31 August 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal's Report

Leadership Camp

Last week I had the opportunity to join our 2016/17 Senior School Leaders on camp at Emu Gully. With a focus on leadership many of the students questioned what they thought "Leadership" truly means. They were put through a range of tasks that had a traditional ANZAC theme that really challenged them both physically and mentally as individuals and as a team. Through the 3 days the students really developed a team approach to the tasks and learnt that all members of a team can play a role in a team's success. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to work with these young adults and I am confident they will bring further success to Beerwah State High school.

Communication

Can I encourage parents and students to share the successes that the students and staff are having at Beerwah State High School by joining the schools Facebook page. See what is happening in the Arts, HPE, Science and more. The school will be also using this page as another form of communication with the school community. We look forward to your thoughts about how our page is helping in spreading the good work that is happening in the school.

25th Anniversary

A reminder that the 25th Anniversary of the school is on Saturday 29th October. The celebrations will start at 4 pm with guided tours of the school. There will be student performances and displays throughout the afternoon and evening with the official ceremony at 6 pm.

Graduating year photos will be taking place throughout the afternoon starting with the "original enrolments" from 1992 then graduating class of 1996 and each year after that. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display at approx. 7.45 pm. We look forward to seeing you on this very special occasion.

Uniform

Whilst it is still a little cool in the mornings can I remind all parents and students that the only jumpers that should be worn are those purchased from the school canteen and have a school logo.

Can I also remind parents that there will be a review of the school uniform over the coming months and that the school in conjunction with P&C will be asking for student and parent input.

NAPLAN

This term we received our NAPLAN results for Year 7 and 9, that have since been distributed home. The results have demonstrated that our current focus on reading, especially around the Tactical Teaching of Reading and the adoption of Eagle and Wolf strategies for difficult texts, has proved very successful. 2016 has seen Beerwah students score our highest ever result in reading as a cohort, a great outcome considering all the hard work from teachers and of course the students too. Beerwah has also continued to perform well in Numeracy, with 100% of students who sat the test achieving a result at or above the national minimum standard. Most importantly, almost every student who sat the test achieved positive gains since their last test, two years ago. We are looking forward to seeing these trends continue into the future as we continue to develop strong literacy and numeracy skills in all of our students.

Year 12

Our Year 12 students have only this week have completed their Queensland Core Skills test. They have been preparing over many months with the assistance of a key group of teachers. Thanks to Ms Hansen, Mr Woods and Ms Patton for their work in getting the students ready for this crucial state wide test.

Farewell Marshall

This week we also officially send-off Marshall Caldwell who is retiring. Marshall has been a teacher at Beerwah State High School for 20 years!

We wish him all the best in the future. Keep swinging that golf club!

Glen Robinson
Principal

Student Investiture

Congratulations to our Junior and Senior House Captains, Junior and Senior School Captains and Vice Captains and our newly elected Prefects and Student Council executive. We all look forward to the wonderful things you have planned for 2016-17.

Jeans for Genes Day

A big thank you to all of the students and staff who wore their jeans to school today and made a donation to the Jeans for Genes Day campaign. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and will help to raise funds for much needed medical research.

School Magazine 2016

• 100 pages full colour
• 3 blank back pages - space for autographs
• Faculty reports
• Event reports of things that have occurred throughout the year)
• Year level photos from year 7 – 11
• 3-4 pages devoted to group/friend shots of Year 12s
• Farewell Philosophies - Year 12 individual photos (head and shoulders) that includes a short statement/phrase/quote/philosophy (no more than 30 words!!!) that sums up your thoughts re your time at school/end of school/looking at future.
• Magazine will be more photos than written text
• Student competition currently underway to create magazine cover – Beerwah Echo 2016
• We aim to ensure that all Year 12 students are in at least one photo in the school magazine.

Cost $25 Pre-order and pay now at cash collection. Money for the magazine will only be accepted if school fees are paid/payment plan is on track. All orders must be paid for by October 21st at the very latest. Magazine will be available to hand out to Year 12 students before Graduation

Tanya Hayden
Deputy Principal
Senior School

Chappy Golf Day

The Chappy Golf Day is being held at the Beerwah Golf Club on Sunday 11 September. Hit off at 12noon. Lunch & dinner is included. This is a major fundraiser for our chaplain Mike Turner whose wage comes from donations.

