Term 4, 9 December, 2022

Principal's Welcome

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to week 10, term 4 – end of the school year!   Thank you to the whole school community for your support in another very interesting and challenging year – 2022!

A massive thank you to the staff for organising the end of year activities.  These events create a wonderful positive school culture and it was brilliant to see 100% engagement from all the students in attendance at these events!

Staff Farewell

Farewell and thank you to the following staff transferring, retiring or finishing their contracts at the end of this week:

We wish all staff the very best at their new school and thank them for their work at Atherton State High School.  A special thank you to the school community for your support to me whilst Acting Principal. 

Student Leaders

Congratulations to the following school leaders for 2023:  

School Captains - Miah Cox & Oscar Byrne

Vice Captains - Morgan Grimshaw and Imogen Kelly

Student Council President - Biance Le’Gear

Student Council Vice President - Bethany Bailey

Student Council Secretary -  Bethany Bailey

Student Council Treasurer - Cameron Colless

Quincan Sports Captains - Kadee Clemesha & Talytha MacDonald

Barrine Sports Captains - Sarah O’Sullivan & Noah Blooranta

Euramo Sports Captains - Lillian Caulfield Anning & Scarlet Howard

Eacham Sports Captains - Amy Hunter & Emily Mills

Facilities Update

Over the school holidays, the following list of improvement work is planned to enhance our facilities in preparation for the 2023 school year. This work includes:

• Dignity Machine – will be fitted early next year to Girls A block Toliets
• Resurfacing Tennis Courts
• Replacing curbing along the internal road and path to terraces as well as concrete pads for seating areas in front of A blcok
• Repairing the paving works between C & G blocks
• Painting of internal walls to 23 classrooms!
• Lift to be installed at B block
• Gas rectification works in Labs and Kitchen
• L block – TAFE all rooms will be emptied by end of December
• Pressure cleaning under A block
• Bandwidth Upgrade
• Big Ass Fans to be fitted in hall
• New CIVIQ Drink Trough (bank of 4 funded by school and student association)
• Trimming of trees near Trade Centre
• Bird Proofing Screens to be fitted along upper C block – full veranda
• Pest Control
• Air Conditioning in various rooms
• Bollards and carparking at L block

The plan is for all this work to be completed by the start of the 2023 school year. A massive thank you to Margaret Selby, Bruce Kruck and Geoff Stansfield for managing this work!

School Starts

The 2023 school year starts on Monday 23 January. The school office will be open from Monday 16 January.

Finally, we wish all families a very happy and safe Christmas.  The school holidays are a wonderful time to spend quality time with loved ones.  Travel safe if you going away and we look forward to welcoming our students back in the new year.

Yours in learning,

Helen Carne

Principal

From the desk of the Deputy Senior Secondary

The end of the year is always a time for reflection and, despite the tumultuous nature of the year, as I look back on the second semester of 2022, since I took on the role of Deputy, I can see the positive steps we’ve taken.

In the senior schooling space, we have made important changes to the ALT system to allow eligible students to study off-campus. This option supports the recognition of broad learning pathways inherent in the QCE, and also meets the needs of student, parents and the community. Our QCE achievement data and high numbers of completed vocational qualifications and school-based apprentices and trainees reflect the importance of such a flexible and responsive approach in supporting students to identify, pursue, reconsider and realign pathways as they explore and define their future options while here at school. Next year we will again provide this option for our Year 11 and 12 students on Alts. More information will be distributed in week 1.

We have also worked hard to establish a positive culture of learning and behaviour based on mutual respect and responsibility. Thank you to the Year 10, 11 and 12 students, as well as students in the junior school, who have demonstrated our behaviour values throughout the year. Every student who has worn the correct uniform models the value of being part of a community that doesn’t define individuals by their fashion choices. Every student who leaves their phone in their pocket during school hours models respect for other students’ privacy and safety, and commitment to the learning of themselves and others. Every student who puts their rubbish in the bin or picks up rubbish left by others demonstrates the value of a clean and hygienic environment that is dignifying to spend our days in. Every student who speaks politely to staff and students models respect for the work and humanity of others. Every student who attends class on time models the value of having the opportunity to gain an education.  It is through these sometimes seemingly small acts that a positive schoolwide culture of respect, responsibility and success is created and spread.

In living our school values next year we will be reintroducing care classes at the beginning of each day. We have chosen this name carefully. These classes are not only for marking rolls and reading morning notices, but will also provide an opportunity for students and teachers to check-in at the beginning of each day, have discussions around personal development, set goals and set a positive tone for every day. The learning and experiences in these classes is just as important as that in subject based classes so students should be attending care class every day. The classes will start at 8.50 each day.

