class rooms between 6:00 – 7:00 pm. To help the evening run smoothly please be aware of your child’s House Group/Form class (7A-K). This information can be found on your child’s student timetable.

The evening is sure to be a pleasant one, giving parents and teachers the opportunity to meet informally and to discuss your child’s experience of year 7. To assist with planning please have your child return the RSVP on the letter sent home to box the FRONT OFFICE before Friday February 5.

Jacob Connor
HOD Junior Secondary

ANNUAL CHAPLAINCY BREAKFAST

Performing Arts Block, Beerwah State High School

Date: Tuesday 1st March 2016
Time: 7.30am-8.30am

Come and join us for breakfast and help us celebrate the great work done by chaplains in our local schools. This is a great opportunity for us to thank all the wonderful supporters who make our chaplaincy services a reality.

There will be a raffle running on the day and also an opportunity for you to make a donation to your chosen school chaplain if you wish to.

RSVP: For catering purposes please contact Beerwah High School on 5436533 by Monday 22nd February 2016.

Spotlight on Spanish

Ever thought, “I’m never going to Spain; why would I want to learn Spanish?” Or maybe you’ve thought something like, “I wonder where Spanish is used, outside of Spain?” These “Spotlight’s on Spanish” aim to highlight how Spanish language, culture and history are part of Beerwah High and beyond.

According to the 2011 Census, 25% of Australian households spoke a language other than English at home and more than 300 different languages were identified. Spanish is the eighth most common language spoken in Australian homes other than English. There are more Spanish speaking households in Australia than there are French, German, Japanese or Indonesian households. As of July 2014, there were more than 500 million Spanish speakers world-wide; only Mandarin Chinese has a larger number of native speakers. Spanish is the second most widely-distributed spoken language behind English and it is also the second most common language used on social networking. Spanish is currently the fastest growing language in the world.

With the growing popularity of Mexican foods we’ve seen words like taco, burrito, fajitas, salsa and tortillas become every day parts of speech but the influence of Spanish on English is much wider than that. By the end of the Mexican-American war in 1848, many parts of Mexico had been ceded to The United States, including present-day Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, California, Arizona and Utah as well as parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming. While this movement of boundaries and sovereignty has had a significant impact on the culture of the United States and the English language in that country, it has also had an impact on English language across the globe.

The following is a small list of Spanish words that are used by English speakers:

• buckaroo – anglicization of vaquero (vaca = cow, vaquero=cattle herder)
• corral – “pen”, “yard”
• chaps – chaparreras: leg protectors for riding through chaparral (tangled scrub and thorny bushes)
• desperado – desesperado (desperate)
• lasso – lazo (tie)
• ranch – rancho (a very small rural community)
• rodeo – from rodear (to go around)
• stampede – from estampida
• ten-gallon hat – from Spanish tan galán ("so gallant"), or possibly galón ("braid") – many vaqueros wore hats with as many as ten braids on them and these were referred to as ten galán hats. (Nothing to do with how much water they could hold!)

There are well over one hundred more Spanish words used by English speakers, look out for some more of these in the next “Spotlight on Spanish”.

Second Order of Senior Jerseys

We are currently gauging the level of interest from our year 12 students for placing a second order of jerseys. A second order will only be made if there is a minimum of 10 students ordering. The cost is likely to be around $80 as this will be a smaller order than last year. The exact price cannot be determined until the number of orders is determined. Students who are seriously interested in ordering a jersey are to record their name on the list in Tibro staffroom by Friday 12th February. Please do not pay cash collection for a new jersey until it is announced that a second order will definitely be placed. Please speak to Mrs Pearson in Tibro staffroom if there are any questions.

Karli Pearson
Spanish and Biology Teacher
Beerwah State High School

Maths Department news 2016

Welcome to our Year 7 students and parents and welcome back to all returning students and their parents. The information below will help ensure students will be successful in maths in 2016. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding your student and their progress in maths this year.

• Free maths tutoring – maths tutoring will be run in the resource centre every Tuesday from 3pm till 4pm. This is a great way for students to get some extra help with homework or assignments from some of our maths teachers.

• New text books – We have purchased new text books for Year 7 -10 classes this year. Students will shortly receive their new text books through the SRS scheme. If a student elects to take their text home they must bring it to every lesson. Alternatively the book can be left in the classroom locked in a cupboard. Students will be given a code that enables them to access a digital copy of the text at home online.
• Calculators – all students need a scientific calculator. The Casio fx82 AU is our preferred model. These are available for purchase through the resource centre.
• Manga High – as part of the SRS scheme, all year 7-10 students will be subscribed to an online tutoring system called Manga High. Students will receive their passwords and begin using it in class shortly. They are also encouraged to use this excellent resource at home to consolidate important concepts taught.

Paul Schneider
HOD Maths

NETBALL NEWS

Following last years’ success at SCNA’s Monday Night Netball we are again looking for netballers to join our junior and senior teams. The competition is run every Monday night at the Sunshine Coast Netball Association, Fisherman’s Rd, Maroochydore. Teams participate in a round-robin competition with a Finals Series at the conclusion of the season.