Contact Andrew on 0410 616 982 or andrew@blissfulbellies.com.au to enter.

Battle of the Bands 2016

By Mike Turner (Chaplain)

Our school Battle of the Bands is coming soon. The date is Wednesday 14th September and it will be held in the PA Block. This will be the 5th time that we have run this awesome event since 2011. There will be around 8 bands and soloists performing a range of styles on the night – come along and support your mates and enjoy a great night! Previous winners were – Battery Hill, Roses for the damned, Rhialle Seric & Springburn. Who will be the winner for 2016?

All profits from the ticket sales will go to the charity 'World Vision'. Tickets are now on sale at cash collection for $8 and are available to Beerwah High students only.

Safe driving research project

Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast study are seeking young people aged 15.5 years and their parent or guardian who anticipates providing most of their driving supervision to participate in a safe driving research project.

The study will examine the role of parents in preparing their 15-year-old to become a safe driver throughout the pre-learner and learner periods.

Participants will be asked to complete a brief survey and a driving simulation activity at the Sippy Downs campus and will be followed-up three times until the young person has obtained their provisional drivers licence.

In return, the research team is offering a $50 shopping voucher after each of the first three evaluations ($150 in total) and will reimburse the cost of the learner licence ($155.05) after the fourth session.

If you are interested in participating in this research project, please contact Leigh Wilks, Research Assistant, on 0423095792 or lwilks@usc.edu.au. This project has been reviewed and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Sunshine Coast. Approval number A/16/818.

Positive Behaviour For Learning

The focus of the fortnight is Resolve conflicts in an appropriate way Steps in a good conflict resolution strategy involve:

• Staying Calm
• Thinking it through
• Think about your choices
• Decide on a plan – Involves good communication
• Use 'I' messages – involves using I feel, when & because.

At Beerwah State High School students can be supported to resolve conflicts with supported mediation. This process can happen with the support of Student Services.

The ability to successfully resolve conflict depends on a student's ability to:

• Manage stress quickly while remaining alert and calm. By staying calm, you can accurately read and interpret verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Control your emotions and behavior. When you're in control of your emotions, you can communicate your needs without threatening, frightening, or punishing others.
• Pay attention to the feelings being expressed as well as the spoken words of others.
• Be aware of and respectful of differences. By avoiding disrespectful words and actions, you can almost always resolve a problem faster.

Source:

Danae Richter
HOD Humanities

Year 8 Geography Excursion

On Friday 5th August four Year 8 Geography classes travelled by bus to Wildhorse Mountain Lookout. The purpose of the excursion was for the students to collect data on the formation of the Glasshouse Mountains and the Pumicestone Catchment. Activities included completing field sketches of both the mountains and the passage, and filling in a workbook. The information gained will be needed for the exam coming up soon. The students then had the opportunity to go to MacDonald's for lunch.

One team from Year 8 represented Beerwah State High School at the OptiMINDS Regional Championships on the weekend. Team 1, THE BRAIN BOX, entered Division II in the Science and Engineering section. The team consisted of Natalie Ross, Cara Yuill, Mitchell Cross, Samson Baker and Deacon Pflasterer and had to solve a problem by creating a PONGLE. 'PONGLING' has taken hold of Opti-Topia!

This new sensation is sweeping the planet and Opti-Topians are excitedly 'pongling' wherever they can…

THE CHALLENGE – what you must solve:

• Your team must create a PONGLE device.
• You must design the PONGLE so that it automatically pings a PONG between paddles.
• The more times the PONG successfully pings from one paddle to another the more points achieved.
• You must also decide what 'PONGLING' is - and why it is so popular.

The students also had to compete in a spontaneous challenge where they had 10 minutes to come up with a creative solution to a problem.

Congratulations to the team on their effort and for representing Beerwah State High School.

Danae Richter
HOD Humanities

School based traineeships/apprenticeships (SATs)

Pathways for 2017

Term 3 has been an important time for students as they plan and contemplate pathways for senior schooling. As Year 10s completed their SET plans, many students completed applications for school based traineeship opportunities with Metro North Health and Hospital Service. Others have embarked on the process of applying for a place at the Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training Centre in Caloundra. It has been pleasing to see the time and effort students have put into their applications and though not every student will be successful I'm sure all will agree it has been a valuable learning process.