We have a staggered start next year with Years 7 and 11 starting on 23 January and Years 8, 9 and 10 commencing on Tuesday 24. Not only does this enable the youngest and newest members of the school to get to settle into the new practices and routines of the school, it also gives the opportunity for the Year 11s to get to know our Year 7s and support them in this transition.

Year 12s also commence on 23 January but will be jumping straight on the bus and heading to Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre for their 3-day camp. A huge thank you to our Head of Senior Schooling, Ann Grimshaw for finalising these arrangements, commenced by Mark Livingstone, to ensure that staff and students are ready to go on day 1. These few days of camp are jam-packed full of exciting activities and adventures and will provide an opportunity not had for some years for Year 12s to consolidate friendships, teamwork and collective learnings as the foundation of success in 2023.

I wish everyone a relaxing and recuperative break. Thank you for your support of the teachers and staff who support your students to aim for success. I look forward to working with you next year.

Cathy Campbell

Deputy Principal Senior

From the Deputy's Desk - Junior School

From the desk of the Deputy Junior Secondary

This past week has seen year 7, 8 and 9 students participate in alternate activities. Students participated in a variety of challenges, trivia games, sports challenges and solving various mysteries. I want to commend the fantastic behaviour shown by all junior students in this last week. They have really lived our school values.

With school values in mind, it is important to note that next year we are working with four school values. These values apply to all members of our school community and are:

We are Respectful

We are Responsible

We are Successful

We are Safe

The ‘Expectations Matrix’ outlining these values in various settings is attached below. There are also some changes to our school uniform to make it easier for students and families. It is also attached to this newsletter.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all students, parents and carers for a unique but wonderful 2022. We must always remember that despite the many covid and staffing challenges, students from Atherton State High School still achieved academically, culturally and in areas of school sport representation. I might even go so far as to say that Atherton certainly does ‘punch above it’s weight’ in terms of student success. I wish all our community a safe and prosperous Christmas and holiday season.

2023 Start of School

Atherton State High School is having a staggered start to the school year in 2023 to better allow our year 7 students to adapt to High School. The following are year level start dates:

January 23 – Year 12 on camp, year 7 and 11 start at school.

January 24 – Year 12 on camp, all other year levels at school (year 8, 9, 10 first day).

Chris Keating

Deputy Principal Junior

Finance update

Dear Parents/Carers/Guardians,

Student Resource Scheme 2023

To provide parents with a cost-effective alternative to purchasing textbooks and/or resources elsewhere, Atherton State High School operates a SRS for 2023. The scheme ensures that students have the resources required for them to engage with the curriculum for their education, and saves parents time and money in sourcing the prescribed materials elsewhere. Savings are gained through the school’s bulk purchasing practices and hiring arrangements. The scheme’s operation, resource inclusions and participation fees were approved by the school’s P&C Association at the meeting held on 18/10/2022.  The Department encourages parents to participate in the scheme. Participation in the SRS is optional, and no obligation is placed on a parent to participate. Participation is for the duration of your child’s enrolment at the school.  

Student is new to the school.….

Parents are required to complete and return the SRS Participation Agreement Form when joining the scheme for the first time. If no participation form is received, the school will take the view that the parent has chosen to opt out of the SRS.  The parent is then required to provide the educational resources listed in the SRS for their child by the start of the school year. A parent can opt in or out of the scheme in subsequent years by completing another Participation Agreement Form.

Continuing student of the school…..

A parent’s participation or non-participation in the scheme will continue as per their previously completed Participation Agreement Form. A parent can opt in or out of the scheme in subsequent years by completing another Participation Agreement Form.

If a parent has opted out of the scheme the parent is required to provide the educational resources listed in the SRS for their child by the start of the school year.

The Student Resource Scheme Annual Parent Information Letter, Student Resource Scheme Participation Agreement Forms,  SRS Fee Payment Arrangement form  & Resource lists will be placed on the School Website before the end of the school year. Please refer to the SRS Resource lists for the associated costings.

Current Year 11

• Invoices should now have been paid for current year 11 students for the Year 12 Leadership Camp at Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre which will be held at the start of the school year 2023.
• A biology Trip is planned to Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre in March 2023, invoices have been sent out already.
• VET fee letters have been given out for Certificate Courses for 2023. Please sign and return these for all Certificate Courses as soon as possible. Payment will be required in the first 2 weeks of course commencement.

