27 March 2024

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community members,

As we come to the end of Term 1, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the key events and accomplishments that have taken place at Atherton State High School in the past few weeks.

Year 6 School Tour: We finished off the term with our first Year 6 School Tour, welcoming prospective students and their families to our vibrant school community. It was wonderful to see so many eager faces exploring our facilities and meeting our dedicated staff. We hope that the tour provided valuable insights into what life is like at Atherton State High School and helped to ease any nerves about the transition to secondary education.

Staffing: A huge congratulations to our recently appointed permanent Deputy Principal, Cathy Campbell.  Cathy has been a vital staff member at this school for many years and has worked tirelessly in the Acting Deputy Principal role over the past 2 years.  Congratulations also to Jade Taske who will be our Acting Head of Department for the Arts for 4 weeks next term. 

NAPLAN: Our Year 7 and Year 9 students participated in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assessments this term. These assessments provide valuable data that helps us to track student progress and identify areas for improvement. I want to commend all students for their hard work and dedication during this testing period.

Facilities: We are driven to keep improving this wonderful school with our recent facility upgrade.    Maintenance is key to creating the best learning environment we can for our students.  Over this easter break period, we will continue the aesthetic transformation by painting the library and the covered hall walkways in our new modern colour scheme featuring our school colours. The amenities are due to re-open early next term for our students. 

Hashimoto High School Tour: It was wonderful to have Hashimoto students and staff from Japan visit us for an eight day school tour.  Thank you so much to our school community for hosting our visitors, our buddies were amazing and thoroughly enjoyed learning about Japanese culture.  Thank you so much to Ainsley Jackson, who co-ordinated the tour.  

Cross Country: Our annual Cross Country event brought together students from all year levels for a day of friendly competition and outdoor activity. It was fantastic to see students showcasing their athletic abilities and demonstrating great sportsmanship. Congratulations to all participants for their efforts, and a special shoutout to our age champions and winning house,  Euramo House.         

As we look ahead to Term 2, there are many exciting opportunities and challenges awaiting us. I encourage students to continue to approach their studies with enthusiasm and determination, and to actively participate in the wide range of extracurricular activities available.

I would like to express my gratitude to our dedicated staff for their tireless efforts in supporting our students’ academic and personal growth. I would also like to thank parents and guardians for their ongoing support and collaboration.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable Easter break. May Term 2 be filled with even more success and memorable experiences.

Warm regards,

Leanne Knight-Smith

Principal Atherton State High School

From the Deputy's Desk-Senior Schooling

As term one disappears behind us, I can happily say that we’ve had a great start to the year in senior schooling. Thanks to all of our students, parents, carers, and staff for the effort you have put in this term to make sure that our students achieve happiness and success in their final years of school. Most students are now coming out of our first assessment phase, and its important to take a mental and physical break before we start again next term, so make sure to relax and recuperate over the holidays. Plenty of our students will be working over the holidays as well, so to the students completing work experience, work placement and work trials over the holidays, I wish you good luck.

It will be important for students to start the term focussed and aiming to achieve. The senior schooling will continue having supportive conversations with students and parents to ensure that students are fully aware of what they need to do to be successful in their QCE and career pathway, and know what they need do to get there.

Finally, we farewell Hashimoto High School today after an eight-day visit with us. What a fun time we’ve had with them! Thank you to the host parents and student buddies who have looked after these students while they’ve been with us, and to Ainsley Jackson for the co-ordination of this tour.

Wishing everyone the best over the break and looking forward to an exciting term with you.

From the Deputy's Desk-Middle Schooling

Another wonderful term spent working with the Year 9 and 10 cohorts. They have had some amazing opportunities to engage with their care class and Well Being and Values teachers throughout the term to help develop their knowledge around careers, skills in technology and build respectful relationships. Thanks to Ms McGuigan, Ms White and Mrs Nunn for providing such valuable lessons.

 Did you know we have an active Uniform committee that looks at our student dress code? Here is a bit of information about what we have been up to in regard to a uniform review.