On 17th August eight year 10 students were interviewed by Metro North Health for 2017 school based traineeship positions. With many applications across the Moreton Bay region, Krystal, Tyrah, Lily, Shontae, Alannah, Aimee, Deneille and Renae are to be congratulated for being shortlisted and securing an interview.

There have been many enquiries in relation to work experience with students putting together resumes and networking family and friends, visiting local businesses asking for the opportunity to sample jobs in a variety of work environments. Other students have been successful with applications for work placement with major organisations such as Australian Defence Force and Metro North Health and Hospital.

Work experience placements:

Mitchell O'Connor - Beerwah Golf Club
Tara Schadel & Deneille Stuparich – Metro North Health & Hospital
James Alcorn – Australian Defence Force, RAAF Base Amberley
Lachie Buckman – Beerwah Mechanical
Jordan Schultz – Beerwah Landscapes
Braden Pearce – Landsborough Mechanical
Neva Curtis – Katrina's School of Beauty

Thank you to local businesses and employers for their continuing support of alternative pathways for Beerwah High students.

James Alcorn

On 15-17th August Year 10 student James Alcorn completed a 3 day work placement with 9th Force Support Battalion at Amberley Airbase. The Battalion was formed on 1 August 1998, following the amalgamation of a number of supply, medical, military police, maintenance and transport units. 9th Force Support Battalion is part the 17th Combat Service Support Brigade and its role is to provide third line or 'general' support within an area of operations. James was able to participate in a program of indoor and outdoor activities giving him an insight into a wide range of Army activities including bulk transport, logistics, workshop maintenance, warehouse procedures, petroleum handing and other specialisations. See below for James' recount of his time with 9FSB.

Hi I am James Alcorn and I went to Amberley Air Base for three days of work experience. We were shown around where they keep all of the things from ammo to tents in a big shed. Then we went to where all the mechanics are and we got to do some metal bending to make a bike rack. Then we went to the mess hall which is where we all eat our lunch every day. We went to the WETS which is a weapon simulator that has old guns that aren't safe to shoot for safety reasons so they are converted into guns that shoot lasers, we all got a turn. Then we went to were all of they store the vehicles they use. It was so cool I loved it.

My name is Kellie Alcorn, I am James' mum. He was lucky enough to be picked to go to Amberley Air Base for work experience. To anyone who is thinking of applying please do it. It was the best experience. Everyday James came back exhausted but with heaps of stories of the exciting things they had done for the day. The air force also gave him plenty of information on career paths and what he needs to do to get in. It was well worth the travel to Ipswich and it gave James something to work towards.

Written by James and Kellie Alcorn

School based traineeships and apprenticeships commencements:

Jade Murray – Certificate III Hospitality, 7 Secrets Pizza, Glass House Mountains
Kristiane Hadley – Certificate III Roof Plumbing, Cootes Complete Roofing, Mooloolah
Jack Barnett – Certificate III Plumbing, Pro Water & Flame

Congratulations to Jade, Kristiane and Jack on successfully securing traineeships and apprenticeships which gives them the opportunity to combine training with working in a real job.

Matt Jones –Winner North Coast Region, Queensland Training Awards

Now in its 55th year in 2016, the Queensland Training Awards are the state's highest recognition of people and organisations who strive for success, best practice and innovation in training.

Award categories recognise outstanding achievement by:

• completing apprentices and trainees
• school-based apprentices and trainees
• graduates of certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses
• small, medium and large employers who use training in their workplace
• registered training organisations (training providers), teachers and trainers.

These categories are initially contested across the state's seven regional areas from Far North Queensland to the South East. All nominations are assessed by a selection panel and in May Matt was informed that he had been shortlisted for the North Coast Regional Award.

The North Coast ceremony took place at a gala dinner in Caloundra on 30th August 2016 which Matt attended with his family and friends, employer and trainer. Beerwah High's Mrs Cindy Reader, who has worked closely with Matt throughout his traineeship, was also able to attend. It was an extremely exciting moment when Matt's name was called as winner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year.

With the other regional award winners, Matt has now been nominated as a finalist in his award category at the state level. The Queensland Training Awards Gala Dinner will be held in Brisbane on Friday 9th September 2016.

Staff and students of Beerwah High congratulate Matt on this great achievement and wish him much success in the state awards and with his future goals after graduation. Matt is a role model and an inspiration to other students.