All

All unpaid 2022 Student Resource Scheme levies are outstanding and are required to be paid now. Please ensure all fees are paid in full or a payment agreement in place with the school in order for students to receive resources early in 2023 and participate in upcoming events. The school continues to follow up on outstanding payments and Statements will be sent our regularly.

Paying School Fees:

You can pay your child’s school fees in one of the following ways:

• BPOINT to pay by credit and debit card
• BPOINT IVR (Over the Phone Payment) Call - 1300 631 073
• Direct Deposit into the school Bank Account BSB: 064-800 Account: 00090137
• EFTPOS at L Block Reception.
• Arrange payment plans and centrepay payments at Reception
• Payment can also be accessed online via your QParents account.

We are currently transitioning to a Cashless School and would prefer payments be made by one of the above methods 

Upcoming Events - For 2023

School Watch - Please help us keep our school safe over the holidays

Look. Listen. Report

AG Dept - BLA Awards - 1ST, 2ND & 3RD!!

Atherton State High School Agriculture Department cleans up the BLA AG awards!!  1^st,  2^nd,  & 3^rd

Plus Atherton SHS received the Agricultural Futures Award Winning School 2022

On Thursday 1st December at the BLA Awards night, (Business Liaison Association), Atherton State High School took out the top 3 awards for Agriculture. Amazing efffort by all involved!

Huge Congratulations to us  and to our students

Holly Kattenberg – Overall Winner

David Kilpatrick – Runner Up

Billie Cummings – Encouragement Award

We are celebrating our wonderful success and the great work that our amazing teachers have done,  in supporting our students.

The Business Liaison Association offer awards for students interested in pursuing a career in an Agricultural related Science, Engineering or Technology field at a Tertiary Level.  The sponsors of these awards are FNQ Growers, Mackays Bananas, Tableland Canegrowers and Cairns Businesswomen’s Club.  Thank You to all who helped support the night

Also at the awards night Jemma Denigan was successful in winning a Visual Arts Bursary.  

The Business Liaison Association, in conjunction with Oxlades, REACH and the Department of Education and Training, offered bursaries for students of the Far North Queensland Region who are interested in pursuing a career in the Visual Arts or Creative Industries, through study at Tertiary or TAFE level.  Atherton State High student Jemma Denigan was shortlisted in the top nine Visual Arts students in the region after submitting a wonderful folio of work.  Jemma received third place in the ‘TAFE & Industry’ category at the awards ceremony at the Pullman Cairns International Hotel on Thursday 1^st December. 

Well done Jemma.  We are so very proud of your achievements. 

Science Dept - STEM Award

Congratulations to Tylah Harris for being accepted into the STEM Girl Power Camp for 2023. 
The STEM Girl Power Initiative aims to provide students with experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), encourage students to participate in STEM at school and consider STEM-related career pathways.

This is a year long program with events and activities throughout 2023 and we know Tylah will enjoy being part of the experience.

Year 11 Activities Day, Finishing Their Year

25 November the Year 11’s ended the year and on Thursday 24th they  had some activities developing teamwork through a variety of organised activities that tested their communication, thinking and physical skills.

They enjoyed some Theatre Sports developed by Mr Stratford and Ms Toner, Physical Challenges developed by Ms Davis, Giant Games and a Trivia Challenge on the day supported by our classroom teachers. The highlight was watching the ‘Chicken Dance Off’ at the end of the day.

A huge thank you to the school Chaplain, Belinda Fowler, the school Community Liaison Officer, Lisa Combe and all the teaching staff who helped out for the amazing food that was supplied to the Year 10 and Year 11 students on the day. No one went hungry.

Year 11 Activities

Transition Day for Year 6 to Year 7, 2023

On Wednesday 30th November we held our Transition Day. This orientation day is to help all our prospective year 7 students feel more comfortable for next year.  The day was a great success with many happy students and we must thank all the staff, students and volunteers who helped make the day a lot of fun.

The students experienced a full day of learning (even Maths & Science) along with team building skills in the afternoon. Even the rain didn't stop the fun. They were all very respectful and enthusiastic and we look forward to seeing them back for their first day of high school on Monday 23 January 2023.

Our new year 7 students for 2023

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QLD Youth Orchestra Big Band

On Monday the 5^th of December, the Queensland Youth Orchestra Big Band graciously offered to host a concert at Atherton State High School. Year 7s, 8s & 9s, classroom music and instrumental music students from our school enjoyed an engaging performance from a professional band playing complex and exciting repertoire.