For many years our current school uniform has served our community well and has been worn with pride by many graduating students. We have not completed a whole school community review of our school uniform for many years but we feel it is time to begin a conversation to determine if the current uniform and student code of dress is still meeting the needs of our school community. In completing this review, there is some critical information that we need to share so that informed consultation can occur. The committee acknowledges that there are a vast number of opinions around the school dress code, but in support and requiring change, so we want to pull the ideas together.

A dress code for students provides guidance to the school community on the agreed uniform and standards for student personal presentation when attending and representing the school. ‘The purpose of a dress code is to promote a sense of identity and pride; help strengthen school community cohesion; enhance student safety, health and wellbeing; and prepare students for the expectations of some workplaces.’ (Sourced 19.3.24 from the Department of Education, Student dress code procedure document Version 7.0)

When reviewing a dress code, we must ensure it is compliant with relevant legislation and guidelines and must:

• be developed in consultation with the school community
• be consistent with health and safety considerations
• comply with human rights, anti-discrimination and disability standards for education legislation
• consider affordability, functionality and durability of uniform items
• provide uniform options, including shorts and pants, in all uniform categories for all students, regardless of gender
• include processes to enable modifications, reasonable adjustments or exemptions for individual students or groups of students
• be published on the school’s website.

(Sourced 19.3.24 from the Department of Education, Student dress code procedure document Version 7.0)

As a school community, we all play an important role in the review and implementation of any changes that may be considered in regard to the student dress code.

Early in Term 2 we will be gathering information from the school community, including staff, students and parents, about the school dress code. Please keep an eye out for emails and contacts regarding this.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy break during the school holidays and I look forward to working with you in Term 2.

Kind regards,

Ann Grimshaw

From the Deputy's Desk-Junior Schooling

Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing Survey

When will the survey take place?

On Tuesday April 16 (Week 1 Term 2) students at Atherton State High School will complete the QEWS. It will occur during period 4 WAVE. To complete the survey, students will need to access their school email and so need to bring their own device to this lesson so they can access this in their normal classroom.

 Why are we doing the survey?

We know that wellbeing and engagement are important parts of your child’s life at school. The department and your school are looking at ways to collect information on these topics so we can support our students in the best way possible.

The Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing (QEW) Survey is designed to measure how state school students view their wellbeing and engagement.

Results from this survey will tell us about students’ levels of wellbeing and engagement. This information will allow us to better support our students and meet their needs.

 What is the survey about?

The survey measures many aspects of students’ wellbeing, engagement, and experience at school.

The survey asks about:

• Resilience
• school climate
• relationships (peers, teachers, home)
• sense of belonging
• motivation and perseverance
• academic self-concept
• personal social capabilities
• future outlook and aspirations
• general life satisfaction
• general health

What is involved in participation?

Teachers will arrange for students to take part in the Survey online during class time. It will take about 30 minutes to complete. If your child requires additional assistance, teachers and/or support people are able to help them.

How will your child’s information be kept confidential?

The information collected through the survey will be kept confidential. No personal information will be shared with anyone outside of the Queensland Department of Education.

 How will your child’s responses be reported?

Student’s answers will be de-identified. They will only be reported back to the school as part of their year levels’ results. No one at your child’s school will be able to see their individual responses.

 Where can I get more information?

More information, including FAQs, can be found on the Education website: https://qed.qld.gov.au/publications/reports/statistics/schooling/students/queensland-engagement-wellbeing-survey

Finance Update

Finance update

Dear Parents/Carers/Guardians,

Student Resource Scheme 2024 Payments Now Due

All 2024 Student Resource Scheme levies including subject fees are due to be paid at the end of this term. Please ensure all fees are paid in full or a payment agreement in place with the school in order for students to continue to receive resources.

Thank you to all those who have paid and to those who have arranged payment plans.

Please update Contact details

If any details have changed either address, email or other contacts, please update these with the school.