Please see attached flyer about the upcoming information night - 2017 School to Work Transition programs. Wednesday 7th September 2016 5:45pm – 7:30pm at Kawana Waters State College hall.

RVSP 2/9/16 by clicking on the link below

SCHOOL TO WORK TRANSITION PROGRAM

Sebastian Malkin has been completing a Certificate II Logistics as part of the Gen8 School to Work Transition Program. The course has seen Seb complete six weeks of study at Maroochydore campus of TAFE in the areas of warehousing, safety, forklifts, workplace assessment and handling dangerous chemicals. Following this Seb has gone onto the structured work placement component at Lindsay Rural in Nambour. Under the supervision of his supervisor Seb is hands on helping customers, handling boxes, loading and unloading deliveries, assisting with stock control and is out making truck delivers to farms and properties over the Sunshine Coast. Sebastain, who will graduate from the program at the end of term 3, says that the program has helped him to set some goals to work locally in warehousing and logistics, obtain his forklift and truck licences and aim for a supervisor position in the future.

The school to work transition programs will be running again in 2017 for year 12 students. Courses are available include Certificate II Logistics, Certificate II Health Support, Certificate II Salon Assistant (Hair) and Certificate II Retail Cosmetics (Beauty). Any current Year 11 students who may be interested in the programs should see Ms Ballard or Ms Skerman.

Braden Pearce – Diploma graduate

Beerwah High's Year 12 Braden Pearce is someone who follows his passion. Since primary school Braden has been interested and involved in sound production. At Beerwah High Braden has been an active member of the tech team since year 8 and has been involved in sound production, PA set up for full school parades, dance nights, musicals and battle of the bands just to name a few. Braden has also completed work experience and volunteered at events outside of school such the Big Pineapple Music Festival.

Braden has just recently formalised his skills by completing a Diploma in Sound Production through TAFE East Coast which saw him attending Nambour campus every Thursday. Through his studies Braden has taken live recordings of TAFE music students' performances and using technical equipment such as a sound desk, Dante soundcard, ethernet cables and laptops has taken these recordings into a studio to mix. Braden has been able to broaden his knowledge in signal flow, dynamic abilities, frequencies and acoustics and has been assessed on his ability to perform these tasks as well as develop his leadership skills in heading a sound team, delegating jobs, de-briefing and implementing safety requirements. Braden's completion of his qualification allows him to install sound systems and to teach others how to work in the sound industry. Braden has already been able to pass on some instruction in these skills to his brother Jordan and Braden will always help out at school or church functions.

Sound production is a hobby that Braden loves and he is very pleased to have been able to successfully complete his diploma.

"Even if I don't end up working in the industry after I graduate, I will always be interested in sound production".

Beerwah High congratulates Braden and wishes him much success in all his endeavours.

Helen Skerman
Industrial Liaison Officer

From the Guidance Officer

Year 12 University Applications

The school Guidance Officer presented an information session to the Year 12 students in Lifeskills about applying to university. Students also received their QTAC Guide to making an application and will follow up this session with an individual meeting with the Guidance Officer over the next 4 weeks. Parents are invited to attend this meeting as well if they would like to know more about the application process. If you missed out, you can collect your copy of the QTAC Guide from Student Services.

12 ALTERNATIVES to `Losing it' with your Child

We all know that children, including adolescents, at times, can drive you crazy. They may not listen. They are messy. They don't think before they act. They don't consider another's feelings. Unfortunately these factors are a part of growing up, and it takes a loving family to help them learn to be respectful, responsible, tolerant, caring, loving and self-controlled. When everyday problems pile up, our tolerance as parents may not be as strong. Often our ability to control ourselves will be tested. We may be easily angered but the message here is: DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON YOUR CHILD or CHILDREN or PARTNER.

It's a matter of mustering your self-control (we all have it). Think of the benefits.
If you show self-control, your child knows what it looks like and can copy it.