The cost for each student is $65. This is made up of the team levy, umpire costs, and hire of facilities and uniform. The uniform is provided by the school, however, a pair of black bike shorts must be worn underneath the dress. Bike shorts must be purchased by the student.

Games commence 15 February, which is only three weeks away, and the competition runs for approximately 10 weeks. Games will be played at various time slots between 4.15pm and 7.25pm. We will endeavour to carpool when we can.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Sharlene Ballard by phone on 5436 5333 or by email at sball12@eq.edu.au or collect an expression of interest form from Staffroom D.

Sharlene Ballard

BSHS Arts in Focus

2016 School Production

Superheroes? 50’s rock ‘n’ roll? A crazy town of vampires? If you’ve been in the cast or in the audience for any of our last three school musicals, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Here at Beerwah High we like to shake things up a little. So, for this year’s show, we decided that boy bands and girl bands of the 1990’s would be in order.

Our production, Popstars, pits boyband against girlband as they compete for the ultimate trophy. Think hyper-coloured costumes, dynamic dance routines, a hilarious script and hits by the Spice Girls, MC Hammer, Britney Spears and Bon Jovi to name a few.

The cast was announced after a rigorous audition process last year and we are ready to begin rehearsals in Week 2. Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday after school, the PA block will be resonating with songs such as I’m Too Sexy, Who Let The Dogs Out, Can’t Touch This and All Star.

Plan to come along and support our students on May 5 and 6 for what is sure to be an entertaining show. Bookings can be made later in the year.

Debbie Holland
Teacher

FROM THE HUMANITES FACULTY!

Some great reasons why your child is studying Humanities!

Why Study History?

1. History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that develops students’ curiosity and imagination
2. Awareness of History is an essential characteristic of any society.
3. Historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others
4. History promotes the understanding of societies, events, movements and developments that have shaped humanity form earliest times
5. History helps students appreciate how the world and its people have changed, as well as the significant continuities that exist to the present day.
6. The study of History is based on evidence derived from remains of the past.
7. History is interpretative by nature, promotes debate and encourages thinking about human values.
8. The process of historical inquiry develops transferable skills, such as the ability to ask relevant questions; critically analyse and interpret sources; consider context; respect and explain different perspectives; develop and substantiate interpretations, and communicate effectively.

Why study Geography?

1. Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world, using the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale and change.
2. Geography integrates knowledge from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to build a holistic understanding of the world.
3. Students learn to question why the world is the way it is, reflect on their relationships and responsibilities for that world, and then propose actions designed to shape a socially just and sustainable future.
4. Geography uses an inquiry approach to assist students to make meaning of their world.
5. It teaches students to respond to questions in a geographically distinctive way, plan an inquiry; collect, evaluate, analyse and interpret information; and suggest responses to what they have learned.
6. Students examine why places have particular environmental and human characteristics, explore similarities and differences between then, investigate their meanings and significance to people and examine how they are managed and changed
7. The skills learnt in Geography can be applied in everyday life and at work
8. Geography addresses scales from the personal to the global and time periods from a few years to thousands of years.
   (Queensland Studies Authority. The Australian Curriculum in Queensland 2013)

Year 12 Geography Excursion

On Monday 11th April 2016 the Year 12 Geography class will be travelling to Fraser Island to participate in a Field Investigation as part of their Year 12 Assessment. The purpose of the excursion is for the students to collect Primary data to be used for their assessment for Term 2. The unit looks at ‘Managing Nature Based Recreation’.

Details of the Excursion:

As this excursion forms an integral part of the assessment for Year 12 Geography it is important that ALL students ATTEND.

Please contact Danae Richter if you require more information about this.

Danae Richter
HOD Humanities/Business

INDUSTRY LIAISON OFFICER

Beerwah State High School offers the School-based Apprenticeship/Traineeship (SAT) program to students currently attending Year 10, 11 and 12. Students attend school four days per week and work one day per week.

Through the SAT program, students can gain Certificate 2 or Certificate 3 qualifications which also attract credits towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). A SAT is a combination of work (paid) and training. Students need to complete all aspects of the traineeship to gain the qualification and this may mean attending workshops/Tafe during the school holidays and completing training workbooks.

Common traineeships are Retail, Business (Administration), Hospitality and Mechanical. However if you have an employer interested in taking you on, please discuss with the Industry Liaison Officer.

Students who are currently working on a casual basis should discuss this option with their employer. There are benefits for the employer such as Government Incentives as well as funding from the Government for the training costs. It is very easy to convert casual employment into a School-based Traineeship.

Students interested in the SAT program should apply for vacancies advertised through the school as well as actively searching for an employer. For more information on the SAT program please contact Mrs Cindy Reader on 5436 5305 or calling into the Independent Learning Centre.

Mrs Cindy Reader