For further information email bsm@athertonshs.eq.edu.au

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

Trak Ed

On Thursday our Deputy Principal Middle school, Ann Grimshaw and two of our teaching staff, Mr Roy McPherson and Mr David Platz, attended training in the platform Track Ed. This was a wonderful opportunity for them all to learn more about how we can use our existing student data to help to support positive student outcomes across all year levels.

Data helps to tell a story to the school about where we need to focus our efforts to support our students into the future. We look forward to having conversations with staff, students and parents using this data as a discussion starter.

Health Faculty Update

HPE classes have been working through a range of theoretical concepts and practical activities this term.  It has been fantastic to see how well students have applied themselves to learning new movement sequences and strategies, as well as implementing their knowledge of concepts.  Well done to our senior students in years 11 and 12 who have all completed their first assessment for the year.  We have seen some great results so far and look forward to what our students can produce throughout 2024.

Some of the amazing activities completed during HPE classes this term are depicted in the following photos and videos.  Well done students!

Thank you Atherton Bowls Club!

We would like to thank the members of the Atherton Bowls Club who have once again given up their time to coach our students from the year 10 PEX class, and both of our year 11 REC classes.  Thank you to Mal Mackney (Head Coach), as well as coaches Derek and Yvonne.  It has been such a pleasure to work with these amazing people from the club, and to strengthen this community connection.  On behalf of the ASHS community – thank you!!

My New Gallery

Sports Update

Sport in 2024 has definitely hit the ground running, with many of our Atherton SHS students being selected to represent the school and district at regional carnivals. From these carnivals, ASHS has a further 15 students selected to represent our Peninsula School Sport region at their respective upcoming State Championships in Term 2, good luck students!

Throughout Term 1 we have held 2 rounds of our House Challenge events, providing engaging opportunities for all students to participate in house events aimed at our Cross-Country carnival for overall points going towards the House Challenge trophy. Thankyou to our House Captains and Senior leaders for leading these events for students across the school.

The end of Term 1 saw our first whole school interhouse carnival, the Cross Country. Held at the Tinaburra Avenue or Honour, in 2024 the whole school attended this event, with students having the opportunity to participate in either competitive or non-competitive events around the course. I wish to thank all staff and parents for their encouragement in getting this event off the ground as a very successful Whole School carnival for the first time in a long time. Congratulations to our champion house Euramo. 

To date 2024 Peninsula Representatives

Xander Appo – 14-15yrs Boys Rugby League (Shadow)

Cooper Dockrill - 14-15yrs Boys Rugby League

Sam Fahlstrom - 14-15yrs Boys Rugby League

Seth Stein – 16-18 yrs Boys Rugby League

Mia Portelli - 13-15yrs Girls Netball (Sahdow)

Asha Simmons – 16-19yrs Girls Netball

Ella Stockman – 13-19yrs Swimming

Daniel Harris – 13-15yrs Boys Hockey

Ethan Berry-Porter - 13-15yrs Boys Hockey

Jacob Berry-Porter - 13-15yrs Boys Hockey (Shadow)

Tylah Harris – 16-19yrs Girls Hockey

Ben Howard - 16-19yrs Boys Hockey

Patrick Stevens - 16-19yrs Boys Hockey & 16-19yrs Boys Cricket

Taylor Fitzgerald – 15-16yrs Girls Rugby League (Shadow)

Dylan Scrivener – 15-18yrs Boys Baseball

List Current as of 25/3/2024 – if there are any issues or omissions, please contact Mr Simpson on hsimp75@eq.edu.au

Health and Wellbeing with Eleanor

As Easter approaches, families and communities gear up for a well-deserved break. For many young people, this holiday signifies a time of relaxation, fun, and often indulgence. However, amidst the excitement of Easter egg hunts and family gatherings, it's crucial to prioritise your health. Here are some tips for promoting health during the Easter holidays:

1. Encourage Physical Activity: Easter break offers the perfect opportunity for outdoor activities. Encourage young people to engage in physical activities such as hiking, biking, or playing sports. Organising group activities can make exercise more enjoyable and foster a sense of camaraderie among peers.
2. Foster Nutritious Eating Habits: While Easter is often associated with sweet treats and hearty meals, it's essential to emphasise the importance of balanced nutrition. Encourage young people to opt for healthier alternatives during Easter celebrations, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Additionally, involving them in meal preparation can empower them to make healthier choices.
3. Prioritise Mental Well-being: The Easter break can be a stressful time for some young people, especially with academic pressures or social expectations. Promote mental well-being by encouraging mindfulness practices, such as meditation or yoga. Providing a supportive environment where young people feel comfortable expressing their emotions is crucial for their overall mental health.
4. Limit Screen Time: With more free time on their hands, young people may be tempted to spend excessive hours in front of screens. Encourage them to balance screen time with other activities, such as reading, hobbies, or spending time outdoors. Setting limits on screen time can help prevent sedentary behaviour and promote healthier habits.
5. Educate About Substance Abuse: As social gatherings increase during Easter break, it's essential to educate young people about the risks of substance abuse. Open discussions about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, and other harmful substances can empower them to make informed decisions and resist peer pressure.
6. Foster Positive Relationships: Encourage young people to spend quality time with family and friends during Easter break. Strong social connections are vital for mental and emotional well-being. Whether it's organizing a picnic with friends or spending time with relatives, nurturing positive relationships can enhance young people's overall health and happiness.
7. Lead by Example: Perhaps the most powerful way to promote youth health is by leading by example. As parents, educators, and community leaders, demonstrating healthy habits in our own lives sends a powerful message to young people. By prioritising our own physical and mental well-being, we inspire the next generation to do the same.

This Easter break, let's prioritise health and well-being and together we can empower young people to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy Easter break!

Eleanor

Your School Nurse 

Wellbeing with Sonia

Heading into the holiday break sounds exciting, however it's likely to evoke mixed feelings for some families - excitement of the forthcoming break and perhaps trips away; stress of organising everything, (and paying for it!); worry about family dramas; and lack of usual routine. For teenagers, there might also be expectations to help more around the house; increased work; and spending time with family asking awkward questions.

All of these pressures can take the shine off what might otherwise be a great holiday period. The following tips might be helpful in surviving and enjoying the break.

1. Leave some room for ‘down time’ by not overscheduling
2. Family is still crucial to teens (even though teens might not admit it!) Try fun, meaningful activities, preferably where the young person has a role in the decision-making.
3. Keep communication lines open. Talk about what is likely to cause more, or reduce stress and come up with ideas to manage stress. Even if your teen doesn’t want to talk, ensure they know you are willing to listen to them and are interested in their wellbeing.
4. Negotiate how your teen can exit the family events via a polite phrase. Agree on expectations about participation.
5. Plan ahead. If there are tasks that must be done over the holiday period, create a plan and stick to it.
6. Encourage your teen to get some physical activity – outside and away from technology.
7. As a family, practice gratitude – it is a well-proven stress reliever and promoter of wellbeing. For example, you might have each family member identify something they are looking forward to each day, and something they appreciated in the evening.
8. Sitting down together for meals provides an avenue for communication, planning activities and practicing gratitude.
9. If you’ve lost a family member since the last Easter holiday, recognise it may trigger memories and intensify the feelings of loss. Talk with your family about how you might manage these emotions.
10. Spending more time with your teenager gives you the opportunity to really ‘check in’ on how they are travelling. While it is normal for young people to feel sad, stressed, angry or anxious at times, when these changes persist, and prevention and early intervention is key.

Holidays are a time for recharging, resetting and re-connecting. By taking note of some of the above tips, your family can enjoy time together, recharge your batteries, and be ready for Term 2!

Sonia is available to meet with young people (and their families when needed). Appointments can be made by contacting Sonia directly or via the Head of Junior or Head of Senior School.

Update from the Agricultural Department

Certificate II in Animal Care students learn about the Care of Tableland Wildlife.