Here are some alternatives:

• Stop in your tracks. Step back. Sit down. Talk yourself back to calm.
• Take 5 deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Slowly. Slowly
• Count to 10. Better yet, 20 or say the alphabet out loud or backwards
• Phone a friend, or a relative. Even the weather number.
• Still mad? Punch a pillow, a punching bag or munch an apple.
• Thumb through a magazine, newspaper, photo album, work manual.
• Do some sit-ups, kick a ball, jog on the spot
• Pick up a pencil and write down your thoughts/ feelings/ frustrations
• Take a shower, or better still, a bath
• Lie down on the floor listening to your favourite music
• Talk to your pet – they are good listeners and non-judgemental
• Go to your shed (if you have one) otherwise do that gardening/ mowing you need to do

By now hopefully you are feeling calm. By now the problem may not have seemed like it deserved the blood pressure, but it's time to deal with the issue in a calm, peaceful, rational way. You can do it. It's all a matter of choice.

STUDENTS & SLEEP

How much sleep do I need?

• Different people need a different amount of sleep in order to function optimally during the day. Whilst most adults need about 8 hours sleep a night, teenagers need more like 9 hours and 15 minutes sleep per night. Working out how much sleep you need, will take a little time and perseverance. Record how you feel during the day based on how much sleep you had a night and a pattern will start to appear.
• Getting a good sleep is important for your mind and body. Sleep lets your body rest and repair, it helps maintain a healthy immune system and sleep is needed so your body has the energy it needs during the day for activity and concentration. Sleeping well helps you to stay mentally healthy too.
• Signs that perhaps you aren't getting enough sleep or enough good quality sleep include irregular sleep patterns, feeling tired and drowsy during the day, falling asleep at school or in the afternoon, trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, loud snoring, sleepwalking or night terrors and difficulties with concentration and memory.

Top Tips for getting to sleep / sleep routine / falling asleep

• Have a regular bed time and wake up time. A regular bed time helps to set your body clock so your body knows it's time to sleep. Waking up at (or near) the same time each day also helps your body to establish a sleep pattern. Get plenty of sunlight during the day too.
• Establish a bed time ritual. Doing a series of actions before bed also helps your body to prepare for sleep. Ideas include, a warm bath or shower, reading a book, listening to quiet music or doing some gentle stretches.
• Avoid technology in the hour before bed, including TV, computers and phones.
• Exercise during the day so that your body is ready for rest at night.
• Don't eat big meals at night. Eat as early as possible and try to avoid rich, heavy food close to bed time.
• Limit your caffeine during the day and don't drink any caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
• Don't have too much liquid in the evening….and if you are drinking, consider a herbal tea like chamomile.
• Worrying about problems at school or with friends often stops you from getting to sleep. Talk to a trusted person about things that are worrying you to find ways to solve your problems. You could also try some relaxation exercises such as meditation or positive visualisation.
• Have your room as dark as possible when trying to get to sleep. Use a sleep mask if you need to avoid light e.g. from electronic devices, street lights etc.

Staying Asleep

• Make sure the temperature of your room is comfortable. Too cold and you may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Too warm and the heat will also wake you.
• Having a quiet environment will help you stay asleep. If loud noises often wake you, having some consistent "white noise" can be helpful. Earplugs may also work for some people.
• A comfortable bed which is large enough for you to spread out and is supportive will help you to sleep well, as will a comfortable pillow which provides the right amount of support for your neck.
• Good ventilation in your room helps to get rid of toxins and keep the air you are breathing fresh. A potted plant in your room may help.
• Make sure you go to the toilet just before you get into bed.

Good quality sleep

• Smelling lavender while you sleep might improve the quality of your sleep. Try a few drops of lavender oil in your washing or on your pillow, or using lavender scented soap.
• Have a good sleep environment. Clear your room of clutter. Dust regularly. Have calming colours in your room.
• Try rearranging your room according to Feng Shui principles, whereby you can see the door from your bed, but your bed is not directly facing the door. This may mean putting your bed on an angle.

Feeling refreshed after sleep

• First thing in the morning, drink a glass of water to help you wake up and rehydrate.
• Do some gentle stretches or more vigorous exercise first thing in the morning as part of your morning ritual. This will also help to set your body clock.
• Practice deep breathing while you are still in bed to make sure your body is able to take in lots of oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.
• Where to go for help or more information
• If you try out the tips here and are still having trouble with falling asleep or staying asleep, try talking to your doctor to see if there is a medical or other reason.

UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS - QTAC

Applications to university are made through QTAC – the Qld Tertiary Admissions Centre. Applications to start university in 2017 are due on 30 September 2016. All Year 12 students considering studying at university, whether it be in 2017 or 2018, must make an appointment with the Guidance Officer to discuss their application to ensure they have the best opportunity to gain entry to their preferred courses. If you would like further information about how to apply and courses available, please contact the Guidance Officer or try QTAC at

UNIVERSITY information sessions at Beerwah SHS

Representatives from a number of Qld universities will be available at Beerwah SHS on 12 September to answer student questions and provide information. This will be held in the first lunch break in the Student Covered Area. This is an opportunity for Year 12 students to find out information they need to finalise their QTAC applications, and for Year 10, Year 11 and all other students to learn more about university options in the career fields they are interested in.

University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) will also present a "Speed Degreeing" session to Year 12 students in Lifeskills on Wednesday 14 September. The aim of this session is to help students prepare for university life, clarify preferences and discuss particular concerns they have about university. While USC is presenting, the information will be relevant to all universities.

Jodie Runge
Guidance Officer

Murri Futures

Indigenous students from all year levels participated in our Murri Futures program last week. Students were presented with guest speakers from the University of Sunshine Coast, registered training organisations and the Barunga centre…to name a few.

Our learning pathway has been adapted into a fun, interactive and culturally safe activity for all ages to enjoy. Murri Futures presents these programs yearly and we will be welcoming them back next year. Please encourage your student/s to take part in these wonderful opportunities.

AIME @USC

This term, Indigenous students from Years 9, 10 and 12 went to the University for a day with AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience). Students take part in cultural activities and lessons with surrounding schools and university students that help them to start thinking about their future.

This visit was the culmination of 5 years with AIME for our Year 12 students, who graduated at this visit.

Many of our students have participated in this outstanding program. Our students continue to look forward to being a part of this experience.

Our next visit will be on Wednesday 31st August for Years 9, 10 and 11.

The bus leaves at 9.05 sharp. Please see Mrs Franks-Smith if you need a permission form.

Aleccia Franks-Smith
Indigenous Community Advisor

News from the Resource Centre

National Science Week was held 13th - 20th August : the Resource Centre had a display "To Ignite Your Imagination" with lots of science related resources and books available for borrowing.

August 19th - 26th is Children's' Book Week. This Year's theme for Book Week is Australia - Story Country! Displays and competitions will be set up during Book Week to celebrate reading.

During Book Week the Year 9 Sunshine Coast Interschool Readers Cup competition was held at Immanuel Lutheran College on Tuesday 23rd August from 6 pm with guest author Lynette Noni speaking between the heats and finals of the competition. Students representing Beerwah State High School include Zoe Williams, Paige Eels and Aaron Graham.

The Year 7 Interclass competition was held during Lifeskills lesson on Wednesday 24th August and from this competition students will be selected to represent the school at the Year 7 Interschool Readers Cup Competition which is held during October

Readers Cup

2016's Year 9 Reader's Cup Team Aaron, Paige & Zoe

Duke of Edinburgh International Award

We are offering The Duke of Edinburgh International Award to students from 14 years of age who participate in Bronze, then Silver and Gold as they progress through the award. Points can be earned towards their QCE if they complete any or all of the award levels. There is also the opportunity for our Year 7 & 8 to join the Bridge Award.

Other info about the award - It is a program of "personal development" where students have the opportunity to select their own "subjects" - Physical Recreation, Skill, Service and an Adventurous Journey component. Commitment is approx. 3 hours per week for 3 to 6 months.

Mrs Read and Mrs Fraser are available Wednesday first break at the Resource Centre to meet with students and answer any questions about the award.

Happy Reading

Mrs Read
Teacher Librarian

News from the Science Department

Senor Science: In week three of term three the year 11 Physics class went on the annual trip to Dreamworld. Students experienced first-hand the thrill of the rides, collecting acceleration, altitude and g-force data. Students kept a ride journal for the day and will use these findings to propose alterations to make the Dreamworld rides even more thrilling for their current Physics assignment. A great time was had by all.

