5 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Can I say how fantastic it has been to have all of our students return to full time classes on Monday, 25 May! Thank you to our parents who worked with students at home to continue their learning while the restrictions were in place. I also thank the teachers, teacher aides and other support staff here at Beerwah State High School for continually adapting to the ways in which the learning for our students was delivered. The staff have been working very hard in all of their classes to ensure that all students have been engaged and getting settled and back to ‘normal’.

I thank those parents that have ensured that their students are in correct uniform. The sales for the school jackets have been quite high as we move into the cooler months of the year. There are plenty of jackets still available in the uniform shop so take the opportunity to ensure correct uniform is worn. We also recently sent out the latest financial statements to families- thank you to those parent who have made the effort to pay fees and/or ensure payment plans are in place. Those wishing to do the same can contact the school and speak to our Accounts Receivable Officer.

It was with regret that we had to postpone our first Coalition Education Enrichment Program (CEEP) day for the year. CEEP allows future students from our feeder schools the opportunity to come and participate in various activities at high school. Once the restrictions placed on schools are lifted we will be looking to conduct the day and host our future learners. We cannot publish a future date for this event yet as we are awaiting information fromt the Department.  CEEP is considered an excursion and as such we are unable to go ahead.

Many aspiring leaders have taken the time to apply for our Senior and Junior Leadership positions for 2020/2021. We are now in the process of working our way through the applications submitted and setting up interviews. Students will be filming speeches for their respective year levels and voting will occur. We are working on how we can deliver speeches due to the fact that we are unable to have parades at the moment. I look forward to being able to announce our successful candidates in the coming weeks.

Another way in which the school has had to adapt to the restrictions since returning is how we deliver our parades. Working outside our comfort zones has been interesting as we have been making videos to deliver messages to our students. Getting up in front of all students on a parade is sometimes much easier that standing in front of a camera.

Senior students returned a couple of weeks earlier than the other year levels and it has been good to see the Building and Construction students working on various projects around the school. They have been re-oiling the seating around the handball courts between C and F Blocks but also working on a concreting assignment outside the Manual Arts Building. Thanks go to Mr Bell and Mr Forrest for their efforts in working with the students on real life projects.

It has been disappointing for staff and students that we cannot hold our Athletics day this year due to the restrictions but as these are lifted I am sure that our students will get back into the sports that they have enjoyed representing our school in over the years. We are hoping that as changes are made by the government that various competitions will start up again.

Please do not hesitate to contact the school if there is anything that we may be able to do to support your child during these times. As I said at the start it has been fantastic to have each and every one of our students back and we wish to finish this term off as successfully as possible.

Wayne Lancaster
Acting Principal

Science

Say Cheese

On Monday, 18 May, the Year Eleven Science in Practice students embarked on a cheese-making endeavour. This is their assessable curriculum and part of a semester long investigation into the study of micro-organisms and fermentation.

The students underwent rigorous hygiene sterilisation techniques to ensure the room and equipment were protected against microorganisms. The room was sealed to reduce external contamination. Extra precautions were taken to ensure the highest standards during the COVID-19 restrictions.

The students wore full Personal Protection Equipment, and hygienically washed and sterilised all the equipment. The un-homogenised “Gold Top” milk, from Maleny Dairies, was raised to 38oC, then two cultures and double penicillin microbes were added and stirred in. After continually maintaining the 38oC water bath, the rennet was added to solidify the solution. Several minutes later, it was sliced to extract the whey from the curds. Gentle rocking and resting further separated the rest of the whey. The curds were finally removed, strained and then stacked inside the hoops. These were flipped at regular intervals.

On Tuesday the camembert cheese was brined. It appears to be of an exceptional quality and the perfect acidity. We are all very impressed with the size and quality.

This process will still take plenty of time to complete, especially during the maturation stages. In a few days they will be ready for refrigeration. In about a week the moisture content will be reduced so they can be wrapped and placed in different refrigeration conditions and will finally be ready in several months.

It is very unfortunate that the Maleny Show and the RNA Ekka Competitions have been cancelled for this year because we are certain that we have produced award winning camembert products.

As identified from these photos, the students really enjoyed themselves and learnt valuable experiences from the process. Special thanks must go to our Laboratory Assistant, Amber Wilson, for all of her dedicated work to ensure such a high quality product.

Camembert Cheese during timed flipping.

Peter Muchow
Year 11 Science In Practice Teacher

Design Technology

Over the last term, Josh Bell’s Senior Construction students have been preparing the site outside H09 for storage for the Racing Car the Cert II in Engineering Pathway Course students are currently building, as well as creating a spray painting area for Furnishings classes.

Students levelled the site, laid the mesh, chairs and expansion foam, and then on Wednesday, 27 May, they poured the concrete.

Cassie Clark
HOD Design Technology

National Reconciliation Week

Our school community is committed to learning about reconciliation in Australia. Having an understanding of the concept, history and progress of reconciliation is an important part of continuing the reconciliation journey.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2020 was “In this together” and now resonates in ways it couldn’t have been foreseen when it was announced in January. It reminds us, whether in a crisis or in reconciliation, we are: better together; can overcome together; and importantly, that we are always in this together. In this together urges all Australians to be engaged and to help foster mutual respect and understanding between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people – whether personally, as a family, community, school or workplace.

NRW begins on 27th May, which marks the Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum. This day marks the anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum and a defining event in our nation’s history. The 1967 referendum saw over 90.77% of the population voted to change two sections of the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Peoples and allowed them to be counted in the government Census.

The final day of NRW was June 3, which commemorates the successful Mabo challenge in the High Court of Australia which resulted in the overturning of the legal concept of terra nullius or “land belonging to no one.”

Torres Strait Islander Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo (pictured above, right) led the legal battle to achieve legal recognition of traditional ownership of land in Australia. Months after his death, the Mabo decision was handed down, which recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have rights to the land: rights that existed before the British arrived and can still exist today.

It also led to the Australian Parliament passing the Native Title Act in 1993 that created a framework which recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have rights to, and interests in, certain land because of traditional laws and customs.

Rebecca Glancy
Community Education Counsellor

Parents and Citizens Association

Who is the Parents and Citizens Association?

The Beerwah State High School Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) is a dedicated group of parents and citizens who contribute to building our school community in a number of ways, including consulting on school policy, managing the Tuckshop and Uniform Shop, and fundraising.

P&C Meeting

The next general meeting of the Parents and Citizens Association will be held on Tuesday 9 June, 6:00pm, in the Resource Centre to allow for social distancing.

All enquiries, suggestions and agenda items can be emailed to: pandc@beerwahshs.eq.edu.au

Entertainment Books

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Tia Law
P&C Secretary