The band played a mixture of funk and soul classics, Christmas carols, movie music and Disney pieces (including an emphatic performance of “Let It Go” featuring our students). It was a wonderful performance, and a huge thank you goes to QYO for coming all the way from Brisbane to play for us.

ARTIE Thank You

A big thank you to ARTIE for the gift basket we received. It was a lovely gesture and much appreciated. We would also like to thank Phil and Sherente for the support you have given our students during this year. We look forward to working with the ARTIE program next year

RATEP (Remote Area Teacher Education Program)

RATEP is a community-based teacher education program designed to enable First Nations people to become qualified teaching aides and/or registered teachers.  It is a highly regarded  program based at Atherton High School.

RATEP Teacher coordinator Trudy Schieb, normally visits students in Ravenshoe and Mareeba, but in Week 8 and 9 she has been flying to Bamaga to take the applications and process enrolments to the Bamaga Teacher Aides. These Education workers are aspiring to become teachers and RATEP TCs support their learning journey. This fantastic program sees  Indigenous school support staff study through TAFE and then JCU to become fully qualified teachers in their communities.

Atherton High can take pride in its support of this program by hosting the Off-site Teacher Coordinator.

WELCOME to Atherton High School’s Cultural Connections Newsletter. Cultural Connections celebrates the achievements of Atherton High School’s Indigenous students.  We are hoping to inspire, encourage and empower our First Nations students and families with our stories. All articles are co-written by the students of Atherton High School.

For the last edition for the year, we want to recognise students who are part of the ARTIE program and have been successful in achieving their GOLD attendance goal for Term 4. The following students have scored themselves a pair of deadly ARTIE shorts. For those that set smaller attendance goals for this term and have achieved your Silver & Bronze rewards CONGRATULATIONS to you too. We hope that you will continue to improve with your attendance so you can achieve a Gold Term Goal next year too!!

A very special shout out goes to Azius Benjamin, Hannah Benjamin, Mia Davis and Jaymin Malone who have increased their attendance by 30% this term!! Amazing results, we are so proud of you.

We congratualte the below list of students who have achieve 90% attendance this term! Well Done

Year 7 - Jermaine Robertson, Ammon Collins, Meda- Hope Caufield, Crystal Csoma, Sky Peckham, Taylah Perry, Brendan Joinbee, Cassidy Banu, Brandon Freeman, Aiden Freeman, Tilla Walker, Liam Oui

Year 8 - Kelsey Maria Mainey, Hunter Barron, Xander Appo, Jemimah Murphy, Verity Lewis, Kayden Payne, Tyler McLaren, Zane Sullivan, Logan Starkey, Bryce Morris

Year 9 - William Gulliver, Faith Casey, Talisha Moore, Chad Bulmer

Year 11 - Alex Sullilvan, Lillian Caulfield-Anning,  Noah Blooranta, Molly Bell, Bailey Moore & Latoya Abbott (Photos below)

ARTIE Achievers

If your child has not enrolled in the ARTIE program as yet please ask them to meet with the ARTIE Co-Ordinator Sherente Caulfield at school at the beginning of 2023.

Deadly Choices

This term students participating in the Deadly Choices program were learning about Tobacco Education.

The modules covered:

• The history of smoking in indigenous cultures
• Impacts of smoking
• Chemicals & addiction
• Quit supports and resources
• Passive smoking
• Deadly Places, Smoke Free Spaces

Graduates of this term’s program received a Deadly Choices/Cowboys backpack, Deadly Choices T-shirt, Mulungu bucket hat, water bottle and portable power bank.

Atherton High School would like to thank Mulungu Primary Health Care Service for their ongoing support with facilitating the Deadly Choices Program at our school.

QATSIF Scholarship Program

We are proud to announce that the following students have been awarded a QATSIF Scholarship for Round 14 in 2023:

Molly Bell – Year 12

Sawyer Nehow – Year 11

Sieta Ratabua – Year 11

Natarlia Weston – Year 12

They will join our existing Round 13 (2022) QATSIF Scholarship recipients:

Noah Blooranta – Year 12

Lillian Caulfield-Anning – Year 12

Brennan Muckan - Year 12

QATSIF’s scholarship funding comes from the interest on unallocated Stolen Wages reparation funds from 2008, which are held in trust by the Public Trustee.  Because of this history, the students who have been successful in their application for the QATSIF Scholarship are encouraged to be prepared to continue to work hard to achieve their best possible results, to honour the struggles and sacrifices of previous generations.