Junior Science Spot: Students engaging in a hands-on practical science lesson discovering the effect that surface area and concentration levels play in chemical reactions

Science Week

Science week 2016 focused on Droids, Drones and Robots and what a great turn out we had. With over 20 unique gadgets and activities to engage with and create students had a great time. The science courtyard was a buzz on Tuesday and Thursday with heaps of displays and a mini drone and helicopter demonstration, students were also able to work in small group to program the Lego Mastermind robots. Others chose to crate electrical circuits using conductive playdoh and LED lights. Wednesday was devoted to water rocket launches on the second oval, check out videos of the rockets on the Beerwah SHS Facebook page. We ended the week by hosting an afternoon dedicated to the students and staff of Educations services. Students and teachers had a fantastic time experiencing and interacting with all the equipment on offer. The solar and salt water powered robots were a clear favourite as were the paper plane launchers. We can't wait to find out the topic of next year's science week but guarantee it will be awesome.

Amber Wilson
Science Operations Officer

HPE update

Year 10 students loving the sport of Oztag in HPE lessons.

Our Year 10 students engaged in some great coaching and skill development with Qld Oztag development officers (Richard and Parky) at our school today. The students learnt the basic skill components within Oztag such as tagging techniques and evasive skills such as twisting and spinning. The students showed amazing enthusiasm for the sport as the competition between the pink and yellow teams was intense.

Year 12 Recreation Studies Rock Climbing excursion.

On Friday 5th August, Year 12 Recreational Studies students concluded their Outdoor Adventure unit with a day of climbing at Mt Ngungun. With only two indoor climbing sessions under their belts, this was a step up for most. Under the thorough guidance of teachers Mr Rogers, Mr Muchow and Mr Bogatek, all students who attended had an amazing time mastering the 20m rock-face and conquered some fears along the way.

AEP Students Prepare for District Athletics.

The students in our Athletics Excellence Program are training hard in preparation for the District Athletics Carnival. In these photos, our Year 8 students are completing dynamic warm-ups and short sprints. Remember that additional training sessions are available to all students on Wednesday afternoons.

District Athletics

Congratulations to all students involved in the District Athletics Carnival. Beerwah fought hard to win both the Boys Trophy and the Percentage Trophy. Our girls team finished in second place and we were also second place overall. Three of our athletes Boni Gray, Mia Reynolds and Jordy Wilson were Age Champions and 22 Beerwah students qualified to compete at the Regional Trials. We look forward to continuing our fight to regain the overall trophy next year.

Team members enjoyed a sausage sizzle to celebrate their efforts at the District Athletics Carnival. Thank you to our new Senior House Captains for preparing, serving and cleaning up!

Steve Jeffery
HOD HPE

Senior Jerseys 2017

Orders are now being taken for the 2017 year 12 jerseys. Jerseys cost $68 and are being made by Zoo Clothing. Orders must be finalised by September 9th. Payments can be made at cash collection and the jerseys can be tried on at the canteen.

BSHS Arts in Focus

Drama Festival

Beerwah High is Outstanding! On Saturday night our musical students performed an excerpt from our musical 'Popstars' at the Sunshine Coast Drama Festival and we won the overall Outstanding Performance Award - the most prestigious award in the competition! We also won the 'Platinum Standard' award for Dramatic Performance. Our students are super talented and dedicated to the Arts!

Dance Company

Beerwah Dance Company competed at Gold Coast Eisteddfod and came away with 2 x Very Highly Commended and 1 x Highly Commended. Tough competition but the students were exceptional, on and off the stage. Congratulations on a fantastic effort.

Lest We Forget

Dance students in Years 10-12 travelled to QPAC to see QLD Ballet's "Lest We Forget". It was a lovely night and the students thoroughly embraced this cultural event.

Dance Updates

The Year 10 Dance students excelled in their Hip Hop performance assessment 'Temple'. Their energy, focus and support for each other was very impressive. This piece will be performed at Dance Night next term.

The Year 8 Dance Extension Program students performed very well at the Beerwah Charity Sports Talent Quest on Saturday. For some students, this performance was their first time dancing outside of school and although they didn't place, all of the girls represented our school to such a high standard both on and off the stage. These students demonstrated their dedication by giving up part of their weekend, and the support from parents at this event was fantastic.

Year 11 Dance students after their performance assessment of Rhythm Nation. If you want to see this performance, come to Dance Night in Term 4. More details to come.

Drama

The Wider Earth

Earlier this month students from the Year 10 and 11 Drama classes had a night out at the theatre to see Queensland Theatre Company's production of 'The Wider Earth'. The show is linked to their up-coming assessment. A great night was had by all.