As part of the Certificate II in Animal Care, year 12s have been studying ACMSPE320 Basic Care of Mammals with a focus on Tableland marsupials such as Agile Wallabies, Bettongs, Brush Tail Possums, Sugar Gliders and the Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo over the last month.  They have covered a range of topics from rescue, rehabilitation and release; capture and restraint, behavioural, housing and feeding needs, health care, record keeping; to permit requirements to be a Wildlife Carer. The Agriculture Department would like to thank our guest speakers from Tableland Wildlife Rescue and Margit Cianelli from Lumholtz Lodge for sharing their knowledge of wildlife rescue and care with the students. We would also like to acknowledge Bruce Eddleston for assisting the class to build Sugar Glider boxes which will be donated to the Tableland Wildlife Rescue to show our appreciation.

PBL News

A really proactive and positive end to Term 1 for our students, staff and whole community. Principal Advisor- Positive Behaviour for Learning Mr Michael Cavanagh visited our wonderful school on Wednesday the 20^th of March. Each year as part of the PBL accreditation, we conduct several data reflection tools with the aim of measuring how we are going at doing the things we say we are doing. Michael was impressed with many aspects of our school community, notably our PBL shop and ‘Thank You’ tickets. Michael spent time talking with our students, staff and our PBL team, reviewing our planning, implementation and growth we have shown over the last 24 months.

The tools used to achieve this were; the walk-through tool data and the Tiered Fidelity Inventory. These two tools will enable us to plan and review our actions for improved outcomes.

Inclusion News

At Atherton State High School we are using Co-teaching as an approach to be more inclusive in our approach to teaching and learning. We currently have 2 yar 8 Maths, 1 year 8 English and 2 year 7 English classes operating as Co-teaching approach. We have noticed considerable improvement in all students in these classes. With 2 teachers in the room there are more opportunities for support and more moments to check for understanding.

What is co-teaching?

Co-teaching is not a teacher who has  an assistant. That type of teaching situation definitely has its benefits, but it isn’t the same thing as co-teaching. In a true co-teaching situation, there isn’t a lead teacher–rather, there is one content specialist and one a strategy specialist. And though the training and experience of each teacher might be different, both teachers teach and both work with students in groups and individually. To an outside observer and the students in the class, it should not be obvious who is one content specialist and one a strategy specialist because both teachers take on the same roles at different times.

Good things about co-teaching

1. Students get the benefit of two teachers.

One of the biggest challenges teachers face is class size. There simply isn’t enough time for one teacher to give 28 students the attention they need. Obviously, in a co-teaching situation that ratio is cut in half. But the benefit goes beyond that because two teachers in the classroom doesn’t just mean more individualised attention. It also means more opportunities for small group learning and more supervision for group projects and activities. For example, while one teacher supervises and assists students who are working independently, the other can work with a small group of struggling or more advanced students.

1. Co-teaching allows for more inclusion.

Regardless of the benefits of an inclusive classroom, even the most committed teacher can find it difficult to manage the needs of multiple students with widely varying abilities. However, in a co-taught situation, not only are there two teachers, but one of those teachers is specifically qualified to work with special needs students, making it easier for kids with special learning needs to be included in the gen-ed classroom.

1. Co-teaching gives teachers a little breathing room.

When attending raining, you will be told about the temptation to use co-teaching as an opportunity to “take turns” teaching. That is a fair warning, and it is something you have to guard against. But the truth is that having another teacher in the classroom does mean the freedom to occasionally return an email, make a quick phone call, make copies,  or just go the bathroom. And that is pretty awesome.

To implement a co-teaching program would be a tremendous undertaking for any school–involving complicated schedule changes and likely additional teachers. Co-teaching is neither an easy or inexpensive fix, but it is a simple one–even with all the potential challenges. Co-teaching allows students to receive more one-on-one attention, small group learning, and it makes it possible to meet the educational needs of more students in the regular classroom. And the best part is that all of this can be done without expensive curriculum, pricey consultants, or extensive training. Co-teaching relies primarily on the greatest asset Queensland schools have ever had–good teachers working together.