Round 15 is expected to open term 2 or 3 of 2023.  Students who will be Year 10 & 11 in 2023 that are expecting to complete their secondary schooling (QCA/QCIA) are encouraged to apply.

Under our Scholarship Program, QATSIF provides two-year scholarship funding to support students commencing in Year 11. QATSIF funds successful schools which then provide scholarships to individual students. The intention of the funding is to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander student retention in Years 11 and 12 rather than simply sustain existing retention rates, and funding has to be used to complement and build on existing school and community programmes and support for individual students. To learn more about QATSIF visit https://www.qatsif.org.au/ 

KEY FACTS

• The QATSIF Scholarship Programs first intake of students commenced in 2010.
• In 2021, QATSIF launched its 13th Round of Scholarships.
• QATSIF currently supports over 3,900 Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 11 and 12 students with their QCE and QCIA (For students with a verified disability) studies.
• To date, the number of Queensland secondary schools involved in QATSIF stands at over 380.
• These schools have administered scholarships to over 14,500 students.

Atherton High School Indigenous Education Team are calling out to our families.

We are hoping to organise cultural activities throughout 2023 and we need to create a list of volunteers and service providers who are happy to come into the school to work with our students.

We would love to find people who have skills in:

• Indigenous Art
• Didgeridoo playing and making
• Basket weaving, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait
• Dancers- both Aboriginal and Torres Strait
• Bush Medicines
• Bush Tucka
• Storytelling
• Traditional language
• Kup murri preparation and cooking

We would also love to meet with our families in the new year to hear your opinion on how we can better represent   both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures within the school environment.

If you think you can contribute in any way please email Sharon Anning Caufield- Community Education Counsellor

scaul13@eq.edu.au or Lisa Combe- Community Liaison Officer lcomb13@eq.edu.au

Any support is very much welcomed.

Please note that the 2023 Term 1 school starting dates are:

Years 7, 11 & 12’s start Monday 23^rd January

Year 8,9 &10’s start Tuesday 24^th January

Year 12’s will be going to camp from the 23^rd-January returning Wednesday 25^th January.

We would like to wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas, we hope you have an enjoyable holiday break. See you all in 2023!

SNAP Exhibition of Tablelands - Secondary Student Artwork

The inaugural art exhibition SNAP was launched last Friday night at the Old Post Office Gallery in Atherton.  SNAP aims to showcase student artwork from Tablelands secondary schools. 

This year we have students exhibiting from Atherton, Malanda and Ravenshoe State High Schools as well as Mount St Bernard’s.  A warm invitation is extended to our schools and wider community to come along and view the work.  SNAP will available to viewed during gallery hours until the end of January 2023.

SNAP - Secondary Student Artwork Exhibition

Link and Launch for Year 12's after school

Raising Teens Workshop

Art Competition - Design a sign

Tableland Yidinji Youths - Art Competition 'Design a Sign'. The Tablelands Regional Council is planning to erect a new sign in 2023, and we want our young Tableland Yidinji people to design it. 

For more information contact - admin@wadjanbarrayidinji.com.au

Yarning with Our Elders

Over the Christmas holidays and into Term 1, QATSIF (Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) in partnership with ACU (Australian Catholic University) will be running their 3^rd Annual Yarning With Our Elders project.   

All 2023 First Nations Queensland secondary students (including our 2023 Year 7 students) are invited to help to record and preserve important stories, history and culture through yarning with an Elder.  It is run over the Christmas holidays to allow students to catch up with their grandparents and other family members.

Students are invited to share their Elder’s story using any appropriate media eg. Video, voice recordings, essay, poetry, music, interviews etc.  Preferably, presentations should be less than 10 minutes or 5000 words in length (or equivalent).

All entries will be recognised with a certificate and a trophy or medallion.  ACU will assist with collating and preserving these important stories for future generations and offer prizes for outstanding entries.

ENTRIES CLOSE: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2023.

Printed entry forms and information will be available at B022, the CEC & CLO office.

Mareeba Shire Council - Cadetship

Holiday Support is available

Share the Dignity

The Queensland Government has partnered with Share the Dignity to provide students in 155 Queensland state and non-state schools with access to free sanitary products.

Become a Homestay host to an International student & be reimbursed.

Contact the school to register your interest and complete an application form.

Carols by Candlelight Saturday Night

New Years Eve Masquerade Cabaret