Vocal Group

Mrs Stephenson's Vocal Ensemble students at lunch time rehearsal. We are currently working on 'Sound of Silence' by Disturbed and 'Lanterns' by Birds of Tokyo.

Visual Arts

Congratulations to Chelsea and Acacia from the talented Year 12 Visual Art class. Their impressive work will be shown with the best of the region at the Creative Excellence exhibition at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The gallery is located at the University campus on Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs. It is open free to the public from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday. The Gallery is closed Sundays and public holidays.

Preparation begins for Battle of The Bands

Chaplain Mike Turner and Music Teacher Will Audley were jammin' on parade to advertise the upcoming Battle of the Bands contest. Many students at school are currently busy rehearsing for this great event which not only showcases some of the fabulous and diverse musical talent we have at school but also raises funds for World Vision. Battle of the Bands takes place at 5.00pm on Wednesday 14th September in the Performing Arts block. Keep an eye out for more notices regarding ticket sales.

Home Economics Update

Home Economics students have been cooking up a storm this month. We have cooked Fried Rice, French toast, had a pasta making class with our talented Chaplain Mr Turner and had an International cooking trial.

Educational Services update

Careers Night

Earlier this month EDS held a Careers Night for our Year 10 students. Students and their parents were invited to listen to speakers from Community Solutions on work opportunities for future pathways.

Students are learning life skills by growing their own. Well done EDS students and TA Ms Dutton on producing some delicious lettuce!

Creative Hands make creative minds Students in Education Services display their masks created during their art class.

Connor the Golden Retriever enjoyed his time In the park with some BSHS students Mitchell, Ms Tennison, Kimberley, JJ and Brodie.

Gold Coast Speech Contest

Felicidades!

Yvan, Marlee and Clare, three of our Senior Spanish students, travelled down to Griffith University on the Gold Coast on Sunday to compete in the annual MLTAQ Languages Speech Contest. There were over 1000 students competing this year, over 6 languages, with a mixture of students from Private, Public and Immersion schools, from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast. Our students performed very well. Yvan placed 3rd in the Year 12 category and Clare received a Highly Commended in the Year 11 category. The competition was fierce and Beerwah SHS has shown that our Spanish students are up there with the best! Well done Yvan, Clare and Marlee, Beerwah SHS is very proud of you!

Spanish excursion

On Tuesday the Senior Spanish class travelled down to Brisbane to watch a film at the Latin American Film Festival. It was a fabulous way for the students to immerse themselves in Spanish in an authentic context. We also visited Guzman and Gomez in the CBD, where the students were able to sample Mexican food and have the opportunity to order their food in Spanish. It was a rewarding experience for the students and they all embraced the opportunity to speak in Spanish not only with the teachers but with each other.

Tanya McIlveen
Spanish teacher

GRIN AND TONIC THEATRE COMPANY

Our Year 10, 11 and 12 English and Drama students immersed themselves in the works of The Bard when Grin and Tonic Theatre Company visited the school on August 16. The show linked our modern obsession with celebrity and fame to the three great Shakespearean tragedies: Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello. Mitch (Year 11) relished the opportunity to perform a cameo as Macbeth's doomed friend, Banquo. The students came away inspired for the upcoming assessment in Years 10 and 12.

Kath Bateman
HOD Communications

Maths News

Year 7 and 8 Maths Tournament at Matthew Flinders

Six of our students - Nick, Cara, Harley, Jayden, Mike and Jason competed in round 1 of this tournament on Thursday August 4th. 16 teams participated in the event with the top 2 going to the regional final. Jayden, Mike and Jason performed exceptionally well placing third, only one point behind the top two teams, narrowly missing a spot in the final. Congratulations to all six students on their exemplary behaviour and effort.

Paul Schneider
HOD Mathematics

Beerwah State High School is selling Entertainmentâ„¢ Memberships and with your support, the funds we raise will be used to our fundraising. If you haven't already purchased your Membership this year, this is your chance to support us and be rewarded with over $20,000 of valuable offers!

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The more Entertainmentâ„¢ Memberships we sell, the more funds we raise.

Please contact us for more information about our fundraising, or how to get your Entertainmentâ„¢ Membership.

Beerwah State High School
35 Roberts Road
BEERWAH QLD 4519
0412644684
sam@eeles.id.au

Thank you for your kind support.